In addition to its stellar academic programs, Concord University offers plenty of opportunities for students to grow while having fun! There are several student organizations & Greek organizations you can join, exciting activities you can participate in, and workshops aimed to help your academic & professional development. Kelsey loved that Concord was not only a beautiful campus but that it also had a hometown atmosphere. By choosing Concord University it allowed her to become a third generation Mountain Lion in her family. Her service to others in the community expanded thanks to the opportunities that were offered to her through the Bonner Scholars Program and the Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation Program. Kelsey graduated without any student debt earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and plans to continue her education by pursuing an MBA. It Starts With You. Oceana, WV Professor of History Assistant Professor of English / Director of Veteran Services Bluefield, WV Dr. Samantha Byrd began at Concord as an adjunct professor in the Masters of Social Work program in 2020, and was advanced to a full-time position in 2022. She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Concord in 2016, and her Masters of Social Work degree in 2018, also from Concord. She went on to the University of Kentucky to earn her Doctor of Social Work degree in 2023.
Dr. Byrd has practice experience in child and adolescent mental health, grant management, and foster parent training. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) interventions. In addition to teaching, Samantha volunteers in the counseling center at Concord, and provides community service in various ways. She founded and manages a foster closet and foster parent support group, and serves on the board of directors for Child Protect of Mercer County.
She says of her most memorable experience at CU, “Since starting in academia, I have had the pleasure of working in different capacities with some of the professors and mentors I had during my time as a student at CU. It is incredible to see how everyone comes together behind the scenes to support students in various ways.”Concord Student Life
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Student LifeASP Web Support2026-08-21T18:59:03-04:00
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Kelsey Walls '18
Dr. Samantha Byrd, DSW, MSW, LGSW, '16 '18
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