Typically, when students go away to college, they are separated from their families while studying, maybe seeing them on school breaks or weekends here and there. Some LBC students, however, are fortunate enough to share their college campus with one or both parents working at Lancaster Bible College. This Mother’s Day, we are happy to feature several mother-student pairs who call LBC | Capital home.
Jennifer & Joanna Story
Joanna Story (’26), a Communication major, has appreciated her mother’s insight as she navigated her first year as an LBC student. “Attending the college where my mom works is great because she knows the ins and outs of different courses offered and can give me advice on which electives I should pick,” she said.
Jennifer Story, who works in the Office of Digital Learning, enjoys having an active role in her daughter’s college experience. “Because I work for the college, I know about activities and events scheduled for students and have an inside view of online courses. It’s a wonderful way to be connected to Joanna’s LBC experience.”
Melissa & Kenzie Baughman
Kenzie Baughman (’24 & ’25), began her college education at a different school before transferring to LBC. Now a Psychology major, attending the school where her mom works has been an opportunity for them to grow closer. “It has been very special to go to college at the same place that my mom works,” said Kenzie. “We have grown our relationship a lot by being closer the past two years. I go to her office to visit pretty often, and it always brightens my day and encourages me. It has also been really cool to see her impact on other students on campus.”
Melissa Baughman serves LBC in the Athletic Department and echoed her daughter’s sentiment, saying, “It has been a privilege being able to work at the college my daughter attends. I enjoy seeing her around campus, stopping by my office for a quick visit, and watching her grow in her faith journey. It is also a blessing knowing that people in the campus community are investing in her life.”
Abby & Beth Kachel
For Beth Kachel in Student Affairs, being keyed into the core of student life at LBC is an essential aspect of her job. Luckily, with her daughter, Abby, just finishing her junior year, she has a special outlook on the student experience on campus. “I love seeing my daughter around campus, and it has helped me to better understand the student perspectives through her experience,” said Beth. “We’ve always been close, but this time has enriched our relationship!”
Abby Kachel (’24), a Social Work major, has also enjoyed the opportunity to grow closer to her mother while attending LBC. “I love attending the college where my mom works,” Abby said. “I enjoy being able to have lunch with her or pop into her office throughout the week. Being at LBC together has definitely strengthened our relationship!”
Anah & Tammy Martin
Adjusting to college life can be a tough transition. Fortunately for Anah Martin (’24), she had her mother nearby to help as she began her studies in Early Childhood Education. “My mom is genuinely one of my closest friends, and I enjoy having her in my higher education journey,” she explained. “The transition to college can be a difficult one, and my experience was no different. However, having someone who cares and loves you with you from the very start made the difficult things smoother. I still feel cared for, and I have my mom to back me up and support me through this crazy journey that is higher education.”
Tammy Martin in the Office of Digital Learning said she loves sharing LBC’s campus with her daughter. “Just seeing Anah on campus brightens my day. I wasn’t sure how it would work for us at the beginning, but it really has been a great experience. Sometimes she drops by to say ‘hi’ when she’s in the area, and I’m happy to encourage her with words or a piece of candy—or to add Charger Bucks to her ID card!”
Kara, Maria & Felicia Russo
Maria Russo in Financial Aid has been at LBC for just a year, but she was able to share that year with not one but two daughters! “It is quite the joy to be out and about on campus and to run into my girls and see them engaged in college life,” she said. “Also, equally a joy when they pop in to say ‘hello.’ We don’t have a lot of interaction as they are off doing college life, as it should be, and I’m at work, but the glimpses of them doing college life here and the encounters we do have give me the same feelings of joy and pride as receiving a surprise bouquet of flowers. Everyone I work with knows how proud of and blessed I am by my kids. Working where they attend is a heart bonus.”
Kara Russo (’23), recently celebrated her graduation from LBC on May 5 with a degree in Business Administration but was thankful to be able to share her last year on campus with her mother. “I loved that my mom was here at LBC for my senior year,” she shared. “It was comforting to know she was around if I needed her, and I enjoyed popping into her office for surprise visits. Most often though, we would connect at the end of the day on our shared ride home—or if we commuted separately—together with the whole family at dinner. I looked forward to telling her about my day and often asked her advice; it was nice to be able to do so from a shared understanding of LBC.”
Felicia Russo (’24), a Communication major, agreed with her sister and said, “It means a lot to have Mom’s support on campus. For instance, she comes to every chapel to worship while I’m on stage leading. To look out and see her face is such a special thing. She is able to speak into the goings on because she’s a part of this community. I enjoy hearing about the impact she is making through peers. Often, when people realize we’re related, they’ll be like, ‘That’s your mom! I get emails from her! She’s been so nice and helpful in figuring things out.’”
Ling & Elaina Dinse
Dr. Ling Dinse in Counseling & Social Work said the best part of being at LBC with her daughter is “running into Elaina on campus, and she is never too embarrassed to give me a big hug.”
Elaina Dinse (’24), a Criminal Justice major, said it’s been “a great experience” sharing LBC’s campus with her mother. “I love seeing her outside of home, and it’s very fun to see how much the students love her almost as much as I do.”
Dawn Brandt and her son, Eric Brandt (’07), also frequently see each other throughout their days at LBC, sometimes from across the table in a meeting. Dawn works with the Institutional Effectiveness team, while Eric leads the Office of Digital Learning. “When I first started at LBC, it felt a little odd to be in a meeting or exchanging work emails with my son,” Dawn said, “but now, it’s great because it adds to what we already have in common.”
Eric & Dawn Brandt
Eric enjoys the opportunity to see his mom more—as well as her baked goods! “The best part is seeing my mom more often than I would otherwise—though my team might say it’s what she bakes for us on my birthday. The weirdest part is referring to her as ‘Dawn’ in formal work communication,” he joked.
One of the best parts of LBC | Capital is the family-like environment, and that’s certainly true for these mothers and their children. Happy Mother’s Day to all the special women in the LBC family!