Cathy Thompson Confidently Cathy walked down the halls of Pamlico County High School (PCHS).  Just one more year and she would be finished!  Her 10th grade biology teacher stopped her, “Are you planning to go to college?” “No, sir,” she quietly replied.  With a mission, Mr. Bob Jones pressed, “If you will go to college, I will come to your graduation!” Cathy did not audibly reply, but she took his thought-provoking words with her.  She concluded, “There’s something there he wants me to find…” Unable to disregard a challenge, she began her search for a school. It didn’t take long.  Her mother quickly guided, “Lee College is the only school I’ll allow you to attend!” Well, aright then, Lee it will be! Janet Hunnings Rahamut, a member of her 35-member home church, had attended Lee just a few years prior and introduced them to Cleveland, Tennessee. After the paperwork is done, a prospective student must face the life-changing question, “What shall I major in?”  Well, Cathy knew a fellow classmate at PCHS whom she once overheard say her major was Christian Education.  That sounded good. That was an easy decision, too! A few months before high school graduation, the valedictorian of the class of 1975 smoothed her skirt with sweaty palms.  If she answered the judges’ questions correctly, she’d be the next Miss FBLA of North Carolina—impressive for a small-town Pentecostal girl from the eastern coast of NC.  “So you’re planning on college…What will your major be?” the judge queried.  The eighteen-year-old Cathy Pegram racked her brain for an appropriate response.  Obviously they wanted her to say “Business”, but she was planning to major in Christian Education. “Christian Education,” she innocently replied.  She lost the award, but she still ended up at Lee College, which was God’s plan anyway. Cathy’s time at Lee was spent singing with Ladies of Lee, traveling cross-country with Pioneers for Christ (Tom Doolittle was the team leader), dating Dewayne Thompson, and racking up far too many credit hours changing majors.  When she realized Christian Ed wasn’t her passion, she tried health science as nursing school preparation.  But needing a daily chemistry tutoring session with a classmate told her that her future would not be in the biological sciences, either. Trial and error can be time-consuming, but works well.  She switched to teacher education…but when she observed an out-of-control high school class, she decided to make another change.  Cathy finally found her niche in psychology and graduated in May 1979. When her boyfriend of four years, Dewayne Thompson, graduated from MTSU in May 1981, she married him one week later. Cathy worked at the Church of God International Offices and quickly worked her way up to executive secretary for Dr. Robert E. Fisher. After her four-year stay, she gave birth to their first child and transitioned into part-time employment at Life Care Centers of America. She spent thirteen years at LCCA as an accounting assistant/cash flow manager. (She should have answered “Business” at the FBLA competition!) August 10, 1998 provided another life change for Cathy.  She left LCCA and began pursuing a dream--a Master’s in Counseling from Lee University. She was one of the charter class members.  After graduation, she began counseling youth in a detention center in Dalton.  Then she transitioned into a counseling/supervisory role in a local mental health facility.  In the summer of 2005 she earned the initials of L.P.C. (Licensed Professional Counselor)/M.H.S.P. (Mental Health Service Provider), N.C.C. (National Certified Counselor). July 2005 saw another major life-change for Cathy. Lee University called her name to come and serve as university registrar. From counselor to registrar—this is a natural transition for Cathy. She is blending her counseling skills and business skills to serve the entire campus. She loves to listen to students’ stories, help them process how their current decisions will impact their future, and then refer them to other campus resources—a “gatekeeper” of sorts. She has come to Lee with much energy and enthusiasm. With resolution she says, “I’m thankful to be giving back to the school that gave me so much.” When Cathy is not assisting students and faculty, she enjoys decorating, especially with a French motif. She also loves time with family and friends sitting around the game table playing spades and drinking coffee.  Her daughters, Amie and Lauren, provide lots of interesting dialogue around the house. Music has always been a major part of Cathy’s life.  She so longed to play the piano that she began playing one-finger melodies at an early age.  At age eleven her pastor informed her that she had just acquired the position of pianist at her little country church!  Revivals and altar calls were fantastic opportunities to practice new piano moves that no one could hear!  She tried to teach her friend how to play the organ “by ear” by mouthing the chord names, which much amused the evangelist. Cathy’s mother taught herself how to play an accordion and her dad learned a few guitar chords—enough to follow along.  Cathy was unaware that there were people in the word that did not “hear” music like her family until she began dating Dewayne.  One day while playing the radio, Dewayne began singing at the top of his lungs.  Cathy’s foot-in-mouth syndrome kicked in as she exclaimed, “IF YOU COULD SING…!” Being raised on an expansive YMCA camp, Cathy has always been behind the wheel—driving golf carts, jeeps, tractors, dump trucks, and buses.  “I can’t believe Dad trusted me to drive the golf cart out on the pier, a school bus when I turned age 16, or my $60 VW “beetle” all the way to Cleveland, Tennessee!” Dewayne recently made a purchase to satiate Cathy’s love to drive and love for a straight-shift.  You may see her sporting around town in her little silver Miata. Cathy’s favorite scripture is “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct thy path.” God has certainly proven His faithfulness many times over in Cathy’s life.