Kolby Combs is a junior at Alice Lloyd College. The Hyden, Kentucky native is studying kinesiology at the College and plans to complete a physical therapy program after receiving his degree from ALC. Kolby first heard about ALC from family members who are alumni of the College.
Kolby has made numerous achievements so far during his walk along Purpose Road. Academically, he has been named to the President’s List each semester for maintaining a 4.0-grade point average, has become a member of ALC’s Honors Program, and has received the Judy Ann Howard Award for demonstrating good character, personality, and leadership ability while maintaining his GPA and participating in extracurricular activities.
Kolby is very active on campus. He is a member of the Allied Health Club and a leader in ALC’s Student Government Association, SGA. Kolby serves his fellow students as the SGA Executive Vice President. In this role, Kolby “represents the student body and helps to give ALC students a voice for those who hold authority to hear. We handle student concerns of all types. We plan and conduct community service events, host blood drives, and plan student activities like dances.” In the Allied Health Club, Kolby has the opportunity to listen to speakers working in multiple health professions and who are representatives of different graduate programs. He is grateful for the opportunity to listen to various health professionals spreading information about various academic opportunities and professions.
As an ALC student, Kolby participates in the College’s Student Work Program. Kolby works an additional 10 hours each week (20 total) and serves as a Student Supervisor in the Student Work Office (SWO), where he performs numerous duties that he says will help him in his future career field. “The work study program has encouraged me to work on soft skills which have benefitted me and will continue to in the future. The work study environment is one that I have grown to love and appreciate in my time at Alice Lloyd College.”
Kolby has made numerous memories at Alice Lloyd College and has a deep appreciation for the College and his experiences along Purpose Road. “My favorite part of Alice Lloyd College is the close-knit community that we have here. At Alice Lloyd, you feel like a person and not just a person on a roster sheet. I think this aspect has many positive influences on the quality of education students receive and the quality of work students perform for this campus. Here you don’t do things because you’re required to, you do them because you want to and because everybody helps each other and does their fair share.”
Alice Lloyd College inspires Kolby to become a better leader and has helped him discover his passion for being a leader and helping others. “I think the College’s emphasis on leadership and character is part of the reason I want to pursue physical therapy. As a physical therapist, I can help others every day. Additionally, I will have the opportunity to lead an office of experienced PTAs and PT techs. Being a leader in my community is extremely important to me. I feel that everyone who is able should be active in their community because it impacts so many people. Part of the charm of ALC is that everyone helps and leads to some extent, and I want to carry that idea beyond this campus like so many others before me.”
Kolby says that ALC is preparing him for graduate school by providing challenging classes and creating a learning environment unlike anywhere else. Smaller class sizes make it easier for students to receive help from their professors when they are struggling with course content, and students can get to know their professors more easily because they live on campus, where students can interact with them outside of the classroom at sporting events or even in the Hunger Din Cafeteria. Kolby’s classes, like his favorite class so far, Anatomy and Physiology with Dr. Janelle Pryor, “make the material enjoyable to learn. It’s presented in a way that makes me want to study and learn as much as I can. My ALC classes are invaluable to my peers and I as they prepare us for more rigorous classes.”
Kolby is eternally grateful for Alice Lloyd College and the opportunities it has given him. At ALC, Kolby has made important relationships and connections, earned valuable work experience, and received a quality, character-based education. “I would highly recommend ALC to anyone. Not only are the academic resources and faculty great, but the experiences and knowledge the work study program provides are a major leg up after graduation. Alice Lloyd takes intimidation out of higher education and provides vital opportunities to those who deserve them.”
