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Letter from the Editor

Dear Patriots,

Our five months away from the University of the Cumberlands felt like an eternity and a short moment all at the same time. Our “normal” lives have changed drastically since the last time we were on campus, and we are all adjusting the best that we can to life during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Even though things are unconventional this year, I’m still glad to be back at The ‘Burg and back in the newspaper office in the Grace Crum Rollins (GCR) building. Things may have changed around Williamsburg, but UC still feels like home to so many of us.

Students, don’t let the pandemic “ruin” your time at UC this year, whether it’s your first, your last, or anything in between. Make friends, enjoy the college life and get involved on campus. Find someplace you belong, whether that’s in a sport, an activity, a group or a church, you need to find a community, especially now. Our world is changing and campus is changing, but you are changing too and you need other people that can help you get through it as well. As long as you wear a mask, wash your hands and overall just stay as safe as possible, we can all get through this together.

I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to have the position as the editor-in-chief of The Patriot for this year. It’s something I knew I wanted since I was a freshman when I started out as a staff writer. I have put in countless hours of work in our little office, trying to improve myself as much as possible to be considered for a position as an editor at The Patriot. It goes to show that hard work does pay off in the end. My two years at The Patriot has given me a lot of guidance on how to use this role not only to improve myself, but to help others as well. I am unbelievably excited to see the kind of work we do this semester, and I’m also excited to see all of the new faces that will be joining our staff this year. If you’re thinking about applying for a work-study position or volunteering at The Patriot, do it. I was nervous about getting started too, and now it’s one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I have learned so much more by being on staff than I ever would have with just taking the communication and journalism classes. Not only do you gain experience that you will need in the competitive career path of communication, but you also find a community, and even though it’s cheesy to say, you find a family. If you’re wanting to get involved you can DM us on Instagram (@ucthepatriot) or email us (thepatriot@ ucumberlands.edu.)

This year is truly what you make it. Stay safe, create new experiences, make new memories and as always…

Do the good things,

Haley Bullock, Editor-in-Chief

Editor-In-Chief

Haley Bullock

Managing Editor

Jenna Rose

Faculty Adviser

Jeremiah Massengale

Staff

Emilee Agee Makayla Durham Abigail Fletcher

Alex Nunn Maranda Young

Front cover photo by Maranda Young

Back cover by Daniel Hunt

Email comments, concerns or tips to: thepatriot@ucumberlands.edu or call us at 606-539-4172 7000 College Station Drive Williamsburg, Kentucky 40769

The Patriot is the student publication of the University of the Cumberlands. Our goal is to provide timely and original content by highlighting campus news and views.

Award-winning member of the Associated Collegiate Press and Kentucky Press Association.

We’re In This Together

Dr. Coleman explains how UC’s campus adapts to COVID-19

BY HALEY BULLOCK Editor-in-Chief

The campus at the University of the Cumberlands has changed a lot since its students were back on campus in March, yes physically with the library remodeling and the addition of a tennis court, but the atmosphere is also different. Everyone at UC has come together to make it as safe as possible for everyone to be back on campus. Even though things may look a little different, everyone has done their part to make things as normal as they can be with the pandemic still going on.

The administration has taken many safety measures to ease the minds of all students, staff and faculty about being on campus during the pandemic. Plexi-glass screens have been installed in classrooms to help keep the students and the professors safe. Disinfecting wipes and disposable masks are also available in each classroom when needed. Classrooms are also thoroughly cleaned in the evenings after all classes are over. Dr. Emily Coleman, provost at UC, explained some of those safety measures, “This hybrid approach allows us to reduce capacity in buildings. It just makes for a safer learning environment.”

Not only has the university placed a lot of new policies and safety measures on campus, but they are also working with a team on how to handle a possible outbreak in Whitley County and/or on-campus.

Preventing an outbreak is one of the highest priorities for the administration. Putting in safety measures like mask wearing, encouraging social distancing and putting the hybrid learning in place. In terms of the outbreak team, Dr. Coleman said, “We have a team that is watching it closely and monitoring everything that is happening. [They are] looking at every aspect of the plan that we’re putting together. We’ve got a strong team tackling it and watching that, so that we can provide the safest campus that we can.”

Not only has the physical campus changed, but Dr. Coleman has said that our mindsets have changed as well to adapt, “The biggest change was adapting to a new climate while still preserving the campus relationships that make UC so unique.”

To accommodate more students’ needs, UC has offered to allow students to remain at home and continue their education online through Blackboard Collaborate and Zoom. In terms of students choosing to do online classes, Dr. Coleman said, “We had a lot [of students] inquire at first, but with this hybrid approach that we have for classes, most people decided to stay right here. It’s sort of the best of both worlds. It still has the online components, it reduces your physical presence in class, but you still have that in-person connection with your faculty members. So we did have some move online, but [as] a whole, enrollment is very strong here on campus.” So, the pandemic has not deterred students from coming back to the ‘Burg and has even allowed the freshmen to discover that UC can be a home away from home.

Something that many people on campus have been worried about is how everyone has been adapting to all of these new changes on campus. Dr. Coleman explained her thoughts on this, “I hate to oversimplify, but just great! You know, when I look around campus, everyone is wearing masks. Everyone is being flexible and supportive about the changes with classes. I couldn’t have asked for a better response. The way the campus has responded and came together for this is just something to be excited about. You know, we talk all the time about ‘One Big Team,’ ‘One Big Team,’ and everybody has truly worked to support one another.”

Even though this adjustment has taken some time to get used to, UC is still a place that many of its students call home. Things may look different, but the people at UC are what truly makes it a home and not just a college.

For more information regarding the university’s COVID protocol, visit www. ucumberlands.edu/COVID19.

Photo by Maranda Young

A New Place to Build Community

Multiple businesses open on Main Street, Williamsburg

BY JENNA ROSE

On Aug. 21, Marketplace on Main & 3rd, a new business located in downtown Williamsburg, had a soft opening of two out of four individual businesses that will be available to the community. Cumberland River Coffee, a coffee shop that accepts swipes from a student’s meal plan, and Moonbow Mercantile, a general store with local-made products and homemade ice cream are the two businesses open at the moment. Soon to come are the Business Accelerator Lab and Moonlight Meatshop. Marketplace on Main & 3rd is a new place for students to build community with each other and the local residents of Williamsburg, Kentucky. Geoff Marietta, who will run the Business Accelerator Lab, says, “The University and President Cockrum had a vision for: one, investing in the revitalization of the downtown Williamsburg area; two, having it be based on local business owners and entrepreneurship; and three, having a place for students to work, congregate and also be a part of the local community.”

The small details of Marketplace on Main & 3rd will benefit students as well. Sky Marietta, owner of Moonbow Mercantile, states, “We make all of our ice cream homemade on site and we are going to be switching up flavors every week so if there is a flavor that students want to request they should let us know and we can see if we can make it happen.” Along with

also has local-made items that students can buy for themselves or to bring home to family or friends. An added positive is that students can use their meal swipes at Cumberland River Coffee.

Shannon Dillow, a UC sophomore, says, “I absolutely love the Marketplace! It gives us students more of a variety of options on our student meal plan. I find myself and other students walking from campus which is amazing to get a little bit of exercise and it’s a great way to interact with others.”

To other students, the way that Marketplace on Main & 3rd makes them feel is nice as well. Noah Ingle, another UC sophomore, says, “The vibe fits the atmosphere and that’s the most important thing when having a local shop. They paid a lot of attention to detail in the design of the shops and I appreciate that a lot.”

This new addition to downtown Williamsburg will bring many positives to the small town. Anna Vickers, a UC junior, says, “It teaches us the importance of supporting local businesses.” Supporting local businesses, building community and meeting new people is what a place like this is all about and with the business it has received since opening, it must be something worth checking out.

homemade ice cream, Moonbow Mercantile

Managing Editor

Photo by Jenna Rose

Tennis Anyone?

New tennis courts and other features coming to campus

BY MAKAYLA DURHAM Staff Writer

A lot has happened throughout 2020, but one consistency has been people’s drive to continue on as normal. As schools start up around the nation for the fall semester, it’s easy to find yourself concerned with how you might also continue as normal, and though it might seem easy just to ignore it, a good option is to know that you’re not alone. Adjusting to campus can be difficult for everyone, so to hear from peers that are adapting and to find advice for how you may also settle into the changes, may put you at ease.

Alex Agdeppa, a UC senior, explains how he coped, “The easiest way to cope has been to either spend time with small groups or just one other person, enough to keep me entertained and avoid cabin fever.” There are ways to keep up with friends responsibly, and though the steps taken aren’t what we’re used to. Agdeppa also says a mentality that has helped him is: “A good way to look at these changes is that they’re not permanent.” Following up with a silver lining that maybe some underclassmen will find out that they enjoy online classes.

Edward Dunne, a UC senior, says that he found safety in setting up ground-

As the University of the Cumberlands starts to welcome back the students onto campus they are greeted with some new changes to the scenery, including the growing construction happening to the old soccer field across from Hutton School of Business that will soon be the new tennis courts for campus. . With the recent flooding and storming within the last year, the courts had received some significant damage that needed to be worked on in order to get them competition-ready again. UC athletic director Chris Kraftick said, “Right now the old tennis courts will be staying until the new courts are ready for use and then we will make a decision from there. No long-term plans have been made but Williamsburg teams will need a place so we will probably continue to let them use it.”

With construction starting around the middle of June and certain delays that took place due to waiting on plans from the construction companies’ students can hopefully start to see a finished, or near finished, project by the end of October. With the courts being primarily for the tennis teams, other students are welcome to use them outside of practice time along with the other new features being added to the field space. Along with the courts, new lighting is being added and score boards to create a better competition space for future matches in the season. Kraftick said, “We needed a tennis upgrade, that was one sport that needed to be addressed. We had planned on reimaging those courts anyways and

rules with his roommates, “The thing that helped me the most in adapting to all these changes is the good suite mates I have. We were able to talk and set some rules in place to keep everyone safe.” Dunne also mentions that indoor activities are a safe option for increasing safety, “The best thing you could do is to find some indoor activities that you enjoy.” Many people have differing opinions on the rules in place, but hearing opinions about them from other people also lend light to different perspectives.

About the new precautions, Dunne says, “I believe the precautions need to be a bit more strict than they are, but I also understand that getting everyone to follow them is difficult.” An opinion that was also shared by Agdeppa, saying that he felt as though more people needed to be considerate to the rules and follow them regularly, and hopes to see more safety practiced as time goes on. Knowing that there are people out there willing to adapt for your safety and that you’re willing to do the same for theirs is a shining example of UC’s motto, “One big team.”

then it kind of just hit us that we could use the space and it would be a really good entrance to campus.”

Head coach of the UC tennis teams Dr. Chin Tan said, “Being on campus is going to enhance our program’s visibility and we hope to make UC proud by playing good tennis. I hope more people on campus would take up tennis. We have plans to turn this place into a tennis venue, whereby it’s one place for all things tennis like tournaments, lessons, and social tennis.”

Some other aspects to look forward to once everything is completed in construction is new walking paths that will be shaded with adult trees that are going to be added and the hopes of a bathroom facility. The volleyball court that was at the end of the field is being moved closer to the front for better accessibility. The hopes of adding a hammock station is in the works for the plans along with a charging station that will be matched with stronger Wi-Fi in the area.

Photo by Makayla Durham

The inspiration behind all the new attributions is an outdoor space for students to enjoy themselves and be able to have a guided walking area that resembles closely to a park. “The fencing is even going to be different,” states Kraftick. “I think the end design will be really cool, blue and red customized design but I just hope that whole space over there is something that our students will utilize. Just a nice vibe overall.”

Adjusting as a Team

Students give opinions on coming back to campus

BY ALEX NUNN Staff Writer

Photo by Makayla Durham

Photo by Maranda Young

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An overview of UC’s Weeks of Welcome

BY ABIGAIL FLETCHER

Staff Writer

The University of the Cumberlands’ Campus Activities Board, better known as CAB, plans a welcome week full of events for returning students each year but this year the entire campus was entering a new sort of semester. The head of CAB, Lisa Bartram, says, “I knew it was going to be different. I hoped that we would be able to have some events. Thankfully, we have been able to get as close to normal as we can.” The typical Welcome Week has transitioned into a Weeks of Welcome since it is longer than a week. CAB introduced a new QR scan for the Patriot Rewards app which can be downloaded from the App Store. At the events, you could scan to earn points to be redeemed for prizes in the app. The Weeks of Welcome started on August 21 and is going all the way through Sept 3. The week kicked off with Dippin’ Dots & Games on the lawn of the Boswell Campus Center, the BCC, in front of the gym entrance. The next day was an original Welcome Week event, the bonfire. One of the most well-known events is the Patriot Party where, in years past, students would receive a free t-shirt as well as shaking hands with Dr. Larry Cockrum, president of University of the Cumberlands. However, this event had to be slightly adapted to fit with the new COVID-19 regulations, like with removing the tradition of shaking hands with Dr. Cockrum. Joshua Moore, a UC freshman, says about the Patriot Party, “I thought the Patriot Party was really fun. Everyone was very inclusive. As far as I could tell most people were staying socially distanced, wearing a mask. It was a good time.” Another UC freshman, Isaiah Brittian, says, “[The Patriot Party] was very safe and fun. My favorite part of the Weeks of Welcome was the snow cones.”

The following event of the Patriot Party was the Movie & Fireworks event at the football stadium. Bartram says, “The Fireworks & The Movie at the Stadium was in place of Paint Fest. There is no way to socially distance Paint Fest. We wanted something as big and dramatic as Paint Fest and fireworks were our answer.”

Another well-known original event is the Iced Coffee Night where students can enjoy an in-house coffee, live music and a free coffee tumbler. Bartram says, “The CAB members had their masks and gloves on. They severed the coffee. No one will handle anything. The only students will have taken their tumbler at the end.” Next event was the Activities Fair in the Mid-BCC as well as the Tie-Dyed Masks event on the BCC Lawn. The final event of the first Weeks of Welcome was Worship in the Gatliff Chapel.

The second Week of Welcome events kicked off with Free Movie Night at the Tri-County Cineplex in Corbin, Ky. This is another most attended event on campus. Bartram says, “Although it is through the theatre, they gave us a number cap of 400, but with it being a weekend there would be less students going.” The next event was the Patriot Party Packs and the restaurant discounts for students to enjoy their time on campus. A new event for the Weeks of Welcome which usually takes place in the spring is the famously known Spotlight auditions. Bartram says, “Spotlight was moved because of the NAIA championship games being moved to the Spring. We were afraid students wouldn’t have time, because of the extra sporting events going on. Spotlight will blend itself well if we were to go online again.” The next event following the auditions was the Fitness Boot Camp and Women’s Ministry.

On the Sept. 1 Opening Engage event, the Opening Convocation, took place to kick off students to a year with a mindset of leadership. The last two events to conclude the Weeks of Welcome are the FCA Event and International Candy Night concluding on Sept. 3.

Entering a new semester to everyone, students got to enjoy not one, but two weeks of events hosted by CAB.

Photo courtesy of CAB

Photo by Maranda Young

In Loving Memory

UC holds remembrance ceremony and campus-led prayer vigil for Grant Brace

and friend,

Students and employees at University of the Cumberlands are grieving the passing of student-athlete, Grant Brace, who passed away unexpectedly Monday night, August 31. Brace, who hails from Louisville, Tennessee, was a junior at Cumberlands and a Patriots wrestling team member.

“It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we announce the loss of Grant Brace,” said Cumberlands President Dr. Larry Cockrum. “Grant’s life was cut far too short, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. I ask the entire Cumberlands family to join me in praying for Grant’s family and friends.”