When students returned to Cumberland School of Law for the fall semester, they were welcomed by a newly reimagined space at the heart of the law school experience. On Aug. 13, the law school held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open Featheringill Commons, a renovated space within the Lucille Stewart Beeson Law Library that honors longtime professor Carolyn Burgess Featheringill.
The updated commons on the first level of the library was made possible by a lead gift from Featheringill herself. Timed to coincide with the library’s 30th anniversary, the renovation marked the latest chapter in her long legacy of dedication to Cumberland’s students and the broader legal community.
Sam and Susan Nicholson also contributed generously to the development of this new space. Sam, JD ’78, attributes his success as a trial lawyer to the advocacy training he received at Cumberland. The Nicholson’s gift will make a positive impact, especially in Cumberland's Advocacy Program, by supporting functional classroom space that faculty use for advanced advocacy training, within Featheringill Commons.
Said Featheringill, “I’ve always believed the spaces where students gather should be comfortable, welcoming and worthy of the work happening within them.”
That belief dated back to the early 1990s, when she chaired the committee that selected the original furnishings for the library before it opened in 1995. At the time, faculty were invited to weigh in on the proposed interior design. Working alongside colleagues, Featheringill helped select the carpeting, chairs and other furnishings with one core principle in mind: creating a space that students would want to use.
At that time, if you were going to do legal research, you had to come to the library. Of course, we had Westlaw and LexisNexis, but it wasn’t on our phone because we didn’t have cell phones,” she said. “So, we were determined to make it a place where people felt comfortable being. That mattered to me then, and it matters to me now.”
The newly renovated Featheringill Commons builds on that legacy with a focus on modern student needs. Designed to foster connection and community, the space features collaborative areas and four new classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art technology. Two of the classrooms can be combined into a single space accommodating up to 140 students or divided for smaller groups. The common area serves as both a collaborative study zone and a flexible meeting space. In addition to regular class use, the classrooms will host a variety of events—from orientation sessions to academic conferences. The space has a beautiful new entrance from the Robinson Hall’s angel patio, providing improved access to the library itself. The space was created to be both functional and inspirational—just as Featheringill envisioned the origins of the library decades ago.
“In honor of her extraordinary vision and generous support, we are proud to open this newly renovated space in the name of Professor Emerita Carolyn Featheringill,” said Blake Hudson, dean of Cumberland School of Law. “This reimagined space within the law library creates exciting possibilities—including much-needed additional classrooms and the capacity to host networking events, legal conferences, and symposia—enhancing both the student experience and Cumberland’s visibility in the broader community.”
Throughout her career, Featheringill distinguished herself as a legal scholar, teacher, mentor and advocate for generations of Cumberland students. She credits her late husband, Bill Featheringill, for encouraging her to join the faculty in 1979.
“Bill knew Dean Corley and wanted me to meet with him when a faculty position came open, thinking I may enjoy teaching. Although I was expecting our daughter at the time, I agreed,” she said.
Her daughter, Elizabeth “Liz,” was born in September 1978, and Carolyn joined the faculty the following January as an adjunct professor. The next fall, she became a full-time faculty member, where she taught wills, trusts and estates courses to several thousand Cumberland students until she retired in 2003.
Her commitment to student success, both inside and outside the classroom, helped shape the culture of Cumberland—one that prioritizes relationships, professionalism and service.
“Professor Featheringill radiated warmth and positivity in the classroom, visibly delighting in those ‘lightbulb’ moments when a student finally grasped a complex legal concept,” said Featheringill’s former student Robin Andrews, JD ’91, now an assistant professor of legal research and writing at Cumberland. “She was beloved by her students because we knew she genuinely celebrated our successes and valued the relationships she built with each of us. That same generous spirit is evident in her gift to the law school.”
“We are tremendously grateful for Carolyn’s support of this enhanced new space in the law school,” said Betsy Holloway, vice president for university advancement and marketing and longtime friend of Carolyn and her family. “Her vision for a space that fosters connection, learning and community is exactly what Featheringill Commons now represents. Through this space, we are honored to help ensure her legacy continues to inspire generations of Cumberland School of Law students in the years ahead.”
As the law school celebrated the opening of the commons, Featheringill was proud to be part of something that would serve students for years to come, hoping it would improve their learning experience and enhance opportunities to build relationships with professors.
“Helping with this new space has been a full circle for me,” she said. “Being involved in the original library and now having the opportunity to help reimagine it for a new generation is really special.”
