PHOENIX RISING
CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY
FALL 2019
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Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
Table of Contents Letter from the President
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Rise and Impact
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6 Record Enrollment 8 Student Spotlight
Meet the Class of 2023
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12 Alumni News 14 Homecoming 16 Athletics
A Day of Remembrance
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The Gift of Music
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New Trustees
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Semester in Review
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Letter from the
President University Community,
In the midst of this holiday season, I would like to offer my sincere gratitude on behalf of the students, faculty and staff of Cumberland University. Without your continued support, Cumberland would not be in the position that we find ourselves in today.
Fall semester 2019 has been one for the record books on the Cumberland campus. We experienced the highest enrollment in university history for the fifth consecutive year; commemorated the completion of the new McClain Circle entrance; celebrated the academic research of our students, faculty and staff with our sixth annual research Colloquium; and hosted a sold-out Notes for Nurses event that raised money for nursing simulation equipment and student scholarships. As you can see, it has been a busy and successful semester at Cumberland and we are looking forward to what the rest of this academic year will bring. As President John F. Kennedy once said, “A rising tide lifts all boats,” and this is especially true for the Cumberland community. As our university continues to grow and prosper, our tide rises, and much like the Phoenix, our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends rise to new heights with us. I am truly honored to serve as president of this great university during such a transformational period and to share these significant milestones with you, our valued alumni and friends. With your help, we will continue to rise, ensuring that Cumberland University’s impact is felt not only by the students of today, but also for generations of bright minds to come.
Announcing
Staci Galentine
Interim Vice President for Advancement
I am extremely excited to serve Cumberland in my new role as the Interim Vice President for Advancement. This is a time for growth for our university, and I’m grateful to be a part of it. This issue of Phoenix Rising spotlights the students, faculty, staff, alumni and donors that make up your CU community. I hope that you will take the time to read their stories, and learn how CU is impacting the lives of so many. You are a valued member of our community, and your involvement plays a large role in the success of our students. I thank each of you for your dedication to CU over the years, and I am humbled to serve in this new capacity. Staci Galentine Interim Vice President for Advancement
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Paul C. Stumb, PhD President Cumberland University
Rise and
Impact
1.7 million
$773,160
ENHANCE TRANSFORM INSPIRE
After less than year of fundraising, CU is nearly
halfway to our goal of $1.7 million for the Ignite the Vision Major Gifts Initiative. This program focuses on four initiatives: The Phoenix Scholars, The Phoenix Marching Band, The Phillips Dining Hall Expansion, and The Memorial Lawn Enhancements. Each initiative directly impacts our students and ensures that CU remains a top competitor in the higher-education market. In addition to this major gifts initiative, we have completed the construction of the new McClain Circle Entrance and cleared the Cumberland Corner for future development. As we continue to experience record growth, we will continue to expand and transform our campus to meet the needs of the student body. What an exciting time to be a Phoenix! To give to CU, visit www.cumberland.edu/giving.
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Another year of
RECORD ENROLLMENT Every fall as students return to our campus, I am reminded how much I truly love what I do. Watching students, hopeful for the future, begin their journeys into the next phase of their lives makes me feel grateful and humbled to play even the smallest role in these moments. As the Executive Director of Enrollment Services, the moment students finally set foot on Cumberland’s campus is like my Super Bowl. I get to see the high school students I’ve been communicating with for months, even years, finally reach their goal of officially becoming a college student. As I enter my tenth year at Cumberland, there’s never been a more exciting time to be part of this amazing place. This fall, Cumberland announced record enrollment yet again, with 2,550 total students. This represents a 64% increase in total enrollment since I moved into my current position in 2015. I am proud of the steps that Cumberland has taken under President Stumb’s leadership to prepare for this growth. We’ve increased the number of faculty and staff, improved our campus facilities and diversified our student organizations to maintain the best experience possible for our students. The future at Cumberland is bright, and I am blessed to be a part of it.
72% increase in enrollment since 2014
2,550 2,279 total students
undergraduate students
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271
graduate students
Top States: Tennessee Georgia Florida Alabama California
Top Countries: USA Mexico Canada Spain Germany
To all 2,550 students: I hope you realize how special this time is. Take full advantage of all of the opportunities offered to you at Cumberland. This is your time to figure out who you are and who you want to become. All of us at CU are here to help you along the way. Remember, you will always be part of the Cumberland family and there’s always a time to rise.
Eddie Lovin
Director of Enrollment Services
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
When first contemplating where to spend his college career, Lane Howell wanted to attend a larger university. After visiting campus, he quickly realized he enjoyed the small school atmosphere of CU. Coming to CU allowed him to establish connections he would not have made anywhere else, including one with State Representative Clark Boyd for whom he interned for as a campaign manager. Lane credits his success to everything he learned within the walls of Labry Hall and to the professors who continually pushed him to do his best. After graduating in December, Lane will continue his education at Belmont University Law School with a full-ride scholarship as a Dean’s Scholar, the highest honor bestowed upon first-year students.
“If I hadn’t come to CU, I wouldn’t have done as well academically or been able to make the connections in the community that I have. If I could go back, I’d choose CU every single time. I have truly been blessed.” — Lane Howell ‘19 Business Administration Tennessee Promise recipient
Student Spotlight 8
Rise
Growing up, we’re taught to leave things better than we found them. This is a lesson that junior Allie García has put into practice during her time at Cumberland. García saw an opportunity to leave her mark on Cumberland’s campus by creating a mural in the student lounge featuring Phoenix wings, to brighten up the space and add some fun. A spot that was once a plain wall, now showcases the wings of the Phoenix that students
to the Occasion
can appreciate and take photos in front of to show their CU pride. “I hoped the students would use the space as a hangout spot and that it would be an attraction to incoming freshmen,” said García.
The program asked students to take on a social action project to identify something in their community that they wanted to make an impact on. García, who was already extremely involved at Cumberland, knew immediately that she wanted to leave The idea of the Phoenix Mural her mark on CU’s campus. came from Garcia’s time working with Generation Lead, a Nashville The Phoenix Wing mural is now open organization that advocates for first- to the public, and can be found in the student lounge in the Mitchell Student generation college students to get Center. involved in their communities.
Allie Garcia ‘21 Major: Psychology Minor: Criminal Justice
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Meet the
Class
of
2023
Mason Roberts
McKenna Adams
Yohanna Herevia
Hometown: Lebanon, TN Major: History Future Goals: Serving as an active duty Infantry Officer
Hometown: White House, TN Major: Elementary Education Involvement: Starting a club for girls who are wanting to start a small businesses
Hometown: Matamoros, Mexico Major: Nursing Favorite thing about CU: The accessible tutoring centers and the friendly campus environment
“One day, I hope to succeed in my clothing business, become an elementary school teacher, travel the world, and graduate with my master’s.”
“I came to CU because of the Equal Chance for Education Scholarship and CU’s great nursing program!”
“I chose CU because it has a deep rooted history in the town I call home.”
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Meet the
Intern
Desiree Senna
Human Resources Intern at Betafits Hometown: Central Falls, R.I. Major: Interdisciplinary Studies
“This internship has allowed me to acquire a great amount of knowledge in the HR field. It’s given me the self confidence I need to be a great job candidate after I graduate!”
Izzy Curcio
AJ Akpan
Hometown: Chandler, AZ Major: Exercise & Sports Science Involvement: Volleyball, Delight, Best Buddies
Hometown: Roxbury, NJ Major: Pre-Engineering Future Goals: To become an electrical engineer
“Everyone at CU is so welcoming and genuinely nice. I never feel uncomfortable asking someone for help or directions which has been a huge help coming so far away from home.”
“The CU community has been so welcoming! I’ve already met so many people and even started a new dance club on campus!”
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Alumni News I am excited to carry on my new role as Senior Director of Annual Giving and Alumni and to continue to establish relationships with our phenomenal students and alumni. CU is an incredible community of people – from the alumni, students, faculty, staff, administration, board members, supporters and donors – everyone brings a unique and valued perspective. Throughout my time as part of the CU family, I have valued the expectation held for people to go above and beyond to help others. We are truly a community of servant leadership. This position has allowed me to interact with our thriving alumni community and to create opportunities for growth on our campus. I cannot wait to see all of our alumni at our upcoming events!
Events
Nashville Sounds Game 12
Courtney Vick
Senior Director of Annual Giving and Alumni
Arrington Vineyards
Party on the Patio
Spotlight
Don C. Birdwell
When Don C. Birdwell graduated from high school, his father gave him two options: he could buy the farm next to theirs and farm tobacco, or he would send Don to college. “I knew there must have been a better sight than the rear-end of a mule, so I chose college,” said Birdwell. He started at CU in 1947, but left in 1951 to serve in the National Guard. During that time, he married his childhood sweetheart, Betty, and after finishing his time in the service, the couple lived together in campus housing while he finished his law degree in the fall of 1954. Birdwell’s favorite memory from CU involved his beloved Model T car. The older model car didn’t need a key to start it, so he often let his friends borrow it whenever they needed. One day, Birdwell went out to take his car to the store, but it was nowhere to be found. When he went to check by Memorial Hall, to his surprise, there sat his car atop the grand staircase. “I knew I had to get it down somehow, so I got in and drove it very carefully and very slowly down the stairs.” To this day, the culprit of the prank is still a mystery. After graduating, Birdwell had a long and fulfilling career in the FBI, working out of Washington D.C., Chicago, and Fort Wayne, Ind. until returning back to Tennessee. Today, he and Betty live in Clarksville, Tenn.
Distinguished Alumni Award
Dr. Tiffany Street
This year’s Distinguished Alumni Award was presented to Dr. Tiffany Street. This award is the highest honor bestowed by the Cumberland University Alumni Association to salute alumni whose personal lives, professional achievements and community service exemplify the qualities that Cumberland stands for. Street is a 2000 graduate of Cumberland with a Bachelor of Science degree, going on to earn her masters and doctoral degree at Vanderbilt University. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Advanced Practice, Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Street has also served several nonprofit organizations in leadership positions and serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for Vascular Nursing, National President for Alpha Sigma Tau National Sorority and President of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Alumni Board. 13
Phoenix FOREVER
HOMECOMING 2019
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CU hosted Homecoming festivities on Oct. 26 at Nokes-Lasater Field. The Phoenix took on Bethel University and won 21-10. Seniors Garrett Crafton and Luca Marie Joens were named the 2019 Homecoming King and Queen.
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
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P H O E N I X AT H L E T IC S Making Headlines Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year Women’s volleyball head coach Kathy Slaughter was awarded Mid-South Conference Coach of the Year, leading the Phoenix to a 22-14 record. This was the program’s first 20+ win season since 2014-15.
First to Five
Freshman men’s soccer player Ben Siri scored five goals against Fisk University on Aug. 27th and earned TN Sports Writers Association Player of the Week. This is the first time a CU player has registered five goals in a single match since Harry Mason against Brescia in 2013.
Back to Back: Defensive Player of the Year Junior defender Sarah Haddock garnered Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Year in women’s soccer, for the second year in a row. She is the only player to receive the award.
Senior Football Classic Head Coach Football head coach Tim Mathis was selected as the 2019 NAIA Senior Football Classic East Team Head Coach. Linebacker Tyler Tate, defensive lineman Aaron White and running back Telvin Rucker were also selected to play for the NAIA Senior Football Classic East Team on December 14th in Savannah, Georgia. 16
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
Phoenix Physician
Dr. Damon Petty When Trustee Dr. Damon Petty isn’t on the sidelines of Nissan Stadium or in the operating room, he’s serving as the team doctor to CU athletics. Dr. Petty has worked with CU for 13 years and has been an integral part of the safety and success of our student athletes.
“It’s an amazing experience working with student athletes from the time they begin their journey in college athletics to the time they graduate. Watching them grow in their sport and as a person is something I’m proud to be a part of.”
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
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A Day of Remembrance CU and Lebanon community members came together on November 11, 2019 to celebrate Veterans Day and commemorate the WWII Maneuvers Monument.
This Veterans Day, CU hosted a
rededication ceremony for our World War II Maneuvers Monument.
Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Veterans Services Courtney Rogers, and Major General Jeffrey Holmes, The Adjutant General.
The World War II Tennessee Maneuvers were headquartered on the Cumberland University campus from the fall of 1942 through the spring of 1944. Approximately 850,000 soldiers from 25 U.S. Army divisions, made up the Red and Blue Armies, and trained for the war under combat conditions. During this time the Red and Blue “armies” faced each other in complex and realistic training exercises, such as river crossings, terrain navigation and vehicle operations across Middle Tennessee.
The university dedicated a new plaque memorializing the 21 men that died in the last military exercise at Averitt’s Ferry. Colonel Shawn C. Cody and Command Sergeant Major John P. Ryan of the 26th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, “Yankee Division” of Massachusetts, represented these soldiers and read their names during the event. The ceremony concluded with WWII era music and a vintage WWII fleet fly over.
The rededication ceremony opened with the Star Spangled Banner performed by the CU Singers led by Dr. Brian Kilian, and included remarks from
In attendance were two of our oldest living alums, Dr. Gordon Petty (99) and Attorney James Bass (98), who both served in WWII. The two were roommates during their time at CU.
“CUMBERLAND IS HONORED TO BE ABLE TO SHOW OUR GRATITUDE TO THE TENNESSEE MANEUVERS AND ALL VETERANS.” President Dr. Paul C. Stumb, CDR, USNR (Ret).
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Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
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The Gift of In 2017, Cumberland announced the addition of a pipe
Music
organ to Baird Chapel. The organ was named in memory of the dearly beloved music professor, Dr. H. Bert Coble. Mrs. Sue Coble, Dr. Coble’s widowed wife, recently established the Dr. H. Bert Coble Memorial Instrument Maintenance Endowment Fund at CU. For many years, the couple worked together to put on the highly anticipated fundraising Christmas concert by the Bert Coble Singers. Mrs. Coble assisted in the planning of the event, while Dr. Coble worked tirelessly with dedicated volunteer singers to direct an exemplary performance each year. “The Singers always end the night with, “Beneath the Cross of Jesus,” which is my favorite part of the evening,” said Mrs. Coble. While setting up for last year’s performance, Mrs. Coble noticed a student, Chad Foster, ‘diddling’ on the piano in Baird Chapel. “It was absolutely lovely,” said Mrs. Coble. “When I went to ask him about what he was playing, I realized he was playing without any music; just by ear! It was amazing because that is such a rare talent!” Foster is a junior marketing major from Memphis, Tenn. and plays on the CU men’s basketball team. He was named the Mid-South Champion of Character in March 2019 based on his academic and athletic achievement, campus and community leadership, future ambition and demonstration of the five core character values of the NAIA: Integrity, Respect, Responsibility, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership. The two went their separate ways only to be reconnected the following spring on campus. For the rest of the semester, Chad met with Mrs. Coble every Tuesday after class and added music reading to progress his unique ability. The two formed a special bond as Mrs. Coble watched him excel in his practice. CU is forever thankful for the contributions from Dr. and Mrs. Coble. 20
New Trustees
We are proud to announce that five new trustees were elected to the Board of Trust.
Laura Daily
Michael Moscardelli
Dr. C. Wright Pinson
Rob E. Porter
Laura Daily has served in her role as Senior Vice President of Retail at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. since 2012. Daily has over 25 years of experience as a merchant with various organizations including Ballard Designs, Spiegel, Inc. and Carson Pirie Scott. She is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and the University of Illinois. She has a passion for higher education and making a difference in her home of Wilson County.
Michael Moscardelli is a native of Lebanon and previously owned and operated his family’s manufacturing business, PFP, with his brother before the company was sold in 2018. Moscardelli is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and the University of Tennessee College of Law. He serves on the board of directors at CedarStone Bank and has been involved in the Lebanon/Wilson County Chamber of Commerce, Nashville’s Young Leaders Council, Leadership Wilson and the Nashville Chapter of the Entrepreneur’s Organization (EO).
Dr. Pinson currently serves as Deputy CEO and Chief Health System Officer for Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He helped develop and organize the Vanderbilt Health Affiliated Network and serves as president and chairman of its board. Pinson also serves Vanderbilt University School of Medicine as Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, Professor of Surgery, and a Professor of Management at the Owen Graduate School of Business.
Rob E. Porter has been the President and CEO of Civil Site Design Group since 2001. He received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Tennessee Technological Institute. Porter has over 30 years of engineering experience and has worked on a variety of notable projects in the Nashville area including Opry Mills, Nissan Stadium and Five Oaks Golf Course.
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
Dr. Ed Powell Dr. Powell currently serves as the CEO of IPX, which manages Intellectual Property portfolios and provides innovationrelated advisory and monetization services. Powell received his Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Auburn University and his Doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas. He has been involved at Cumberland leading strategic planning efforts, and is a member Montgomery Bell Academy’s Board of Trustees.
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Semester in Phoenix Ball Raised Over $300,000 for Student Scholarships Cumberland University’s 36th Annual Phoenix Ball broke previous records with a gross amount of over $300,000 raised and nearly 500 supporters attending the event in the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena on Sat., June 1.
First Creative Writing Conference
Ghosts & Goblets
Our new Creative and Imaginative Writing program hosted its first Creative Writing Conference, “Find Your Place.” The conference featured two guest lecturers, writer Jonathan Escoffery and poet Jesse Graves.
We hosted a Ghosts & Goblets event on Oct. 17. This event was created to celebrate the life of CU history professor Monty Pope, who gave ghost tours as a way to entertain and educate his students on our campus’ unique past.
CU Opens New McClain Circle Entrance The new entrance to campus, McClain Circle, is now open. This project was funded by and dedicated to the McClain and Hatfield families. The McClain and Hatfield families have been instrumental in the development and success of CU since our founding in 1842.
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Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
Review 178th Convocation
We began the 2019-2020 academic year with the school’s 178th convocation ceremony on Wednesday, Aug. 21. An estimated 3,000 students, faculty and staff gathered in the Dallas Floyd Phoenix Arena for the ceremony that officially kicked off the academic year.
The Peggy & Lawrence West Foundation Donated $100K to the Phoenix Marching Band This $100,000 gift will be used toward band operations as part of the Ignite the Vision major gifts initiative. We thank The West Foundation for this generous gift!
Papers of Martin Van Buren Project received $50K Grant State Representatives Susan Lynn and Clark Boyd presented CU with a ceremonial check for $50,000 to help fund the ongoing work of the Papers of Martin Van Buren project. This funding is a direct appropriation from state government spearheaded by Reps. Lynn and Boyd.
7th Annual Notes for Nurses The seventh annual Notes for Nurses event raised funds for the Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions. An estimated 400 guests were in attendance on Oct. 26th at the Wilson County Expo Center for a night of dinner and dancing.
Phoenix Rising | Fall 2019
2019 Colloquium Students, faculty and staff presented on over 100 topics during the annual Research Colloquium on Nov. 20.
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1 Cumberland Square Lebanon, TN 37087