Stubblefield Institute executive director Ashley Horst places a stole around the neck of Martinsburg resident Kevin Murphy, as Stubblefield Institute and CLCA program coordinator Elaine Bobo waits to hand him his certificate in the Scarborough Library on April 14. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — The first class of college students to complete the Stubblefield Institute Community Leadership and Civil Advocacy (CLCA) Certificate program was celebrated on April 14 and 15.

Two ceremonies were held, to celebrate the program completion. April 14’s ceremony honored six students — five from Shepherd University and one from Blue Ridge Community & Technical College (BRCTC) — in the Reading Room of the Scarborough Library at Shepherd University.

April 15’s ceremony in Morgantown honored three students at West Virginia University.

“This is such an exciting event,” said Shepherd University President Mary Hendrix, who gave the welcome at the beginning of Monday’s program. “It’s a pleasure to honor these extraordinary students, who have equipped themselves to identify challenges, to create solutions and to advocate for change. That’s so important these days.”

According to Stubblefield Institute and CLCA program coordinator Elaine Bobo, the certificate completion of these students was not without significant effort on all of their parts over the last two semesters.

Shepherd University President Mary Hendrix congratulates the students who earned Community Leadership & Civil Advocacy Certificates in the Scarborough Library on April 14. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

“The CLCA started earlier, under Cindy Powers’ leadership,” Bobo said, referring to the institute’s former program manager. “The certificate looked a bit different than it does now — this is because Shepherd students, working under the leadership of the Stubblefield Institute, studied and discussed what would help them move the certificate forward with success.

“It has moved from an a la carte offering of activities for certificate completion, to seven monthly sessions with guided presentations, by community practitioners,” Bobo said. “It now includes after-session assignments to apply their new knowledge and skill, and mentorship to move the advocacy project from an idea to an active agent of change.”

She added that, through the thoughtful structuring of the program and the work of the Stubblefield Institute’s board members, the CLCA will be able to count for college credit at Shepherd, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

During both programs, the graduates briefly spoke about their advocacy projects — the work they did to prove they had earned their certificate and learned how to successfully advocate for change.

They then each received a certificate and a white graduation sash, from Bobo and Stubblefield Institute executive director Ashley Horst.

Community Leadership & Civil Advocacy Certificate students chat with ceremony attendees about their advocacy projects in the Scarborough Library on April 14. Photo by Tabitha Johnston

The graduates at April 14’s ceremony came from all walks of life.

Half of them were nontraditional students: Shepherdstown resident Kevin Murphy is pursing a master degree in Appalachian studies from Shepherd; Spring Mills resident Karen Lewis-Dryden is completing her Regents Bachelor of Arts degree this May, following the beginning of her college career 25 years ago; and Falling Waters resident Veronica Parker is completing her associate’s degree in criminal justice at BRCTC, along with running a business and raising five children.

The other three students were: Sherri Alayya, a senior nursing major from Tanzania; Grace McInelly, a junior social work major from Morgantown; and Nesryn Kelsey, a sophomore social work major originally from Florida.

Just as each student’s background differed widely from another’s, so did the advocacy projects, which were all inspired by the students’ personal experiences. The results of Kelsey’s and McInelly’s advocacy projects will lead to increased mental health resources and mental health skill development, respectively, for teachers in the state.

Parker’s project will ensure that financial literacy classes will now be regularly offered to women at the Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center.

Murphy’s project will likely, pending approval of the board, mandate that all Shepherd students complete 10 hours of volunteer service a year.

Alayya’s project has lead to the adoption of a Uniformity of University Religious Observance Policy at Shepherd. Lewis-Dryden’s project may lead to more educational assistance being made available to children in the Berkeley County school system.

To learn more, visit https://stubblefieldinstitute.org/events-and-programs/student-programs-civic-engagement/.