Lindsey Wilson University

Record Number of Graduates, New Name, National Triple Play Among Top Lindsey Wilson University Stories of 2025

Other top stories: University's education and nursing programs enjoy a perfect year, business seniors win national competition, $2 million grant will help serve mental health needs of central Appalachia.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (12/31/2025) — Lindsey Wilson University adopted a new name, community service milestones were reached, Blue Raider athletics won three national titles over one weekend and a record number of graduates were celebrated. Here's a look at the top 10 stories of 2025 at Lindsey Wilson.

No. 1: Lindsey Wilson College Becomes Lindsey Wilson University

In the words of Board of Trustees Chair Denny Howell of Louisville, Kentucky, "to reflect the mission, character and direction of this incredible school," the Lindsey Wilson Board of Trustees unanimously voted on April 25 for Lindsey Wilson College to become Lindsey Wilson University. "I've always been convinced that the best teaching and learning in the world happens at small, private colleges across the United States," said LWU President William T. Luckey Jr. "That is why this move does not change our mission, who we serve or what we do, but rather it reflects the dynamic nature of who we have become." The change took effect July 1, which included a celebration of more than 200 people. And from Sept. 8-12, Columbia-Adair County celebrated the new name with Lindsey Wilson Week.

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No. 2: Record Number of Graduates

LWU graduated a record number of students in 2025. At its 121st commencement in the spring, Lindsey Wilson College awarded a total of 890 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees, the largest number of spring graduates in school history. At its 122nd commencement in the fall, Lindsey Wilson University awarded a total of 974 degrees -- 121 undergraduate degrees, 851 graduate degrees and two doctorates, the largest commencement class in school history. That added up to 1,864 graduates in 2025, also a school record.

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No. 3: Nursing and Education Are Perfect

Lindsey Wilson's Class of 2024 nursing graduates had a perfect year. All nursing majors who graduated from Lindsey Wilson's award-winning program in 2024 passed the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX), the nationwide examination for the licensing of nurses in the United States. In Nurse.org's "Top 10 Best Nursing Schools in Kentucky," Lindsey Wilson was one of the 10 schools mentioned. It was the third consecutive year Lindsey Wilson's nursing program has landed in Nurse.org's top 10 ranking. In the spring, Lindsey Wilson's education program received straight A's on its version of a report card -- a seven-year affirmation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, the national body that evaluates and accredits teacher-preparation programs. The program was reaccredited without any recommendations. And in September, the program received a national honor -- the 2025 Frank Murray Leadership Recognition for Continuous Improvement.

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No. 4: Business Seniors Win National Marketing Competition

Three LWU business administration seniors took first place in the Marketing Research Competition's undergraduate division. The LWU team of Grace Adams of Bethlehem, Kentucky, Allee Harris of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and Taylor Harvey of Columbia, finished first among 80 teams in the competition, beating out a team from Providence College and from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The first-place finish was one of several strong showings in 2025 by LWU business teams in national competitions.

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No. 5: $2 Million Grant Will Assist Mental Health Needs of Central Appalachia

In July, LWU received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that will help meet the mental health needs of Central Appalachia by expanding the number of the region's mental health counselors. The grant will assist graduate students in the LWU School of Professional Counseling with their practicum and internships, and provide a stipend to the students and to the program's community partners.

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No. 6: Athletics Records a National Triple Play

Lindsey Wilson athletics scored a trifecta over Memorial Day weekend, winning three NAIA national championships in two sports. Maxwell Wordui '26 captured the men's long jump national title, Lorenzo Luces '26 won the men's triple jump national title, and the men's golf team claimed the program's first team NAIA team title, Lindsey Wilson's 20th overall NAIA team national title. Other Blue Raider highlights in 2025: women's swimming finished third in the nation, the best in program history, and seven Blue Raider women combined for six individual and relay national titles and received two national honors; and the football team, who started the season unranked, won the Mid-South Conference championship, rose to No. 6 in the Netting Professionals NAIA Top 25 Coaches' Poll and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA Football Championship Series.

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No. 7: Gifts Create Phil Hanna Cultural Affairs Series

It was a big year for the fine and performing arts, capped off with the creation of the Phil Hanna Cultural Affairs Series, which honors the late Phil Hanna, the Lindsey Wilson director of library services who served as longtime chair of the cultural affairs series. The year also included a full schedule of performances in the spring, summer and fall by the Department of Theatre and a busy fall in the Lucretia C. Begley Art Gallery.

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No. 8: Golf Center to be Named in Memory of Legendary Blue Raider Jessica Smith '10

Lindsey Wilson will open one of the best indoor golf centers in the NAIA in 2026. The Jessica Smith Golf Center -- Donated by Earl & Marlene Smith will be a 4,200-square-foot building with three hitting bays, a practice area, locker rooms, coaches' offices and a players' lounge. It is named in honor of the late women's golfer Jessica Smith '10, who is a member of the Lindsey Wilson Athletics Hall of Fame. The building is made possible by a gift from Smith's parents, Earl and Marlene Smith of Louisville, Kentucky.

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No. 9: 'All In' Raises $838,252 to Support Students

The theme was "Building a Stronger U," and that's exactly what this year's "All In" campaign did. When it concluded, the annual campaign had raised $838,252 Sept. 23-24 from more than 760 donors. The money will be used to support a myriad of student needs, including academic programs, cocurricular enrichment opportunities and scholarship aid.

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No. 10: 'Coats for Kids' Passes 700, Spotlighting a Year of Service

The Bonner Scholar Program delivered 48 winter coats to Adair County Head Start on Dec. 10, the 14th year its "Coats for Kids" program has outfitted Head Start's students with winter coats. Since the program's inception, it has donated more than 700 winter coats to Adair County Head Start. The Bonner Scholar Program also celebrated its 20-year anniversary, which includes collectively more than 380,000 community service hours to dozens of community partners throughout the region. "Coats for Kids" wrapped up a year of community service that included Bob's Basket, support of Operation Christmas Spirit, the Malvina Farkle Day annual day of service, the 23rd annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon, participation in Operation Christmas Child, relief for victims of floods in Eastern Kentucky and the 31st annual Safe Halloween.

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

LWU Top 2025 01

Lillian Clauson of Bonnieville, Kentucky, embraces her mother, biology professor Melissa Clauson, after earning a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education at Lindsey Wilson University’s 121st commencement on May 3. Lindsey Wilson graduated a record number of students in 2025. At its 121st commencement in the spring, Lindsey Wilson College awarded a total of 890 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees, the largest number of spring graduates in school history. At its 122nd commencement in the fall, Lindsey Wilson University awarded a total of 974 degrees -- 121 undergraduate degrees, 851 graduate degrees and two doctorates, the largest commencement class in school history. That added up to 1,864 graduates in 2025, also a school record.

LWU Top 2025 02

Lindsey Wilson University President William T. Luckey Jr. addresses a standing room only crowd on July 1 at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, to celebrate the school’s first day as a university.

LWU Top 2025 03

Brian Hargrove, left, and Rob Quinnelly, both of Brian’s Machine Shop in Columbia, affix the “O” to the Lindsey Wilson University sign on June 30 in front of the university’s Doris & Bob Holloway Health and Wellness Center. Lindsey Wilson College became Lindsey Wilson University on July 1.

LWU Top 2025 04

Members of the Lindsey Wilson men’s golf team celebrate winning the program’s first NAIA men’s golf national championship, Lindsey Wilson’s 20th overall NAIA team national title, on May 23 at historic TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. The national title was one of three national titles the Blue Raiders won over Memorial Day weekend. In addition to the men’s golf national title, in track and field Maxwell Wordui ’26 captured the men’s long jump national title and Lorenzo Luces ’26 won the men’s triple jump national title.