John A. Ray is Assistant Professor of Voice and Music Program Director for Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN. Prior faculty appointments include Austin Peay State University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Belmont University, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham. John holds the degrees Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice Performance (The University of Alabama), Master of Music in Voice (Samford University), Master of Arts in Counseling (Trevecca Nazarene University), and Bachelor of Music Education-Vocal/Choral (Samford University). He is Level Three Certified in Somatic Voiceworks (The Lovetri Method).

John loves teaching singers and uses his many years of training and experience to assist singing performers in improving their art technically, psychologically, and artistically through his studio. He is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing. His students continue to garner awards and careers of high renown as they perform in virtually all genres of music, including appearances on Broadway, theme parks such as Disney, opera companies, cruise lines, as both background singers and lead singers in rock/country/pop music, and as educators.

As a performer, John’s career has taken him to both national and international venues in concert, opera, oratorio, studio work, and musical theater. His credits as bass soloist include the Grammy winning Nashville Symphony, Alabama Symphony, Saint John’s Symphony London, Nashville Opera, Opera of Birmingham and other regional companies/orchestras. He twice served as Bass Soloist/Recitalist for the International Cathedral Music Festival in London, Canterbury, and Salisbury, England. A highlight of his career was the opportunity to serve as Bass Soloist in the oratorio title role of Elijah, by Mendelssohn, under the baton of Metropolitan Opera baritone, Sherrill Milnes. John himself has conducted major music works for chorus and orchestra and has toured as choral conductor or bass section leader with choirs in Scottland, France, Germany, Croatia, Bratislava, Norway, and Poland.

As a church musician, John has served as director of music in churches in Alabama and Tennessee for close to forty years and continues that work as a way to contribute to those volunteers who enjoy the inspiration and fellowship of collaborative singing.

John holds publications with any music publishing houses as both lyricist and composer and has released two self-produced albums under his own music company, Raycreations Music. He has written and directed an opera, Flight 316, and continues premiering original works through the generosity of talented Nashville area performers. Active for over two decades in Nashville’s music scene on the stage, in the recording studio, and as music director, John has directed, or music directed/ pit conducted over 30 staged productions, and has appeared on the Sony label, Word label, Abingdon Press label, and others with performers as diverse as Ben Folds and Michael W. Smith.

John resides in Mt. Julier, TN with his wife, Katherine, and amazing theatrical performer and educator in her own right. He is the proud father of three grown daughters (Candice, Courtney, and Kyndle) and one granddaughter, Ella.

Alena Mehić joined Cumberland University as an Assistant Professor of Art in 2022 and teaches various courses in the Studio Art program, including painting, drawing, and professional development. A study of absence, aesthetic markers, and political relics, her practice focuses on the transformation of national memory and historical revisionism.

Her most recent research endeavors have involved exploring science fiction in the context of post-socialist landscapes and considering how it relates to ideas of hope, utopia, and infrastructural and technological advancement alongside the risks of nuclear war, privacy concerns, and the general unknown.

In 2023, she was a resident at Loghaven in Knoxville, TN and had her work featured in her solo exhibition The Hum at the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh.

A native Texan, Miguel Angel Chavez joined Cumberland University as Assistant Professor of History in 2022. He received his Ph.D. in History from Vanderbilt University that same year. Before moving to Middle Tennessee, Miguel received his B.A. and M.A. in History from the University of North Texas in 2011 and 2015, respectively.  Before coming to Cumberland, Miguel served as a Teaching Assistant at Vanderbilt and as an Adjunct Instructor of History at North Central Texas College.

Miguel’s research interests focus on the intersection of the History of Science, the British Empire, and the creation and dissemination of geographic knowledge, with emphasis on the history of nineteenth-century exploration and travel writing in the Nile and Africa. Miguel has presented at numerous conferences, including the North American Conference on British Studies and the History of Science Society meetings in 2021.Miguel’s interests beyond his research focus include the history of the ancient world, the history of nationalism, modern European history, the history of Africa and South Asia, and transnational histories.

As both an instructor and person of color, Miguel is eager to help students from underrepresented backgrounds succeed in college. Outside his academic work, Miguel enjoys listening to music in Nashville, reading science fiction novels, and watching movies with his friends.