Berea College recognizes 57 students at Mid-Year Ceremony

December 9, 2025

BEREA, Ky. – Berea College recognized 57 students Sunday during its Mid-Year Recognition Ceremony. 

These graduates represent 14 states, one U.S. Territory – Puerto Rico – and four countries.

Sixty-five percent of the mid-year graduates were first-generation college graduates. These graduates represented 24 different majors and 19 different minors. 

Berea College President Cheryl Nixon praised the graduates for their range of academic passions and encouraged them to remember the foundation of education and Berea College’s Great Commitments as they move into the next phase of their lives. 

“As you step forward into the world, take the lessons you’ve learned here – not only in the classroom but also the connections you’ve built, the challenges you’ve overcome and the Great Commitments you embody,” Nixon said. “We are so proud of you and cannot wait to see the positive impact you make.”

Berea College Alumna and Trustee Jodi Gentry spoke at this year’s ceremony. Gentry graduated from Berea College in 1987 with a bachelor’s degree in English. She attended graduate school at the University of Florida, where she earned her Master of Arts from the College of Journalism and Communications. 

Throughout Gentry’s career, she has benefited from her experience at Berea – with its combination of education, work and Great Commitments.

Now retired, Gentry continues to work with high-level leaders as a certified executive coach and serves as a volunteer mentor for emerging leaders. She and her husband live in Gainesville, Florida.