President Lyle Roelofs today announced that Berea College will make substantial funds available to eastern Kentucky counties impacted by last month’s devastating flooding. The flooding affected 8,000 residents in the region.
Tag: Appalachia
Seven Organizations Named as Hubs for Results Count™ Leadership Development
In a major step to boost the reach of Results Count™, its unique approach to leadership development, the Casey Foundation has selected seven organizations to work with the Foundation for three years as hubs that will expand the use of Results Count throughout the social sector.
The goal: to increase the number of leaders who take a results-oriented approach to accelerate measurable and equitable improvements in well-being for children and families in communities across the country. Continue reading Seven Organizations Named as Hubs for Results Count™ Leadership Development →
hillbilly Documentary Film to Debut, Berea College Faculty Featured
hillbilly, a new documentary film that explores the historical basis of cultural stereotypes about people from Appalachia in film and television, is scheduled to make its worldwide debut at the Nashville Film Festival on May 19, 2018.
The film’s two directors, Ashley York and Sally Rubin, both with Appalachian roots, interviewed Berea faculty, including Chad Berry, bell hooks and Silas House. Other Bereans connected with the film are musician and alumnus Sam Gleaves, who was interviewed and contributed music, and Sam Cole, who is the associate producer. Several other alumni made appearances in the film as well. Continue reading hillbilly Documentary Film to Debut, Berea College Faculty Featured →
New Study Reveals Berea College Makes $202 Million Impact on Local Economy
A newly-commissioned study reveals that Berea College’s operations make a yearly economic impact of more than $202 million in Madison County. The study quantifies the economic impact of Berea College on the local economy. It looks at the impact generated by all operations of the College.
Although the economic impact generated by the college goes throughout the Appalachian region, this analysis focuses on Madison County. The $202 million is a measure of the total dollar value that flows through the Berea-Madison County economy because of the operations of Berea College. The exact amount is $202,413,426 for the 2016-17 academic year. Continue reading New Study Reveals Berea College Makes $202 Million Impact on Local Economy →
“Three Women” to Discuss being African-American and Growing up in Appalachia
Three Berea Women—Monica Jones, Dr. Alicestyne Turley, and Crystal Wilkinson—will be the featured speakers at the Berea College Appalachian Lecture on Thursday Apr. 5 at 3 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel. This roundtable discussion will focus on what it was like being African American and growing up in Appalachia.
Jones currently serves as the director of the Black Cultural Center in the Carter G. Woodson Center for Interracial Education. A Zanesville, Ohio native and graduate from Ohio State University, Jones is no stranger to being the only African American in a room. She has used it as a way to stand out and excel in everything she sets her mind to. Continue reading “Three Women” to Discuss being African-American and Growing up in Appalachia →
Weatherford Awards for Best Appalachian Books Announced
Winners of the Weatherford Awards for the best books about Appalachia in 2017 are The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash (fiction), Palindrome by Pauletta Hansel (poetry), and James Still: A Life by Carol Boggess (nonfiction).
The Weatherford Awards honor books that best illuminate the challenges, personalities, and unique qualities of the Appalachian South. Granted by Berea College and the Appalachian Studies Association for 47 years, the awards commemorate the life and achievements of W.D. Weatherford Sr., a pioneer and leading figure in Appalachian development, youth work and race relations, and his son, Willis D. Weatherford, Jr., who was Berea College’s sixth president (1967-84). Continue reading Weatherford Awards for Best Appalachian Books Announced →
83rd Annual Mountain Folk Festival at Berea College Celebrates History of Folk Dance
Participants in the Mountain Folk Festival in the upper gym at Seabury Center.
The 83rd Annual Mountain Folk Festival will take place in Berea, Kentucky on April 6 and 7, 2018. The public is invited to a free performance and participatory dance on Saturday, April 7 at 7:15 pm in the Berea College Seabury Center’s upper gym. Musicians and dancers will begin the performance with a processional, or parade dance, welcoming the coming spring season in a centuries-old tradition of “dancing in the branches of May.” Guests may come at 6:15 for a pre-show of group performances demonstrating skills learned in Festival workshops. Continue reading 83rd Annual Mountain Folk Festival at Berea College Celebrates History of Folk Dance →
bell hooks to be Inducted Into Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame
Berea author, feminist and social activist, bell hooks, is one of four writers to be inducted into the 2018 Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame on Jan. 31 at the Lexington Carnegie Center.
“bell hooks is one of the most influential cultural critics of our time,” said Neil Chethik, executive director of the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. “She has built a worldwide readership over 40 years with unique insights on such topics as love, race and power.” Continue reading bell hooks to be Inducted Into Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame →
Promise Neighborhood Brings $30 Million to Support Education
A $30 million Promise Neighborhood grant to serve Perry County in eastern Kentucky has been awarded to Partners for Education at Berea College. The five-year grant will provide children and youth in the community with comprehensive services and school supports and is aimed at improving outcomes for all students and their families.
Project Director Michael Hughes, a lifelong Perry County resident, has spent much of his career as a teacher and administrator. Hughes said, “We can have a positive long-term impact on the children in the community because the seed money from this five-year grant will be teamed with the long-term work of the local businesses and organizations who are our partners.” Continue reading Promise Neighborhood Brings $30 Million to Support Education →
Berea Recognized 47 Graduates During Mid-Year Ceremony
Berea College’s Recognition Ceremony for Mid-Year Graduates was held Sunday, Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. in Phelps Stokes Chapel. Dawneda Williams, an honorary Berea College trustee whose work has made a difference in the lives of many in Appalachia, addressed the 47 seniors who will complete their degree requirements at the end of the fall term. Williams is an advocate and supporter of educational opportunities for young people in Appalachia and beyond. Continue reading Berea Recognized 47 Graduates During Mid-Year Ceremony →
Silas House Inducted into Fellowship of Southern Writers
Silas House, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chair of Appalachian Studies at Berea College, was recently inducted into the Fellowship of Southern Writers. The induction took place at a ceremony held in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the SouthWord Festival—a biennial conference for the Southern Lit Alliance and the Fellowship of Southern Writers. Continue reading Silas House Inducted into Fellowship of Southern Writers →
142nd Mountain Day Filled with Great Weather and Great Fun
Mountain Day began with a sunrise hike starting at 6:30 am, with the Berea Concert Choir greeting the sunrise with music on the East Pinnacle. Events and activities, coordinated by the Student Life office, provided entertainment throughout the day. Continue reading 142nd Mountain Day Filled with Great Weather and Great Fun →
44th Celebration of Traditional Music at Berea College, October 26-29, 2017
Alice Gerrard
Photo credit: Irene Young
This year’s Celebration of Traditional Music (CTM) greets Halloween by focusing on British and Appalachian ballads, haunting tales of love and loss. The CTM honors the tradition of passing music, stories, and oral history from person to person in the Appalachian Region. Alice Gerrard is the featured performer. Continue reading 44th Celebration of Traditional Music at Berea College, October 26-29, 2017 →
142nd Mountain Day set for October 18
Best-selling Author Silas House Named Keynote Speaker at Carnegie Center Books-in-Progress Conference
Silas House, an award-winning writer and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Chair in Appalachian Studies at Berea College, will speak at the 2017 Literary Luncheon in Lexington, KY on June 10, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. The farm-to-table lunch, hosted by the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, will take place in downtown Lexington’s Gratz Park (the Carnegie Center’s backyard). House will conduct an intimate conversation and be available afterwards for a book signing. The Literary Luncheon is part of the Carnegie Center’s 2017 Books-in-Progress Conference, slated for June 8-10. Continue reading Best-selling Author Silas House Named Keynote Speaker at Carnegie Center Books-in-Progress Conference →
Grant Funds Educational Opportunities for Bell County Students
Partners for Education at Berea College has been awarded a $257,000 Upward Bound grant to serve students at Bell County High School in Pineville, Kentucky. The grant, funded by the United States Department of Education, will provide 60 students in grades 9-12 with year-round academic support, enhanced learning opportunities and college and career readiness preparation. Continue reading Grant Funds Educational Opportunities for Bell County Students →
Loyal Jones ’54 Wins 2017 East Kentucky Leadership Tony Turner Award
Berea alumnus Loyal Jones ‘54, a former faculty member and founding director of the Appalachian Center that now bears his name at Berea College, is one of the winners who will receive a special award at this week’s East Kentucky Leadership Conference in Richmond, KY. The award, given in honor of former WYMT broadcaster, Tony Turner, honors individuals for their contributions to the Appalachian region. Continue reading Loyal Jones ’54 Wins 2017 East Kentucky Leadership Tony Turner Award →
Facebook Live Interview with bell hooks
Revolution and Revelation: An Archival Legacy
Celebrating the formal opening of the bell hooks Papers at Berea College
April 10, 2017 – Facebook Live stream starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT. Join the livestream on our Facebook page. Continue reading Facebook Live Interview with bell hooks →
Berea’s Appalachian Center Director Interviewed on NPR
Chris Green, director of the Loyal Jones Appalachian Center, was recently interviewed on WEKU radio, about the impact that elimination of funding for the Appalachian Regional Commission―as called for in the recently-proposed federal budget―could have on southeastern Kentucky. A sound clip and text of the interview between program host Stu Johnson and Green can be accessed at:
http://weku.fm/post/bereas-loyal-jones-center-concerned-about-trump-budget-cuts
bell hooks Named Iconic Black Trailblazer, Represents Kentucky
Wilkinson’s ‘Birds of Opulence’ Wins 10th Annual Ernest Gaines Award
Prize Honors Rising Authors, Literary Legend Ernest Gaines
Wilkinson, who serves on the Berea College faculty as Appalachian writer in residence, said she reverted to her 12-year-old self, shrieking and squealing with glee upon hearing that she had won this award for literary excellence. Continue reading Wilkinson’s ‘Birds of Opulence’ Wins 10th Annual Ernest Gaines Award →
U.S. Dept of Education Awards Berea College New Promise Neighborhood Grant for work In Knox County
Knox Promise Neighborhood will provide services to 10,347 students.
Berea, KY—Knox County and Berea College Partners for Education received some good news moving into the holiday: The U.S. Department of Education will fund the college’s application for a Promise Neighborhood initiative in Knox County beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Continue reading U.S. Dept of Education Awards Berea College New Promise Neighborhood Grant for work In Knox County →
Christmas Country Dance School: A Great Way to Spend the Holidays!
Spend part of your holiday season at a cozy event dedicated to fun, music, friendship, learning, sharing, and dance, a celebration of individual creativity within community in a supportive atmosphere. Christmas Country Dance School at Berea College provides a safe and festive environment to try something new, participate in ancient traditions, and forge some new traditions. Have you admired storytellers, musicians, basket-makers, or cloggers? Would you like to learn to waltz or play music for dances? You, too, can learn these folk skills and meet a wide variety of fascinating people who love to share these activities. Starting in 1938 as a training ground for dance leaders, CCDS has become a much loved tradition mixing youth (age 13 or older) and adults, beginner and experienced, with local, national, and international staff and participants. We also hold a Community Youth Program for Berea-area children ages 5-12 held each afternoon from Dec. 27-31. Continue reading Christmas Country Dance School: A Great Way to Spend the Holidays! →
Notable Black Women Authors Captivated Audiences in Berea
Ten national and regional black authors spoke recently at the inaugural Black Women Writers Symposium: Writing the Natural World, Appalachia & Beyond at Berea College. The day-long event, the first of its kind in the region, was presented FREE to the public. Continue reading Notable Black Women Authors Captivated Audiences in Berea →
Berea College Honored as a Champion of Appalachia
Christian Appalachian Project (CAP) honored Berea College as a Champion of Appalachia at its second annual award celebration Oct. 20. Berea College has made a significant impact on the central Appalachian region. The first interracial and co-educational school in the South, Berea College is firmly embedded in Appalachia. Continue reading Berea College Honored as a Champion of Appalachia →