Alumni Magazine Fall 2020

15 YEARS

In 2005, Cumberlands launched its first online degree program, and ever since, the University has brought lifechanging educational opportunities to students like Bradley Powell, ’24, a nursing major from Strunk, Kentucky, who is working through the program in a hybrid learning format.

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Dr. Jerry Jackson, EdD ’ 11

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR ALUMNI RELATIONS

Erica Harris, ’ 84

ALUMNI DIRECTOR

Paul Stepp, ’ 12, MSIS ’ 17

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Andrew Powell

SENIOR EDITOR

Gabrielle Mellendorf

Campus Memories from Cindy (Wilkerson) Richey, ’81

"I moved into Johnson Hall in August of 1977...my room was on the third floor. My poor dad carried all of my stuff upstairs, 'no elevators.' I had never been away from home except for church camp and a senior trip. When it was time to say goodbye my parents and I were all crying on the sidewalk. After all I am an only child. Later that week I met a young man who would end up becoming a great friend. He said 'Hey you're that girl that was crying on the sidewalk last week!' I was so embarrassed. He said 'Yeah, me and my friends drove by and started laughing and then we said wait, turn around, that girl is really cute.' Thanks Mike Flynn."

SENIOR WRITER

Sarah Rainous, ’ 17

DESIGNER

Gabrielle Price

PHOTOGRAPHER

William Turner

DIGITAL CONTENT

Jordan Jung

GRADUATE ASSISTANT RESEARCHER

Clara Arnold, ’ 19

STUDENT WRITER

Diana Davis, ’ 22

The opinions expressed within articles do not always represent the views of the administration but are intended to foster open dialogue and lifelong learning among the Cumberlands community. We welcome your feedback; email alumni@ucumberlands.edu.

2020-21 ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President

Dr. Joe Ellison, III, '01

Past President

Tasha Singleton, '06 secretary

Ann Orrick-Wohlfarth, '87, MAED '13

Board MeMBer eMeritus

Dick Koeniger, '67

Bill Lyttle, '75

terM exPiring 2021

William "Bill" Jones, '81

Ann Orrick-Wohlfarth, '87, MAED '13

Dr. Joe Ellison, III, '01

Amanda Walton, '02

Jacob Moak, '11

terM exPiring 2022

Richard Prewitt, '80

Shannon Warmoth, '88

Cathy Sue Smith, '89

Melanie Mackey Bloomer, '90, MAE '19

Michael Addison, '14, MBA '16

terM exPiring 2023

Fred Gillum, '87

Wes Cornett, '90 Brook Jones, '90

Wendy Himes King, '03 Mathias Brewers, '16

ex-officio MeMBers

Dr. Larry L. Cockrum University President

Paul P. Steely, '49 Trustee Liaison

office of aluMni services

Erica Broome Harris, '84 Executive Director

Paul Stepp, '12, MSIS '17 Director

Dear Alumni,

Never did I expect to host a virtual homecoming, but we did, and I must say that “Homecoming at Home” was special. You know me; I would have loved to see everyone here on campus in person! Still, it is wonderful just knowing that alumni from all over the world are finding meaningful ways throughout the year to connect with each other. The blood runs thick in our Cumberlands family, tying us strongly together. What a wonderful family to be part of.

Several alumni celebrated their 50th reunion this year. It amazes me to think what Cumberlands was like 50 years ago! Back then, Cumberlands still taught home economics, Dr. J.M. Boswell presided over the College, new students still endured the good-natured perils of Freshman Week, women’s hairstyles were cut short and teased high, and the Lane Theatre was a popular date spot. The Cumberlands campus looks different now, but its heart is the same. This school helped mold exceptional students back then into the great people they have become, and that mission continues today.

Typically, this is when I would invite you to the future events we have planned. But as 2020 has taught me, no event is set in stone! Instead, I’ll leave you with this: your alma mater is standing strong, and you are a valued part of the Cumberlands family. As 2020 ends, I hope that knowledge helps you ring in the new year with joy!

Best,

ERICA BROOME HARRIS, ’84 Executive Director of Alumni Services

Pennant from the Williamsburg Institute

CAPSTONE UMBERLANDS

The capstone has been opened, and discovery awaits! These vintage treasures have either been kept by the University as keepsakes or donated to Cumberlands over the years, and each has a unique story. Recognize any of the items?

A

1. What two schools were combined to create Cumberland College?

University of the Cumberlands Patriots track jersey w

Presidential phone of Dr. Boswell w

2. What branch of the military did Dr. Boswell belong to?

Cumberland College blanket donated by Sharon Parrott w 1968

University of the Cumberlands

4. What year did Cumberlands change the mascot from an Indian

w

1959

w

1913

A pennant from Cumberland College w

Cumberland College athletic fan ribbons w

Cumberland College beanie worn as part of a freshman initiation program in the ’ 60s.

Donated by Ronald Marian Ball of Pine Knot, Kentucky w

1964

Coffee Mug w

2005

5. What is the name of the coffee shop located in the Boswell Campus Center?

Picture of ladies in art class at Cumberland College

Letterman sweater w 1960's

Hattie Sullivan

Robert I. Gillis

Ethel (Denham) Henry

Cumberland College windsock w

CAMPUSNEWS

DIVERSITYDIRECTOR

Cumberlands named Mr. Jerton Evans as the University’s first Director of Diversity and Multiculturalism. In this role, Evans works with the University’s leadership and students to create a welcoming environment for all members of the Cumberlands community.

“Our mission clearly states that Cumberlands exists to provide a quality, affordable education to students from all backgrounds,” said Dr. Larry Cockrum, President of Cumberlands. “I believe it is more important than ever that we work to create an environment that is welcoming and empowering to our growing and diverse student population. I am confident that Jerton will help build and strengthen a culture at Cumberlands that values individuals, celebrates differences, and helps find common ground among diverse populations.”

As Director of Diversity and Multiculturalism, Evans will serve as the chief diversity officer. He will facilitate campus-wide discussions and training opportunities related to diversity. Evans will also collaborate with departments across Cumberlands to strengthen the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of diverse student populations.

A native of Fairmont, West Virginia, Evans has worked in education for more than a decade. He has experience speaking to student groups and leading professional development trainings on diverse learning and teaching strategies for educators and administrators. Evans is a graduate of the University of Virginia, where he played football and received All-American and All-Conference honors. After graduating from college, he played football in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and Buffalo Bills. Evans also serves as an assistant coach for the Lady Patriots basketball program. He and his wife, Krystal, live in Williamsburg and are the proud parents of three daughters.

This fall, three new shops opened on the 300 block of Main Street in Williamsburg. Collectively called Marketplace on Main & 3rd, new stores include Moonlight Meat Shop (operated by Anne Bays, Williamsburg resident), Cumberland River Coffee (operated by Pioneer College Caterers), and Moonbow Mercantile (operated by Geoff and Sky Marietta, Cumberlands staff members). Geoff Marietta also operates a business incubator space in the building which provides work stations and a conference room for budding entrepreneurs. Apartments are located on the top floor of the building.

Marketplace on Main & 3rd has attracted much attention since its opening. Seeing Main Street be continuously busy, cars lining the roads well into the evening, is a sight Williamsburg had not witnessed for some time. This flurry of activity, boost to the economy, and closer relationship between “town and gown” (Williamsburg and the University) is what Dr. Larry Cockrum, President of the University, and Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison had hoped for.

“We hope our investments in the downtown area create real-world learning experiences for our students,” Cockrum said. “We believe a thriving downtown will help us attract students and promising new hires while also contributing to the local community.”

Cumberlands students are able to utilize their meal plans at the coffee shop, and some students have landed jobs at the new stores, providing them valuable, résumébuilding experience.

MARKETPLACEOPENED

FACILITYUPDATES

PATRIOTPARK

Construction got underway this summer on a portion of Patriot Park, located in front of the Hutton School of Business. The Park is being transformed into an outdoor sports complex complete with fenced-in tennis courts, an open grass area surrounded by a tree-lined walking path, hammocking farm, and an outdoor seating area with tables outfitted with umbrellas to provide shade. The outdoor Fitness Court® that was installed in spring 2019 will remain in its original location adjacent to the clock tower by the McGaw Music Building.

CAMPUSHOUSING

New townhouses are being constructed to increase graduate housing options. The new buildings follow the same floorplan as the townhouses built in 2016. General updates (furniture replacement, restroom improvement, etc.) happened in Asher Hall, the Byrd Apartments, Templeton Hall (previously known as the Cumberland Inn), Gillespie Hall, Mahan Hall, and Robinson-Cook Hall. The Bryant Apartment complex (recently acquired by the University) is currently being remodeled.

PATRIOTATHLETICS

Several athletics facilities were updated this year. A new storage facility was built for the archery team, new basketball goals were installed, a golf practice pad was set up, the men’s and women’s soccer teams received heart monitors for their athletes, the scoreboard at the football stadium was outfitted with LED lights and a digital display board, the running track was resurfaced, new lights were installed in the volleyball gym, a room was renovated for the eSports team, and new bleachers were placed at the swimming pool. Additionally, the football locker room was renovated, the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms are undergoing renovation, and a new locker room is being built for the men’s and women’s soccer teams.

ALL DECADE TEAM

2010-2011 to 2019-2020

The University of the Cumberlands is taking a look back to highlight key athletes finding success over the past decade. From All-Americans to program record holders to those instrumental in the Patriots success, each sport offers one member from their program history on the All-Decade Team.

Football Terrance Cobb, ’16

Volleyball

Cross Country

Jennifer (Philpot) Clark, ’17, MBA ’18

Danielle Hoop-O’Dell, ’15, MSPAS ’18

Lucas Huelvan, ’20

Soccer Shara Randez, ’21

Marvin van der Made, ’19

Basketball Lauren Wombles-Taylor, ’13, MAT ’17

Xavier Owens, ’16

Wrestling Tres Leon, ’20

Sarah Allen, ’17, MSC ’18

Bowling Sarah Doyle, ’20

Brad Paynter, ’17, MBA ’18

Swim & Dive Mendy de Rooi, ’21

Dave Groh, ’18, MBA ’19

Archery Courtnie Carr, ’19

Josh Isenhoff, att. ’16 - ’19

Golf Kaitlyn Riley, ’18

Ben Kendrick, ’18

Tennis Isabella Dale, ’17

Martin Barbier, ’23

Lacrosse Samantha Tullar, ’20

Softball

Nick DiFranco, ’19

Kaylee James, ’17

Baseball Zach Hurley, ’19

Track Danielle Hoop-O’Dell, ’15, MSPAS ’18

Albert Huntley, ’14

Field Emily Allen, ’20

Wendall Williams, att. ’14-’15

Cheer Breanna Smith, ’21

“It is unexplainable. You just feel it. You simply feel joy, and when you see the consequences of all the effort you are putting along with your teammates, you feel a huge satisfaction.”

- Shara Randez, On Advancing to Nationals

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Life hasn’t been altogether easy for Charles B. Simpson II, ’21. When he was 14, he got a job at Zaxby’s to help his mother pay for the medications she was taking to combat her breast cancer. At one point when he was 16, he simultaneously held two jobs while attending high school in order to help pay the family’s bills. Later that year, his mother lost her fight.

“It was very saddening. To cope, I told myself I would do whatever I could that would’ve made my mother happy,” Simpson said.

His mother was a hard worker who valued education and opportunity. So, Simpson worked hard in school and filled several club roles – president of the Diversity Club, president of the school bank, vice president of the Marketing Club, DECA and Treasurer for FBLA – all while working an average of 25 hours a week as a host at the local restaurant.

After graduation, Simpson attended the University of Kentucky, but he transferred to Cumberlands when he heard about its online undergraduate program. This May, he will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.

He has kept a consistent work history with Amazon and companies in the transportation industry, as well as other organizations where he landed internships. His most recent position was as a supply chain management intern with Walmart. Simpson’s mother worked at Walmart for 15 years prior to her illness.

“I strive to make my mother proud by hopefully becoming a C-suite executive (COO) at Walmart one day. Taking 15 credit hours while working a full-time internship hasn’t been a walk in the park. But I must say, it’s rewarding to see the end results.”

Simpson knows what it’s like to lose someone. He knows what it’s like to be challenged, day in and day out. But more so, he knows how to rise above circumstances and do whatever it takes to help himself and those around him.

“Life has many challenges,” he said. “Strive for a positive outcome, persevere through the tough times, and make yourself and your loved ones proud by achieving your dreams. Help others when you can, and not only financially, but be a physical presence in their lives. Many students need guidance; be a mentor for those who need some direction. Helping one person is all it takes. Then that person will want to help someone else, and that pattern will make the world a better place.”

CUMBERLANDSTOGETHER

Coming together has never meant as much to us as it does at the end of 2020.

Nearly one year ago, the novel coronavirus hit the U.S. and subsequently rocked the nation. Businesses, schools, and churches were shuttered. Leadership teams around the country, including Cumberlands’ administration, wracked their brains on how to innovate and adapt – how they could keep their respective groups running smoothly while putting health and safety first.

THE UNIVERSITY’S RESPONSE

In May, President Cockrum commended faculty and staff on their perseverance and positivity during what, for many, was a tumultuous spring.

“I want to thank you for everything you have done to step up to the immense challenges presented by COVID-19,” he said in an email. “I could not be prouder of how you adapted your teaching and office routines.

Thank you for keeping up the good fight during these extraordinary times.”

“Extraordinary” is one word for it. Within one week, Cumberlands announced that all in-person classes would be hosted entirely online for the rest of the semester, the NAIA cancelled the rest of the spring sports season, student move-out processes were initiated, and all non-essential employees were told to work from home. It was a pivot that felt more like an earthquake, and nobody knew what they would face next.

Summer came, and with it, precautionary measures. Classrooms were fitted with plexiglass shields to hang between professors and students, food service staff revamped their processes to decrease their contact with students, Human Resources handed out face coverings, and hand sanitizing stations were installed around campus. The University also announced

its move to a hybrid model for classes –students would show up in person for their classes once per week, and all other class sessions would be hosted live online.

The fall semester presented other challenges like quarantine procedures for people who’d been exposed to someone with COVID-19. Students put in quarantine made the best of it, catching up on sleep and schoolwork and enjoying whatever snacks their friends dropped off for them – especially the milkshakes, which one student claimed had supernaturally warded off the virus for him.

TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE

Everyone has been staring at screens since March. Television screens have recounted the latest news. Cell phone screens have enabled phone and video calls with family and friends. Social media has been flooded

with posts. Purchasing groceries, to-go meals, and home essentials online has become second nature. Though streets were empty this spring, online profiles were booming.

Technology has been the crucial necessity for the world to keep moving. It has allowed Cumberlands to continue teaching students, and it’s helped those students stay connected with each other.

Diana Davis, a junior at Cumberlands, remarked, “Since the pandemic, there’s not been a day I’ve not been on my laptop or phone to do something productive, even during the summer. I was able to apply for jobs and see my best friend’s newborn baby without putting anyone at risk.”

The switch to online learning has not been all rainbows and roses. Particularly in spring, when nobody foresaw the sudden

switch, continuing classes was hard. Davis is a biology major taking STEM classes, and she admitted it was “extremely difficult” to learn the material without being in person for lab experiments.

The temporary new hybrid class model has allowed her and others to meet in labs and work with professors and fellow students in person. Those personal connections are “a main reason” she and other students she knows chose Cumberlands, she said.

MOVING FORWARD

Dr. Christopher Leskiw, Vice President of Academic Affairs, said it was tough to formulate a class model that blended much-needed in-seat class time with online learning.

He explained, “There was much brainstorming and debate on how best

to tackle this new dilemma. While online learning certainly has its merits, it also has its limits, like any learning platform. We needed to keep everyone safe while somehow balancing that with in-person learning. Yes, the hybrid model is quite different. But the campus has risen to the challenge remarkably well. We are exceptionally proud of how everyone has adjusted.”

Davis appreciates how the University has handled their response to the pandemic and is “immensely grateful” for the way the school has “allowed for things to be as normal as possible” in such a whirlwind year. The gratitude is mutual. Cumberlands staff and faculty know it’s been hard for students to adjust, but everyone has done their best to make things work for them. It’s been a tough year. Thankfully, through everything, the University has come together like never before.

F RWARDPaying kindness

DONALD COLBY PRIDGEN, ’20, is a North Carolina Master Trooper who recently earned national attention after helping a family who was stranded on an interstate with a blown tire.

Monica Hines and her family were heading to Duke Neurology when they blew a tire. There was nowhere safe to walk, and AAA directed them to wait on the side of interstate until assistance could arrive. The family had been stranded for several hours before Pridgen discovered them along the interstate. He immediately saw the family’s need and personally bought and replaced the damaged tire. Pridgen continued the kindness and surprised the family with three brand new tires to match the replaced one. He then bought the family lunch at a nearby restaurant along with a full tank of gas.

Earlier that day, Pridgen had been the recipient of an act of kindness. When he recognized the need this family was in, he knew it was important to pass that kindness on.

“I just felt like it was meant to be when I ran into this family,” he said.

Hines posted the story on Facebook, calling Pridgen an “angel” and thanking him profusely for his generosity. Local news stations picked up the story, and it started to circulate. Soon, Pridgen was flooded with messages from people attempting to reimburse him for the tires and food. Pridgen refused any donations and urged people to pay it forward. A Facebook page was set up to reimburse Pridgen for his personal funds. Instead of accepting the money, Pridgen donated the funds to a charitable cause, the Trooper Kevin Conner Memorial Run.

The memorial run is a charitable cause in honor of fallen trooper Kevin Conner, Pridgen’s close friend and colleague. Just as Pridgen’s act of kindness has created a ripple effect, he said Conner’s service and kindness has continued to make a positive impact on this world, even though he’s gone.

“Sometimes people just need a breath of fresh air,” said Pridgen. “I believe in paying kindness forward.”

While working full-time and raising a family, Pridgen graduated with a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a focus in law enforcement management. He is currently transitioning into Cumberlands’ master’s program, with hopes that his degrees will help him advance in his career.

“I JUST FELT LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO BE WHEN I RAN INTO THIS FAMILY.”

“

I used to see myself as the epitome of wasted potential. Thankfully, God didn’t see me as such.

"

Could you describe your home life growing up?

Growing up, I had a good childhood. I was the daughter of a police officer and a clerk at the hospital, and we lived a comfortable life. My sister and I went to church often. I was highly active in my youth group and went to every church camp, mission trip, and conference I could.

Was there a “turning point” that occurred?

Did the experimentation progress?

Yes. At the age of twenty I was pregnant and sitting in a jail cell for the first time. By age twenty-five, I had long-since spiraled out of control and was living in hell. I was heavily addicted, both physically and emotionally, and I was using IV. I had lost my daughter and was told I would never lay eyes on her again. I was stuck in a cycle of despair and couldn’t see a way out. Every time I used, I would use enough to overdose and end my life. But, something happened each time that kept it all from entering my bloodstream. I thought that God was punishing me. Turns out that He just had other plans.

How did you break out of the cycle?

While serving eleven months in jail, I met Christians who brought church into the building. I used that time to build a relationship with God again. God delivered me from my drug addiction, but after I was released, I had another baby and started a new job. My relationship with God took a backseat. I started drinking, and after three and a half years with no drugs, I began using again.

Where did you go to find help?

I went to Karen’s Place, an ARC (Addiction Recovery Care) recovery center, and while I was there, God did a mighty work in me. Through my counselor and some prayer healing, God began to expose areas of my heart that I didn’t even know were broken and heal them. I learned who I am. The real me. I always attached my identity to the people around me and the things that I did. I began to see what it meant to be a daughter of the King, to be fearfully and wonderfully made, to have a purpose in life.

What advice do you have for the addict still struggling?

You’re not too far gone. If you’re still breathing, it’s not too late. Give recovery a shot. I know it’s a terrifying step to take, but it’s worth it. In six months or a year you’ll be glad you started today.

What is your life like now?

I graduated the program, completed my internship, graduated the Peer Support Academy, and became hired on as staff with ARC. I now work out of the corporate office as the senior administration director. I am double-majoring in business administration and missions & ministry at Cumberlands. I am married and a mommy to both of my girls as well as mine and my husband’s newest daughter. Before I went to Karen’s Place, I hated everybody, including myself. Today I genuinely love people. I care about them and I want to help them. Not only have I realized who I am, but I feel free to be myself. I celebrated four years sober on August 11th.

Do you have words of wisdom for family members?

Don’t give up. Love your family member. Pray for them. Offer them help. I know that you are hurting as well. I’d suggest finding a Celebrate Recovery group or Al-Alon group so that you can get educated and find your own healing.

FLYING FLYING FLYING IN AND OUT OF WATER

It was a summer birthday party, and little Kayleigh, daughter of Steve Reeves, ’81, was four years old.

Reeves recalled, “Of course I was the grill master. We fed the kids lunch, and then I went back to the grill to make lunch for the grown-ups. My daughter, without her life vest, walked right back into the pool. I turn around, and my daughter is lying down at the bottom.”

Reeves immediately jumped in, swam to the bottom, and pulled Kaylie out of the water, and she was revived. The next day, all the Reeves children were signed up for swimming lessons.

It was a terrifying event that left a sharp imprint in Reeves’ mind. He had experienced intense situations before as an airline pilot for the U.S. Navy, but those didn’t hit home the way it did to see his child almost drown. He and his wife never wanted to endure that kind of trauma again, and they wanted to shield other parents from it as well.

For a country teeming with public and private swimming pools, the percentage of children in America who don’t know how to swim is shocking – between 40 and 70 percent. Ten people drown every day in the U.S. For every child who dies from drowning, five who nearly drown require

emergency care, and half of those will suffer after-effects like memory problems, learning disabilities, and pneumonia due to brain damage.

“Juvenile drowning is a big problem, even for survivors,” Reeves said. “There are lots of kids in hospitals who will never be the same. Most are low-income or minority children because they don’t have access to lessons.”

He continued, “We believe just as every child should know how to read, every child should know how to swim because it could save their lives.”

Ever since Reeves was a student at Cumberlands, he had a goal in the back of his mind to someday publish a book. He didn’t; he published two – The 1980 Gray Murders in 2012 and Squawk 7500 in 2016. When he received royalties for his first book, it dawned on him: he could use the money to fulfill his and his wife’s mission to provide swimming lessons to children. In 2015, Howard’s Hope was born, a nonprofit organization named after the little boy in Reeves’ book. The organization began a “Flying Fish” program that pairs children with local aquatic centers to provide them with life-saving swimming lessons at no cost.

“The program is all-encompassing. Children learn at least Level 2 swim skills, water safety instructions, and how to be safe around water,” Reeves said. “If they fall in a pool or a lake or a pond, they’re not going to drown. They’ll know how to rescue themselves.”

So far, more than 1,300 children residing in six different states have received free swim lessons through the “Flying Fish” program. Reeves’ goal is to make the program available to every child in Tennessee, and eventually to every child in the country. While Howard’s Hope was primarily formed to help save children (and their parents) from the experience the Reeves’ had, there is another purpose as well. By helping these children stay alive and conquer a possible fear, it gives them the chance to have successful, wonderful futures. In other words, to help children achieve their dreams. That resonated with Reeves.

In 1978, Reeves had dreams of becoming a naval aviator, and after serving his country, to become an airline pilot. The problem was, to do that, he needed a college degree, and he didn’t have the finances to pay for one. He called the Cumberland College switchboard and asked for a meeting with the president of the school. The following Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Reeves was ushered into Boswell’s office. Boswell had a strong handshake, horn-rimmed glasses, a full head of gray hair, and the biggest smile Reeves had ever seen. After Reeves explained his situation, Boswell stared at him for what felt like an eternity.

He said, “You look like a pilot.” Then he asked, “Do you know how to paint?”

In exchange for Reeves painting every room in North-West Hall (now Robinson Cook Hall), Boswell assured him that the college would cover his educational expenses. Reeves began painting the next day. After graduation, Reeves achieved his dream and completed one tour of duty in naval aviation. He then worked as a pilot for Southwest Airlines until he retired in 2008, having reached the pinnacle of his chosen profession.

“That meeting with Boswell completely changed the direction of my life,” Reeves said. “Sometimes life brings us an opportunity to make a positive impact on the world, and we may not even realize it at the time. Thirty-five years after putting a paint brush in a young student’s hand, his kind heart and generosity has indirectly led to saving the lives of 1,376 children. You never know the positive impact your actions may have as they ripple through time.”

15 years Online

The heartbeat of Cumberlands will always be its on-campus students. These traditional students bring a certain energy to campus that keeps this place thriving. But in the early 2000s, it became clear to University leadership that the school needed a paradigm shift in order to remain viable. Too many private universities were seeing large dips in enrollment due to rising tuition costs and greater awareness of the heavy burden of student loan debt. If Cumberlands wanted to remain a feasible option for students, it needed to adapt.

At the same time, there was a boom in the number of adult learners seeking degrees in order to advance their careers. Technology would enable this, provided there were colleges out there willing and able to provide the programs students needed at costs they could afford in a user-friendly format. Students especially needed flexibility in the programs so they could continue working full-time, raising families, and so on. Fifteen years ago, Cumberlands set out to do that. If the University’s 16,000 online students are any indication, it has been a worthwhile venture.

Tristan Moore

High School Senior Earns College Degree

Gabriel “Tristan” Moore, AS ’20, earned his high school diploma while participating in varsity soccer and basketball, and completing an Associate of Science in Business Administration online with Cumberlands.

“Time management was an important skill I learned as a student. Taking high school classes, college classes and playing varsity soccer and basketball really made me focus in on my calendar,” said Tristan. “The biggest thing I learned, though, was goal setting. I learned people don’t get ahead by accident – it takes consistent work, even on days you would rather do something else.”

Cumberlands offered a variety of dual credit courses through Tristan’s high school, which he immediately took advantage of. This allowed Tristan to get ahead in his college career while also completing required credits at his high school. Ms. Jada Walden, undergraduate student success and dual credit

coordinator, was able to communicate with Tristan and his high school principal to assure all requirements for high school and college credits were accounted for.

“Jada Walden was extremely helpful. She assisted in assuring that all of my requirements were being met with both my high school and the University. She always responded quickly and helped put me in contact with the right people when it was time for a credit audit,” Tristan said. “My business teachers were also very helpful. They gave me great feedback so that I could do better as the assignments got harder.”

Tristan is originally from Somerset, Kentucky, soon relocating to Lexington, Kentucky, to continue his education. Receiving his associate degree at Cumberlands has allowed him to pursue a 4-year degree in communication arts at the University of Kentucky and accept a position as a hunting outfitter with Cabela’s® Special Retail Company.

Online Grad Uses Degrees to Help Others

Jessi Montgomery, ’17, MBA ’20, is sometimes asked about her degrees. After all, a bachelor’s in human services and an MBA don’t automatically seem to jive. In response, Montgomery simply says, “I’m in the business of helping people.”

She is the first-ever development manager at KCEOC Community Action Partnership in Barbourville, Kentucky. (KCEOC stands for Kentucky Communities Economic Opportunity Council.) In essence, her job is to fill the gap between what their federal funding covers and what their programs need to operate. Most of the programs are federally funded, and sometimes the funding barely covers the basic necessities and/or is highly restricted in what exactly the funds may cover. The job requires a lot of flexibility, creativity, and social networking.

Having worked in youth ministry and completed an internship in the Baptist Health Trillium Center’s adolescent unit, she was drawn to Ryan’s Place Youth Crisis Center, operated by KCEOC. A “crisis center” is a transitional housing facility where people can stay for 6-24 months. Most of the youth who find Ryan’s Place arrive with little more than the clothes on their backs.

When Montgomery asked the residents at Ryan’s Place for a “wish list” this year, she expected a laundry list of major, expensive items like cars, an Xbox, iPhones, etc. But the youth replied, “Well, we’ve been thinking it would be nice to have game nights. We would like some board games.” That stuck in Montgomery’s mind.

“Not one of them asked for something for themselves. They only requested something to share, something to bring them together,” she said. “The more I thought about it, the more I knew it had to be my top priority.”

She was taking online classes at Cumberlands at the time, and one evening when she logged in to do schoolwork, it dawned on her: What if Cumberlands could help? She contacted Dr. Jennifer Simpson, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School, who enthusiastically confirmed the University’s willingness to assist. Chris Kraftick, Athletic Director, volunteered his department to supply the games. The national lockdown in spring stilted efforts somewhat, but several teams donated board games which Montgomery delivered to Ryan’s Place.

“The residents were grateful for the kindness Cumberlands bestowed to them and have made good use of the board games,” she said.

Being able to make a real difference in the lives of youth in crisis – having the opportunity to somehow change the community for the better – is an absolute dream job for Montgomery.

“I am just a normal person trying to make the world a better place,” she said. “I think my story is inspirational precisely because it’s not. It’s not incredible, it’s not unbelievable. It’s obtainable. I did it and so can others.”

A completed bachelor’s degree and a lesson on how to write a killer résumé, courtesy of one of Montgomery’s professors, opened the door for her to land her current position. With an MBA now under her belt, her career pathway is wide open to whatever she sets her mind to. She can stay “in the business of helping people” no matter where life takes her.

“I truly believe that I would be dead if I had not found speech and debate. In high school, I was doing a lot of bad things with a lot of bad people. It wasn’t until I found speech and debate that I actually thought I could even attend college. I never knew I was smart.”

Dr. Christopher Medina, PhD ’20, has by now dedicated more than 30 years to speech and debate. He is a lecturer and the director of forensics (aka, head speech and debate coach) at Prairie View A&M University, a HBCU (Historically Black College or University). He’s also the creator of the National HBCU Speech and Debate Association. When the Association began, five speech and debate teams participated. Now, approximately 30 teams are involved, and the hope is to keep expanding.

“Trying to rally support, educate others about speech and debate, and create a ground-breaking pedagogical program at a school with only 1,200 students while teaching and coaching was extremely exciting and demanding,” Medina said. “To overcome challenges like that in life, perseverance is essential, and resilience is indispensable.”

Medina founded the association after his years as head coach of The Great Debaters of Wiley College, another HBCU. In his seven-year tenure at Wiley, his students won more than 3,500 awards and honors,

Using Education to Overcome Life's Obstacles

including more than 60 national championships. More importantly, they maintained a 97 percent graduation rate, 91 percent of them received a scholarship offer for graduate school, and 100 percent of the students who accepted their offers graduated from their respective graduate programs.

Also during his time at Wiley, Medina spent seven years designing the first debate across the curriculum program in higher education, which was a component of SACSCOC accreditation. As part of his dissertation for his doctoral program at Cumberlands, he performed the first statistical analysis on the critical thinking gains of the curriculum.

The results were satisfying. According to his findings, the program increased critical thinking in his students at approximately twice the rate of traditional matriculation. Additionally, the percentage of growth in his students’ critical thinking scores were the highest in the country.

“Anyone can overcome the obstacles in front of them through diligence, perseverance, and a village of support,” said Medina. “More importantly, you never know who can make a difference. I barely graduated high school because my grades were so bad. But I’ve been able to make a difference in students’ lives.”

Just before finishing his bachelor’s degree, Medina discovered he was dyslexic, which explained many of the challenges he’d faced in school. Years later, when his mother was about to pass away, she made Medina promise to finish his education – as in, completely finish: earn a doctorate. Cumberlands offered the most affordable doctoral program Medina could find, and it was flexible enough for his packed schedule. He finished the home stretch of the program during the COVID-19 pandemic while simultaneously teaching a full load, coaching two HBCU National Champions, and running his nonprofit organization. In his words, it was one of the most challenging years of his life.

Regardless, he is grateful for the ways the experience helped shape his character. Challenges have been a consistent theme in his life. But he has learned to avoid, persist through, or rebound from whatever obstacles impede his path. It’s a trait he will carry with him forever.

Dr. Medina with the Great Debaters coaching staff of Wiley College.

Scott, Martyn, and Jonathan

Friends from overseas align graduate degree with career goals

Getting a master’s degree is great. Doing it with friends is even better. Scott Lamont, ’20 (left), Martyn Sayer, ’20 (middle), and Jonathan Watson, ’20 (right) all graduated from Cumberlands’ online MBA program in August 2020.

Lamont and Watson reside in Cincinnati, Ohio, where Lamont works at a logistics software startup company, and Watson is a career consultant for Medical Solutions, a travel nurse agency. Sayer is an executive account manager living in California. The guys played soccer together as undergraduates and have been great friends ever since.

Watson was already enrolled in the MBA program and convinced Lamont to give it a shot.

Lamont is glad he did.

“It was a great opportunity to work while learning about the business world,” he said. “The impact and correlation that the classes had with my daily life was huge, and the education helped me with the software startup company where I was working.”

a staff whom he could trust. He jokingly added that he especially liked the faculty who gave him all A's in his classes.

All three of the men grew up in the United Kingdom. As international students, they face unique challenges like ensuring that all their paperwork and visas remain up-to-date. It is also hard to keep in touch with family and friends back home, missing them more on some days than others, while still maintaining friendships here in the U.S.

Sayer entered the program to gain the skills he needed to navigate the economy with greater attention to the minor, yet crucial, details of the business world. He hopes that his MBA gives him the tools he needs to accomplish “any entrepreneurial pursuits that I might endeavor” and help him achieve his leadership goals.

Lamont insisted that if the three of them can earn a degree while working full-time, then anyone can do it. “Anyone can do what we did,” he said, “they just have to be disciplined and understand that it is going to be hard work and long hours to get there.”

Watson pursued the degree to expand his career options and potentially choose a new career path down the road. He said the degree “aligned perfectly with my goals,” he was grateful to find a program “suited for internationals like myself” with

Watson said, “Being a student at Cumberlands, I became more empathetic and open-minded. I learned this from working with a lot more internationals and understanding everyone comes from different backgrounds with different views and perspectives which is usually different from mine.”

Sayer and Watson have decided to pursue doctorate degrees, also from Cumberlands. Watson said earning his MBA is what gave him the confidence to pursue an even higher degree.

It was neat for the friends to find out there were people like them facing such similar challenges and feeling the same determination to accomplish their goals. There were certainly long hours and late nights, but there was also the support of two close friends every step of the way. It wasn’t easy for any of them to finish their degrees, but they did it, and as a bonus, they grew closer as friends in the process.

Today's Students Adapt to New Learning Environment

To put it simply, the COVID-19 pandemic made hosting in-person classes tricky. Classrooms had been empty March 11, 2020 when Cumberlands President Larry Cockrum emailed the student body announcing all in-seat classes were being moved online. After spring classes finished and everyone got a second wind, the question became, “What do we do for the fall semester?"

“Without question,” Dr. Cockrum wrote in an email to the campus community in May, “the health, safety, and well-being of the entire campus community is our top priority. After much investigation and research, we are implementing a variety of new protocols to protect the entire Patriots family.”

The University announced their plan to move in-person classes for the 2020-2021 academic year into a bi-term format, meaning two 8-week terms per semester. The move better enabled Cumberlands to deliver education to students while ensuring the courses were nimble enough to move online, should the need arise. Later that summer, the class format changed even further, into a hybrid plan. Professors would host the majority of their classes live online, and once a week, students would show up for their classes in person.

Particularly for classes with curricula which required laboratory experiments or in-class discussions, this fulfilled an educational need. It met a relational

need as well, both for students and for faculty. Masks would be worn, and social distancing would be observed, but everyone got to see each other and interact in person throughout the semester.

Was the hybrid model challenging? Yes. Did some students fall asleep during their virtual classes? Absolutely. Did their classmates tease them for it right then and there? Of course! And suddenly, it felt like college again. Among all the changes, there was a small taste of “normal.” It turns out, you don’t have to meet in person all the time to get a high-quality education, and you can’t keep the Cumberlands family apart, no matter the circumstances.

A Force oF Perseverance

Kelsey Eastham, ’14, is the Weapon Systems Officer (WSO) for the Strike Eagle, one of the world’s greatest fighter jets.

The Strike Eagle, or Boeing F-15E, is a twin-engine aircraft originally developed as an air supremacy jet. It’s a two-seat, all-weather, multi-role strike fighter used commonly in the US Air Force. It has the muscle to carry up to 23,000 pounds of payload including combat weapons, air-toground missiles, and a variety of bombs. It can fly more than twice the speed of sound.

And Eastham gets to fly it for a living. And coincidentally wins the award for "Coolest Job Ever."

In the air-to-ground realm, Eastham is responsible for using all the sensors on the jet to find, track, and target whatever they are looking for, whether it was given to them by a JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) or by other means. (The JTAC is the person who directs, from a forward position, the action of combat aircraft engages in close air support and other offensive air operations. They control the stack of aircraft in a certain piece of sky.)

In the air-to-air realm, WSOs put on a defensive cap and make sure the group defensively responds to the threat at the appropriate times. She backs up the pilot and vice versa. It’s a crew mindset, and everyone holds each other accountable.

Ever since Eastham’s grandpa finished his service in the Army during World War II, he always talked about flying. He never knew his granddaughter would join the Air Force. He pinned on her wings at her pinning ceremony.

Training consisted of attending Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training (UCT) in Pensacola, Florida, for a year and a half and getting selected for the F-15E. That was followed by Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF) at Randolph Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, Texas, for two months. Eastham then went to the B Course at Seymour Johnson AFB in North Carolina for a year, where she learned the basics of the Strike Eagle. Finally, she arrived at her first operational squadron, the 389th Thunderbolts, at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho, where she’s been stationed for the past year. This is the squadron with whom she went on she first deployment.

“Perseverance is key; if you really want something, you’re going to put your all into that goal and not stop for anything. It was a challenge to get selected for Officer Training School (OTS) and then be selected for my rated flying job. Then I had to beat out other classmates who wanted the same platform as I did, and then I had to keep fighting for my operational squadron location.”

She hopes that her story is teaching the younger generation of girls that they can do anything they set their minds to. No matter their goal, it can be accomplished if they work hard and never give up.

Photography: Mark Calendine

CLASSNOTES

1990s

R. Alan Smith, ’91, has joined the faculty of Maryville College (TN) as a visiting lecturer.

Rev. David Fugatt, ’97, is now the pastor of two churches in Marion, VA: Davis Memorial United Methodist Church and Mt. Carmel United Methodist Church.

2000s

Anna (Lufi) Ewing, ‘02, was accepted to the Leadership Pittsburgh XXXVII class.

Shane Anderson, ’03, has been promoted to Central Bank vice president, commercial lending in Lexington (KY).

Dr. Bob Lawson, ’03, MAED ’05, EdD ’18, has been hired as the new superintendent of Henderson County Schools after having served as the principal of Whitley County High School (KY) since 2015.

Jenny Brown, MAED ‘08, was named Ripley Union Lewis Huntington (OH) Teacher of the Year where she is the music director for the elementary school.

Shannon Sizemore, ’08, MAED ’12, EdS ’19, received National Board Certification and became one of the assistant principals at Lynn Camp Schools (KY).

Emily (McKinney) Goodman, ’09, has joined the Storm Tracker weather team on LEX 18 as their meteorologist on Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Hayley Rice, ’10, MBA ’17, PhD ’20, earned her PhD in business administration from Cumberlands.

2010s

Dr. Sarah (Sutherland) Murray, ’12, and Josh Murray, ’12, were married on June 23, 2018. Sarah completed her residency at the University of Kentucky (Internal Medicine) in June 2020 and began her career at the University of Kentucky in July of 2020. Josh began his third year of law school at the University of Kentucky in August of 2020.

Wendi Karle, MAED ’12, has been hired as the career coach with the Career Coaching and Employer Connection program at Ivy Tech Community College (IN).

Calvin Capps, ’12, joined the Williamsburg High School Yellow Jacket Broadcast Crew on We Rock 102.7 for the 2020-2021 basketball season.

David Guess, MBA ’12, EdD ’15 has been named new chief financial

officer at Usher Transport Inc., a company based out of Louisville (KY).

Eric Swords, MBA ’12, MAT ’17, has accepted the position as the new boys' basketball coach at Williamsburg City Schools.

Nick Ritter, MAED ’13, was promoted to assistant principal at James T. Alton Middle School (KY), where he has been teaching science for nearly a decade.

Jessica Harley, MAE ’13, EdS ’14, received the Career Guidance Award, given by the Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Education.

Laura Murphy, MAED ’14 & ’15, a language arts teacher at Daviess County Middle School (KY) was selected to receive the 2021 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award.

Lisa Slaven, EdS ‘14, has been named the first Hardin County Schools (KY) transition facilitator. She will work with community business and industry partners to increase opportunities for students transitioning to the workplace, college and career/ technical education.

Kailyn Smith, ‘14, MAT ’16, has been named as the London-Laurel County Chamber of Commerce's Elementary Teacher of the Year. She currently teaches reading to fourth and fifth grade students at East Bernstadt Elementary School (KY).

Nicole Love, MAED ’14, has been named as the new director of the Salvation Army Early Learning Center in Lexington (KY).

Olivia Holstein, MAED ’15, received an Excellence in Teaching Award

Anderson (’03)

Goodman (’09)

Rice (’10)

Karle (’12)

Murray (’12)

Smith (’14)

Ritter (’13)

Murphy (’14)

Swords (’12 & ’17)

Carter (’15 )

for her work at Central Elementary School in the Knox County school district (KY).

Shawn Perkins, MAED ’15, has taken over as the principal at DishmanMcGinnis Elementary School (KY) after having taught fifth grade social studies with them since 2009.

Jonathan Vincent, EdS ’15, was promoted to Warren East High School's (KY) athletic director.

Olivia Schilke, MAED ’15, EdS ’19, has been hired as the new Owensboro Catholic Middle School (KY) principal.

Hannah (Starner) Carter, ‘15, and Orrie Carter were married on July 18, 2020.

Haley (Ferguson) Santillan, ’16, and Martin Santillan were married on July 11, 2020.

Adam Nance, EdS ’16, was named principal of William Cofield High School and the Fayette County Detention Center (KY).

Hope (Coleman) Wise, ’16, MAT ’18, and Brian Wise were married on August 1, 2020.

Laurel (Hopf) Mighell, ’17, MACMHC ’19, and Isaiah Mighell, ’19, were married on July 22, 2020.

Larry Davenport, ’17, graduated with a Master of Social Work from the University of Kentucky and is now working for White House Clinics as a behavioral health consultant.

Chris George, EdD ’17, has been named board chair-elect for the national Council for Opportunity

in Education. He also works as the director of the Office of Student Support at Western Kentucky University.

Kelcey Postlewait, EdS ’17, has been hired as the new principal of Grapevine Elementary School in Madisonville (KY).

Ellie Yocum, ’17, was named as the head archery coach at the University of Pikeville.

Haley (Swihart) Smith ‘18, and Micah Smith, ‘19, were married on April 4, 2020.

Robert Amis, MAT ’18, was named Pike Central boys' basketball head coach at Pike County Central High School. He has served as head coach at Breathitt County High School, Eminence High School, and Greenup County High School (KY).

Bridgette (Smallwood) Hubbard, ’18, MSPAS ’20, and Jonathan Hubbard, MSHHP ’20, were married on July 25, 2020.

Chanse Murphy, ’18, and Allison (Cummins) Murphy were married on July 25, 2020.

Dr. Susan Sudberry, EdD ’18, has been promoted to the director of

technology at Tullahoma City Schools in Tullahoma (TN).

Hannah (Fischer) Noger, MAPAS ’19, and Jacob Noger were married on June 26, 2020.

Nick Barton, EdS ’19, has been named as the principal at the Early Learning Village in Frankfort (KY).

Manny Castellano, ’19, suited up for the Sussex County Minor baseball team, for their summer campaign.

Shelby (Householder) Jacobs, ’19, and Logan Jacobs were married on June 6, 2020.

Zach Hurley, ’19, earned a spot on the roster of Lexington Leyendas baseball team.

Dr. Takisha Ferguson, EdD ’19, has been named principal of Smyrna Middle School (TN) after having served as an educator and administrator for eleven years.

2020s

Anne (Russell) Singleton, ’20, and Jake Singleton, ’20, were married on May 30, 2020.

Dr. Kyle Nix, EdD ’20, was named the new principal of Christiana Middle School (TN) after having served as an assistant principal at LaVergne High School for the past four years.

Kaitrin (Miller) Parrett, ‘20, and Wes Parrett, ’20, were married on July 11, 2020.

Chanse (’18) Nance (’16)

Mighell (’17 & ’19)

Wise (’15)

Castellano (’19)

Hurley (’19)

Singleton (’20 & ’20)

Nix (’20) Parrett (’20 & ’20)

Cumberlands Magazine welcomes Class Notes submissions from alumni. Use one of the options below to submit your information.

Pulliam (’20)

Hargrove (’20 & ’20)

Carr (’20 & ’20)

Allen (’20)

Pomeroy (’20 & ’20)

You can visit ucumberlands.edu/classnotes

Email the Office of Alumni Services at alumni@ucumberlands.edu

Bill Pulliam, EdS '20, has taken a position as principal of Charles Russell Elementary in Ashland (KY).

Shelby (Bolton) Hargrove, ’20, and Raymond Hargrove, ’20, were married on August 1, 2020.

Abbey (Overton) Carr, ’20, and Taylor Carr, ’20, were married on August 1, 2020. Both are attending the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. Taylor will complete his PharmD in 2022 and Abbey will complete her PharmD in 2024.

oh baby!

Jayla (Smith) McMillin, ’20, and Devon McMillin, ’20, were married on August 8, 2020.

Olla (Drane) Allen, ’19, and Caleb Allen were married on August 22, 2020.

Sarah (Hunter) Pomeroy, ’20, and Kyle Pomeroy, ’20, were married on August 29, 2020.

(1) Anna (Lufi) Ewing, ‘02, and Jeffrey Ewing welcomed their son, Thaddeus Benjamin Ewing, on June 13, 2019.

(2) Autumn (Williams) Thompson, ‘16, and Jonathan Thompson, ‘12, welcomed their daughter, Annaleigh Thompson, on November 2, 2019.

(3) Olivia (Cepak) Leidecker, ‘16, and Brocky Leidecker, ‘16, welcomed their daughter, Aurelia Jean Marie Leidecker, on January 31.

(4) Jaimie (Bengie) Dyer, ‘13, and Justin Dyer, ‘13, welcomed their daughter, Clarke Elizabeth Dyer, on February 4.

(5) Stephanie (Lawless) Pollitt, ‘12, and Josh Pollitt, ‘07, welcomed their daughter, Abigail Esther Pollitt, on February 10, 2020. Abigail’s big brother Matthew Josiah was born on June 29, 2018.

(6) Haylie (Turner) Reeves, ‘16, MAED ‘18, and Daniel Reeves, ‘18, MACS ‘20, welcomed their son, Asher Daniel Reeves, on April 13.

(7) Allyson (Tabor) Webster, ‘20, and Macon Webster, ‘18, welcomed their daughter, Kenleigh Marie Webster, on May 3.

(8) Megan (Donahue) Carruba, ‘12, MAED ‘18, and EdS ‘19, and Anthony Carruba welcomed their daughter, Quinn Elizabeth Carruba, on July 1.

(9) Katie (Lay) Davis, ‘14, and Clint Davis, ‘13, MBA ‘19, welcomed their son, Luke Thomas Davis, on July 17.

(10) Kim (Robinson) Quiles, ‘15, and Adam Quiles welcomed their daughter, Liv Hazel Quiles, on July 28.

Katie (Reid) Huston, ‘16, and Samuel Huston welcomed their daughter, Rosalie Esther Huston, on August 22.

(11) Stephanie (McVay) Pettit, ‘15, MAED ‘15, and EdS ‘20, and Daniel Pettit, ‘17, welcomed their son, Walker Chase Pettit, on August 11.

(12) Lauren (Wombles) Taylor, ‘13, MAT ‘17, and Caleb Taylor, ‘20, welcomed their daughter, Lily Rae Taylor, on August 31.

Michelle (Pratt) Dehnart, ‘12, and Christopher Dehnart welcomed their daughter, Jael Dehnart, on January 3.

Krista King, ‘18, and Brandon Stuckey, ‘20, welcomed their first daughter, Maliyah Bea Stuckey, on April 19.

Tedarrius “TD” Teasley, ’16 A FATHER IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

“I’ve always wanted to help people, and I saw law enforcement as a great way to do that,” he said. “Interning with the U.S. Marshals Service as a student at Cumberlands, along with other successes, further helped me to feel confident in pursuing a career in law enforcement.

After finishing his MBA at Piedmont College and getting married, Teasley attended the 103rd Georgia (GA) State Patrol Trooper School, where he was voted class president for the remainder of their training. Teasley graduated from the program in September 2018 and has served as a GA Trooper ever since.

His primary duties include investigating car crashes and enforcing traffic laws. As such, a typical day could include anything from simple speeding tickets to prosecutable fatality crashes. Teasley always does his best to treat people respectfully, and he tries to educate them on the reasons behind traffic laws. His hope is that the information motivates people to keep the law for their own safety and that of the people around them.

“I believe in being stern and believe people should respect me as an officer; however, I strive to be as courteous as people allow me to be,” he said. “When I drop someone off at the jail, and they thank me for being professional, that's a huge reward on my end.”

The most rewarding thing in Teasley’s life, though, is his family. On Father’s Day 2019, Teasley had no children. On Father’s Day 2020, he had three. He and his wife Eboni couldn’t conceive a child of their own, so they adopted two beautiful girls from birth, Arianna and Addisyn, from two separate families. Little did they know they were in store for a miracle; they welcomed their first biological daughter, Avah, into the world in June 2020. They are loved immensely.

Teasley said he never imagined having everything he has and the family he has. Now, his mission is to pass on what he has learned in life – as a Cumberlands alumnus, a state trooper, and a father – to his children and to others.

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C umberlands C ouples

Pastors John, ’92, and Stephanie (Reed) Jordan, ’92, first met when John stood in the science building waiting to register for classes. There was an instant mutual attraction, but they didn’t start dating until fall 1990. They were engaged in fall 1991 and married August 8, 1992.

John&Stephanie(Reed)Jordan

To the couple’s surprise, their daughter, Lydia (Jordan) Wood, ’22, and her husband Paul “P.J.” Wood, ’22, recently decided to transfer to Cumberlands.

In a transaction with a clear spiritual parallel, the life of a West Virginia Assemblies of God ministry leader has been saved as a result of his son’s blood platelets being exchanged for his own.

Pastor John K. Jordan, age 52, received a diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia — the most common form of the disease — in 2008, nine years after becoming lead pastor of Calvary Assembly of God in Beckley, West Virginia. The city of roughly 16,000 people is in the southern part of the Mountaineer State.

Jordan says the news devastated both him and his wife, Stephanie, who serves as evangelism pastor at the church, which has around 250 adherents.

“For the first couple of weeks after we got the diagnosis, there were several nights that we laid in bed and wept,” John says. “We had young children, and the thought of them growing up without a father was pretty emotional.” The Jordan children were ages 11, 8, and 5 at the time.

But for Stephanie, who met her husband with both enrolled at what is now University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky, an intensive Bible study on healing soon brought a comforting word from God.

Stephanie, 50, says the Lord impressed upon her that cancer wouldn’t take her husband’s life.

“After that, there was an incredible peace, and I never feared for John’s death,” Stephanie says. “I never was afraid that he would die.”

John quickly concurred with his wife’s insights, and they both prepared for a medical — and spiritual — battle.

CHALLENGING PERIOD

For several years after the initial diagnosis, physicians waited for certain blood numbers to get serious enough for treatment.

Eventually, Stephanie recalls, the lymph nodes in John’s neck grew quite large, which hindered his ability to breathe. At this point, John’s doctors began using chemotherapy, which initially didn’t affect the pastor — until the introduction of an everyother-day antibiotic. That made John so ill he could hardly eat. In a matter of weeks, John lost 20 pounds.

“For the next several years, I was on again, off again with different types of chemo treatments,” John remembers. At this point, doctors from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore — a six-hour drive one way — had taken over his care.

During all this, Jordan continued his church pastor duties, as well as other responsibilities. He serves as assistant superintendent of the AG Appalachian Ministry Network, plus on the AG General Presbytery as well as the board of regents for Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida.

“I couldn’t imagine going through what I went through without having the kind of support system that I had,” Jordan says. “Not just my church family, but to be a part of the Assemblies of God as a whole, because we have people from around the world praying for us.”

Not everyone at Calvary Assembly weathered the situation well. Indeed, some attendees left because of the prolonged illness.

“It had some adverse effect on some of our congregation,” Jordan says. “Our core people remained strong and were faithful. They prayed. But some of our church people didn’t know if I was going to make it. They didn’t know how things were going to turn out. It did cause some to struggle a little.”

SON NATHANIEL’S DONATION

In September 2017, Jordan’s doctors in Baltimore said they wanted to try a new treatment: transplanting stem cells (via blood platelets) from a compatible donor, instead of an oftdelayed bone marrow transplant. Jordan’s eldest son, Nathaniel, then 19 and preparing for a medical career, turned out to be a 50 percent match, which doctors considered good enough.

“Instead of having to go into the bone and pull out the marrow, they were able to just hook Nathaniel up to a machine and pull his blood out of one arm, run it through a machine where they extracted his T-cells, and then put his own blood back into his other arm, over about a four-hour period,” John says.

Nathaniel, who is now 24 and in his third year of medical school, says he had no reservations about the procedure, which is much less invasive than a traditional bone marrow transplant. The blood draw exhausted him, but he soon returned to undergrad studies at Southeastern University.

Two months after the procedure, the results surprised even Jordan’s physicians, something the pastor attributes to divine intervention.

Medical personnel had DNA samples of Nathaniel as well as John’s prior to the transplant, Jordan says. Sixty days after the transplant, blood work took place, with doctors focused on T cells, a kind of lymphocyte that is key in immune response.

“They were looking for any leukemia cells in my body, in my blood, and they were looking to compare how many of my son’s T cells were in my blood compared to my T cells,” John says.

The verdict? John had no signs of leukemia. If fact, his physician explained when he tested John’s DNA looking for his T cells versus his son's T cells, he found 100 percent of Nathaniel’s T cells. The doctor said he had never seen that occur in a chronic lymphocytic leukemia patient. A follow-up test six months later yielded the same results.

“They took the blood of my son, and put it in me to deal with something that I could not deal with on my own,” John recalls. “If it had been left unchecked, it would’ve killed me. Spiritually, that’s how things happen through the blood of Jesus.”

Today, the Jordans are at work full time with their church and other responsibilities. Their three children are either in college or soon to go there.

Written by Mark Kellner, published by AG News.

Reprinted with permission.

IN MEMORIAM

eThe following members of Cumberlands family have passed away since the publication of our last magazine. We send our thoughts and prayers to their families and will forever remember their impact on the Cumberlands Community.

Alumni

Dr. Eleanor Mitts Behrmann, ’36, passed July 16, at the age of 103. After graduating from Cumberland College, “Mittsy” continued her education at the University of Kentucky earning her BS and MS in Chemistry. She went on to earn her PhD in Chemistry at Iowa State in 1943 as one of very few women with a PhD in Chemistry at that time.

Honored as an “Outstanding Alumnus” in 1975, Dr. Behrmann was a member of the Alumni Board of Directors from 1985-1988, serving as President of the Alumni Association from 1986-1987.

Jimmie (Mullis) Peace Wissing, ’42, passed October 3, 2019.

Christine Rains Fletcher, ’45, passed September 25, 2019. Chris was a graduate of Cumberland College and the Louisville School of Medical Technology.

A strong believer in self-help, Christine was a financial supporter of the workship program at Cumberlands.

Delsie Horne, ’48, passed March 7.

Mary Doyle Johnson, ’48, passed June 25. A tireless supporter of Cumberlands, Mary Doyle served as the Alumni Association President for two terms and was named as a board member emeriti.

Carolyn Siler Browning, ’48, passed May 16. A loyal and faithful supporter of UC, her family includes an alumnus (father), trustee Congressman Eugene Siler, Sr. (brother), trustee Gene Siler, Jr. (grandfather), founding trustee 19011953 A. T. Siler (grandfather), and President (19101912) and professor, Gorman Jones (grandfather).

Elizabeth “Betty” Adkins Taylor, ’48, passed September 16, 2020.

Billy (Bill) Floyd Freeman, ’49, passed September 18, at the age of 95. After growing up in Williamsburg and serving his country in WW II, Bill returned home and enrolled at Cumberland College (now University of the Cumberlands). He went on to earn a BS and a master’s Degree and returned to Cumberlands where, for more than 40 years, he taught public speaking, recruited students, was Director of Public Relations, and was the Assistant to the President.

Betty Lentz Siegel, ’50, president emeritus of Kennesaw State University in Georgia and the first woman to serve as a campus president for an institution in the University System of Georgia, passed February 11. Under her leadership, KSU grew from a small state school to one of the largest in Georgia during her 25 years as president.

Dr. Siegel was inducted into the University of the Cumberlands’ Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 1988 and also served on the Alumni Board of Directors.

Monnette Chambers Mouron, ’55, passed on October 3.

Herbert C. Housley, ’56, passed April 16. While at Cumberlands he was voted Mr. Off-Campus.

Juanita Simpson Redwine, ’56, passed March 10.

John C. Carter, ’57, passed September 15.

Bretta (Mayne) Conley, ‘64, passed April 29.

Lee R. Stallard, ’64, passed August 24.

Betty Ridenour Maiden, ’66, passed September 9.

Virgie Collet, ’66, passed September 22.

Aaron L. Spaulding, ’69, passed May 25.

Dr. Kenneth Whitehouse, ’76, passed September 8.

Brenda Kegley, ‘78, passed September 30.

Lucille Bowling Carloftis, ‘81, passed March 5

Greg Poe, ‘81, passed July 6,.

Linda Owen Gray, ‘84, passed September 19.

Michael Parsley, ‘89, former Alumni Board of Directors member, passed October 1.

Tony LeMaster, ‘94, passed October 11. An active supporter of his alma mater, Tony served one term as President of the Alumni Association and was inducted into the Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the undefeated '88 football team.

Jenna Clemenz, ‘03, passed August 21.

Joanna Mahan Middleton, MAE ’12, EdS ’12, passed August 10, after a hardfought battle against cancer.

Middleton worked as the academic dean at Williamsburg Independent School District (WISD) was described by others as being “willing to do whatever was asked of her; no job was too big or too small,” a “kindhearted, spirited, devoted, mischievous, and beautiful” woman, and as being someone who “cared deeply for all of her students” and was “passionate about making sure students got the best education possible.”

Erika Rae Pillow Powers, MAED ’18, passed May 1.

Lance Allen Pace, ‘19, passed April 11.

Faculty

Gayle Breedlove Majors passed away on September 1, 2020. Gayle served as Associate Professor of Music for thirty-seven years at UC (1973-2013) and as the church organist at First Baptist Church in Corbin since 1984. A gifted musician, her outgoing nature and quick humor were a great combination for passing on her love of teaching music.

Student

Grant Brace, Class of 2022, passed away unexpectedly on August 31, 2020. Brace, who was from Louisville, Tennessee, was a junior at Cumberlands and a Patriots wrestling team member.

President Larry Cockrum announced the news in an email to the Cumberlands community, asking “with a heavy heart and great sadness” for prayers for Brace’s family and friends.

Brace came to Cumberlands as a wrestler in the fall of 2018. He was a featured varsity wrestler on the men’s team, tallying three falls in his career, including a pin in the 2018 Patriot Open. His last win was a 13-5 Major Decision over Keiser University. Brace previously attended Alcoa High School just outside of Knoxville, Tennessee, and was majoring in business administration. He was 20 years old.

“We are all shocked and saddened by the unexpected passing of Grant,” said Chris Kraftick, Director of Athletics, upon hearing the news. “He has brought high character and integrity to the Patriots family over the past two years and has always been part of our One Big Team. The entire athletic department is devastated by this news, and our hearts and prayers go out to his family, teammates, and friends.”

Classes at the University’s Williamsburg campus were canceled for Tuesday, September 1, to allow students and staff space to grieve and remember Brace’s life. Ministers and counseling teams were available throughout the day to support students who reached out for help. A prayer vigil hosted by students and staff was held on the BCC lawn that evening to honor Grant.

Just a Glimpse

"In those qualities that count, in ambition, in desire, in enthusiasm, we'll pit our students against the world. There is so much need to be answered, so much work yet to be done. We have never yet failed the youth of our Kentucky hills. We hope we never will."

~Dr. Boswell

Work is near completion for the Boswell Bench, and we couldn’t be more thrilled! Delivery and installation are scheduled for early spring 2021. An unveiling ceremony will be scheduled once the sculpture is placed. Thank you for your support of this tribute to Dr. Boswell on the 40th anniversary of his retirement. If you would like to make a gift toward this project or other initiatives, please visit ucumberlands.edu/boswell.

Patriot SALUTE

Ms. Debbie Harp

Lifelong Service in Appalachia

When Debbie Harp, ’79, stepped onto Cumberland College’s campus, she knew it was the school for her. Cumberlands gave her the opportunity to be the first in her family to attend college; meanwhile, she could find ways to serve God and minister in Appalachia, where she’d lived all her life.

From the day she moved into her dorm room on campus in August 1975, Harp got involved at Cumberlands and in the community. She was an active member of Love in Action (now Appalachian Ministries) and steadily climbed the ranks from student volunteer, to student coordinator, to the ministry’s assistant director after she finished her degree.

For 40 years, Harp poured into the lives of students and fellow staff at Cumberlands. She also served community members in the local area. She provided support for all the University’s campus ministries and assisted thousands of students through her roles as assistant professor, Director of Campus Activity Board, and Director of Career Services. Harp helped many students not only get through college but also find viable careers after graduating. Between her many responsibilities, she also raised two children and a niece and nephew.

Ann Orrick Wolfarth, ’87, said, “Debbie is always the calming force. She seems to always instantly know the solutions. She is the most consistent person I know.”

Warmouth shared the story of when he stepped into Harp’s office, where she was sitting in front of a giant corkboard wall she used to have. He called the meeting “an impromptu counseling session –of which there were many.” In that meeting, Harp told him that the only thing she ever wanted for him was that he would be content. That always stuck in Warmouth’s mind. He said that wish has finally materialized and called Harp’s influence on his life “immeasurable.”

Warmouth said Harp has “an uncanny ability to meet people where they are and really connect with them. She was a mentor to all of us, and more importantly, she was like a cool mother to all of us.”

The scholarship was announced during the Campus Activity Board reunion at Homecoming that year, and Harp’s jaw dropped when she heard the news.

In 2018, alumni contributed $2,850 to create a scholarship fund in Harp’s honor. Shannon Warmouth, ’88, who spearheaded the fundraising efforts, asked alumni who knew Harp to share their thoughts and memories about her. The universal response was that she was an amazing mentor, friend, and teacher. For many of the students, Harp was like a second mother.

“I’m speechless,” she said. “You all have impacted my life more than you probably realize. I’m so blessed and grateful that our journeys crossed. No matter where we go, where we are in the world, we’re part of a family.”

Harp retired in 2019, having made a lasting impact on countless people’s lives. We salute her for pouring into the personal and professional lives of students during her 40+ years at Cumberlands.

Since Cumberlands’ founding in 1888, many things have changed about this institution in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky. In this section, we peel back the layers of time for a glimpse at what life was like “back in the day” to see what is different – and what has stayed remarkably similar – from then to now.

Late in 1957, Mrs. N.B. Perkins indicated her desire to make an initial pledge of $25,000 to Cumberlands for the purpose of having a building erected in memory of her daughter, Mrs. Norma Jeanne Perkins Hagan, who, with her husband and 46 other passengers, lost their lives in an airplane when it crash-landed in the Pacific Ocean en route from San Francisco to Honolulu.

Mrs. Hagan had been a member of Cumberlands’ Board of Trustees and was the granddaughter of Dr. Ancil Gatliff.

On December 20, 1957, the Executive Committee of the Board voted unanimously to accept the pledge of $25,000 and to erect a library to be known as the Norma Jeanne Perkins Hagan Memorial Library as soon as sufficient funds were available to do so.

The library, located on Walnut Street west of the gymnasium, was constructed on three levels and housed Cumberlands’ book collection, offices, receiving and processing areas, the instructional media center, and the computer facilities.

The ground breaking ceremony for the library was held on October 14, 1959, and the building was first occupied in 1960 and dedicated on May 13, 1961. Thanks to the Steele-Reese Foundation and the Pew Memorial Trusts, the library was modernized and filled with new, “state of the art” equipment in the 1980s.

Since that time, a long list of generous grants from The Grover Hermann Foundation have made possible several crucial projects around campus, such as the construction of a men’s residence hall, construction of a convocation and recreation center, and now the newest renovation to Cumberlands’ library.

In 2018, University of the Cumberlands embarked on a $7.8 million campaign to modernize the library into a 21st century learning center. The Grover Hermann Foundation was again a major contributor to Cumberlands, providing a $5 million gift to the campaign.

The new architectural design includes a first floor filled with technology booths, a coffee bar and café, computer areas, rooms for quiet study, and a portion of the library’s media collection. The second floor includes the bulk of the library’s collection, in addition to a couple classrooms and plenty of seating and study areas. An elevator has been added, increasing access to all floors.