Karen Rice hugs Shepherd University alumnus Stark Harbour goodbye at her retirement party in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education on Dec. 21. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — On Dec. 21, community members new and old formed a line out of the doors of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education, as they waited their turn to say goodbye to Lifelong Learning Director Karen Rice.

“It’s like a wedding reception line!” Rice said, chuckling in good humor. “It’s heartwarming. It’s just a wonderful feeling, to know that so many came by!”

Rice, who was hired on in 2011 to help develop Shepherd University’s Lifelong Learning program, said she is proud of what she has accomplished, in growing the program exponentially over the last 12 years.

“Today is my last day,” Rice said, mentioning her and her husband Bill’s planned moving date is Jan. 8. “It’s a very bittersweet situation, because I’m leaving behind a community of wonderful people, and yet I get to spend the last days with my mom and share experiences with her!”

Rice said she and her husband would enjoy one final Christmas in their home — her husband’s historic family home of Patterson’s Mill, which has been host to numerous summer lawn concerts over the years, raising funds for the Byrd Center. After the holiday, the couple will begin the process of selling the home. They will then move to Rice’s hometown of Richmond, Va., where they will sell her mother’s current home and find a new one suitable for aging-in-place, which the couple can comfortably share with Rice’s mother.

Community members chat together at Karen Rice's retirement party in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education on Dec. 21. Tabitha Johnston

“She’s kind of failing, health wise, so she’s at the point where she really needs somebody with her,” Rice said, noting that while she had no choice but to retire to make the move, her husband’s work as a solo practitioner attorney will allow him to continue working, especially since he is also licensed to work in Virginia. “He just has to reactivate his Virginia license to practice there.”

As she looks forward to helping her mother age in comfort, Rice said she knows she will miss the community she is leaving behind her.

“I’ll most miss the community — the people, the friendships with everyone, all of that!” Rice said. “I just really put my whole heart into building the Lifelong Learning program. The growth [of the program] has been astronomical — it was 11 classes when we started, and now we are offering well over 50-60 different possibilities with classes, lectures, tours and interest groups. And it just keeps growing! We had a little dip during COVID, and we’ve come back from that. It’s been really rewarding!”

Her replacement is Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications part-time program manager Cindy Powers.

“I’m just thrilled with Cindy being offered the position as the director,” Rice said. “She’s still going to be at the Stubblefield Institute for one day a week, until they replace her. This week, she’s been with me in the office. I have some prepared notes for her and have gone through all of the processes with her. She’ll do a great job!”

Karen Rice, right, chats with Shepherdstown resident Marsha Scorza at her retirement party in the Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History & Education on Dec. 21. Tabitha Johnston

For Shepherd University alumnus Stark Harbour, Rice will be sorely missed.

“I was a course professor for one of the Lifelong Learning courses on how to engage with young people with civility, and also a professor for a course for educators in Jefferson County. I transferred to Shepherd in 2015 and got really, really into Lifelong Learning courses, as one of the youngest people at any of the events! I’ve just been around a lot and helped her out, wherever I could,” Harbour said, noting he had previously hoped that, after defending his doctoral dissertation at Emory University this spring, he would have been able to teach at Shepherd and possibly even work alongside Rice once again.

Cafe Society and Lifelong Learning attendee Marsha Scorza described Rice in glowing terms, remembering how supportive she has been in her time as Lifelong Learning director.

“I appreciate everything she has done here for the greater Shepherd community. The Lifelong Learning program has really flourished under her leadership,” Scorza said. “I’m happy that she’s doing what she needs to do in her life right now, but she’s been amazing, so terrific.”