Berea College Magazine
Alumni Connections Berea in the Community Winter 2025

Alumni Regional Events

3 Mins Read

The Alumni Office and President’s Office collaborated to enhance alumni engagement in highly alumni-concentrated regions. Out of our top 10 regions, eight held meet-and-greet events with Dr. Cheryl Nixon. Cities included: Birmingham, Ala., Greenville, S.C., Atlanta, Ga., Lexington, Ky., Cincinnati, Ohio, Louisville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn.; and Knoxville, Tenn., and Winston-Salem, N.C. Check out the photo galleries below for highlights from each alumni meet-and-greet location.

Atlanta, Georgia

Photos by Breon Thomas ’11

Two alumni pose for a candid photo during the group discussion in Atlanta
President Cheryl Nixon addresses a room of gathered alumni with a orange couch and large windows in the background
Two alumni smile and hold up a Berea College Alumni T-shirt
Brooke Green smiles during the Q and A session
Brooke Green ’23
Group of alumni posing with silly faces against a Berea College backdrop
Group of alumni posing with silly faces against a Berea College backdrop
Alumna Brooke Green poses with President Cheryl Nixon against a Berea College backdrop
Alumna Brooke Green ’23 poses with President Cheryl Nixon
Art display of a bronze statue man covering up a wall of graffiti
Alumnus speaks into a microphone during a group discussion
President Cheryl Nixon and Elle Hogg watch as an alumna points out something on a wall of art.
Group of alumni pose with Chad Berry against a Berea College backdrop
President Cheryl Nixon shakes hands with two alumni
Alumnus speaks into a microphone during a group discussion
Two female alumnae pose for a picture against a Berea College backdrop
Two men hugging in greeting
At the Atlanta-area gathering, Chris Awosika ’05 greets a fellow alumnus with
a smile and a hug. Photo by Breon Thomas ’11

Berea College welcome table at the Atlanta alumni gathering
Group image of the Atlanta-area alumni

Birmingham, Alabama

Photos by Faith Calhoun ’03

Welcome screen that says Berea in Birmingham
Spread of food at an alumni event
Two Berea College alumni pose for a slefie
Three Birmingham alumnae pose for a photo against a Berea College backdrop.
President Cheryl Nixon addresses a gathering of Birmingham alumni
Berea College alumnus speaks to crownd.
Two Birmingham-area alumni display pottery, while standing with Dr. Cheryl Nixon
Birmingham, Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Birmingham-area alumni pose for a group picture
Berea alumnus stands in front of group of alumni gathered in Birmingham, Ala.

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky

Photos by Crystal Wylie ’05

Alumni interact at the Cincinnati-area gathering
Tyler Rocquemore '22, Crystal Wylie '05 and Nay Kaw '23 pose for a picture.
Tyler Rocquemore ’22, Crystal Wylie ’05 and Nay Kaw ’23 pose for a picture.
Three alumni sit around a table at the Cincinnati-area gathering
Frank Polion '90 talks to other alumni at the Cincinnati-area gathering
Frank Polion ’90 talks to other alumni at the Cincinnati-area gathering
Large group of Berea alumni and staff pose in a silly way.
Cincinnati alumni gather with staff from Berea’s Alumni Philanthropy office and President Cheryl Nixon to connect as alumni in the southern Ohio/northern Kentucky area. Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Cheryl Nixon and Teresa Kash-Davis poses for a picture with two alumnae
Young Berea alumnus speaks to a gathered crowd
President Cheryl Nixon laughs in the background during an alumni gathering

Greenville, South Carolina

Kenneth Jenkins and Faith Calhoun ’03

Display of food at an alumni gathering
The music leader and keyboard player present special music to those gathered
A Greenville alumna speaks to the gathered crowd.
Greenville alumni sit at tables and listen to a presentation.
Greenville alumni sit at tables and listen to a presentation.
Greenville alumni choir sings for the gathered alumni attendees
Brenda Lane '79 addresses those gathered at the Greenville Alumni Gathering
Brenda Lane ’79 addresses those gathered at the Greenville Alumni Gathering
Two gathering attendees prepare to present a gift.
Several Greenville alumni talk together at a table
Two alumni share a touching moment, holding hands at a table
Two Greenville alumni sign in at the event registration table
Two Greenville alumni pose in front of a Berea College backdrop
Two Greenville alumni pose in front of a Berea College backdrop
Berea College alumna Brenda Lane '79 stands with a young child
Two Greenville alumni pose in front of a Berea College backdrop
Berea College alumna stands with a young child
An alumni family with three children pose for a picture against a Berea College backdrop
Two Greenville alumni pose in front of a Berea College backdrop
Young man playing the keyboard at the Greenville alumni gathering
Group photo of the Greenville Alumni gathering participants
Group photo of the Greenville Alumni gathering participants holding up No. 1 fingers
Two Greenville alumni pose in front of a Berea College backdrop
Two Greenville alumni pose in front of a Berea College backdrop
Posed picture of a group of Greenville alumni and President Cheryl Nixon.
Several Greenville alumni talk together at a table
Chad Berry stands with a Greenville alumnus
Greenville alumni gather at tables at the alumni event
Greenville alumni choir sings for the gathered alumni attendees
Greenville alumni choir sings for the gathered alumni attendees
President Cheryl Nixon receives gift
Choir director leads gathered alumni in songs with a choir behind him

Knoxville, Tennessee

Photos by Crystal Wylie ’05

Four Knoxville-area alumni look at black and white images and talk around a table.
Large group of Knoxville-area alumni make a silly pose for a group picture.
Alumni from different Berea generations stand in the center of the room talking.
President Cheryl Nixon stands with three Knoxville-area alumni.
Knoxville-area alumni sign in at the welcome table.
President Cheryl Nixon addresses the attendees of the Knoxville alumni gathering.
Two men shaking hands with two other laughing in the background
Leslie Porter ’77 (right) shakes hands with Bob Boyce ’66 at the Knoxville-area alumni gathering, joined by Steve Boyce ’75 and Jean Boyce ’66. Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Gathered alumni prepare to look at old images.
Two Knoxville alumni pose for a picture with a Berea College logo fan.
Two alumni from different Berea generations talk at a table.
President Cheryl Nixon and a Berea alumna pose for a photo pointing at one another.
Black and White photo of a gathering of women at Berea being held by the hand of an older alumnus.

Lexington, Kentucky

Photos by Crystal Wylie ’05

Faith Calhoun '03 poses with a Lexington-area alumnus.
Woman displays artwork of a giraffe
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
President Cheryl Nixon and Frank Polion '90 laugh together.
Lexington-area alumni pose as another alumnus takes a picture with his phone.
Cheryl Nixon smiles while signing the Spring 2024 magazine featuring her image for an alumnus.
A Lexington-area alumni couple pose in front of a Berea College backdrop.
President Cheryl Nixon holds a smartphone taking a picture of three alumnae against a Berea College backdrop.
Up-close image of Berea branded stress balls on the welcome table.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Alumnus holds smiling baby girl
Ivan Santos ’17, spouse of alumna Taylor Santos ’17, shows their daughter the colorful art lining the walls at the Lexington-area alumni gathering. Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Two older generation alumnae pose with a Berea College logo fan.
Two alumni pose with their small children.
Two Lexington-area alumnae smile for a picture while sitting at a table in front of an art display.
President Cheryl Nixon talks with a Berea alumna
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Two alumnae look at a smart phone and laugh together.
President Cheryl Nixon talks to two young Lexington-area alumni.
Woman displays artwork of a giraffe
Lexington, Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05

Louisville, Kentucky

Photos by Ehku Say ’26

Overhead image of the large group gathered for the Louisville alumni gathering.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Faith Calhoun '03 talks to the group from a stage.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Three alumni gather at a table and talk over hors d'oeuvres.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Alumni gather by the food table to talk, mingle and eat.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Dwayne Compton '01 signs in at the welcome table.
Dwayne Compton ’01 signs in at the welcome table. Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Rashaad Ibraheem Abdur-Rahman '03 talks with President Cheryl Nixon
Rashaad Ibraheem Abdur-Rahman ’03 talks with President Cheryl Nixon. Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Two alumni listening to President Cheryl Nixon talk to them
Alumna Joan Jarrell Gould ’81 and her husband, Alan Gould, talk with President Cheryl Nixon at the Louisville-area alumni gathering. Photo by Ehku Say ’26

Alumnus chooses food from the large table spread.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Louisville-area alumni sign in at the welcome table.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Alumni gather by the food table to talk, mingle and eat.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Group of African American alumni talk near the Berea College backdrop
Photo by Ehku Say ’26
Frank Polion '90 talks to the group from a stage.
Photo by Ehku Say ’26

Nashville, Tennessee

Photos by Crystal Wylie ’05

Two alumni sample the food at the alumni gathering.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
President Cheryl Nixon addresses the alumni gathered.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Three Nashville-area alumni talk with President Cheryl Nixon.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Faith Calhoun '03 poses with a Berea College logo fan.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
President Cheryl Nixon greets and laughs with alumni attendees.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Group picture of the Nashville Alumni Gathering attendees.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Alumni listen to others speak during the Nashville alumni gatheirng.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
Nashville-area alumni stand together and talk.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05
An alumna asks a question to the group while sitting in a meeting room.
Photo by Crystal Wylie ’05

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Photos by Faith Calhoun ’03

Two alumni sit together and talk with an interesting mural in the background.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Faith Calhoun '03 talks with two alumni while sitting at a pink table.
Wise Man logo against a brick wall over a beer tap in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Two older Berea alumni wave to the camera.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Alumni sit at a pink table against a large flower mural and talk.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Two alumni pose for a picture while sitting at a picnic table.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Chad Berry, Hon. '20 and three Berea alumni stand together and talk.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Winston-Salem area alumni pose for a group picture in front of a large flower mural.
Photo by Faith Calhoun ’03
Author

Abbie Darst '03 is an article writing, husband loving, kid raising, cheer coaching, God serving, busy woman. Whether it's been in sports, law enforcement or higher education, Abbie has dedicated her career to telling stories that speak of mission, passion and the best parts of human experience. She's been telling Berea's amazing stories since 2017.

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