Faculty Category: Faculty

CAROLYN GOODIN

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: cgoodin@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-257-4401
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1160B
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
A.S., Nashville State Community College
B.S.N., East Tennessee State University
M.S.N., Tennessee Technical University
Bio:

Ms. Goodin began her teaching journey with Cumberland University as an Adjunct Clinical Instructor in the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing in the Spring 2022 Semester. She has since accepted a full-time faculty position as an Instructor of Nursing. 

Carolyn graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in May 2023. She graduated from East Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) in 2021. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) in a program at East Tennessee State University with an anticipated graduation date of August 2024. Ms. Goodin has clinical experience in Medical-Surgical, Rehabilitation, Family Practice, Home Health Nursing, Wound Care, and Vascular Access. She has a passion to educate tomorrow’s nurses and is currently working to craft a mentoring program for nursing students. She is a member of the American Nurses Association, Tennessee Nurse’s Association, Sigma Theta Tau and Sigma Alpha Lambda.

CINDY CONLEY

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Director of the Office of Student Success
Work Email: cconley@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-547-1238
Location: Learning and Career Commons, Room 122
Category: Faculty
Department: Academic Success Center
Degrees:
B.S., University of Central Missouri
M.S., Murray State University
Ed.S., Tennessee Technological University
Ph.D., Tennessee Technological University
Bio:

Dr. Cindy Freer Conley is the Director of the Office of Student Success.  She provides leadership to a team that works to provide additional academic support to the CU student body.  Dr. Conley also teaches Foundations of Scholarship and Learning as well as courses within the Psychology Program. 

Dr. Conley holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Psychology from Central Missouri State University. She holds a Master of Science in Human Services Counseling from Murray State University and a Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction from Tennessee Technological University. Dr. Conley also holds an Educational Specialist in School Counseling as well as in Instructional Leadership. She received her terminal degree, a Ph.D., from Tennessee Technological University in Exceptional Learning with a concentration in Applied Behavior Analysis.

Dr. Conley has had an extensive career in the mental health and educational fields. She has worked as a private practice counselor as well as worked as a School Counselor in Wilson and Rutherford County School Districts. She continues to work part time with youth in the foster care system as a Licensed Behavior Analyst.

Dr. Conley’s research interests include how community partners and educational settings provide services to adolescents at risk. Along with how the application of Applied Behavior Analysis can assist students who are unsuccessful increase their success in academic and social settings.

Dr. Conley is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She and her family live with their fur babies in the Wilson/Rutherford County area. Free time activities always include the kids and/or the fur babies.

RENA WALLER

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Instructor of Mathematics
Work Email: rwaller@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: (615) 547-1297
Location: Labry Hall, Room 230
Category: Faculty
School: The Labry School of Science, Technology, and Business
Degrees:
B.S., Arkansas State University
M.S.E., University of Texas, Austin
Bio:

Ms. Waller attended Arkansas State University earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics. She then entered the University of Texas, Austin, where she completed a Master of Science in Engineering- focusing on Industrial Engineering and Operations Research. Following school, Ms. Waller worked for the General Motors corporation and Texas Instruments as a Manufacturing Engineer. Being part of a military family, she moved frequently, and teaching in college became a better fit. Ms. Waller had taught at colleges in Ohio, Auburn University both in Montgomery and the main campus in Auburn, as well as Mercer University in Georgia. For several years, she worked as the Education Coordinator for a nonprofit.

Her daughter is a producer for an advertising agency in Nashville; her son is studying Mining Engineering at the University of Kentucky. Besides time with family, Ms. Waller enjoys volunteering which has allowed her to try many new things while being of service to the community. Currently, she volunteers monthly at the Second Harvest Food Bank and at Habitat for Humanity building houses. Her second hobby is traveling and she enjoys noticing cultural similarities and differences while visiting museums and national parks. Fun fact about Ms. Waller: she has visited all 50 states.

BRITTANY HILSON

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: bhilson@cumberland.edu
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1132
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
B.S., Middle Tennessee State University
B.S.N., Cumberland University
M.S.N., Western Governors University
Bio:

Brittany Hilson is a nursing graduate from Cumberland University in 2013 with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Degree. She also obtained her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) with a concentration in Nursing Leadership and Management in 2018 from Western Governors University. Ms. Hilson’s background includes Medical/Surgical, Critical Care, Utilization Management, and Cardiac Cath Lab.  

She is certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). Brittany is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) Honor Society of Nursing and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 

SANDY ELLIOTT

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Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Choirs
Work Email: selliott@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-453-6332
Location: Mitchell Building, Fireside Room
Category: Faculty
School: The Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education and the Arts
Degrees:
A.A., Cumberland College
B.A., Samford University
M.C.M., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
M.A.E., Cumberland University
Bio:

A Cumberland alumnus, Sandy Elliott received her Bachelor of Music from Samford University where she toured South Korea and sang in the choir that Premiered the Dave Brubeck Mass.  After Samford, Mrs. Elliott attended The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where she received a Master of Church Music degree with an emphasis in Vocal Pedagogy.  In 2002 she earned her Master of Arts in Education through Cumberland, and she most recently came back to Cumberland and completed the Instructional Leadership endorsement to that Master’s degree.

Prior to becoming a full-time faculty member, Mrs. Elliott served two years as an adjunct professor directing the choirs and served as Director of Choral Activities at Mt. Juliet High School for 22 years.

JOE CALLIS

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: JCallis@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-257-2005
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1126
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
B.S.N., Cumberland University
M.S.N., Cumberland University
Bio:

Joe Callis is a two-time nursing graduate from Cumberland University. His background includes Medical/Surgical, Nursing Informatics, and Critical Care. He currently works in a Surgical ICU. He is board certified in Medical/Surgical and Critical Care.  Mr. Callis has the following certifications: CCRN & RN-BC. He enjoys making complicated or scary topics easier for nursing students to understand.

In his free time, Joe enjoys traveling, cooking, and being with his two dachshunds, Huckleberry and Wally.

J. MICHELLE ZUERCHER

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Instructor of Nursing
Work Email: jzuercher@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: (615) 547-1296
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1133
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
B.S., Tennessee Technological University
B.S.N., Cumberland University
M.S.N., Cumberland University
Bio:

Michelle began teaching in the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing as a clinical instructor in 2019 and also assists students in the health assessment laboratory. 

Michelle is a two time graduate from Cumberland University. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing degree in May 2020 and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in May 2014. She is also a graduate of Tennessee Technological University earning a Bachelor of Science in Psychology degree in May 2010. 

Michelle has clinical experience in medical surgical, critical care, infectious disease, and home health nursing. She has a passion for rural health and has regularly traveled to Honduras on medical mission since becoming a nurse. 

Michelle is a member of both the Tennessee Nurses Association and American Nurses Association as well as the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.

JOHN (JAKE) WHICKER

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Assistant Professor- School of Nursing and Health Professions
Work Email: jwhicker@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: (615) 547-1214
Location: McFarland Hall, Room 1134
Category: Faculty
School: The Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions
Degrees:
A.S., Nashville State Community College
B.S.N., Cumberland University
M.S.N., Cumberland University
Bio:

Mr. John “Jake” Whicker was appointed to the faculty of the Jeanette C. Rudy School of Nursing and Health Professions in the fall of 2018. Mr. Whicker is a two-time graduate of Cumberland University, having earned his Master of Science in Nursing degree in May 2018 (Summa Cum Laude) and his Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in May 2014. He also earned his Associate of Science degree from Nashville State Community College (Magna Cum Laude) in May 2012. Mr. Whicker is a doctoral candidate at East Tennessee State University, pursuing a PhD in Nursing and a Graduate Certificate in Biostatistics.

Mr. Whicker has taught courses in Community Health Nursing, Professional Nursing Foundations, Health Assessment, Dosage Calculations, Nursing Foundations Labs, and Health Assessment Labs.

In 2023, he was recognized for his “Health Systems and Health Policy” expertise and appointed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing to serve on the National Healthy People Curriculum Taskforce (HPCTF) for the Clinical Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Framework 5-year Revision Workgroup.

Before his appointment to the faculty at Cumberland University, Mr. Whicker worked as a Research Nurse Specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN. While at Vanderbilt, he served as the Study Coordinator for a clinical research team in the Department of Infectious Diseases. Before this, he worked as a Public Health Nurse and Disease Intervention Specialist for the Tennessee Department of Health for several years. While working for the Department of Health, Mr. Whicker’s responsibilities included performing disease surveillance and outbreak response, HIV/AIDS counseling, Tuberculosis Case Management, contact tracing, patient education, and direct patient care. He also has many years of experience working in emergency departments, several of which were as an Emergency Medical Technician before becoming a Registered Nurse.

Mr. Whicker’s research interests include the nursing workforce, burnout, and the nurse work environment. He participates in medical mission trips worldwide and has done humanitarian aid work in Eastern Europe, Central America, East Asia, and rural Appalachia.

In 2023, Mr. Whicker was selected as one of 23 Rising Star Nurse Leaders from across Tennessee by the Tennessee Hospital Association, Tennessee Nurse Association, and Tennessee Action Committee.

Mr. Whicker is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society.

ANDREW WILEY

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Assistant Professor of History, and Editor, The Papers of Martin Van Buren
Work Email: awiley@cumberland.edu
Work Phone: 615-547-1351
Location: Vise University Library, Presidential Papers of Martin Van Buren
Category: Faculty
Department: Presidential Papers, Martin Van Buren
School: The Millard and JJ Oakley School of Humanities, Education and the Arts
Degrees:
B.A., Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis
M.A., Indiana State University
Ph.D., University of Calgary (Canada)
Bio:

Andrew Wiley started his work at Cumberland University in January 2018 when the Papers of Martin Van Buren employed him as the new associate editor. His research interests are Civil War Era politics (particularly conservatism), military history, Cold War History, and the history of Baseball. In addition to his editorial work, Dr. Wiley teaches introductory level courses on United States History, occasionally teaches upper-level history courses, and has served as a guest editor for the Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 

Prior to his work at Cumberland University, Dr. Wiley worked as an editorial assistant for the Frederick Douglass Papers in Indianapolis, Indiana, and Civil War History, an academic journal published by Kent State University Press. Dr. Wiley has presented his research at several nationally recognized academic conferences. He is presently revising his manuscript, White Man’s Liberalism, American Conservatism: Race, Economics, and the Origins of Movement Conservatism in Nineteenth-Century Indiana, and is working with a university press on future publication.

When not on campus you can find Andrew Wiley playing one of six instruments, at a baseball game, or touring the numerous historical sites in Tennessee and other surrounding states.

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