Lindsey Wilson University

« Back to Recent News

Lindsey Wilson University Faculty Members Present at Regional Conference

Art's Karly Flynn and communication's Jennifer Furkin were panelists at annual Appalachian College Association Summit.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (09/29/2026) — A pair of Lindsey Wilson University professors helped extol the benefits of a summer Appalachian College Association program at the consortium's recent meeting.

Lindsey Wilson's Karly Flynn '17 and Jennifer Furkin '06 took part in a panel at the Appalachian College Association Summit where they reflected on and shared their experiences with the association's Teaching & Leadership Institute. The ACA Summit was held Sept. 23-25 in Asheville, N.C.

"We communicated what we do at the Teaching & Leadership Institute and how it can help faculty at our schools become more effective in the classroom," said Furkin, who is a member of Lindsey Wilson's communication faculty.

The ACA Teaching & Leadership Institute is held every June for faculty members of the consortium, which is made up of 33 independent four-year liberal arts institutions located in the Appalachian region.

Furkin, who is in the second year of her two-year term as the institute's co-director, has also been an instructor at the summer conference. Flynn, who is a Lindsey Wilson art professor, has been an instructor at the ACA Teaching & Leadership Institute.

"What I like about the ACA is that you get to work with peers from similar institutions," said Flynn. "Our institutions are very similar and so are our students, so ACA faculty members encounter many of the same challenges."

One of the initiatives that faculty at ACA member schools such as Lindsey Wilson are pursuing is project-based learning, which focuses on equipping students with skills that prepare them to succeed in real-world environments.

Furkin said that because faculty members at ACA schools regularly collaborate across their disciplines on their campuses, the consortium's conferences and meetings add another beneficial layer to professional development programs such as the Teaching & Leadership Institute.

"What I like about the Teaching & Leadership Institute is that you also realize that regardless of your discipline, we all face similar challenges in the classroom," said Furkin, who is also Lindsey Wilson's liaison to the ACA. "And everyone brings an important perspective to our discussions."

Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 30 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university's 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.

Media Attachments

Lindsey Wilson University faculty members Karly Flynn ’17 of art, left, and Jennifer Furkin ’06 of communication were panelists at the Appalachian College Association Summit, which was held Sept. 23-25 in Asheville, N.C.

Copyright © 2026 Merit Pages, Inc. • All Rights Reserved. • Terms of Service • Privacy Policy • Opt Out