Laurel Ridge’s first two students to earn an associate degree in general studies with a specialization in human services are both changing lives through their work at Northwestern Community Services Board.
The 2016 graduates, Brittni Alsberry and Colleen Dillon, work within different fields for the behavioral health agency which serves Winchester, as well as Clarke, Frederick, Page, Shenandoah and Warren counties.
Alsberry is a 2013 Central High School graduate. Her original plan after high school was to go into the U.S. Air Force, so she didn’t take the SAT. However, she had to pivot when she was told at a military entry processing station that a spinal curvature known as lordosis disqualified her from service.
“Laurel Ridge was my next step to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” Alsberry said. “I just enrolled in classes that I was interested in. I’ve always been interested in psychology and helping people.”
The lordosis has had no other effects on Alsberry’s life.
Brittni Alsberry with her husband Mason at her 2016 commencement ceremony.
“I’m very, very glad that that happened because I wouldn’t have been in the field that I really, really love, and I wouldn’t have met my husband or had my children,” she said, adding she met her husband while working full time at a Sheetz while attending classes at Laurel Ridge.
Realizing she would need more than a bachelor’s degree to pursue a career in psychology, she turned to social work when she transferred to James Madison University. Alsberry took advantage of the guaranteed admission agreement between Laurel Ridge and the four-year.
“I saw social work as a degree option and it just really jibed with what I love to do in working with people – community and culture and family, and meeting people where they are,” said Alsberry, who is currently working on her master’s degree in social work at Liberty University.
She began working for Northwestern as an intern while earning her bachelor’s degree. Today she is the substance use disorder supervising case manager.
Alsberry said she enjoyed her time at Laurel Ridge.
“I loved it there,” she said. “The teachers were all very willing to work with me and they were just very kind. They all had a lot of different life circumstances and experience. They were always willing to share their own personal experiences. You definitely can’t beat the flexibility of the scheduling at Laurel Ridge.”
Alsberry said she attended classes full time while also working full time.
Sociology Professor Larry Friedenberg, who started the human services program, was a favorite.
“He is amazing,” said Alsberry. “He really took human services under his wing.”
She has found fulfillment in her career.
“I love Northwestern,” said Alsberry. “I love the culture within the substance use services. We want to help people, we want to provide services to the community and we want to work together to meet not only our community goals, but also our professional goals with each other and going to school. I saw it as an intern and knew I wanted to work here immediately.”
Attending community college before transferring to a four-year school was “the most financially responsible way to go,” according to Alsberry.
“Use that guaranteed admission to get into the four-year and get your bachelor’s,” she advised. “I wasn’t in debt at all coming out of Laurel Ridge. I value Laurel Ridge as a community college because it makes school doable for those who are working, those who aren’t able to financially go to a four-year university. Also, I wouldn’t have known anything about the human services field or what I wanted to do without Laurel Ridge.”
Alsberry’s classmate, Colleen Dillon, took a slightly different path to Laurel Ridge. Rather than coming to the college right after high school, Dillon went to a four-year college after graduating from Warren County High School in 2006. That didn’t work out for her, and she found herself back at Laurel Ridge for the second time – she had taken some dual-enrollment classes while still in high school.
“A really big break from school” followed for Dillon. During this time, she worked at a group home operated by Northwestern.
“At that point, I knew that I wanted to go and continue my education,” said Dillon, whose mom and sister are both also Laurel Ridge grads.
She found out about the new human services specialization and knew that was the program for her.
“I was really excited about the human services program – that was the beginning and it led me to where I am today,” Dillon said.
She really enjoyed many of the professors she had, including English Professor Emerita Frost McLaughlin and former History Professor Jonathan Noyalas.
“Professor McLaughlin was one of my really fun professors,” said Dillon. “I loved learning English literature with her, and poetry. Professor Noyalas really wanted students to succeed. Of course, I’ve had a really great relationship with Professor Friedenberg. He has really helped me identify my strengths as a person in the human services field and he’s always been supportive of my journey.”
She added Professor Friedenberg wrote letters of recommendation when she was applying to her bachelor’s and graduate degree programs. After graduating from Laurel Ridge, Dillon attained her bachelor’s degree from Old Dominion University. She is currently studying for a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling at Marymount University.
Dillon, who still sometimes returns to Laurel Ridge to speak to human services students, is a psycho-social rehabilitation mental health advocate at Northwestern working with clients in a day program.
“Looking back, I think going to the community college is probably one of my best decisions,” said Dillon. “When I was 18, there was a lot of pressure on me to go to a four-year college. In my head, I wanted to go to that four-year college right away, but it turned out it wasn’t the best plan for me. I think I would’ve been more successful taking that time and figuring out some of the strengths and challenges I may have had at 18.”
Community colleges offer many opportunities, plus a sense of community, she said.
“I always appreciated all of the things offered,” Dillon said. “It has been a privilege knowing that I’m a part of that community and that I’ve been welcomed back as a part of the Laurel Ridge community as well. I think the community college can really make a big difference for the kids coming out of high school, or for adult learners who want to go back.”
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.