HCTC alum overcame addiction, opened a bookstore, inspired community

Mandi Fugate Sheffel credits HCTC for playing a role in her success

Mandi Fugate Sheffel grew up in Redfox, Knott County. As the opioid epidemic took hold in eastern Kentucky during the 1990s, Sheffel was among the generation of young people whose addiction changed their lives. 

"It was an area of high opioid prescriptions," she said of the region. "That was when I was a teenager, mid-90s. So, unfortunately, I fell prey to that." 

Fast forward to 2020, when Sheffel opened Read Spotted Newt in Hazard, the city's independent bookstore. Following her attendance at the Hindman Settlement School Appalachian Writers' Workshop in 2019, she recognized a need for a gathering place where local authors could share their work. 

"It felt like an amends to the community for me that I wasn't always a functioning part of during the beginning of the opioid crisis," Sheffel said of the bookstore. "Now, I'm in a place years later where I feel like I'm a responsible member of this community. And I want to give back." 

Sheffel is working on a memoir about her journey with addiction and recovery, set to be published by the University Press of Kentucky, a story she is telling to inspire others who might be grappling with the challenges of opioids. 

"I don't want to be an example, but I think there's hope in people recovering from addiction," she said. 

Although her 10-year addiction plays an essential role in her story, Sheffel is not solely defined by it. She is a mother, community leader and three-time college graduate, having achieved multiple personal and professional accolades since her 2005 sobriety date. 

"When I decided I was going to try to live a life without using, there were lots of people in this community who were there for me. ... I probably should've been written off," she said. "But one of the first examples of that was Hazard Community & Technical College."

Sheffel said that her degree was something she had always wanted, and Hazard Community & Technical College (HCTC) was the obvious choice for completing it. 

"When I went back to school in 2013, HCTC was the obvious choice," she said. "It's here."

By 2013, Sheffel was married with a son, working full-time and continuing to build a life for herself. 

"There were lots of things that were barriers to me getting that degree, but HCTC made that easier," she said. "The barriers were removed."

Sheffel credits a local partnership of higher education institutions for its role in helping her advance her academic career. 

"All the staff at HCTC made it feel like it was possible. The University Center of the Mountains made it possible for me to get a four-year degree," she said. "After I completed my two-year degree at HCTC, I went on to complete my bachelor's and master's degrees." 

HCTC's University Center of the Mountains (UCM) is a collaborative partnership between HCTC and multiple four-year regional colleges and universities. Since 2004, UCM has expanded access to bachelor's, master's and select doctoral degrees in HCTC's service region. 

Sheffel said she wants young people in eastern Kentucky to be proud of their region. 

"I wanted young people to be able to come in here and see regional writers on the shelf," she said. "I hope that through that, they can understand that their story is important ... and that they should be proud of where they're from."

Sheffel enjoys spending time with her son, Tripp. She serves on multiple regional boards and advocates for those in addiction recovery. As mentioned, she holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science and a master's degree in occupational health and safety, both from Eastern Kentucky University.