Page 97 - UB Church and Shen Univ
P. 97
Volume 6 Relation of U.B/EUB Virginia Conferences to Shenandoah University Dec. 26, 2013
difficult times for Shenandoah as other nearby colleges—Bridgewater, Eastern Mennonite, Mary
Baldwin and State Teachers College (now James Madison University)—were attracting many
more students.
Troy R. Brady, 1952-1956—Understanding that Shenandoah must move or it would close
forever, Brady drove to Winchester to meet with Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr. With Byrd’s help,
Brady opened negotiations with the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce to
move Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music to Winchester.
Forrest S. Racey, 1956-1969—Racey, Shenandoah’s Business Manager, became President and
carried on with Brady’s vision, working with the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of
Commerce, which had established a College Project Committee. The Dayton campus was sold in
the summer of 1960, and the Winchester campus opened for classes that fall.
Robert P. Parker, Ph.D., 1969-1982—Parker continued building the institution and, in 1974, the
College and Conservatory were joined to become Shenandoah College and Conservatory of
Music, which had four divisions: the conservatory, arts and sciences, health professions, and
business.
James A. Davis, M.A., Ph.D., 1982-2008—Davis helped the college become Shenandoah
University, a singular entity with six schools: College of Arts and Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr.,
School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, School of Education and Human Development,
School of Health Professions and Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. Enrollment grew from
874 students in 1982 to 3,300 in 2008. Under Davis, endowment grew from $500,000 to more
than $50 million.
Tracy Fitzsimmons, M.S., Ph.D., 2008-Present—Fitzsimmons came to Shenandoah University in
2001 to serve as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences dean and quickly proved herself to be a
compassionate teacher and bold leader. She became Vice-President for Academic Affairs
(VPAA) in 2002 and Senior Vice-President and Vice-President for Academic Affairs in 2005.
She was elected to be Shenandoah’s 16th president in 2007 and moved into the president’s office
on July 1, 2008.
B. TRUSTEES
Table 4 identifies the 95 members of Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee who were
U.B. or EUB preachers:
Table 4. U.B. and EUB Preachers Who Served on Board of Trustees or Endowment Committee
Name Name Name
Beall, William Grove, Herman J. Obaugh, William B.
Bennett, Charles N. D. Gruver, Jacob Paul Racey, Forrest Sheldon
Berry, William Richard Gruver, William Franklin Racey, Lee Allen
Bricker, Luther O. Hammack, Abram S. Rau, William S.
Bridgers, Lucius Gary Hammond, R. G. Rice, J. E. B.
Bridgers, Robert Lucius Herrick, Paul M. Rice, Samuel L.
Brill, Richard L. Hicks, James W. Ridenour, Jacob R.
Brunk, John Henry Hill, L. P. Ruebush, James H.
Burtner, William H. Hiser, Carl William Ruebush, John H.
Byrd, Rudolph Hott, Charles M. Sampsell, William H.
Chamberlain, J. B. Hott, George P. Sawyer, John R.
Clifford, Theodore K. Hott, J. Elkanah Schnabel, George E.
Collis, Joseph Romaine Hovermale, Ulsie Perkins Secrist, A. T.
Crabill, Samuel A. Howard, Bishop J. Gordon Secrist, Arthur Jacob
Crowell, Charles H. Howe, John W. Senger, III, Franklin G.
Davis on History of S.C., 1982-2008 87
difficult times for Shenandoah as other nearby colleges—Bridgewater, Eastern Mennonite, Mary
Baldwin and State Teachers College (now James Madison University)—were attracting many
more students.
Troy R. Brady, 1952-1956—Understanding that Shenandoah must move or it would close
forever, Brady drove to Winchester to meet with Senator Harry F. Byrd, Jr. With Byrd’s help,
Brady opened negotiations with the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce to
move Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music to Winchester.
Forrest S. Racey, 1956-1969—Racey, Shenandoah’s Business Manager, became President and
carried on with Brady’s vision, working with the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of
Commerce, which had established a College Project Committee. The Dayton campus was sold in
the summer of 1960, and the Winchester campus opened for classes that fall.
Robert P. Parker, Ph.D., 1969-1982—Parker continued building the institution and, in 1974, the
College and Conservatory were joined to become Shenandoah College and Conservatory of
Music, which had four divisions: the conservatory, arts and sciences, health professions, and
business.
James A. Davis, M.A., Ph.D., 1982-2008—Davis helped the college become Shenandoah
University, a singular entity with six schools: College of Arts and Sciences, Harry F. Byrd, Jr.,
School of Business, Shenandoah Conservatory, School of Education and Human Development,
School of Health Professions and Bernard J. Dunn School of Pharmacy. Enrollment grew from
874 students in 1982 to 3,300 in 2008. Under Davis, endowment grew from $500,000 to more
than $50 million.
Tracy Fitzsimmons, M.S., Ph.D., 2008-Present—Fitzsimmons came to Shenandoah University in
2001 to serve as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences dean and quickly proved herself to be a
compassionate teacher and bold leader. She became Vice-President for Academic Affairs
(VPAA) in 2002 and Senior Vice-President and Vice-President for Academic Affairs in 2005.
She was elected to be Shenandoah’s 16th president in 2007 and moved into the president’s office
on July 1, 2008.
B. TRUSTEES
Table 4 identifies the 95 members of Board of Trustees and Endowment Committee who were
U.B. or EUB preachers:
Table 4. U.B. and EUB Preachers Who Served on Board of Trustees or Endowment Committee
Name Name Name
Beall, William Grove, Herman J. Obaugh, William B.
Bennett, Charles N. D. Gruver, Jacob Paul Racey, Forrest Sheldon
Berry, William Richard Gruver, William Franklin Racey, Lee Allen
Bricker, Luther O. Hammack, Abram S. Rau, William S.
Bridgers, Lucius Gary Hammond, R. G. Rice, J. E. B.
Bridgers, Robert Lucius Herrick, Paul M. Rice, Samuel L.
Brill, Richard L. Hicks, James W. Ridenour, Jacob R.
Brunk, John Henry Hill, L. P. Ruebush, James H.
Burtner, William H. Hiser, Carl William Ruebush, John H.
Byrd, Rudolph Hott, Charles M. Sampsell, William H.
Chamberlain, J. B. Hott, George P. Sawyer, John R.
Clifford, Theodore K. Hott, J. Elkanah Schnabel, George E.
Collis, Joseph Romaine Hovermale, Ulsie Perkins Secrist, A. T.
Crabill, Samuel A. Howard, Bishop J. Gordon Secrist, Arthur Jacob
Crowell, Charles H. Howe, John W. Senger, III, Franklin G.
Davis on History of S.C., 1982-2008 87
