Author: Tim Jordan

70 Graduates Recognized During Mid-Year Ceremony

Last modified: December 10, 2018

View full gallery of photos from the Recognition Ceremony for Mid-Year Graduates on Facebook.

Berea College’s Recognition Ceremony for Mid-Year Graduates was held Saturday, Dec. 8 at 3 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel. Alexander Gibson, executive director of Appalshop, Inc., addressed the 70 seniors who completed their degree requirements this term. The Berea College graduates represented 18 American states and 6 other countries.

Gibson graduated from Berea College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy. He earned his Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 2012. He also holds certificates in international comparative law from Queen Mary at the University of London, England and in Thai and Southeast Asian studies from Payap University in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Alex Gibson headshot

Alex Gibson, executive director of Appalshop

Appalshop is a multi-media arts organization located in Whitesburg, Kentucky. Before joining Appalshop, Gibson practiced law within the torts, insurance and business litigation practice groups at Stites & Harbison, PLLC in Louisville, Kentucky, and in the business litigation group at Ballard, Spahr, Andrews, and Ingersol in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Prior to private practice, Gibson served as a federal law clerk for the Honorable Thomas W. Phillips, U.S. district judge for the eastern district of Tennessee, where he assisted in the resolution of multi-million dollar law suits, federal criminal trials and critical questions of constitutional law—particularly First Amendment issues. Gibson has provided pro bono legal services to asylum seekers from Central and West Africa, conducted tax workshops in West Philadelphia and taught constitutional law to women’s rights groups in Mombasa, Kenya, following in the wake of Kenyan constitutional reform.

At Berea College, Gibson received, a Bonner Scholarship, the Thornton Wilder Award in Playwriting, Black Cultural Center Student Award for Outstanding Service and a Seabury Award for outstanding scholarship andcommunity leadership. He served as an ex-officio student representative to Board of Trustees from 2004 – 2008 and as student body president during his senior year. Gibson received a Watson Fellowship to conduct a year-longstudy on identity development of multiracial peoples in former European colonies in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America. He now serves on the Watson Fellowship Selection Committee at his alma mater.

Nine Berea College Students Achieve Awards at Kentucky Academy of Science Annual Meeting

Last modified: November 20, 2018

Nine Berea College students received awards at the Kentucky Academy of Science (KAS) Annual Meeting held earlier this month at Western Kentucky University. More than 600 scientists and students attended the KAS meeting, and hundreds of students from Kentucky and regional colleges and universities participated in the research competitions.

Award winners of the student competitions from Berea College were:

Yabsira Ayele2nd placePsychologyPoster Presentation
Isaac Domenech1st placePhysiology and BiochemistryOral Presentation
Nyasha Gombami1st placePhysiology and BiochemistryPoster Presentation
Allison Harper2nd placePhysiology and BiochemistryPoster Presentation
Yeongha Oh2nd placeHealth StudiesOral Presentation
Emma Reasoner2nd placeEcologyOral Presentation
Michael James3rd placeChemistry: Organic/InorganicOral Presentation
Yacine CHoutri1st placeChemistry: Analytical & PhysicalOral Presentation
Chann Han2nd placeCellular and Molecular BiologyOral Presentation

View a list of winners in all categories here.

The Kentucky Academy of Science is a non-profit organization, founded in 1914, whose mission is to foster scientific discovery and understanding in Kentucky.  Berea College faculty, staff and students may become members of the Kentucky Academy of Science.

Berea College will host next year’s KAS Annual Meeting November 1-2, 2019.

Three Alumni Awards Presented at Berea College Homecoming

Last modified: November 19, 2018

During Berea College’s Homecoming three Bereans were recognized for their professional accomplishments, contributions to the community and commitments to the mission of Berea College. Larry Allen ’78 and Jack Roush ’64 received Distinguished Alumnus awards. Silas House, published author and member of the College teaching faculty, was presented an Honorary Alumnus Award. Recipients were honored at the Alumni Awards Presentation and Reception on Nov. 16 in the Boone Tavern Events Center. Continue reading Three Alumni Awards Presented at Berea College Homecoming →

Men’s Cross Country Team Receives At-Large Bid to NCAA DIII National Championship

Last modified: November 13, 2018
Logan McKenzie

Logan McKenzie ’19

The Berea College men’s cross country team earned one of the 16 at-large bids to go to the NCAA DIII National Championship on Saturday, Nov. 17. The announcement by the NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross Country Committee came on the heels of a third-place finish by Berea’s men’s team in the south/southeast region this past weekend and senior Logan McKenzie winning the region.

McKenzie ’19, from Athens, Tennessee, became Berea College’s First NCAA DIII All-American in 2017 and was named Men’s DIII National Athlete of the Week by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association in April 2018.

To be eligible to participate in the championships, teams and individuals must qualify in their respective NCAA regions. Thirty-two teams were selected to participate in each championship. The top two, seven-person teams automatically qualified from each of the eight regions, for a total of 16 teams. Berea College was one of sixteen additional teams selected at-large.

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is hosting the championships Nov. 17, in Winneconne, Wisconsin. The men’s race begins at 1:15 p.m. Eastern time.

Farah Siraj to Perform at Stephenson Memorial Concert

Last modified: November 13, 2018
Farah Siraj

Farah Siraj
(Photo: Ann Blake)

Farah Siraj will perform World Peace Music, a fusion of flamenco, jazz, Bossa nova, pop and Middle Eastern music at Berea College’s Stephenson Memorial concert on Thursday Nov. 15, at 8 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel.

Siraj, born in Amman, Jordan and considered a Middle Eastern prodigy, earned a degree in music from Berkeley College of Music in Boston. Named Jordan’s “Musical Ambassadress” in recognition of her musical ability, her career has spanned across Europe, the Middle East, South America and the United States. Siraj has performed at various prestigious platforms around the world for notable people including King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan and King Juan Carlos of Spain.

Siraj uses her music to promote peace and give a voice to those who would otherwise go unheard. She brings awareness of the negative consequences associated with war and violence, while advocating for the rights of women, refugees and animals.

The convocation events, which are provided free to both the campus and public communities, are a significant part of a student’s educational experience at Berea College. Visit the Convocations website for the schedule of all convocations this academic year.

Hunger Hurts Drive Collects 792 Bags of Food

Last modified: November 6, 2018
A Boy Scout carrying food drive items in front of a table of several donated items

Members of the Wieblos Boy Scout Troop 516, Wyatt Jones (pictured), 9, and Cole Jones, 6, volunteer to sort food with Berea College students at the annual Hunger Hurts Food Drive on Sat.
(Photo: Crystal Wylie ’05)

The Berea community responded generously to the 26th annual Hunger Hurts Food Drive with 792 bags of food. Coordinated by Berea College’s Center for Excellence in Learning through Service (CELTS), in collaboration with Berea Faith Community Outreach (BFCO), the food collection netted more than 100 bags of food than last year.

More than 700,000—or one in six—Kentuckians struggle with food insecurity, and each week 53,400 Kentuckians receive food from a food bank. For 26 years, residents of Berea have responded to these needs.

Close up shot of donated items including Gatorade, salt, and canned soups

(Photo: Crystal Wylie ’05)

Volunteers began distributing brown paper bags, donated by Richmond Kroger, to households within the Berea city limits during the last week of October. Community members participated by filling the bags with non-perishable food and toiletry items. Then, volunteers picked them up and delivered them to the Berea Community Food Bank, located on Parkway Avenue.

Berea College alumni volunteers in the Cincinnati, Knoxville, Lexington and Louisville areas also donated food at participating organizations for the College’s first Berea Day of Service, which coincided with the annual Hunger Hurts Food Drive. Results from those four locations are pending.

The Berea Community Food Bank and Bereans United for Utility and Rent Relief (BUURR) serve more than 1,000 families who access their services annually. In addition to the Hunger Hurts Food Drive, many individuals, churches, schools, businesses and organizations contribute food and money to the food bank throughout the year.

Residents of southern Madison County who have an emergency food need or would like to request assistance from the BUURR program can call 859-985-1903 for more information.

Date Set for Annual Berea College Christmas Concert; Tickets Can Be Reserved Now

Last modified: November 1, 2018
Musical ensemble members and directors standing in front of audience at the Christmas concert, 2016.

Berea College musical ensemble members and directors joined together at the end of the annual Christmas concert in 2016.
(Photo: Chris Radcliffe)

The annual Berea College Christmas Concert, co-sponsored by the College’s music department and the Willis D. Weatherford Jr. Campus Christian Center, will be held on two successive nights—Friday evening Nov. 30 and Saturday evening Dec. 1. Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Union Church. Continue reading Date Set for Annual Berea College Christmas Concert; Tickets Can Be Reserved Now →

New Science Building at Berea College Dedicated; Dr. Mae Jemison, Former NASA Astronaut, Spoke at Convocation

Last modified: November 8, 2018

Berea College officials conducted a dedication ceremony of the Margaret A. Cargill Natural Sciences and Health Building on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. The new 125,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility houses the College’s science disciplines, mathematics and nursing. Nearly 1,000 alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students raised more than $12 million to make the vision for this new facility a reality.

Faculty- and student-led tours and demonstrations showcased the advanced technologies on display as guests toured the structure’s laboratories, Discovery Center and planetarium.

During the dedication ceremony in the building’s atrium, President Lyle Roelofs awarded Dr. Hal Moses ’58 and Linda Moses President’s Medallions in honor of their generous service to Berea as lead trustee donors in the Margaret A. Cargill building campaign. Moses is the director emeritus at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Comprehensive Cancer Center.

At a convocation following the dedication, former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African-American woman in space, spoke to a large crowd of College students, administrators and trustees about “Pursuing the Extraordinary.”

View photos of the celebration and dedication

Berea College Joins with Other Colleges and Universities in Choral-Orchestral Performance

Last modified: November 1, 2018
Dr. Stephen bolster singing with a song book in hand in front of the Berea College Concert Choir

Dr. Stephen Bolster will be honored for 39 years of service during the collaborative concert.
(Photo: Jonathan Kemp ’19)

Five musical ensembles from three Kentucky regional colleges and universities will join the Berea College Concert Choir in a collaborative performance Nov. 3 and 4. The concert in Berea will take place Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m., at Union Church. An identical program will be performed on the main stage at Norton Center in Danville at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday evening, Nov. 3. Both concerts are free to the public. Continue reading Berea College Joins with Other Colleges and Universities in Choral-Orchestral Performance →

Berea College Ranked among Nation’s Top Colleges

Last modified: October 30, 2018

The 2018-19 academic year is off to a great start at Berea College. Just two months into the semester, the school is making the grade with several national accolades highlighting diversity, affordability, the high-quality liberal arts education students receive, and sustainability.

In September, INSIGHT into Diversity magazine announced that Berea was one of 96 institutions to receive its Higher Education Excellence in Diversity or HEED Award. The award is the only national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campus. Continue reading Berea College Ranked among Nation’s Top Colleges →

Berea Names Gym After Dr. Joy Hager

Last modified: October 30, 2018

Dedication of the Dr. Joy Hager Gymnasium, recognizing 49 years of service.The Dr. Joy Hager Gymnasium will be dedicated at a naming ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 1, to memorialize her commitment and leadership during her 49 years of service to Berea College. The ceremony will be held at 11:30 a.m. in the Upper Gym at the Seabury Center on Berea’s campus. Continue reading Berea Names Gym After Dr. Joy Hager →

Hunger Hurts Food Drive Underway

Last modified: October 30, 2018
An anonymous woman in a Berea College t-shirt handling cans of vegetables and other foods

The 26th annual Hunger Hurts Food Drive, coordinated by Berea College’s Center for Excellence in Learning through Service (CELTS), in collaboration with Berea Faith Community Outreach (BFCO), runs from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3, 2018.

More than 700,000—or one in six—Kentuckians struggle with food insecurity, and each week 53,400 Kentuckians receive food from a food bank. For 26 years, residents of Berea have responded to these needs. Continue reading Hunger Hurts Food Drive Underway →

Forest Stewardship Council Awards Full FSC Project Certification to Berea College

Last modified: October 29, 2018

Berea College received Full Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Project certification for its latest construction project, the newly built Margaret A. Cargill (MAC) Natural Sciences and Health Project building. FSC certification verifies that FSC-labeled products come from a forest and supply chain managed in an environmentally, economically and socially responsible way. Currently there are a dozen FSC buildings or projects in the U.S. Five of them are on Berea College’s campus. Continue reading Forest Stewardship Council Awards Full FSC Project Certification to Berea College →

Horse Logging Conference Features Demonstrations

Last modified: October 30, 2018

Man operating logging equipment using two horses

Wendell Berry among Featured Speakers

Berea College will host a horse-logging conference at its Forestry Outreach Center October 29 through November 3. To culminate the week-long event, the public is invited to a free day of demonstrations and presentations on Saturday, November 3, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Speakers include noted Kentucky author and sustainable forestry advocate Wendell Berry. The event is open to people of all ages and takes place at the Berea College Forestry Outreach Center on Highway 21, just east of Berea. Continue reading Horse Logging Conference Features Demonstrations →

Berea Featured in The Atlantic

Last modified: October 25, 2018

Berea’s distinctive educational model has once again attracted national attention. The Atlantic published a feature on the College following a recent visit to campus by education writer Adam Harris. The article details Berea’s remarkable history and how its mission is carried out today. Harris also asks if Berea’s no-tuition model, or at least key aspects of it, could be replicated at other schools across America to address the need for affordable, high-quality education. Read the full article at The Atlantic here.

Three Alumni Awards to be Presented at Berea College Homecoming

Last modified: October 29, 2018

Each year during Homecoming Bereans are recognized for their professional accomplishments, contributions to the community and commitments to the mission of Berea College. This year, Larry Allen ’78 and Jack Roush ’64 will receive Distinguished Alumnus awards. Silas House, published author and member of the College teaching faculty, will be presented an Honorary Alumnus Award. Recipients will be honored at the Alumni Awards Presentation and Reception at 6 p.m., Nov. 16 in the Boone Tavern Events Center. Continue reading Three Alumni Awards to be Presented at Berea College Homecoming →

Omer Quartet Brings Invigorating Classical Music to Berea College Stephenson Memorial Concert

Last modified: October 29, 2018

Omer Quartet holding their instruments
The Omer Quartet will perform classical music Thursday, Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel, at the Berea College Stephenson Memorial Concert Series.

The Omer Quartet is distinctive among today’s young string quartets. The quartet, which took first prize in the 2017 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, consists of Mason Yu and Erica Tursi (violinists), Jinsun Hong (viola) and Alex Cox (cello). Continue reading Omer Quartet Brings Invigorating Classical Music to Berea College Stephenson Memorial Concert →

New Science Building at Berea College to be Dedicated; Dr. Mae Jemison, Former NASA Astronaut, to Speak

Last modified: October 29, 2018
Mae Jemison

Dr. Mae Jemison

Berea College officials will conduct a dedication ceremony of the Margaret A. Cargill Natural Sciences and Health Building on Saturday, October 20, 2018. The new 125,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility houses the College’s science disciplines, mathematics and nursing. Continue reading New Science Building at Berea College to be Dedicated; Dr. Mae Jemison, Former NASA Astronaut, to Speak →

$109 Million in Grants for New Berea College GEAR UP Programs to Assist Area Families

Last modified: October 29, 2018

Partners for Education at Berea College has been awarded two Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grants worth a combined $109,177,600 to serve students in Appalachian Kentucky. The United States Department of Education grants will provide 19,496 students in 19 counties with an array of services aligned to accomplish four overarching goals: lift educational aspirations, build academic skills, connect academics to college and career, and engage parents as partners. Continue reading $109 Million in Grants for New Berea College GEAR UP Programs to Assist Area Families →

Dr. Diane White-Clayton to Discuss: Jesus, the Ultimate Rebel with a Cause

Last modified: October 29, 2018
Dr. Diane White-Clayton headshot

Dr. Diane White-Clayton

Dr. Diane White-Clayton will speak about “Jesus, the Ultimate Rebel with a Cause,” on Thursday, Sep. 27 at 3 p.m. at the Berea College Accent of Christian Faith Lecture in Phelps Stokes Chapel.

This lecture, sponsored by the Willis D. Weatherford Jr. Campus Christian Center, will discuss the common depiction of Jesus as frail and tender-hearted, as well as the uncommon depiction of Jesus as a rebellious, defiant trouble-maker who never allowed rules to dictate his path. Berea College, whose rebellious beginnings directly defied societal norms of the time, challenges new rebels who, through faith and determination, will change the world. Continue reading Dr. Diane White-Clayton to Discuss: Jesus, the Ultimate Rebel with a Cause →

Westervelt Program Open to Public at Berea College

Last modified: September 19, 2018

The Berea College Technology and Applied Design Department is accepting course registration for the fall 2018 Westervelt Program. The Westervelt program is offered each year to Berea townspeople as well as students, faculty and staff. The program provides excellent opportunities for individuals to develop a well-rounded educational background and pursue specific areas of interest. Continue reading Westervelt Program Open to Public at Berea College →

Woodworking Hand Tool Event at Berea College Crafts

Last modified: September 17, 2018

Attendees at a previous Hand Tool eventLie-Nielsen Toolworks®, a U.S. manufacturer of heirloom-quality woodworking tools, is bringing its popular Hand Tool Event® to Berea, Kentucky on Sept. 28 and 29 at Berea College Crafts, located in the Mueller Building, 100 Student Crafts Court. This event, which is part of the company’s ongoing international program, provides woodworkers of all ages and skill levels exposure to the benefits of traditional hand tools and techniques. The event will take place Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is an opportunity for the public to receive first-hand instruction directly from the toolmakers. Continue reading Woodworking Hand Tool Event at Berea College Crafts →

Berea College Among the Top 25 B.A. Theatre Programs for 2018-19

Last modified: September 10, 2018
Two theatre students in a production locking eyes

Berea College’s Theatre Department concluded its 125th Anniversary Season with William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which opened April 13, and ran April 14, and 18-21.
(Photo: Desiree Dunn ’20)

OnStage Blog, a media site that covers theatre on an international level, ranked Berea College’s Theatre Department in the top 25 Bachelor of Arts programs in America.  Each year, OnStage Blog reviews theatre programs across the country to provide a resource to prospective students and families who are researching the best academic theatre programs in the country for dance, design, tech and performing. Berea came in at No. 23, with a major highlight of its “First Theatre in Human Culture” course, which studies the first theatres and extant play scripts of selected human cultures representing Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. Continue reading Berea College Among the Top 25 B.A. Theatre Programs for 2018-19 →

Historical Marker Unveiled at Middletown School

Last modified: October 29, 2018
Ceremony attendees gathered around the Middletown Consolidated School historical marker

Crowds gathered around the Middletown Consolidated School historical marker on August 18, 2018.
(Photo: Jay Buckner)

The history of the Middletown Consolidated School in Berea was recognized with a ceremony unveiling the highway marker placed by the Kentucky Historical Society. The public event took place Saturday, August 18 at the old Middletown Consolidated School on Walnut Meadow Road in Berea.

The event included representatives from state and local governments, and officials from Berea College and Berea and Madison County School systems and numerous Middletown School alumni, faculty and staff. The occasion marked the significance of the site as a Rosenwald school for African American children during the segregation era. The unveiling ceremony was followed by building tours and a reception. Continue reading Historical Marker Unveiled at Middletown School →