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2019
ALUMNI MAGAZINE
PLEASE
Stand
Dear Alumni, Another spring semester has ended, culminating in the celebration of graduation! Students and faculty have scattered, and the campus is strangely quiet. Summer gives us a chance to take a breath, reflect on the past several months and plan for the upcoming fall semester. Cumberlands has seen an increased level of alumni engagement, and it has given campus a renewed energy. This past semester saw basketball teams, coaches and cheerleaders from the ’60s and early ’70s rekindle old friendships at a minireunion, four incredible former athletes inducted in our Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame, an “Alumni on the Road” get-together at Georgetown College (yes, at Georgetown College!) for great fellowship and great basketball, a Graduation Fair for seniors sponsored by Alumni Services and our first ever Give Day. Big things happen when we all come together! Our biggest event of the year — Homecoming — is fast approaching. Make plans to join us in Williamsburg October 25th & 26th. An activity-packed weekend is being scheduled, including an RA reunion hosted by Linda Carter, basketball AND football games, and the naming and dedication of the new gymnasium floor in honor of Randy Vernon! We encourage you to stay connected and invite you to join us at one (or more) alumni events, so stay tuned for more information. If you have any event ideas or would like to host a function in your area, please let me know. We are so grateful to our alumni, for we could not do what we do without your continued contributions of time, talent and treasure — and more importantly, your passion for your alma mater! I hope to see you soon – on campus or on the road! Best,
ERICA BROOME HARRIS, ’84 Executive Director of Alumni Services
Every time you see a green button, it means there is even more to do and see in the digital version of the magazine. Go see more event photos, highlights and interviews or link right to important dates to remember. ucumberlands.edu/alumni/magazine
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2019-20 ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS President
Brant Poore, ’94
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ON THE COVER
2019
ALUMNI MAGAZINE
President-Elect
Tasha Singleton, ’06
Past President Kelly Raglin, ’87
Secretary
This issue highlights individuals who have found solid footing and stand for something. What that “something” is differs for each alumnus, and there is only one way to find out what it is. Turn the page.
Chelsie Wolfe, MAT ’16
Board Member Emeritus Mary Doyle Johnson, ’48 Dick Koeniger, ’67 Bill Lyttle, ’75
Term Expiring 2019 Megan Adams, ’13 Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Kenneth Dowd, ’79 Danny Lunsford, Jr., ’09 Brant Poore, ’94 Tracey Wessel, ’82
Term Expiring 2020 Dr. Mike Clark, ’85 Alan Coppock, ’87 Rich Prewitt, ’81 Tasha Singleton, ’06 Chelsie Wolfe, MAT ’16
Term Expiring 2021 Dr. Joe Ellison, III, ’01 Amanda Walton, ’02 Jacob Moak, ’11 Ann Orrick-Wohlfarth, ’87, ’13 William “Bill” Jones, ’81
Ex-officio Members Dr. Larry L. Cockrum University President
Paul P. Steely, ’49 Trustee Liaison
Office of Alumni Services Erica Broome Harris, '84 Executive Director
Paul Stepp, BS '12, MSIS '17 Director
Denise Hoover
Alumni Communications
When facing our futures, we stand. Through storms of all sorts, we stand. To cling to our roots, we stand. To come together as Cumberlands alumni, near and far, we stand.
PLEASE
Stand
Enjoy the magazine!
Features
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STAND FOR YOUR COMMUNITY COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING
STAND FOR EDUCATION
FROM THE FAR EAST TO THE SOUTHEAST
STAND FOR INNOVATION INSIDE SKUNK WORKS
STAND FOR YOUR ROOTS
FARM TO TABLE: THE LIVELIHOOD OF AMERICA
STAND FOR YOUR FELLOW MAN DISCOVER YOUR MISSION
STAND FOR APPALACHIA
THE HOLLER CREATIVE: BRINGING HOPE & OPPORTUNITY BACK TO APPALACHIA
In Every Issue
4 Campus News 26 Class Notes 30 Weddings & Births
31 Fond Farewells 32 Patriot Salute 34 UC Tribute Program Cumberlands Alumni Magazine
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PA PROGRAM OPENS AT NKY CAMPUS, PARTNERS WITH ARH In 2018, Cumberlands’ campus in Florence, Kentucky launched a new PA program and partnership with ARH (Appalachian Regional Healthcare), a not-for-profit health system in the area. “This is an opportunity for us to move forward in healthcare and focus on urban communities the way our Williamsburg campus is focusing on rural areas,” said Blair Whitaker, Program Director of the PA program at Cumberlands’ NKY campus. “I am excited to be part of bringing in top-notch students who will bring healthcare forward in this area and beyond. We have a great team that we are continuing to build.” ARH partnered with Cumberlands in the hope that, by granting opportunities for students to complete clinical rotations in their home communities, students will be able to pursue careers in the Appalachian region, in which there is a great need for more high-quality healthcare professionals.
“With the ongoing shortage of providers, physician assistants are providing high levels of care in many different specialties,” said Brad Hall, Assistant to the President for Health Professions Education. “ARH is a trusted healthcare provider that is offering rotation slots for our students.” University of the Cumberlands Northern Kentucky Campus Physician Assistant Program anticipates introducing its first class in October 2019. Cumberlands has operated a PA program on its Williamsburg campus since 2015. The fifth cohort of PA students began coursework in January of 2019. Cohort I had a 100 percent pass rate for the PA National Certification Exam in 2017. The program has also updated its laboratory with state-of-theart equipment received through the donations of generous program supporters.
2019 FACULTY & STAFF RETIREES
MS. KATHY FISH
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
35 YEARS
DR. TOM FISH
DR. KENNETH REED
35 YEARS
9 YEARS
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
PA PROGRAM
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$5 MILLION GRANT FOR 21ST CENTURY LEARNING CENTER University of the Cumberlands received a $5 million grant from the Grover Hermann Foundation to renovate the University’s library into a 21st Century Learning Center. “This is an important milestone for our campus community,” said Dr. Larry L. Cockrum, president of University of the Cumberlands. “Revolutionizing our current, out-of-date library into a 21st Century Learning Center will significantly influence our ability to educate future leaders. The Learning Center will meet the technological needs of today’s students while providing shared learning spaces that inspire the knowledge and skills the 21st century demands of us all.” Cumberlands’ current library was constructed in the 1960s, and since that time, few renovations have been completed. The proposed architectural design, created by the Brandstetter Carroll Architectural Firm, includes a first floor filled with
technology booths, a coffee bar and café, computer areas, rooms for quiet study and a portion of the library’s media collection. The concept plan for the second floor includes the bulk of the library’s collection, in addition to a couple classrooms and plenty of seating and study areas. An elevator will also be added, increasing access to all floors. As part of the renovation process, the library will be named the Grover M. Hermann Learning Center. “The Grover Hermann Foundation is extremely pleased to have made a grant to University of the Cumberlands to help establish the Grover M. Hermann Learning Center,” said Paul K. Rhoads, president of the foundation. Total cost of the renovation is estimated at $7.8 million, with $5 million provided by the Hermann Foundation. Work on the project is underway and is scheduled to be completed in 2020.
2019 FACULTY & STAFF RETIREES
DR. CAROLYN REAVES
MS. DEBBIE HARP CAREER SERVICES
HESS & BASEBALL COACH
13 YEARS
40 YEARS
43 YEARS
ACADEMIC RESOURCE CENTER
MR. TERRY STIGALL
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University of the Cumberlands was proud to host Laila Ali as the keynote speaker for this year’s Excellence in Leadership Series, sponsored by Terry and Marion Forcht. Laila is a four-time undefeated boxing world champion, mother, home chef, author, wife, television host and lifestyle expert. She is also the daughter of the late Muhammad Ali, who was a champion boxer, renowned humanitarian and global icon. Between her confident, friendly demeanor and her powerful keynote address, the event was a definite “knockout.”
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2019 Excellence in Leadership Award Recipients Michelle Warnky, ’06, is most widely known through her
many accomplishments on the reality television show American Ninja Warrior, in which competitors from around the world attempt to complete some of the most physically challenging obstacle courses ever built. Warnky studied exercise science at Cumberlands and was a member of the University’s cross country and track & field teams, earning several Mid-South Conference honors. Upon graduation, she served with Teach Overseas for five years in Kazakhstan, teaching English and sharing the Gospel. Warnky currently co-owns a gym in Columbus, Ohio called Movement Lab Ohio, which offers fitness classes and obstacle course training, focusing on building active local communities in the process.
Nick Wilson is a Williamsburg native who won season 37 of
the hit reality TV show Survivor, in which contestants were split into the tribes “David” and “Goliath,” separating players based on those who came from privilege from those who have had to fight for all they’ve earned. Wilson, a David on the show, rose from underdog to victor. He and his four siblings were raised mostly by their grandmother when their parents divorced. Wilson became the first in his family to obtain a bachelor’s degree when he graduated from the University of Kentucky. He later earned a degree from the University of Alabama School of Law. In 2014, Wilson lost his mother to a drug overdose. He now works as a lawyer with the purpose of combating Appalachia’s opioid epidemic and making a lasting, positive impact on the area however he can. Cumberlands Alumni Magazine | 7
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PLEASE STAND FOR THE CLASS OF 2019
Cumberlands Alumni Magazine
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Life isn't always a piece of cake, but it sure helps when you have so many friends to help you through. Members of the Class of 2019 gathered to celebrate friendships with a new event - Caps & Cupcakes. Our newest alumni decorated cupcakes and their graduation caps ahead of the big day.
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'60s & '70s BASKETBALL REUNION There was a great turnout for a reunion of former players, coaches and cheerleaders from the 1960s and early 70s in January. Alumni enjoyed a speech by V. L. Stonecipher, ’66, whose idea it was to host the event, and a nice luncheon. Alumni then stayed to cheer on Cumberlands’ current basketball teams. The men’s team fought hard for a 1-point victory in overtime that afternoon – a great way to finish off the day! FRONT ROW: Mike Owens, Felecia Newport Reynolds, Dixie Robertson Prewitt, Pat Smith Stonecipher, Cookie Thompson Henson, Kathy Hardock Bohman, Sharon Parrott, V.L. Stonecipher, Coni Renfro Owens, Terri Caudill Mountjoy, John Mountjoy BACK ROW: Fred Anness, Max Cox, Steve Reynolds. Jerry Bohman, Lawrence Bailey, Patty Magee Bailey, Jim Rollins, Charlie Cameron, Carl Yahnig, Paul Falin, John Broome, Darrell Bell, Frank Cameron, L.C. Madron NOT PICTURED: Rudean and Sue Adams, Donna (Seller) and Raymond Cox, Tim Henderlight, Rhonda (Renfro) and George Nauman
HOMECOMING 2018 Creech-Boswell Luncheon
FRONT ROW: Margaret (Mardis) Faulkner, Carl Hoskins, Naomi (Smith) Sears, Sharon Parrott, Evelyn (Bowman) Dixon, Carolyn (Wells) Gregory, Arcelia (Witt) Bowman, Terry (Woods) Bird, Suzanne (Lennon) Gieszl MIDDLE ROW: Darlene (Cox) Taylor, Sue (Faulkner) Goins, Maxine (Young) Carr BACK ROW: Joe Smith, Adney Taylor, Danny Gambrel
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ATHLETIC HALLof FAME 2019 INDUCTEES
On Saturday, January 26, 2019, University of the Cumberlands inducted four new alumni into in the Athletic Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include (pictured above from left to right) Aaron Watkins, ’12 (Golf), Lauren Wombles, ’13 (Basketball), Toccara Montgomery, ’07 (Wrestling), Joe Salvato, ’04 (Track and Field).
TOCARRA MONTGOMERY, ’06 | WRESTLING
»» Three-time Ping/GCAA and NAIA All-American
»» Gold & silver medals in Sr. & Jr. World tournaments
»» Scoring average of 73.56 in 83 tournament rounds
»» First female to win FILA Int’l Wrestler of the Year (2002)
»» 8 tournament wins, 6 runner-ups, 50+ top 10 finishes
JOE SALVATO, ’04 | TRACK & FIELD
LAUREN WOMBLES, ’13 | BASKETBALL
»» Three-time national champion in track & field
»» UC all-time men's & women's leading scorer (2,098)
»» Four-time All-American
»» UC records: rebounds, FG attempts, free-throws
»» Relay team member - UC records: 4x800 and 4x400
»» Ranked 4TH nationally - average points per game (19.8)
Alumni came out in full to support the Cumberlands basketball teams at their away games against Georgetown College this February. Though the Patriots endured close losses that day, it was great for alumni to spend time catching up with old friends, sharing fun memories with each other and supporting their alma mater.
AARON WATKINS, ’12 | GOLF
»» On USA’s Olympic wrestling team, placed 7TH
Cumberlands’ Office of Alumni Services hosts events like this throughout the year. Whether an Indian or a Patriot, whether near or far, you can get in on the action! Follow our University of the Cumberlands Alumni page on Facebook or check your email to hear about upcoming get-togethers near you.
To ensure you receive event invites, update your contact information.
ucumberlands.edu/alumni/update Cumberlands Alumni Magazine
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First Pitch Dinner
B
aseball players, parents, fans and alumni visited campus this spring to enjoy the annual First Pitch Dinner, complete with good food, a guest speaker, a silent auction and the chance for everyone to meet the 2018-19 Cumberlands baseball team. Retired baseball coach and professor Terry Stigall, ’75, was honored at the event and given a framed Cumberlands baseball jersey with his name printed on the back. Stigall coached 1,000 baseball games and worked at Cumberlands for 43 years before retiring in December. “Since he retired from teaching, we wanted to recognize him for his years of service to Cumberlands,” said Brad Shelton, MAE ’08, Head Baseball Coach. “We will always have a bench saved for him at home games. We wish him a happy retirement.” Daniel Guttridge, ’07, gave the event’s keynote address. Guttridge works for The Kroger Company and is a coach and instructor for the Proctor & Gamble MLB Cincinnati Reds Youth Academy, pouring into the lives of Cincinnati’s youth and helping teach them foundational baseball skills, as well as the value of teamwork and dedication. He spoke about the importance of giving back to the community and encouraged everyone present to find helpful ways to impact the people around them. Next year’s First Pitch Dinner will be hosted on campus the Friday evening prior to Homecoming. Ticket sales begin in August and may be purchased online. More details will come later, so keep an eye on the website and Cumberlands’ Alumni page on Facebook to stay ahead of the count.
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TOP: (Left to Right) Coach Brad Shelton, Daniel Guttridge, Assistant Coach Tyler Bender (assistant coach) and Jared Martin, ‘14 BS, ‘16. MIDDLE: Brad Shelton honors retired head coach Terry Stigall with a framed jersey. BOTTOM: Guest speaker and former player Daniel Guttridge speaking at the First Pitch Dinner.
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TOGETHER WE MOVED MOUNTAINS More than $100k Raised During Cumberlands' Inaugural Give Day
University of the Cumberlands’ firstever Give Day, held April 4, 2019, was a success.
who participated in Give Day. It was a big success, and we can’t wait to see what next year brings.�
Alumni and friends of the University generously donated $102,612 to the school.
Give Day was a 24-hour online fundraiser with a goal to bring in at least 400 new donors. (It ultimately brought in 494.) Though the majority of donations stemmed from the South and Midwest, alumni and friends as far as Minnesota, Oregon, Florida and Massachusetts gave as well.
The money raised will help support scholarship funds, athletic teams, student clubs, academic departments, service and ministry programs, workstudy positions and more. “Funding from donors is paramount in ensuring that all our programs continue each year and provide help to the local community, as well as ample opportunities for our students to become the best young adults they can be,� said Bill Stohlmann, Director of Development at Cumberlands. “We are extremely thankful to everyone
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COUNTRIES DONATED
A few donors created “challenges� to help boost motivation for others to give. For instance, Wilton Aebersold – a long-time friend of Cumberlands Music – agreed to match each gift made to the Cumberlands Department of Music up to $10,000. Other challenges were posted for alumni to give to Cumberlands athletics or to set up recurring gifts of $4 each month.
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STATES DONATED
494
TOTAL DONORS
Besides the benefit of seeing new donors get involved to help support the school’s programs, Give Day presented an opportunity for alumni to reconnect and reminisce. “It was wonderful seeing everyone’s posts on social media about their time at Cumberlands and how it shaped them,� said Erica Harris, Executive Director of Alumni Services. “Reflecting on all the heart-warming memories I have of this place and hearing stories from other alumni was just a treat. I am deeply grateful to all the alumni who decided to give back to the school that has given us so much over the years.� A date has not yet been set for the next Cumberlands Give Day. Gifts can be made throughout the year by visiting ucumberlands.edu/give.
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STANDING FOR HER COMMUNITY Reprinted with permission from Michael A. Moore, Kentucky Law Enforcement Magazine Photos Credited to Jim Robertson, KLE Magazine and the London Police Department
Ashley Taylor, '12, MJA '14, embraces her role as a London, Kentucky police officer. When Taylor graduated high school and went to college, she believed a career in corrections was in her future. After all, her father, grandfather and grandmother all made careers in the Federal Bureau of Prisons. While earning her undergraduate degree in human services and criminal justice at University of the Cumberlands, Taylor had the opportunity to ride along with the Williamsburg Police Department as a course requirement. The ride along caused Taylor to make a slight course deviation in her career path. “I went to (college) thinking I wanted to go into corrections, like my father and other members of my family,” she said. “But after my first ride along, I knew (policing) is what I wanted to do. After I got on the road, I realized being face-to-face with your community is how you can make a major difference, and I realized that was the road I wanted to go down. The money is not as good, but I feel the connection with the people outweighs other factors.” Taylor hasn’t regretted her decision. After graduating from UC, Taylor became a Williamsburg police officer and served there for two years. She left Williamsburg to return to her hometown of London where she has been an officer for nearly three years.
Community-Oriented Policing Throughout her career, Taylor’s calling has been merely to get to know her community. It is not uncommon for Taylor to pull her cruiser over, get out and interact with children. “I love getting to communicate with the community and getting to know families,” Taylor said. “If I have to go into a home where there are kids, usually they gravitate toward me. I don’t know if it’s the whole female, nurturing thing, but they’re drawn to me. I can comfort them usually, so they’re not as scared as they would be. That way, we can deal with whatever we have to deal with. The next time I see them, they’re excited to see me. They’re not scared and thinking, ‘Oh, she’s here to take my mom.’ They see me as me, and they’re excited.” Often, a child’s interaction with police is negative when they encounter officers during domestic situations. But one of Taylor’s goals is to show the community as a whole that police are people, too. “I feel we all need to be a part of our community because many times, people look at police officers and think they’re like a robot who has no feelings or personality,” she explained. “It’s important that they see us as people. (Policing) is my job. I hate some of the things I have to do, but if we don’t do it, it would be chaos.” In the wake of events like the riots in Ferguson, Mo., Taylor said officers, in
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general, have been ridiculed across the board, but her goal is to reverse that trend via community-oriented policing. “Before all of that, I think the majority of people respected police officers and held them in a good light,” Taylor said. “After (Ferguson), the feeling has been negative. We need to step up and change the way police officers are looked at. That is why we go in and talk with kids, or when we deal with people, we deal with them as respectfully as we can.” Aside from patrol duties, Taylor helps teach Rape Aggression Defense training to high-school students. “It’s important for juniors and seniors in high school or young females, who might be getting ready to go into college, to learn how to defend themselves or to be cautious in their surroundings,” Taylor said. “I like to do this class because it brings (safety) to the girls’ attention.” Another way Taylor intermingles with the community is by returning to her first love – softball. A decade ago, Taylor was a star player for North Laurel High School. Present day, she serves as an assistant coach at her alma mater. “It’s my stress relief because I love softball,” she explained. “It’s great for me to get to coach at the school where I played, and I have a lot of pride for North Laurel. It’s also important that girls see a strong female role model and someone who has done something with her life. I’ve
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put myself through school (bachelor’s and master’s degree), and now I have my career. It’s important for them to see someone who has gone through those steps and hopefully it inspires them to go forward.” That is what community-oriented policing is all about, she added. “We work 12-hour shifts, so it’s easy for an officer to stay in their car unless they’re out on a call,” she said. “I think it is important for us to get out and interact.”
Hometown Policing During her first two years in the profession, Taylor didn’t have to concern herself with policing those she knew growing up. But since joining the London Police Department, she has come across former classmates and others she knew. That has been different, but the job
remains the same, she said. “A couple of months ago, I worked a collision involving a mom of a girl I played softball with,” Taylor said. “The mom recognized me right off, but I was in cop mode working a major collision. After it was over, I was like, ‘Wait a minute. That was someone I knew when I was a kid.’” After a moment of reflection, Taylor said she is amazed at the life path some people take. “The more serious thing is dealing with drugs,” she said. “It’s crazy how everyone grows up in the same environment, but in 10 years, it is incredible to see how everyone changes.”
Career Path Just shy of five years into her career, Taylor has lofty goals and knows that with hard work, they are attainable.
forever; I want stripes,” she said. “As soon as I can go up the chain, I want to do that. I have five years’ experience, and the next step would be a sergeant. When the opportunity comes, I have to be ready.” As for the possibility of one day having the title of chief in front of her name, she good-humoredly responded, “Maybe.” But in the meantime, Taylor is content on serving her hometown agency by holding herself to the standard befitting a police officer. “Certain jobs are held to a higher standard, like police officers, doctors, nurses and teachers,” she explained. “You know if you go into this job, you have to be honorable. I hold myself to a higher standard. I’m not going to write someone a ticket for a seatbelt if I’m not wearing mine. I won’t do it.”
“I don’t want to be a patrol officer
IF WALLS COULD TALK Charlene (Slone) Rex, ’63, who lived in Roburn for a time. Alumni Director Erica Harris, '84 called Charlene to tell her about the meal pass. Harris later transferred the phone call to Sarah Rainous, '17, an employee at Cumberlands, who then got to listen as Charlene reminisced about her time at college.
CHARLENE (SLONE) REX, ’63 If walls could talk, they could tell us about the day this meal pass – found by Sherryll (Smith) Jones, '96, in 1993 – was stuffed inside the walls of Roburn (Moss) Hall. Student volunteers for Mountain Outreach were in the middle of gutting Roburn for a complete interior renovation when they noticed that the insulation looked a bit different. Old papers were used to insulate the walls. College essays, old book pages, you name it, all available papers were wadded up and shoved into the nooks and crannies. The meal pass Jones found belonged to
“My sister, my two brothers and I went there,” she said. “We all enjoyed our time there. The townspeople, a little dime store. All the merchants in the area were always good to the college kids, always looked out for us. I remember the people and the teachers, especially Mrs. Shelley and Mrs. Lovett. I remember Dr. Boswell too – he was just a superb person, so caring. It was a friendly campus.” Charlene is now 80 years old and living in northern Kentucky with her sister, Patricia Slone, '71, who briefly joined in on the call. Charlene has two children, two grandchildren and one greatgrandchild, all of whom live in Kentucky. In all, this one forgotten meal pass connected five Cumberlands alumni, all
of whom graduated in different decades. That’s Cumberlands for you – connecting students across generations, one meal pass at a time.
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FROM THE
FAR EAST TO THE SOUTHEAST
“Can I tell you about a friend that I know? Her name is Sandy,” Hawkins said. “She lives in Beijing. I would give anything if there might be some opportunity for her to be able to extend her education.”
H
ong Zhou (Sandy), ’09, is a school founder, teacher, wife and mother who came to the U.S. years ago to begin her journey toward a college degree. Meanwhile, she also established her faith in Christ, a passion in her work and lifelong friendships. In the early 2000s, Dr. Rick Fleenor, ’85, was both Director of Church Relations and an admissions counselor with a goal to recruit more international students. When discussing this idea with Oliver Hawkins, ’87, in a Church Relations meeting, Hawkins (who had served as a missionary in China) already had a recommendation. 16
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From that point, the two worked together to get Sandy to Cumberlands. In January 2007, Sandy arrived and instantly became a helper to everyone around her. Because she was a few years older than the other students, she became a mother figure as well as a translator. “We made provisions on campus for a place for the students to be able to cook, and Sandy helped them,” said Fleenor. “They could make some of their own meals, and Sandy would help translate American things that might be confusing into Chinese.” “I studied here and made a lot of good friends here,” said Sandy. “We didn’t have a car here, but we still had to go to Walmart or restaurants and places, so wherever we wanted to go, our friends would take us. They were so nice. It was a very good experience here.” Sandy graduated in January 2009 with a degree in business administration. She
then moved back to Beijing and took a teaching certification test to acquire a license to teach in China. Since graduation, she has founded a school with the primary goal of teaching English to Chinese children. She is developing programs focused on English phonics, drawing, reading and learning through other activities. Enrollment currently consists of approximately 200 students who attend after regular school hours or on the weekends. Saying Sandy’s current schedule is hectic would be an understatement. She is a wife, mother and teacher, on top of managing many other duties to help her school thrive. Despite her many responsibilities in Beijing, she found time to visit campus to recruit American teachers through Cumberlands students (which would add a valuable online component for her Chinese students to practice listening to and speaking English). Her Cumberlands visit also included visiting old friends and sharing her testimony at Main Street Baptist Church in Williamsburg. “My mom was a Christian, but I thought it wasn’t scientific enough,” Sandy
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explained. “But when I saw the Hawkins family and how they were so nice and learned that Oliver’s wife, Valerie, was a science teacher, I thought, ‘That’s interesting, science and Christianity together. Maybe I should try.’ In China, most people are Buddhist or believe in nothing but money. The Hawkins’ kindness intrigued me. I thought, ‘I want to be a person like them.’” Sandy manages to keep contact with her friends from Cumberlands. Fleenor is still a part of her life, for instance, and even drove Sandy and her (adorable) three-year old daughter through campus during their visit. It was a much different experience than the first tour Fleenor gave Sandy. “When I first met her on campus, she got out of the car and started smiling and crying at the same time,” said Fleenor. “She was amazed at how blue the sky was – how beautiful it was. In China, there’s so much smog, the sky is just gray all the time. She said, ‘The sky is so blue! I have never seen such a beautiful color.’ To think, you can’t even see the sky in China. And Cumberlands’ campus is beautiful anyway.”
Sandy’s gratitude for Cumberlands is plentiful, both for the opportunities her education provided her and the people here who helped her life become what it is today. “I am very thankful,” she said. “I got a degree. I got a very good education here. I got to teach back home. I took a video for my friends in China because they were like, ‘Show us the campus! We want to see where the changes are and what is the same.’ I’m very grateful that Cumberlands gave me the opportunity to study here.”
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INSIDE SKUNK WORKS Much of the rest is too classified to discuss.
“Yeah, there are a lot of neat things we can’t talk about,” Carter laughed. “For everything we work on, ‘pushing the state-of-theart’ is an understatement.”
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: To Carter, the whole process is both humbling and exciting.
Harold Carter, ’86, is the Director of Engineering at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Skunk Works is the organization responsible for creating all new technologies and platforms for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics company; their people design and build the most technologically advanced weapons systems in the world. For airplane aficionados, the Skunk Works’ legacy includes the U2 Dragon Lady, SR-71 Blackbird, F-117 Night Hawk, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. 18
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“It’s neat,” Carter said. “We push each other, question each other. Most of the time, when we’re given a problem or a challenge, we don’t necessarily have the solution. Nobody does. That’s why they come to us. We’re known for being able to expedite the process – get the weapons systems developed, tested and out in the war fighters more quickly than anyone else. We’re the front end for Lockheed Aeronautics. We do things quickly, and we’re generally good at making the impossible happen.” Sometimes, the Skunk Works has a few years to complete a program. But for projects like a recent war fighter weapons system project, the military needed the best product the Skunk Works could design ASAP. Yet in every project, there is always a chance that the newlydesigned technology cannot be constructed. The math might be right, the science might be right, the great minds at the Skunk Works may have conceived a brilliant solution that would actually work well…but the program ends because the technology necessary to manufacture that solution does not yet exist. “That happens,” Carter said. “You can do it in a lab scale or a test scale or small experiments, but it doesn’t scale up because you can’t manufacture it. So, one thing that’s challenging is developing affordable manufacturing techniques where you can scale up the new technologies and make them viable.” Facing the impossible means wielding a double-edged sword. On one side, there is the rush of creating groundbreaking technology the world has never seen. On the other, there is the frustration of a problem that cannot yet be solved. All Skunk Works employees must grasp that sword’s handle, accepting both sides. As director of engineering, Carter also handles a second sword: traveling. He leads more than 1,500 engineers at the Skunk Works’ three locations in Texas, Georgia and California, constantly flying to each location. American Airlines named him an “executive platinum” member because he traveled more than 100,000
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miles domestically in the past year. (Keep in mind, the horizontal width of the contiguous U.S. is only 2,680 miles.) Carter’s position is prestigious, and he enjoys working with the engineers at all three locations; however, all that traveling means being away from his family, whom he loves.
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The phone rings at the Skunk Works, and it’s a customer (often the U.S. government) asking for something that has never been done before. Skunk Works collaborates with government agencies and experts in their corporation – some of the smartest engineers and techs in the world – to answer the questions, “Has anyone ever attempted this before? If so, what has been successful? What has failed?” and brainstorm a possible solution.
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Smaller experiments are performed to see if the solution is viable.
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If it is, the experiments move forward until the models can be scaled up and manufactured for use in real life. (If at any stage of experimentation the solution is not viable, however, it’s back to the drawing board.) “I wouldn’t be able to work for Lockheed, travel like I do and have whatever level of success I’ve reached without my family, without their sacrifices and support,” Carter said. “My wife, stepson and daughters have been very supportive throughout my career, and I’m grateful for them.” Carter enrolled at Cumberlands after speaking with Coach Terry Stigall, ’75, and realizing that, at Cumberlands, playing college baseball and pursuing an education to become an engineer did not have to be mutually exclusive. Carter
was a four-year starter on the team while completing both a mathematics and a chemistry degree. “I had several upper-level classes where it was just me and the professor face-toface,” said Carter. “My physical chemistry professor quit his job at Georgia Tech to teach at Cumberlands. He would pull up a desk across from me and teach. Talk about intimidating! Here I am, a 20-year old student sitting across from the doctor who wrote the textbook we’re using for class! Maybe that helped me prepare for some of the meetings I’ve been in through the years. Anyway, I survived.” It also left an impression on him. On graduation day, Carter was given a campus leadership award which was voted on by Cumberlands faculty and staff. “That truly meant more to me than the diploma,” said Carter. “It told me what those professors and staff thought about me, and it gave me some confidence, which might have helped in my career too.” Upon graduation, Carter began working for General Dynamics, which was bought out by Lockheed Martin in later years. While working, he also completed an MS in material science at University of Texas at Arlington and earned his MBA from Texas Christian University. The invaluable work experience he has compiled over time, plus the leadership skills he began learning at Cumberlands, and a great amount of support from his family and friends have all helped Carter get where he is today. He has worked for Lockheed Martin for more than 30 years now and still absolutely loves what he does. “I cannot wait to go to bed on Sunday night so I can get up and go to work,” said Carter. “I know a lot of folks who can’t say that. I’ll joke with people that I would actually pay Lockheed to let me work here. That speaks volumes. “I get to see and do a lot of things that most people can’t even think about seeing and doing. It’s a blessing, a true
blessing. You’ve got some little kid from Knoxville who went to Cumberlands and ended up as the Director of Engineering for the Skunk Works. I mean, what are the odds?”
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You look around the table, and you’re surrounded by sheer genius. It’s like getting to meet Albert Einstein. Oftentimes, I’ll look and go, ‘Wow… I went to Cumberlands.’ A small school. Yet at least to some degree, I’ve earned my seat at that table.
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arm to Table
America
the livelihood of
Elizabeth Duff, ’98, MAE ’10, specializes in getting food from farm to table. After seeking an education for a career in the medical field, she decided to return to her roots as a farmer. Duff is now a Natural Resource Specialist who covers 16 counties across southeastern Ohio. “It just seemed like things were weighing heavy, and I thought, ‘Maybe this isn’t the route to go’,” Duff recalls. “I just changed my mind. I came back home, and I got on with the Natural Resource Conservation Office, picked up some classes at Ohio University, and this is where I am today.” As a Natural Resource Specialist, Duff’s main task is to assess the finances of new agricultural developments and write up audits for them.
Several food trends are sweeping the country, and all affect the careers of those in agriculture greatly. Duff has seen the impact of this in the dairy industry specifically. New dairy alternatives are becoming popular not only for those allergic to dairy,
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“Noticing it on social media, you’re seeing a lot of dairies sell out these days,” Duff says. “For me, to see a farm sell out is just heartbreaking. But God won’t give
“We want to make sure that taxpayers’ money isn’t being wasted,” she explains. “Agriculture is a very important livelihood of America; I mean, we put the food on the table out there.”
According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, one U.S. farm feeds 165 people annually. And those people may not only be U.S. residents; in 2016, 135.5 billion dollars’ worth of American agricultural products were exported around the world.
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but also for people who simply prefer such substitutes as almond, soy, coconut or oat milk in their day-to-day lives.
you any more than you can handle. You have to push on through because you’re not given any other option; giving up is not an option.” This life lesson of perseverance shows
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itself in a multitude of ways in Duff’s life. For her and her brother, it meant figuring out how to keep a new calf alive during a polar vortex. “We pregnancy-check our livestock every fall because there’s no reason to take a cow through the winter unless she can calf in the spring,” says Duff. “For one cow, the vet told us she was a little farther along than we would want her to be. So, my brother calls me a couple of weeks into January and says this same cow is starting to show signs of calving. And then all of a sudden, January comes, and she has a calf.” The calf being born right in the middle of winter’s polar vortex raised some major concerns for Duff and her brother. There was no way the calf could survive in the freezing temperatures, so they kept the calf close to its mother and bundled it up in a warm calf coat. Eventually, temperatures began rising, and the calf was allowed to roam more freely outdoors. (Good news: today, the calf is alive, warm and happy.) Instances like that teach farmers how to think quickly and take initiative when it is most crucial. They teach farmers that there is always something to be grateful for, even when things get tough. Farm life has taught Duff to power through difficult situations, and it has reminded her that, through tough times, there is still plenty to appreciate, such as making connections with the community and caring for the farm and cattle as a whole. Being able to make connections through agriculture really benefits Duff’s daily tasks as a resource specialist. She finds that her experience in angus breeding really helps her connect with farmers when she is out in the field. “To talk to someone who knows the background of a breed and is familiar with bulls really makes a difference”, Duff says. “It makes it so much easier for me to fit in because I have that knowledge. I’m able to talk to them about all the knowledge we share and then flow into subject of why I am really at their farm, learning about their resources for auditing purposes.” With such a demanding schedule, what makes her career fulfilling? Her family. Not only does Duff’s work-family mean a lot to her, she also mentions how you truly get to know your family by raising a farm together. “Being raised on the farm, you have a lot of family time, and we’re all out there together,” she says. “You certainly learn a lot about each other!” From expanding the world of agriculture across Ohio, to swapping life stories with other farmers, to creating new experiences with colleagues and family, Duff is finding ways to make a difference right where she is planted. After all, sometimes, returning to your roots is what ends up bringing you the most joy.
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DISCOVER YOUR MISSION Wisdom From a Retired Military Chaplain
Chaplain (Lieutenant Colonel, Ret.) Tom Cox, ’82, understands more about grief, struggle, healing and hope than the average civilian. That's because for years, Cox served as a chaplain in the U.S. Army. He has spent his life serving others, and his story reveals a few lessons from which everyone can learn.
DISCOVER YOUR MISSION. When Cox returned from Basic Training the summer before his junior year, he knew his next mission: to finish his education at Cumberlands while growing in his relationship with Christ, working hard in the ROTC program and enjoying the people of Appalachia. He accomplished that, earning his bachelor’s degree in religion from Cumberlands and completing a seminary degree shortly after. Then, for three and a half years, Cox pastored a church in Indiana. But God gave him a new mission: to be a chaplain in the United States Army. “I’ve worked for godless commanders as well as Christian commanders, and I’ve served with every different kind of American,” said Cox. “You can always count on encountering people in 22
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situations that you would never, ever expect to deal with. It’s not always an easy ministry, but it’s definitely a ministry worth doing.” Soldiers are drilled to receive a mission, execute the mission, accomplish the mission. You do the job, and you make no excuses. Although that mentality seems rigid to most civilians, there is something to be said for having a goal to work toward. And missions change with life’s seasons. While Cox was in the Army, accomplishing his mission meant moving homes frequently, building relationships with the soldiers he met around base, training other chaplains and offering advice, encouragement and comfort when soldiers and their families needed it most. When Cox retired, his missions were to rest, finish projects around the house and enjoy visiting his children. Today, as a mental health chaplain at Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville, Cox’s mission has changed yet again. But he has learned to shift gears when that happens and press into each new task. Because of that, he’s found a level of success in every mission he’s had.
FIND COMMON GROUND. As a resident assistant and ministry volunteer at Cumberlands, Cox met people from all backgrounds who approached life completely differently. Those experiences helped him cope with the Army’s immense diversity. Cox has recognized that, if a group is going to be successful, its people must find common ground with each other. “Those who serve in the military learn there is a higher ethic we serve for, and that is to protect the freedoms of this nation,” said Cox. “That binds us together. Black, white, Chinese, Greek, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Eastern European – we’re there for the same purpose. We don’t look down upon one another, we embrace our equality.”
TALK TO SOMEBODY. “Soldiers bear a burden for the nation that a lot of people don’t realize,” Cox said. “We can’t internalize everything all the time.” Cox, as well as other chaplains, received training through the Army in suicide prevention, as well as counseling for grief and PTSD (post-traumatic stress
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disorder). He had also taken pastoral counseling classes at seminary, which served him well. According to Cox, soldiers from all religions come to chaplains for a multitude of reasons, but primarily when they have pain in their lives. “They come to who they can trust, and chaplains have that sacred gift of taking care of soldiers,” he said. “Suicide is a short-term option with long-term implications. What I would encourage people to do is, if they know somebody who is depressed or talking about suicide, get them help as soon as possible. Normally, if they can make it through that one dark phase of their life, they can go on and live a productive, happy life.” What about when talking with a combat soldier? What if a soldier or veteran is struggling with PTSD or similar issues? “With combat veterans, there are certain things you don’t want to ask,” Cox advised. “Be non-judgmental; don’t ask questions about why they did what or whether they’ve killed anybody. People don’t understand that, when you’ve been in combat, you have to do things quickly just to stay alive. Just accept them for who they are and be a source of support for them.” Even chaplains need support. Cox learned that the hard way when he became burnt out on an assignment. Finding somebody to talk to was hard, but he now believes it is a necessary component of self-care. “You find somebody to talk to,” he said. “You’ve got to. A colleague or a counselor, you do what you’ve got to do and find somebody to talk with you.”
KEEP A JOURNAL. Cox kept a spiritual journal – still does, actually – of things God accomplished in his life. Answered prayers, ways Cox has seen the Lord move, all such things go into the journal. With everything he has experienced, Cox encourages all believers to track events in their spiritual lives like this. “The Adversary will get us in a situation where we feel beat up and downtrodden, and we despair,” Cox said. “It’s really helped me at those times to focus on Him and not on the stuff that’s making me feel
overwhelmed and burdened. It is a great encouragement to pick up that journal and reflect back on what God has done. What He’s done in the past, He’s going to do now.” And one final bit of wisdom… Throughout his life, Cox has seen God show up in meaningful, sometimes unexpected ways. “Once, I was in the first cavalry division, and we were in the Kuwaiti desert,” he shared. “If you’ve ever been out there… there is nothing out there. Nothing but desert for miles. I had asked one of the other company commanders to pray with me because I had a chaplain’s flag that I wanted to put up. It was a blue flag with a white cross, and I wanted to fly it over my tent so people would know where the chaplain was and could come and talk to me if they wanted. Well, there wasn’t even a stick out there. I couldn’t even get a pole from camouflage netting to use. “So, we’re driving, and out smack-dab in the middle of nowhere, there is a 12-foot long bamboo stick laying in the middle of the desert. I kid you not. The company commander’s vehicle pulled off, I pulled off. The Commander picked the bamboo up and said, ‘Chaplain, here’s your flagpole.’” Moments like that have encouraged Cox over the years. Yet the most rewarding moments have been when he notices the reality of a relationship with Christ become real in a soldier’s life. Whether he speaks with a soldier over the phone and recognizes a change, or someone sends him a memento or a letter telling him how thankful they are for his help, Cox is always touched by the gratitude of the people he has served. Moments like that help reassure him and his family that the sacrifices they made over the years were all worth it. What is the final bit of wisdom? It’s the way Cox always signed off on the daily radio ministry he hosted while stationed in Europe: Everybody, be encouraged: God is in control.
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e v i t a e Cr
THE HOLLER BRINGING HOPE & OPPORTUNITY BACK TO APPALACHIA
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You could say this all began in a coffee shop when Josh Coppock approached Kevin Flora, ’09, after a Bible study and said, “Hey! I don’t know you. What do you do?” Or you could say it started back when Josh’s father, Alan Coppock, ’87, was growing up and learning how Christianity, business, healthcare and family could all somehow mesh together.
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Whatever you say, don’t forget to mention two words: hope and opportunity. “There’s a lot of great talent here,” said Kevin. “But this talent, when they get the opportunity, runs to a big city to find a job. Our communities, especially in eastern Appalachia, are not going to get better unless we continue to have good, educated individuals come back, speak into it and help.” That is what he and Josh set out to do when they opened The Holler Creative two years ago. “Nobody outside of here knows what a ‘holler’ is,” Josh says, “or they just think of it negatively. They think uneducated, blue people, drugs, right? We want to flip that on its head. Make this a positive place where people look at this region and see hope, opportunity, creativity. That’s the plan.” So far, the business has set up shop in downtown Corbin, added several clients (including Alan Coppock himself, who recently founded his own healthcare consulting firm, Adminologybay LLC), and brought in half a dozen employees and interns, most of whom are Cumberlands alumni or current students. “The closest internship opportunity for Cumberlands students was in Atlanta, Georgia,” said Josh. “So, we were like, ‘Okay, let’s put an internship together and give an opportunity to these local businesses and these students.’” The Holler Creative is a digital media firm that tries to help business owners understand current practices in marketing and advertising by consulting with them, creating content and managing their marketing brand and strategy. According to Kevin, ideally, The Holler would come in and spend, say, a year teaching a business how to manage their marketing, doing it for them during that year. After, the business would have a firm enough grasp on things to run their own marketing from that point forward. Then The Holler would get hired by a new client, and the cycle would continue.
Both the Coppock and Flora families operate under a “mission mindset.” Alan and his wife, Melody, ’90, raised Josh and their other children to live missionally with Christ at the center, showing the kids they loved them limitlessly and hoping the children would build even better lives for themselves when they grew up. Kevin’s wife, Candace, ’10, is a pediatric dentist whose life mission is to educate parents on why it’s important to brush their kids’ teeth. It took Josh and Kevin a while to figure out what mission they could work toward together, but now that they’ve found it, they have dived in. “We're still individuals, but we are on mission together rather than separately,” said Kevin. “That takes our families going on vacation together. That takes our kids growing up together in church. It means just having those moments outside of work that speak into our friendship and our business partnership. It's much more than coming into the office and working together.” Both men also do their best to live missionally at home. Each of them has a family to help care for outside of work, with young children who are imitating everything they see their fathers do. But even though the demands can be high, and some days the men just need to get away and de-stress, they love their lives. The job, their families, everything. It helps that they have faith in what they’re doing as it serves a larger purpose. “There are several times Josh and I have said, ‘this doesn't make financial sense. This doesn't make sense to the world at all,’” said Kevin. “But it’s a step of faith, and we need to take it because it's a test on us. Not as business owners, but as community members with the mindset of bringing hope and opportunity.” “This is the best gig ever,” Josh said. “It's easier to go to work whenever you're working toward something bigger than yourself. It’s cool to come to work here every day. I love it.” Cumberlands Alumni Magazine
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1950s Sylvia (Patrick) Pollard, ’50, spent 35 years in Kenya doing mission work. She met her husband, Herb, in Kenya, and they had three daughters and seven grandchildren. Herb passed away in February 2015. At age 88, Sylvia continues to work in ministry and is still in good health. Raymond M. Sutton, Jr., ‘58, was honored at Cumberlands’ second annual Arbor Day celebration. The University’s Tree Committee planted a tree in his honor on campus with a plaque which named Sutton a “Steward of Trees.”
W. Darrell Hansel, ’68, received The Sagamore of the Wabash in March of 2016, presented by Rep. Randy Frye in a ceremony at the local American Legion.
1960s
David B lakeman & dgett Hamilt on Bri
Cumberlands Couples David Blakeman, ’01 Bridgett (Hamilton) Blakeman, ’00 We met during Welcome Week in 1997. My roommate, Elizabeth, was a STAR in David's freshman Insights class and introduced us. We began getting to know each other well as we both served on BSU revival teams. Soon after we met, we began dating, and we got married one week after my graduation in May of 2000. I worked in Cumberlands’ Admission's Office while he finished up his degree in physics. After his graduation, we moved to Huntsville, Alabama where David began working at Lockheed Martin in the missile defense program, and I pursued a second degree in nursing. We cherish our time at Cumberlands. The friendships formed, opportunities promised, and memories made will forever be a gift to us. 26
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Bob “Pup” Morris, ’61, and Dorothy (Meadors) Morris, ’62, both became teachers. Bob taught health & PE and biology before becoming a high school principal, and Dorothy taught business education. They have two children and four grandchildren and now reside in London, Kentucky. Bob struggles with frontal lobe dementia, and Dorothy is his primary caregiver. Ernest Lawson Whitt, ’62, retired from the US Postal Service in September 2003. He is now opening a Shakerstyle broom shop called Broomologist in Burgin, KY and will be doing craft shows in the summer at various locations throughout the state. Robert Byrd, ’63, delivers medication for his son, who runs Baptist Health Home Infusion. He previously owned and operated Dixie Drive-In Theater for 35 years, worked more than 33 years for the state of Kentucky Children’s Service and taught two years of junior high school.
Janus Jones, ’65, and Carolyn (McIntyre) Jones, ’70, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on January 31, 2019. They are the parents of two sons and a daughter, and grandparents of four girls and four boys. John Glanton, ‘68, recently retired after teaching and coaching for 49 yrs.
Sue (Sanders) Shealy, ’69, is working as a psychotherapist in private practice after teaching behavioral science courses at Lincoln Memorial University. She resides in Charleston, South Carolina.
1970s Ray Henderson, ’71, and his wife, Linda, have been married 49 yrs. Ray retired in ‘73. The couple has two grown children, Angie and Mark, and a Labrador named Buster. Jim Holloway, ’71, retired as chaplain from Baptist Memorial hospital in Columbus, Mississippi on November 1, 2018. He and his wife are moving back to Paducah, Kentucky.
David Neuner, ’71, and his wife, Christine, celebrated 48 years of marriage in February.
Kathy (Wilcox) Storrie, ’71, self-published her second fiction novel, Running on the Edge of Glory, on Amazon.
SUBMIT YOUR CLASS NOTES ucumberlands.edu/alumni/class-note
SPRING 2019 daughters and two grandchildren. David Cooper, ’83, is on staff at Highland Baptist Church in Redmond, Oregon. He is currently on an 11-month leave, during which he and his wife are volunteering in several ministries on the island of Cyprus, where they served as IMB missionaries for 12 years before David’s position at HBC. Rodney Nickell, ’73, was promoted to Agency Health Physicist under the NASA Office of Chief Health and Medical Office. The office oversees all 14 NASA Centers Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health Programs. Mattie (Berry Childers) Pearce, ’73, received The Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award – issued through The Marquis Who’s Who Publications Board – on July 9, 2018.
Pamela (Parrott) White, ’76, retired in 2017 after teaching music and art for 22 years at Desoto Grade School in Desoto, Illinois. James Ford, ’78, and his wife, Lois (Petty) Ford, att. ‘76-’79, continue to teach and minister in Moscow, Russia, where they have been since January 2010. James has switched from high school science teacher to secondary principal.
Pam (Cain) Godby, ’84, retired from her position as Human Resources Manager of the Lake Cumberland District Health Department on September 1, 2018. Suzanne (Richardson) Williams, ’84, Married Larry Richardson on February 23, 2019 in Gatlinburg, Tennessee Lisa (Rice) Kluetz, ’87, was conferred her Doctor of Philosophy in General Psychology by Northcentral University in August 2017.
Dr. Jerry Huffman, ’78, recently accepted the position of Senior Pastor at First Baptist Church in Monterey, TN.
Bill Campbell, ’75, has been the Association Mission Strategist for the 40 churches of Delta Valley Baptist Association since 2013. He served as pastor in churches in Tennessee, Ohio and New Mexico before coming to this position in Stockton, California. Bonnie (Trisler) Gilbert, ’75, retired after a 39-year career as a social worker and counselor, with 30 years as a Geriatric Care Manager Supervisor.
1980s
Steve Reeves, ’80, accepted a position as adjunct professor at Middle Tennessee State University, where he will teach crew resource management to students in the Aerospace Department's Professional Pilot program. He is a retired Southwest Airlines captain. Phyllis (Strong) Weber, ’80, was promoted to Director of Advertising and Marketing at The Roanoke Times in Roanoke, VA.
Dr. Joe Early, Jr., ’93, received the 2018 Distinguished Faculty Award at Campbellsville University. Alan Coppock, ’87, was elected as the “Kentucky Regent” of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Coppock has helped found three new hospitals, one Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) and has served on numerous private and charitable boards. In 2017, Coppock founded Adminologybay LLC, a healthcare consulting firm. Alan and his wife, Melody, ‘90, raised their five children in Corbin and are enjoying their first 3 grandbabies. Don Mathis, DDiv ’88, accepted the position of Transitional Pastor of the Glendale Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
1990s
Mike Sharp, ’93, regional president of Forcht Bank, accepted the Large Business of the Year award on behalf of his company during the Business Achievement Awards presented by the London/Laurel County Chamber of Commerce.
Edith “Edie” (Gray) Schmidt, ’90, left a career in radio broadcasting/ editing/script writing when she and her husband welcomed a beloved new daughter back in 2016. Edie now teaches English to Chinese students online. She lives in Florida.
Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Cox, ’82, retired from his position as Chaplain in the U.S. Army. He now works as a mental health chaplain at the Robley Rex VA Medical Center in Louisville. Rich Lovitt, ’82, retired after 30 years of teaching. Nancy (Moses) Mullins, ’82, is a new grandmother.
Preston Potter, ’75, retired after teaching high school history in Wise County, Virginia for 40 years. He is enjoying retirement, spending time with his two grandchildren.
Cheri (Bridges) Floyd, ’91, and her family are traveling and speaking around the U.S. to raise funds to return to Papua New Guinea in late 2019. The Floyds have served as lay missionaries to PNG since 1991, assisting indigenous churches in their community development efforts. Cheri would enjoy hearing from Cumberlands friends at cheri. floyd@gponline.org. Paul Chitwood, ’92, was selected to lead the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, the world’s largest organization of its kind with missionaries in virtually every nation.
Brian Shoemaker, ’79, published an article in Celebrate Life Magazine. He and his wife, Rhonda, (Adams) Shoemaker, ‘89, have a music and comedy ministry.
Carolyn (West) Reaves, ’74, completed her EdD. She recently retired as director of the Academic Resource Center at Cumberlands. She recently published her first book entitled, “Who’s the Girl in the Mirror?”
LLC. and is a part-time instructor for Southern Crescent Technical College. Brook also published a book. He is married to Jennifer (Stephens) Jones, ’91. Together they have three children and one grandchild.
Racene (Patterson) McClain, ’82, celebrated her 25 anniversary in San Antonio, Florida with her husband, Bert. They were married on December 24, 2018. Debbie Tharpe, ’82, MAT ’07, has been working in the education field since 1996. She has been married for 39 years; the couple has two married
Harry Hunter, ’90, and his wife of 52 years, Rosetta, are beginning their 44th year in pastoral ministry. Harry taught school for 27 years, and pastor New Life Assembly of God in Calico Rock, Arkansas. Of heir seven grandchildren, one graduated from Cumberlands (Brody Nolan, ’16) and one is currently attending (Blake Hunter). Colonel Brook Jones, ’90, retired from the U.S. Army in October 2017 after a 35-year career. He founded a company called Patriot Leadership,
Angela (Starnes) Swain, ’94, was promoted to Assistant Professor of Music in the Dept of Worship Ministries at Midwestern Seminary and Spurgeon College in Kansas City.
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SPRING 2019 Heather (Sallee) Price, ’98, She currently lives in Lancaster and works as a special education teacher at Fayette County Public Schools. Amy Rogers, ’98, has worked as a machine operator for a major consumer healthcare company for 15 years.
2010s
Constitution to today’s America. “To see, and quite literally hold, all the hard work, dedication and countless hours finally come to fruition for Dr. Leskiw and myself is a joyous occasion mixed with relief,” said Coleman.
Johnny Hill, ’99, began a new job as the Circulation and Reference Librarian at the Oklahoma City Community College in December 2018. Scott Ogle, ’99, became senior pastor of Central Baptist Church in Winchester, Kentucky.
2000s Carla Kersey, ’00, was promoted to Project Development Coordinator at the Kentucky Educational Development Corporation in Lexington. She is working closely with the Kentucky Department of Education, developing a web platform for KY High School ILP’s. Dr. Clinton R. Hall, ’00, is a general surgeon at South Florida Baptist Hospital (SFBH), where he specializes in bariatrics surgery. Hall is a recognized leader in his field, and as of May 2018, he was among the top five doctors for robotic case experience in the Tampa Bay area. He served as president of the SFBH medical staff and is now serving on a three-year appointed term on the joint board of directors for St. Joseph’s/ SFBH. Hall played football at Cumberlands while studying biology with a minor in chemistry. Upon graduation from Cumberlands, he attended medical school, completed five years of residency, then finished a year of fellowship for bariatrics and robotics. Today, Hall resides in Plant City, Florida and enjoys going hiking in his free time. Nathan Coleman, ’01, published his second book, Debating Federalism: From the Founding to Today, which was co-edited by Chris Leskiw, Vice President of Academic Affairs at Cumberlands. The book provides readers with the understanding of federalism from the writing of the
Sam Lufi, ’03, has been licensed as a minister with the Assemblies of God and is serving in an at-risk neighborhood in north Philadelphia as a missionary. In addition to supporting an inter-cultural church as Minister of Christian Education, he is working to create career opportunities in technology for young people from the neighborhood. (More information at lufimission.com.)
Alice Tremaine, ’03, spoke at a TED Talk in Corbin this March.
Phillip Vogelsang, ’03, was reelected as a City Councilman for Jacksonville Beach, Florida and will serve a final 4-year term. He is also celebrating 10 years as General Counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5-30 where he represents 2,300 police officers.
WALK A MILE WITH US
Jared Jackson, ’05, published his first children’s book, Where Does the Man in the Moon go During the Day. Jackson both authored and illustrated his book, which is available online wherever books are sold. Melissa Bond, ’06, spoke at a TED Talk in Corbin in March. Charis (Locke) Buckland, ’06, and her husband, Brett Buckland, ’07, have moved to the Nashville area. They have four daughters, ages one through five. Charis is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a contributing writer for Parenting Teens magazine, blogger, has been published by Lifeway Christian Resources, and has begun homeschooling their girls.
Jennifer Marsee, ’10, recently released book two of her Molly Sue the Dingo Diva book series. This book serves as a reminder that bullying is wrong no matter what age. Andrew Brown, ’11, spoke at a TED Talk in Corbin this March. Jordyne (Gunthert) Carmack, ’11, completed her PhD in Leadership with an emphasis in Missions and Ministry at Cumberlands in December 2018. Her dissertation was titled, “The Relationship Between Authentic Leadership and Ministerial Effectiveness in Small Group Ministry.”
Christopher Musgrave, ’06, was hired as the Director of Government Relations for the Kentucky Department of Education.
Lola (Embree) Davidson, ’11, and her husband, Luke Davidson, ’12, recently moved to Massachusetts when Lola was promoted to software engineer at the software company MathWorks.
Eric Lowe, ’07, recently launched Medvoucher, a healthcare technology company based in Louisville, which serves as an online healthcare marketplace. Lowe serves as Vice President.
Joshua Schmidt, ’11, was nominated as Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Second Vice-President. Joshua is head pastor at First Baptist Church of Grayson, Kentucky and was nominated by his brother, Samuel.
Mary Osborne, ’08, was named the inaugural scholar-in-residence for a one-of-a-kind program between Monmouth College and the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation.
Mark Steely, MBA ’11, was named Vice President, Planning & Operations at Baptist Health’s hospital in Corbin.
Madison Flowers, ’09, is an admissions counselor at Eastern Nazarene College. Brittany Turner, ’09, was chosen to be inducted into the 2019 KY Prep Softball Hall of Fame in June 2019. Turner was a star at both South Laurel and Cumberlands. She was named AllMid-South Conference in 2009.
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very year, Cumberlands students, faculty and staff mirror Jesus’ example of humility and love by washing the feet of local school children and giving them brand new socks, shoes and school supplies to begin their school year well. The event, known as Shoes 4 the Soul, began in 2011 and has touched the lives of more than 2,100 local children to date. Approximately 500 children experience genuine love and generosity at the event each year and
Dana Crawford, MAE ’12, was named the assistant principal at Fulton Independent Schools in Fulton, Kentucky. Jason Frilling, MAT ’12, was unanimously named principal at Grant County Middle School in Williamstown, Kentucky. Ryan Reed, ‘09, MAT ’12, published a book entitled Fleetwood Mac FAQ: All That’s Left to Know About the Iconic Rock Survivors. Reed was an adjunct
leave campus happy and motivated to start the new year off right. Last year, Cumberlands met our university-wide goal of sponsoring all 500 children who attended Shoes 4 the Soul. For just $30, a local child could be sponsored by anyone. We are hopeful to sponsor all 500 local children again this year! Walking a mile in brand new shoes makes any child smile. Providing that child with those new shoes – that makes us smile too.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: ucumberlands.edu/shoes4soul 28
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professor in the Department of Communication Arts at Cumberlands for a time, and he is a regular writer for Rolling Stone.
CAMPUSSNAPSHOT
SPRING 2019
Alexis Rodriguez, ’12, MJA ’14, is an officer in the City of Alcoa Police Department. She visited Spanish and criminal justice classes at Cumberlands in February, informing students about the different careers in law enforcement and the opportunities to pursue a life of public service. Beth Ewing, MAE ’13, received the Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Award. Ewing teaches social studies at Owensboro High School. Chris Ulmer, MAT ’13, continues to lead Special Books by Special Kids (SBSK), a nonprofit organization that interviews individuals with a diagnosis from around the world with the intention of spreading empathy and inclusion. SBSK began as a video blog in Ulmers’ special needs classroom and now reaches one billion people. The videos can be found on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Myriah Snyder, ’14, was named content editor of The Christian Index, news journal of the Georgia Baptist Convention, moving from assistant editor of Kentucky Baptists’ Western Recorder. Erica (Burkeen) Wilson, ’14, earned her National Board-Certified Teacher status in Early Childhood Generalist in December 2018 and was recognized at a ceremony in Frankfort, Kentucky on February 19, 2019. Cyndi Bell, Ed.S ’15, was selected as principal at Zoneton Middle School in Kentucky. She was previously the assistant principal at Bullitt East High School. Robin (Harmon) Mitchell, ’15, is working with Promise Neighborhood at Berea College as an Academic Interventionist in Middle School Reading.
THE CLASS OF 2023
After announcing the Cumberlands Commitment tuition reduction plan last fall for all on-campus undergraduate students, UC is on track to host its largest freshman class ever. Enrollment projections are currently 30 percent above last year. The students coming to campus this fall will be our 130th enrolled class, continuing to build on the legacy every student before them helped to build.
Sheila Tiberi, MAE ’15, is one of Fulton Independent Schools’ new fourth grade teachers.
master’s degree in social work. She now works as a therapist in Maryville, Tennessee.
Deborah Thompson, MBA ’15, received a position as adjunct instructor for a local college and earned a promotion into a role which allows her to assist in the development of new advances in methods of cancer trials and treatment. She and her husband were also gifted with a set of twin baby girls.
Tina Armer, MAE ’17, began a new FRYSC (Family Resources and Youth Service Centers) position at Ballard County Schools (KY) in January.
Nicolette Bailey, MAE ’16, was awarded Teacher of the Month for February by the Russell County (KY) Education Association. Aaron Brewer, ’16, was promoted to Mental Health Specialist II, Associate Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Trainer at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He is also member of the Eating Disorder Committee at the hospital. Devin Cherry, MAT ’16, was named the Owen County High School Teacher of the Month for November 2018. Jacob Greer, ’16, was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Operations Officer and Chief Technology officer at First National Bank of Manchester, Kentucky.
Danielle Hoop, ’15, MSPAS '18, was inducted into the KTCCCA Hall of Fame for her successes as a runner on Cumberlands’ Cross Country and Track teams. Hoop is one of the most decorated female athlete in Cumberlands history.
David Higgins, PhD ’16, of Health First Community Health Center Providence, KY was selected by the Kentucky Office of Rural Health as an awardee for the Kentucky State Loan Repayment Program (KSLRP). Higgins was one of 18 individuals selected for this honor in 2018. Kerri Stanfield, MAE ’16, received the Sanford Teacher Award for Kentucky. She is one of only 51 teachers in the country to receive the Sanford award. Leigh Ann Stephens, ’16, graduated from the University of Southern California in December 2018 with her
Brittainy Branham, ’17, was named a Business and Innovation Champion of SOAR Innovation. SOAR Innovation is a new partnership between Shaping Our Appalachian Region, Inc. (SOAR) and the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development’s KY Innovation office. Matt Brent, PhD ’17, was promoted to Professor of History effective the 1819 academic year at Rappahannock Community College.
Sierra Jones, ’17, is beginning a new job and master’s program, as well as relocating to Louisville, Kentucky. Amanda Kelly, ’17, was hired as an Assistant Bowling Coach for Midway University in 2019. Michael Nelson, EdD ’17, accepted the position of Assistant Professor with Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro. He will be responsible for teaching undergraduate courses in Teacher Education. Kathryn (Blair) Plymale, EdD ’18, is teaching as an adjunct professor at Cumberlands and Lindsey Wilson College. She is expecting her second child in August 2019. Allison Gable, MAE ’18, published an article in “Voices from the Classroom,” a section in The Northern Kentucky Tribune.
Jacob Jeffers, ’18, began a new career and is a new uncle. He is getting married in August 2019.
Durga Satyanarayana Mattaparthy, MSISS ’18, was placed in Century Link at Salt Lake City, Utah. James Morgan, ’18, is working as an at-home sales agent for Jewelry Television. While working, he is also busy planning his upcoming wedding. Bridget O’Brien, ’18, is working as a physician assistant (PA) at an urgent care and internal medicine office. She and Michael Wille, MSPAS ’18, are engaged to be married in summer 2019. Terra Pigg, MAE ’18, was selected to participate in this year’s KFB Leadership Enhancement for Agricultural Development (LEAD) program. Pigg is an agriculture teacher for Clark County Public Schools (KY). Srinivas Reddy Pisati, MSISS ’18, got a job as an IT engineer for Fannie Mae, a mortgage loan company. Roger Smith, ’18, was named Vice President, Investment Sales Officer of Community Trust’s wealth and trust management team in Kentucky. Luke Toy, MAT ’18, is an eighth-grade science teacher at Robert D. Campbell Junior High School.
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SPRING 2019
WEDDINGS & BIRTHS *** Please note: This list includes updates reported by family members, newspapers and other sources from Oct 1, 2018, through March 1, 2019.
Joseph King, att. ’40, and his wife, Jane, celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary on February 21, 2019. They knew each other only seven weeks when they were married during World War II.
Stephanie Bush Payne, '08, and Cas Payne, '07, announce the birth of their son, Carson Jabez, on September 26, 2018.
Emily Vander Ark, ’13, and her husband, Caleb, announce the birth of their daughter, Shire Ruth, on November 9, 2018.
Stacey (Smith) Reichenbacker, ’00, gave birth to her first child on December 12, 2017. Her name is Emma Grace Reichenbacker. Emma is pictured on Christmas Day 2018. Hannie M. Newbauer Wolfe, ’97, and her husband adopted three girls – Monique, Marilyn and Magdalena – on July 26, 2018. Casey (Woods) Mitchell, ’03, and Troy Mitchell were married on November 17, 2018. Casey now teaches third grade at Brookwood Elementary School in Dalton, Georgia.
David Walden, MAT ’12, and his wife Nikki announce the birth of their first baby, Sienna Sage Walden, a year ago in March.
Maegan (Cope) Alvey, ’16, got married on December 1, 2018.
Heather (Rutherford) McCoy, ’08, MAT ’11, and her husband, Jordan, (above) were married on May 27, 2017. Their daughter, Hallie Rae (below), was born March 31, 2018. Andrew Brunnert, ’16, announced the birth of twins on September 9, 2017 – a boy, Asher, and girl, Peyton. Trey Bryant, ’17, and Kamryn (Olivier) Bryant, ’15, were married in Oct. 2018.
Tyler Bird, ’13, and Erika (Dobbs) Bird, ’13, were married August 2, 2014. They now live in Knoxville and work at Fellowship Church. They also welcomed a daughter, Sophia Alaire, in 2018. Jared Tackett, ’06, and his wife announce the birth of their son, Henry James Tackett, Feb.16, 2019.
Catherine (Price) Devers, MAE ’13, and Nicholas Devers were married on December 29, 2018.
Jessica Cox, ’17 married Caleb Sedlak of Elizabethtown, Kentucky on April 6, 2019.
Katelyn (Glass) Perkins, ’11, MSPAS ’13, and Riley Perkins BS ’12, MAE ’14, announce the birth of their daughter, Audrey Kate Perkins, into the world on July 28, 2017. Ashley (Collins) Horn, ‘07, and Chris Horn announce the birth of their son, Collin Isaac, on January 20, 2019.
Anna (Clemenz) Moehling,’07, and Robert Moehling, ’08, adopted their son, Oliver Kade, on February 4, 2019 after fostering him for more than three years.
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Dr. Travis Freeman and Stephanie (Taylor) Freeman, ’10, MBA ’14, announce the birth of their daughter, Lillian Pearl, January 3, 2019. Travis is an adjunct professor in the Department of Missions & Ministry and Stephanie works in Accounts Payable at Cumberlands.
Cory Clark, ’15, and Jennifer (Philpot) Clark, ’17, MBA ’18, were married in October 2018.
Rebekka (Bargo) Hamblin, ’17, and Michael Hamblin, ’17, got married in August 2016. They now reside in Williamsburg. Katie (Herrington) Jurkovich, ’17, married Benjamin Jurkovich on January 20, 2018. She is a secondary art teacher at Grace Academy (her alma mater) in Marysville, WA. Jessica (Pope) Gibbs, ’18, and Brian Gibbs, ’19, were married on March 9, 2019.
SPRING 2019
FOND FAREWELLS *** Please note: This list includes updates reported by family members, newspapers and other sources from Oct 1, 2018, through March 1, 2019.
Lt. Col. Cliff Slaton (USAF, Ret.), ’42, passed away on October 11 of natural causes in Spokane, Washington at the age of 98. Ira Clarence King, Jr., ’62, passed away on March 20, 2019. He was a United States Navy veteran and taught chemistry and marine biology for 30 years at Vero Beach High School. Richard W. Hurt, ’69, passed away on April 17, 2019. Gary L. Masters, ’71, passed away on December 13, 2018 while on vacation in Florida. Betty A. Wright, ’71, passed away on February 23, 2019 Eddie M. Jones, ’72, passed away on February 27, 2019 June Delores (Terrell) Parker, ’81, passed away in May 2018. Gary Dale Neal, ’80, passed away on May 6, 2019, at his home in Beaufort, NC.
Roger Stephens, ’33, passed away on January 29th at the age of 104 and was one of our oldest living graduates. Roger was the son of E. L. Stephens, one of the first four graduates of Williamsburg Institute (Cumberland College) in 1893. Roger was interested in music and studied piano with Dr. Nell Moore. When World War II broke out, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and served as a Second Lieutenant in the North African Campaign. He taught school in the Whitley County System for many years.
Rick Wiggington, ’85, passed away on October 27, 2018 at Somerset Nursing and Rehab Center. Dr. William Walter Marshall, honorary degree of Humane Letters ’86, passed away on January 22 at the age of 86. Dr. Marshall served in the Marine Corps and served in ministry the rest of his life. Timothy Briggs, beloved husband of Rebecca (Walker) Briggs, ’93, passed away on October 12, 2018.
ZACH ABNER Class of 2019 ••• 1995–2019 Zach Abner, ’19, of East Bernstadt, Kentucky passed away after a kayaking accident on Sunday, May 26, 2019 at U.K. Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky. He was the son of Terry Abner and Teresa Gail (Ghent) Abner of East Bernstadt, Kentucky; the brother of Tara Macie Abner of East Bernstadt, Kentucky; the grandson of James O. Ghent and Betty (Scott) Wilson both of East Bernstadt, Kentucky; the nephew of a special aunt and uncle, Doug and Peggy Scott. He is also survived by a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Sam Abner and Pauline Abner. Zach was a 2019 graduate of University of the Cumberlands and member of the Patriots football team. Funeral services for Zach Abner were held on Thursday, May 30, 2019 in London Funeral Home Chapel with Steve Smith, Kenny Johnson, James Allen, and Elijah Jervis officiating. Burial followed at Andes Cemetery in East Bernstadt, Kentucky.
WANDA ANN BOWLING FREEMAN IN MEMORIAM Class of 1969 ••• 1935–2019 Wanda
Ann
Bowling
Freeman, ’61, a native of Stinking Creek in Knox County, Kentucky, will fondly be remembered as a trailblazer, servant leader and generous supporter among UC alumni. Wanda served as only the second President of the newly formed Alumni Association. She was the first female to serve a one year term as President (1967-1968) of the Alumni Board of Directors. Wanda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Pathology from University of Tennessee and a Master of Arts Degree in Education from Union College. Wanda was the founder of Key Insurance of Williamsburg, KY and for many years served as a speech language pathologist for Williamsburg Independent Schools and later throughout Whitley County for the health department. Wanda held a close association to University of the Cumberlands through her husband of 63 years, Bill Freeman, ’49, where he was employed for over 42 years. Bill served in the offices of development, public relations, the Speech and English department and the Office of the President. She was affiliated with a host of UC faculty, staff and administrators through a longtime membership at Williamsburg First Baptist Church. Together, Wanda and Bill Freeman made their most lasting impact on UC and the athletics program upon donating a significant piece of property between North 11th Street and Interstate 75 that today includes the Patriots baseball field, soccer field, and tennis courts. Wanda’s legacy lives on in all who knew and loved her including her two sons, Billy and Todd, and a host of family and friends.
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SPRING 2019
Patriot SALUTE
Dr. Ancil Gatliff 1850 -1918
Dr. Ancil Gatliff was the son of John Speed Gatliff and Luvisa Jones Gatliff and grew up at the family farm on the Cumberland River near Watt’s Creek. After completing his education at the county school and receiving medical training in Louisville, Gatliff taught at Liberty School House and ultimately worked as a physician in Appalachia.
frigid December evening in 1887, Gatliff made a pledge of $1,000 to the budget of the projected school, a subscription roughly equivalent to $24,000 today. At the time, that was the largest donation ever made to any cause in this section of Kentucky. In the following years, few people supported the college the way Dr. Gatliff and his wife did.
With deep gratitude and due honor, this Patriot Salute goes to the Gatliff family. His whole life, Gatliff saw people trying to eke out a living in the hills and hollows. He tended to the sick, provided for the helpless and dreamed of a way the local population could earn an education that would enable them to improve their lives, both for themselves and future generations. Enter Williamsburg Institute, the school now named University of the Cumberlands. When called upon one 32
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On Cumberlands’ campus stands the Dr. Ancil Gatliff Memorial building, often referred to as the Gatliff Chapel, located on a hill on the southern part of campus between the Bennett Building and Correll Science Complex. It houses the campus chapel, the University’s administrative offices and the Departments of Information Technology and World Languages. Renovated in 1992, the chapel features beautiful stained-glass windows which depict
events in the life of Jesus Christ and in the history of the University. The chapel is the site for concerts, lectures and special events throughout the year. In one way or another, the Gatliff building touches the lives of every student at Cumberlands. Without the Gatliffs’ initial donation to the college and the continued support of the Gatliff family and others like them, Cumberlands may never have become the school it is today.
SPRING 2019
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT: THEN & NOW Sharon Parrott, '68
I had attended several youth conferences and cheerleading camps at EKU and UK, and their campuses were just too spread out – too big for this little country girl! I enjoyed the atmosphere and closeness of Cumberlands’ campus, and since the school was Baptist-oriented, I decided to enroll here. I worked my way through college as a tutor during the days and as a Holiday Inn waitress some nights. My dad owned a restaurant outside of Pineville, and I would open it on weekends and work from 6:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m., then drive back to the college on Sunday evening. Yet I still attended all my classes, went to cheerleading practices and enjoyed cheering at the games, did the required homework and made time for studying, had responsibility of 72 girls in Roburn Hall and of course, showed up to chapel. (I was scared to death to miss it!). I have a lot of good memories of Cumberlands. When Dr. John Duke called the roll, he always addressed me as “Parakeet” instead of “Parrot” and kept right on going. Once, I fell asleep in James Crisp’s 4:00 p.m. class, and everybody slipped out! The next morning, I had Mr. Crisp for a different class, and he asked, “Did you enjoy your nap?” On a different note, Mrs. Shelley’s husband, John, and I shared the same birthday, and she invited me over to their home for dinner and birthday cake every year. I felt very special and welcomed. The friends and professors at Cumberlands were extraordinary. They were exceptional people and examples to me that have been everlasting and precious beyond words. I have been so blessed to have been a student at this college. I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything. I truly love Cumberland College, and I thank the good Lord for His divine intervention in sending me to little Williamsburg, Kentucky!
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SPRING 2019
TRIBUTE GIFT PROGRAM
OCTOBER 1, 2018 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2019 A TRIBUTE GIFT IS A GIFT THAT SHOWS LOVE AND RESPECT FOR THE PERSON BEING HONORED OR MEMORIALIZED.
IN MEMORY OF:
A Memorial Gift is a gift in memory of a departed loved one. RUDY ABRAMSON Given By: Carol S. Mraz Foundation ROLF BERNEGGER Given By: Mr. Joseph Logan Jr. HELEN NORTON BLANCHARD Given By: Mrs. Howard Norton JAMES BOSWELL Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Joe Smith FRAN CLAYTON Given By: Ms. Catherine Elwell JAMES CZARNECKI Given By: Mrs. Deborah Knowlton THOMAS DOWLING Given By: Mrs. Mary Ann Dowling JOSEPH EARLY Given By: Dr. & Mrs. Jack Early
JEAN FREEMAN Given By: Mr. Norman Freeman Mrs. Ruby Stephens-Keeton JAMES JOHNSON Given By: Mrs. Anne Johnson GORMAN JONES Given By: Ms. Carolyn Siler-Browning DAVID LEE Given By: Mr. Jeffrey Holloway RAY LIPPS Given By: Mr. & Mrs. David Bergman ELIZABETH MORRIS Given By: Mr. Ben Gell JACQUELINE YVONNE MUROY Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Gerald Chait
THELMA JANE NEWBERRY Given By: Mr. Dennis Newberry NORMA PATRICK Given By: Ms. Hazel Bebermeyer NATE PILANT Given By: Dr. & Mrs. Walter Early III BETTY SCHAAL Given By: Ms. Jane Bennighof EDWARD SHEILS Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Mark Stephens JEANNE SHELLY Given By: Mrs. Nancy Foster MELVIN SKEEN Given By: Bridgestone Americas Matching Gift Program
SAM STEELY Given By: Mrs. Stephanie Freeman BILL SUTERS Given By: Mrs. Margaret Suters THERESA TILLISON Given By: Dr. John Broome ALLEN WEST Given By: Dr. John Broome KAY WHALEY Given By: Dr. John Broome Mrs. Erica Harris Mrs. Shelleigh Moses Mrs. Kimberly White
THE FOLLOWING GIFTS WERE GIVEN BY WAYNE & LYNDA JONES In Support of the Charles Jones, Jr. Scholarship Fund IN MEMORY OF: The brother (Jerry) of Mrs. Steve Willis
The father (Buck) of Mr. Rick Willey & Family
The father (Tommy) of Ms. Karen Burns
The mother (Nancy) of Mr. William Chambers
The sister (Melody Hackett) of Ms. LeEllen Claud
The husband (Lonnie) of Mrs. Allene Newton
The son (Christian) & mother (Pat) of Mrs. Brandi Allocco
The husband (Ron) of Mrs. Connie Bratcher
The step-mother (Ann Crowell) of Mrs. Bethany Mackey
The father (John) of Mrs. Cindy Edwards
The aunt (Helen) of Ms. Laetitia Rollins
The husband Raymon of Mrs. Diane Sprayberry
The father (Ray Morris) of Ms. Tisha Morris
The sister-in-law (Brenda DePue) of Ms. Sharon Wheeler
The nephew (Christian) & mother (Pat) of Mr. Brad McKenzie
The parents of Mrs. Kim Holt
The wife (Betty) of Mr. Phil Hawkins
The father (Charles Elzy) of Mrs. Wayne Moulton
The parents of Rev. Matt Tullos
The mother (Janie) of Mrs. Tammy Merritt
The husband (Dick) of Mrs. Dick Willard
The father (Jack) and grandfather (John) of Mr. & Mrs. Dan Brewer
The husband (George) of Mrs. Roberta Sullivan
The mother of Mrs. Michelle Yohe
The husband (Ed) of Mrs. Charles Ryckeley
The father (Henry) of Mr. Tracy Martin
The wife (Marie) of Mr. Robert Hall
IN HONOR OF:
A gift †hat shows admiration and respect for a loved one on a significant day in their life, such as a birthday or an anniversary. TROY CLARK Given By: Carol S. Mraz Foundation
MELODY COPPOCK Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Coppock
Your Gifts Help!
Your gifts provide a lasting legacy for students in scholarship need as they work to earn a degree and further their education.
How are Tribute Gifts Acknowledged?
Those honored or memorialized are recognized through personal correspondence sent to the honoree or to the family of those being recognized in memoriam. The names of these individuals are then listed in the next issue of the magazine. In preparing this list, every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness. If a mistake was made in the way you are identified or if your name was omitted, we apologize. Please notify the Office of the President regarding any changes in the way your gift should be recorded in future reports. Thank you. In preparing this list, every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and completeness. If a mistake was made in the way you are identified or if your name was omitted, we apologize.
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DEBBIE HARP Given By: Mrs. Anonymous Mrs. Annette Black Mrs. Melanie Bloomer Mr. Alan Bruce Mr. & Mrs. Wesley Cornett Mr. Alan Hampton Mrs. Erica Harris Ms. Kimberly Harris NAOMI HARP Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Gary Harp Bridgestone America's Matching Gift Program JOHN HENSLEY Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Earnie Williamson HAROLD HUBBARD Given By: Dr. & Mrs. John Heneisen
TO GIFT YOUR TRIBUTE, VISIT: ucumberlands.edu/give
Mr. & Mrs. Oliver Hawkins, Jr. Mrs. Heather Kalista Ms. Laura Keown Ms. Deborah Myers Mr. & Mrs. Kelly Raglin Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Sanders Mrs. Lou Steely Ms. Diana Warmoth Mr. Shannon Warmoth DOLORES MORRIS Given By: Dr. Imogene Ramsey MORRIS & ESTHER GINSBERG Given By: Dr. & Mrs. Leon Aronson PAUL MURNAGHAN Given By: Mr. & Mrs. Peter Murnaghan
SPRING 2019
At the annual Skeen family reunion, gifts are collected for the John & Roxie Skeen Endowed Memorial Scholarship Fund, established to provide financial assistance for ministerial students.
FAMILY LEGACY TRANSFORMS THE LIVES OF STUDENTS In September 1982, two sisters established an endowed scholarship fund in memory of their parents. Naomi Harp, ’48, and Imogene Powers, ’50, wanted to continue Reverend John Skeen’s legacy of serving others. Reverend Skeen pastored many mountain churches and taught his children the importance of servant leadership. He had a limited
education, but that didn’t hinder him from encouraging his children, grandchildren, and friends to achieve a college education. He and his wife, Roxie, instilled in their children and grandchildren the importance of investing in the lives of young people going into ministry. Many of the Skeen family members are graduates of University of the Cumberlands and continue to make annual contributions to the fund.
WHAT A LEGACY! Like the Skeens, you can leave a significant impact on UC and invest in the lives of our students. Contact William Stohlmann, Director of Development, at 606.539.3571 or plannedgifts@ucumberlands.edu to learn about including a gift to UC in your will or other estate plan. Cumberlands Alumni Magazine
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NON-PROFIT US POSTAGE PAID LOUISVILLE KY PERMIT #879
Office of Alumni Services 6075 College Station Drive Williamsburg, KY 40769
ucumberlands.edu
HOMECOMING OCTOBER 25 & 26 REGISTER TODAY! UCUMBERLANDS.EDU/HOMECOMING