4 minute read
Senior Spotlight
Senior Spotlight
Mary Tatum Hodges, ’22, graduated from Cumberlands this spring, exactly 50 years after her grandfather, Michael Burchfield, ’72, walked across the stage at his own graduation. To say Grandpa was thrilled would be an understatement.
In all, Michael; his late wife Mary (Bryant) Burchfield, ’71; their daughters, Maria (Burchfield) Hodges and Margaret Elizabeth Burchfield; Mary’s sister, Gina (Bryant) Hoffman, ’81; and Mary Tatum attended Cumberlands. It’s safe to say it’s a typical family thing. As Michael puts it, Maria and Margaret both “got their MRS. degree” at Cumberlands before completing their bachelor’s degrees at other schools. He used to tease his wife that she got her MRS. as well as her bachelor’s in college, thanks to him – a pretty good two-for-one deal.
Neither of Michael’s parents nor either of his late wife’s parents ever graduated high school. Michael’s dad was a coal miner, and the family was quite poor, though not as poor as Mary’s family.
Michael said, “My wife and I didn’t have a snowball’s chance of going forward in this world if it had not been for Cumberland. We both graduated with our bachelor’s, and now we have four grandchildren in colleges around the country.”
It was the middle of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War when Michael and Mary graduated, and Michael was soon drafted into the Army. He served 28 years of active and reserve military duty. Aside from the military, he worked as a grade school teacher and school administrator for approximately 30 years. He is now retired and living in a townhouse in Lakeland, Florida, with seven beloved rescue dogs.
Mary Tatum grew up in Florida, and, if Michael remembers correctly, one of her first times seeing snow as a child was on a visit to Cumberlands (her aunt still lives in the area). When she was a teenager, her aunt scheduled a campus tour for her and, though it went well, it didn’t win Mary over. The idea of moving 13 hours away was a lot to consider. So, she applied to and was accepted into Cumberlands, but she really planned on attending a different school in Florida. One day, though, she woke up and simply changed her mind. After a couple hours on the phone with Cumberlands, she was enrolled.
Mary double majored in psychology and business administration with a minor in criminal justice. For years, she was involved in CAB, where she made several friends.
“People in CAB are just fun. They’re really laid-back,” Mary said. “It’s been funny being involved in both that and residence life because, in residence life, it’s very protocol, and CAB is just so chill. I love both, though.”
Mary got a work-study job in housing as a freshman, became an RA the following year, was promoted to resident hall leader (RHL) her junior year, and became a resident hall director (RHD) in January of her senior year. She plans on earning her MBA at Cumberlands after graduation while she continues serving as an RHD.
She said, “My parents still call this area home, even after all these years they’ve lived in Florida. I never understood that before. To be honest, I was kind of a snob when thinking about the area, like, ‘Why did I choose this place?’ I get it now, though. I really love this area. It’s challenged me in ways because I can’t just visit home any weekend. It forces you to get out of your shell and make friends.”
In Mary’s eyes, it’s been an honor to follow in her family’s footsteps and attend Cumberlands. She didn’t realize how much she would love it. Getting to connect with family over the stories of her activities has been great, especially with her grandfather. And she knows her family would have supported her no matter what school she chose to attend… but they do love the Cumberlands swag she buys them from the bookstore.
Mary and her brother have already begun talking about what Cumberlands will be like when his son attends. Who knows, maybe Aunt Mary will even be the one who books his campus tour.
