Candace Kinney-Wood first learned of Campbell University through a six-week program held at the university’s law school in downtown Raleigh. After six Sundays of pre-college prep focused in criminal justice and law programs, she decided to apply.
When she received her acceptance letter, her mom chimed in with a joyful “I’m going to college with you!”
It turns out, Candace wasn’t the only one filling out applications in their house.
Her mother, Bettie Wood, applied for a job with Campbell’s on-campus food service provider Aramark Corporation and accepted a position around the same time Candace learned of her acceptance.
The pair relocated to Buies Creek in time for “Ms. Bettie” to begin her new job with Aramark and Candace to start her freshman year as a Criminal Justice major.
Now, Candace is ready to take on her next adventure: crossing the stage at graduation.
“I’ve developed into someone that I didn’t know I could be,” she said.
During her time as a student here, Candace said she met several influential people, like Vice President Britt Davis and former Assistant Vice President for Student Success Jenn Latino, who saw her potential and encouraged her to grow.
A self-proclaimed shy kid, she started off her college career flying under the radar going from class to work and attending church on the weekends. That’s when she said Davis and Latino stepped in.
“Dr. Davis and Dr. Latino helped pull me out of my shell,” she said.
They encouraged her to get involved as an academic coach and to give back as a note taker and peer mentor for Campbell’s Office of Student Success. This led her to a few of her once in a lifetime Campbell experiences like serving on a spring break mission trip to Cuba and being elected to her senior Homecoming Court this past October.
“Campbell has shown me love like a family, and that’s what I love Campbell.”
But the most rewarding experience during her time in the Creek, she says, was being able to share her college experience with her mom.
“We were able to do things together [like that mission trip to Cuba] that I know she wouldn’t have been able to do if she wasn’t here to have this experience with me.”
What’s Next
Candace’s performance during her time at Campbell helped earn her a spot in the Pathways internship with the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. While her passion is the probation and parole arm of criminal justice, she says this internship will help her gain Federal civil service experience that will be vital in establishing her future career. She will move to the Baltimore area after graduation. And yes, Ms. Bettie is moving north, too.