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: Dr. Lyle Roelofs
Berea College Recognizes 260 Students During First In-Person Spring Graduation Ceremony Since 2019
Photo: Tyler Rocquemore ’22
During the first in-person spring commencement ceremony in three years due to COVID, Berea College recognized 260 students. This included 45 students who graduated between 2019-2021. The 215 graduates for 2022 represented 18 different countries.
Guest speaker Geoffrey Canada, globally renowned president and creator of the Harlem Children’s Zone and advocate for education reform, spoke during the ceremony on meeting challenges facing our youth. Continue reading Berea College Recognizes 260 Students During First In-Person Spring Graduation Ceremony Since 2019 →
Berea President Lyle Roelofs announces retirement
Berea College President Lyle Roelofs and First Lady Laurie Roelofs pose for a photo in front of the President’s Home with the First Dog.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05 / Berea College
College’s ninth leader will serve through June 2023
Photo by Chris Radcliffe
Berea College President Lyle Roelofs has announced his decision to retire, effective June 30, 2023. Roelofs arrived in Berea with his wife, Laurie, in 2012 to serve as the institution’s ninth president. From the very beginning, the Board of Trustees has been consistently impressed and pleased with their adoption of all things Berea and their broad success. The Berea College community is thankful to have worked side by side with Lyle and Laurie for what will be 11 years.
“It has been an honor and so very satisfying to have served Berea College as its ninth president,” President Roelofs said. “Everything about this school, from its transformative mission to the wonderful students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends, have made this such a privilege for Laurie and me.”
“The Board of Trustees and I are truly grateful for Lyle and First Lady Laurie Roelofs’ tremendous service to Berea College, and we are thankful for their longevity of service,” said Board Chair Stephanie Zeigler. “Their timing was remarkably fortuitous, and given their steady and thoughtful leadership throughout the unimaginable challenges brought on by COVID-19, Berea College is in a place of strength. Lyle’s early announcement regarding his retirement allows us ample time and a competitive edge for our search.”
Throughout his tenure, Roelofs has stayed true to the remarkable and unique mission of Berea College, leading in significant ways that have transformed the campus and elevated the college’s national profile.
Continue reading Berea President Lyle Roelofs announces retirement →
Berea College, City Officials Dedicate Boone Trace Trail at Brushy Fork
Berea Mayor Bruce Fraley, Dr. John Fox, Berea College President Lyle Roelofs and First Lady Laurie Roelofs cut a ribbon celebrating the opening of Boone Trace Trail at Berea College’s Brushy Fork Park. The new trail is open to college students and the public, and follows the trail made in 1775 by Daniel Boone. – Photo by Gaston Jarju / Berea College
Visitors to Berea College’s Brushy Fork can now walk along the path blazed through Kentucky by Daniel Boone and his axemen, thanks to a collaboration between Berea College and the city of Berea.
Boone Trace Trail is open to Berea residents, students and visitors, with a rock-paved ¾-mile trail that lines up almost exactly with the path Boone and his team took in 1775 from North Carolina through the Cumberland Gap and on to Boonesborough.
Continue reading Berea College, City Officials Dedicate Boone Trace Trail at Brushy Fork →
Berea College Welcomes Public to 2019 Opening Convocation
Lyle Roelofs, President of Berea College
The public is invited to join the entire Berea College community in marking the beginning of the 2019-20 academic year at the College’s Opening Convocation on Thursday, August 29, 2019, at 3 p.m. in the Seabury Center. The program is free.
The theme for this year’s opening convocation will be Berea Stories.
“Berea consists of 1,600 great stories, stories of challenge, accomplishment and triumph,” said Berea College President Lyle Roelofs. “Every Berea student has a compelling story, as do all other Bereans— faculty, staff, alumni and retirees—who together constitute our wonderful community. Opening Convocation 2019 is a celebration of all those stories and how they connect and reinforce one another.”
This Opening Convocation will feature remarks by President Roelofs and representatives from the College community—including student, faculty, staff, alumni and retiree speakers—who will briefly share their own Berea stories. Special music will be performed by Berea College students and faculty.
This annual event opens the College’s year-long convocation series of lectures, symposia, concerts and performing arts productions. The series includes the Stephenson Memorial Concerts and offers outstanding scholars, artists and leaders that enhance the intellectual, aesthetic and religious life, and make important contributions to students’ educational experience at Berea College. View the schedule of all convocations this academic year. All convocations are free and open to the public.
Berea College Ranked among Nation’s Top Colleges
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 →
Historical Marker Unveiled at Middletown School
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 →
Berea College Welcomes Public to 2018 Opening Convocation
Lyle Roelofs, President of Berea College
The public is invited to join the entire Berea College community in marking the beginning of the 2018-19 academic year at the College’s Opening Convocation on Thursday, August 30, 2018, at 3 p.m. in the Seabury Center. The program is free. The theme for this year’s opening convocation will be Berea Stories. Continue reading Berea College Welcomes Public to 2018 Opening Convocation →
Local Berea College Alums Invited to Join President’s Run/Walk Club
With the arrival of spring comes the resumption of the President’s Run/Walk Club, which has been on hiatus from the end of last semester to after Spring Break.
The President’s Run/Walk Club is open to current active members and anyone new wanting to join us—including Berea College alumni who live in the area. The group meets at 7:00 am on Tuesdays and Thursdays (weather permitting) at Seabury Circle, on the side of the building facing the Danforth Technology Building. Continue reading Local Berea College Alums Invited to Join President’s Run/Walk Club →
Berea College President Featured in University Business Magazine
The January issue of University Business magazine features a recent interview with Berea College President Lyle Roelofs. Matt Zalaznick’s article highlights Berea’s mission and legacy of interracial and coeducation for low-income students. Roelofs also discusses the challenge of maintaining Berea’s no-tuition policy in today’s economic climate, the College’s response to external social pressures and Berea’s distinctive Labor Program.
To get a more personal glimpse of President Roelofs, read Zalaznick’s article on the president’s interests and hobbies.
Tax Bill Negatively Impacts Berea
Berea College was thrust into the national media spotlight when Congress voted to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act today. The bill includes a proposed 1.4 percent excise tax on college endowment earnings in excess of $500,000 per student at colleges that enroll more than 500 students. As the bill was being finalized, President Roelofs worked with the Kentucky congressional delegation to include the phrase “tuition-paying” to shield Berea’s endowment from the excise tax. Just before the Senate vote, that language was removed from the bill. Continue reading Tax Bill Negatively Impacts Berea →
President’s Medallion Presented to Carl Thomas ’78 and Deborah Byrd Thomas ’80
Berea College President Lyle Roelofs presented Carl Thomas ‘78 and his wife, Deborah Byrd Thomas ’80, with the President’s Medallion at a surprise ceremony during the College’s 2017 Homecoming Weekend on Saturday, November 18.
Established in 1988 by then-President John B. Stephenson, the award is given at the discretion of the President to honor those who have shown “exemplary service in the advancement of Berea College and its cause.” Together, the Thomases are the 16th recipients of the President’s Medallion. Continue reading President’s Medallion Presented to Carl Thomas ’78 and Deborah Byrd Thomas ’80 →
Broadcast Dates Announced for WoodSongs Programs Recorded at Berea College
The NPR radio broadcasts of the two WoodSongs performance shows recorded at Berea College in September will be aired locally in November.
The first show, highlighting the U.S. Navy Bluegrass Band “Country Current” and young Parker Hastings, will air on WEKU-FM on Saturday, November 11, at 8 p.m. The second performance, featuring the McLain Family Band’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, will air on WEKU-FM on Saturday, November 18, at 8 p.m. These shows will be broadcast on NPR affiliate WUKY (Lexington) at 10 p.m. on both dates. Dates and times for NPR affiliates in other regions will vary. Continue reading Broadcast Dates Announced for WoodSongs Programs Recorded at Berea College →
Berea College Welcomes Public to 2017 Opening Convocation
Berea Stories
Seabury Center, 3:00 p.m., August 31, 2017
Lyle Roelofs, President of Berea College
The public is invited to join the entire Berea College community in marking the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year at the College’s Opening Convocation on Thursday, August 31, 2017, at 3 p.m. in the Seabury Center. The program is free. Continue reading Berea College Welcomes Public to 2017 Opening Convocation →
President Lyle Roelofs Weighs in on Student Loan Debt Burden in Facebook Live Q&A
Berea College President Lyle Roelofs spoke today on Facebook Live, discussing Berea’s unique mission and responding to recent news regarding growing student loan debt. “Education is the most important route for the transformation of lives,” President Roelofs said, pointing out that for many across the nation, attaining an education saddles individuals with mountains of debt. In his remarks, he describes some of the issues students and families currently face, what some of the proposed cuts in the federal budget might mean to low-income families, and how Berea College continues to provide an option for obtaining a high-quality college education for those who otherwise could not afford one.
President Roelofs to be Interviewed on “Community Conversations” Program
Berea College President Lyle Roelofs will be the guest of program host Jeff Rubin on this week’s broadcast of “Community Conversations” on Richmond radio stations WEKY-AM and WKXO-FM. They will discuss the importance of good town/gown relationships and President Roelofs will talk about the long and beneficial relationship that Berea College has had with the community that grew up around it. Listeners can tune in to the hour-long program, which begins at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 11 on 1340 WEKY-AM or 103.5 WKXO-FM. Continue reading President Roelofs to be Interviewed on “Community Conversations” Program →
Experiencing Black History
Berea’s students and faculty members continued to make history when they participated with Martin Luther King, Jr. in the Civil Rights March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. Continue reading Experiencing Black History →
President Lyle Roelofs Affirms Berea’s Ongoing Commitment to Its International and DACA Students
Dear Bereans,
As you are aware, on Friday, January 27, President Trump issued an executive order that immediately suspended entry to the United States by citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen for at least 90 days and halted the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for 120 days. The situation continues to evolve as federal courts have issued temporary stays and the ACLU and others strive to reverse or limit the effect of this order. Continue reading President Lyle Roelofs Affirms Berea’s Ongoing Commitment to Its International and DACA Students →
A Special Christmas Message from President Lyle Roelofs and First Lady Laurie Roelofs
Black Music Ensemble – Christmas Concert 2016
From our family to yours,
May your Christmas and New Year be blessed and filled with rejoicing.
As we celebrate Christmas, we’re reminded that the message of Jesus Christ, whose birth we celebrate at this season, is the message of Berea College, too. Jesus showed the world that love can triumph over hate, that peace can be achieved through justice, and that all of us are equal in the eyes of God. And nowhere is our mission captured better than in the diversity of our musical ensembles. Continue reading A Special Christmas Message from President Lyle Roelofs and First Lady Laurie Roelofs →
Berea College Partners with KIPP Charter Schools to Increase College Completion Rates
Berea, KY – Berea College and KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) public charter schools have announced a partnership aimed at increasing college completion rates for KIPP students from educationally underserved communities. Berea College is KIPP’s first college partner in the state of Kentucky.
KIPP is a non-profit network of college-preparatory, public charter schools educating elementary, middle, and high school students. There are 200 KIPP schools in 20 states and the District of Columbia educating nearly 80,000 students on their path to and through college, careers, and life. Continue reading Berea College Partners with KIPP Charter Schools to Increase College Completion Rates →
President Roelofs Puts Benefits of Berea’s Labor Program in National Spotlight
Lyle Roelofs, President of Berea College
Roelofs is the featured author of an article published by Inside Higher Ed today. He describes Berea College’s distinctive Labor Program and cites how other colleges and universities might want to consider establishing a work program to increase student access and affordability.
Roelofs Confirms Support for Student Rights and Title IX
Lately there has been considerable commentary regarding a Title IX case that was heard in the Spring of 2015. The discussion has proceeded mostly on social media, but I have received a number of emails on the matter and some faculty members report that the issue has come up in classes. Additionally, remarks about the issue were issued publicly during the discussion session following last week’s convocation. Continue reading Roelofs Confirms Support for Student Rights and Title IX →
Washington Monthly Ranks Berea No. 1 Twice: As Best National Liberal Arts College and Best Bang for the Buck
Washington Monthly ranked Berea College as the nation’s top liberal arts college and also ranked Berea College as number 1 in the Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the South category again this year. Berea’s top rank in the 2016 Washington Monthly College Rankings Guide comes from its success in educating and graduating academically talented, low-income students who become service-oriented leaders in their professions and communities. Continue reading Washington Monthly Ranks Berea No. 1 Twice: As Best National Liberal Arts College and Best Bang for the Buck →
Berea College Welcomes Public to 2016 Opening Convocation
Our Berea: Speaking the Great Commitments Anew
Seabury Center – 3:00 p.m., September 1, 2016
The entire Berea College community will mark the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year at the College’s Opening Convocation on Thursday, September 1, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. in the Seabury Center. The program is free and open to the public. Continue reading Berea College Welcomes Public to 2016 Opening Convocation →
Love Over Hate
Tragic deaths occurred last week in Baton Rouge, Minneapolis and Dallas. These evil acts are sad reminders of just how long and difficult is our nation’s journey toward peace and racial justice. I ask all Bereans to remember and raise up in prayer the victims and their loved ones and to continue to hold to our ideals in all you do, seeking peace with justice and trusting in the power of love over hate.
Lyle Roelofs
President, Berea College