“How long do you think it takes to change the life of a child?”

That question was posed March 13 as Ferrum College celebrated 50 years of its Bachelor of Social Work program, bringing together students, alumni, faculty and community members to reflect on the program’s legacy and its continued impact on the community.

The day opened with ACES training, exploring the lasting effects childhood trauma can have on brain development, health and long-term well-being. Instructors Bonnie Favero and Ally Snead from Piedmont Community Services discussed the neurobiology of trauma, resiliency, and how factors such as age, gender, and type of maltreatment can influence how deeply adverse experiences affect a person’s life.

“Rather than asking what is wrong with someone, you should ask instead ‘What happened to them?’” explained Favero.

The session also introduced the concept of epigenetics, explaining how experiences can influence how genetic code is expressed in the brain and body. Beyond the personal toll, the training highlighted the enormous economic cost of childhood trauma, with research estimating that the effects of ACES, including lost productivity and healthcare costs, total $14.1 trillion annually.

 Professor Martha Haley-Bowling shared her appreciation for the learning that happens both inside and outside the classroom, and is not just a one-way road.

“The students have taught me just as much as I have taught them,” she said.

“It is our role to ensure your dreams become your reality,” Martin said, noting that about 80 percent of Ferrum students are Pell Grant recipients.

She encouraged students to embrace the purpose of social work.

“Be the voice to those who have none,” she said. “That is Ferrum Rising.”

One of the most anticipated speakers of the event was Ira Colby, widely recognized as the founding architect of Ferrum’s social work program. Looking back on the early years, Colby reflected on how much the profession has grown.

“At the time, there were about 40,000 social workers in the country. Today there are more than a million,” he said.

Colby explained that the program was created with a service-centered mission in mind.

“Social work makes sense for Ferrum. It’s not about self, it’s about others,” he said.

He also remembered the uncertainty of building the program in its earliest days.

“We had no idea what we were doing. We just did it,” Colby said.

Despite those humble beginnings, the program quickly gained national recognition, becoming the first undergraduate social work program accredited on its first submission through the Council on Social Work Education.

“There’s something special, something different about Ferrum College that you don’t find anywhere else,” Colby explained.

Alumni speakers Holly D’Heron ’09 and Ralph Branch III ’14 also returned to campus to reflect on how the program shaped their careers and commitment to helping others.

The afternoon concluded with the Phi Alpha Honor Society induction ceremony, recognizing social work students who have demonstrated academic excellence and dedication to the values of the profession.