Contributors
Candis Cantrell
Candis was raised in West Liberty, Kentucky. With her degree in Child and Family Studies with a concentration in Family Studies and Nutrition and Food Studies, Candis plans to create programs for communities based on their needs. Her interests include quilting, crafts, and taking photos.
Samantha Cole
Samantha, of Beattyville, Kentucky, is an Appalachian Studies major. She has been writing since she was 11 and is interested in writing about contemporary life "in general." Samantha has been published in several regional journals, nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and has poems scheduled to be included in two anthologies.
Lauren Farley
Lauren, a resident of Bidwell, Ohio, will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. Post-graduation she plans to move to Tennessee with her husband and work as a registred nurse on a medical-surgical floor. In her spare time, Lauren plans to take Spanish and sewing classes. Her interests includ reading, exercise, and watching films.
Nathan Hall
"Born and raised in Eastern Kentucky mountains, 9th generation Appalachian trying to make positive change in the region. I spent time before university working manual labor jobs (including underground coal miner) before deciding my life's focus should be on developing a more sustainable future for coalfield Appalachia. In 2009 I finished a self-designed BA at Berea College. Since then I have built a portable biodiesel production system that will be used as the foundation for East Kentucky Biodiesel, LLC. I have received a grant to travel for one year through the Watson Fellowship, enabling me to explore issues of renewable energy, organic agriculture, and mining-affected areas around the globe. I have plans that reach beyond the biodiesel project, and these include remediating surface mined lands through agroforestry systems with native trees and grasses that rebuild organic matter, provide wildlife habitat, and create a short-rotation feedstock base for bioenergy systems with an eventual transition back to hardwood forest. I also intend to develop a regional initiative to promote organic farming and value-added products as an economic option for underemployed Appalachians."
Amanada Hughett
Amanda is a biology major from Corbin, Kentucky. She has wanted to be a scientist ever since she recieved a small red light microsope as a gift from her aunt at the age of eight. She possesses a deep love for the natural world, and studying it has become a passion. In her free time, Amanda enjoys fishing, reading horror novels, and playing video games.
Ashley LePage
Ashley, of Independence, Ky, graduated from Berea College with honors and degree in Studio Art with a concentration in painting. She also minored in Spanish. Her most memorable moments at Berea include working with the Berea Buddies program, belonging to the CELTS family, and studying tango and art in Argentina and Uruguay during the 2010 short term. Currently, Ashley is a resident of Chicago, Illinois and attending the Adler School of Professional Psychology where she is studying Art Therapy. Ashley is interested in both domestic and international travel, psychology, pottery, ceramics, paingings, and ink drawings.
Matthew Tolliver
Matthew of Berea, Ky graduated in May of 2009 with a degree in Psychology while also maintaining a minor in religion. He now has plans of attending a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology this fall at East Tennessee State University. Matthew is interested in the connections between psychology, nature, and religion. His hobbies include backpacking, rock climbing, and nature photography.
