Staff/Faculty Spotlight

Get to Know CPT Sam Mavrick - Upper School Faculty

Submitted by LArmstrong on Wed, 05/23/2012 - 11:27am
Name: Sam Mavrick   Title: Upper School Resource/Learning Skills Instructor, Assistant Postgraduate Football Coach, Head Golf Coach, FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) Huddle Coach and Director of Compliance       
Years at FUMA:  6
 
 
Duties: I work with grades 9-12, and postgraduates on study skills, organization and other learning strategies to make them more efficient and overall better young men and students. I am also the defensive coordinator for our postgraduate football team and work with the secondary on a daily basis.
I also coordinate two of our special teams units: kick-off and punt return.  I am in charge of our local FCA Huddle here at FUMA. I try to help our cadets bridge the gap between athletics and their walk of faith by giving them many avenues to worship and give back to their school, family and community by participating in Bible studies and other volunteering services. 
In addition, I do a lot of work with compliance (athletic eligibility) issues and needs. I help to track and document our cadets who seek to play a collegiate sport.   
Describe yourself in one sentence. If you don’t mind, I am going to use some of the lines from Montgomery Gentry’s song, “Lucky Man”:
“… I know I'm a lucky man
God's given me a pretty fair hand
Got a house and a piece of land

Get to Know Pam Haislip - Middle School

Submitted by LArmstrong on Thu, 05/17/2012 - 9:51am
Name: Pam Haislip    Title: Administrative Assistant - Middle School
Years at FUMA: 25
 
 
 Duties: I take care of all allowances, demerits, money for all trips, petty cash, academic honors, conduct status, leave sign-outs, answer all phones and handle all records and transcripts.
Describe yourself in one sentence. I am upbeat, friendly with all visitors/parents and compassionate with the cadets.
What is your favorite FUMA memory? Watching the parents come for the first leave to pick up their sons after having been separated from them for three weeks and getting to see them in their uniform for the first time and noticing how different they look than when they left them.
In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment? I feel like my biggest accomplishment has been to help keep the Middle School on track and running smoothly.
What job duties/responsibilities do you have at FUMA that others may not be aware of? Whenever we are on any schedule other than our regular Monday-Friday schedule, I ring the bell manually. I also hand out allowance every Thursday.
If you were given two free tickets to any sporting or entertainment event in the U.S., what would be the name of the event or performer printed on those tickets? Merle Haggard concert

Get to Know COL Dennis Brown - Upper School Faculty

Submitted by LArmstrong on Wed, 05/09/2012 - 11:11am
Name: Dennis Brown   Title:  Chairman of English Department  
Years at FUMA: 44
Duties:  Instructor of AP English and composition classes, Sponsor of the National Honor Society, and Instructional Council member
Describe yourself in one sentence.  I work as hard as I can to effect positive change.
What is your favorite FUMA memory?  For a couple of decades, every December 8th the majority of faculty and many cadets would gather in the old library to help Calvin Pippen celebrate his birthday, the highlight of his year. Calvin, who had Down Syndrome, was the brother of the wife of a faculty member and essentially was a fixture on campus, known to all cadets and faculty family. For more than a month prior to the huge celebration, Calvin approached every person he met and said, “Eat cake, me eight”  -- his invitation to attend. Everyone went out of his/her way to join Calvin, who would beam and hug every person there. The FUMA band played, and we all ate delicious cakes provided by Bev Hanlin, Patsy Pulliam, Ann Thompson, and Barbara Kritzer. It may seem like an overly sentimental scene from The Waltons, but it was magical. I think of those birthday parties every December 8.

Get to Know Julie Haynes - Business Office

Submitted by LArmstrong on Wed, 05/02/2012 - 8:54am
Name: Julie Haynes      Title: Accounting Clerk      Years at FUMA: 3
 
 Duties: Front Desk Duties in the Business Office, Switchboard Operator, Mailroom
Describe yourself in one sentence.   I am a hardworking, friendly mother of two with a sense of humor.
What is your favorite FUMA memory? My favorite memory was watching Coach Fletcher Arritt imitate General Jackson at a faculty roast for our retiring President last year.
In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment? I feel like I have made several small accomplishments, but I believe my biggest is yet to come. I am “a work in progress.”
What job duties/responsibilities do you have at FUMA that others may not be aware of?  I reconcile most of the bank statements for FUMA.
If you were given two free tickets to any sporting or entertainment event in the U.S., what would be the name of the event or performer printed on those tickets? I have been to one Broadway play and would love to get to see another. I don’t really care which one.
What is your favorite pastime?  I enjoy swimming and spending time with my family.

Get to Know Matt Perry - Upper School Faculty

Submitted by LArmstrong on Wed, 04/25/2012 - 2:22pm

Name: Matt Perry   Years at FUMA: 1   Duties: US Chemistry, Lacrosse

 

Describe yourself in one sentence.

I am a tenacious perfectionist constantly seeking a challenge.

What is your favorite FUMA memory?

Returning to the campus nineteen years later to see that very little has changed.  Many memories that were lost came back to me with each corner I turned, every door I passed through, and each familiar face I met.

In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment?

Since I have been here less than a year, tasks associated with teaching have filled nearly every moment of each day. 

What job duties/responsibilities do you have at FUMA that others may not be aware of?  As a licensed chiropractor, I often help injured faculty, spouses, and cadets return to their normal daily activities.

If you were given two free tickets to any sporting or entertainment event in the U.S., what would be the name of the event or performer printed on those tickets?  USA Rugby vs. any top tier international rugby team.

What is your favorite pastime?  Spending time with my children, playing/coaching rugby and lacrosse.

Get to Know Ginger Welch - Upper School Faculty

Submitted by LArmstrong on Wed, 04/18/2012 - 11:11am

 Get to Know Your Faculty and Staff

Name:  Ginger Welch  Title:  Resource Teacher  Years at FUMA:  25 years

Duties:  I serve as a resource teacher in the Upper School, coach the debate team, and work in the library some Saturday and Sunday afternoons.  I also serve as Chair of the Special Studies Department.

Describe yourself in one sentence.   I am quiet, calm and patient. 

What is your favorite FUMA memory?  Two come to mind … watching Coach Arritt’s PG basketball team play with the entire corps cheering them on and the FUMA band adding support.  Second, hiking to the top of Old Rag with friends from FUMA, then relaxing at the summit to enjoy the view.  (The most memorable part was maneuvering through the rocks to reach the summit.)

Get to Know CPT Wes Cox - Middle School Faculty

Submitted by lilese on Wed, 04/11/2012 - 10:40am

Name:  Wesley Cox  Title:  Captain Years at FUMA:  9 years

Duties:  Assistant MS Football Coach, Head MS Baseball Coach, MS Math and Science Teacher

Describe yourself in one sentence.  I am a perfectionist, so much that I will continue to work on a problem in my head until I find a solution, even as I sleep.

What is your favorite FUMA memory?  Watching the very first cadet that I met at FUMA, a rising 8th grader, walk across the stage as an Upper School cadet officer to receive his diploma.

In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment?

Knowing that I helped the previously mentioned grow into the young man that he is today.  I can’t wait to see him walk across the stage one more time this spring to receive his Bachelor’s Degree from Bridgewater College.

What job duties/responsibilities do you have at FUMA that others may not be aware of?  Saturday morning inspections. 

If you were given two free tickets to any sporting or entertainment event in the U.S., what would be the name of the event or performer printed on those tickets?  World Series tickets (all 7 games).

What is your favorite pastime?  Watching sports, camping and fishing in the mountains, and cooking out with friends.

Get to Know MAJ Bill Blanchetti - Middle School Commandant

Submitted by lilese on Thu, 04/05/2012 - 9:59am

Name: William C. Blanchetti  Title:  Middle School Commandant 
Years at FUMA: 26


Duties:  I’m in charge of discipline and dormitory life in the Middle School. I select our cadet officers each year and I also promote the young men in our Corps who show leadership, compliance and maturity.

Describe yourself in one sentence.  I try to keep an upbeat attitude and approach life with a sense of humor.

What is your favorite FUMA memory?  My favorite FUMA memory was watching my two oldest sons walk across the Upper School graduation stage to receive their FUMA diplomas.

In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment?  I feel that I have impacted the lives of the young men entrusted to me in the classroom as a U.S. History, European History and World History teacher. I was also blessed to coach two undefeated football teams at FUMA, one in the Upper School and one in the Middle School. I played a part in watching these young men develop as scholars, gentlemen and athletes.   

What job duties/responsibilities do you have at FUMA that others may not be aware of?  I hand out allowance every Thursday in the Middle School. I’m an emergency barber. I’m a fashion consultant to polyester uniforms and I administer humorous psychiatric counseling to cadets as needed.

Get to Know COL Fred Hardy - Upper School Faculty

Submitted by lilese on Thu, 03/29/2012 - 2:37pm

Name:  Fred Hardy  Title:  Instructor  Years at FUMA: 37

Duties:  English Instructor, Assistant Track Coach

Describe yourself in one sentence.  Still crazy after all these years. (Actually that’s a fragment, not a sentence.)

What is your favorite FUMA memory?  FUMA’s 100th Anniversary - Unscheduled Track Reunion - 28 track alumni from several decades past showed up at our faculty home. We depleted the local stores’ supply of fried chicken and fixin’s and spent hours catching up and recalling past times at FUMA.  

Favorite Novel – Tristram Shandy

Favorite Poem – “To Helen”

Favorite food - Crabcakes

Favorite entertainers - Hank Snow, Leadbelly, Roy Orbison, Guitar Slim, Linda Ronstadt, Mountain Heart, Mac Weisman, Charlie Waller, Marty Robbins, The Drifters, George Jones, Ray Charles, Bill Monroe, Jerry Lee Lewis, The Temptations . . .

In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment? I’m still here (but my threescore and ten looms).  Beyond that, I’ve had the joy of seeing hundreds of former students distinguish themselves as successful and productive leaders in their careers and in their families.

Get to Know Micky Sullivan - Athletic Director

Submitted by lilese on Thu, 03/22/2012 - 9:25am

Name:  H.M. “Micky” Sullivan  Title:  Athletic Director / Head Prep Football Coach  

Years at FUMA:  This is my 34th year: 1975-80 & 1983-present

  

Duties:  I coach the prep football team and as Athletic Director I am responsible for scheduling and coordinating all athletic events as well as overseeing the care and maintenance of all athletic fields and buildings.

Describe yourself in one sentence.  I am one of the luckiest people in the world.

What is your favorite FUMA memory?  Playing PG basketball in Thomas Gym vs. VMI Junior Varsity in 1967.  The game was played in front of the Upper School and Middle School Corps of Cadets.

In the time you have been at the Academy, what do you feel has been your biggest accomplishment?  Having the honor of working with some great coaches and many great young men to help build the prep football team from a poor team into a program that is nationally known and respected.

What job duties/responsibilities do you have at FUMA that others may not be aware of?  I spend a part of my day counseling coaches about how to work in the FUMA way.

If you were given two free tickets to any sporting or entertainment event in the U.S., what would be the name of the event or performer printed on those tickets?  I would probably choose to have tickets to a bowl game involving one of my former players.

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