Phoenix Features

Phoenix Features Phoenix Features

Our Phoenix Features spotlight the lives and accomplishments of our outstanding faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Abby Pitts

Director of Student Retention & TN Promise Support

What made you decide to go into retention and TN Promise services?

Coming from a financial aid background, I loved helping students realize that education is attainable through a financial perspective. Now I get to do that through coaching and relationship building with TN Promise students and retention services on a deeper level.

What is the main goal for your department?

My personal goal is to make sure we help and assist students in finding their best fit at Cumberland.

What do you love most about Cumberland?

I love that CU feels like a family and everyone here embraces the students, faculty and staff, as a family.

Sophomore Business Administration Student

Annie Cater

What got you interested in photography?

My dad started taking photos of my older brother while he played basketball and I became fascinated by it. So, he showed me the beginnings and it just kind of blossomed from there.*

What are your plans post-college?

I want to be a sports media manager for a D-1 school or for the NFL. That’s really where all the hype is. Being around all that energy from fans who are so passionate about the game and the excitement they get from seeing their favorite players on the field is invigorating.

What’s something that stands out about your experience at CU?

My professors are willing to sit down one-on-one with me anytime I have a question or don’t understand what’s being taught in class. They want to understand what I don’t understand and figure out a solution. They’re all so personable!

*Look out for some of Annie’s photographs featured throughout this issue!

My experiences at “ CU only made me stronger and ready for the real world.“

Evelyn Cason Class of 1968

While a student, Ms. Evelyn (White) Cason had incredible professors and administrators including her psychology professor, Ruby Thornton, Lucy Scott Brown, and Dr. Stockton. Her professor, Frank Burns, helped her publish her work. Her favorite courses were psychology and literature. Eager to learn and better herself, she always sat in the front row during her classes. She was a model student and was just as much a leader then as she is today. After Cumberland, Evelyn landed a job through her sister with the State of Tennessee in the revenue department. Although she is retired now, she hasn’t missed a beat and lives a very full life of being surrounded by her loving family and friends, volunteering and traveling. 19