From the Cumberland Pheonix:
Healthcare Hero Spotlight: Victoria Bennett
LEBANON, Tenn.—Former Cumberland softball player and 2014 graduate Victoria Bennett has gone on an incredible journey to lead her to Southern California in the medical field.
Before her time at Cumberland, Bennett lettered in four sports at DeKalb County High School in Smithville, Tennessee, including three years in softball as well as basketball, soccer and golf. She was a Second Team All-District 7-AA selection as a sophomore and a First Team honoree as a junior. Bennett was voted Miss DeKalb County High School as a senior and served as class Vice President as a freshman, junior and senior.
Cumberland always felt like the right place for her to go to school, “I chose Cumberland because from the very start Coach (Heather) Stanfill made me feel at home. She made Cumberland feel like the perfect fit. The care, love, and dedication she has for her team, not just as players, but as a part of her family. CU was where I was meant to be.”
At Cumberland, Bennett played in 191 career games starting in 172 outings. She hit six career home runs with 47 RBIs. She played a very solid center field for Cumberland only notching five errors over four years including 13 outfield assists. She was on the first Cumberland softball team that made it to the NAIA National Tournament as well as two teams that finished second in the conference tournament.
“The family, the sisters, the memories I gained from CU are things that I will always be grateful for,” Bennett said.
“Victoria was always someone I knew would do big things. She had her sights on PA school and she made her dream a reality. She was made for this! It’s part of who she is; the deepest part of her has always wanted to help someone else. She’s perfect for this job and I’m so proud of her.” Softball head coach Heather Stanfill.
Bennett excelled off the field as well, she earned numerous Scholar-Athlete Awards including three NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors from 2012-2014. She also earned two Mid-South Conference Scholar-Athlete Awards in 2013 and 2014 and two TranSouth Scholar-Athlete Awards in 2011 and 2012 from when Cumberland was in the TranSouth.
Bennett also earned Athletic Trainer Student of the Semester in the fall of 2013. Director of Athletic Training Katie Arnold said, “She has a heart for helping people and that is evident in the care she provides. I’m thankful for the service and sacrifice that she provides daily in the healthcare community but especially during this difficult time.”
In 2014 she graduated with my bachelor’s in athletic training with minors in health, chemistry and strength and conditioning from Cumberland. She then went on to work at Bethel University for a brief time before going to PA school at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee. She received her master’s degree there and moved to Southern California for an Emergency Medicine Fellowship and has been there ever since.
Bennett works in Correction Medicine at a jail in Southern California as a PA-C where they see over 50,000 people in a year and house over 3,000 inmates. California has the sixth most confirmed cases in the United States with 28,157 and 890 fatalities.
“The worry and concern of one person possibly being asymptomatic and spreading coronavirus to so many other people is a real possibility. My boss has done a tremendous job through the times of stress helping us sort out everything that we never thought would be an issue in our lifetime.”
“The team I work with is absolutely phenomenal. I work with some of my best friends and people I call family and seeing the smiles on their faces and being able to go to them during the ups and the downs has been what has helped me the most.”
The days we are living in are very tough as people are being quarantined, supplies are low, and morale is down, but Bennett has never been one to falter under circumstances.
“I tore my ACL my super senior season (redshirt senior season) as I like to call it. Three weeks after that my mom passed away. I would say that is one of the hardest times in my life. The love and support my team and my family showed me were tremendous. As sappy as it may sound, I didn’t just gain teammates at Cumberland, I gained another family.”
“Being able to persevere through all of that and graduate Cum Laude and finish my softball career showed me I have the strength to make it through anything life tosses my way.”
Her mom will continue to be her inspiration and motivation to get her through anything life throws in her path, not just this global pandemic. “She had Huntington’s disease and was placed in the nursing home when I was very young. She had to face so many hard times at such a young age and for me knowing that she had that strength to face things that I never thought imaginable gives me strength, gives me peace and comfort knowing that I can get through difficult times as well.”
Victoria has shown incredible resiliency in her life and has a drive that is second to none. She has a huge heart and will always be there for people in need. She is optimistic about what the future brings as she likes how the country has come together as a unit.
"Seeing the donations to hospitals/clinics, seeing the prayers and love sent out to health care providers helps still give me faith in humanity. Seeing so many people outside spending quality time with their families. Seeing people being lifted up, not just healthcare workers is motivating. Being thanked and appreciated by my patients is one of the things that helps keep me going during these times. Being able to see the medical staff I work with grow closer as a team and family has been very touching."
Cumberland University Athletics would like to thank Victoria and all healthcare workers for their dedication during this troubling time.
