The Phoenix Ball was created in 1983 by Mrs. Mary Clement, who at the time, served as the First Lady of Cumberland University to President Bob Clement.  Mary founded the Phoenix Ball to serve as the University's signature event.  Mary and others at Cumberland and in the Lebanon Community felt that it would be a way to raise the visibility of Cumberland in the greater Nashville area, raise funds for Cumberland University, and lastly provide an evening of dancing and entertainment for the attendees.

During the early years of the Ball, funds raised were used for various projects around campus including the purchase of library books, carpeting for Memorial Hall, adding additional furnishings for the then Student Lounge in Memorial Hall, and other things as needed for the campus.  In recent years, the funds have all been allocated to the Cumberland University Scholarship Program.  The University has many students who receive financial aid from various sources.  The Phoenix Ball provides additional funds to students who need monies over and above what they can receive from their Pell Grant, the Lottery scholarship, loans, or private sources.  This enables us to recruit students who would not otherwise be able to attend Cumberland.

As we celebrate the 29th Annual Phoenix Ball, we honor our friends of the University for their love of Cumberland, its students, and its bright future.