Concord Financial Aid
Concord University has long been committed to improving student access and completion, particularly for low income and first-generation students in rural Appalachia. We provide generous scholarship opportunities which help make higher education more accessible.
Featured Stories
Oceana, WV
Kelsey loved that Concord was not only a beautiful campus but that it also had a hometown atmosphere. By choosing Concord University it allowed her to become a third generation Mountain Lion in her family. Her service to others in the community expanded thanks to the opportunities that were offered to her through the Bonner Scholars Program and the Appalachian Leadership and Education Foundation Program. Kelsey graduated without any student debt earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and plans to continue her education by pursuing an MBA. It Starts With You.
Kelsey Walls '18
Oceana, WV
Dr. Joan Pendergast
Chair, Department of Social Work and Title IX Coordinator
Summer McElwain
Class of 2021
Taylor Brown
Psychology Major with Business Administration minor
Chair, Department of Social Work and Title IX Coordinator
When Dr. Pendergast was finishing her Ph.D. in Social Work Education at the University of South Carolina, she dreamed of teaching at a school like Concord. “I have wanted to live in the mountains for as long as I can remember,” she says. In 2007, she accepted a tenure-track position at CU and has found a home here. “The campus community is welcoming and accepting,” she says. Before completing her doctoral degree, Dr. Pendergast was a practicing social worker, valuable experience she shares with her students. “When I speak with students about social work, I explain that this is the best job and worst job you can have,” she says. “It’s very rewarding to see how people can change their lives, and it can be discouraging when these changes do not come.” Dr. Pendergast is dedicated to preparing her students for the realities they’ll face after graduation, and says she enjoys “being a small part of their journey.”
