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Assistant Professor/Training Manager
Dr. Samantha Byrd began at Concord as an adjunct professor in the Masters of Social Work program in 2020, and was advanced to a full-time position in 2022. She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Concord in 2016, and her Masters of Social Work degree in 2018, also from Concord. She went on to the University of Kentucky to earn her Doctor of Social Work degree in 2023. Dr. Byrd has practice experience in child and adolescent mental health, grant management, and foster parent training. She is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) interventions. In addition to teaching, Samantha volunteers in the counseling center at Concord, and provides community service in various ways. She founded and manages a foster closet and foster parent support group, and serves on the board of directors for Child Protect of Mercer County. She says of her most memorable experience at CU, “Since starting in academia, I have had the pleasure of working in different capacities with some of the professors and mentors I had during my time as a student at CU. It is incredible to see how everyone comes together behind the scenes to support students in various ways.”
Dr. Samantha Byrd, DSW, MSW, LGSW, '16 '18
Assistant Professor/Training Manager
Shannon Phipps
Nursing Major with Psychology Minor
Dr. Joan Pendergast
Chair, Department of Social Work and Title IX Coordinator
Hannah Justice
Princeton, WV
Psychology Major
Madison Dye, class of 2024, went to Oak Hill High School. Her main activities in addition to her studies include cheerleading, walking her dog, and working. She began attending Concord University in 2021, and chose a psychology major with an emphasis in criminology. Madison chose CU because it’s a legacy in her family, following in the footsteps of her father, grandparents, and beyond, who all attended Concord. Some of her favorite memories of her time at Concord revolve around competing at Disney with the cheer team! When asked about something many don’t know about her, she relates, “In high school, I took a four-year course and completed various trainings for an aerospace engineering program learning how to operate a flight simulator!”
