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Professor of History
“When I came to interview at Concord, I fell in love with the natural beauty of the region and the friendly people at Concord and in the surrounding area.” More than just teaching about the past, Dr. Berkey wants to teach his students how to think like historians do – evaluating evidence, making sense of conflicting information, reading sources closely and carefully, and asking critical questions of those sources. “These are skills that will be helpful to students regardless of their career path,” he says. As a department, Dr. Berkey and the faculty are working to give students more choices and flexibility by trying to offer all courses online and in the classroom setting.
Dr. Jonathan Berkey
Professor of History
Shawn Hatcher '20
Princeton, W.Va.
Zoey Shamblin
Sociology Major with Criminology Emphasis
Nicholas Gonzales
Class of 2005
Chair, Department of Social Work and Title IX Coordinator
When Dr. Pendergast was finishing her Ph.D. in Social Work Education at the University of South Carolina, she dreamed of teaching at a school like Concord. “I have wanted to live in the mountains for as long as I can remember,” she says. In 2007, she accepted a tenure-track position at CU and has found a home here. “The campus community is welcoming and accepting,” she says. Before completing her doctoral degree, Dr. Pendergast was a practicing social worker, valuable experience she shares with her students. “When I speak with students about social work, I explain that this is the best job and worst job you can have,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to see how people can change their lives, and it can be discouraging when these changes do not come.” Dr. Pendergast is dedicated to preparing her students for the realities they’ll face after graduation, and says she enjoys “being a small part of their journey.”
