CUTV News Radio spotlights education pioneer Phyllis Coston

Buckhannon, WV – More than 200,000 students entering college have some type of learning disability. Students with learning disabilities often find it difficult to keep up with their peers, but a learning disability just means you learn differently.

Phyllis Coston is a pioneer in educational services for college students with learning difficulties.

“I always told students: ‘You’re not dumb. You just learn differently, and we can be glad for the learning that you can do,” says Coston. “We believe in what we’re doing and we believe in the students.”

In 1963, Coston established the West Virginia Wesleyan College Learning Center to help students with reading and study skills. In 1982, she developed one of the first college programs specifically to help students with dyslexia.

“My goal was to help students be successful,” says Coston. “It’s not the time you put into it, it’s what you put in the time. That was my philosophy."

Coston is the author of Celebration of Success. Published in 2013, The book shares inspiring stories of learning disabled students who succeeded despite their challenges. The testimonies in this book can offer encouragement to anyone struggling with a learning disability.

“I wrote this book and shared the stories of these young people who were told they should never go to college and now have successful careers,” says Coston. “I think they found our program helpful because I helped them believe in themselves. We don’t all have to learn the same way.”

Celebration of Success is available through Barnes & Noble and Amazon.