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. Zoey Shamblin, class of 2027, is studying sociology with a criminology emphasis and a minor in substance abuse. She is the first-generation college student in her family, having graduated from Poca High School in 2023. She began her collegiate studies in August and quickly became immersed in campus life. She became an arbiter for Concord's Student Government Association, joined Alpha Psi Omega's theatre fraternity and served as Assistant Stage Manager for the 2023 production of The Thanksgiving Play. After graduation, she plans to pursue a career in criminology, either as a correctional officer or as a police officer.
She is grateful for the opportunities she’s had already on The Campus Beautiful, such as visiting Alderson prison, and meeting a federal magistrate judge. She credits her “amazing professor”, Lori Pace for opening doors to these experiences, which helped her discover her passion.
Zoey is an avid traveler and loves to learn about unfamiliar cultures. She’s visited Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, and France. She names Swiss Alps as her favorite saying, “The beautiful mountains reminded me of my country roads home.” Sociology Major with Criminology Emphasis Princeton, WV Bluefield, WV Director of Institutional Research & Data Services 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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Sociology Major with Criminology Emphasis
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Student LifeASP Web Support2026-08-21T18:59:03-04:00
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Zoey Shamblin
Dr. Samantha Byrd, DSW, MSW, LGSW, '16 '18
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