May 28, 2009

LWC to Partcipate in
Kentucky Private College Week, June 15-19

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Lindsey Wilson College will participate in the sixth-annual Kentucky Private College Week, which will be held June 15-19.

Kentucky Private College Week is a coordinated effort by the state’s 20 nonprofit, independent colleges and universities to provide students and families an easy way to explore a variety of college campuses during the summer.

A single point of registration at kentuckyprivatecolleges.org and common visit times at all 20 campuses -- 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. CT daily at LWC -- make it easy for prospective students to plan campus visits.

The 20 participating campuses serve students from all income levels. Almost four out of 10 students who attend Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities qualify for a Pell Grant, the federal program for students with high financial need. Together, the 20 campuses provide more than $150 million annually in student financial aid and scholarships.

To learn more visit the Kentucky Private College Week blog, kentuckyprivatecolleges.org, to register, see videos featuring current students, learn more about participating campuses, get directions, and see the latest news about Kentucky’s private colleges.

Kentucky Private College Week is an initiative of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (www.aikcu.org). Campuses participating in Kentucky Private College Week include: Alice Lloyd College, Asbury College, Bellarmine University, Berea College, Brescia University, Campbellsville University, Centre College, Georgetown College, Kentucky Christian University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Lindsey Wilson College, Mid-Continent University, Midway College, Pikeville College, St. Catharine College, Spalding University, Thomas More College, Transylvania University, Union College and University of the Cumberlands.

Gateway Region Staff Members Meet
at A.P. White Campus

Members of the Lindsey Wilson College School of Professional Counseling’s Gateway Region gather for a meeting Thursday at the A.P. White Campus. The Gateway Region -- which is one of four regions served by the School of Professional Counseling -- includes the A.P. White Campus, LWC Scottsville Campus, and Kentucky community campuses in Lexington, London and Somerset. From left: London Coordinator Kesha M. McClure, SPC regional secretary Jennifer Moody, Lexington Coordinator Stacy Springston, Gateway Enrollment Director Cheryl Boger, Scottsville Coordinator Dorinda Livesay and Somerset Coordinator Rachel Moore. Click here to read more about the Gateway Region.

Alumnus Andy Olson Named
Kentucky State Police Trooper of the Year

Andy Olson ’04 was named 2008 Kentucky State Police Trooper of the Year.

COLUMBIA, Ky. –
Kentucky state trooper Andy K. Olson’s former college professors aren’t surprised that he was recently recognized as one of the commonwealth’s outstanding state troopers.

“At Lindsey Wilson, Andy was an excellent student and very focused person,” said Associate Professor Sociology and Criminal Justice Daniel W. Phillips III. “You knew that he had the drive and determination to be a successful law-enforcement officer.”

Olson, a 2004 Lindsey Wilson graduate, was recently named 2008 Kentucky State Police Trooper of the Year. He is a five-year member of Kentucky State Police.

Olson – who is assigned to Kentucky State Police Post 15 in Columbia – was selected for the award among 21 troopers who were nominated. A trooper from all 16 KSP posts and five specialized units were nominated from the 900-member force.

“It’s a great honor to receive this award,” Olson said. “Knowing how hard my co-workers work, and to be selected among them is an honor and a privilege.”

Olson is a Campbellsville, Ky., native and graduate of Taylor County High School who now makes his home in Greensburg, Ky., with his wife, Amanda, and their 2-year-old son, Ayden. At Lindsey Wilson, Olson was a record-setting track athlete who graduated with honors with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology.

Capt. Greg Baird, commander of KSP Post 15, said Olson’s “investigative tenacity” was a significant factor in concluding two major felony cases in 2008.

One case involved the repeated rape of two juveniles. Olson identified and arrested two adult perpetrators, both of whom were convicted and received multiple-year sentences. In the other case, Olson’s perseverance and attention to detail led to multiple arrests in a major cocaine-trafficking and burglary ring.

Olson said troopers never know what to expect when they report for duty each day. In May 2005, Olson and two Metcalfe County sheriff’s officers were shot and wounded while serving arrest warrants.

“You can range from changing a tire on the parkway to being involved in a shooting. You never know,” he said. “That’s part of … why we do this job. It’s the un-predictableness, coupled along with the community service. It’s a good feeling to get out there and help somebody.”

May 27, 2009

Three Rs: Civic Engagement Learning Community

Faculty members of Three Rs: Civic Engagement Learning Community are: (from left) Assistant Professor of Political Science Stefan Brooks; Professor of Communication Greg Phelps; Assistant Professor of History Melinda Senters ’93; and Director of Civic Engagement and Student Leadership Amy Thompson-Wells ’99. All incoming LWC freshmen are invited to participate in a learning community, a group of students with shared interests who learn together. A Learning community provides students a fun and supportive start to their LWC experience. The other learning communities for 2009-10 are: the Green Learning Community; AR3TS: Arts in Action Learning Community; Going Global G2: Global Learning Community; and NOW! Health Learning Community. Click here to go to the Three Rs home page.

Burkesville Resident Receives Scholarship
from First & Farmers National Bank

Incoming freshman Hannah Williams of Burkesville (center) is presented the First & Farmers National Bank-L.A. Miller Scholarship by Matthew Hurt of First & Farmers (right) and Lindsey Wilson Fund Director Brady Button.

BURKESVILLE, Ky. –
A Cumberland County resident has received a scholarship to attend Lindsey Wilson College.

Hannah Williams of Burkesville has received The First & Farmers National Bank-L.A. Miller Scholarship.

Williams, the daughter of Doug Williams and Delores Williams, is a 2009 graduate of Cumberland County High School. She will be a freshman this fall at Lindsey Wilson, where plans to prepare for a career in speech therapy.

“I chose Lindsey Wilson because of the close-knit, family environment I experienced when I visited the campus,” she said.

In high school, Williams was a member of Future Farmers of America, Future Business Leaders of America and 4-H. She was captain of the Cumberland County cheerleading squad and was a four-time all-district cheerleading honoree. Williams, who also received a Lindsey Wilson cheerleading scholarship, will cheer next school year at LWC.

“We are pleased to continue our partnership with First and Farmers National Bank,” Lindsey Wilson Fund Director Brady Button said. “The dedication of First and Farmers National Bank to higher-education opportunities for Cumberland County residents is an encouraging example for all of us.”

May 18, 2009

'Three-Minute Thursday'
Helping Out the Crescent City

This week, Director of Alumni Relations Randy Burns discusses the possibility of organizing an alumni service trip to help rebuild the city of New Orleans.

This Week @ LWC -- May 18-22

Listen!

May 12, 2009

Nursing Program to Start in Fall;
Students Will Earn BSN Degree

COLUMBIA, Ky. – Lindsey Wilson College will begin a bachelor’s degree in nursing this fall.

The college has been approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing to offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing. It will be the 21st undergraduate program offered at the college.

The program was started in response to “a critical shortage of nurses in our region,” said Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr.

“Since its founding in 1903, Lindsey Wilson has a history of meeting the needs of Southcentral Kentucky,” Luckey said. “A nursing program will allow citizens of Southcentral Kentucky who want to earn a four-year nursing degree to remain in this region while serving in one of society’s most important professions.”

Students who wish to be nursing majors will enroll their freshman year as pre-nursing majors and be part of a special learning community in which they work closely with their professors and academic advisers. Students who meet the program’s rigorous academic criteria will be admitted to the nursing program at the end of their freshmen year. During their final three years at the college, nursing majors will take mix of classes at Lindsey Wilson and also several practicums at regional health-care centers and hospitals.

“This will not be an easy major,” Luckey said. “It will require a great deal of commitment from the student. But the students who graduate from this program will be well-rounded individuals who will be prepared to make a significant contribution in the nursing profession.”

Several factors contributed to Lindsey Wilson’s decision to add a four-year nursing program, Luckey said.

“In the Jim and Helen Lee Fugitte Science Center, we already have one of the premier science buildings among Kentucky’s private colleges and universities,” Luckey said. “Our biology major also has an incredible track record in terms of getting students into professional schools such as pharmacy, dentistry, medicine and allied health.

“Students have also consistently expressed an interest in a nursing major. So we know the demand is there among our students as well as among prospective students.”

By starting a baccalaureate program in nursing, Lindsey Wilson will also help meet a critical need in Kentucky for more nurses with four-year degrees, Luckey said.

Of the 33 nursing programs in Kentucky and Tennessee, only 10 offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing. None of the nursing programs in Southcentral Kentucky offer a four-year nursing degree.

“The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has long been a national voice for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs,” Luckey said.

Nursing is among the fastest-growing occupations in Kentucky, according to the Workforce Kentucky Web site.

“Given the poor public health status of Kentucky, this may well be an underestimate of the need for nurses,” Luckey said

For more information ...
For more information about the nursing program, contact the LWC Office of Admissions at admissions@lindsey.edu, (270) 384-8100 or (800) 264-0138.

May 9, 2009

2009 Spring Commencement: Ceremony Caps Off Largest Class of Graduates

The words on Brittany Compton’s mortarboard sum up most graduates’ feelings at the 2009 spring commencement. Compton, of Edmonton, Ky., earned a bachelor of arts degree in biology.

COLUMBIA, Ky. – Lindsey Wilson College capped off its largest class in college history Saturday morning at its 89th commencement ceremony, held in Biggers Sports Center.

A total of 161 undergraduate and graduate degrees were conferred. Combined with the 325 degrees conferred at the winter commencement, the Class of 2009 stands at 486 students – the largest in the college’s 109-year history.

To put that number in perspective, a total of 135 degrees were conferred during the 2002-03 school year. That represents a 260 percent increase in graduates over the last six school years.

In his commencement address, Kentucky State Sen. Vernie McGaha told members of the Class of 2009 to follow their interests “with abandon” and “not to squander” their opportunity to make a difference in the world.

“My challenge to you is not to squander the gifts and talents you have developed, but to push your talents and abilities to even greater heights,” said McGaha, a Republican from Russell Springs who has represented Kentucky’s 15th Senate District since 1996. “By pushing yourself to excel, you’ll be joining the ranks of some of the world’s most accomplished people.”

Although the Class of 2009 is graduating during one of the worst economic recessions in the last 60 years, McGaha told the graduates that persistence is key during challenging times.

“Our world is shaped by those who are persistent in following your interests,” he said. “Even the most successful people hit roadblocks sometimes. But what sets those people apart or what makes them successful is a determination to move on despite roadblocks.”

Although the world is experiencing tremendous change, McGaha told the Lindsey Wilson graduates to look for “opportunity.”

“Some mistakenly see the uncertainties ahead as a time of crisis,” he said. “But crisis is always accompanied by a twin called ‘opportunity.’ They can easily be mistaken for each other, but don’t let them fool you – this is a time in which you open the door to possibility, a whole world of opportunity.”

McGaha also urged the graduates to make a difference in their communities by serving others.

“The skills each of you possess will make you increasingly important members of your community, and that will give you new opportunities to give back to your communities,” he said.

McGaha received an honorary doctorate from the college. Also honored at the ceremony with an honorary doctorate for their service to the commonwealth were businessman Charles Bennett of Hardinsburg, Ky., and longtime Lindsey Wilson trustee Pete Mahurin of Bowling Green, Ky.

Commencement weekend got under way on Friday afternoon with a pinning ceremony for A.P. White Campus students in the School of Professional Counseling. That was followed by the annual Senior Banquet, hosted by the Lindsey Wilson National Alumni Association. The keynote address was given by Assistant Professor of History Melinda Senters, voted three-time Teacher of the Year by the LWC Student Government Association.

At the baccalaureate service on Friday night in Biggers Sports Center, the Rev. Terry Faris delivered “The Blessing of the Balanced Life.”

Commencement Scenes
A Weekend of Celebrations
Scenes from weekend (click on image to go to page):

iPhone users: Click here to view the pictures.

Meet the Class of 2009
Students who attended 89th commencement (click on image to go to page):

iPhone users: Click here to view the pictures.

May 8, 2009

Bonner Program Gives $2,000 to Camp Casey

FRONT ROW: Camp Casey participants (from left) Shelby Elizabeth Jones, 7; Kaitlin Elizabeth Neat, 6; and Emily Nicole Melton, 7. All three are first-grades at Colonel William Casey Elementary School. BACK ROW: LWC Bonner Leader Program Co-Director Amy Thompson-Wells, LWC junior Holli Clevenger of Ashland, Ky., Camp Casey Director Dana Harmon and LWC Bonner Leader Program Co-Director Elise Luckey. (For a larger version of this picture: click here.)

COLUMBIA, Ky. -- A gift from the Lindsey Wilson College Bonner Leader program will help a local program for schoolchildren stretch its budget.

The Lindsey Wilson Bonner program gave $2,000 to the Camp Casey program at Colonel William Casey Elementary School in Columbia. The Community Service Development Grant was made through the Bonner Foundation of Princeton, N.J.

The money will be used to serve more students at the after-school program, according to Camp Casey Director Dana Harmon.

Camp Casey is an after-school enrichment program provided to students at the Adair County elementary school. The Lindsey Wilson Bonner Leaders have volunteered at the program for the last five years.


(Click on the TweetMic icon to hear how the gift will help Camp Casey.)

May 6, 2009

2009 Spring Midnight Breakfast: Residence Life
Serves More than 450 Students

More than 450 Lindsey Wilson College residential students concluded Cinco de Mayo on Tuesday with a late-night meal in Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center. Actually, the students took part in the college’s semiannual Midnight Breakfast, but the event happened to fall on Cinco de Mayo.

The decade-old tradition -– which is sponsored by the LWC Residence Life Office -– is usually held on Tuesday of each finals week to allow students to take a break from studying for tests and writing papers. The college’s residence life staff serves the students.

Lindsey Wilson’s 2009 spring commencement -– the 89th commencement ceremony in college history -– will be held at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday in Biggers Sports Center. A total of 161 undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred. Combined with the 325 degrees conferred at the winter commencement, the Class of 2009 stands at 486 students –- the largest in the college’s 109-year history.

Click here to read about 2009 spring commencement weekend.

iPhone users: Click here to view pictures from the event.

May 1, 2009

2009 Spring Commencement: May 9

Lindsey Wilson College will cap off its largest class in college history on Saturday, May 9. (Click here to read the full story on the LWC Web site.)

Lindsey Wilson’s 89th commencement ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday, May 9, in the college’s Biggers Sports Center. A total of 161 undergraduate and graduate degrees will be conferred. Combined with the 325 degrees conferred at the winter commencement, the Class of 2009 stands at 486 students – the largest in the college’s 109-year history.

The commencement address will be given by State Sen. Vernie McGaha of Russell Springs, Ky. He will also receive an honorary doctorate.

Also being honored with an honorary doctorate are businessman Charles Bennett of Hardinsburg, Ky., and longtime Lindsey Wilson trustee Pete Mahurin of Bowling Green, Ky.

Commencement weekend begins at 5 p.m. CT on Friday, May 8, with the annual Senior Banquet. The keynote address will be given by Assistant Professor of History Melinda Senters. The Rev. Terry Faris will deliver the message at the baccalaureate ceremony, which will be at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, May 8, in Biggers Sports Center.

Following the commencement ceremony on May 9, the college will host a reception for graduates and their families in Cranmer Dining & Conference Center.

For more information about 2009 spring commencement weekend at Lindsey Wilson, contact the Alumni Office at alumni@lindsey.edu or (270) 384-8400.

Click here to read the full story on the LWC Web site.