Carolyn Sundy, a professor and vice president of diversity and inclusion at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Cumberland, died on September 27. She was 69 years old and had suffered from cancer and liver disease.
A native of Harlan, Kentucky, Dr. Sundy’s father and grandfather were coal miners. After attending mostly segregated public schools, Dr. Sundy was a first-generation college student. She began her education with an associate’s degree from Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in medical laboratory technology. She worked as a laboratory technician before joining the staff at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College more than 40 years ago to head up the college’s Upward Bound program.
Dr. Sundy went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in allied health education and a master’s degree in higher education from the University of Kentucky. She held a Ph.D. in higher education leadership from Mississippi State University.
Dr. Sundy had served as president of the Kentucky Association of Educational Opportunity Program Personnel, and was a member of the Kentucky Association of Blacks in Higher Education.
