University of the Cumberlands - Overview
University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky Offers Students First-Rate Liberal Arts Education with Solid Christian Values
University of the Cumberlands (UC) is a Baptist school in Williamsburg, KY. True to its Kentucky Baptist (SBC) affiliation, U Cumberlands educates its over 2,000 students with a combination of broad liberal arts knowledge and Christian values. UC encourages students to think critically and creatively and to prepare themselves for lives of responsible service and leadership. Students are expected to strive for excellence with a strong work ethic and an ethical understanding of one's responsibility towards mankind.
Intellectual experience within the university community combines with a spiritual experience to instill students with Christian values. UC has a strong commitment to bettering the community, and the service, work, and leadership programs place students in positions where they can develop leadership skills as well as become actively involved in community service.
Students in the service activities also take part in leadership seminars, not only to give students the skills to organize and lead others in similar service activities, but also to make students aware of their responsibilities as members of a larger community.
Historically speaking, the university has primarily served students from the Appalachian Mountain region encompassing Kentucky and the surrounding states. The student to faculty ratio is 16 to 1, and nearly 97 percent of the student body receives financial aid of some kind.
Over 600 students participate in the self-help work-study program, where they learn the values of thrift, self-reliance, personal responsibility, and hard work. This allows students to earn their own college expenses, and pay for a large portion of their education by doing daily work either on campus or in outreach programs to local Appalachian communities. Students learn the value of punctuality and dependability, working an average of twelve hours per week, and receive the financial assistance they need to ensure a top-quality education.
University of the Cumberlands Students Live in 11 Residence Halls on the 70-acre Kentucky Campus in Appalachia
Local students at UC who have relatives in the area may choose to live off-campus, but all other students (61 percent of those enrolled) live in one of the 11 residence halls on the UC campus, the newest of which opened in 2010, and the rest of which have been recently renovated to improve safety and comfort. All residence halls have large common rooms for studying and relaxation, and all residents have easy access to washers and dryers, microwaves and vending machines, computers and more.
The campus itself spans roughly 70 acres, and in addition to the 36 buildings also includes two sports field complexes. The campus has a number of activities and events to keep students entertained, under the purview of the Campus Activities Board and Student Government Association. Dozens of free events occur every year for students to attend, ranging from movie nights and concerts to various parties.
Due to UC's focus on Christian values, a number of campus ministries are also available for students to join, and take leadership roles in a variety of ways. Appalachian Ministries lets students work with local children, taking them to local churches and leading them in Bible studies. The Baptist Campus Ministry is a more general campus ministry for spiritually active students, while the Mountain Outreach program promotes the ethos of Christian charity to improve the lives of people living in the local mountains, some of whom do not even have electricity.
University of the Cumberlands Has High-Quality Liberal Arts Faculty Who Also Care About Service and Eternal Values
UC prides itself on its faculty. Roughly 70 percent of the faculty at University of Cumberlands has earned the highest degree in their field, and 60 percent of the faculty members have been teaching for over a decade. In total, the faculty members belong to more than 200 professional organizations, and are some of the finest scholars in their fields.
However, the faculty members aren't just on campus to do a job. They also have the sincere desire to serve others and better the lives of their students. This love of teaching and commitment to education can be seen in the discussions outside of class, the one-on-one conferences with students, and the invitations for students to come into their homes. Students at UC learn to grow academically, socially, and spiritually.
Over 40 majors, minors, and pre-professional programs are available for students to choose from, ranging from art and business to math and physics. UC students may also opt to take some time to study abroad, or join one of the dozen National Honor Societies with chapters at UC. The Leadership and Community Service Program is also a graduation requirement at UC, where students develop leadership skills and a sense of responsibility to the community.
UC's Unique Leadership and Community Service Programs Promote Volunteering and Valuable Leadership Skills
The Leadership and Community Service Program at UC was established in 1993 as a mandatory part of the curriculum, in order to more fully prepare students for lives of ethical and responsible leadership.
Freshman students attend weekly interactive sessions where they learn to see themselves as active members of the community. Second-year students attend Leadership and Development seminars twice weekly in order to identify and practice the skills necessary for effective leadership. In the third year, students gain practical hands-on experience working with established service organizations and designing and implementing a 40-hour community service project.
Students may optionally choose to complete an additional 200 hours of community service in order to be honored at graduation with a Leadership Citation.