Deacon Dedicated to Educating Those with Learning Disabilities
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 14 February 2013 21:15
Dr. Phyllis Coston
M.A. ’58, Garrett Biblical Institute
Coston joined the West Virginia Wesleyan College faculty in 1963 and became one of the nation’s leaders in educating students with diagnosed learning disabilities. In 1963, Coston pioneered, authored, and founded the Learning Center, the first center in the state and one of the earliest in the country to assist all Wesleyan students in enhancing their reading and learning skills. In 1982 she developed the special services program to assist learning-disabled students, specifically those with dyslexia. This center gained national attention as one of the finest programs for dyslexic students.
Coston has worked for the equality of women and for equality of ordination for deacons in The United Methodist Church. She was consecrated a diaconal minister in the West Virginia Annual Conference in 1982 and served as chair of the Board of Diaconal Ministry in the conference from 1988 to 1996. She was one of the first to be ordained deacon in 1996 and served as chair of the Order of Deacons of the West Virginia Annual Conference from 1996 to 2008.
Garrett-Evangelical, a seminary related to