Endowment to support FCS faculty’s work preparing professionals, servant-leaders

^{From left, Dr. Kitty Coffey is joined by Barbara and Ray Bible, who recently endowed the “Barbara Bible FCS Faculty Enrichment Fund” at Carson-Newman University in her honor.}

(August 23, 2019) JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. — After more than three decades serving alongside Carson-Newman University’s Dr. Kitty Coffey in efforts to grow the Family and Consumer Sciences Department, Ray and Barbara Bible have now endowed a faculty enrichment fund in her honor.

The couple gave $100,000 to endow the “Barbara Bible FCS Faculty Enrichment Fund,” from which an amount will be awarded annually to support faculty’s continued education.

“The Bibles are longtime friends of the department and pillars of the community,” said Dr. Heather Whaley, who became the department chair following Coffey’s retirement earlier this year. “Establishment of this fund allows faculty to take greater advantage of professional development opportunities at the state and national levels. The ability to network with professionals empowers the faculty to bring back new ideas to Carson-Newman and the FCS Department, ensuring we are meeting our mission to prepare professionals as servant-leaders with abilities to empower individuals, strengthen families and enable communities to achieve an optimal quality of life.”

Coffey, a native of Morristown, retired following 53 years in higher education, including 42 within C-N’s FCS Department.

During her 39 years as department chair, Coffey lead in the establishment of an advisory board, the fundraising to build Blye-Poteat Hall and the Child Development Laboratory, the earning of two national accreditations, and the inception and directing of the didactic program in nutrition and dietetics.

“Each year as funds are awarded, Dr. Coffey will be remembered for her 42 years of leadership and her belief that learning can be no better than the instruction provided by highly qualified teachers,” Ray Bible said.

Barbara Bible joined the FCS Advisory Board in the 1980s. After she had a stroke in 2002, Ray Bible became an active member on the board. He was the member who recommended building a new FCS building — the now Blye-Poteat Hall, which the board assisted in designing, funding and equipping.

Those interested in joining the Bibles in honoring Coffey’s legacy are encouraged to give to the “Dr. Kitty Coffey Endowed Scholarship Fund” or the freshman scholarship fund. Interested donors could also establish a new fund by contacting the Office of Advancement at 865-471-3459.

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 2,500 students. Carson-Newman offers 50 undergraduate majors, as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.