School of Professional Counseling Students Celebrate LWC

School of Professional Counseling students from community campuses in Kentucky
and Virginia gather on the steps of the L.R. McDonald Administration Building.

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- Marianna Tomilson is a full-time Lindsey Wilson College student. But she never stepped foot on the LWC A.P. White Campus until Saturday morning.

Tomilson, who is a human services and counseling major, has taken all of her LWC classes at the college's community campus at Mountain Empire Community College in Big Stone Gap, Va.

On Saturday, Tomilson was among 276 Lindsey Wilson students who celebrated School of Professional Counseling Day on LWC's A.P. White Campus. The day brought together students from LWC's 25 community campuses, which are scattered in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

"I'm very impressed with the day," said Tomilson, who is from Jonseville, Va. "I never thought I'd be able to come here and see the campus. It is so beautiful."

Thanks to an innovative partnership between LWC and local community colleges, students can earn a bachelor of arts degree in human services and counseling or a master of education degree in counseling and human development while taking classes from LWC faculty at the community college.

"If it wasn't for Lindsey Wilson, I would not be able to be as far as I am in my education," said Shanalee Applegate of Vanceburg, Ky., who is an undergraduate student in LWC's program in Maysville, Ky. "The weekend program is amazing for me -- I have kids, I have a job, I have so many other things that go on. And without this program, I would not be the person I am today."

Sherry Tinsley of Benham, Ky., said the LWC program "has helped me find who I am."

"I was a person looking for a purpose in life, and this program helped me find it," said Tinsley, who is a graduate student at LWC's community campus in Cumberland, Ky.

LWC President William T. Luckey Jr., who earned has graduate degrees while a working parent, told the students that "I have great admiration for what you are doing."

"For most of you, I know you probably have either family or jobs, and that's a tough way to go through and get an education," he said.

That was especially true for LWC alumna Pam Waddell of Tazewell, Va., who graduated with a master's degree last December at Biggers Sports Center.

"This program truly was an answer to prayer for me," said Waddell, who attended LWC classes at the community campus in Richlands, Va. "I was at a point in my life where I wanted to go back to graduate school, but I needed an option where I could still remain a mother, a wife and be able to work full-time."

During their weekend in Columbia, the students attended several seminars that dealt with their profession, participated in community building activities as well as toured the region.

"All of the other colleges I've ever visited all look alike, but this one is very different from other campuses because it's so beautiful," Tomilson said.

As LWC regional enrollment director Tommie Ann Saragas reminded the students, it is the Lindsey Wilson mission that makes the campus special.

"Lindsey Wilson is more than the beautiful buildings -- it is about the faculty and staff who carry out the mission of this school every day," she said.

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Click here to see scenes from SPC Day.