Director for Office of Multicultural Services welcomed

^{Inspirational speaker Chris Singleton poses with, from left, Carson-Newman University’s Student Services Director Ali Smith, Acting Vice President for Student Services Gloria Walker, and the incoming Director for the Office of Multicultural Services, Ashley Caradine. On Aug. 22, Singleton spoke to students on the power of love and forgiveness over hate.}

(Aug. 28, 2020) JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — Carson-Newman University will offer an Office of Multicultural Services following the Sept. 1 start of Director Ashley Caradine.

Caradine comes to C-N from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, where she served on the campus ministry staff, mentoring black students in stewardship and spiritual growth, organizing missions and conferences for students of color, and coaching student leaders. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in social work from the University of Tennessee.

In June, the Carson-Newman University Community Relations Task Team, led by Gloria Walker, acting vice president for Student Services, announced plans to form the Office of Multicultural Services to promote a welcoming and supportive environment, offering programs, resources, and guidance for the campus community in support of those goals.

“We are pleased to welcome Ashley Caradine to Mossy Creek and to the Carson-Newman family as our director of Multicultural Services,” said Walker. “After fielding a number of qualified candidates, I, with recommendations from the Community Relations Task Team Search Committee, felt that Ashley displayed the qualities and enthusiasm we need for this position. I look forward to walking alongside Ashley in the Division of Students Services as we build this office.”

In addition to welcoming Caradine, the task team has met other initiatives that are a part of strategic measures by the University to create sustainable improvements that align with the University’s biblical faith and Christian identity. These have included an Aug. 24 “Conversation with the President” event, moderated by the Student Government Association, and hosting inspirational speaker Chris Singleton, who shared his story of forgiveness and faith that love is stronger than hate. The task team is also developing new policies for bias reporting and banning hate speech, among other initiatives.

Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman is a Christian liberal arts-based university affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The University is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, among the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains and has over 2,700 students. Carson-Newman offers 50 undergraduate majors, as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.