Alumni Spotlight: Carlin Poyner

Carlin Poyner is a 2022 graduate of TBC’s Counseling program.  During her undergraduate years, she was highly involved in student life.  As a student mentor, she worked closely with Toni Elkins (TBC’s Dean of Women at that time). She also offered ongoing support to the RA’s.  For several years, Carlin filled official and unofficial roles of student leadership. She served as Student Body Vice President her junior year and Student Body President her senior year.

Since graduation, Carlin has stayed connected with TBC primarily as the Lady Eagles Head Volleyball coach. 

As a Lady Eagle herself for four years, she enjoys a strong connection with the student athletes and has a desire to see the volleyball program thrive in all aspects: athletic, academic, and spiritual. She works closely with other TBC head coaches, gleaning invaluable insight and practical advice from their decades of experience.  

This year, Carlin is taking on an additional role at her alma mater. 

As the new Student Affairs Secretary and Engagement Coordinator, Carlin is excited about the ability to serve the student body she loves.  Her responsibilities will center around supporting students by scheduling and coordinating events of all kinds and leading Student Body Officers. She will work closely with the Dean of Men and Dean of Women, helping students to make connections, find mentors, and be successful as college students.  Her biggest advice to students for Fall 2024 is: get involved!

“Be open to things!  If there’s an event and you’re not sure if you should go – go!  Give it 30 minutes to check it out and see if you meet people.  If you’re an athlete, go out of your way to meet students who aren’t.  If you’re not an athlete, go out of your way to meet students who are!  Mix.  Don’t get so locked into your own schedule that you miss the people around you.  That’s how you build community.”

Carlin is excited to bring recent history and tradition to inform her new role.

Combining her relatively recent student experience with her professional responsibilities gives her a unique perspective and insight.

“As a student, I learned a lot about how things worked behind the scenes. I worked closely with Toni Elkins together all the time.  Because I’m still so close to all of it I feel like I can contribute a lot of perspective from the student side in addition to carrying out the staff role.”

Right now, Carlin is most looking forward to working with the student leadership team. 

“We have been meeting all summer, discussing the vision for the year.  The prayer that has been poured our from without and within the team has been very energizing to me.  The anticipation of implementing all the things that we’ve been talking about is super exciting to me.”

Carlin feels strongly that her degree in counseling enables her to support students effectively. 

She is currently earning her master’s in professional counseling from Southeastern University. Carlin believes this will further develop her ability to serve college students at TBC.

Already certified in mental health counseling, and now with masters work underway she feels she will be able to offer reliable support and direction at an introductory level. 

“I am fairly close to their age and the culture they are living in and can relate to what they are seeing.  The world is getting so desensitized!  It can be frustrating to feel like what you have going on is not worth talking about or being taken seriously.” 

She sees her role as an opportunity to be highly engaged in the fun side of college life while offering a listening ear to students. She hopes to make it less intimidating to find help when they need it.

“…I have a big desire to be available to students, and for them to feel heard.  I pray the Lord will allow me to fill that role as needed.”

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