Southern Virginia Welcomes Home Class of 1999
Kaitlyn Smith ·
October 16, 2009
After a decade of establishing their place in the world, the members of the first graduating class of Southern Virginia College, now Southern Virginia University, are returning to their roots. This homecoming weekend will host Southern Virginia’s first 10-year reunion. The alumni will have an opportunity to reminisce about navigating the untested waters of a fledgling private institution. No one else had ever graduated from a private college seeking to educate within a Latter-day Saint environment.
Rather than preparing an exclusive “Class of 99”” event, the pioneering class members plan to enjoy the buffet of homecoming activities slated for all alumni on Oct. 16 and 17. These include an alumni “mix and mingle,” an academic forum with Professors Cluff and Crawford and several alumni sport matches. All alumni, the university community, friends and visitors are invited to the homecoming football game against George Mason University with its tailgate party beforehand as well as to a host of other activities that are outlined on the homecoming link at svu.edu.
Joe Bouchelle, assistant dean of students, expressed the excitement the campus community feels about the class of ’99 returning. “What a neat thing it will be to have these educational pioneers here with us again. Those of us who were here at the time all worked together. These grads are our dear friends.”
From professional pilot to graduate student to homemaker to deputy, the class of 1999 has traversed the spectrum of life experiences. They have lived all over the country furthering their education and careers. One couple actually graduated together twice, once in 1999 at Southern Virginia College for their bachelor’s and a second time at Florida State University for a Ph.D. and a nursing degree. The 1999 alumni have a combined total of nearly 40 children, and some of them need to thank Southern Virginia for that. Seven of the 14 graduates met their spouse at Southern Virginia during their time here.
Southern Virginia has seen many changes in the 10 years since their graduation—new and refurbished buildings, changes in administration and faculty and a huge increase in student population. The school opened its doors in 1996 with 76 students. By 1999 there were 200, and this fall semester there are about 650 students.
Chantel Keller, class of ’99, recalled a time when the students were hoping and praying for an institute director. Now Southern Virginia students enjoy the largest daytime Institute of Religion on the East Coast.
Though the university has undergone many changes, one thing has remained the same: the emphasis on service.
As a requirement to graduate, the students completed senior projects that incorporated the school’s motto: “Learn that life is service.” Kindee Nielsen Dixon, a 1999 graduate who now serves on the board of trustees at Southern Virginia, designed her senior project to serve underprivileged children on the other side of the world. She organized a group to build schools in Kenya for orphans who lived in the slums. The first trip was in 1998. Since then, her group has become the non-profit organization, World of Difference. The legacy of that senior project is 10 new schools, including two high schools, and the opportunity for thousands of children to receive an education. The legacy continues on with two building trips planned for summer 2010.
Gordon Mills, the 1999 class president, who now holds a Ph.D. in higher education administration, noted Southern Virginia’s long-time dedication to service.
“In 1996, Southern Virginia College was at the forefront of the service learning movement of incorporating service projects and activities into the curriculum. In fact, during the first couple of years,” Mills reminisced, “Wednesdays were completely set aside for a day of service; SVC students would perform a wide variety of service projects around campus and in the community. Wednesdays [were spent] ‘learning that life is service.’”
Mills continued, “Now … a number of other higher education researchers have written multiple books and research articles describing the importance of including service learning as a high impact educational activity and practice in higher education.”
These early Southern Virginia students were also at the forefront. As Dean Bouchelle observed, “They blazed the trail, sometimes quite literally, for all of the students who have come since then.”
Dan Hook, the pilot of the group, summed up the effect of going to a service-minded school: “The theme of service has not left our lives. We take advantage of every opportunity we can find, most often when the person in need is not looking our way.”