I had the privilege of visiting Alice Lloyd College this past weekend in the beautiful hills of Eastern Kentucky for the Appalachian Day Arts and Crafts Festival. I promoted my unique patented handcrafted paper towel holder and demonstrate how people with disabilities can manufacture a product at low cost and high quality.
Can you imagine going to a college where tuition is free and the college takes no government money for support? It sits between two mountains with a stream of water, called Caney Creek, running through the middle of the campus. The buildings are constructed from native stone and other materials that blend with the natural surroundings, making it conducive to dreaming, creating, and learning about what might lie ahead for each student. I know. I was one of those students over 50 years ago. Students become teachers, doctors, lawyers, engineers, politicians, writers, inventors, ministers, and servant leaders all over the world.
The college was named for its founder, Alice Lloyd, who left the Boston area and came to the mountains of Kentucky, 100 years ago (1917) and started a school for boys and girls of Appalachia. From the Founders Shack (below) she wrote letters to raise money to fund the school. Today the college is debt free, borrows no money, and new construction is started only when funds are available.
Alumni support is one of the highest among U.S. colleges at 47%. Donations are always appreciated, no matter how small.
Founders Shack
From this small shack, Alice Lloyd started a successful college and 115 other local schools throughout the mountains of Eastern Kentucky beginning in 1923. Millions of lives have been impacted over the years thanks to the work of this one lady.