The Patriot - April 22, 2021 by The Patriot

Letter from the Managing Editor

Dear Patriots,

We are nearing the finish line for a very unconventional school year and we should be proud of ourselves. How cool is it that we overcame barriers during a global pandemic and continued to work for our education? We have found ways to continue to be a community even while social distancing and, I’m not sure who all would agree, but I’ve learned new ways to connect with others through it all. I also know that we are tired. This has been a long school year of hard work and being this close to the finish line makes it even harder to continue to do our best work. Be encouraged that we are almost there, as I’m sure you have heard many times, finish strong.

I’m extra excited about this issue of The Patriot. We have some feature articles highlighting four of our seniors planning to graduate in May. There are so many students graduating UC soon and each of them will be missed. It’s nice to hear about their plans and goals. We even have a faithful staff member graduating this year. Makayla Durham has been a staff writer for years and we are sad to see her go. We are thankful for her work this year in helping our paper be a voice for students. Hold your seniors close in the next couple of weeks, they are about to begin an entirely new journey. I give you all the best wishes for your finals and summer ahead.

Only by grace,

Jenna Rose, Managing Editor

Editor-In-Chief

Haley Bullock

Managing Editor

Jenna Rose

Social Media Coordinator

Abigail Fletcher

Faculty Adviser

Jeremiah Massengale

Staff

Makayla Durham

Nathan Evans

Cassidy Howard

Kristin Mitchell

Alyssa Morningstar

Alex Nunn

Maranda Young

Front cover by Abigail Fletcher

Back cover by Abigail Fletcher

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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.

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Senior Makayla Durham shares on her time at UC

BY HALEY BULLOCK Editor-in-Chief

Though you’re considered an adult when you turn 18, it doesn’t seem real for many until after you’re handed that diploma you’ve paid thousands of dollars for. For Makayla Durham, a graduating senior at University of the Cumberlands, this is not the case. Durham has been working since she was 16 years old. She has maintained her pursuit of a college education while working work-study positions, including being a staff writer at The Patriot, and other part-time and full-time positions. She will leave UC this spring with a bachelor of science degree after majoring in communication arts in the journalism track and minoring in music.

Not only is Durham completing her bachelor’s degree in only four years after a change in her major halfway through her college career, but she is also graduating during the global pandemic, COVID-19. Durham says, “After changing my major two years to the [journalism] major, I didn’t think I’d be able to graduate on time. Then with the whole quarantine lockdown, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get into the classes I needed.” Many students struggle to finish their college degree in four years even without adapting to living with a global catastrophe.

Durham wasn’t always sure on journalism being her career path. She battled her options between it and music education before finally making her choice: “When I [was going into] college my major was journalism. Then I came here, I went to band camp and I was like ‘Man, you know what? I really like music. I think I’ll stick around.’ So, I changed it to music education and then I went and taught my first class of third graders and I hated it. I was taking all of these [communications] classes for fun, like I had already taken ‘Intro to Journalism’ and I had likedpublic speaking. Basically, it took me a month of thinking about it. All of May I was like ‘You know what? I think I am gonna change my major [back]’ and I’m glad I did.”

Leaving UC will be bittersweet as Durham has gained many fond memories during her time here and will miss the people she has met along the way. “I’ve had a lot of good memories here with a lot of people, even people that I’m not friends with anymore, so I’ll definitely miss that. I met a lot of good people here. Even though I don’t talk to those people anymore, those memories are still valuable to me.”

Durham and her actions will leave a lasting impact on the friends she has made at UC. Abigail Fletcher, a UC junior, close friend and co-worker to Durham, is definitely one of those friends. Fletcher says, “Makayla is a bright person. She always makes sure to take care of other people before herself, which I find to be very admirable. She would give the shirt off her back to you if you needed it. I don’t think I know anybody who works as much as she does. She works four 10-hour shifts overnights [on the weekends] and then directly goes to class the next day on Monday with no sleep and manages to stay awake. She has worked very, very hard to get where she is. At some points you can say, and she’d agree, the odds were stacked against her, but she has beaten them.”

Your college professors have the opportunity to make a big difference in your life, for Makayla Durham, one of those professors would be Dr. David Threlkeld: “Someone that has had a big impact on me here is Dr. Threlkeld; he’s the head of the music department. I’ve had him in jazz since freshman year and he has seen me go from a music major to a communication major. He’s been very supportive of that and having a supportive professor like him has really helped with the transition.”

Getting your college degree is no easy feat. All of us at The Patriot are proud of Durham for this huge accomplishment. We will miss Durham as she is a vital member of our staff, but we wish her luck as she embarks on her journey to making a career out of being a journalist. As she departs from campus for good, she does leave some advice for the freshman at UC: “Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and to stick up for what you think is right. Either way, people aren’t gonna agree either way with what you’re doing and what you say. It’s gonna be a battle either way, so stick what you think is right. Also, do your homework on time. Please. Please do your homework on time. Do not wait until the last minute.”

Photos by Abigail Fletcher

“She’s a Runner, She’s a Track Star”

Tori Combs looks back on time at UC

BY ALYSSA MORNINGSTAR Staff Writer

Born and raised on a family farm in Southwest Ohio, Victoria (Tori) Combs has helped lead her teams to cross country and track, as well as dance to Mid-South Conference Champions. Combs has achieved many awards as the All-Conference Academic Award, All-Conference mentioned to name a few.

Combs has the drive to achieve highly in sports, as well as academics. After graduating this Spring 2021, Combs plans on joining the University of Dayton in their law program.

After her first two years in law school at the University of Dayton, Combs plans on joining the United States Airforce as an officer to become a JAG officer. She wants to be able to travel the world, as well as have the military help pay for her school and open opportunities for her career.

Combs said, “I want to be able to open my law firm and help people, whether that be through the military or not.”

After serving and traveling the world, defending her country and her clients, Combs plans to start her law firm and work in personal injury and medical malpractice. Combs has the dreams of settling back down on her family’s farm.

Combs has the drive and courage to take any challenging task to make it into something meaningful in her career and life. She has talked about building her own house, owning her firm, and traveling the world independently.

As the only child growing up with her grandma, Combs wants to achieve her high goals of becoming a lawyer and starting her law firm back in Ohio.

Combs helped aid a school’s new record with the dance team and got an honorable mention for All American. Tori has done a lot for both programs and has led to many victories for the school.

She started her career here at the Cumberlands on a running scholarship and the old dance team program by Corissa Dyer. She ran cross country and track for three years, earning a Mid-South Championship, AllAcademic Award, Diamond in the rough award, and placed in the top five for race walking. Combs decided to step back from the track and trails and focus on the dancing floor, helping her 2021 dance team, coached by R.J. Conroy, win their first Mid-South Championship.

“My favorite memory from UC has been winning Mid-South for my dance team. Working extremely hard this year, working through the Covid-19 pandemic, and winning has been a great end to my season.”

Tori Combs will always be remembered as a leader for the UC Dance Team and the UC Track and Cross Country program, with a big smile

Photo by Ryann Bryant

On To Better Things

Keithen Harris tells of his time at UC

BY ALEX NUNN Staff Writer

University of the Cumberlands is a stunning location and holds close ties to family according to Keithen Harris, a graduating senior at UC. It just so happens that both the scenery and family past brought Harris to where he is today. “I originally wasn’t going to come to UC; I was initially going to go to either WKU or UK, but this place was always on my radar since I fell in love with the beauty of the campus. When I was a freshman, tuition was exponentially higher than now, and it was reflected in the beautiful architecture around campus. What finally made me come here was the word of my aunt, Terri Harris, who was an alum of here and told me I would love it,” Harris said.

It is common for students to have trouble choosing what major is right for them and Harris is no exception. His original plan was to major in biology to pursue a career with Doctors Without Borders. Harris is now a psychology major. “Psych wasn’t really on my mind till sophomore year; up until that time, I was a biology major,” Harris said, “I found psychology when I was struggling in my bio classes and dreaded going to my 12:00 p.m. bio class but was thrilled for my 8:00 a.m. Basic Psych class even though I’m anything but a morning person. When I realized my feelings at the time, I knew there was time for a change.”

Harris hasn’t been involved in many clubs, having never been interested in any. Where his main interest focused was “Psi Chi” (Psychology Honors Society.)

“By doing this (joining Psi Chi), I developed first-name basis relationship with my professors. I also made some great friends and contacts within my field of study. By doing this, I went from a failing biology major to the president of the honors society, and it allowed me to redeem myself from those early years of college.”

Harris eventually became president of the honors society, “It felt as if I had finally proven myself in the subject I chose. Being president allowed me to become very involved in the department and organize events for funding.”

There is always someone who comes to mind when anyone reflects on where they are now and who helped them get to that point. For Harris, three professors who came to mind are “Dr. Whitaker, Dr. Weiss in the psych department, and Dr. Coleman in the history department. These professors have probably been some of my most challenging professors; however, they’ve been equally good teachers. I don’t know where I would be in my academic career without these people.”

As everyone does when departing from a place after becoming so used to it, Harris speaks on what he’ll miss most as he moves closer to his dreams, “I think I’ll miss the familiarity of it all as well as the beauty that comes with such a close-knit community. When you can see how this tight community works through all types of people, it gives you an appreciation for how this comfort blanket of a place can come to be missed by someone who has been cut out of it finally.” Harris continued by speaking about his favorite memories from UC, “I think the most beautiful time at UC is the first month of every year. Seeing the fresh faces come in and wander around scared of this new time in their life is refreshing since it shows the passage of time and how we are all experiencing life in relatively the same way. I feel that this time Is just inherently human since it shows life never stops, and the least we can do is give a few words of encouragement or wisdom and continue.”

The most worrisome part of moving on is not knowing what tomorrow holds. Still, for Harris, good news and a hopeful future are ahead, “My goal after UC is to continue my education in psychology and specifically my interest in the brain and its role in behavior. Currently, I’m still applying to graduate schools, but I plan on going to England to accomplish my dream of living overseas. This dream came one step closer when I got an acceptance letter from the University of Essex the other day accepting me into their master’s program in cognitive neuroscience and neuropsychology.”

Harris closed with this remark, “I’m reluctant to leave UC since I will be thrown into the real world, but I feel this place will be with me no matter where I end up in the world.”

Photo by Savannah Prigmore

All For The Glory

Abi White shares her journey to ministry

BY JENNA ROSE

Managing Editor

Graduation is coming up quickly for Abi White and her peers. The thought of graduation, for White, is one that brings excitement and nervousness as she leaves a place of comfort for what’s next in her life. For now, White’s after graduation plans are to work with FUGE Camps, which she has been involved with in the past, as the assistant director for their southern travel team. But what about after the summer? For White, her plan isn’t set in stone just yet but she is putting her trust in God to lead her to her next step. “Honestly, seeking God and knowing the Lord has a plan, that’s enough right now,” said White. While White is ready for what’s to come, she didn’t always have the same plan for after graduation as she does today. White is a senior at University of the Cumberlands and she is majoring in Christian ministries with a minor in strategic communication. While UC has been her home for three years, White originally attended Asbury University for her freshman year of college. “Going there I kind of had a little identity crisis and was like ‘I don’t really know what to do’ and just feeling God’s call to ministry,” said White. After her discovery that full-time vocational ministry was what she felt she should do, White began searching for a new school. She looked at many options but it wasn’t until her mother, who attended UC in order to obtain her master’s in teaching, mentioned to White that the university had a good ministry program. For White, the decision to come to UC was one of blind faith. “I didn’t even visit campus before deciding to come (to UC) so it was really kind of just a God thing to decide to come here and He did not disappoint I have to say,” said White.

From her freshman year to her senior year, now, White’s plans have changed radically. “As a freshman at Asbury I entered in as a prephysical therapy major and, so, coming to Cumberlands and being a Christian ministries major, that was such a drastic change on total ends

of the spectrum in terms of field of choice,” said White. However, once White felt called to full-time ministry, her plans stayed and have been on that path. White’s dream job is to work as a FUGE Camps coordinator at Lifeway Resources in Nashville, TN. FUGE Camps is a Christian overnight camp for students aged 6th through 12th grade. This is White’s third year working with FUGE Camps in the summer. “Working for them every single summer, I’ve fallen in love with their job,” said White. While working for them is her dream, White is hoping to be able to work in any vocational ministry whether that’s a church, an organization, or something else. “Getting to learn more about God and getting to serve His church that has served me and loved me so well is the dream,” said White. Time spent at a university isn’t just meant for obtaining a degree, it can be valuable for other skills and experience as well. This has been true for White and her experience at UC. “Honestly, coming in here, I did not expect to have such intentional community surrounding me,” said White. White has been a resident assistant during her time at UC and has even held the position of resident hall leader for her senior year. She is also the spiritual community assistant for her dorm, which entails being available for all residents to talk to about life and spiritual topics as well as being available for prayer. White feels that each of these roles have better prepared her for a future in vocational ministry. “I’ve met some of my greatest friends that I will ever have from being their RA, which is weird, but beautiful just to have experienced that,” said White, “I feel like that’s given me a great platform to start off with and work with going into ministry because I’ve had such good practice of being genuine, being vulnerable, being a leader, and just a person to listen and be intentional with other people.” As for her future, White feels prepared and confident in whatever comes next.

Photo by Jenna Rose