As the 2020-2021 academic year draws to a close there is a sense of loss. More than on an existential level, it is the loss of Bertina Combes that hits so many of us within the UNT community. Bertina was more than a skillful professor and administrator — she was someone whose care and faith always affected others.

Colleen Eddy (Teacher Education) said “Bertina, Dr. Combes, was a shining light. When she entered a space, she filled it with love, grace, peace, and intention. I will miss her as a friend, colleague, mentor, and sister in Christ.”

Nandika D’Souza (Mechanical Engineering) said “Bertina brought joy, hope, and passion to everything she did. For me personally, she brought Christ’s presence into the academic secular world to help reason through many things.
“There are leaders who work for advancing position titles to communicate power and capability and those that seek positions to ensure serving through their God-given capability. Bertina was very much the latter. She exemplified servant leadership, bringing humility, a quick happy laugh, sincerity through prayer, and the advancement of others at every occasion.”