The mission of Concord University is to improve the lives of our students and communities, through innovative teaching and learning, intellectual and creative activities, and community service and civic engagement.
Featured Stories
Chair, Department of Social Work and Title IX Coordinator
When Dr. Pendergast was finishing her Ph.D. in Social Work Education at the University of South Carolina, she dreamed of teaching at a school like Concord. “I have wanted to live in the mountains for as long as I can remember,” she says. In 2007, she accepted a tenure-track position at CU and has found a home here. “The campus community is welcoming and accepting,” she says. Before completing her doctoral degree, Dr. Pendergast was a practicing social worker, valuable experience she shares with her students. “When I speak with students about social work, I explain that this is the best job and worst job you can have,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to see how people can change their lives, and it can be discouraging when these changes do not come.” Dr. Pendergast is dedicated to preparing her students for the realities they’ll face after graduation, and says she enjoys “being a small part of their journey.”
Dr. Joan Pendergast
Chair, Department of Social Work and Title IX Coordinator
Adam Cook '18
Bradley, WV
Jade Gravely '18
Beckley, WV
Hannah Justice
Princeton, WV
Nursing Major with Psychology Minor
Shannon Phipps of Monroe County, WV began her studies at Concord in the spring of 2023, and she’s chosen nursing as a major and psychology as a minor. She transferred from Marshall University because she wanted to be closer to home. When asked about her most memorable experience in academia, Shannon remembers the first day she met the director and teachers in the nursing program at Concord. “Each professor introduced themselves to me and made me feel at home. I was also given an in-depth tour of the nursing building. All of these things made me feel very welcomed on campus and into the program.” Phipps has wanted to be a nurse ever since kindergarten, when the teacher asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Her future plans include pursuing a job as a flight nurse, and then attending Nurse Anesthetist School.
