BEREA, KY – Mattie Jenkins of Radford received a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in Technology and Applied Design degree from Berea College conferred on Dec. 20, 2022.
Berea College recognized 74 students on Sunday, Dec. 11 during its Mid-Year Recognition Ceremony for December graduates. Carl and Ann Evans, a couple with deep Berea roots, addressed the seniors, who represented 17 states and 5 different countries.
Born and raised on Estill Street in Berea, Carl Evans was the grandson of the first College dentist, Dr. William Best, and the third child of alumna Ellen Best Evans ’30 and former dean of Labor, Dr. Wilson Evans ’30. Steeped from birth in Berea’s values and raised on the kinship of the Berea community, Carl Evans graduated from Berea’s Foundation School in 1962.
Evans continued his studies at UNC Chapel Hill. When the Vietnam War began, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, where he served as a medic at RAF Lakenheath, England. It was there he met Ann Evans. They were married in 1970.
Born in Ohio and raised around the country, Ann served as a lieutenant, a captain, and an Air Force nurse. When she returned to the U.S., she completed her bachelor’s degree at Butler University. She earned her nurse practitioner certificate, a master’s degree, and a doctorate at UNC Chapel Hill.
Carl went on to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts at Indiana University’s Herron School of Art and Design before establishing a career as a professional artist and counselor. Ann’s professional roles have included healthcare provider, nursing faculty positions, director of a community medical center, and consultant to the Ministry of Health in South Sudan.