Felicia Finn ’19

Felicia Finn ‘19 may be tough, but don’t let her fool you. In addition to her fifth-degree black belt in karate and thriving martial arts academy in Danville, Ky., she has a heart for the hurting and the broken. Her vision is to integrate a counseling program into her martial arts academy, reaching out to a community devastated by depression and addiction.  By pursuing her bachelor’s degree through Asbury’s Adult Professional Studies program, she is one step closer to her goal.

Finn’s vision has resonated with the community. Her studio, ROC Martial Arts Academy, started out with 30 students in a 2,500-square-foot space. Eight years later, the studio has expanded to more than 150 students in a 5,000-square-foot space.

“ROC stands for Rely on Christ,” Finn said. “Sometimes God gives you a vision bigger than you are, and to accomplish that vision, you have to have Him, or it just won’t work.”

Earning her bachelor’s degree through Adult Professional Studies will be a milestone towards Finn’s goal of integrating counseling into the ROC program. Due to the demands of running a small business, a traditional on-campus degree program would not be possible. Through Adult Professional Studies, though, Finn has the flexibility she needs to balance school and work.

“Being able to work and do school in the hours afforded to me is an incredible opportunity,” Finn said. “I can work school around my own schedule, and professors have been very kind in working with me. For instance, if you can’t be in a group session, you can watch it online and report on it later.”

In addition to helping meet her educational goals, Finn’s degree — Leadership and Ministry — has helped develop skills in organizational strategy and leadership and provided a strong network of support.

“It is an amazing thing to get a group of people together that all pray for one another and truly seek God together,” Finn said. “We work towards becoming better individuals for our community through education, and the Christ-centered focus has been a huge part of my experience at Asbury.”