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by Lesley Hatfield, Pennington Gap, VA / University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences

Lesley Hatfield 2

Lesley Hatfield

My mom always says that Alice Lloyd College and all of the things it provided me is this area’s “best kept secret.” That’s mainly because so many people are unaware of the opportunities available at ALC.

I just graduated from ALC in December 2013, and I am now attending a Masters of Physician Assistant Studies program to become a practicing Physician Assistant. Because I was awarded a Caney Scholars Scholarship from ALC, I have the unbelievable opportunity to live in Alice Lloyd College’s Caney Cottage Residence Hall in Lexington, Kentucky, rent‐free.

Everyone knows that the cost of education continues to increase every year. For most people, it costs a lot of money to receive a college education. However, because I chose to attend Alice Lloyd College, I was fortunate enough to graduate with no debt. For me, going to college was my only option after high school. My parents always encouraged me to make school my full‐time job; so, it only made sense to continue my education and make college my priority for the next few years of my life.

My sister was a junior at Alice Lloyd the year I graduated high school. I hadn’t considered joining her at ALC when deciding which college I would attend; however, she decided to finish early and graduated in only three years, which meant that we would not be going to the College together. Thanks to Alice Lloyd, my sister is now a second‐year pharmacy student at the University of Kentucky, and she, too, received a scholarship and lives in Caney Cottage Residence Hall!

As I was busy with various high school activities and college and scholarship applications, I was having a hard time narrowing down my choices of potential colleges. When I learned that other schools out there were going to provide me with scholarship opportunities because of my high school GPA, I got excited. However, the amount they were willing to give me was never enough to cover all the costs, and I wondered how I was going to pay for the remaining portion. It didn’t equal the amount of aid that Alice Lloyd was going to provide me.

I graduated valedictorian from my high school and began college with 64 college credit hours, which means that after my first semester, I was already junior status. When deciding to come to Alice Lloyd, I knew that I wouldn’t regret my decision. I didn’t come to ALC just because of the guaranteed tuition, but rather, after visiting Pippa Passes, I knew it was the most suitable place for me. For my college experience, I wanted to be serious about my classes and learning, build a relationship with my professors, and meet new people. With my priorities set straight, I knew I could do those things at ALC. I could have chosen to take out student loans, but it was obvious that not being in debt when I graduated was more important. This was especially true because, from a young age, I knew I would try to go beyond a four‐year degree and attend graduate school.

While at Alice Lloyd, I worked as a lifeguard and, last spring, I received the work‐study award for “Lifeguard of the Year.” I also received the Whitfield Cobb Award for Statistics. I was involved in many campus activities as well, such as the Allied Health Club and the Impact Club.

I made a great decision by attending Alice Lloyd. It makes me proud to share with others about this place, and I will always be convinced that there isn’t another school in this nation that could have given me everything that ALC has. When people ask me where I went to college, I am always honored to tell them Alice Lloyd!

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