Online program helps Trevathan fulfill decades-long dream of earning Lipscomb degree
Kim Chaudoin |
Trevathan, left, and twin sister, Jenny (Oliver) Estes on campus in 2023 to celebrate daughter Katie's graduation from Lipscomb.
When Amanda Trevathan walks across the stage this December, she will reach a milestone more than three decades in the making — earning her bachelor’s degree from Lipscomb University.
A native of Columbia, South Carolina, Trevathan first enrolled at Lipscomb in 1991, arriving on campus with her twin sister, Jenny (Oliver) Estes, and a deep family connection to the university. Their father had attended years earlier, and the sisters had long imagined beginning their college experience together at Lipscomb.
“There was no doubt when my twin sister and I graduated from high school where we would attend college,” Trevathan said. “We had dreamed of attending Lipscomb together. So, we enrolled and we both loved our time at Lipscomb.”
Her sister graduated in 1995, but Trevathan’s journey took a different path. After four-and-a-half years as a full-time student, challenges in entering the education program paused her progress. She left school, returned to South Carolina, and married husband, David, in 1998. Though life moved forward, her unfinished degree remained a lingering regret.
Trevathan, right, with twin sister, Jenny (Oliver) Estes, in Bison Square over 30 years ago.
During her early years as a Lipscomb student, Trevathan lived in Fanning and often talked on the phone to her future husband, David.
“It was always a regret of mine not to have finished a degree,” she said.
Years later, it was Trevathan’s own daughter, Katie, a 2023 Lipscomb graduate and member of Lipscomb Academy’s SEED School faculty, and Katie’s husband, Christopher Payne, a 2025 graduate, who encouraged her to revisit her dream. They urged her to contact the registrar to see what it would take to finish her degree.
“They took me by the hand and made me take that difficult first step,” Trevathan said. “It was scary and a little embarrassing, but they made me face it and have been my biggest cheerleaders.”
What she learned that day surprised her. Only two courses stood between her and the diploma she had once assumed was out of reach. She immediately enrolled in Lipscomb Online’s university studies program, completing coursework focused on education and psychology. She is now completing her final class as she prepares to graduate on Dec. 13.
Trevathan with husband, David, at their daughter, Katie's graduation from Lipscomb in 2023.
A pathway through Lipscomb Online
Because Trevathan and her family recently moved to Tennessee, but not close enough to campus to attend in person, Lipscomb Online provided an opportunity for her to complete what she had started in 1991.
“Online education has been a blessing to me,” she said. “I really wanted my degree to be finished at Lipscomb.. If not for online education, that would not have been possible. The professors have been helpful and encouraging. I felt very supported from the beginning. It has been a wonderful experience.”
Her academic work has also shaped her professional life. Trevathan currently serves as a special education teacher assistant in Carroll County, Tennessee, where she has drawn directly from what she learned in her courses.
“My capstone project was very helpful as I examined the lack of training for paraprofessionals in special education,” she said. “I learned a lot about how to prepare for this job and a lot of helpful supports.”
The experience has also reshaped her confidence.
“Being able to finish this has made me realize I can do hard things and actually finish what I started all those years ago,” she said. “I am proud of myself.”
Trevathan, and daughter, Katie, at son-in-law, Christopher Payne's graduation from Lipscomb in 2025.
A milestone decades in the making
As graduation approaches, Trevathan is reflecting on what this moment means — not only for herself, but for the community that has encouraged her for more than 30 years. Friends she made during her first time on campus in the early 1990s remain a close part of her life and even plan to attend her graduation this December.
“The Christian education at Lipscomb is top-notch, and I feel so incredibly grateful to be able to finally finish my degree and have it be from Lipscomb University,” she said. “It is everything! It has been 34 years since I started college at David Lipscomb University and now I am finally going to graduate and get the diploma I have been dreaming of receiving for many years. It is really a dream come true.”
Looking ahead, Trevathan hopes to continue using her degree in the field she loves. “I would love to teach preschool or continue in the education field,” she said. “It is what I’m passionate about.”
Trevathan has encouragement for others who are considering returning to complete a degree: “Don’t wait. You can do it. It is so worth it. It’s not as hard as you think.”
Learn more how you can complete a degree through Lipscomb Online.