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Lindsey Wilson University School of Professional Counseling Celebrates Graduates from Undergraduate, Graduate Programs

'It is only the beginning of what lies ahead.'

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (09/03/2025) — Before the 2025 fall semester officially got underway, members of the Lindsey Wilson University School of Professional Counseling celebrated nearly 100 students who had achieved a major academic milestone in the summer.

A total of 97 students -- 21 undergraduate students and 76 graduate students -- were honored in two ceremonies held Aug. 19 online.

The stories the newly minted graduates shared were as diverse as their backgrounds, but they all had one thing in common -- the successful pursuit of a Lindsey Wilson degree. The 97 graduates will receive their Lindsey Wilson diplomas Dec. 13 at the first Lindsey Wilson University commencement ceremony.

'Late-night warriors'

In her remarks, graduate student Tiffany Estepp of Morehead, Kentucky, told fellow graduates that "we've shared something truly powerful."

"This isn't just a degree, and it isn't just a title -- it's every late-night discussion post, every early morning reading, every moment we chose to keep going when it would have been easier to stop," said Estepp, who earned a master of education in counseling. "We are the late-night warriors, the parents typing papers with toddlers in our laps, the in-between-workers squeezing in assignments during lunch breaks. We carried our dreams through chaos, exhaustion and doubt -- and, still, we made it here."

As fellow graduate student Brenda Horn of Richlands, Virginia, said, the struggles were "well worth the challenging assignments and the sleepless nights."

"As I reflect on my academic journey, I remember the words of (former South African President and Nobel Laureate) Nelson Mandela, who said, 'The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall,'" said Horn, who also earned a master of education in counseling.

From homeless addict to college graduate

One of the graduates who could have found it easy to stop was Sasha Griffith of Mayfield, Kentucky, who said she found herself homeless and an addict seven years ago.

"My average day was spent figuring out how not to be sick by looking for a fix," said Griffith, who earned a bachelor of arts degree in human services and counseling. "I had tried getting sober more times than I could count, and every time I failed. After so many failures, I began to believe that maybe this was just how God made me -- to be an addict. I couldn't imagine another path for my life. But everything changed when I finally surrendered and let God in."

While in recovery, Griffith discovered Lindsey Wilson's bachelor's program in human services and counseling.

"Lindsey Wilson University has been a huge part of that calling," said Griffith. "When I began school here, I was still learning how to rebuild myself. But this place gave me the chance to start fresh, find my confidence and prepare for the life of service I feel called to."

And while Aug. 19 and Dec. 13 are important milestones in the lives of the 97 graduates, graduate student Aida Guidry reminded them that their "true success is measured in the people who we will serve."

"Earning a master's degree is not just about academics -- it's about resilience, adaptability and remembering why we started this journey in the first place," said Guidry, who earned a master of education in counseling and is stationed in Stuttgart, Germany, with her husband who is in the military. "Today, as we reflect, we see more than our textbooks, assignments and clinical hours. We see growth and transformation. We see the countless ways this journey has prepared us not just for a profession but for a purpose. And while this chapter closes today, it is only the beginning of what lies ahead."

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 28 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

“Earning a master’s degree is not just about academics -- it’s about resilience, adaptability and remembering why we started this journey in the first place,” Lindsey Wilson University graduate student Aida Guidry of Stuttgart, Germany, said at the Aug. 19 online ceremony honoring 97 undergraduates and graduates in the Lindsey Wilson School of Professional Counseling.

“As I reflect on my academic journey, I remember the words of (former South African President and Nobel Laureate) Nelson Mandela, who said, ‘The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall,’” Lindsey Wilson University graduate student Brenda Horn of Richlands, Virginia, said at the Aug. 19 online ceremony honoring 97 undergraduates and graduates in the Lindsey Wilson School of Professional Counseling.

“When I began school here, I was still learning how to rebuild myself. But this place gave me the chance to start fresh, find my confidence and prepare for the life of service I feel called to,” Lindsey Wilson University undergraduate student Sasha Griffith of Mayfield, Kentucky, said at the Aug. 19 online ceremony honoring 97 undergraduates and graduates in the Lindsey Wilson School of Professional Counseling.

“We are the late-night warriors, the parents typing papers with toddlers in our laps, the in-between-workers squeezing in assignments during lunch breaks. We carried our dreams through chaos, exhaustion and doubt -- and, still, we made it here,” Lindsey Wilson University graduate student Tiffany Estepp of Morehead, Kentucky, said at the Aug. 19 online ceremony honoring 97 undergraduates and graduates in the Lindsey Wilson School of Professional Counseling.

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