{"id":41924,"date":"2026-05-07T10:45:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T14:45:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/?p=41924"},"modified":"2026-05-08T10:42:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T14:42:43","slug":"magazine-the-roots-run-deep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/magazine-the-roots-run-deep\/","title":{"rendered":"The Roots Run Deep"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we celebrate Furman University\u2019s Bicentennial,\u00a0the anniversary invites us to reflect on the people whose\u00a0daily presence and dedication\u00a0have\u00a0molded this institution.\u00a0Among them are the active,\u00a0longest-serving faculty and\u00a0staff\u00a0members. These mentors,\u00a0problem-solvers, innovators,\u00a0stewards\u00a0and living archivists\u00a0are the source of so many\u00a0cherished\u00a0memories.\u00a0They’ve\u00a0spent decades\u00a0fostering young minds and\u00a0supporting the campus at\u00a0large through eras of growth,\u00a0reinvention\u00a0and innovation. Their passion has\u00a0rooted them\u00a0at Furman long enough to see\u00a0generations of Paladins go\u00a0on\u00a0to change the world. Their\u00a0work \u2013 often unsung \u2014 has made\u00a0Furman a thriving, inclusive\u00a0community, ready to pave the\u00a0path to tomorrow.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

61 Years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Williard Pate\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Professor of English\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Joining Furman in 1964, Pate\u00a0said she learned from \u201cthe\u00a0giants of Furman\u2019s past\u201d like Jim Stewart, Frank\u00a0Bonner\u00a0and\u00a0Meta Gilpatrick. Now Pate is\u00a0among them \u2013 she passed away\u00a0in December. A native of small-town\u00a0Georgia, Pate\u2019s passion for\u00a0Southern literature came\u00a0naturally.\u00a0Seeing students\u00a0connect with the written word\u00a0fueled her decades of teaching.\u00a0She was on the ground floor of\u00a0Study Away, leading some of the\u00a0earliest international trips to\u00a0the British Isles. The courage to\u00a0take on new experiences helped\u00a0students develop not only\u00a0their\u00a0understanding of the world, but\u00a0their values. “Many had never been on an\u00a0airplane, but they were brave\u00a0enough to leave home for three\u00a0months,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen they\u00a0got back, I knew every single\u00a0one of those kids could have\u00a0turned right around and gone\u00a0back on their own.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

William Brantley, professor of physics. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

59 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

William Brantley<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Professor of\u00a0Physics\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Long before Brantley joined\u00a0Furman, he grew up in the\u00a0halls of Virginia Intermont\u00a0College, where his father served\u00a0as president. That was where\u00a0Brantley\u2019s passion for the study\u00a0of physics blossomed. When he was ready to\u00a0teach as a professor himself,\u00a0Furman\u2019s motto was part of\u00a0what convinced him to join the\u00a0university: Christo et\u00a0Doctrinae,\u00a0\u201cFor Christ and Learning.\u201d While the growth of campus\u00a0since he joined in 1966 has\u00a0created some physical distance\u00a0between departments, Brantley\u00a0said the university has only\u00a0gotten better at recognizing the\u00a0interconnectedness of the work\u00a0each\u00a0department does. Students\u00a0are encouraged to see how\u00a0their\u00a0major relates to other fields of\u00a0study and bring their unique\u00a0skills and knowledge to\u00a0every class\u00a0they take.\u00a0\u201cWhen I walk into a\u00a0classroom,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0far more\u00a0brainpower on their side of\u00a0the desk than mine,\u201d he says.\u00a0\u201cThe only thing is I have a little\u00a0more experience than some\u00a0of them, but\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0no shortage\u00a0of brainpower.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Rhett Bryson is a professor of scenic and lighting design in the theatre department at Furman University. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

53 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Rhett B. Bryson<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Professor of Science and Lighting Design\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Bryson originally turned down a job at Furman, saying McAlister Auditorium was too large a space to teach in. The Playhouse, however, offered the perfect setting, small enough to teach the intimacy of theater. \u201cA smaller space means they\u2019re forced to be honest in their performances, because the audience is so close they can sense artifice and fakery,\u201d Bryson says. For him, the theater is a living laboratory, where collaboration is key and the discipline students learn in their other classes is the tinder for their passion onstage. Bryson also views Furman like The Playhouse. There may be bigger stages, but \u201cwe\u2019re small and intimate enough that it\u2019s eminently possible to navigate any challenges facing it in its third century.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Jim Guth, professor of politics and international affairs, has taught at Furman University since 1973. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

52 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Jim Guth<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Professor of Politics and International Affairs\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

When Guth joined the Politics and International Affairs Department in 1973, class\u00a0sizes\u00a0were a lot bigger than they are today. \u201cWhen I came here you had one or two\u00a0people teaching\u00a0all of\u00a0American politics\u00a0and one or two teaching all of world\u00a0politics,\u201d he says with a laugh. He remembered trimming the\u00a0blank parts of paper surveys to\u00a0save on\u00a0postage weight when they were mailed\u00a0out and having parents lick stamps\u00a0for him during family weekends. This resourcefulness served him well as\u00a0Furman evolved, bringing on dedicated\u00a0faculty and expanding its programs.\u00a0Now, he says initiatives like the\u00a0Tocqueville Lecture Series and On\u00a0Discourse\u00a0ensure\u00a0that Furman\u2019s students\u00a0experience a diversity of perspectives and\u00a0opinions as they navigate a world that is\u00a0transforming alongside them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Steve Long is a project manager at Furman University. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

51 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Steven Long<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Project Manager in Facilities Services\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Long was a drafting and design\u00a0technician working for an\u00a0architectural engineering firm\u00a0when Furman hired him in 1974.\u00a0He started as\u00a0a draftsman\u00a0and\u00a0estimator, designing essential\u00a0campus improvements and\u00a0keeping\u00a0their costs reasonable. With his drafting tools, Long\u00a0drew up the plans for office\u00a0renovations, classroom upgrades\u00a0and even the building of the\u00a0Herring Center for Continuing\u00a0Education and the\u00a0Pearce-Horton\u00a0Football Complex. His\u00a0involvement in so many major\u00a0changes to the university landed\u00a0him\u00a0the role of project manager,\u00a0where he presided over the move\u00a0of the Cherrydale Alumni House. \u201cWhen I arrived\u00a0at\u00a0Furman\u00a0it\u00a0was a small village. Now\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0a thriving metropolis.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0a\u00a0team; everyone has the same goal,\u00a0and everybody cares,\u201d he says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Mickey Fray is the department assistant for mathematics at Furman University. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

46 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Mickey Fray<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Department Assistant in\u00a0Mathematics\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Fray used to live \u201cout the back gate\u201d of\u00a0Furman. She raised her family so close to\u00a0the university she regularly brought her\u00a0children here to feed the ducks. She says she was hired in the \u201cB.C.\u00a0era\u201d \u2013\u00a0before computers. As a department\u00a0assistant, Fray used to type up professors\u2019\u00a0handwritten notes on a typewriter.\u00a0But what made her love her job was\u00a0connecting\u00a0with students. From her\u00a0battle station at the Math Department\u2019s\u00a0front desk, she meets every new student\u00a0as they come in. Before cellphones, when\u00a0students were homesick, she made it\u00a0her job to comfort them; she\u00a0still keeps\u00a0a box of tissues beneath her desk for the\u00a0rough moments. \u201cSome of the math majors who came\u00a0through years\u00a0ago\u00a0have children here\u00a0now,\u201d she says. \u201cI guess\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0a bit of a\u00a0\u2018den\u00a0mother.\u2019\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Hunter Reid is the associate athletics director at Furman University. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

40 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Hunter Reid<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Associate Athletics Director and Athletic Communications\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

When Reid joined Furman in 1985 as an\u00a0assistant sports information director,\u00a0it had long packed an impressive\u00a0reputation for athletic and academic\u00a0excellence. Out of the more than 350\u00a0Division I schools in America, Reid\u00a0said \u201cthe opportunity to\u00a0represent\u00a0an\u00a0elite institution in that group \u2013 one that\u00a0had figured out how to win athletically\u00a0and succeed in its highest mission with\u00a0remarkable student-athletes and coaches\u00a0\u2013\u00a0is\u00a0an opportunity and a blessing I will\u00a0always cherish.\u201d He saw the expansion of athletics\u00a0as the Southern Conference began\u00a0incorporating women\u2019s sports in the late\u00a01980s. Furman\u2019s success regionally and\u00a0nationally came by \u201cfully embracing who\u00a0we are,\u201d he says. \u201cAthletics has been part of Furman\u2019s\u00a0rich fabric for well over a century and has\u00a0contributed in a prodigious way toward\u00a0the excellent reputation the university\u00a0now enjoys.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"

Charles Tompkins, university organist and professor emeritus of music. Photo by Nathan Gray, Furman University.<\/p><\/div>\n

40 years<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Charles Tompkins<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

University Organist and Professor Emeritus of Music\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Organs are as much architecture\u00a0as instruments, and\u00a0Tompkins had a hand in both\u00a0elements in Daniel Chapel. He\u00a0helped design both the building\u00a0and the organ in it and sees\u00a0himself as an advocate for\u00a0the\u00a0instrument. \u201cI look at it like\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0my\u00a0mission to say, \u2018Listen to what\u00a0this organ can do,\u2019\u201d he says. Most music students coming\u00a0into Furman have little to\u00a0no\u00a0experience with an organ.\u00a0They\u2019re\u00a0custom-built for the\u00a0space they occupy and flood the\u00a0room with music the\u00a0second\u00a0\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0played. But\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0the other\u00a0instrumentalists in Furman\u2019s\u00a0Music Department who\u00a0have\u00a0shaped Tompkins.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0learned a tremendous\u00a0amount from my colleagues.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0been a liberating experience\u00a0working with non-organists\u00a0who have challenged my\u00a0preconceptions. It opens your mind,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0says.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Long-term faculty and staff have nurtured Furman\u2019s success for generations. These nine dedicated Paladins have been on campus for 40 years and more and we celebrate them and remember one who passed. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":389,"featured_media":41638,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,3404,31,3529,1963,50,39,49,32,3526,41],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-bicentennial","category-english","category-features-spring-2026","category-furman-magazine","category-mathematics","category-music","category-physics","category-politics-and-international-affairs","category-spring-2026","category-theatre-arts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41924","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41924"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41924\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42326,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41924\/revisions\/42326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/41638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41924"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41924"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.furman.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41924"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}