Page 8 The Clarion October 30, 1989 I Never a dull moment with these two newlyweds: a bemused Amanda looks on as Jeff, ever the humorist, displays their “Just Married” t-shirts and then goes for the Mr. Cool look. (Clarion photos by Jock Lauterer) Married with Dorm... ^Battling^ out life at Brevard College by Lin Redmond (’.laritm Refinrter How many women would marry a guy and be willing to live in a men’s dorm? Not to mention having the groom leave the wedding to return straight to his new job as RD and spend the day checking in students. That’s what Amanda Battle did when she married her hust>and, Jeff, the same day the ’89-’90 freshman class arrived at BC. As BC’s newest couple, the Battles have joined a growing group of husband and wife teams here, sharing their work as well as their personal lives. The Browns, the Kellys, the Murrays, the Jacksons as well as Bill Byers and Jo Pumphrey have almost made a tradition oif married couples working together at Brevard. With characteristic faith and humor, Jeff and Amanda have adjusted comfortably and have ak^dy benefited the campus. Jeff served on the planning committee of the Western North Carolina Leadership Conference, which was held at UNC-A two weeks ago. BC was able to participate for the first time, and, as advisor to SGA, Jeff gave a presentation on the role of the ad visor. He also served over the summer a^ Assistant Director of Project Winners, BC’s high school drop-(Hit prevention pro gram. Amanda has been give the opportunity to serve as Yearbook Advisor, a role she gained experience in during high school. The Battles* apartment in Green dorm is as much like home as any place on a col lege campus can be. Amanda has decorated it in peach with lots of ducks and a country theme. Jeff seems perfectly hap py amid her fen>inine touches, his one con tribution being a trout mounted on the wall as a reminder of his favorite hobby. The couple are aware that time spent together must be balanced with time spent on personal activities. Amanda enjoys cross stitch and collecting, her favorite subjecUs being ducks and gnomes. Her ex tensive collection of gnome figurines sits like a miniature village on a shelf in the living room. Jeff gets away by going fishing and hun ting, and gives vent to his creative side by sketching, painting and doing scrimshaw carving on bone pieces which are used as iknife handles. He also collects knives and, at Amanda’s mother’s suggestion, con fesses, “Yeah, Amanda is my hobby!” Jeff, who is over six feet tall has a very distinctive sense of humor which makes him likely to scare, tickle or otherwise in flict shock on unsuspecting bystanders. He got it back at his wedding when two of his groomsmen flashed him signs hidden in their lapels which read, “This is your last chance! Run!” Guests seated in the reverent sanctuary were puzzled to see the groom emerge from the wings grinning hugely and on the verge of cracking up. When asked how they met, Amanda laughs and says to Jeff, “I’ll let you tell that!” Jeff proceeds to tell the story of the amazing combination video store, tanning salon and barber shop in Black Mountain where he first asked Amanda out. “I thought she was pretty. I just came in to flirt with the clerk.” The clerk was Amanda. They went to Lake Julian on a picnic and the next thing they knew, friends and family on l)oth sides were urg ing them to get married. “We were just looking for someone to go out with,” says Jeff. Some of their friends had gotten married right out of high school. “That’s a big mistake,” he adds. Even after we were engaged we went through a lot of rough times,” he says. “We’re still learnmg to understand each other,” Amanda says. “Yeah,” says Jeff, looking at her with a smile, “cause men and women think differently.” Both Jeff and Amanda have received bachelor’s degrees and have distinguished themselves as leaders in many areas. Amanda has a B.S. in business with a dou ble major in marketing and management from Appalachian State. “It was something I always wanted to do through hi^b ''hool,” she says. “I want to own my own business someday but I don’t know what. "I do, ’ Jeff offers, “You’ll l)e a gnome consultant!” Her leadership credits include having held the vice presidential office of Future Business Leaders of America at Owens High School, serving as co-youth director at her church in Black Mountain, and graduating with honors from ASU. Jeff received his BA from Western Carolina in anthropology, a subject which fascinates him. He says, “I like studying the different things man can do — the dif ferent types of people. And the fact that our entire civilization is based on one thing — the ability to remember symbols.” He is a meml)er of the National Collegiate Achievement Academy and holds positions in several anthropology clubs. So, how did they wind up here? And how did they wind up getting hitched the day of matriculation? “We set the wedding date before Jeff got the job,” Amanda explains. As they related it, the caterers and others they had hired didn’t take kindly to the idea of hav ing to change their appointment books. As for how they came to BC, Jeff says he was working in the Admissions office at Montreat-Anderson when they underwent a policy change. “My philosophy and theirs didn’t match up,” he says. After resigning on good terms he tried several careers, not finding anything rewarding. While in Atlanta, he was recommended to a placement service for college employees where he met Sharon Waggy and Barry Tadlock. That led him to the job he now has in which he finds a lot of satisfaction, part of which is due to the warmth and teamwork among his fellow employees. “Dean McLendon is someone we owe a lot of thanks to,” says Jeff. Bob McLen don, Dean of Admissions came to Green on matriculation day to cover for Jeff while he went to Black Mountain to get married. When asked how he feels about being here, he replies, “Great! This is exactly the kind of work I was looking for - doing what I want to do...BC has one of the best faculty make-ups I’ve ever seen. “Amanda has the perfect job for her,” he continues, referring to her job as ad visor to the yearbook staff. “She’s exactly suited for that. She likes to be organized and she likes to know what’s going on and do things way in advance.’ While citing his reasons for being happy to be at BC, he adds, “Plus, the Davidson River’s one of the top 100 trout streams in North America!” After surviving their first six months in Green with the heavy workload RD’s and advisors are known to have, the couple will finally get to take a real honeymoon in January. “We’re taking the Amtrak to New Orleans. We’re both big history buffs since our moms are both history teachers,” says Amanda. Jeff would like to continue his education and is working to locate a college that of fers a program in student personnel ser vices. “I’m not having a lot of luck with the degree I’m looking for — it’s not offered,” he says. He describes the focus of the pro gram as “RD stuff.” Jeff feels strongly about the future of BC. “I think the College is heading in the right direction...there’s a good staff and we’re getting the kind of students that are right for this college.” Working together and sharing with tJie campus the happiness they’ve found with each other, Jeff and Amanda Battle have become part of the BC family. Thetf humor and ability to adjust to life as it comes have already made them part of that great staff Jeff mentioned. And if you haven’t met Jeff yet, be on the lookout for a very tall RD with a sweet wife and a semi-psychotic, mischevious twinkle in his eye. “I’ve Got It!” Now, even if your local i library doesn't own the tx>ok or materials you need, they can get It for you. Inter- library Loan connects your library with thousands of others around the world Ask your librarian about Interlibrary Loan. Then you can say. "I’ve got it!" James A. Jonss Library Brevard Coliega