Cumberlands faculty, staff recognized at banquet

Faculty and staff at University of the Cumberlands (UC) recently received awards at an annual banquet on campus.

“Our faculty and staff are the ones who keep the lights on at Cumberlands,” said president Larry Cockrum. “They all make significant contributions to this university every day. It is our honor to recognize UC’s faculty and staff each year for a job well done.”

This year’s William T. Miles Community Service Award was granted to Dr. Jonathan Ramey, in recognition of his Christlike attitude toward service and in honor of his significant contributions to Cumberlands’ campus, the surrounding community and even overseas. Ramey is a Cumberlands alumnus and longtime member of UC’s faculty, and is known as a demanding and excellent teacher. He is active on campus and regularly attends Cumberlands events.

The 2018 Service Award was given to Ms. Lisa Bartram in recognition of her generosity, dedication and service to students as well as her involvement in the community. Bartram always works to make students’ time at Cumberlands enjoyable by providing fun events and performers through her position as Director of UC’s Campus Activities Board. She leaves a positive impression on students and routinely goes above and beyond what is expected.

The Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to Dr. Jane Whitaker in recognition of her investment in her students’ lives and her skill in presenting challenging course material to her classes in enthusiastic, organized and engaging ways. Whitaker has been identified as the psychology department’s “mom” because of how regularly she speaks with students outside of class, listening to their current struggles and advising them on their studies and their futures.

New retirees and Cumberlands employees who have reached five-year employment “milestones” were also recognized during the ceremony. This year’s retirees include:

Ms. Linda Carter, Dean of Student Life and a Cumberlands alumna, who has won a number of awards and held several positions regarding Student Services at Cumberlands since 1977;

Dr. Margaret Combs, Department Chair and Professor in the Hutton School of Business, who has served (or is serving) on multiple accounting boards and committees at the state and national level;

Dr. Fred Cummings, Professor in the Department of Missions & Ministry, who has taught classes introducing students to the Bible, church history and Greek, among other subjects;

Mr. Gary Gibson, Associate Professor of Business Administration, who has taught at numerous colleges and universities around the nation;

Dr. R. Michael Lagrone, Professor in the Hutton School of Business who is a certified Management Accountant and Certified Public Accountant, a Navy veteran and the faculty advisor for UC’s chapter of Sigma Beta Delta, the honor society for Business, Management and Administration;

Ms. Karen McKinney, Associate Director of Financial Aid and a Cumberlands alumna, who has worked in UC’s financial aid office since 1977, helping innumerable students receive an affordable college education; and

Dr. Dennis Trickett, Department Chair and Professor in the Department of Psychology, who has garnered several awards for Excellence in Teaching during his 20+ years at Cumberlands.

Located in Williamsburg, Kentucky, University of the Cumberlands is an institution of regional distinction offering quality undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and online degree programs. Learn more at ucumberlands.edu.