The Cumberlands spirit never dies! Jennie Lou (Buhl) Barton, ‘54, who cheered on the Cumberland Indians team 70 years ago during her college career, met our current Patriots cheer squad at this year's Homecoming football game. (We won the game against Union in a shutout, by the way!)
COACHING HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE
Dr. Hui Koon “Melissa” Khor, ’98, Bekkah Massaro, ’02, MAE ’03, Buddy Gallemore, ’93, Mike Dougherty, ’71, Sabrina (McCullough) Mouser, ‘07, Brittney (Gadd) Mitchem, ’13, MAT ’15, Chris Ferguson, ’81,
NEVER SAY CAN'T
Marty (Capps) Wilson, ’87, MAE ’90, and Connie Howard, ’77
GO TO THE TRACK
Luken Glover, ’23
Q&A
Freedom (Murray) Mills, ’23
Campus Memory
from Maureen "Cookie" (Thompson) Henson, ’74
Being a cheerleader at Cumberland College made my college experience the ultimate dream. I had never been a cheerleader before, and being selected was one of the most exciting things to ever happen to me (with the exception of coming to Cumberland College in the first place!). It changed my whole world, and I thank God every day for His amazing grace. The girls I cheered with became dear friends for life, and some of the guys we cheered for also became friends. This year marked my 50th year as an alumna at Cumberland, and I love it just as much today as I did 50 years ago.
As much as I loved cheering at Cumberland, it got me into trouble several times. I remember one time after a home game, I thought we had done a really great job cheering, especially on the sidelines. We kept the crowd involved the whole game. Now mind you, at the time, we were not allowed to dance on campus. The day after the game, Miss Mac (the late Emma MacPherson, Dean of Women at the time) called me into her office and proceeded to tell me that I would be DORMED for a week (which happened several times during my stay at Cumberland) for dancing. I said, “Dancing? Where?” She said, “At the game last night.” I said, “I was not dancing at the game!” She said, “Yes you were, on the sideline.” I said, “I was not dancing, I was doing sideline cheers.” She said, “Well, yes… but you put too much into it!”
Pictured front and center
CHANCELLOR
Dr. Jerry Jackson, EdD ’11
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
Dr. Leslie C. Ryser, PhD ’22
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI RELATIONS
Erica Harris, ’84
ALUMNI DIRECTOR
Paul Stepp, ’12, MSISS ’17
VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
Andrew Powell
SENIOR EDITOR
Gabrielle Mellendorf
SENIOR WRITER
Sarah (Rainous) Shelley, ’17, MACS ’21
RESEARCH
Kelsey (Day) Infield, ’13, MACS ’15
PHOTOGRAPHER AND ATHLETICS EDITOR
William Turner, ’21
DIGITAL CONTENT
Patrick Blevins
STUDENT WRITER
Hannah Schadler, ’27
The opinions expressed within articles do not necessarily represent the views of the administration but are intended to foster open dialogue and lifelong learning among the Cumberlands community. We welcome your feedback; email alumni@ucumberlands.edu.
DEAR ALUMNI,
The familiar greeting “Dear Alumni” often gets skimmed over. But to us, it means so much more. It signifies a deeprooted connection, a shared experience, and a mutual respect. Each of you is an integral part of the Cumberlands story.
Your time at Cumberlands, whether on campus or online, shaped you into the person you are today. Regardless of when you graduated or the challenges you faced, this university has always been a place of connection. In a world filled with uncertainty, we hope Cumberlands continues to be a constant source of comfort and pride.
This past year has brought exciting changes to our campus. Enrollment has grown, facilities have expanded, and academic programs have evolved. Yet the heart of Cumberlands remains the same. You can read more about these developments in our Campus News section.
Homecoming was a highlight this year, filled with joy, nostalgia, and reconnections. It was wonderful to welcome alumni back to campus for a weekend of reconnection and celebration. Cumberlands is more than just buildings; it's a place where memories are made and lasting friendships are forged.
We are committed to fostering a strong alumni community and invite you to stay connected through our social media channels, alumni events, and by sharing your stories with us. Your involvement enriches the Cumberlands experience for current and future students and your continued support of Cumberlands is invaluable. We are grateful for your partnership in shaping the future of our university.
As the Christmas season approaches, we hope you’re surrounded by loved ones and wish you peace, joy, and a prosperous new year.
ERICA BROOME HARRIS, ’84 Executive Director of Alumni Service
Jeff, ’90, & Kimé, (Malcolm) Harris, ’90
Somerset, Kentucky
We would love to feature your photos from around the world, highlighting the amazing places you have visited. All alumni are invited to request one FREE pennant so you can show Cumberlands to the world. Share your adventures with fellow alumni, just like Jeff Harris, ’90, and wife Kimé (Malcolm) Harris, ’90, observing the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. It was the first total solar eclipse able to be seen from the contiguous United States since August 21, 2017, and will be the last until 2044.
Request your FREE pennant by emailing alumni@ucumberlands.edu and remember to tag @ucumberlands when posting to social.
$400,000+
Total Raised
2,692
Donors
240 Thank You!
Advocates
CUMBERLANDSNEWS
SHOES 4 THE SOUL
"This program is just amazing. Some of these kids, their shoes are in rough shape, and our resource officers can only do so much. This helps them," said Vanessa Sizemore, a teacher at Whitley East Elementary, one of the schools that attended University of the Cumberlands' (UC) annual Shoes 4 the Soul event. "Another thing, though, is that the kids come to a college campus. This might be the only time some of them come to a college. And having the church aspect at this event, some of the kids don't get that in their daily lives. This is beneficial all the way around. One of the little ones ran up to me earlier like, 'Look at my new shoes!' It's exciting for them."
The Office of Campus Ministries spent months in preparation for the awardwinning community service event, working on it in between other ministry projects since March 2024. The program serves the highest-need children, as identified by the teachers and family resource officers at their respective schools.
In all, between the in-person event and a special shoe delivery to a school that
couldn't attend, Cumberlands provided shoes, socks, and hygiene supplies – not to mention a day of fun! – to approximately 750 children from nine local schools. That's a new record for children served in one year’s event, helping 130 more children than in 2023.
Barek Williams, a sophomore basketball player at Cumberlands, said of the event, "It's a 100 percent unique experience. It's awesome to be able to see these kids get the shoes they might not have been able to get. It makes you and the kids feel good. It's important to share God's love to everybody."
Nine local elementary and intermediate schools participated in Shoes 4 the Soul 2024: Whitley Central Primary, Whitley Central Intermediate, Whitley North, Whitley East, Oak Grove, Boston, Pleasant View, Whitley City, and Williamsburg Independent.
Cumberlands worked in tandem with Shoe Sensation in Williamsburg to purchase the shoes. To top off the event with something sweet, Forcht Bank brought one of their ice cream trucks to the college campus and gave small cups of ice cream to the kids as they left.
In 2023, Cumberlands’ Office of Campus Ministries was honored to receive a FaithBased Governor’s Service Award (GSA) in recognition of the impact of its Shoes 4 the Soul event.
Per the GSA, “The Shoes 4 the Soul event at UC continues to be a powerful tradition, showcasing the institution’s dedication to community service and wellbeing of local children. The impressive numbers and involvement of UC students, faculty, and staff highlights the enduring significance of this annual event.”
As Jacob Ratliff, ’15, director of campus ministries at Cumberlands, said in a release by the school announcing the GSA award, “Year after year, it is a privilege to model the love of Christ through washing feet and meeting the physical needs of local children through giving them new socks and shoes. Each child walks away knowing they are special and loved. Their smiles are infectious as they step out wearing new shoes to match their personalities.”
INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Vinay Kumar Gugueoth, a student pursuing a PhD in information technology at University of the Cumberlands, was named Scientist of the Year for 2023 by the International Achievement Research Center.
Gugueoth said, “Receiving the award was a culmination of my involvement in three impactful research projects, each made possible through collaboration and support from esteemed partners and sponsors.”
Beyond receiving the 2023 Scientist of the Year award, he has been honored with a valuable “fellowship” by the British Computer Society (BCS), achieved the title of Certified Information Security Manager, received membership into Sigma Xi (scientific research honor society), and been granted senior membership by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).
Gugueoth noted that during his ongoing PhD education at Cumberlands he has received valuable support from Dr. Ulrich Vouama, Dr. Lauren VanTalia, and Dr. Orellana Franklin, for which he is very grateful.
Three different projects Gugueoth conducted were the basis of the International Achievement Research Center’s choice for him to receive the 2023 Scientist of the Year award. The first project focused on addressing the pressing need for robust security frameworks in IoT systems. In the second research project, he and other researchers tackled the intricate security issues
plaguing IoT systems by investigating the integration of blockchain technology. The third project, sponsored by Gugueoth's employer, Amazon Web Services, focused on enhancing the efficacy of cloud VPN gateways.
MILITARY FRIENDLY
Cumberlands was named a “gold” school for 2024-2025 by Military Friendly®. Less than 13 percent of schools evaluated received this designation.
Cumberlands has worked to make a college degree more accessible to U.S. military members and veterans by offering online degree programs, lowering the tuition rate, and offering special discounts and scholarships. Additionally, past military or college work may be applied directly to a degree. In addition to making the admission process smooth and the college experience memorable, Cumberlands does its best to emphasize flexibility and accessibility for the U.S. military.
It's due to these initiatives and Cumberlands’ commitment to making
higher education accessible and relevant to U.S. military members and veterans that Cumberlands was named a “gold” school for 2024-2025 by Military Friendly®. Per a release by Military Friendly®, gold status is given to schools based on their “leading practices, outcomes, and effective programs.”
The university was first named a Military Friendly® School in 2021, ranking in the top ten nationally at the time. Also that year, the organization listed Cumberlands as a Military Spouse Friendly® School. The university received gold Military Friendly® status last year and again this year.
In addition to serving current and past U.S. military members, the university offers an Army ROTC program on its Williamsburg campus. The Patriots Company is taught leadership skills such as planning, communication, and time management, as well as military tactics and physical fitness, among other core Army values. The program graduated four cadets in May 2024; 2 Lt Zacary Carlsen, ’24; 2 Lt Charmira Cooper, ’24; 2 Lt Rylan Reed, ’24; 2 Lt Alex Ritchie, ’24, who were commissioned the U.S. Army during a special ceremony on campus.
Inclement weather pushed back our Homecoming festivities by a day, but we persevered and had a wonderful time!
Alumni gathered at a special brunch in the campus grill to celebrate the Class of 1974's 50-year milestone. Attendees enjoyed good food and reconnected with old friends. Several alumni, faculty and staff members received special awards at the event, showcasing their impressive accomplishments.
The day was filled with fun activities, including the Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony, athletic team and campus club reunions, and the academic department meet-and-greet. The volleyball gym, also known as Gatliff Gym, hosted class reunions and activities for all ages, including Alumni Bingo!
One of the main highlights of the day was the Homecoming football game! Everyone was invited to join the tailgate party at the field beforehand, complete with cornhole, face painting, and cookout foods. The game was exciting, with cheerleaders hyping up the fans, performances by the marching band, the presentation of this year's Homecoming Court, and, of course, football! Our football team crushed the competition, defeating the Union Commonwealth University Bulldogs 24-0.
Did you attend any of the Homecoming events? If so, we would love to see your photos! Share the memories you made at Homecoming on the University of the Cumberlands Alumni Facebook page!
Creech-Boswell Society
Remembering 50 Years
A special congratulations to the Class of 1974 on their 50th anniversary! Alumni who reach this milestone are automatically considered Creech-Boswell Society members. Named in honor of beloved late university presidents James Lloyd Creech and James Malcolm Boswell, a special induction ceremony to the Society is held each year during Homecoming.
Due to inclement weather, this year’s Creech-Boswell Society induction was combined with the Honored Alumni Brunch, allowing all attendees to celebrate the Class of 1974.
This graduating class marked a significant milestone for
Cumberlands, as it was one of the first to include Black students. Maurice Byrd, a member of the Class of '74, former president of the United Black Students club, and a UC Athletics Hall of Famer, delivered the keynote address. His speech resonated with his fellow graduates, drawing parallels between historical societal events of their time and their personal experiences at Cumberlands. Byrd reminisced about favorite faculty, staff, campus locations, and events that shaped their college years.
While the campus may have evolved over the years, the heart of Cumberlands, as evidenced by the stories of the Class of '74, remains unchanged.
Officers of United Black Students Club left to right: Maurice Byrd, President, Derryl Sworn, Secretary, Lena Rancher, Treasurer, and Anthony Givens, Vice President.
CLASS OF 1974
Front Row: Donna Camille (Allen) Partin, Becky (Abshear) McLaughlin, Belenda Siler, Wilma Janey (Hacker) Donley, Jolly Sharp, Dianne (Randles) Wolfe, Linda (Clem) Sutton, Doug Fortune. Back Row: Rick Stephens, William R. Provence, Steve Oakman, Ray Braden, Cookie (Thompson) Henson, Andrew Meadors, Emerson Woods, Maurice Byrd, Nick Greiwe.
ALUMNI HONOREES
Kristy DiOrio, ’10, (formerly Bishop) earned her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Applied Physics, graduating summa cum laude. During her time at UC, Kristy was a member of the women’s wrestling team and was president of the Math and Physics Club. She tutored at the Academic Resource Center (ARC), helping fellow students achieve their academic goals. She was a member of both the Sigma Pi Sigma and Kappa Mu Epsilon honor societies, where she received the “Outstanding Potential in Applying Mathematics in Engineering” Award. Kristy continued her academic journey at the University of California Irvine, earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. She then pursued a Master of Science in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she conducted research on the impact of increasing aircraft fuel efficiency on airport infrastructure.
Kristy is currently a Mission Planner and Orbit Analyst at Iridium Satellite Communications in Leesburg, Virginia. Kristy’s role is to monitor the satellites’ orbits, plan maneuvers, schedule contacts and ensure network connectivity. Kristy was part of the Iridium NEXT campaign, the largest satellite constellation refurbishment in history, deploying 80 satellites over 9 rocket launches with SpaceX. Kristy played a vital role in the precise maneuvering required to swap and deorbit satellites. Her name is now etched on a plaque flying through space on one of the new satellites. Kristy is an advocate for space sustainability, attending conferences and proposing new space traffic rules to prevent satellite collisions.
Beyond her professional achievements, Kristy is deeply committed to giving back to her community. She was an assistant coach alongside her Cumberland wrestling partner for an allgirls youth wrestling team. She also frequently volunteers at local schools, focusing on STEM development for young women.
Hui Koon “Melissa”
Khor,
’99, is a Senior Principal Scientist at Amgen Inc., one of the world’s leading independent biotechnology companies. Amgen’s most recent success was the FDA approval of Imdelltra, a first-in-class immunotherapy treatment for patients with extensivestage small cell lung cancer. This breakthrough therapy is endorsed for patients whose disease has worsened after or throughout treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy. Besides delivering treatments for areas of unmet medical needs, Amgen’s mission is to serve patients by transforming the promise of science and biotechnology into therapies.
In her 19 years at Amgen, Melissa has had the privilege of working on Imdelltra as well as 181 other products that are commercial/FDA approved. She has worked her way up from bench scientist in process development to owning and developing strategies for process impurity clearance for biologics. She continues to play a direct role in the filing of Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC) for Amgen biologics seeking FDA approval, including responding to agency questions in person and in writing.
Melissa’s passion for science is evident not only in her professional achievements, but also in her commitment to scientific advancement. She has co-authored several publications in prestigious journals and presented her research at national conferences.
Melissa was a scholarship athlete at Cumberlands, where she helped lead the tennis program to the nationals in ’96 and ’99. She was the Mid-South Conference Female Scholar Athlete of the Year in 1998-1999. At Cumberlands, Melissa double majored in biology & chemistry. She was a High Honor student all four years and graduated summa cum laude. She then went on to receive her master’s and doctorate degrees in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of Kansas, Lawrence.
Colonel (USAF retired) David Hammiel, ’84, graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a minor in religion. He earned his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Georgia in 1988. His professional military education includes Squadron Officer School, Air Command and Staff College, Air War College, and the Interagency Institute for Federal Health Care Executives.
Col. (ret) Hammiel serves as Director of Mental Health Recovery Services for the Veteran Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS), assisting more than 140K enrolled veterans across middle Tennessee. He oversees and supports TVHS programs regarding the homeless population, suicide prevention, compensated work therapy, and mental health intensive case management, as well as the Veterans Recovery Center.
Prior to this role, Col. (ret) Hammiel served on active-duty Air Force from 1990 to 2019, holding many leadership positions at the base, major command, and headquarters levels. Some of his key assignments included serving as Commander of the 5th Medical Support Squadron, Medical Operations Agency Mental Health Division Chief, Air Force Personnel Center Biomedical Science Corps Utilization and Education Branch Chief, and as the 61st Medical Squadron Commander.
Col. (ret) Hammiel was recognized as Pacific Air Force Field Grade Social Worker and Family Support Center of the Year, among other top honors within the Air Force. His leadership extended to Air Combat Command and Air Force Space Command. Additionally, he earned the Air Force Legion of Merit and a multitude of other military decorations.
and his wife,
FACULTY AWARDS
Every year, the Student Government Association puts forth nominees and votes on a male and female professor or staff member to honor at Cumberlands. This year SGA President Jonah Neal, ’25, and Vice President Serlyva M'bimbi, ’25, presented Mr. Jeff Schwarz, Dr. Haley Turner, and Dr. Josh Hatfield with these honors.
Mr. Scharz has been a faculty member for the department of chemistry for twenty years. Passionate about education, he is committed to helping students reach their potential in all aspects of life. He deeply values the support of his family and colleagues and looks forward to continuing to make a positive impact at Cumberlands.
Dr. Turner graduated with a Ph.D. in School Psychology from The University of Tennessee. She has been teaching in the department of psychology for seventeen years. She loves to help students discover a passion for the field of psychology. Dr. Turner is passionate about helping students realize their potential - both inside and outside of the academic setting.
Dr. Hatfield has been at Cumberlands for almost ten years. He is the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Director. He loves spending time with his family and working for Cumberlands.
David
Heather (Strickland) Hammiel, ’86, reside in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
ALUMNI
Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame
Each year, inductees are recognized and honored for making exceptional contributions in the field of athletics, while also demonstrating the highest standards of character as a student-athlete. This years inductees are Isabella Dale, ’17, Ben Kendrick, ’18, and Kaitlyn Riley, ’18, MAT ’21.
Isabella Dale started playing tennis at the early age of three, hitting back and forth in the garage with her father. From there, she progressed to junior international tournaments, and soon after, Isabella was able to advance her tennis into a semi-professional career before arriving at Cumberlands, where she earned multiple All-American honors and regional championships.
"My favorite memory of UC would be attending the training sessions after class. At the time, it felt monotonous and repetitive, but soon after leaving UC, I realized that the routine and the opportunity to show up, work hard, and put in my time on the court were invaluable for my discipline and self-confidence. The standard required of me taught me the importance of showing up and putting in the work. I am so grateful for this lesson because it has helped me persevere through challenges after my college career."
After graduation, Isabella spent several years working in the media department at the United Nations ESCAP in Thailand, where she was born. She now resides in New York City, where she works as an accountant and bookkeeper at a CPA firm. In addition, she runs her own business, training elite tennis players who visit from around the world.
BEN KENDRICK KAITLYN RILEY
After excelling in both golf and tennis during high school, Ben Kendrick walked onto the men's golf team at Cumberlands.
He reflected on his time on the UC golf team, "I miss the routine moments with my teammates the most, like the daily rides to and from practice, the nights spent in hotels at away tournaments, and the practice rounds together. Luckily, golf is a sport you can play your entire life, but team golf is unique, and the moments with my teammates are the ones I look back on the most fondly."
After graduating, Ben played professional golf on several mini-tours around the country for two years, including attempts at Qualifying School for the Korn Ferry and Canadian Tours. He attended physical therapy school at the University of Kentucky, graduating with his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2023. He gained certification from the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) and now works as an outpatient and sports physical therapist, as well as golf fitness and performance training at Foundation Hand and Physical Therapy in Richmond, Kentucky.
He continues to play golf, including competing in state open and amateur golf tournaments and national mid-amateur golf tournaments.
Kaitlyn Riley spent her childhood playing golf at Wild Turkey Trace, which started her passion for the game of golf. In high school she lettered all four years in golf, which led to her successful career at Cumberlands.
"My favorite memories, from my time on the golf team, were being able to form lifelong relationships with my teammates on and off the golf course. One of my favorite memories has to be winning the individual National Championship in 2016. Not only was I rewarded with individual success, but was able to compete alongside my teammates which resulted in a Top 5 finish. I will always cherish the memories made with my teammates and the close bonds that were formed with all of our families and friends."
After serving as a Graduate Assistant at Cumberlands, and earning her masters, Kaitlyn returned to her high school Alma Mater as a Health and Physical Education teacher. She has a passion for teaching,and learning. While in her second year as the head coach of the Anderson County Lady Bearcat golf team, she is working on her Rank I in Education from Cumberlands.
COACHING HAS IMPACTED MY LIFE
"Coaching has impacted my life in so many ways. It's given me friendships for a lifetime, experiences I would have never gotten to take, helped me grow out of my comfort zone, and helped me understand different parts of society and the cultures everyone comes from. It has given me the ability to continue what I love to do as a career and has given me a sense of accomplishment in some of the lives I've been able to impact."
Assistant Archery Coach Caleb Kirby, ’16, MBA ’19, MSC ’20
If you thought sports was just a game, you’ve never been an athlete. And if you thought coaching just meant shouting orders at your players, you’ve never been a coach.
Regardless of whether you've been both or neither, we can all learn from the experiences of alumni who have pursued these paths. After all, as any athlete or coach will tell you, the point of the game isn’t just the game itself, it’s about LIFE. And when it comes to learning how to handle life well, we could all use a pep talk –no huddle required.
College Days
Though athletics aren’t the only reason students attend college, for many, it opens the door to a college career, often through an athletic scholarship. Take Dr. Hui Koon “Melissa” Khor, ’98, for instance. In her words, she didn’t choose Cumberlands, the school chose her.
She said, “If not for the tennis scholarship I received through Head Coach Tan, I would not have been able to afford to attend. That offer changed the course of my life and was the first step in my coming-to-America story.”
Dr. Khor went through the U.S. visa process, packed her bags, flew from Malaysia to the United States, and began her college career as a student-athlete. Tennis was a top priority, second only to academics. Many alumni athletes can relate to her daily experience.
“On a typical day, I would be up before dawn to study and eat, then head to classes that often lasted until the afternoon thanks to all the labs,” she recounted. “I would get back just in time to grab my gear and see other students napping, but meanwhile I would head to tennis practice. After practice was dinner with the team at the cafeteria, followed by homework and sleep.”
"There are so many random occurrences in tennis, and my players know that I seek to make them '3 a.m. ready.' 3 a.m. ready tenets are, 1) Get the job done, don't leave it on the table; 2) No excuses, no blaming, take extreme ownership of your game, 3) When mistakes are made, apologize and make corrections. This alone can make one good to great."
Head Tennis Coach Dr. Chin-Tek Tan, ’87
Many student-athletes (including Dr. Khor) juggled campus jobs and campus involvement. It’s no wonder why, so often, one of the first life lessons that alumni athletes say they learned in college is time management. But there’s much more.
Bekkah Massaro, ’02, MAE ’03, who played softball at Cumberlands and has coached multiple sports and age levels since, remarked, “The lessons and experiences from your playing days impact every aspect of your life – personal, relationships, careers, and everyday life. You have to figure out how to get to where you want to be.”
How exactly does playing sports and coaching teach that?
Top Takeaways
We are all Cumberlands alumni. We all went through innumerable classroom lectures, PowerPoint presentations, and so forth before entering the workforce, getting married, having children, etc. So, we all understand that there is a difference between the level of understanding gained from reading about a concept in a textbook… and the level of understanding you learn by applying that concept over and over again in real life. Though the knowledge gained through coursework is helpful, there is no better coach than life experience.
“I know that my athletes are not going to go professional in volleyball, so I have to train them to be professional out in the world,” said Buddy Gallemore, ’93, head coach of women’s volleyball at Bluefield University. “Sports is not ‘just a game.’ It builds life lessons. You have to learn how to problem-solve, work with different people, and learn a work ethic. It also builds confidence, self-esteem, and how to deal with adversity. I try to show this and more to my athletes every day.”
Mike Dougherty, ’71, transferred to Cumberlands on a tennis scholarship. As a student, he played some friendly tennis matches with President Boswell on the old Har-Tru court next to the library. He added to Gallemore’s assessment about what athletics instills in the players, saying,
“Career success is underpinned by the bedrock of integrity and trustworthiness. Planning, consistency, self-discipline, work ethic, focus, meeting obligations, and confidence… Understanding how to handle winning as well as losing, navigating the highs and lows, understanding how to lead, and genuine empathy and care for the well-being of others… These traits transfer to virtually every aspect of life.”
Does it really make much difference, though, how developed those traits are in a person? Well, hypothetically, imagine a young person in the workforce who has no work ethic, no focus, and no confidence. How is that likely affecting their job performance? How is it affecting the lives of their coworkers and their supervisor?
Now imagine a young person with a strong work ethic, stellar focus, and sturdy confidence. How is that affecting their life? What about the lives of those they work with?
Even as a simple hypothetical, the contrast is stark.
It isn’t as though these traits only benefit us in the workforce; they are keys to success in friendships, marriages, and more. A marriage in which the spouses didn’t know how to navigate highs and
lows, but over time they learned how to together… A friendship in which one person lacked empathy but gradually began putting themselves in their friend’s shoes… A person who began a new workout plan and learned how to be consistent for the first time in their life… All areas of our lives are transformed if we learn these traits!
That’s really the purpose of sports, for athletes as well as coaches: learning these key attributes so we can be successful. Ultimately, our whole lives benefit, not just our athletic performance – and, as a bonus, we become empowered to benefit the lives of others.
Of course, this isn’t to say all former athletes embody all these traits perfectly. There are plenty who still struggle. Conversely, there are many non-athletes who abound in all these skills and more! Learning these life lessons isn’t dependent upon a person’s athletic history. But it’s no accident that participating in sports helps speed the process along.
Sabrina (McCullough) Mouser, ‘07, who has coached softball at several levels and rebuilt a college softball program in years past, summarized, “Sports provide a platform for personal growth, help build character, and foster a sense of community and belonging.”
“Sports bond people together. You learn to face every game like a battle you’re fighting alongside your closest friends. Something about going to battle and adversity together, it grows you together.”
Women's Wrestling Head Coach Brittney (Gadd) Mitchem, ’13, MAT ’15,
Coaching is the Best Teacher
Who in their right mind would choose to, day after day, leave the office after a full day of work, head to a local school, and spend the next two hours yelling at kids as they run around? Coaches, that’s who. Mostly because there’s more to it than that – not just for the kids, but for the coaches as well.
Massaro said, “My athletes and fellow coaches taught me more than I could've ever taught them. Your athletes will surprise you. They watch and listen more than they let on. Determination, confidence, humility, forgiveness, and grace are all things that my athletes have taught me. Coaching them made me a better person.”
Chris Ferguson, ’81, is a member of Cumberlands’ All-Time Men’s Basketball Players list who played basketball for Randy Vernon and later became a college basketball coach himself for 30 years. He echoed the sentiment, saying, “I learned so many life lessons from coaching that helped me grow in life as a man, a husband, a father, and a man of faith! I would not change a thing.”
For many athletes, what their coaches said to them and how they treated them stick in their minds and influence their lives for years to come.
Dr. Khor said, “The memories that last are of my teammates and Coach Tan. For years after college, I could still hear Coach Tan in my head with his distinct accent and humor.”
"Brad Shelton and Mac Whitaker had a huge impact on my life during my playing career, and I want to do the same for our players. Being a coach has allowed me to create relationships with kids from all over the world. By being a coach, I have learned the value of loving a person for who they are, how to be prepared for anything, and how to
Sometimes, it’s up to the coach to provide a new, helpful perspective for an athlete. Mitchem remembered something Toccara Montgomery, ’07, MAED ’09, one of her wrestling coaches at Cumberlands, said to her. She recalled, “I was a freshman and didn’t have much confidence or hope in wrestling. Toccara said, ‘It’s always better to be the underdog. You’re in a position to put the top dogs on their toes.’” Mitchem grew a lot as a wrestler during college but isn’t sure she would have without that shift in perspective.
Coaches can also help athletes develop strength. Massaro experienced this and tries to teach it to her athletes today. “Each coach instilled fortitude in me. Classes are hard. College is hard. Practices are hard. Games are hard. But guess what? Life is hard,” she said. “Quitting is easy. If you quit once, you'll quit again. Getting back up each time you're knocked down is hard. You have to choose. Am I gonna quit? Or am I gonna get back up and keep fighting? Each and every one of my coaches made sure I had it in me to get up and fight.”
Coaching may seem like a lot of pressure, but, ultimately, it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. A lot of the most important work is simply showing up for your athletes, caring about them as people, and doing your best to help them become their best.
“It's not about wins and losses,” Massaro said. “You've been given an opportunity to help kids believe in themselves and help them develop skills and attitudes that will
shine throughout life. Remind them, you were built for this! You can do hard things! Coaches help us believe we can make a positive impact on those around us and win at life.”
Gallemore meets with his athletes for 15 minutes a week just to sit and talk, so he can get to know them as people and not just players on the roster. Mitchem tries to be more patient, slower to speak, and more emotionally available to her wrestlers – lessons that coincide with her role as a young mom. Mouser tries to personalize the coaching as much as possible so her athletes can understand her better and thus develop further. While there is no specific system for how to instill positive, lifelong character traits in their players, one thing is consistent: the coaches care.
At the end of the day, maybe that’s all this is about. If you care about your sport, you’ll put your heart into it. You’ll naturally start caring not only about your athletic performance but also about your teammates. If you are a coach and you genuinely care about your athletes, you’ll naturally want to be there consistently for them, encourage them, and teach them important life lessons. Everything being an athlete or being a coach teaches you flows from your heart’s investment. If your heart isn’t invested, odds are you won’t learn very much. But if your heart is in it, the impact your coaches have on you, and the influence you have on your athletes as a coach, will be great.
NEVER SAY CAN'T
WOLFDOGS
IT'S TIME TO HOWL FOR THE
As you step outside the car and take a deep breath, you smell the rich scent of grass and dirt. Your nose tells you it’s going to rain soon. The view says so too; it’s cloudy but warm. As you walk toward the fenced-in wolfdog habitats, on the soft earth, your footsteps are nearly soundless. In fact, the only sounds to be heard are those of birds singing, a breeze rustling the leaves in the trees, the occasional buzz of an insect, and the wolfdogs jogging around and barking conversation to each other. And – wait, one of the wolfdogs just took a breath and lifted his head, is he going to…? He is! He starts howling!
It barely seems real to be standing in a green forest, under a grayblue sky, breathing fresh air, and then be suddenly transported to the epitome of what it means to be wild: standing in the middle of a howl. The wolfdogs’ voices surround you one by one, their calls joining together and rising as one long howl up to the sky.
“Aroooo!” “Awooo!” “Woo-wooooo!”
Everything stops. For once, the world’s noise ceases, and the earth listens. It’s the wolves’ turn to speak. You don’t just hear when a wolf howls; you feel it.
This is truly the great outdoors.
Some of the wolfdogs – often the ones with the most wolf in them – are shy and stick to the back of their habitat, watching humans
closely from afar. Others are less cautiously observant, more rambunctious and playful, like the Sherman pack from Oklahoma. They arrived at Refuge Ridge as pups and spent much of their time indoors for several months as they grew. They’re so domesticated that they struggled to sleep outdoors in their habitat but are now sleeping just fine inside a small wooden cabin, complete with bunk beds. Imagine a wolf on a bunk bed.
Refuge Ridge in Williamsburg, Kentucky, takes in wolfdogs from around the United States. Since it’s illegal in Kentucky (and 10 other states1) to keep animals that are part wolf, part dog in typical houses and neighborhoods, many wolfdogs are left with nowhere to go. Most that are picked up by animal control in Kentucky are automatic put-downs because there’s simply nowhere in the state, except a refuge, where it’s legal for them to exist.2
To that point, Marty (Capps) Wilson, ’87, MAE ’90, founder and president of Refuge Ridge, and Connie Howard, ’77, vice president of the refuge, call it what it is: a tragedy. One they’re now spending their lives preventing as best they can.
Refuge Ridge officially began on May 27, 2002, but the story truly started earlier, when Marty was still working as a fifth-grade science teacher. Somebody called her and said there were three wolfdogs in need of a home, or they were going to be put down. Marty already owned a sizable plot of land, but she and her husband weren’t intending on using it like a zoo! Besides, it had no electricity and no running water. She simply couldn’t take in these wolfdogs. At work, she told her students about the predicament, admitting, “I wish I could help, but I can’t.”
“But Mrs. Wilson, you always tell us never to say ‘can’t’!”3
Well, that did it. Either she would take them in, or she’d be a hypocrite – in front of all the children for whom she was trying to set a good example. She and her husband accepted the wolfdogs and began working on habitats for them to live outdoors but safe.
Today, Refuge Ridge owns 343 acres of land in Whitley County and is a sanctuary for about two dozen wolfdogs (and a few “coydogs”, offspring of coyote and domestic dogs). Connie joined the team as a volunteer back in 2012, dedicating much more of her time to it after retiring from her position as a professor at Cumberlands. Several other workers assist the non-profit as well, and Marty and Connie encourage visitors to come as often as they like. (Fair warning, though: if you visit, they may put you to work!)
Refuge Ridge is run entirely on donations. Even the land will be donated; it’s in Marty’s will that, whenever she passes away, all the land will go to the refuge. In fact, the estate planning includes designations for who will care for the wolfdogs if Marty and Connie,
heaven forbid, pass away unexpectedly. There is even a trust fund set up to provide funding for the animals’ veterinary care and food.4
The “wolfers” that once had no home will always be cared for. Period.
If there’s one word that describes both Marty’s and Connie’s approach to life, it’s “care.” They care about each other, working as a team at the refuge and generally being supportive, kind friends to each other. They care for other people around them as well, including us interviewers, who were blessed to walk onto the property and immediately be greeted by hugs, a Refuge Ridge goodie bag, a box of donuts, and iced lemonade served in Mason jars. They care for the environment, limiting their usage of things like plastics, placing deer feed and bird feed around the property, and more. And they most certainly care for their wolfdogs. Talking with Marty and Connie about the wolfers is like talking with parents about their children.
“They really are like family,” said Marty. “We have photo albums full of pictures of them.”
As you pass by the different habitats, Marty and Connie point to the wolfdogs, tell you their names, and give you their life stories and most notable aspects of their personalities.
“This beautiful black wolfdog over here,” Marty says, pointing to a habitat, “that’s Allerina. She’s from an island deep in Alaska. She’s still a baby, and periodically she’s exuberant. She’ll bounce against you. These wolves will play with anything. Glasses, bracelets, socks… I have a jacket I love that is just in shreds from them playing with it. Everything is a toy! And Lillith,” she gestures to a different area, “is over there just talking away. She’s just a talker. Oh, and it must not be going to rain too bad because, if it was, this girl,” another gesture, “would be hiding under something. She’s our weather radar. And this one,” she points to a new wolfdog, “was living in a little town in Indiana and walked into a Dollar General store with two of her pups. Scared the
people to death! The police came in to put her down, then they saw one of the dogs eating a bag of Cheetos and stopped. The dogs were just so hungry. The policeman threw her a Cheetoh, and she ate it and came right up to him. They weren’t dangerous. The policeman said, ‘Okay, we’ll try to save her.’”
Connie nods and says, “There is no big, bad wolf. It doesn’t exist. They aren’t aggressive, just playful. If a wolf saw you in the woods, it wouldn’t attack you, it would just watch you closely and keep its distance. They aren’t naturally aggressive toward humans.”
Even the wolfdogs at the refuge that had been abused by their previous owner, upon seeing him again when he visited the refuge, didn’t try to attack the man or even growl. They simply smelled his scent and walked away, to the opposite side of their habitat, until he left.
As the dogs would be in the wild, Marty and Connie keep them together with their pack when they’re taken into Refuge Ridge. Allerina, who arrived alone, lives in her habitat with a coydog from a local shelter to keep her company. When a new pack arrives, the new wolfers are quarantined in a separate habitat until the vet gives them vaccines and, for the malnourished ones, until they’re up to a healthy weight. Then the pack is placed in a new habitat.
All habitats at the refuge are natural, complete with trees, a large area to run, rocks to lie on or hide under, and a water source. The fences are built of thick wood posts and wire mesh hog panels. They sit 10 feet high and have an overhang lining the inside wall, to keep the wolves from jumping out, and a bottom barrier to keep the wolves from digging their way out. It’s not that the wolves aren’t happy, they’re simply adventurous and curious, traits they receive from both sides of their families. Wolfdogs are escape artists, but Refuge Ridge to this day has never lost a wolfdog.
Nowadays, it costs 25-30 thousand dollars to set up a new habitat. Sturdy fencing isn’t cheap, especially when it needs to span multiple acres of land. Food costs are also high. Currently, feeding all their residents means providing approximately 80 pounds per day, which includes kibble plus raw meat. A month of food costs about $2,000. And don’t forget the added costs to bring in new wolfdog packs, such as transportation costs and vet charges.
As a non-profit organization solely dependent upon donations, Refuge Ridge uses every cent it receives to care for its residents. Whether it’s visitors volunteering their time or donors providing much-needed funding, all at the refuge are grateful for every gift.
Twenty-two years since Refuge Ridge began, much has changed, but the mission remains the same: caring for wolfdogs, protecting the environment, and educating the community on the importance of both. If you’re ever in Williamsburg, Kentucky, and craving the fresh air and freedom of the great outdoors – or you just want to play with a wolfdog – the refuge is open. All are welcome here.
4 https://www.facebook.com/RefugeRidge, post on January 17th
Now Refuge Ridge serves as home to several rescued wolfdogs, and dogs. As well as providing a safe place for local wildlife to live in peace. Our mission is to provide education on the importance of protecting the environment, including predator education, providing tips for green living, and encouraging the humane treatment of all animals, pets and wildlife alike.
Distinct phenotypes of a Wolf
1. Slim figure, narrow chest, long limbs
2. Large paws, black pads and nails, no rear dewclaw
3. Eyes are black-rimmed and turn sharply upward, never blues eyes, will likely be brown or amber
4. Snout is long and narrow, not "boxy"
5. Lips don't droop or sag
6. Very furry ears
7. Coat doesn't have a distinct pattern, markings are symmetrical, and fur itself is "banded," meaning each hair has several colors
8. Tail has no curl
Key behavioral characteristics of a Wolf
1. Shy, won't approach humans
2. One annual breeding season from January - March
3. Low desire to please humans, thus harder to train and not as affectionate
4. Incredible energy and athleticism
5. Strong prey drive, so, strong drive to hunt, run, and chew things
To learn more about Refuge Ridge, how to volunteer or to donate, visit
GO TO THE TRACK.
"Some people could care less. But for anyone who has never tried it, I would say, go watch a race. Go to the track. The sights, the smell of racing fuel and burnt rubber, the sound of the engines and the crowd... It's just hard to describe."
Luken Glover, ’23, wishes he could explain this to more people: the depth and breadth of the sport of car racing that people who only glance at it never truly see.
"Some people could care less. But for anyone who has never tried it, I would say, go watch a race. Go to the track," said Luken. "The sights, the smell of racing fuel and burnt rubber, the sound of the engines and the crowd... It's just hard to describe."
“Deeper than that,” he added, “when you think of it, life is a race. It even says in the Bible, ‘I have fought the good fight, run the race, kept the faith.’ Life is full of challenges, and people want to overcome challenges. Racing is the epitome of man versus machine. Science and math come together because the cars are literally a science project out there on the track. So much has to go right. Every single lap matters. Drivers can’t take a break, because one tenth of a second could be the difference between victory and defeat. A lot of non-athletes can jump in a car and turn left. But there’s way more that goes into it. Professional drivers, the people inside these cars, every single one of them has gone through extensive education and experience to get to a high enough level that they can do this for a living.”
Luken has loved racing ever since he was a child. When he was five years old, he watched the movie Cars, which ignited his interest in the sport. He began helping in the garage of his grandpa, who used to help former NASCAR team owner Junie Donlavey in Virginia, Luken’s home state. Racing – and along with that, fixing cars when they inevitably encountered issues – went from being Luken’s hobby to becoming his dream.
Today, he is a journalist who writes about the races… so, it’s evident that that dream didn’t pan out. It wasn’t for lack of effort, though. Just too many things going wrong in succession.
Here’s a summary, to give a glimpse of the challenges many drivers have to overcome simply to get a start in the industry:
Luken saved money through high school and bought a go-kart.
Then COVID hit and shut down everything, including go-kart races.
Then racing opened again! During Luken’s first race, an oil line broke and spewed oil on him, and his suit caught fire.
The second race, a bunch of bolts fell off the cart.
Sometime later, the engine blew.
After that, there were tire issues.
Through all this, Luken didn’t have sponsors helping pay for repairs, so the bill was solely on his shoulders every single time. Fresh out of high school, that’s a hefty bill.
Finally, Luken had done all the repairs he could think of, and he felt like he really had a shot at the next race. It would be his big break or his big breakup with racing. The car was good, Luken felt good, everything looked rosy… and right before the race was supposed to start, the sky opened and began pouring sheets of rain, a heavier rain than Luken has ever seen to this day. The race was cancelled.
He took it as the Holy Spirit saying, "You’re not doing this." It was a relief to his mother, as it would be to any racer’s mom. It was much harder for Luken to accept, but, fortunately, he already had a writing position with Front Stretch, a racing publication. So, he decided to pour himself into journalism and other passions.
Front Stretch is the top racing independent journalism site in the U.S. Its “bread and butter” is NASCAR coverage, but it has now extended coverage to include INDYCAR, Formula 1, ARCA, and Sports Cars. More than three dozen Front Stretch writers create news stories, op-ed pieces, and more.
Luken joined the writing team back in 2020 and has enjoyed it immensely. Personally, one of his favorite things to contribute is his series “The Underdog House,” which follows the industry’s least-famous racers as they progress in the sport.
“It’s tailored to feature all the ‘little guys,’” he said. “Those guys don’t get much coverage. Most of the time, they’re buried midfield or in the back of the field. I just try to get them the coverage they need for sponsorships and some breathability in the industry."
According to Luken, racing today has less guesswork than it used to when it comes to the expected winners from season to season. In the sport’s early days, it was a tossup from race to race. Meanwhile, viewers today who follow the sport can generally tell
which few racers are likely to win.
“It’s hard to climb to the top,” he said. “But there are those occasional occurrences. There was one driver named Ross Chastain who has a really cool story. He’s a seventh-generation watermelon farmer. Did not come from a lot of money, didn’t have a lot of connections at first. He spent a lot of time in the lower series, racing at the back of the field just because his equipment wasn’t up to par with the top competition. Then in 2022, he moved to a new ride. The first couple weeks, I watched him like, okay, you know, this is gonna be a struggle. And all of a sudden, he started competing for the win every single week. In February that year, we said, ‘This Guy’s gonna be in the "Underdog House" for a year or two.’ By the end of the year, he was taken off the list.”
Luken contacts a lot of the racers electronically, essentially the norm since the pandemic, and often conducts interviews via Zoom or other video meeting platforms. Keeping up with all the communications, interview schedules, and article deadlines is a big part of his job, which has helped build his time management and organizational skills. Additionally, the racing world contains a lot of big egos, meaning Luken – who used to be fairly shy in school, only adding to conversations when others invited him to – has been forced to learn to present himself confidently and professionally, unintimidated even when speaking to successful, charismatic racers.
“You have to be able to talk to them and be able to reach out and not be overly aggressive but still aggressive enough to get the quote or to get the interview,” he said.
The grind of the sport (and thus covering the sport) challenges Luken and keeps him on his toes. The season lasts 10 months out of the year, with the racers busy with prep, media, and racing seven days a week. But beyond the thrill of the challenge, Luken says there’s a nostalgia to the sport that goes back to its roots.
“It’s a truly American sport,” he said. “It was founded on moonshiners running away from police officers. Those guys learned how to race by working on their cars and driving down old mountain dirt roads. And it got to the point where they were like, ‘Hey, not only are we trying to get away from the law, let’s see who can get down the mountain first.’ And then it turned into guys organizing races on small old dirt tracks. The rest is history.”
Yes and no. There is plenty of history behind racing, true, with innumerable changes to the sport over the years. But there is plenty of future to the sport as well, and Luken plans to be there to cover it all.
Kentucky Cottage Bakery
Freedom (Murray) Mills, ’23, began Kentucky Cottage Bakery out of her home in February 2024, shortly after finishing her degree. She routinely bakes cakes, cupcakes, cookies, donuts, bread loaves, bagels, and other, new treats as she has inspiration and time. Customers see the final products – the beautiful baked goods, the packaging, the prices, and the customer service – but there’s more to Freedom’s life behind the scenes when it comes to running her own business.
Tell us about the things your customers don’t see.
Well, I need to still look after my toddler when he needs me, so I need to leave the kitchen sometimes to go do that. But there’s also all the setup. I used Canva to design my own logo and menu and cake care cards, all of that. I had to figure out my prices too, which meant that I researched a lot of other places around here and calculated how much I would spend on ingredients. And social media takes a long time too! Nobody tells you that! I stage photos and put a filter on them and need to remember to post them. I answer customers’ questions and schedule cake pickups on my social media as well, and I handle it if a customer complains about my prices or something. I try not to let those comments get to me because I try really hard to be fair with my prices.
What do you do on a weekly basis to run the business?
I do the Whitley County Farmer’s Market in Corbin on Tuesday evenings, and occasionally I do the Williamsburg market on Saturday mornings. The market goes from April to October. They usually do live music there, and there’s a food vendor. It’s a vibe. Just a good way to spend a summer evening, you know? I usually sell out at the Corbin market.
baking. Thursday, it depends. And then it all starts over again.
Were you always good with time management?
I mean, I’ve always kind of been good with it, but this is forcing me to do better. I’m sort of always stressed and feel like I’m running behind. Something I’ve had to learn is to be okay with it if I don’t get everything done I wanted to do. I just take what I have.
microprocessor, which means I can’t have commercial equipment, I can’t make more than $60,000 a year, things like that. I don’t make anything near that, that’s just a cap. I have a license I pay for and will need to pay to renew every year, and Kentucky can send someone to do a home check to inspect where I’m making my food basically any time. There are some other rules about the number of refrigerators and number of ovens I’m allowed to have, things like that.
What do you do if anything isn’t quite up to your standards?
Did you start your business for the profit?
Not really… I mean, I knew it would be nice to have a little extra money coming in, and now there is, but it was really for other reasons. My interest was piqued by my grandma, who passed away last April. I get to use her piping tips, and I enjoy that. Every time I decorate a cake, I get to think about her. She was always making treats for our family, especially around fall and Christmas. She did a few nice cakes for people close to her too. I also wanted to start this business because I’m a stay-at-home mom, which is great but sometimes boring. I wanted some kind of other work to do.
As far as timeline, Friday and Saturday are busy days for me, especially with cakes, because that’s usually when all the birthday parties and wedding showers and stuff are happening. Then Sundays are usually my rest days. I do breads on Monday, which takes all day. For cookies, I make the dough on Monday and bake them on Tuesday, then bring that and the breads to the Corbin market. Then Wednesday I’m cleaning the kitchen after all the
Usually, if I bake things I know aren’t up to my standard, I just give them to friends or family for free. I’m a perfectionist, so I want all the things I sell to be as close to perfect as possible. And if I’m experimenting with a new recipe, I’ll give it to family and friends to try, so they can tell me what they think.
What are some regulations you have to meet?
I am a home-based food processor. You can be either a microprocessor or, I forget what it’s called, maybe a commercial processor? I’m a
How did Kentucky Cottage Bakery start?
I took some things I baked to church once or twice, and people told me they were good enough to sell. So, I started posting photos of cakes and other things I made and said, “Message me if you need one.” I got a couple of orders, and it went from there. It took a month or so before I made it an official business. I usually overthink things way too much, but I didn’t this time, I just jumped in! The tattoo on my arm says, “Do it afraid,” and that’s kind of what I did.
What makes your food better than what someone could buy cheaper in the store?
For starters, have you seen the ingredient list for cupcakes at, say, Walmart? It’s a long list, and it’s full of preservatives and chemicals and stuff. But all my stuff is homemade, just flour, sugar, butter, those kinds of simple things. I’ve never been one to take the easy way out. Quality over convenience. There’s also the emotional side of it, the fact that you’re helping to support a family by purchasing something I’ve made. And you’re supporting my dreams. And, I mean, this sounds cliché, but I put so much love into what I do. I
really want to make people happy. I want them to love what they buy.
Do you have any tips for amateur bakers?
Hmm… Well, with measuring flour, you’re supposed to fluff up the flour and then spoon it into a measuring cup, then level it off. Don’t scoop the measuring cup into the flour because you’ll pack it too tightly and have too much. A kitchen scale is really good too, so, get a kitchen scale. And wear comfy shoes because you’ll be standing a lot. I usually wear my tennis shoes. And don’t be afraid to do it if you’re not officially trained in culinary school. I’m completely self-taught. Also, if you are a perfectionist, just know you will get humbled quickly. My whole business has just been me learning from my mistakes over and over.
What do you want people to think of when they think about Kentucky Cottage Bakery?
Quality. That’s probably my biggest thing. And I want them to think that I'm friendly, of course, and have a good customer service experience with me. But I just really want them
to be happy they're buying things from me. I want them to think, “This tastes like how I imagine the perfect grandma would make it!” I want them to be like, “I’m glad I supported her.”
Do you have any future goals or plans for the business?
My big future dream is to open a standalone coffee shop and bakery. It’ll be adorable, like a cottage, and I’ll do custom cakes sometimes. That’s the dream. But I have a lot of smaller goals on the way to that. I haven’t developed my own recipe from scratch yet, I mostly take ideas from other places and then tweak them a bit to make them mine. I want to create my own recipe at some point. And I would like to start selling at a farmer’s market at Cumberland Gap. It’s a cute little town with a huge farmer’s market. I think it could be worth the drive. I want to maybe do a pop-up thing on my porch in fall where I sell coffee and coffee cake or donuts or something, but I need to look at the different regulations about selling drinks, and I need to get insurance for my property too because, if anything were to happen on my porch, I would be liable. Besides that, I may start selling more Christmas stuff in December. I have a lot of ideas!
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
Alex Doty, ’24, is in the home stretch of his undergraduate career. He’s pursuing a double major in business and accounting as well as a minor in missions and ministry. He chose accounting because he always had an interest in math and finances. When Alex was younger, he would even make his friends do math quizzes for fun. During college, he added business administration as a second major because of how well it ties into accounting. He chose to minor in missions and ministry because he wanted to deepen his faith.
It's no long shot to say Alex enjoys staying busy. On campus, he has been involved in campus ministries, the worship team, and residence life (serving as a resident assistant) consistently for years. He also participated in Student Government Association for a semester. Off campus, Alex is heavily involved with Immanuel Baptist Church, where he works as an intern, helps the worship team, and goes on mission trips to places like Spain and New Orleans.
One of the main reasons Alex chose UC was because it checked off all three boxes on his college criteria list: size, community, and affordability. He liked the idea of a smaller campus with a Christian community that still offered affordable tuition and housing.
Alex has made many great memories and friends at Cumberlands and has gained a community that he is going to miss.
“Blink and you will miss it,” he warns. “It feels like yesterday I was moving into my first room in Robinson-Cook Hall. Listen to people and invest as much as you can into others.”
His number one piece of advice for college students is to meet people.
“The relationships you make while you are in college are invaluable,” he says. “They may turn out to be great friends. They may help you move houses or help you jump your car. They may line up your first job for you or help you in times of financial struggle. They are there to encourage when you’re down and celebrate when you’re up.”
As Alex finishes his last year of undergraduate school, he is working in an accounting internship for a local health clinic, a field he would like to continue in post-graduation. He has hopes of becoming the CFO of a company one day.
CLASSNOTES
1980s
Bill Bryant, attended, ’80 - ’83, was inducted into the "Silver Circle," which denotes television professionals who have carried out "distinguished service" within television for 25 years or more. It's a prestigious award from the Ohio Valley chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Bryant came to WKYT as an intern in 1984 and never left, serving in many roles at the station over the last 40 years. He began the long-running public affairs program "Kentucky Newsmakers" at WKYT and has interviewed many Kentucky governors, several U.S. senators, and state and national leaders in politics and business. He also hosts "Comment on Kentucky," which airs on KET.
2000s
Matthew Holbrook, ‘05, was promoted to Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve. He is currently activated, serving as the Senior Engineer for the Oceanic Engagement Team, as well as the Assistant Chief of Staff-Engineer for the 9th Mission Support Command in Hawaii.
Michael DeMartino, ’03, became warden of the London correctional institution in London, Ohio, in April of 2023.
Laure Kegan, ’05, MAEd ’12, Ed S ’19, has accepted a principal position at Southern Elementary in Georgetown, KY.
2010s
Myriah Snyder, ‘14, MACS ’20, began a new job as the corporate communications strategist at Lifeway Christian Resources, serving as managing editor of internal communications and contributing to external storytelling.
Rohith Vallabhaneni, ’19, Ph.D ’21 was awarded the prestigious ISSN International Best Researcher in Cybersecurity award by International Science and Technology for his groundbreaking research in the field.
2020s
Mark Kellner, ‘22, has joined the New York Post as a reporter covering swing state election campaigns in the state of Nevada, where he resides. He previously completed three years as a national reporter for The Washington Times, covering Faith & Family news.
Dr. Aslean White, ’23, recently graduated from University of Louisville's Department of Educational Leadership, Evaluation, and Organizational Development. White's doctoral thesis was on blended online learning for the professional development of behavioral specialists earned departmental honors.
SUBMIT
YOUR CLASS NOTE TODAY!
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Cumberlands Alumni Magazine welcomes Class Notes submissions from alumni. You can visit ucumberlands.edu/classnotes or scan the QR code to take you to the submission form.
Bryant, ’80-’83
Holbrook, ’05
DeMartino, ’03
Snyder, ’14, MACS’20
Kellner, ’22
Vallabhaneni, ’19, Ph.D ’21
White, ’23
oh baby!
Lane (Royer) Root, ‘07, and her husband Bill, welcomed their son Bennett Lane, on March 11, 2024.
Kimberly (Shepherd) Noe, ‘13, and Tim Noe, ‘12, MBA ’18, welcomed their baby boy Lennox Hollon, on August 5, 2024.
Robbie Gavin, ‘20, and Kayla (Skaggs) Garvin, ‘20, welcomed their son Elias Zane, on November 28, 2023.
Raymond Hargrave, ’20, and Shelby (Bolton) Hargrave, ’20, welcomed their son, Jackson Nathaniel, on January 22, 2024.
Benjamin Stargel, ’24, and Sydney (White) Stargel, ’22, MSHHP ’24, welcomed their daughter, Isabel Mackenzie, on June 18, 2024.
Emma Green,’25, and her husband Brad welomed their son, Rowan Matthew, on August 5, 2024.
i do!
Sydney (Holcomb) Hupp, ’20, and Luke Hupp, ’22, were married on November 11, 2023.
Ashlynn (Liddle) Downs, ’24, and husband Hunter Downs, ’25, were married on July 6, 2024.
C umberlands C ouple ^^
Christine (Maraist) Neuner, ’71, PhD ’13, grew up in a military family and was living in South Korea during her freshman year at Cumberland College. Meanwhile, David Neuner, ’71, came to college from his home in Florida. They started out as friends –they had some classes together, were both part of Circle Theatre (Christine worked in front as a manager, and David did sound and lights), and carpooled to the airport when it came time for holiday breaks because Christine didn’t have a car on campus.
Their romance began when Christine got a letter from her friend in South Korea saying Chris (Christine's nickname) needed to go see the movie M.A.S.H. Chris asked David to take her to see it, on two conditions: one, she would buy the popcorn if he would buy the tickets, and, two, they could find a date for their friend Dennis so he and the girl could join them. Chris’s roommate, Sydney, was up for the date, and it was decided.
DavidNeuner
Christine said, “I don’t know why David ever went out with me again, because when we saw the movie, I was constantly pounding his arm during it, saying, ‘Yes! This is exactly the way it is!’”
Sometime after the movie, when it was time to go home for summer break, David called his mom to ask if his friend Chris could stay with them. She agreed, not yet knowing that the “Chris” David mentioned was short for “Christine.”
“Well, she was a little surprised when I got out of the car. She went, ‘…Chris… is a girl. Not a Christopher,’” Christine laughed. “But she was very gracious. I met his family, and we got along famously. Over the years, I got along with his grandmother as well. We would watch Jeopardy! together.”
They intended to marry in January 1971 so that, once they graduated and David’s paperwork came through to go to the draft board, they would be settled. But they had a car accident on the way back to campus from Florida after Christmas break, which totaled the car and left the couple with bruising and stitches. They pushed the wedding date back. In the end, the couple got married on February 22, 1971, at Sacred Heart Church in Corbin, Kentucky.
After the wedding, David worked for the Iberia Parish school board system. While there, Christine got to do college prep for Veterans Upward Bound and later taught in Louisiana. In their spare time (mostly after empty-nesting), they have traveled to Sweden, France, Scotland, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, and other areas. The Neuners have two daughters, Nicole and Natalie, as well as grandchildren. David is now retired, and Christine works online for Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
IN MEMORIAM
eThe following members of the Cumberlands family have passed away since the publication of our last magazine. We send our thoughts and prayers to their families and will forever remember their impact on the Cumberlands community.
alumni
William Edwin Davies, ’50, passed on June 19, 2024.
Warren G. Anderson, ’53, passed on May 5, 2024.
Betty (Lane) Witt, ’54, passed on September 17, 2024.
George D. Couch, ’57, passed on June 24, 2024.
Cecil England, ’57, passed on June 24, 2024.
Shirley Ross Planet, ’60, passed on August 21, 2024.
John D. Stanley, Jr., ’61, passed on September 21, 2024.
James Carl Gordon, Jr., ’62, passed on June 29, 2024.
Irma (Petrey) Clifton, ’63, passed on October 8, 2024.
Jennifer (Lefevers) Jones, ’63, passed on August 31, 2024.
John Robert Haynes, ’64, passed on September 3, 2024.
Hugh C. Spradlin, ’64, passed away on April 28, 2024.
Ronald Franklin Jones, ’65, passed on September 19, 2024.
George W. Leforce, ’65, passed on June 5, 2024.
Betty (Jump) Bowman, ’67, passed on May 29, 2024.
John E. Clifton, ’67, passed on August 30, 2024.
Rev. Roy S. Faulkner, ’68, passed on May 4, 2024.
Mildred Shupe Leger, ’68, passed on May 4, 2024.
Pete Melzoni, Jr., ’68, passed on June 11, 2024.
Betty Ann Blunschi, ’70, passed on August 12, 2024.
Teresa Deel, ’70, passed on August 16, 2024.
Terry Bradley, ’72, passed on July 10, 2024.
David L. Cornett, ’72, passed away on May 4, 2024.
Judy (Martin) Schmitt, ’73, passed on June 8, 2024.
Sharon (Williams) Mitchell, ’74, passed on February 1, 2024.
Katherine "Kat" (Morgan) Mullins, ’74, passed on May 15, 2024.
Earl Black, ’76, passed on May 29, 2024.
Margaret (Huddleston) Campbell, ’80, passed on July 20, 2024.
Opal Mae White, ’81, passed on August 13, 2024.
Rev. James P. Taylor, ’82, passed on July 5, 2024.
Dr. Essam Ackleh, ’86, passed on August 22, 2024.
Lisa (Kesner) Weiss, ‘95, passed on May 2, 2023.
Charles Ryan Sumner, ’03, passed on June 26, 2024.
Travis Goodin, ’11, passed on January 15, 2024.
Aaron Todd Sexton, ’20, passed on September 3, 2024.
Richard W. Kleinmann passed on May 8, 2024. Hwe as a professor of English at Cumberlands from July 1984 to August 1992.
Jolene Gilbert, passed on May 21, 2024. She was employed at Cumberlands, working in food service and in the bookstore from February 1972 to July 1991.
Patricia Hamby, passed on October 7, 2024. She worked in the Business office at Cumberlands May 1979 to July 1991.
Charles Barnes passed on November 6, 2023. He was a former trustee and friend of the university.
| THEN & NOW |
Since Cumberlands’ founding in 1888, many things have changed about this institution in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. In this section, we peel back the layers of time for a glimpse at what life was like “back in the day” to see what is different – and what has stayed remarkably similar – from then to now.
The Cumberland Inn opened its doors in 1994, boasting a hotel, event space, restaurant, and even a museum. Today, it houses multiple new facilities, including two residence halls, a new restaurant, the Forcht School of Nursing, and campus office spaces.
Originally named Cumberland Lodge, The Inn was renamed to avoid confusion with another Eastern Kentucky business. The building was originally intended to have a wooden log exterior, but due to the highly priced insurance for wood, it was decided that the building would instead boast a brick-and-mortar structure. Inside, The Inn offered seventeen rooms, including five themed suites.The Cumberland Inn Annex, now Templeton Hall (a residence hall), opened in 1995, adding an additional 33 rooms.
Athenaeum translates to “library” in Greek, which was appropriate, as the restaurant’s walls were covered in bookshelves. In 2012, the restaurant became the Patriot Steakhouse, a full-service restaurant with work-study opportunities for students. It was also a place where students (for a specific section of the menu) could use meal swipes with their student ID cards. In 2019, the restaurant became Pete’s Eats, a contemporary, laid-back diner that offers meal swipes for students and sells foods like burgers, fries, quesadillas, chicken tenders, and other classic college fare.
As some will remember, there used to be a museum in the building, right where our Forcht School of Nursing is currently located. On the first floor was the Henklemann Life Science Collection, a taxidermy museum with a large variety of preserved animal furs in displays that depicted the wildlife in their natural habitats. The second floor showcased a variety of collections, including the Biblical Arts Showcase, Williams Cross Museum, Art Showcase, and the university’s special collections and archives. The lobby of the museum held Appalachian Craft Sales and several conference rooms.
Currently on the first floor of the building is a campus restaurant called Pete’s Eats (named after our school mascot, Patriot Pete). The location housed two different restaurants before Pete’s. In the 1994 opening, it was a fine dining restaurant called The Athenaeum.
“I used to enjoy going to the steakhouse for dinner back in college,” said Sarah (Rainous) Shelley, ’17, MACS ’21. “Sometimes I went with friends, other times I went with soccer teammates after practice. It was nice to be in a restaurant but still be able to use a meal swipe. I’ll bet it’s really convenient for the girls who live in Templeton or Adams Hall to have Pete’s Eats available right downstairs. I probably would’ve eaten dinner there every night, if I’d lived there!”
Some of the “look” of The Inn has been updated, but parts of it are still there, such as the painted mural on the ceiling of the building’s main lobby. On a daily basis, the building is busier than it’s ever been, with staff members working in the Adams Center and students living in Templeton Hall or Adams Hall. Over the years, the specific functions of Cumberland Inn have changed, but the heart of it remains the same: it’s a place for people to live, work, eat, reconnect, and enjoy time together.
Dr. Jeff Smoak
30 Years of Conducting the Voices of Cumberlands
Dr. Jeff Smoak views personable intentionality as the foundation of inspiration and inspiration as a chief goal of education. In that vein, there are a few key components to his classes: they are never lecture-style, he says hello to all his students by name almost every class period, he tries to keep his curricula current, and he offers regular feedback.
There is a reason or a story behind each lesson. If Dr. Smoak can show his students that he genuinely cares about them and can engage them with the music he’s teaching, then he has laid the groundwork for true inspiration.
Dr. Smoak began teaching at Cumberlands in fall 1994. He has taught music classes, led choral groups, provided vocal coaching, and for 21 of his 31 years, served as department chair. He has also assisted with many musical workshops and concerts.
It’s safe to say that Dr. Smoak is doing what God called him to and what he wanted to do ever since he was young.
He said, “I always wanted to be a worship leader, minister of music, teacher, those kinds of things. That was my calling.”
Dr. Smoak grew up in a tiny town in South Carolina as the only child of a railroad section foreman (his father) and an office secretary (his mother). If you ever wondered where Dr. Smoak got his positivity, faith, and social skills, they’re mostly thanks to his mom. She brought young Jeff to church, where he chatted with everyone, learned about God, and decided he wanted to be a song leader for the rest of his life.
Dr. Smoak earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees one after the other. Then he received a call from a buddy he’d met
back in seminary, Dr. Rick Fleenor, ’85. Fleenor said a position in the Department of Music at Cumberland College was opening. Dr. Smoak applied, and the rest is history.
“I could have gone to a larger institution, but it’s not about the size of the institution,” Dr. Smoak said. “It’s about being in a place that I feel supported by those around me and am free to use my God-given talents to teach my students. The freedom and support I feel here at Cumberlands is wonderful.”
It helps that he abounds in positive energy. Surprisingly, the energy does not come from caffeine. In fact, due to a hereditary heart condition, he can’t even have caffeine. Some of his exuberance stems from being generally healthy and exercising a few times a week. The rest is sheer willpower.
“I've always felt that, if I can dig down deep enough to be positive, be outgoing, then I can inspire my students,” he said. “By the time you as a student are at midterm, you have so much weighing on you. And if my class happens to be at 8 or 9:25 in the morning, or late in the afternoon, you already have all these factors working against you, making you tired. But these are my students. I have to inspire them.”
When people ask Dr. Smoak when he’s planning to retire, his answer is, “Whenever the Lord tells me to.” There is no set plan. He still has the energy for the job, the heart for it, and a love and respect for his students and colleagues.
Right now, the only plans he has for his life are to continue teaching, spend quality time with his family, continue leading worship at a small local church, keep in touch with former students as they reach out, and hopefully someday join a lively, soulful Black gospel choir, even though he’s white. If the Lord’s plan allows him to do all that, then Dr. Smoak will be a very happy man.
Pensworth History
by Anna Meegan, ’26,
Anna is pursuing a Bachelor’s in Integrated Communication with a minor in Creative Writing. She has been writing stories, poems, and songs for as long as she can remember.
Since its first issue in 1985, its revival in a “New Series” in 2003, and now its current online format, Pensworth has provided an outlet for students’ creative work by publishing original poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, photography, and artwork. Submissions open and close during the spring term.
This spring, Pensworth will be offered as a class. At the conclusion of this class, a printed version of Pensworth will be distributed.
Submit Your Work
This edition marks the 40th anniversary. The students and faculty would like to open up submissions to alumni. If you are interested in submitting your creative work, please follow the link.
Kentucky
We fled to Kentucky, Gathered there From all over the world. She welcomed us With open arms, Like taking in strays She knew she could not keep. She kept us safe For four years, High on the mountains, Away from the storms Until our days became numbered. I wonder if she wept for us With tears flowing Through the Cumberland River, Like I wept for her Gazing over the mountains For the last time.
by Tara Currie, ’20,
From Sand Springs, Oklahoma, Tara completed the English program with an emphasis in literary studies and creative writing.
