Virginia Western Community College awarded emeritus status to three longtime faculty and staff members at Commencement on May 10.
Larry Ewing, Administrative & Professional Faculty Emeritus
Larry Ewing worked continuously at Virginia Western for more than 31 years, beginning in 1975. He served as director of financial aid and veterans’ affairs from 1978 to 2006. Larry also was an adjunct math instructor, including after his retirement. A career highlight was “having two National Science Foundation proposals funded in the same year, with approvals being rare at that time for community colleges.” Larry played an instrumental role in developing the initial consortium agreement for Dental Hygiene students studying at distance sites.
Judy Fulcomer, Faculty Emeritus
Judy Fulcomer began at Virginia Western in 2001 and has served 22 years, including part-time instruction after her retirement in 2020. She started as an instructor in the Practical Nursing Program and was named an Associate Professor in the Nursing Program in 2013. When five former students cared for her during a 2020 hospital stay, “I felt both humble and proud that these expert nurses were graduates of our nursing program and that I was one of the many faculty who helped them succeed.” She has been credited with using creative, active learning activities long before the concept-based curriculum was implemented.
Sandy Shelton, Staff Emeritus
Sandy is a 1977 Virginia Western graduate who served at the College more than 28 years. Beginning as the secretary to the dean of finance in 1978, she later helped with establishment of the Human Resources Office, where she served as the first personnel assistant until 1988. She returned in 2005 as academic secretary in Business, Technology and Trades, where she transitioned to the role of office manager/administration supervisor from 2008 until her retirement in 2023. Sandy, known for sharing her deep institutional knowledge, appreciated representing the College at community events and “working with the dean of BTT and the Educational Foundation in acquiring a new scholarship for students in the Construction Management CSC Program.”
Additionally, Mary “Terry” Karet served as Faculty Marshal, leading the academic procession at Commencement.
Mary “Terry” Karet, Faculty Marshal
Mary “Terry” Karet began at Virginia Western in 2015 as an assistant professor of nursing and served as an associate professor of nursing from 2021 until her retirement this year. Her teaching in classroom and clinical settings has allowed her to experience students progressing in skills and knowledge to become registered nurses. Her career highlights include accreditation of the Nursing Program, certification as a Certified Nurse Educator, as well as the program’s recent obtainment of a 100 percent graduate pass rate on the NCLEX-RN exam. Mary values “the students, always the students,” as her favorite aspect of the College. “It takes hard work and dedication, but education can open doors for us, doors we may have never imagined even in our dreams.”
