Retired nurse pursues lifelong interest in psychology and earns degree at age 85

Even after decades of caring for patients as a nurse near Waynesville, N.C., Lillian Metcalf, 85, a member of Liberty University’s Class of 2021, has not lost her passion for helping others. This week, she celebrates reaching another milestone in life — earning her B.S. in Psychology.

Metcalf is the oldest member of this year’s graduating class at Liberty to earn a bachelor’s degree. Hard work and caring for others has been a hallmark of her life. She wasn’t ready to retire until 2014, at the age of 78, after over 35 years in nursing. But she said another area of patient care had always intrigued her — counseling and psychology. She started looking for a way to dive deeper into those subjects and, two years later, enrolled in Liberty University Online Programs.

“I always wanted to be a counselor but just didn’t find the time once I went to nursing school and was working,” Metcalf said. “My philosophy is that as long as you can help somebody else, you can live and do better with yourself. I just want to be able to help people as long as I live and I’m still doing that now.”

She said she has always approached her life and work with the mission of helping others whenever and however she can, referencing her various roles as an LPN and RN as well as 13 years as a foster parent.

For much of her career, she worked at Mission Hospital in Asheville, N.C., and Haywood Regional Medical Center in Clyde, N.C. She had taken some psychology courses at the University of Western Carolina but never took that interest any further until retirement.

While she didn’t become a student at Liberty until 2016, Metcalf said that she has felt a link to the university for much longer, ever since she saw Liberty’s founder, Dr. Jerry Falwell, talk on television about his vision for what the school would become.

“I’d always watched Jerry Falwell and seen his vision bloom and build the school, and I wanted to be a part of that,” Metcalf said. “It’s kind of like I’ve been a part of Liberty’s history even though I haven’t been an actual student all that time.”

Throughout her years in the online classroom, Metcalf said that she enjoyed the flexible nature of the weeklong modules and that her professors were always open to helping her if she ran into issues, including adjunct professor Heather Medvedenko.

“What I liked best about it was the fact that I could do the work when it was convenient for me,” she said. “It was certainly different than the classroom, and I could talk to my professor within a short time if I had a problem or questions. (Medvedenko) was my last professor, and she was such a great motivator and Christian lady. I will never forget her — for all the help, patience, and consideration she gave to me as well as everyone else. They were all willing to give to get me through these four years, and I do appreciate everything.”

Metcalf is one of the more than 10,000 graduates who have planned to participate in their degree ceremonies virtually. Liberty is hosting 25 separate ceremonies this week at two outdoor venues on campus and is broadcasting them live, with a chance for those watching online to also be recognized individually. Metcalf said she hopes to celebrate the accomplishment with her family as they gather to watch the School of Behavioral Sciences’ ceremony at Williams Stadium this Saturday.