Erika Wilson (she/her) is a senior from Lee County, VA who transferred from Mountain Empire Community College to Berea in Fall 2019. She is a Child & Family Studies major with a double minor in Peace & Social Justice and Women’s & Gender Studies. Erika started working at the center to learn more about her Appalachian identity and the history of her home. In the center she helps us organize student events, co-host Grapevine (crochet nights), and manages our Instagram account.

When she is not at the center or in class, she is probably rewatching New Girl, listening to ABBA, planning for the Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA), or baking for her friends.

Hannah From (she/her) is an Appalachian Studies major from Northeast, Georgia.

She helps us write articles for the Gravy and loves to greet visitors in the center. When she isn’t working, she enjoys playing the banjo and stepping on crunchy leaves.

Lilly Rice (she/her) is a junior Economics major with a concentration in International Politics & Policy with minors in Business Administration and Sustainability & Environmental Studies from Whitley County, KY.

At the center Lilly helps run our Grapevine (crochet) nights. She has a deep love for Appalachian economic development and policy, and she crochets as a hobby. She was super glad when she could combine both interests with her work at the center.

Thena Badger (she/her) is a Psychology and Peace & Social Justice double major from central Appalachia in Dunbar, WV, which is about 15 minutes West of Charleston. This is her secondary labor position where she has the freedom to bring together creative projects that help students identify with their Appalachian identity like incorporating a variety of Appalachian music that is outside of the usual Folk genre. Thena’s primary position is as a student chaplain for Gender Inclusive Housing (GIH) where she gets to support the community through programming and being a listening ear.

When she is not running from class to class, she likes to watch video essays, play an Air Genasi Fighter/Warlock in a DnD campaign every week, and she loves to crochet!

Charity Gilbert (she/her) is a third year Appalachian Studies major with a Music minor from Oneida, KY. She started working at LJAC because she wanted to be connected to the center and see the college’s connection to the Appalachian Region better. She has a 5-hour position with us, so she mostly works the desk and occasionally writes for the Gravy.

Charity is a singer-songwriter whose music is deeply connected with the Appalachian Region and its issues, but also its beauty.

Ainsley Golden (she/her) is a junior Art History major from Hopkins County, KY, and hopes to run a local Arts Center somewhere in Kentucky one day.

She works in the LJAC Design Studio and with the Artifact Teaching Collection.

Adam LeMaster (he/him) is a political science major from Greenup County, Kentucky. He currently works as a student curatorial assistant in the LJAC Studio and Artifact Teaching Collection. He has a passion for preserving history and helping to share the lessons of the past.

When he isn’t helping with exhibits, he is probably spending time with the Appalachian Male Initiative (AMI) students, for whom he works with as a student mentor.