Berea College made history last November in hiring the private school’s first woman president. Cheryl Nixon took over the reins at the southern Madison County higher education institution in July. Monday marks a full month on the job.
Nixon has spent 30 years working in higher education. She came to Berea from Fort Lewis College in Colorado, replacing the retiring Lyle Roelofs.
Nixon began her tenure at Berea College with a group of students, right as the country was celebrating Independence Day.
“I was able to go to a cookout with them and they had a dessert-making contest where they made desserts and then we went off and saw fireworks together,” said Nixon.
Nixon said many were incoming students so they could relate well as all newbies, creating a nice natural feeling of all being in it together.
A major facet of the college experience in Berea is the tuition-free policy. The six-year graduation rate is 62% with each student required to work. 60% of students at Berea come from Appalachia.
“That demographic is one of the demographics that tend to not complete college in four years because they often have to interrupt their education to work, but to work for money, to pay the bills, right,” said Nixon.
Reflecting on being Berea’s first female president, Nixon doesn’t view her role as different or, as she puts its “incredibly unique.” She said it goes back to an essential idea that anyone, no matter differences of gender or race, can achieve and attain a leadership position.
Laquisha Wilson is a sophomore at Berea from Birmingham Alabama. Although initially not wanting to follow in her brother’s footsteps, who attended the liberal arts school, Wilson then realized it was the best choice. And she thinks Nixon’s place in administration is significant.
“I definitely do think it’s important to show that women can be involved in running a big college like this just as well as a man can. So, I think it’s really important. I think it’s a good direction to go in,” said Wilson.
Wilson noted her professors have been supportive and honest with her about her work. She added her job at the college is in admissions and relates to student transcripts. Wilson said it’s a good mix of studies and work.
“Because our work is really rigorous, so I think it would be hard to have a job somewhere else honestly…cause here we only have to work ten hours a week. And that already can be hard. So, I think it’s a good thing that we can make money here and have it work into our schedule versus having to work with an outside job,” said Wilson.
In probably almost all communities across the country where a higher education institution resides, there is talk about the town-gown relationship. Dr. Nixon said it’s her role to get out and meet and greet the town, welcome people onto campus, and figure out partnering opportunities.
“And then figuring out the best way to partner on that. I think every community has things that they are hoping to accomplish and we should be knowledgeable about that and raising our hand and saying we’re here to help you. Like sign us up,” said Nixon.
Not even a mile down the road from Berea College sits City Hall and next to that the office for the Berea Chamber of Commerce. Local businesswoman Shelley Wolfe is president of the Chamber. In recent years, Wolfe said there’s been more cohesion between the community and the College. And Berea grads do often stick around.
“I’ve met several people here that I didn’t realize were Berea College graduates, but they’ve come here, went to college here and then just stayed raising their families. Some have started businesses on their own,” said Wolfe.
Chamber of Commerce Branch Manager Debbie Warford said resources found at Berea College often benefit the business community and local residents.
Berea College President Cheryl Nixon said she wants to meet with faculty and staff to get details of exciting projects, their priorities for the upcoming year, what’s been successful in the past, and where is there room for improvement.
Megan Morgan Hoffman is a biology professor at Berea, who served on the presidential selection committee. Morgan Hoffman said Nixon asks good questions and then listens to the answers.
“Many of her experiences we thought we very relevant to Berea. Some of the other campuses where she’s worked, some of the other work she’s done, for instance, where the institution she’s just left has been doing a lot of work with racial reconciliation, which is quite relevant to Berea and our history,” said Morgan Hoffman.
Morgan Hoffman has spent three decades at Berea College. She said much has changed, particularly as it relates to student makeup.
“One thing I’ve noticed in the 30 years I’ve been here is our student body has changed dramatically. We are so much more racially, ethnically, culturally diverse than we were when I first started here,” said Morgan Hoffman.
The biology teacher says about half the students at Berea College identify as white with the other half students of color. Morgan Hoffman says that’s changed the classrooms and the atmosphere and energy on campus.
Amir Aref is in his second year at Berea. He came to the school from Turkey, primarily because of its no-tuition policy. Aref said that was the only way he could attend college. After graduation, the native of Iran said he might stay in the U.S. for a while.
“Maybe I can contribute to the American industry, the economy here, and help myself and my family, and make them proud,” said Aref.
Aref admits it is a slower pace in the southern Madison County town compared to Istanbul, which stood at 15 million in 2020.
President Cheryl Nixon plans to continue to listen and take notes during her first few months at Berea. And she said to come back at the end of the semester to get her thoughts about the future of the school which was founded by abolitionist Reverend John Gregg Fee in 1855.
