Kelly Hibbitts

What do you like best about SJS at the Regional campuses?

My favorite thing about our Regional campuses is that it allows some people to attend college that would never be able to go if it meant leaving home.  The Regional campus gives people with other obligations the ability to manage their busy schedules in a way that they can graduate in a reasonable amount of time by finding creative ways to work around the barriers that would otherwise keep them from pursuing a college degree.  I am a product of the EKU Regional campus system.  Back then I could only get about half of the classes I needed before I had to move to Richmond to finish.  It would have been a tremendous benefit if I could have gotten my full degree right here at home, like student can do now. 

Why did you go into teaching?

I always imagined that I would choose teaching as a career.  My undergraduate degree is actually in Education from EKU.  Even though I found myself working in the Criminal Justice field for over 25 years, I kept my desire to teach and watch others grow in knowledge and experience.  After my first experience teaching for EKU, I quickly realized that this would be my next career path. 

What do you like most about teaching at the regional campuses?

What I like most about teaching at the regional campuses is the fact that students are able to get so much from our classes.  We have small class sizes which allows us all to become familiar with each other.  Being close to home also allows students the ability to learn with people from their own community who they can develop study groups and act as a support system for the rigorous studies that they go through in our program. 

How do you make a difference in our Regional campus students' lives?

It is so rewarding for me to get to spend time with students that are at a pivotal time in their lives.  They have made the effort to attend a top notch university in order to improve themselves academically.  They know that obtaining a degree from EKU will put them in the best position possible for their future.  I hope that I make a difference in helping them look at all the exciting career opportunities that are available in the Criminal Justice field.  All too often, programs only focus on academics.  I believe that our Regional campus students get fantastic exposure to working professionals, job fairs, and internships that open their view of career possibilities.   

Do you have any advice for current EKU/SJS students?

My advice to current EKU/SJS students would be to do everything that they can to be a part of the academic community.  Too often, students stay hyper focused on getting finished with their degree and miss out on the opportunities that being part of this University has to offer.  We have tremendous facilities that offer cutting edge technology.  We have faculty members that are more than willing to spend time with students and help guide and give feedback on the field.  We have clubs and professional organizations that are active and travel to outside events.  Students will never have a better time to network and develop future professional relationships than they do now, so I suggest they get involved and take full advantage of the opportunities.

Do you have any advice for prospective EKU/SJS Regional campuses students?

I would suggest that prospective students spend time exploring their options and be diligent about identifying what they want to get out of their college experience.  They should look at the financial benefits of staying close to home paired with the Universities reputation and our distinct program. Our Regional campuses have so much to offer that I feel confident that when future students weigh all the options they will see that EKU is an intelligent choice.  

Published on May 28, 2019