As Commencement approaches at the University of Lynchburg, Alea Wood ’24 has been reflecting on her journey to become a nurse, balancing school work with caring for a family and a part-time job.
Access Program
Army veteran, Access student plans to turn love of history into career he loves
Mike Muñoz ’24 has the U.S. Army to thank for his love of history. Over his 22-year military career, the Access or nontraditional student was stationed in New York, Kentucky, Virginia, California, Kansas, Washington state, Texas, Missouri, South Carolina, and Japan. He did four combat tours — three in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
2023 graduates urged to ‘lean into fear’ in pursuit of their dreams
Commencement exercises for the University of Lynchburg’s undergraduate Class of 2023 were held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 18, on Shellenberger Field. All told, 394 undergraduates — 203 Bachelor of Arts and 191 Bachelor of Science — received their diplomas.
‘Jump right in’: Near-blind adult student juggles work, art, college
Victoria Hauck ’26 isn’t your typical first-year. She’s 29, a licensed massage therapist, and an artist. She’s also legally blind.
A deep desire to educate neurodivergent students: Meet Laurence Walker ’24
Special education major Laurence Walker ’24 is a parent, a stroke survivor, and a cancer patient. He’s also a poet, the student representative for the Neurodiversity Alliance, and previously earned a degree in divinity.
For OLP leader, nature is the classroom
Sometimes it’s an afternoon trip to the adventure course on the wooded outskirts of campus. Sometimes it’s a soul-shaking expedition all the way out in the Grand Canyon. No matter the journey, one walks away from it with a refreshed perspective, new skills, and good memories — par for the course when it comes to Outdoor Leadership Programs with Tim Slusser ’22.
Lynchburg lowers tuition for adult learners, offers three new flexible BAs
Starting this fall, the University of Lynchburg will offer three new undergraduate degrees exclusively to adult learners, or Access students: a Bachelor of Arts in Business Studies, a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Diversity Strategies, and a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Community and Nonprofit Leadership.
‘Overwhelmed with joy’: Former Access student gives $2 million to University of Lynchburg
At 40, Norma White ’90, ’94 MEd decided to fulfill a lifelong dream. She would attend college and become a mental health counselor. Lynchburg’s Access Program was there to make it happen — first with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, then a Master of Education in Agency Counseling.
Academic ‘experiment’ rewarding for graduating ‘Westover-the-Hill’
Teresa Gunter ’20 will admit that when she first started taking classes at the University of Lynchburg in Spring 2011, she had no idea what she was getting herself into.
Access student takes top prize at virtual conference
Social distancing didn’t keep four University of Lynchburg history majors from participating in the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society regional conference on March 27 — and it also didn’t keep one of them from taking the virtual meeting’s top prize.
