First & Farmers National Bank of Albany sponsors trip that includes special theatre performance, etiquette lunch.
by Duane Bonifer
COLUMBIA, KY. (04/03/2026) A group of students from Clinton County Middle School got a taste of college life on Thursday, April 2, at Lindsey Wilson University. A total of 65 sixth grade students and their teachers spent part of the day on campus where they were entertained and engaged by members of the Lindsey Wilson community.
The trip was sponsored by First & Farmers National Bank of Albany.
The students saw a special performance of the musical review A Grand Night for Singing by the Lindsey Wilson Department of Theatre, then they had lunch along with an etiquette lesson in the university’s Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center.
Accompanying the students were teachers Whitney Burchett, Nicole Duvall, Michelle Earls, Cameron Matthews, Amanda Reneau and Hannah Smith, along with paraprofessional Jessica Dicken.
Duvall is a 2010 Lindsey Wilson graduate, and Smith is a 2021 alumna of the university. Duvall said it was great to take her school’s students on a tour of her alma mater, and she and her colleagues appreciated the opportunities Lindsey Wilson provided their students.
“Lindsey Wilson University provided an outstanding experience,” she said. “The musical performances were engaging, energetic and truly showcased the talent and dedication of the cast. What stood out even more was how gracious and welcoming the performers were — taking time to answer students’ questions about college life and careers in theatre, making the experience both inspiring and informative.”
Duvall said the etiquette portion of the day offered “valuable, real-world lessons, helping students practice proper dinner etiquette and manners in a supportive environment.”
“Opportunities like this not only enrich students’ appreciation for the arts but also help prepare them with the social skills and confidence they need for future success,” she said.
Sixth grade students and teachers from Clinton County Middle School gather in the Lindsey Wilson University Roberta D. Cranmer Dining & Conference Center on Thursday, April 2. The trip to the university, which was sponsored by First & Farmers National Bank of Albany, included a special performance of the musical review “A Grand Night for Singing” and in Cranmer Dining & Conference Center.
Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 30 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university’s 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.
(Duane Bonifer – Lindsey Wilson University)