Wofford College

Wofford College.  Department of Environmental Studies

Wofford College 
Digital Commons @ Wofford 
The Fierce Green Fire Environmental Studies 
4-9-2021 
The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 11 Issue 5 
Wofford College. Department of Environmental Studies 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/fiercegreenfire 
Recommended Citation 
Wofford College. Department of Environmental Studies, "The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 11 Issue 5" (2021). 
The Fierce Green Fire. 267. 
https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/fiercegreenfire/267 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Environmental Studies at Digital Commons @ 
Wofford. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Fierce Green Fire by an authorized administrator of Digital 
Commons @ Wofford. For more information, please contact stonerp@wofford.edu. 
 
 
 The Fierce Green Fire 
A Newsletter of the Wofford College Environmental Studies Program 
Volume 11, Issue 5 
Elevating Climate Conversations at Wofford  
by Dr. Laura Barbas Rhoden 
Close-up of messages and images added to the 
artwork elevating climate justice + resilience 
 
 
Chris Gardner and Wofford President 
Nayef Samhat to ask for change.  
As a faculty member, I’m proud of the 
students’ efforts and grateful for students 
in Spanish to have a role alongside other 
classes, such as those in environmental 
studies and biology, in elevating climate 
conversations. Colleagues’ teaching in 
the social sciences, like sociology and 
international affairs, helped students 
make connections to dynamics of power 
at different levels of scale. And art, such 
as the banner centerpiece by Walker 
Antonio, brought a message to life. So, 
as we head toward Earth Day, we say 
thank you and adelante! all who further 
the work of climate education, justice, 
and resilience, here and everywhere. 
 
On March 31, students, faculty and 
staff, and community members picked 
up brushes and paint to co-create art to 
elevate conversations about climate. 
We wrote messages of hope and 
urgency; talked with one another about 
how the climate emergency impacts our 
lives; and together painted images for a 
more regenerative future. 
The event was hosted by students in 
Ibero-American Environmental 
Humanities (SPAN 420), taught for the 
first time at Wofford this spring. 
Students in the course thought with 
theoretical and creative texts from Latin 
America and Spain; listened to the 
voices of Indigenous and rural activists 
organizing to safeguard territories and 
lifeways in the Americas; and together 
envisioned, designed, and carried out a 
final, collaborative, participatory 
project. In addition to the art event, 
they started the first-ever, student-led 
petition for divestment by the college 
from fossil fuels; started a new 
Instagram account to educate peers; 
and met with Chief Financial Officer 
Ibero-Am EH students and 
friends holding up a banner in 
support of Climate Justice. 
 
 
 
Collaborative work on the 
banner with centerpiece by 
student artist Walker Antonio. 
 
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________ The Fierce Green Fire, Vol. 11 Issue 5 April 9, 2021 
 
Upcoming Events and Opportunities 
PROFILE OF THE WEEK: 
Vermont Law School – Environmental Law Center 
The Environmental Law Center (ELC) at Vermont 
Law School boosts that it offers more environmental 
and energy law courses than any other U.S. law school.  
From historically preserved and environmentally 
friendly campus buildings to participating in locally 
grown sustainable agriculture, students learn 
environmental concepts and energy policy in the world 
around them. 
ELC offers several degrees including a Master of 
Environmental Law and Policy (MELP), Master of 
Energy Regulation and Law (MERL), Master of Food 
and Agriculture Law and Policy (MFALP) and Master 
of Arts in Restorative Justice (MARJ).  Each of these 
can be pursued jointly with a JD degree.  Post-JD 
students have the opportunity to pursue a Master of 
Law (LLM) in Energy Law, Environmental Law, 
American Legal Studies, or Food and Agriculture 
Law. Dual degrees are also offered through 
institutions such as Yale, Cambridge, and the 
University of Vermont. 
 
Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School 
April 30th  
Application Deadline 
 
USM Gulf Coast Research Laboratory’s Summer Field Program: Two summer sessions 
available offering studies in coastal environments with intensive field and laboratory-
based settings. See their brochure for more information. 
April 15th  
1:00-3:00pm 
  
Litter Sweep at Butterfly Creek Park: Meet at the Farmer’s Market, 498 Howard Street. 
All are welcome! 
On going 
Until position filled  
Spring 2021SC Forestry commission Environmental Education Internship: Help plan and 
implement forest conservation programs for natural resource professionals, formal and 
nonformal educators, preK-12 students, and/or the general public. 10-20 hours 
Monday – Friday (8:00 - 4:30) with occasional weekend work and/or travel (expenses 
covered by SCFC). Location: Harbison State Forest, 5600 Broad River Rd., Columbia, SC  
29212. Contact Project Supervisor:  Matt Schnabel, Environmental Education Coordinator, 
mschnabel@scfc.gov, 803-728-5968 
 
 
April 16th  
1:00pm 
Zoom  
ASLE Spotlight – Water Works: New public facing ASLE initiative to highlight recent 
creative, critical, and activist work in the environmental humanities. 
Information/Registration 
Ongoing 
  
Spartanburg Area Conservation Internship: SPACE is seeking an unpaid intern for 
summer 2021 to work with land conservation. Any interested students can contact Dr. 
Savage savageks@wofford.edu. 
 
  
 
 


English

The Fierce Green Fire: Vol. 11 Issue 5

Wofford College 
Digital Commons @ Wofford 
The Fierce Green Fire Environmental Studies 
11-19-2021 
The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 12 Issue 7 
Wofford College. Department of Environmental Studies 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/fiercegreenfire 
Recommended Citation 
Wofford College. Department of Environmental Studies, "The Firece Green Fire: Vol. 12 Issue 7" (2021). 
The Fierce Green Fire. 274. 
https://digitalcommons.wofford.edu/fiercegreenfire/274 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Environmental Studies at Digital Commons @ 
Wofford. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Fierce Green Fire by an authorized administrator of Digital 
Commons @ Wofford. For more information, please contact stonerp@wofford.edu. 
 
 
 
 
 
The Fierce Green Fire 
A Newsletter of the Wofford College Environmental Studies Program 
Volume 12, Issue 7 
ENVS 101 Field Trip to Happy Cow Creamery 
by Izzy Boulware ’24  
 
 
 
Tom cut out all uses of chemicals and 
fertilizers on his farm, and only uses 
pure, organic matter to help 
supplement nutrients into the soil. 
Sustainability seen on a successful 
farm like Happy Cow shows students, 
like me, that anyone can be successful 
in their line of work if they do it 
honestly. Farmer Tom exemplified 
thinking out of the box and providing 
a sustainable and healthy home for his 
cows and a healthy product for his 
customers. People from neighboring 
states and cities drive to buy dairy 
products from Happy Cow, and I 
don’t think many people would do the 
same for big name brands like Borden 
or Nestlé. Our trip to Happy Cow 
Creamery showed us that 
sustainability should be preserved and 
used in future endeavors in the 
Southeast and America at large.  
 
 
 
 
 
A little over two weeks ago, the 
Environmental 101 class drove to a 
little dairy farm situated just south of 
Greenville in Pelzer, South Carolina 
for our weekly excursion. Our unit 
that week focused on sustainable 
development with a hint of 
globalization. Happy Cow Creamery 
has been in this area since 1978 when 
Tom Trantham or, as many people 
call him, Farmer Tom purchased the 
land. (Farmer Tom is an icon of dairy 
farming.) The bigger farms injected 
hormones into their cows to create the 
optimized dairy product with the 
optimized output. Farmer Tom could 
not keep up, and he didn’t know what 
to do. Until his cows traveled over to 
an unused grazing field that had been 
run rampant with weeds. After their 
grazing, Farmer Tom realized that the 
cows’ milk production the next day 
increased exponentially.  
 
 
 
____________________________________________________________________________________________ 
The Fierce Green Fire, Vol. 12 Issue 7 November 19, 2021 
 
Upcoming Events and Opportunities 
PROFILE OF THE WEEK: 
University of South Carolina – Master of Earth and Environmental Resource Management 
The School of Earth, Ocean and Environment at the 
University of South Carolina offers five graduate 
degrees including the Master of Earth and 
Environmental Resource Management (MEERM) 
degree for graduate students interested in management 
positions in earth resources or environmental 
resources. 
MEERM offers these graduate students the opportunity 
to create individualized programs based on their own 
interests and goals. 
The school’s website quotes, “To ensure a truly 
interdisciplinary education, at least one third of the 
student’s coursework must be in earth and 
environmental resources and one third in 
management, finance and economics, with no more 
than 50 percent in either field.”  This gives students 
the flexibility to create their own individualized 
degree within a structured program. 
In cooperation with the USC School of Law, the 
program also offers a JD-MEERM duel degree. 
 
Visit USC – School of Earth, Ocean and 
Environment 
 
 
November 18th-February 5th  
Spartanburg Art Museum 
200 E Saint John Street 
Lamentations: A photographic exhibition by Tina Freeman on loan from the New 
Orleans Museum of Art. Freeman’s photographs of the wetlands of Louisiana and the 
glacial landscape of the Artic and Antarctica pair images from these disparate regions in 
a series of diptychs that function as stories about climate change, ecological balance, and 
the connectedness of disparate landscapes.  
December 7th & 9th   
8:00-9:20am 
Zoom  
Save the Date for ENVS Capstone Presentations for Class of 2022: Seniors will be 
presenting their capstone projects via Zoom. A link to the program will be sent out after 
Thanksgiving break. 
Ongoing Job Opportunities at Teton Science School 
 
 Ongoing  
 
Become a Campus Organizer for StudentPIRGs 
November 22nd   
7:00pm 
Zoom 
Harvard School of Divinity’s Weather Reports: A weekly series of online conversations 
featuring this week’s topic, The Climate of the Future with novelist Kim Stanley Robinson. 
Zoom registration required.  
 
 


The Fierce Green Fire: Vol. 12 Issue 7

Wofford College.  Office of Marketing and Communications

ISSUE #89 | NOVEMBER 18, 2021 | FROM THE OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Small loans, big impact
Santa Rhina Barett Figaro is a recipient of a microloan from Wofford College’s James-Atkins Student-
Managed Investment Fund. The loan has supported a thriving business and helped her family build a
home.
By Robert W. Dalton
In a small community in the eastern corner of the Dominican Republic, Santa Rhina Barett
Figaro has a thriving business where she sells bread, sandwiches, fried chicken and fresh
juices. It was all made possible by a $100 loan through funding provided by the James-
Atkins Student-Managed Investment Fund.
It’s a scene that’s played out hundreds of times across the Dominican Republic over the past
eight years. The fund has provided $56,000 — $7,000 each year — for Esperanza, a
nonprofit founded in 1995, to disburse microloans to people who wouldn’t otherwise have
access to capital.
“We’re trying to address poverty for the long haul,” says Dr. Philip Swicegood, R. Michael
James Professor and Chair of Accounting, Business and Finance. “If we can move the
needle, at least now there’s an opportunity.”
The James-Atkins Student-Managed Investment Fund was established in 2008 with a
$100,000 gift from R. Michael James ’73. Robert D. Atkins ’65 provided an additional
$100,000 in 2016. In addition to the program in the Dominican Republic, the fund also
provides microloans in Haiti. Its portfolio there is about $22,000.
Slaton Schneider ’22, a finance major from Hoover, Alabama, is the fund’s managing partner
this year. She says the fund is a great way to learn about investing, but the microloan
component gets members more motivated because of its impact.
“What we’re doing is important learning-wise, and it’s having an impact of alleviating
poverty,” Schneider says. “Esperanza is taking the financial support and the business skills
and applying them to a social cause. It’s really inspiring.”
READ MORE
Study abroad recognition
Kenzie Syiem ’23 is one of 75 Wofford students studying abroad during the fall of 2021. She’s in
Granada, Spain.
Wofford College’s study abroad program remains among the highest ranked in the United
States. In fact, it’s continuing to climb, according to the Institute of International Education
(IIE).
The institute’s Open Doors 2021 Report, released each year during International Education
Week, ranks Wofford No. 7 in the percentage of students participating. It’s also No. 7 on the
list of leading baccalaureate colleges awarding credit for study abroad and No. 4 among
baccalaureate institutions for short-term study abroad.
“Wofford’s high percentage of study abroad participants is reflective of a campus community
that is committed to lifelong learning and a curiosity about the world,” says Amy Lancaster,
Wofford’s dean of international programs. “The college continues to explore ways to make
study abroad experiences more accessible and to better prepare our students for success
overseas. Not only do these experiences prepare our students to be more engaged with the
world around them, study abroad alumni are also more competitive in the job market. Studies
have shown that college graduates who studied abroad earn as much as $7,000 to $10,000
more annually than those who did not study abroad.”
READ MORE
Learn how Wofford students studying abroad have an opportunity to blog.
Terrier StartUp Challenge
Alec Schrader ’24 and Cassie Figueroa ’24 had the winning concept in the sixth annual Terrier StartUp
Challenge.
Two Wofford College students with a fourth-place finish in a statewide venture pitch
competition last week won the college’s sixth annual Terrier StartUp Challenge.
Cassie Figueroa ’24 and Alec Schrader ’24 won $4,500 of the contest’s $10,000 in start-up
funding for their concept Campus Connections. The business is a consolidated website
where college students can offer services, including haircuts, photography, oil changes,
rides, etc. Students wanting to use those services could book appointments and pay through
the website.
“Alec and I have a lot of passion and enthusiasm, and we are excited to get started,” says
Figueroa, a business economics major from Charlotte, North Carolina. “Our next step is to
file for an LLC and develop software to launch our platform. The funds from tonight will help
us get there and achieve those goals. We truly see this growing into a massive platform, the
market is so huge with 20 million college students.”
READ MORE
Cassie Figueroa ’24 and Alec Schrader ’24 placed fourth in the 60-team SC Innovates
venture pitch competition.
Shiflets publish new textbook
Retired faculty Drs. Angela and George Shiflet co-authored “Biology for the Global Citizen” with Dr.
Murray Pendarvis, assistant professor of biological sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Retired faculty Drs. Angela and George Shiflet partnered with Dr. Murray Pendarvis,
assistant professor of biological sciences at Southeastern Louisiana University, to write the
recently published textbook “Biology for the Global Citizen.” It’s intended to be an
introductory resource for students with varying backgrounds in biology. It includes personal
applications and active learning experiences to help students develop an understanding of
how science is pertinent to their lives. Angela Shiflet is the college’s Larry H. McCalla
Professor Emerita of Mathematics and Computer Science and a former chair of the
Department of Computer Science. George Shiflet is the Larry H. McCalla Professor Emeritus
of Biology and former chair of the Department of Biology.
Follow us @woffordcollege
 


Conquer and Prevail Issue 89 November 18 2021

Wofford College. Committee on the Interim

Interim Project Descriptions 2021-April

ISSUE #72 | JULY 15, 2021 | FROM THE OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Conducting research
As part of the summer neuroscience internship at the University of Florida, Robert Lamprecht ’22 has
joined a team working to develop treatments for spinal cord injuries.
Robert Lamprecht ’22 thought his summer internship would have him spending a lot of time
building computer hardware and developing software.
He was wrong. And he’s OK with that.
Lamprecht, a computer science major with a concentration in neuroscience from Moncks
Corner, South Carolina, is one of 16 students from across the country selected for summer
research programs at the University of Florida. Lamprecht is part of a team researching
treatments for spinal cord injuries. The research focuses on respiratory issues associated
with the injuries.
“This is a pilot study that has been going on for about two years,” Lamprecht says. “The hope
is to use this for people with upper spinal cord injuries who struggle to breathe.”
The study involves treating rats that have lost most of the function of their right diaphragms
due to a partial severing of the spinal cord. For about 20 hours each day, the rats receive
epidural stimulation through electrodes connected to a neurochip implanted in the rats.
READ MORE
 
99 Terriers named to Southern Conference Academic All-
Conference teams
Wofford had 99 student-athletes recognized earlier this week when the Southern Conference
announced its Academic All-Conference teams for 2020-21. All 10 member institutions were
represented as 1,022 student-athletes were honored. Student-athletes carrying at least a 3.3
cumulative grade point average at the conclusion of the spring semester while competing in
at least half of their teams’ competitions were eligible. See the complete Academic All-
Conference list.
Two Terriers selected in MLB Draft
For only the third time in college’s history, two Wofford baseball players were selected in the
MLB Draft in the same year.
Colin Davis ’21 was selected in the 7th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the Seattle
Mariners. Davis was the 2021 Southern Conference Player of the Year.
Hayes Heinecke ’22 was selected in 13th round of the 2021 MLB Draft by the St. Louis
Cardinals. Heinecke was the 2021 SoCon Preseason Pitcher of the Year.
Tenure and promotions
Nine Wofford faculty members recently received tenure, promotions to associate professor or full
professor.
Wofford College’s Board of Trustees recently approved tenure for four faculty members and
voted to promote four to associate professor and one to full professor.
“Each of Wofford’s recently tenured and promoted faculty have demonstrated significant
leadership and commitment to the college,” says Dr. Mike Sosulski, provost. “They are
making a tremendous difference in students’ lives alongside valuable contributions to
knowledge in their academic fields of study. Their distinguished work as teachers and
scholars forms the sturdy foundation of excellence for the overall educational experience at
Wofford College.”
The college has made four faculty newly tenured:
Dr. Beau Christ, assistant professor of computer science.
Dr. Rhiannon Leebrick, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology.
Jessica Scott-Felder, assistant professor of studio art.
Dr. Amy Telligman, assistant professor of environmental studies.
Four faculty members were promoted to associate professor:
Dr. Heidi Bostic to associate professor of chemistry.
Dr. Courtney Dorroll to associate professor of religion.
Dr. Amanda Matousek to associate professor of Spanish.
Dr. Brian Pigott to associate professor of mathematics.
One faculty member was promoted to full professor:
Dr. Matt Cathey to full professor of mathematics.
 
Follow us @woffordcollege


Conquer and Prevail Issue 72 July 15 2021

ISSUE #60 | APRIL 22, 2021 | FROM THE OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Special Delivery
Drake Ives ’22 made the most of her semester project for her ethnography class.
She used it as a fundraiser for Ruth’s Gleanings, a Spartanburg nonprofit whose mission is to 
increase access to fresh, healthy foods.
She used it to support Big Leagues Ball Club, a one-on-one coaching business for young 
athletes, that she started with Rivers Clarke ’21, an English and studio arts major from 
Columbia, South Carolina.
And on Wednesday, she used it to reward the people who kept the Wofford campus open 
and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I thought how great would it be if we all lived like we were on a team together,” says Ives, a 
business economics major from Sumter, South Carolina. “That’s what this project did. It 
brought together two different things to work together, and it was really beneficial.”
Through Big Leagues Ball Club, Ives purchased 95 boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables from 
Ruth’s Gleanings. The boxes contain about 15 pounds of food. She also got Campus Union 
involved and Ruth’s Gleanings profits will be used toward its goal of purchasing a refrigerated 
food truck.
Ives laid the groundwork for the project while studying remotely during the spring semester.
“I like face-to-face interaction,” she says. “This helped me learn how to communicate well over 
email.”
On Wednesday, Ives and a handful of volunteers delivered the boxes – packed with lettuce, 
potatoes, corn, strawberries and other items – to Wofford’s COVID heroes on behalf of the 
entire student body. The majority of boxes went to Facilities staff, with the remainder
going to Campus Safety and the Wellness Center.
“This is such a nice gesture,” says Ricky Shehan, the office manager for Facilities. “That’s the 
thing about Wofford overall, we get so much support from students and their families.”
Campus Safety Director Randy Hall looked on as Ives and her crew stacked boxes in his 
department.
“This is absolutely a nice surprise,” Hall says. “It’s very much appreciated.”
Commencement Weekend 2021
The schedule has been set for Commencement Weekend 2021, May 14-16. Find the 
complete schedule and details. The college will continue following COVID-19 guidelines 
and will provide graduates with four tickets each. A livestream of the Commencement 
ceremony will be broadcast through the college’s website.
Wofford makes Princeton Review’s Best Value
Colleges list
Wofford College is once again being recognized for its return-on-investment (ROI) rating by 
The Princeton Review.
The college is among 200 institutions making The Princeton Review’s Best Value Colleges for 
2021. More than 650 colleges and universities were evaluated for the list.
“A ranking in a prestigious publication like The Princeton Review reinforces Wofford’s 
commitment to providing an excellent education that is accessible and affordable,” says 
Wofford President Nayef Samhat. “We continue to hold a place among some of the most 
highly regarded institutions in the country while focusing on issues that most concern families, 
including access, quality and graduation in four years.”
Colleges are selected based on academics, affordability and career preparation.
Read more.
Appreciation for the Return to Campus Working Group
Wofford students, faculty and staff enjoyed most of the 2020-21 academic year on campus
and an in-person Commencement Weekend is in sight with events scheduled May 14-16.
This is possible because of careful planning and adjustments over the past year by the 
college’s 16-member Return to Campus Working Group. President Samhat and a few 
students expressed their appreciation for the group’s work in the above video.
WOCO Film Festival
The WOCO Film Festival, which showcases student films, is scheduled for Thursday, April 29 
from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Students can submit films until Sunday, April 25. Find details on 
submitting films and submission guidelines. All members of the campus community, 
alumni and friends of the college are invited to watch the virtual festival. Register here to 
receive a link to watch. The event will include a discussion with a panel of judges (a 
producer, a screenwriter and a Wofford alum working in the industry) who will announce the 
following awards: Best Screenplay, Best Direction, Best Performance, Best Narrative Short 
and Best Documentary Short. The winners will receive cash prizes. Omar Elmore ’21 is 
serving as the festiva’s director.
Follow us @woffordcollege


Conquer and Prevail Issue 60 April 22 2021

Wofford College. Department of Athletics

Football Media Guide 2021

Women\u27s Basketball Media Guide 2021-22

Bradham, Jennifer L

Wilson, Drew

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SpartanburgArcadia
Arkwright
Ben Avon
Camp Croft
CliftonConverse
Drayton
Fairforest Glendale
Hilltop
Roebuck
Saxon
Southern
Shops
Valley
Falls
Whitney
Outdoor Recreation Facilities 
in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Legend
Trails
Parks
Roads
City Limits 0 2.5 51.25 Miles¯
!


Outdoor Recreation Facilities in Spartanburg, South Carolina

PacoletCentral Pacolet
Landrum
Wellford
Cowpens
Duncan
Inman
Reidville
Woodruff
Greer
Chesnee
Campobello
Lyman SpartanburgArcadia
Arkwright
Ben
Avon
Boiling
Springs
Camp
Croft
CliftonConverse
Cross Anchor
Drayton
Enoree
Fairforest
Fingerville
Glendale
Glenn Springs
Gramling
Hilltop
Inman Mills
Mayo
Pauline
Roebuck
Saxon
Southern
Shops
Startex
Valley Falls
Whitney
Percentage of Area
Covered by Parks
0.00 %
0.01 - 0.25 %
0.26 - 0.50 %
0.51 - 0.75 %
0.76 - 1.00 %
1.01 % +
Percent Park Land Per Census Tract In 
Spartanburg County, South Carolina
0 5 102.5 Miles
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