Shane Caudill, a native of Knott County, Kentucky, is a sophomore Business Administration major at Alice Lloyd College. When speaking of the College community, Shane states, “I’ve lived in Pippa Passes for almost my entire life, and Alice Lloyd College has been a part of it for just as long. Many of my family work here as employees, and I know many of the faculty and staff personally. This is one of the biggest benefits of having a smaller campus; you can interact with the staff and instructors directly. You never feel like you’re just another student, and it’s one of the reasons I chose to continue my education here.”
Unlike the majority of students who attend ALC, Shane did not follow the straight path from high school through college. “I originally attempted college after high school, but eventually dropped out. I was a weak student and never took my classes seriously,” he says. Unfortunately, his problem is common among many students. Shane explained that after leaving school, he worked in several different jobs that consisted of heavy labor. Ultimately, he did not feel rewarded by the work and decided to not continue on that path.
His decision led to a conversation with his grandfather Albert “Albie” Sparkman who has worked at ALC for over 50 years. Albie is a man who values education and pushes everyone to get as much as they can. He gives his advice to both his family and the young people he supervises in ALC’s maintenance department. Knowing his grandson’s struggle, Albie arranged for Shane to meet with ALC President Joe Stepp. Shane describes this meeting as a turning point in his life by saying, “When the president of the College personally asked me to come back to school, I took his offer.” Having the president of the College give a personal invitation is an example of the servant leadership philosophy taught by Alice Lloyd and June Buchannan and embraced by the ALC faculty and staff.
The history of Alice Lloyd College is compiled of leaders who each took a different path to reach their goals. Shane is grateful that his path led him to ALC, and this time he knows he will be successful in his college endeavors because the work he did after high school taught him to appreciate hard work and discipline. He demonstrates his appreciation by having a desire to work with his hands and to give back to his community. Through his work-study position in the college maintenance department, he works hard to complete various tasks such as technical and electrical work, carpentry, and plumbing as well as general upkeep of the campus. About his work study, Shane states, “It is a very fulfilling job, made better by the fact that I get to work daily with my grandfather.”
Shane is making the most of his second chance by being a dedicated student. When discussing his future, he stated, “I hope to have my degree by 2021. Alice Lloyd College has a fantastic business program, and I am very grateful to be enrolled in it. My hope for the future is that I will eventually get a job at a respected company while also furthering my education.” For Shane, changing his path was initially clouded with uncertainties but has proved to be fulfilling and rewarding paved with bright opportunities.