BEREA, Ky. (WVDN) – Josiah Wransky of Union received a Bachelor of Arts 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 five 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.
Carl Evans continued his studies at UNC Chapel Hill. When the Vietnam War began, Carl Evans 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 Evans served as a lieutenant, captain, and Air Force nurse. When she returned to the U.S., Ann Evans completed her bachelor’s degree at Butler University. She earned her nurse practitioner certificate, master’s degree and doctorate at UNC Chapel Hill.
Carl Evans 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 Evans’ professional roles have included health care provider, nursing faculty positions, director of a community medical center and consultant to the Ministry of Health in South Sudan.
Carl and Ann Evans have two children, Matt and Deanna. They have served as foster parents and have become unofficial adoptive parents to many other young people.
First brought together by common ideals and a commitment to service, Carl and Ann Evans share an abiding belief in the mission of Berea College and have lived out Berea values around the world as leaders, humanitarians and philanthropists. They have been devoted volunteers with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Rise Against Hunger and Rotary International, where Ann Evans serves on the board of the International Fellowship of Rotarian Health Professionals. Ann Evans has also been a longtime volunteer in South Sudan, supporting numerous projects with a special focus on women and girls.
Carl and Ann Evans currently reside in Lake Wylie, S.C., where they enjoy time with their three granddaughters and welcome visits from their fellow Bereans.
Berea, the first interracial and coeducational college in the South, focuses on learning, labor and service. Supported by Berea’s No-Tuition Promise, Berea College admits only academically promising students with limited economic resources, primarily from Appalachia. All students must work 10 hours or more weekly, earning money for books, room and board. The college’s motto, “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth,” speaks to its inclusive character, and the quality of its programs ensures that graduates from Berea go on to distinguish themselves and the college in many fields.
