Advancement & Alumni
Welcome to the Office of Advancement at Concord University
The Concord University Office of Advancement works to seek out and develop ways to engage individuals, groups, organizations, the business community and others by encouraging partnerships and worthwhile channels between those who wish to contribute to Concord through gifts of time, talent and/or finances. Either through the receipt of a gift or through involvement, supporting the University provides a return on investment for our donors, creating deep and lasting ties to the University – as well as to the students we serve.
Our goal is to communicate efficiently with the more than 23,000 alums across our country and around the globe. The Office of Advancement is responsible for the Concord University quarterly magazine, all interaction with media, including press releases, online publications, social media and the general management of the University’s image.
We strive to highlight the accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff as well as the successes of our alumni. We truly believe the Mountain Lion family is the foundation to Concord’s 150 year history and the lifeline to everything our University has in store for its future.
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Summer 2024
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Archived Publications
- Winter 2023
- Summer 2023
- Winter 2022
- Summer 2022
- Fall 2021
- Spring 2021
- Winter 2020
- Noteworthy Fall 2020 Special Edition
- Summer 2020
- Spring 2020
- Fall 2019
- Noteworthy Fall 2020
- Summer 2019
- Spring 2019
- Noteworthy 2019
- Fall 2018
- Summer 2018
- Spring 2018
- Fall 2017
- Noteworthy 2017
- Spring 2017
- Fall 2016
- Summer 2016
- Spring 2016
- Special Edition 2016
- Fall 2015
- Summer 2015
- Spring 2015
- Fall 2014
- Spring 2014
- Spring 2014
- Fall 2013
- Spring 2013
- Winter 2013
- Fall 2012
- Summer 2012
- Spring 2012
- Winter 2012
- Fall 2011
- Summer 2011
- Fall 2010(pdf)
- Summer 2010(pdf)
- Spring 2010(pdf)
- Winter 2009(pdf)
Campus E-News
Sandra Fox ’98
Mrs. Sandra Fox is a Music Teacher at Spanishburg and Lashmeet-Matoka Elementary Schools in West Virginia. Her dedication to teaching the youth of our area and instilling in them a love for music has continued to inspire others. Mrs. Fox was recently honored by the West Virginia Society for General Music as their 2025 Teacher of the Year.
Rosemary Mitchell ’85
Rosemary Mitchell has worked as a public educator for the past thirty-nine years in Mercer County Schools in West Virginia. She spent the first sixteen years of her career teaching every grade level from PK through sixth grade at multiple elementary schools across Mercer County. For the past twenty-three years she has held many administrative roles including Assistant Principal, Secondary Supervisor, Testing Coordinator, and Director of the Mercer County Technical Education Center. She started her current position on July 1, 2024 as the Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Education for Mercer County Schools.
Dr. Tyler Farley ’14
A Magna Cum Laude graduate of Concord University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pre-professional Biology, Dr. Tyler Farley has excelled in the field of medicine since his time at Concord. After completing his undergraduate degree in Athens he continued his education at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine. After a very competitive match process, he received a Residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio where he served as Chief Resident and received the Resident of the Year Award. After a year fellowship as Chief Fellow in Spine Medicine at Cleveland Clinic, he joined CAMC medical staff specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
December 2024: Gene Bailey ’61
Gene Bailey was awarded the 2024 Distinguished Citizen Award by the American Legion Riley-Vest Post #9. This award has been awarded to an area resident from a broad field of occupations and backgrounds who has rendered sustained community service beyond the call of duty for an extended period of time. Gene has had an extensive career in management, consulting, and also served in the US Army.
November 2024: Deborah Curry ’80
Deborah Curry was recently named West Virginia’s 2024 ‘Community Star’ by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health (NOSORH). She is currently the Program Director for Rural Outreach and Development for the Robert C. Byrd Center for Rural Health at the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and also teaches as an adjunct at Concord.
October 2024: Dr. Jade Gallimore ’09
Dr. Jade Gallimore was recently appointed to the editorial board of The Surgical Council on Resident Education (SCORE®). She is currently an assistant professor at the WVU School of Medicine Charleston Campus department of surgery and is the program director of general surgery at the CAMC Institute for Academic Medicine. SCORE is the defined online curriculum blueprint for surgical education in the United States.
September 2024: Greg Prudich ’82
Concord alum, Greg Prudich ‘82, was named the 2024 West Virginia School Board Member of the Year for 2024. He was elected as a board member to the Mercer County Board of Education in 1998 and currently serves as President. Greg also serves on the Executive Legislative Committee for the WVSBA.
August 2024: Brandon Austin ’11
Brandon Austin was officially sworn in as Mercer County’s latest Assistant Prosecuting Attorney by Judge Mark Wills on August 5. Austin grew up in Mercer County, graduated from Princeton High School, and studied law at Concord University and West Virginia University. He previously worked as a defense attorney at Sanders Austin law offices.
July 2024: Jeff Jefferson ’13
Jeff has been named Francis Marion University’s new baseball head coach. He began his coaching career as an assistant at Concord, where he spent two seasons, 2012 and 2013. He most recently served as an assistant coach at UNC Pembroke for 10 seasons. We wish Jeff the best in this new role!
June 2024: Bobby Barber ’07
Bobby has recently been named a Colorado Titan 100 which recognizes the top 100 CEOs & C-level executives in the region. Leaders recognized demonstrate exceptional leadership, vision, passion, and influence in their field. He is currently the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance for Semester at Sea, Institute for Shipboard Education. Congratulations, Bobby!
May 2024: Kimberly Yahya ’09, ’11
Mrs. Kimberly Yahya has been named the 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year for Mercer County Schools in WV. She is a fourth grade teacher at Athens Elementary School and a graduate of Concord holding a B.S. in Education and a Masters of Education. Concord is proud of our many education graduates and all that they do for the next generation of Mountain Lions! Congratulations, Mrs. Yahya!
April 2024: Dr. Iliyana Dobreva ’05
Dr. Iliyana Dobreva has been named as Senior Data Scientist at StormImpact, a leader in weather-related risk assessment. Prior to her role at StormImpact, Dr. Dobreva was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Department of Geography, The Ohio State University, and held positions at Texas A&M AgriLife Research, including Assistant Research Scientist and Senior Research Associate. She graduated from Concord in 2005 with a Bachelors Degree in Geography with minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. Congratulations on your new role, Dr. Iliyana Dobreva!
March 2024: Kara Dense ’95
Kara was recognized at the Greenbrier Chamber of Commerce Dinner on March 8 as the Business Leader of the Year. She is currently the President and CEO of the Greenbrier County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Congratulations to Kara on this recognition!
February 2024: Sara Blankenship ’06
Sara has been with the Spirit Program at the University of Tennessee since the fall of 2016 and was recently promoted to the title of Spirit Program Operations Coordinator. On January 12th the UT Cheer Team won the Division IA Game Day division at the UCA/UDA Collegiate National Championship. This is Sara’s 5th National Championship working with the UT Spirit Team.
January 2024: Donnie Mitchem ’91
Donnie Mitchem, Director of Outpatient Therapy for Atrium Hospital in Charlotte, NC, was recently named a Charlottean of the Year for 2023 featured in the December edition of Charlotte Magazine. Her career has covered all ages of therapy, specializing for the past 20 years in school-based therapy for Middle School and High School students. During her time at Concord she was a member of Tri Sigma and worked in the Counseling Center.
