Alumni Magazine Spring 2022

SPRING 2022

UN M IN IM A M GA AG ZA IZNI EN E A LA UL M

CHEER S TO THE

CLASS OF 2022 W E LCO M I N G O U R N E W E S T A LU M S

ON THE COVER Dr. Chin Tan, ’87 (left), and Dr. Julie Tan, ’87 (right), celebrate the graduation of their niece, Hannah Tan, ’22 (center), daughter of Huey Tan, ’92. Hannah recently finished her Bachelor of Science in Information Technology.

Features 8

CLASS OF 2022 Celebrating Our Graduates

14

Q & A: A LIFETIME OF MAKING ART

16

I DON'T KNOW

20 26

David Farmer, ’69

John Hughes, ’18

WEAVING HER HISTORY Cordellya Smith, MAE ’15 MISTER HAMPTON Ted Hampton, ’62

In Every Issue 6 32 35 2

|

Campus News Class Notes Cumberlands Couples SPRING 2021

36 38 39

In Memoriam Patriot Salute Then & Now

Campus Memories Lorri Stivers, ’95 Mrs. Fish stopped me after class and asked me if I would consider changing my major to English. She said she saw my writing as a true gift and encouraged me to make the switch from prepharmacy. And you know what? I did just that and became a high school English teacher!

Deanna Ford Lemons, ’90 I remember my classes with Mrs. Fish, being in their home babysitting, interacting at the daycare, introducing my daughter to the them, and cherishing books that were theirs. So many memories of these two amazing people, and I can’t wait to spend more time with them. Blessed to know Tom and Kathy Fish.

EXECUTIVE 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 VICE PRESIDENT OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Andrew Powell SENIOR EDITOR Gabrielle Mellendorf

SENIOR WRITER Sarah Rainous, ’17, MACS ’21 DESIGNER Kelsey Infield, ’13, MACS ’15 PHOTOGRAPHER AND ATHLETICS EDITOR William Turner, ’21 DIGITAL CONTENT Jordan Jung

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.

GRADUATE ASSISTANT RESEARCHER Clara Arnold, ’19 CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

3

ALUMNIGREETINGS Hello, Cumberlands Alumni!

I am thrilled to represent University of the Cumberlands by serving as the president of the Alumni Board of Directors. During my tenure, my theme, if you will, is Leaving a Legacy. Our alma mater was founded over 133 years ago to prepare servant leaders at a Christian based, affordable institution. The purpose adopted by our founders is still the mission of the university today. The legacy of Cumberlands is not just written in its history; it continues through the students of today and the students of the future.

I came to Cumberland College in the fall of 1985. I still remember my first day on campus waiting to see what dorm I was in and who my roommates would be. I was the first person in my family to attend college. I was both enthralled with this new chapter and terrified at the same time. Little did I know just how much this tiny school in the mountains of Kentucky would influence my life.

In the thirty years since leaving Cumberlands, I have experienced both joy and heartbreak, life and loss, success and defeat. The one constant has been my connection to Cumberlands. To this day, I have a friendship group from my days on the Campus Activities Board that texts daily. My former roommates are now my prayer partners. The ‘80s football players still consider me part of the tribe and include me in their reunions. My husband, Eddie Bloomer, ’87, serves along with me. Cumberlands made a family out of complete strangers.

YOU are part of this family. YOU are part of the Legacy. YOU are the reason Cumberlands exists.

I encourage you to join me in supporting our school – in continuing the legacy by leaving our own. I am asking you to make a commitment to be an active alumni member. Show up and show out.

Show up to athletic events in your area and cheer on our Patriots. Show up to local chapter meetings. There are active alumni chapters in Cincinnati and Knoxville, and we could use more chapters in more states. Show up at Homecoming ’22, scheduled for September 30 – October 1. I want to see you!

Show out by participating in alumni surveys, so we know how to serve you better. (A big THANK YOU to all who participated in the recent alumni magazine survey!) Show out by downloading the Cumberlands Connect app and participating in our community. Last, show out by participating in giving. This is not all about your money. It is about building strong alumni support that will encourage foundations to partner with the university. It is about leaving your own legacy by ensuring that University of the Cumberlands continues to provide a quality, affordable education for all. It is about giving back to the school that gave us all so much. Together, we can Leave a Legacy. What will yours be?

In HIS service to you,

MELANIE (MACKEY) BLOOMER, ’90, MAE ’19 President, Alumni Board of Directors

4

|

SPRING 2021

A L U M N I

2021-2024 Alumni Board of Directors PRESIDENT Melanie (Mackey) Bloomer, ’90, MAE ’19

PAST PRESIDENT Dr. Joe Ellison, III, ’01

SECRETARY Cathy Sue Smith, ’89 A

BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS Dick Koeniger, ’67 Bill Lyttle, ’75

TERM EXPIRING 2022 Michael Addison, ’14, MBA ’16 Melanie (Mackey) Bloomer, ’90, MAE ’19 Richard Prewitt, ’80 Cathy Sue Smith, ’89 Shannon Warmoth, ’88

TERM EXPIRING 2023 Mathias Brewers, ’16 Wes Cornett, ’90 Wendy (Himes) King, ’03 Ann Orrick-Wohlfarth, ’87, MAE ’13

TERM EXPIRING 2024 Hampton Clark, ’19 Jared Forgety, ’11 Kimé Malcom Harris, ’90 Jimmy Huddleston, ’87 Laura (Cornett) Koogler, ’86

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Dr. Larry L. Cockrum President

Paul P. Steely, ’49 Trustee Liaison

OFFICE OF ALUMNI SERVICE Erica (Broome) Harris, ’84 Executive Director

Paul Stepp, ’12, MSIS ’17 Director

Cumberlands

Give Day

2022 621

Donors

$199,080 Total Raised

449

Alumni Gifts

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

5

CAMPUSNEWS

VIADUCT UPDATE

IBM PARTNERSHIP

Construction on the viaduct began in December 2021 and is still underway, currently on track to be finished by the time students arrive for the fall 2022 semester.

Cumberlands and International Business Machines (IBM) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) outlining the intent to integrate IBM course content into Cumberlands classes within the school’s Department of Computer Information Sciences.

After decades of wear and tear and several repairs to the original viaduct, professionals concluded that the safest plan was to completely reconstruct the structure. The new viaduct – still located in the same location – will feature the old structure’s iconic arches with the same dimensions, to the inch. The viaduct will be a similar gray color to the original structure but will feature black steel beams as the “railings” on the sides of the walkway.

“If you ever strolled across the viaduct holding hands with your sweetheart, laughed your way across it with a friend, or raced across it because you were late to class, you know the uniqueness of that structure,” said Erica Harris, ’84, executive director of Alumni Services. “The old viaduct will not easily be forgotten, nor should it be. But the new one will serve current and future students just as well as the old one served us. Who could ask for more?”

The university is thankful to Kay & Kay, contractor for the structure, as well as Contech for the design and construction.

The structure is expected to be complete by the beginning of August.

Follow the latest ucumberlands.edu/news 6

|

SPRING 2021

The strategic partnership will benefit the university’s undergraduate IT programs as well as its Master of Science in Information Technology and Master of Science in Information Systems Security programs. Students will have the option to complete one or more certificates from IBM in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, security, Internet of Things, or data science, and also have the opportunity to earn a master’s degree in information technology, cyber engineering, security, or blockchain.

Among other benefits, IBM will collaborate with Cumberlands to deploy the IBM Skills Academy to students, which will allow students access to online learning resources, Cloud access for hands-on labs, curated content, and new industry assets. Additionally, Cumberlands will be able to compete in IBM University Award Programs. At the end of each course students complete in which IBM Skills Academy has been integrated, students will receive an IBM Digital Badge, automatically generating a digital résumé with verified achievements embedded with links to real-time labor market data and job postings. Cumberlands will provide updates to IBM regarding research or curriculum development and invite qualified IBMers into opportunities for industry feedback.

PHYSICAL THERAPY

APPALACHIAN INSTITUTE

Cumberlands is launching a new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in January of 2023. This full-time graduate program will feature an accelerated curriculum that takes two years (six semesters) to complete. The DPT program will be delivered in a blended format that includes instruction online, on-campus, and in physical therapy settings.

The purpose for the building which housed the Cumberland Inn has shifted dramatically in recent years in order to fill the needs of current students. The west wing of the building is now the Adams Center, and the east wing is Templeton Hall. What used to be hotel rooms are now dorm rooms; the dining area is now Pete’s Eats (named after Patriot Pete); and the previous museum spaces are now much-needed office space for Cumberlands staff.

On average, physical therapists in the U.S. make approximately $44 per hour, with some PTs earning more than $108,000 per year. The occupation is expected to grow by 21 percent, much faster than the national average. Physical therapy is currently one of the top 10 healthcare jobs in America. University of the Cumberlands is one of fewer than a dozen universities in the U.S. to offer a hybrid accelerated DPT degree program.

During the first full year of Cumberlands’ DPT program, students will participate in online classes and early integrated clinical experiences and will attend intensive lab immersions held on Cumberlands’ main campus in Williamsburg, Kentucky. During the second year of the program, students will participate in online classes, on-campus lab immersions, and three full-time clinical experiences. Full-time clinical experiences will be held throughout Kentucky and across the United States.

In addition, the first floor of the Adams Center holds the Terry and Marion Forcht School of Nursing, one of Cumberlands’ newest programs. The Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program began in January 2020.

“I feel like the program is preparing me for success in the field,” said Gabriel Griffin, who is earning his ADN at Cumberlands. “My instructors have prepared and pushed me to be confident in myself and give everything my best. I am grateful for the support that I have received.”

There is a complete career pathway within the Forcht School of Nursing. Students can become a Certified Nurse Aid (CNA), receive their associate degree in nursing, obtain their RN to BSN degree, and pursue a Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN-FNP). The RN to BSN and MSN-FNP degrees can be completed online, allowing students to work while pursuing their education.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

7

f o s s la

C

2

8 |SPRINGL 2021

2 2 CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

9

Congratulations Graduates

This year's Commencement ceremonies were held April 29 and 30, celebrating more than 2,000 graduates. During the commencement ceremonies, Cumberlands President Larry Cockrum encouraged everyone who had supported the graduates in some way to stand and receive applause for their important contributions throughout the graduates’ college career. He then offered heartfelt congratulations to the graduates as well as some advice and encouragement.

“Don’t stress out over things you can’t control. Even when things feel unsettled, we are all capable of a new and positive beginning,” he said.

“Sometimes, the worst things in life that happen to you can be the best things that happen to you – if you don’t let the worst get the best of you. Have character. You will be remembered more for your kindness than for your accomplishments. And believe in yourself, no matter what happens.”

During the weekend’s festivities, Cumberlands’ ROTC cadets were commissioned as second lieutenants (2L). Five cadets were commissioned: 2LT Myles Betts of Fort Walton, FL; 2LT Christopher James of Chatsworth, GA; 2LT Emily O’Connor of Oregonia, OH; 2LT Philip Nelson of Ormond Beach, FL; and 2LT Raymond Salas of Newcomb, TN. Congratulations to these new Second Lieutenants, and thank you in advance for your service in the U.S. Army.

The university thanks this spring's graduates for their lasting, positive influence on Cumberlands' campus and the community and congratulates all Class of 2022 scholars and award winners on a job well done. Graduates who attended commencement ceremonies may visit ucumberlands.edu/classof2022 to download their graduation ceremony and photos.

49

States & Territories

B

2,068 Graduates

B

Graduates Representing Canada . India . Brazil . Spain . Africa New Zealand . Italy

SeniorSPOTLIGHT Mary Tatum Hodges, ’22, graduated from Cumberlands this spring, exactly 50 years after her grandfather, Michael Burchfield, ’72, walked across the stage at his own graduation.

To say Grandpa was thrilled would be an understatement.

It is so heartwarming knowing Mary chose my school and is now graduating from there.

Cumberland was a great starting off place for my wife and I. It has a warm spot in my heart.

In all, Michael; his late wife Mary (Bryant) Burchfield, ’71; their daughters, Maria (Burchfield) Hodges and Margaret Elizabeth Burchfield; Mary’s sister, Gina (Bryant) Hoffman, ’81; and Mary Tatum attended Cumberlands. It’s safe to say it’s a typical family thing. As Michael puts it, Maria and Margaret both “got their MRS. degree” at Cumberlands before completing their bachelor’s degrees at other schools. He used to tease his wife that she got her MRS. as well as her bachelor’s in college, thanks to him – a pretty good two-for-one deal.

Neither of Michael’s parents nor either of his late wife’s parents ever graduated high school. Michael’s dad was a coal miner, and the family was quite poor, though not as poor as Mary’s family.

Michael said, “My wife and I didn’t have a snowball’s chance of going forward in this world if it had not been for Cumberland.

We both graduated with our bachelor’s, and now we have four grandchildren in colleges around the country.”

12 |SPRINGL 2021

It was the middle of the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War when Michael and Mary graduated, and Michael was soon drafted into the Army. He served 28 years of active and reserve military duty. Aside from the military, he worked as a grade school teacher and school administrator for approximately 30 years. He is now retired and living in a townhouse in Lakeland, Florida, with seven beloved rescue dogs.

Mary Tatum grew up in Florida, and, if Michael remembers correctly, one of her first times seeing snow as a child was on a visit to Cumberlands (her aunt still lives in the area).

When she was a teenager, her aunt scheduled a campus tour for her and, though it went well, it didn’t win Mary over.

The idea of moving 13 hours away was a lot to consider. So, she applied to and was accepted into Cumberlands, but she really planned on attending a different school in Florida.

One day, though, she woke up and simply changed her mind. After a couple hours on the phone with Cumberlands, she was enrolled.

Mary double majored in psychology and business administration with a minor in criminal justice. For years, she was involved in CAB, where she made several friends.

“People in CAB are just fun. They’re really laid-back,” Mary said. “It’s been funny being involved in both that and residence life because, in residence life, it’s very protocol, and CAB is just so chill. I love both, though.”

Mary got a work-study job in housing as a freshman, became an RA the following year, was promoted to resident hall leader (RHL) her junior year, and became a resident hall director (RHD) in January of her senior year. She plans on earning her MBA at Cumberlands after graduation while she continues serving as an RHD. She said, “My parents still call this area home, even after all these years they’ve lived in Florida. I never understood that before. To be honest, I was kind of a snob when thinking about the area, like, ‘Why did I choose this place?’ I get it now, though. I really love this area. It’s challenged me in ways because I can’t just visit home any weekend. It forces you to get out of your shell and make friends.”

In Mary’s eyes, it’s been an honor to follow in her family’s footsteps and attend Cumberlands. She didn’t realize how much she would love it. Getting to connect with family over the stories of her activities has been great, especially with her grandfather. And she knows her family would have supported her no matter what school she chose to attend… but they do love the Cumberlands swag she buys them from the bookstore.

Mary and her brother have already begun talking about what Cumberlands will be like when his son attends. Who knows, maybe Aunt Mary will even be the one who books his campus tour.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

13

Q&A A LIFETIME OF MAKING ART As David Ray Farmer, ’69, says, “Art is not a good way to make a living, but it is a great way to live life.” He would know. He’s been an oil painter for more than 30 years, and more than 1,500 of his paintings have been marketed around America and in other countries during that time. He is currently an artist-in-residence at the Art Center of the Bluegrass in Danville, Kentucky, the city where he resides.

14

|

SPRING 2021

Why did you decide to enroll at Cumberlands?

I grew up in the area; the college was recommended by friends. My high school grades were so bad that I didn’t attempt college at first. But after the Army, Cumberlands accepted me under the G.I. Bill. I doubt I would have been admitted elsewhere. I went to art school earlier in the 1960s, served in the Army, then went to Cumberlands.

Then I worked until 1993, when I retired and started painting full time.

Tell us about your campus experience.

I appreciated the easy rapport with staff, teachers, and students. My favorite faculty and staff were Dr. Unthank, Dr. and Mrs. Boswell, Dr. Broome, Dr. Wiggins, Mr. Shields, Mrs. Wilder, and Mr. R. Parker. I was an editor of “The Echo” (campus paper at the time) and a member of student council. I learned a lot at Cumberlands, but the most important life lesson I took away is that time management, determination, and discipline are as important as talent and intelligence.

What does being an artist-in-residence entail?

Being an in-house, working artist accessible to the public, as part of the art center’s community service. I have a studio at home and a studio in the art gallery, so, when I show up to the gallery, I walk upstairs into my studio and get to work.

Are you usually in person with the subject of your painting, or do you typically paint using something as a reference?

Except for still life paintings, I mainly use photo references.

I still have Polaroids from the '60s. My wife Carrie and I have traveled throughout central and southeastern Kentucky for many years, with her taking photos for reference. I do a lot of house and building portraits, and she is good at getting the right compositions. I work on site infrequently to establish composition, but seldom do I get a good painting on site. Almost everything is completed in studio.

Do you admire any artists in particular?

I admire the late 19th century and early 20th century American painters. They were true craftsmen. Among living artists, Richard Schmid is a favorite; I have been trying to emulate him for years. Also John S. Sargent, Robert Henri, Anders Zorn, Joaquin Sorolla (we spent a day in his home studio in Madrid, Spain), Degas, Rothko, and most of the Impressionists.

Many of your paintings are of scenes in nature.

Why?

Terrain is character. I grew up in southeastern Kentucky and have always felt part of the terrain, and painting is a way of being part of it. I’m also always inspired by the old architecture around these areas. I’ve painted plenty of houses and other buildings that were important landmarks to me or to other people, such as an old grocery store that used to be along the road that led from Whitley County up to Cincinnati, Ohio. (This was before I-75 existed.) When we used to visit Cincinnati, the store was a good stopping place for refreshments and that sort of thing.

Tell us about your painting experience.

I use oil paint because it is the most versatile and manipulative painting medium available, with great range of color choices. How long a painting takes depends on the subject and the size. It can take anywhere from two hours to two weeks. Over the years, I have gained greater color perception and manual dexterity. The biggest challenges I’ve faced as an artist have been time management and marketing. I’ve learned to avoid TV, movies, and casual relationships. I associate mainly with other artists.

During the pandemic, creative activities like art made a comeback among non-artists who were stuck inside and needing outlets for self-expression. Do you think it's important for people to express themselves through art? If so, why?

Everyone should attempt something for “play” such as art.

The subconscious is awaiting expression – another aspect of self.

You've been an artist for 30+ years. How do you continue to find inspiration? How do you continue to challenge yourself?

I am inspired by the goal of becoming better each year; there is no ceiling.

What kind of response do you receive from people who view your artwork?

Many of my paintings are in medical buildings and corporate offices. I continually receive word about the sentiments evoked. Sometimes those who receive paintings share photos of my work on social media and thank me for making the piece. I enjoy the conversations that sometimes follow from that kind of recognition.

Looking for something to do this summer? Make plans to visit David Farmer at the Art Center of the Bluegrass in Danville, Kentucky.

Visit artcenterky.org/2019/07/david-farmer/ or scan the QR code

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

15

16 |SPRINGL 2021

I don't know.

You have to be willing to say that – in politics and in life. That’s one life lesson that John Hughes, ’18, has learned to stand by. From living in a trailer park to working events headlining the President of the United States, John understands the importance of a good work ethic and accepting the fact that he doesn’t have all the answers. He’s young, especially for being the public relations manager of Kentucky’s Chamber of Commerce. Most people wouldn’t picture a 26-year old as having a managerial role in the Chamber – might not picture a “kid” that age in the Chamber at all – but he is okay with that.

“I have never really seen my age as a factor. Leadership is leadership, and if you’re good, you’re good, no matter what your age is,” he said. “One of my mentors once told me, ‘Never get too good to take out the trash.’ I live by that.”

He has a confidence that seems so natural, it almost feels wrong to mention it.

Whether he’s walking through a parking lot or stepping into the Kentucky Governor’s office, his laid-back demeanor exudes the notion that he was born for this exact moment – he’s focused, and he’s comfortable here.

John comes from a small town in Kentucky called Brodhead, part of Rockcastle County. Growing up, his family didn’t have a whole lot. His mother was a teacher, and his father was an instructional assistant. They instilled in him that, if he was going to do anything in his life, he was going to have to work hard. That’s what he decided to do.

The first campaign he worked on (and won), he and his buddies sat in someone’s living room and made calls, munching on pizza in between. At Cumberlands, John revitalized the College Republicans club and got involved in the Student Government Association while juggling his schoolwork, commuting from Rockcastle, and working as a football team manager.

He also worked in a law office and landed some valuable internships, including one in Washington, D.C., working for U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. Add in a couple more political campaigns, plus a little time to eat and sleep here and there, and that was John’s life from high school to young adulthood.

The last campaign he ran was historic.

John recalls, “I got a call from a mentor asking if I wanted to help out with the campaign for Daniel Cameron. I told him, ‘You’ll never believe this. Two days ago, I messaged somebody asking who was running his race.’ I had experience and wanted to help out, even if it was a nonpaid role. Well, I get a call a couple more days later, saying, ‘Hey, you want to meet Daniel?’ I was like, ‘This is a God thing.’

Before I know it, it’s me, Daniel, and Terry Carmack, who is Mitch McConnell’s state director, sitting in a Cracker Barrel. We don’t even know what my title will be, but this is happening. Later, Daniel tells me I’m 18 |SPRINGL 2021

the campaign manager. I’m thinking, ‘This is not what I signed up for. But okay.’”

The year of 2019 was a blur of campaign work. For five months of it, John and Daniel drove around Kentucky together on the campaign trail. “You really bond with someone over chicken nuggets,” John said. Despite their shoestring campaign budget, Cameron won. Today, he’s known as the 51st Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, the first Republican elected to the AG office since 1948, and the first Black official in Kentucky’s history to be independently elected to statewide office.

John is a junior lobbyist at the Chamber as well as the public affairs manager.

The bills he follows are in the education, agriculture, and small business fields.

Lobbying, in essence, is when someone advocates for (or against) a bill that is set to be voted on at the next General Assembly. When bills come to the Chamber, the Chamber has a multistep, democratic process to determine what they are for and against. Then it’s the job of the lobbyists to communicate that stance and the reasoning behind it to key connections.

“Daniel’s one of my best friends,” John said. “I was in his wedding. He’s going to be in mine.” John and his fiancée Maddy are engaged to be married in May 2022.

"I know what everybody else knows about John Hughes: he’s a good man," said Cameron. "He’s down-toearth and has never met a stranger. He’s thoughtful and deeply cares about people. I’m fortunate to count him as a close friend and will always be his biggest fan. I know that he will be successful in anything he does."

Cameron kept John on staff as his legislative liaison, due to his relationships in the state House and his campaign work.

Though John would work for Cameron forever if he could, when he found out that a job had opened at the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, he knew it was time to move on. In his newest role as the manager of public affairs for the Chamber, he is, yet again, one of the youngest guys in the office. But he accepts it and the life lessons it teaches.

“You can’t act like you know everything, especially at my age,” said John. “I only know what I know. I’ve seen guys walk into meetings and try to prove they’re the smartest person in the room, and I’ve seen it really bite them later. I just try to be a sponge and absorb everything I can from my colleagues. I lean on AG Cameron and his incredible staff for guidance from time to time.”

“As far as lobbying efforts go, you kind of have your personal stuff, your portfolio things you take the first stab at. But once it comes down to the big bills that we’re for, everybody’s got to come up to speed and study, then go lobby legislators,” said John. “I primarily work for Kentucky’s House of Representatives, since I worked there for years. We have another guy who talks to the Senate, and so on. That’s how we operate here.”

“Most people, when they think of lobbying, think of board rooms and business meetings,” he said. “For the Kentucky Chamber, we come to you. We know it’s a grassroots effort.”

Lobbyists must have strong reading comprehension skills and a good mental grasp on their field in order to understand the implications of a bill. If this bill were to pass, what ripple effects would there be, to whom, and for how long? Sometimes, it’s difficult to tell. In those instances, lobbyists start making calls to find out who the experts are in that field, then take notes from them. It's a fast-paced environment, which John loves.

John doesn't know what his next job will be. He doesn't even have a specific career goal in mind. But, just like with other things in his job, not knowing something hasn't stopped him yet. With his track record, chances are slim that it ever will.

I only know what I know. I’ve seen guys walk into meetings and try to prove they’re the smartest person in the room, and I’ve seen it really bite them later. I just try to be a sponge and absorb everything I can from my colleagues. I lean on AG Cameron and his incredible staff for guidance from time to time.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

19

her

History

Children's author, Cordellya Smith, MAE ’15, shares with us how family heritage influenced her writing. The following feature is her account.

M

y story begins back when the first immigrants who came to the U.S. were from Ireland and Scotland. They came to leave hardships at home and became founders of the American Dream. During the American Revolution, they volunteered to fight with the hope of creating a new country free from British rule. When the war ended, the new United States of America gave some of these soldiers war bounty land grants as payment for their service on “unclaimed” land in the Appalachian Mountains. Other soldiers used their military pensions to buy large tracts of the “unclaimed” land. This resulted in a migration of Irish and Scottish settlers into the mountains of Tennessee and Kentucky after the Revolutionary War. I can imagine when those soldier settlers arrived at their new properties and discovered the land was not actually “unclaimed.” The Cherokee were already living there. As a result, they began living, sometimes more peacefully than others, beside Cherokee neighbors.

When their children and grandchildren grew up, many of them elected to take Cherokee husbands or wives from neighboring families.

Margaret Verble, a Cherokee author who lives in Kentucky, once said, “I think in general the Cherokees adopted a strategy early on of marrying into white people on the theory that whites would be less likely to kill their own children in the future.”

20

|

SPRING 2021

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

21

This was exactly the order of events for Private John Scalf, Jr. He served in the 10th North Carolina Regiment for three years during the American Revolution and settled his new land in an area with Cherokee neighbors. Upon reaching adulthood, his son, Ira Scalf, married Roseannah Gibson, who was Cherokee. They were my great-great-great-great grandparents.

Unfortunately, sometimes the children of these intermarriages weren't fully accepted into the communities in which they lived.

They were called melungeons. Today, there is much debate among scholars about what exactly "melungeon" means. I was taught that people treated them differently and were often racist against them.

They were even regularly asked if they were mixed with Indian or mixed with African. (Not that either answer made such inquisitors more welcoming.) There were places they weren't welcome, storefronts they were asked not to enter from the front, and jobs they couldn't do just because of their parentage.

legacy

This is the into which my great-grandfather, Dexter Smith, was born. His mother, Amanda, was a granddaughter of Ira Scalf and Roseannah Gibson. She carried more than the proof of her parentage in her skin. She was proud to be part Cherokee.

She shared the customs and stories of her family with her children.

She also shared the heartaches and prejudices that she had seen and endured as a child. Amanda and her husband, James Smith, lived on a farm in the mountains of Clay County, Kentucky, and had nine children. When she died in childbirth, her son, Dexter, was only twelve years old. But, despite his youth, he remembered her teachings and her stories for the remainder of his long life.

Because Dexter and his brothers and sisters were from a poor farm family in the mountains of Kentucky, it was more important for them to work the farm, take care of the animals and crops, and do any odd jobs they could find to earn money than it was to walk to school. For that reason, Dexter Smith, who I knew my entire life simply as Papaw Smith, never learned to read or write.

Papaw Smith married Cordia Mills, and together they had and raised seven children on a farm in Clay County in just the same way they were raised. They worked from sun up to sun down just so their family could survive. They raised and slaughtered their own hogs, grew and preserved their own fruits and vegetables, and made nearly everything they needed to live. Their children attended a little one-room school house wearing overalls and feedsack dresses when they weren’t needed on the farm and could do so, which was not often. It was this very limited education that allowed one of their daughters, Bernice Smith, to learn to recognize her name in print. She couldn’t actually read the words around it, but she could recognize her name, and that was progress.

Bernice married a man named Earl Chadwell from a farm family even larger than hers (he was one of twelve children), and together they moved to Laurel County, Kentucky. They had ten children, of whom my mother is the eldest. Like the generations before them, they raised their family on a farm, always struggling to make sure they put enough away in the spring and summer to get the family through the cold of winter. Unlike the generations before her, my mother was able to attend school long enough to learn to read.

She stopped attending school to help take care of her younger brothers and sisters at home after finishing sixth grade.

22

|

SPRING 2021

family

This is the into which I was born. My grandparents and great-grandparents for generations lived on farms in the mountains of Kentucky. They couldn't read their own names in print; they signed official documents with an "X" and witnesses.

They weren’t rich, but they were happy. They were surrounded by loved ones. They were blessed with a wealth of oral stories passed down from one generation to the next. They were gifted with their hands, demonstrating talents in woodworking and sewing. Many of them could play any instrument placed before them. And they were hard workers.

During my childhood, my parents divorced. My mother, brother, and I moved to the family farm in Clay County and lived with my elderly great-grandfather for a time in the small house he built himself and in which he and Cordia had raised their children. The things I remember most about it were the outdoor toilet around the side of the mountain out back, the wood stove we used for heat, and the great big porch where everyone gathered in the evenings to talk, sing, and listen to stories.

storyteller

Papaw Smith was an excellent . We were blessed because he lived to be ninety-three years old. Five generations of our family heard his stories in person. He told stories about his lived experiences as a young man during World War I, the Great Depression, World War II, and the many conflicts that happened thereafter. He told stories about his family and the creeks and the hollers in the community around him. He was also uniquely creative in his dealings with children.

At that time, my little brother, Matthew, and I fancied ourselves explorers. We liked to set out in the woods and see where we ended up. On more than one occasion this worked out badly for us. For instance, the day we built a lean-to in the woods out of sticks and topped it with poison ivy vines to help conceal it. (That was also the day we learned to identify poison ivy plants on sight, by the way.)

Papaw Smith was afraid our adventures would lead us over the side of a mountain, into a copperhead’s nest or a bear’s den, or into a creek that would drag us underwater. One day while we were sitting on the porch listening to his stories, Papaw told us the tale of the Bogeyman.

"The Bogeyman is an old creature that has lived in the mountains since they were new.

It is more beast than man, even though it walks on two legs. It has long, stringy, gray hair that covers its face so completely you can't even see its eyes. It wears an old, black coat so it can move in the shadows without being seen. The Bogeyman lives in a cave in the mountains. It steals plump, juicy children, carries them to its cave, and eats them for supper."

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

23

Papaw’s hope was that we would be scared of the Bogeyman and stay around the house and barn, where we would be safe. But, like all true explorers, we were willing to accept some risk. One morning after breakfast, we went outside. Leaving the main yard, we started walking down the mountain toward the creek. Just as we were about to pass the little smokehouse, we saw him. We saw the Bogeyman! He was leaning around the corner of the smokehouse, looking at us. Even if you try, you cannot imagine two children running faster than we did back up the mountain to the house. And we never ventured outside the main yard again without a grown-up with us who could protect us from the Bogeyman.

Years later, when we were grown, Papaw would tell the story of how he created the Bogeyman and laugh and slap his knee. He had turned a very dirty old mop upside down, nailed a thin strip of wood across the handle on it, and hung his old black coat across that wood. Then he attached this monster to the back of the smokehouse so it would look like it was peeping out from the shadows next to the woods and let it do its work.

Papaw Smith passed away in 2006 at the age of 93. But it is not only Papaw’s Bogeyman that has stayed with me all these years.

The stories he shared that I loved best were the animal stories he passed on from his mother. My oldest son was fortunate enough to spend time with Papaw Smith and hear his stories in person.

But, when my daughter was born, I knew I needed a way to share the stories Papaw had told us so that she would remember them.

Weaving a few of them into her favorite story, I created

Kawoni’s Journey Across the Mountain: A Cherokee Little Red Riding Hood. The most important story it includes is that of how the first fire originally came to the Cherokee. In Kawoni’s Journey,

24

|

SPRING 2021

Kawoni meets Kanane’ski Amai’yehi, who is the great water spider that carried the first fire across the great water to the Cherokee.

My second book, Otter’s Coat: The Real Reason Turtle Raced Rabbit, another of Papaw Smith’s stories into the classic tale of the Tortoise and the Hare. It is the first of a series of Cherolachian tales I am writing and hope to publish in the next few years to share my version of Papaw’s stories.

weaves

Why "Cherolachian"? I cannot say I am Cherokee because I am mixed. I will not say I am melungeon because that is a repugnant, racist word. As such, I was at a loss for how to describe myself and people like me in Appalachia. We were different. There simply was no word for us.

As I grew older, I realized there were many, many others like me in Eastern Kentucky who had a Cherokee great-greatgrandparent somewhere in their family tree. I invented the word "Cherolachian" to describe those with mixed Cherokee heritage in the Appalachian area, many of whom are mixed with either Scots/Irish (like me), English, or African. It is a good word with no negative connotations. For me, it means that we carry the traditions of both cultures.

As a child, I loved Papaw Smith's stories. But he also taught my brother and I lessons about how to live life. Looking back, I attribute that partially to his own lifestyle as a farmer and partially to Cherokee values that were passed down over generations.

For instance, work the soil with your hands, plant more than you need, share with other people and animals, and never take or use the last of anything. Papaw Smith went ginseng hunting every year. He would look for places in the forest where there were at least three ginseng plants growing, and he would dig up no more than two. In this way, he always left one plant to grow and drop berries so that it could make more for the next generation.

We now have a small farm in Carrollton, Georgia. My family and I spend a lot of time working outside. We have apples, pears, figs, paw paws, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and aronia berries. We also grow a vegetable garden every year. We preserve and store food. We sell extra produce to those in the area at times. At others, we give it away to those who will come help pick it. Since most people no longer know what a paw paw is, we give those away when they are ripe to anyone who wants to try one. We also leave wheelbarrows full of overripe or culled fruits at the edge of the woods for the wildlife. The deer in our area especially love apples, peaches, and pears.

As a Cherolachian, the food I grew up with depended heavily on our gardens and what else was available locally. Cherolachian foods reflect the mix of cultures represented in them. My favorite foods are soup beans, fried cornbread, and polk salat. I also have what I consider an excellent family recipe for grape-blackberry dumplings. What I learned in childhood is that the best foods are those we grow ourselves.

Some of the things I carry that I learned from Papaw Smith through his mother's teachings are a love of the land, an emphasis on the importance of our ancestors, and a love of stories. I no longer have my "mountain talk" Cherolachian accent, though I really wish I did. But the most important thing I learned from him is that we must always be grateful. I am grateful for my family living today, those who came before me, and my many blessings.

Today, I am a wife and mother of four. A first-generation college student, I now hold three college degrees and am working on my fourth. I love learning. My first Master of Arts was from University of the Cumberlands’ Reading and Writing Specialist program. I selected that program for many reasons. One of them was that University of the Cumberlands offers the best education possible at the most reasonable price point in Southeastern Kentucky.

Another, no less important consideration was my memory of how hard it was for me to learn to read as a child. Until late elementary school, reading for me was a constant struggle. It was humiliating when teachers called on me to read aloud in class and I stumbled over the words. Sometimes it felt like there were more words I didn’t know than those I knew. By the time I sounded each one out, nothing I had read made any sense.

The teacher who changed this for me was Mrs. Hacker at Bush Elementary. She just kept trying until I not only learned to read, but learned to love reading. There are no accolades high enough to acknowledge the difference she made in my life. Finally, the faculty at University of the Cumberlands is extraordinary. I am truly grateful for the contributions Dr. Bobbie Huff, ’89, MAEd ’91, EdD ’17, Dr. Jennifer Bohman Chambers, and Dr. Joyce Bowling, EdD ’13 have made in my journey. I taught reading and writing for seven years, but I am no longer in the classroom teaching. My hope is that my writing will help children learn to love stories and reading. A love of reading can change a life.

I currently work as a degree auditor for the University of West Georgia. I try to help as many students as possible get on track for graduation and earn their degrees. Education is invaluable. It is the only way to end generational poverty. Helping one student graduate from college doesn't really help one student, it helps multiple generations of that family for years to come.

To all those who have helped me on my life’s wado, which is "thank you" in Cherokee.

journey,

Grape Blackberry Dumplings Ingredients: 1 1/2 Quarts Unsweetened Grape Juice 1 Quart Blackberries 2 Cups Possum Grapes (Muscadines) 1 1/2 Cups Sugar 3 Cups All Purpose Flour 1 TSP Baking Powder 1 TSP Melted Shortening 1 Cup Water Instructions: Bring grape juice, blackberries, grapes, and one cup of sugar to boil. If you don't have possum grapes (muscadines), you can substitute any red grapes.

In a seperate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining sugar. Add shortening to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until uniform. Then add one cup of water and mix to form a ball of dough.

When the juice and fruit have started to boil, pinch off bits of dough and drop them into the pot. When the top is covered, stir so that all the floating dough is swelling bigger than a teaspoon, use the side of your spoon to cut it in half so it can cook all the way through.

Cook twenty minutes once all dough has been added to the pot.

Enjoy warm! This can also be served with ice cream or over biscuits.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

25

Mister Hampton T

ed Hampton, ’62, is the longest serving manager/CEO of any rural electric cooperative in the United States. April 2022 marks 58 years in the position. He was just 24 years old when his uncle, Bill Hampton, who had been leading Cumberland Valley Electric (CVE) for 10 years, suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away in 1964. At the time, Ted was teaching at a local high school. The managers at CVE approached Hampton and asked if he would step into his uncle’s shoes and lead the company. He discussed it with his dad, who said, “Go for it.” He has been the manager ever since.

The co-op’s headquarters consist of a set of buildings off US-25E in Corbin, Kentucky. Inside the main building sits Hampton’s office.

It’s as though an office space moved into the living room of an old-school Kentucky home. 1970s-style wood paneling covers the walls, and a large, dark-stained wooden desk commands the room.

One upholstered chair is placed off to the side of the room, and two more sit across from the desk.

The desk is organized. A few piles of paper bound with binder clips lay neatly on top of each other, awaiting Hampton’s signature. Next to the stack is a Styrofoam cup with still-steaming black coffee.

Hampton holds an impromptu meeting every morning to go over the day’s agenda; some staff have their mugs they sip from, he prefers a simple cup. In the left corner of the desk sits a red and pink Valentine’s Day coffee mug (go figure) with a miniature sock monkey inside – a gift from Hampton’s wife. On the right corner sits a small picture frame with an image of Hampton’s granddaughter, Tory, smiling for the camera. Hampton’s daughter Amy, Tory’s mother, who also attended Cumberlands, passed away in 2013.

Hampton and his wife, Margie (Jones) Hampton, ’70, are raising Tory. In a feature story in Kentucky Living about Ted’s battle with COVID-19 – during which he was in the hospital on a ventilator for 31 days – Margie said that, when Ted was so sick he didn’t recognize anybody else, he still recognized Tory every time.

She’s one of the reasons Hampton is still working at the age of 82.

“I’ve got a baby to raise!” he says. But she isn’t the only reason. He shrugs, “I have just always liked what I’m doing.”

The Job The Cumberland Valley Electric co-op was formed by local business and community leaders back in 1940 to bring electricity to the more rural areas of eastern Kentucky. It now services more than 23,600 members/owners across nine counties in Kentucky and two counties in Tennessee.

26 |SPRINGL 2021

Richard Prewitt, ’80, a man with a big voice and a Boston accent that has persevered despite years of Kentucky living, is the director of marketing, economic development, member services, and safety at CVE. He explains, “Cumberland Valley is a distribution cooperative. So, we don’t produce any power.

We get all our power from East Kentucky Power, which is up in Winchester. They make it, they bring it to us, and we sell it to houses and businesses.”

in the office to report on usage. It was a headache, at times, configuring everything, but it’s a more trustworthy and efficient system.

Besides pioneering the new system, CVE has received special attention for its commitment to low prices. It has continually offered some of the lowest rates of any co-op in the nation, which once prompted a visit from Joanne Emerson, president of the National World Electric Cooperative at the time.

Explains Prewitt, “She came to get a grasp on how we help our most impoverished members who have big, expensive bills in the wintertime. CVE leads the state in programs to help people in those situations. Visits like that from people in Washington, D.C., are a rarity. But Mister Hampton is a superstar when it comes to trying to take care of people. He has devoted his entire life to making sure they have low electricity rates.”

College Influence Prewitt was a high school principal when Hampton offered him a job at CVE 10 years ago. Of the bosses he's had, Hampton is "at the top of the tree." In his words, "There's not another Cumberlands graduate more worthy of recognition."

Hampton’s coworkers call him “Mister Hampton” and still typically refer to him as the “manager” instead of “CEO” because for many years the official title was “co-op manager.” Hampton has overseen several technological advances for the co-op. Two big technological changes stick out in Hampton’s mind: the dispatching system and the bill payment system.

Dispatching system: The Outage Management Room boasts one large screen that covers most of a wall, plus two smaller screens on the left and right, and computers in the back of the room controlling them all. With the room’s lights turned off and only the glow of the screens illuminating people’s faces, the room resembles a scene from a cop show. The large center screen is a map of CVE’s coverage. As people call in to report an outage, the CVE team can see where and what the problem is and dispatch someone to the area to fix it.

Being a rural cooperative, CVE faces a number of issues (trees, rivers, mountains, etc.) that they have to work around. But it’s easy enough on a typical day. Major outages, like after winter storms, are a different story.

“Ice is worse for us than snow,” Prewitt says. “One thing it does is, it sticks to the power lines and weighs them down. When they touch each other, that causes a problem.” When the problem is widespread and complicated, Prewitt says, “We’ll have days where we work until late at night, then go home, get some sleep, and show up early the next morning. And we’ll do that however long it takes. Anything to get the lights back on.”

Bill payment: In the late 1990s, CVE pioneered an automated meter reading system. Hampton recalls, “In the beginning, a member would call in their usage, and we billed them based on what they told us.” The new meters communicate with computers

A home-grown “country boy and proud of it,” Hampton grew up between Barbourville and Pineville, Kentucky. His parents pushed him to attend college and, because Cumberlands was close to home, that was Hampton’s choice. As a student, he spent his summers working for an engineering firm in Bowling Green. He also overloaded his class schedule in college so he could graduate a semester early. His only regret about it was that he didn’t have his senior season for track and field; he was a “speedster,” as he puts it, competing as an anchor on short relay teams, running the 100 and the 220, and doing broad jump. He graduated with plenty of athletic accomplishments, a degree in social studies and physical education, and great memories.

“Dr. John Renfro and Coach Duke treated me like I was one of their sons,” he says. “Renfro was an official for high school games, and, when he was going to go call ball, he’d take me with him.

That was great. I enjoyed that very much.”

He’s brought that atmosphere of comradery – intentionally or not – to CVE with him. He hums softly to himself as he walks through the hallways, and he greets everyone he sees. He compliments the workers to their faces and asks if they need anything from him before he returns to his office. He doesn’t move as fast as he used to, but his mind is still quick as a whip. His employees all know he would never ask them to do something that he wouldn’t roll up his sleeves in a second and do himself. And he gives credit wherever it’s due.

“It was quite a change from chasing kids to working for a utility company,” he says, recounting his first year at CVE. “The employees here took care of me, telling me, ‘Do that, don’t do this.’ I give them credit for my success my first year. And after I learned the job, then it just became routine stuff.”

Sometimes, life is like that – just routine. Just a simple life, going from the office to home and back again. Yet, as Hampton’s life shows, being diligent in the simple stuff makes as much of a difference as showing up for the bigger things. Or, maybe the simple things were the big things all along.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

27

DREW W

"Leadership is the ability to motivate and inspire" Cumberlands had the honor of hosting Super Bowl Champion and MVP Drew Brees as the keynote speaker of the 15th annual Excellence in Leadership Series event, sponsored by Forcht Group of Kentucky. Brees is the 2009 Super Bowl MVP-winning quarterback for the New Orleans Saints. He retired from the NFL after completing the 2020 season. For the course of the event, Brees answered a series of questions focused on his experiences in football, faith and family, and philanthropy. He said, "Leadership is the ability to motivate and inspire, the ability to bring out the best in others around you. First and foremost, it’s leading by example. As a leader, you’re always asking, ‘What can I do to help you accomplish your goals?’ The minute they know you care about them beyond just the task at hand, that’s when you’re truly going to have the strongest connection with them." As well as explaining how God has led his life and offering his perspective on the importance of gratitude, respect, and humility, Brees gave advice for how to best walk through a profession: master a skill, then mentor others in that skill, and use your influence to make a difference. His interactions with students and community members were both thought-provoking and inspiring.

Derrick K. Ramsey received this year’s Leadership Award for his decades of positive influence in Kentucky athletics, education, and business. Most recently, Ramsey served as Secretary of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet and Secretary of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. He and his wife, Li, attended the event.

Cumberlands’ new head football coach, Shan Housekeeper, and two Cumberlands football players stepped onstage to thank Brees for attending the event and ask him to sign and pass a football.

Good news: the student caught the ball.

The football Brees signed was given as a surprise to Chase (left) and Drew (right) Shearer, who arrived at the event wearing Brees’ now-iconic No. 9 Saints jerseys. The downside is that they have to share the ball. The upside is that they met one of their heroes in person.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

29

PATRIOTS SH I N I NG MOM E NTS Archery The Patriots archery team won their fourth consecutive 3D National Championship and their first USA Outdoor National Championship, their 12th National Championship in program history. They were also the MSC Team Champions for the fourth straight year. In total, the team had 16 archers who received MSC Academic All-Conference honors (the most in program history), 17 archers named to the USA All-Region Team (also the most in program history), and 12 archers named Academic All-Americans, 17 All-Americans, and 3 USA Archery Shooters of the Year.

The archers this season broke numerous program records.

Madison Cox, ’23, a McKee, Kentucky native, has made the podium in eight national events – every national event she has competed in. She has also won five Individual National Championships and owns all three school records in archery (3D, Indoor, and Outdoor). She recently became the first Patriot archer to win an individual “Triple Crown,” winning all 3 national events in the 2021-2022 season.

She has set three national records and is a two-time MSC Shooter of the Year – the only archer in MSC history to win that twice. She was named the USA Collegiate All-Around Shooter of the Year in 2020 and 2022, is a three-time Academic All-American, a three-time All-American, and a two-time Academic All-Conference awardee, among other honors.

30

|

SPRING 2021

Football Shan Housekeeper, a longtime defensive coordinator within the Mid-South Conference, has been named the head coach at University of the Cumberlands. Housekeeper becomes just the sixth head coach in program history replacing Matt Rhymer, who stepped down in December.

"We are thrilled to bring Coach Housekeeper to Williamsburg," said Chris Kraftick, athletic director. "After undergoing an extensive search process, Shan proved himself the perfect fit for Cumberlands."

"The Patriots football program has had a tradition of great players and coaches," said Coach Housekeeper. "I'm excited to do my part to continue to develop high standards through clear expectations, great relationships, and hard work."

Housekeeper comes to Williamsburg after spending 14 years on the coaching staff at Georgetown College. During his time as the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach for the Tigers, Georgetown had one of the best defenses in the NAIA. Housekeeper also served as the Strength and Conditioning Coach as well as worked countless summer football camps.

Housekeeper won the 2021 Mid-South Conference Bluegrass Division Assistant Coach of the Year and the Donna Hawkins Coaching for Significance Award in 2018, and he was nominated for the 2017 National Coordinator of the Year. In his time with Georgetown, Housekeeper has coached five Mid-South Conference Defensive Players of the Year, 11 NAIA All-Americans, and 65 MSC All-Conference selections.

Bowling The Patriots made history this season at the NAIA National Championship. Cumberlands received an at-large bid to the tourney and made the most of it, making it all the way to the final four teams. Their season ended in the semifinals in a highly competitive match with Indiana Tech. The Patriots had a historic season, finishing fourth, the highest placing at the national tournament in program history.

Men's Golf After winning the Mid-South Conference Tournament Championship, Jarryd Elliott, ’24 received MSC Golfer of the Week honors, announced by conference officials the first week of May 2022. He also garnered Second Team All-Conference honors this year, the first all-conference recognition in his career. The Witbank, South Africa, native secured top-20 finishes in four of the Patriots’ nine events this season.

CLASSNOTES 1960s Zafer Roback, ’65, was recognized

by Marquis Who’s Who as a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient based on career longevity, philanthropic endeavors, and lasting contributions to society. Only a handful were chosen to represent Marquis Who’s Who as advertised in the Wall Street Journal.

1970s J.L. “Lynn” Singleton, ‘70, PPAC president and CEO, was recognized

by Providence Business News as a “Driving Force” in the Rhode Island business community.

Dr. David Higgins, PhD ‘74, retired from Health First Community Health Center and has been promoted to a full-time professor at Cumberlands, where he also holds the title of Clinical Applications Coordinator for the counseling program.

Bob Finch, ‘77, is serving as the Director of Missions for the Cumberland Gap Baptist Association in Harrogate, TN. Duane Floro, ‘79, stepped away from 19 years of serving on the staff of The State Convention. He resides with his wife Deana in the Colombus, OH, area, where he still serves as the president of City Change, Inc.

Dr. Robert Burnett, ‘87, was installed as the Executive Director of the Clear Creek Baptist Association, Anna, IL, in November of 2021.

Rick Russell, ‘87, has written a Christian historical novel, Thunder Legion, which can be found on Amazon in paperback and E-book formats.

Leadership and Policy Studies with an add-on certificate in International Children, Family, and Youth.

2000s Dr. Joseph Ellison, III, ‘01, was promoted to the position of Assistant Superintendent of High Schools for Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, KY. In this role, he leads the work of the district’s 27 high schools and provides support to school principals.

Amy Mulfinger, ‘88, is pursuing a 10th profession as an Ohio school treasurer.

1990s Wes Brockway, ‘91, was called to serve as pastor of Campbellsburg Baptist Church in Campbellsburg, KY. Cathy (Anthony) Ray, ‘95, was named Director of Provider and Physician Relations for Women’s and Children’s Service with HCA/Mission Health in Asheville, NC. Patrick Gallagher, ‘96, was promoted to the rank of Master Trooper after serving nearly 24 years with the Virginia State Police.

David Fugatt, ‘97, was ordained an Elder in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church on August 27, 2021.

Dr. Julie (Hoover) Sears, ‘99, graduated from The University of Tennessee with a Ph.D. in Educational

Michael Cabell, ‘01, was named Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Assistant to the Executive DirectorTreasurer.

Rebekah Riggs, ‘07, has been named the new Director of Health Services for The Holler Creative in Corbin, KY. Taran Keeney, ‘09 was promoted to Waitsboro Branch Manager for Citizens National Bank in Somerset, KY. Holly (Jenkins) Lawson, MAEd ’09, EdS ’14, was named the director of Special Education in the Carroll County School District (KY).

Julie Gann, MAE ’14, EdS ’20, was given the 2021 Gifted Coordinator Award by the National Association for Gifted Children.

1980s Pam (Schumeth) Emmert, ‘85, was promoted to Senior Director of Faster Care for Florida Panhandle with Florida Baptist Children’s Homes/One More Child.

David Popham, ‘85, is serving as Conference Minister of the Hawaii Conference United Church of Christ.

32

|

SPRING 2021

Roback

(’65)

Singleton (‘70)

Burnett (’87)

Brockway (’91

Ellison (’01)

Riggs (’07)

Keeney (’09)

Lawson (’09)

2010s Cornel Carter, MAEd ‘15, EdS ‘18, was named Fayette County Public Schools (KY) 2021 Elementary Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Coach of the Year (PBIS) for his work at Cardinal Valley Elementary.

Olivia Farmer, ‘16, MSHHP ‘18, was named the girls’ basketball coach in Shelby County, KY. Dr. Lisa Thompson, ‘16, was appointed Director of the Wayne County (KY) Technology Center in July of 2021.

Amber (Hiller) Rose, ‘17, accepted a teaching position at Shelby County East Middle School (KY), teaching 6th/7th grade science.

Dr. Bill Croft, EdD ‘17, was awarded the coveted Fellow of the AARC

Scherer (’17)

Award by the American Associate of Respiratory Care Fellow (FAARC) Selection Committee. This award recognizes those individuals who have made a profound and lasting contribution to the profession of respiratory care and to the AARC. He serves as the Executive Director of the NC Respiratory Care Board in Cary, NC. Allison Scherer, EdS ’17, was named the new Principal at James T. Alton Middle School (KY).

Morgan Huenergarde, ‘19, is graduating with a Master of Science in Psychology and continuing in the pursuit of a Ph.D. in School Psychology at the University of Memphis.

Dr. Matt Cardin, PhD ’19, has been named Vice President for Academic Affairs at North Arkansas College in Harrison, AR.

GLOBAL MINISTRY Cheri (Bridges) Floyd, ’91, was recently appointed as the Regional Director for Pacific-Southeast Asia through the Christian missions organization Global Partners. Cheri is the first woman serving in that region to be appointed to this role.

Over the past 30 years, Cheri, her husband, and her three sons have served the people of Papua New Guinea in various roles, from teaching eighth grade level education to adults, to preaching barefoot in small churches with dirt floors, to completing construction projects, to speaking at women’s conferences in big cities, and more.

In addition to her new role as Regional Director, Cheri is finishing her master’s degree in adult education and working with Wesleyan Bible College of Papua New Guinea to set up a program using the learning styles natural to the area’s villages.

A L U M N I

We love hearing about and sharing your good news. Cumberlands Alumni Magazine welcomes Class Notes submissions from alumni.

You can visit ucumberlands.edu/classnotes or scan the barcode to take you to the submission form.

Benjamin, to Kathleen (Kovach) Williams, ‘17, and Tanner Williams, ’17.

oh baby!

1.

4.

2.

5.

3.

(1) Finnean, to Erica (Satterfield) Roggie, ‘09, MAEd ‘14, and Nathaniel Roggie, ‘08.

(2) Anastasia, to Anthony Laschon, ‘03 and family.

(3) Fern, to Emily (Hemphill) Vander Ark, ‘13, and Caleb Vander Ark, ‘13.

(4) Sophie, to McKinzie (Price) Loutre, ‘13, MBA ‘14, and Florian Loutre, ‘16.

(5) Callie, to Kellie (Halcomb) Smoak, ‘18, and Cameron Smoak, ‘16.

34

|

SPRING 2021

i do.

Abby (Carter) Linton , ‘18, and Micah Linton, ‘20, were married on September 18, 2021.

Cumberlands ^^Couples

Kaitlyn (Byington) Ingerick, ‘15, and Connor Ingerick were married on January 13, 2022.

Amanda (Kelly) Foust, ‘17, and Abram Foust were married on August 10, 2021.

Sarah (Rainous) Shelley, ‘17, MACS ‘21, and Connor Shelley were married on November 13, 2021.

ayl Amy (T

or) &

ilt on

Ham Tracey

Tracey Hamilton, ’90, and Amy (Taylor) Hamilton, ’90, met during their freshman year at Cumberlands and never looked back.

McKenzie (Wheeler) Hines, ‘18, and Spencer Hines were married on February 12, 2022.

Mekaila (McReynolds) Hite, ‘18, and Darion Hite, ‘17, were married on October 9, 2021.

The day before their first date, they drove to Richmond with a group of friends to go dancing because that wasn’t yet allowed at Cumberlands. But when they arrived, they had to show an ID to get into the building, and – wouldn’t you know it – Tracey had forgotten his back at school. The whole group was sent home, and Amy wasn’t too happy about it. To make it up to her, Tracey called the next morning and mentioned that one of their friends was singing at church that day. “Want to go with me?” he asked. She accepted. The frustration of the previous night melted away, they had a great time together, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Tracey is musical, and he played in a Christian rock band (a relatively new genre at the time) at the college between his studies and his work as a resident assistant.

The band played in Gatliff Chapel once, which, according to Amy, “sent Miss.

Hall through the roof.” Tracey is now an audio producer, recording the audio for radio and television commercials for clients such as Kroger, Fifth Third Bank, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. He and his son play in their church's worship band.

Amy filled her time at college with friends, studying, and completing work-study hours in the speech and debate department. She admits to being a bit of a rebel her freshman year at Cumberlands, saying she was called into the office of Linda Carter, ’72, on more than one occasion. But by the time she was a senior, she was chosen to represent the college in the Miss Mt. Laurel Scholarship Pageant, so her years at school, as she says, “must have turned something around.” She sold copiers for 22 years after college, then around eight years ago she decided to become a realtor. Between the job, church and social activities, hosting family nights, and babysitting her grandson once or twice a week, she stays busy.

Tyler Padgett ,‘17, and Alysia (Baker) Padgett, ‘19, were married on March 20, 2021.

Shelby (McCully) Kline, ‘18, and Nathan Kline were married on November 13, 2021.

Tracey and Amy grew up in neighboring towns in Cincinnati, Ohio, and they moved back to the Cincinnati area following graduation from Cumberlands. Being an art major, Tracey needed a master’s degree to increase his chances at obtaining a stable job, and he attended the Art Academy of Cincinnati, graduating in ’92. The two got married on Leap Day, February 29, 1992, because it was the Saturday before Tracey’s Spring Break. They have a son and a daughter, both of whom married in 2020, and they now have a grandson they adore. The whole family lives in the same neighborhood and enjoys spending time together throughout the week.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

35

IN MEMORIAM e The 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 Mary (Parrigin) Brandon, ’46, passed away on October 19, 2021.

Mary (Farler) Rutledge, ’56, passed away on January 25, 2022.

Lloyd J. Heisler, ’62, passed away on December 18, 2021.

Barbara J. (Lewellin) Whalen, ’47, passed away on February 3, 2022.

Patricia (Douglas) Layton, ’58, passed away on October 10, 2021.

Wilford L. Johnson, ’62, passed away on December 13, 2021.

JoAnn (Duggins) Chitwood, ’51, passed away on February 25, 2022.

Joyce B. Wong, ’58, passed away on October 9, 2021.

Wanda (Terry) Stanley, ’62, passed away on January 5, 2022.

Phyllis (Jones) Gaddy, ’51, passed away on January 15, 2022.

Linda (Porter) Brashear, ’59, passed away on October 15, 2021.

Dr. Glen Baker, Jr., ‘64, passed away on September 4, 2021.

Betty Lou (Dunn) Martin, ’52, passed away on February 7, 2022.

Robert G. Carter, ’59, passed away on October 10, 2021.

Lida L. (King) Minton, ’52, passed away on February 11, 2022.

Ryland H. Lovett, ’59, passed away on December 16, 2021.

Lt. Col. Ret. Harvey L. Wallace, ’52, passed away on February 18, 2022.

Enoch Hubert Siler, ’60, passed away on October 10, 2021.

Robert G. Grove, ’53, passed away on March 3, 2022.

Ramona (Walters) Richardson, ’53, passed away on November 22, 2021.

Donald Burt Shelton, ’53, passed away on October 7, 2021.

Patricia (Mills) Smith, ’60, passed away on October 28, 2021.

Glenna D. (Trammell) Anderson, ’62, passed away on February 18, 2022.

Pauline (Richardson) Cox, ’62, passed away on December 21, 2021.

Millard R. Francis, ’55, passed away on November 22, 2021.

Dr. Jerry R. Fee, ’62, passed away on January 2, 2022.

George B. Haley, ’55, passed away on November 24, 2021.

Billy J. Fox, ’62, passed away on December 1, 2021.

36

|

SPRING 2021

Helen (Jasper) Nicely, ’64, passed away on January 20, 2022.

Sandra (Moore) Sutton, ’64, passed away on February 22, 2022.

Sandra J. Harbuck, ’65, passed away on September 30, 2021.

Clay Morgan, ’66, passed away on September 30, 2021.

Oona (Kanigoski) Moler, ’66, passed away on November 28, 2021.

Sonny Snellings, ’67, passed away on November 23, 2021.

Jane (Teague) McFarland, ’68, passed away on October 15, 2021.

Jefferson W. Noe, ’69, passed away on November 4, 2021.

Janice (Hill) Sizemore, ’69, passed away on November 24, 2021.

Alice (Lusby) Kelly, ’84, passed away on October 13, 2021.

Rev. Ronald Chastain, ’71, passed away on November 17, 2021.

Jonathan S. Riley, ’86, passed away on November 23, 2021.

Larry Wayne Cox, ’71, passed away on December 30, 2021.

Alvin A. Gates, ’87, passed away on December 10, 2021.

Paula (Ball) Smiddy, ’71, passed away on January 20, 2022.

Daphne (Loudermilk) Loze, ’94, passed away on October 19, 2021.

Jeanette Y. Bush, ’72, passed away on November 11, 2021.

Shauna (McCullough) Dilworth, ’98, passed away on November 30, 2021.

William Forster Baird, ‘72, passed away on January 11, 2022.

Linda (Stanford) Henderson, ’72, passed away on November 10, 2021.

Marvin C. Hughett, ’72, passed away on February 2, 2022.

Rev. Donald McGuire, ’72, passed away on October 14, 2021.

Joan (Tompkins) Rogers, ’72, passed away on October 19, 2021.

Thomas E. Wade, ’72, passed away on December 26, 2021.

Karen (Boyatt) Creekmore, ’74, passed away on January 4, 2022.

John C. Moore, ’74, passed away on December 26, 2021.

Jacqueline (King) Whitt, ’74, passed away on February 3, 2022.

Denise (Thorne) Emberton, MAEd ’12, passed away on November 17, 2021.

Anuj Dutta, ’22, passed away on March 12, 2022.

FACULTY Dr. Fred Sagester, ’69, passed away on December 1, 2021.

While at Cumberlands he was a professor of education and Dean of the Department of Education.

Dr. Carroll Helm passed away November 24, 2021. From 2005 until 2009, Dr. Carroll taught in the Department of Education Dr. Tessa Nelson-Humphries passed away May 13, 2021. Dr. Nelson-Humphries served as a professor in the Department of English 1964-1990.

Farewell Mr. Bailey

Cumberlands Professor

e Micaiah Bailey, ’70, passed away on December 24, 2021. Upon graduating from Cumberland College in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in commerce, Mr. Bailey earned his CPA license and completed an MBA, then returned to Cumberlands in 1973 to begin his teaching career. Mr. Bailey was a favorite in the business department, teaching accounting, business, and commerce courses.

Known for his calm demeanor and expertise, he also had a sly sense of humor and quick wit.

Upon his retirement in 2016, he and his wife, Jana Bailey, MAEd ’84, retired vice president of Finance at Cumberlands, settled in Datil, NM.

Donald Cable, ’79, passed away on January 26, 2022.

Alice (Watson) Upchurch, ’80, passed away on January 1, 2022.

Janet E. Preston, ’81, passed away on October 12, 2021.

Lucy (Crawford) Sizemore, ’83, passed away on January 25, 2022.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

37

Patriot SALUTE

Dr. Dennis Trickett "Psych"ed for Cumberlands

Dr. Dennis Trickett, ’79, who is usually known as “Denny” to friends, originally enrolled at Cumberlands with plans to pursue music ministry after college. After a psychology class under Dr. Robert Darby, however, he switched his major from music to psychology and has been active in that field ever since.

After graduating in 1979, Denny attended graduate school, then returned to Williamsburg, Kentucky, in 1986. He worked for a community mental health center for about 10 years.

Then, in 1997, psychology professor Dr. Brooks (one of Denny’s old professors) announced his retirement, and Denny was approached to interview for the position. He got the job, and over the next 21 years he worked up to full professor status and served as the Department of Psychology chair for 11 years. In 2017, he was given Cumberlands’ award for Excellence in Teaching. He retired in 2018.

“My wife retired the same year from the public school system, so we decided to go out together,” he said.

Denny’s wife, Paula (Estes) Trickett, ’82, studied math and accounting at Cumberlands. She was a math teacher, then assistant principal, and then deputy superintendent for the Whitley County school system.

As a Cumberlands student, Denny played intramural sports (basketball, softball, volleyball, and flag football) and was involved in Love in Action (now Appalachian Ministries). As a professor, he served as a STRIPE in the Insights program for 10 years and helped lead Psi Chi, the psychology honor society on campus. He also helped design the original online master’s degree program in counseling for the university.

He and the other psychology professors tried to teach with a rigor that would prepare their students for graduate school.

38

|

SPRING 2021

“I sought to push students beyond what they perceived as their limits,” he said. “I hoped they learned not to doubt their ability to succeed…as long as they were willing to work very hard.”

Denny taught all of the psychology courses at some point, except for a couple of special topics courses and the Research Design and Statistics courses. In his words, “No one could improve on Dr. Stephens’ mastery of those.” His favorite courses to teach were the counseling courses and Psychology of Religion. The most challenging part of teaching was keeping the courses relevant for students and helping them learn how to apply concepts to their lives instead of merely “spitting back” information they had memorized onto a test. The most rewarding thing was seeing his students – especially those who struggled initially – go on to succeed in graduate programs or in professions of their choosing.

For him, the job wasn’t about course content; it was always about the people, both faculty and students.

“The dedication of the people there and the spirit of service is what makes Cumberlands unique,” he said. “I sorely miss the day-to-day interactions with the other psychology professors.

They were the best group of colleagues one could ever hope for.

And, as much as I enjoy retirement, I miss being in the classroom with the students. They pushed me to be a better instructor and person."

After retirement, he and his wife traveled quite a bit until the pandemic hit. They keep up with their grandkids as much as they can, though the families are scattered from Virginia, to Texas, to Colorado. When Denny isn’t watching grandchildren or in front of his computer (he still teaches a few online classes for Cumberlands), he is generally tinkering in his garage, woodworking, or working in the yard. He also hunts and fishes, and he and his wife hike when the weather permits.

|

THEN & NOW

|

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.

The Gray Brick Building was built in 1906. The following year, Cumberlands (then the Williamsburg Institute) bought it from Highland College.

But classes aren’t all that happen in Bennett! The building is also the occasional host to several different campus events, such as chapel services and club or honor society meetings.

Since 1921, the building has been used to hold classrooms and departmental offices. From 1921-1955, administrative offices were located there as well. It has been the home of the English and history departments since 1921.

Dr. Bob Dunston, who taught religion courses in Bennett for years, said, "For many years, Bennett 107 had a sink in it. For a long time that had been the art classroom. I washed dishes in there and filled coffee pots but wondered too how many students and faculty learned and refined their artistic skills there. Bennett was and is a place of creativity."

From the 1920s to the 1980s, the building held Cumberlands’ counseling services, the ROTC program, a dark room used for photography, and the student newspaper. At one point, a chemistry lab was located in the building.

The building underwent a remodel and restoration in the mid-80s, resulting in the building Cumberlands’ current staff and students know and love.

Current associate professor, Jamey (Hill) Temple, ’03, reflects on her time as a student and now faculty member, "What I like best about working in Bennett is my place in its history, specifically what is now room 107. When I was a Cumberlands student, I took several classes that met in this room: religion classes with Dr. Dupier and Dr. Bob, a history class with Dr. Pilant, and two writing classes with visiting professors, Crystal Wilkinson (who is now our Kentucky Poet Laureate) and KET's Al Smith. I remember one professor saying that at some point in that room's history it had been a science class, which explained the sinks and cabinets. This room has changed over the years and hints of its past removed, but it's one I frequently request to teach in now that I am a professor.

It is now set up like a boardroom, which is perfect for my creative writing classes, but that's not the full reason why I request it. The truth is I like to inhabit spaces that have their own stories and feel a connection to what's been there before. Maybe one day my students will talk about the Bennett Building and time we shared there too."

All this time, the building was officially called the Gray Brick Building. It wasn’t until 2000 that its name was changed to the Bennett Building in honor of Clyde V. and Patricia Bennett, who had financially aided Cumberlands for many years.

Today, Bennett holds the English, missions and ministry, history, political science, and world languages departments. There are nine classrooms on the first and second floors, including an auditorium, and an infamously low number of bathroom stalls (one per restroom, two restrooms in total) are located in the basement. A writing lab, including 24 computers and a printer, is located on the first floor.

CUMBERLANDS ALUMNI MAGAZINE

|

39

Office of Alumni Services 6075 College Station Drive Williamsburg, KY 40769

ucumberlands.edu CAMPUSSNAPSHOT

NON-PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID LOUISVILLE KY PERMIT #1225