About Concord University
For more than 150 years, Concord University has served the southern region of West Virginia, southwest Virginia and beyond, educating teachers, business leaders, scientists, social workers, as well as future medical and legal professionals. With a 14:1 student to faculty ratio and over 70 programs of study, Concord provides you with a quality education no matter what you choose.
Featured Stories
Assistant Professor/Training Manager
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.”
Dr. Samantha Byrd, DSW, MSW, LGSW, '16 '18
Assistant Professor/Training Manager
Summer McElwain
Class of 2021
Dr. Allison Bean
Assistant Professor of Business
Taylor Brown
Psychology Major with Business Administration minor
Director of Student Activities & Student Center
Students at CU go to Carolyn Worley for help with their student ID, when they want to join or start an organization on campus, if they need to hang a poster or flyer, or even if they just need a listening ear. Carolyn says she wants to make a student’s college experience the best years of their lives. Carolyn has worked on campus since 2004, and in her time here as an employee of several different departments and as a student, she has gained valuable knowledge of the university that makes her an important resource for students. “Each position has allowed me to develop a new set of skills,” Carolyn says. “I enjoy learning and pushing to be the best version of myself.” In 2017, she graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Concord and in 2020, she graduated with her Masters of Health Promotion.
