Siler & Mahan service awards given to Cumberlands seniors

The A.T. Siler Memorial Service Award and T.E. Mahan Memorial Service Award from University of the Cumberlands are presented to one female student and one male student in their junior year of study who are expected to make an outstanding contribution to their community in the future. The awards were originally presented to the students in May 2021.

The recipient of the A.T. Siler Memorial Service Award for 2021 is Katelynn Johnson. Katelynn is the daughter of Roy and Tonya Johnson of Williamsburg, Kentucky. She is majoring in accounting with an emphasis in finance and minoring in information technology. Katelynn is president-elect of Sigma Beta Delta, the business honor society. She is a J.T. Vallandingham Scholastic Honor Society scholar.

Katelynn is a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and the HSB Business Club. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Kentucky Society of Certified Public Accountants and has served as the KyCPA Campus Ambassador for Cumberlands. She has served as an office assistant in the Office of Financial Aid as well.

She has participated in a number of community service activities including Life Group, Appalachian Ministries, Pats Serve, and Shoes 4 the Soul. She also participated in a mission trip to Northern Ireland in 2019.

In 2019, Katelynn was named Miss Nibroc. As Miss Nibroc, she has volunteered by reading to children during Read Across America week, speaking to middle school students at Beta Club, and assisting with local events such as Corbin's October Festival and the Farmer's Market. Katelyn also participated in the Miss Kentucky pageant over the summer.

After graduating, Katelynn plans to earn an MBA with a concentration in accounting. Her ultimate goal is to earn her Doctor of Business Administration.

The recipient of the T.E. Mahan Memorial Service Award for 2021 is Issac Carmicle. Issac is the son of Allen Shields and Jennifer Douglas of Stanford, Kentucky. He is a first-generation college student and has eleven siblings. He is majoring in biology with a minor in psychology.

At Cumberlands, Isaac serves as a writing and biology peer tutor in the Learning Commons and is a member of the Pre-Health Club. During his senior year, he will take on the role of teacher's assistant in the cell biology lab.

Issac is a member of the Cumberland Free Will Baptist Church, where he participates in the choir and college ministry. He also spends time working to finance his education through a variety of employment opportunities, including Wal-Mart, TransNav, Morris' Landscaping, McDonald's, and American Greeting.

He gives back to his community through service. In 2018, he completed 110 hours of community service by volunteering his landscaping services. Issac lists his hobbies as learning about God, playing basketball, fishing, hunting, and serving in the church.

Over the summer, Issac prepared for the MCAT exam and shadowed physicians. His long-term goal is to enroll in medical school, become a cardiologist, continue to serve the Lord and make a difference in someone's life.