Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510270030
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-13 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Alan Raflo has been hired as the new outreach educator at the Virginia Tech Museum of Natural History. Raflo will concentrate on the Museum Inquiry-based Natural History Guides for Teachers (MINTS) project. He will edit and complete the final version of the MINTS guidebook and determine who best to make MINTS products available.
Raflo has been in Blacksburg since 1990 and has worked at Virginia Tech as an editor and public relations specialist for the Rural Economic Analysis program since 1991.
A Virginia Tech faculty member has been awarded his second J. William Fulbright grant.
John Crunkilton, associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, will use the grant to develop a curriculum for the American farm school in Greece during fall 1995 semester. He has worked closely with the school since 1983, when he received his first Fulbright grant.
Three Virginia Tech public relations women received awards, including two first-place awards, in the national communications competition sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women.
Lynn Nystrom, director of news and external relations for the College of Engineering, placed first with a brochure on the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering and second for her work as faculty advisor to the Collegiate Times.
Clara Cox, a manager of public service communications in University Relations, received first place for editing Virginia Issues & Answers, a magazine published semi-annually for state and local educators and economic developers.
Sally Harris, public relations coordinator in University Relations for the College of Arts and Sciences, took two third-place awards. One was for a black and white feature photo she took of a Tech professor, which was published in the college's newsletter.
Harris' other award was for three news releases on the same topic: a series of holiday releases featuring professors.
Three people received new titles and positions in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies during the summer.
Yvan Beliveau was named head of building construction. Previously, Beliveau was a professor in the Department of Civil Engineering for 10 years at the university. His credits include being principal investigator for over $1 million in grants and donations to the university. He was recently honored by the Construction Innovation Forum with a NOVA award for revolutionary three-dimensional measuring device for surveying and automation.
John Randolph, a professor in urban affairs and planning and past director of the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research, has been selected head of urban affairs and planning. He has been at the university since 1979. He has received more than a quarter of a million dollars in research grants from Virginia industry, state agencies and the General Assembly.
Gene Egger has been named chair of the Foundation Program in architecture. Egger has been at the university and an architecture professor for 26 years. He has been instrumental in the development of the college's Study Aboard Program.
An electrical engineering professor has been selected to receive the Electrical and Computer Engineering Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus Award for 1995.
Warren Stutzman is a member of Tech's Satellite Communication's Group. He is being recognized by the association for his outstanding contributions to the electrical and computer engineering profession. Stutzman is an internationally recognized researcher in satellite communications and antenna design.
Benjamin Blanchard, a professor of industrial and systems engineering, has been awarded a medal of appreciation by the Swedish Society of Logistics Engineers. The organization honored Blanchard for his global impact on logistics engineering.
Blanchard has worked on logistics and systems engineering projects with the three branches of Swedish military since the early 1970s.
Radford University
Radford University's Community Arts School recently announced four new faculty positions for the 1995-96 term.
Mira Kruja, an Albanian-born pianist, will be the principal piano instructor, teaching both individual lessons and classes. Kruja recently received her master's degree in piano performance and pedagogy from Radford.
Kruja's husband, Fredinand Murati, will offer violin and music composition instruction.
Pamela Trent will offer classes for pre-schoolers in the Kindermusik program.
Pat Horne, a well-known singer, actress, dancer and choreographer in the area, will work with a group of children in a drama class that will be held Saturday afternoons.
David Hill has been appointed interim director of admissions at Radford. Hill will continue as assistant vice president for student life while directing the office of admissions while the university searches for a permanent director.
Hill came to the university in 1981 as director of residential life. Before coming to Radford, he was a consultant and manager for McGraw Hill book company. Prior to that, he was dean of student programs at Virginia Tech from 1971 until 1977.
Michael Cronin, professor of speech communication and director of the oral communication program at Radford, has been appointed to serve on a task force to develop national standards for speaking, listening and media literacy instruction in grades K-12. The task force is appointed by the national Speech Communication Association.
New River Community College
Three area residents have been appointed to serve on the Board of Directors of the New River Community College Educational Foundations. The Foundation Board of Directors represents the counties of Floyd, Giles, Montgomery and Pulaski counties and the City of Radford.
Shirley Graham Cook of Pulaski County is a former classroom teacher in Roanoke, Mecklenburg and Tazewell counties. She has also had several teaching and administrative positions with the Pulaski County School System. She retired in August 1994 after 27 years of service in education.
A member of several organizations, Cook is co-owner of the Dublin Flower Shop and Valley Florist in Radford.
Gary Hancock of Hillsville is a member and partner in the law firm of Gilmer, Sadler, Ingram, Sutherland and Hutton in Pulaski. A former mayor of the Town of Pulaski, he has been involved in many political and community service activities, including the Pulaski Chamber of Commerce, the Virginia Commission on Population Growth and Development and the Town of Pulaski Planning Commission.
James "Jimmy" Turk Jr. of Blacksburg is a partner in the law firm of Stone, Harrison, Turk and Showalter P.C. in Radford. He also is an adjunct professor in the criminal justice department at Radford University. Turk is also an active member with the Radford Rotary Club, Radford Jaycees and the Radford City and Montgomery County Republican Committees.
by CNB