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How an Endowed Scholarship is Opening Doors for Cumberlands Students
The Dennis and Patricia Wood and Michael and Mary Ansel Endowed Scholarship Fund plays a vital role in advancing University of the Cumberlands’ mission to make high-quality higher education affordable and accessible for students. During the 2025–2026 academic year, the scholarship is making a meaningful difference in the lives of eight University of the Cumberlands students as they pursue their college degrees and long-term career goals.
A Scholarship Rooted in Personal Resilience and Generosity
The heart behind the Dennis and Patricia Wood and Michael and Mary Ansel Endowed Scholarship Fund is deeply personal.
Growing up, Mary Ansel faced significant challenges rooted in a history of childhood abuse. Overcoming that trauma required extraordinary resilience, along with the steady support of her husband, Michael Ansel, and a lifelong friendship with Patricia Wood. The Wood family provided Mary with love, safety, and consistency. Their support proved transformative as she pursued a teaching degree at University of the Cumberlands.
In 2022, Michael and Mary Ansel established the Dennis and Patricia Wood and Michael and Mary Ansel Endowed Scholarship Fund to support Cumberlands students facing hardships of their own. Through the endowed scholarship, the Ansels seek to extend the same sense of encouragement and opportunity that shaped Mary’s own educational journey.
“Scholarships such as the Dennis and Patricia Wood and Michael and Mary Ansel Endowed Scholarship Fund provide invaluable experiences, alleviate financial burdens, and positively change life outcomes,” said Dr. Quentin Young, president of University of the Cumberlands.
2025–2026 Wood–Ansel Scholarship Recipients
During the 2025–2026 academic year, scholarship recipients include:
- Kelsi Carver, junior from Hamilton, Ohio
- Brysen Dugger, senior from Somerset, Kentucky
- Timothee Shabangi, sophomore from Williamsburg, Kentucky
- Olivia Tierney, sophomore from Georgetown, Kentucky
- Madison Watkins, sophomore from Jacksboro, Tennessee
- Michael Watson, senior from Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Anne Wessinger, sophomore from Montgomery, Ohio
- Reagan Wilson, junior from Clinton, Tennessee
Each recipient reflects the scholarship’s purpose: supporting students who demonstrate perseverance, academic commitment, and a desire to serve others.
Supporting Dreams Beyond the Classroom
For Brysen Dugger, a senior majoring in exercise and sports science, receiving the Wood–Ansel Scholarship represents far more than financial assistance.
“I’m so greatly honored and privileged to receive the Wood–Ansel Scholarship,” Dugger said. “The effort to make college more affordable for students does not go unnoticed.”
Dugger plans to pursue a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at University of the Cumberlands after graduation. While graduate programs often offer limited financial aid beyond federal loans, the combination of the Wood–Ansel Scholarship and Cumberlands’ commitment to affordability has helped him approach that next step with greater confidence and significantly less undergraduate debt.
“Thanks to the Ansels’ gracious efforts, my dream has become a little more feasible,” he shared.
Encouraging Future Educators and Servant Leaders
Sophomore Madison Watkins, an elementary education major, traces her passion for teaching to childhood experiences supporting her younger sister, who has a mild learning disability.
“Supporting my sister showed me how impactful patience, encouragement, and the right educational approach can be in a child’s life,” Watkins said. “It gave me a passion to become a teacher who helps students feel seen, supported, and capable.”
Watkins describes the Wood–Ansel Scholarship as meaningful not only financially, but emotionally.
“It’s a gift of opportunity, encouragement, and belief in students like me,” she said.
A Legacy of Service That Inspires Students
All eight scholarship recipients share a commitment to servant leadership, with career aspirations in fields such as education, physical therapy, and dentistry; all professions rooted in service and community impact.
As students work toward those goals, many find inspiration in the story behind the scholarship itself.
“Mary Ansel embodies the spirit of an overcomer,” said Sherry Roaden, development manager at University of the Cumberlands.
After a successful career in reproductive genetics, including serving as national director of reproductive genomics at Variantyx, Mary Ansel is now pursuing certification as a trauma counselor to support emerging organizations. Across every professional chapter, she has remained committed to service, advocacy, and healing.
As Brysen Dugger approaches his senior year and prepares for the next stage of his academic journey, the legacy behind the Wood–Ansel Scholarship has taken on deeper meaning.
“I hope to one day be part of something that gives back to the community and supports students the way the Ansels have supported us,” he said.
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