Staff go above and beyond to support student in need

While most students were getting excited for the fall semester and preparing to return to campus, Colin Waller ’27 was preoccupied with the concern that he wouldn't be able to continue his education at Roanoke College. 

Waller, a computer science major from Danville, kept hitting roadblocks when it came to funding his junior year. His family’s financial situation had changed, and he felt his options growing limited. 

Enter Mary Jones ’98, Campus Safety administrative operations and technology manager. Jones has been one of Waller’s two direct supervisors since he started working as a dispatcher in the Campus Safety office during his first semester. When she received a request for nomination for the Homestretch Award, a scholarship typically given to seniors who are facing financial challenges that could prevent them from finishing school, she was quick to throw Waller’s name in the hat. This year, a surplus in state funds meant the award was open to juniors as well.  

Waller received a generous award—enough to cover his remaining balance for both the fall and spring semesters. Without Jones’ referral, it’s likely that Waller never would have been considered for the scholarship.  

“I’m so grateful to her because that was a wonderful opportunity,” he said. “It’s been like a dream come true because otherwise, I’d be sitting here stressing out like crazy. It’s been a huge help.” 

Jones and Campus Safety Coordinator Karen Booth encourage open communication with their student workers, which is why they knew about Waller’s situation and how the financial stress was weighing on him.  

“If there is something going on with one of our students, they’re free to come talk to us about it. It doesn’t have to be something that directly affects their work—it could be something going on at home, or something going on with friends or family,” Jones said. 

This type of connection is critical in ensuring students get the financial aid they need, said Melissa Lacombe, associate vice president for enrollment management. Students are sometimes reluctant to go see someone in the financial aid office on their own, and in those cases, the only way the office knows a student is struggling is if a faculty or staff member lets them know about it. 

“We’re kind of reliant on that. I can’t go out and ask every single student, ‘Do you have financial difficulties?’ Those individual connections that the faculty and staff have with students are really beneficial,” Lacombe said.  

Those connections can help the college fulfill a strategic commitment to be student-first and student-ready. Being able to help Waller in this way was particularly special to Jones.  

"When I came to Roanoke College, I was responsible for most of my tuition,” she said. “I have been helped throughout the years by the college and people I've met here. To be able to do that for another generation of students...to me, that's kind of what Roanoke College is about.” 

Affordability is often at the center of debates about whether a college education is worth the investment. However, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that in 2024, the median usual weekly earnings for individuals with bachelor’s degrees was 66% higher than those with only high school diplomas. More than four out of five students at Roanoke College receive grants and scholarships.  

Waller is a very spiritual person; he serves as the vice president for the Catholic Campus Ministry (CCM) and was confirmed this semester. When trying to sort out his financial situation, he also turned to his faith. 

“It became a very prayerful thing for me to be like, ‘Hey, I’m super lost, super scared,’” he said. “For an opportunity to come up like that and work out so perfectly, it is very meaningful to me. It was about trust— that even though I don’t understand a lot of things, and I’m willing to concede to that, it still works itself out.” 

The support that Waller has found on campus, everywhere from the classroom and CCM to Campus Safety and Financial Aid, has been invaluable to him, he said. He’s noticed a common thread that runs through Roanoke College: people looking out for one another. 

“It's a comforting thing that there's a lot of people who are doing everything they can to help,” he said. “I really do love the school. I'm very happy here.”