WKCTC 2012-2013 Community Report by West Kentucky Community & Technical College

West Kentucky Community and Technical College

4810 Alben Barkley Drive westkentucky.kctcs.edu

Report to the Community Highlights of 2012-2013

West Kentucky Community and Technical College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the associate degree. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call (404) 679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of WKCTC. WKCTC, a member of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS), is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution. KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM

Table of Contents

West Kentucky Community and Technical College Board of Directors Deborah Edmonds Chair Steven Grinnell, Vice Chair Dr. Shirley Menendez, Secretary Board Members Bruce Brockenborough Lee Jones Larry Kelley

Jennifer Smith Shari Gholson, faculty representative Tom Butler, staff representative Chelsea Rollins, student representative

Paducah Junior College, Inc., Foundation Board of Trustees The satisfaction of giving comes in knowing that you are investing in the lives A Message from the President

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our education, training and services.

By Dr. Barbara Veazey

In Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Top 10 Two Consecutive Years

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At-A-Glance 2012-2013

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Promoting Excellence in Teaching and Learning

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Increasing Student Access and Success

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Expanding Diversity and Global Awareness

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Enhancing Economic Development

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Faculty and Staff Achievements

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Enhancing the Collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Strategic Organization

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Paducah Junior College, Inc.

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John Williams, Chair Ann Denton, Vice Chair Lorraine Schramke, Secretary Bruce Brockenborough, Treasurer Ken Wheeler, At-Large Board Members Guthrie Allen Chris Black Joe Framptom Anne Gwinn B.A. Hamilton Judge Jeff Hines Lynn King Dr. Wally Montgomery Dr. Bill Wheeler s Gayle Kaler, Mayor Van Newberry, County Judge Executive Dr. Barbara Veazey, WKCTC President

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC Making a charitable gift to West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) is a very important and personal decision. The satisfaction of giving comes in knowing that you are investing in the lives of students, WKCTC can be made through Paducah Junior College, Inc. PJC is a registered 501(c)(3) corporation dedicated to the support of WKCTC and its programs. As the foundation for WKCTC, PJC, Inc., provides resources to

Life Insurance Bequests Charitable Lead Trust Charitable Remainder Trust

Appreciated Securities Closely-Held Stock Real and Personal Property (In-Kind)

Paducah Junior College, Inc. The Foundation for West Kentucky Community and Technical College

Because of You Her ultimate goal is to one day day be a nurse. In addition to support from her family, Lilly was able to receive a scholarship through the Paducah Junior College Foundation.

As a young girl growing up in Turkey, Lilly Kaler wanted to go to school. In her country, the education of women was not a high priority. She was told she could learn to read and write, but the possibility that she might one day go to college was a distant dream.

“Nobody said it was going to be easy. Just like everything in life;

But after marrying her American husband, John, having two children and moving to Paducah, Kaler decided it was time to go after a new dream of going to college. Beginning in the Spring 2012, Kaler enrolled at WKCTC’s health science program as part of the Accelerating Opportunities initiative at the College. She earned assistant and worked hard to improve her language skills.

Lilly Kaler

WKCTC Student and Future Nurse

you have to work hard to achieve it,” Kaler recently told donors during the annual WKCTC Scholarship Auction. “I am so blessed to have come to West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to believe that I am on a college campus. It’s because of you.”

A Message from the President In 2013, West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) was recognized by The Aspen Institute as one of the top 10 community colleges in the nation for a second consecutive year. In this national review of community colleges, WKCTC was recognized for excelling at providing students with strong job training and continuing higher education opportunity, for achieving high completion and transfer rates, and for realizing strong employment results for our graduates. Our focus on improving student learning helps ensure our students graduate with the knowledge they need to secure jobs or transfer to four-year institutions. Evidence shows that students who transfer to four-year schools from WKCTC do better in their junior and senior years than other Kentucky students.

Dr. Barbara Veazey President

WKCTC faculty and staff take responsibility for improving student learning and work hard to identify and eliminate barriers to student success. We achieve excellence by focusing on improving student learning in core skills and by thoughtfully connecting programs to regional jobs, from credentials that fuel the region’s large health care sector to an online associate’s degree in marine technology. According to a recent study by Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI), WKCTC contributes more than $126 million each year to the region through a combination of college operations, student spending, and productivity of graduates in the workforce. West Kentucky’s focus on access, retention, and student success enabled the College to achieve its vision of being recognized as a premier community college nationwide. The College is committed to continuing to provide high quality educational experiences, meet the educational needs of the college community, serve as a full partner in business and workforce development, and contribute to the overall economic and social well-being of the region by offering two-year transfer Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Fine Arts degrees; and Associate in Applied Science

Higher education begins at West Kentucky Community and Technical College.

Barbara Veazey, Ph.D. President West Kentucky Community and Technical College

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE PAGE 2

HIGHLIGHTSOF OF2012–2013 2012–2013 HIGHLIGHTS

Paducah Junior College, Inc. Gifts-in-Kind Ladt Art Donation Paducah natives Ric, Vicki and Kelsey Ladt generously donated an extensive art is valued at more than $10,000.

Dr. Michael B McCall, President Kentucky Community and Technical College System

Other In-Kind Donations The College is pleased to accept in-kind gifts of equipment that directly impact or improve our numerous academic offerings.

clinical laboratory technician programs.

Corporation also donated a marine engine to the program. These engines, valued more than $50,000, will be used for industry training.

The items are used for the schools new jewelry program and are valued at more than $15,000.

The equipment is valued at $15,000.

Murray Calloway County Hospital donated equipment to the College’s allied health programs.

Blessing in Disguise At 42-years-old, U. S. Army Veteran Roy Henley faced an uncertain future after the Goodyear Tire Factory in Union City, Tenn., where he worked for 13 years, before it closed its doors in 2011. “I had never lost a job before, never been unemployed, had always been able to provide for my wife and five children with nothing more than a high school diploma, my veteran combat experience with the 101st Airborne out of Fort Campbell, Ky., a firm grasp of common sense, and a strong work ethic instilled by my dad, himself a veteran of two wars,” Henley said.

Roy Henley

Higher Education Begins HERE WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY TECHNICAL COLLEGE WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY && TECHNICAL COLLEGE

WKCTC Transfer Graduate and Future Teacher

He quickly realized he would have to go to college to equip himself with the skills needed to be competitive in today’s ever changing work place. “My wife, Laura, for years had encouraged me to continue my education, believing I would do well, but I struggled through high school and felt like college would just be too hard,” Henley said. “I soon realized, however, that losing my job, though difficult and uncertain, was a blessing; affording me the opportunity to pursue a career I had dreamt of for some time – a career as a high school history teacher and football coach.” Henley graduated from WKCTC in May 2013 as a member of the KCTCS All-Academic Team. He transferred to Murray State University to complete his education to become a teacher. 27

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC

In Nation’s Top 10 Two Consecutive Years For the second year, West Kentucky Community and

Annual Scholarship Auction In the last two years, the Annual Scholarship Auction has raised nearly $200,000 for the general scholarship program at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. In addition to more than 80 silent auction items, the live auction each year features more than 25 items including a vacation to a private villa in Salernes

for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance in America’s community colleges. It is a remarkable accomplishment for the Paducah college, which offers more than 200 degree, diploma academic programs.

WKCTC’s scholarship program consists of donor endowments, annual scholarships and

year. While the College offers a wide variety of funding, the need is always greater than available funds. This year, the college received

“WKCTC has demonstrated that it is a top community college for a second consecutive year,” said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program. “Its leadership is driven to assess both community and student needs. By identifying barriers to student success and removing them, WKCTC

funding, a 20% increase from the previous year.

bill for available jobs.”

“Funds raised at the scholarship auction help fund our merit-based program providing awards to academically deserving students in the region,” said Becky Haus, manager of advancement and the WKCTC scholarship program. “The value of a college education has never been greater,” Haus said. “It is because of the continued generosity of our supporters that we are able to help area students earn their credentials and enter the workforce.”

WKCTC President Dr. Barbara Veazey (center) accepts recognition from (left) The Honorable John Engler, former Michigan Governor and (right) the Honorable Richard Riley, former Governor of South Carolina, as one of the top community colleges in the nation as named in the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program in 2013.

Wyner added that WKCTC provides tremendous opportunities for students and the region alike, even as the area’s job market has been contracting. “Recent WKCTC graduates are employed at very high rates— higher, in fact, than the national average. The College has played a vital role in the region’s economic development, supplying a robust local health care

industry with the majority of nurses and other health care professionals, as well as creating new programs in response to the needs of local industries.”

New Annual Scholarships James M. Ledbetter Memorial Scholarship The family of James M. Ledbetter of Metropolis, IL, including Courtney Ledbetter, established the James M. Ledbetter Memorial Scholarship. James was a

Western Kentucky Kidney Specialists Scholarship Employees of the Western Kentucky Kidney Specialists established a scholarship in honor of the practice’s physicians. The annual award is available to students currently enrolled in one of the College’s allied health

He was an electronic technician aboard the USS John Rogers. This annual $1,000 award is available to a U.S. veteran honorably discharged from service with preference given to those in an electronic program.

Monna Sweatt Memorial Scholarship The family of the late Monna Sweatt of Paducah, including Carla Jetton, Ellen Powless and Charles Sweatt, established the Monna Sweatt Memorial Scholarship Fund. Sweatt was an accomplished labor

Fern Hamblin Memorial Scholarship The family of the late Fern Hamblin of Paducah established the Fern Hamblin Memorial Scholarship. Mrs. Hamblin was the owner of Fern’s Frosting in Reidland, where for more than 30 years she made wedding and all-occasion cakes. The scholarship is designated for students of the College’s culinary arts program.

year career as director of maternal childcare services at Baptist Health Paducah. The annual $1,000 award will be used to support a student beginning their second year of the College’s associate degree nursing program.

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

PAGE 3 HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013 HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC Garline Clark Leaves More than $230,000 PJC, Inc., was named the

who passed away at the age of 102 in September 2012. The trust, valued at more than $230,000, will fund

(Left to right) Paducah Business and Professional Women President Patricia Moriarty, BPW Secretary Merryman Kemp, Dr. Barbara Veazey and Community Financial Services Bank CEO and Chair Carolyn E. “Betsy” Flynn

Endowment

WKCTC

Clark and her late husband Noble Clark.

2013 KCTCS Benefactors Award

Garline Clark

The endowment will provide scholarships to WKCTC business and accounting students from McCracken

West Kentucky Community and Technical College Services Bank and Paducah Business and Professional

university. Scholarships will be awarded from the Noble WKCTC faculty, staff, students and supporters applaud after the College is named a top 10 community college for the second year in the Aspen Institute’s College Excellence Program.

Selected from an original pool of more than 1,000 community colleges, the Prize recognizes the most outstanding institutions for achievements

Among the reasons, WKCTC stands out as one of the nation’s top community colleges includes the

and college completion, labor market success in students securing jobs after college, and minority and low-income student success.

students graduate or transfer within three years compared with the national

Wyner said colleges like WKCTC and this year’s initiatives like the West Kentucky College Academy and the Commonwealth Middle College to recruit and prepare high school students for postsecondary education.

the best community colleges—big and small—that too often go unnoticed. “We’re showcasing excellence at a time when community college success is more important to the nation more than ever before. The leaders, faculty, and staff on these ten colleges’ campuses are working incredibly hard to meet the increasing demands being placed on two-year institutions. They deserve deep respect and admiration for what they are doing to enable student success,” he said.

for every 100 full-time equivalent students, well above the national average

November 2013. academic year. Community Financial Services Bank pledged $100,000 to the Community Scholarship Program, which is designed to make postsecondary education a reachable objective for the graduates of all high schools in McCracken County. Participating students who meet the program guidelines receive gap funding for tuition for up to 60 hours of

Noble Clark, a former vice president of Citizens Bank and

“We are always grateful when a donor has included the foundation in their estate planning,” said WKCTC President Barbara Veazey. “As the College continues to grow, so does the need for scholarship funding to assist our students. I am thankful for our benefactors who support this need.”

areas within the Purchase Region including Paducah and Murray. Paducah Business and Professional Women created a new endowment valued at $63,700 with Paducah Junior College, Inc., the foundation of West Kentucky Community and Technical College. The endowment provides scholarships to currently enrolled McCracken

J. Wilson and M. L. Witter Endowment

or above, or women who provide the sole support for their families.

Mrs. Mary Lou Witter of Paducah donated $25,000 to fund the J. Wilson and M. L. Witter Endowment. The endowment will provide scholarship funds for WKCTC students based upon the College’s general scholarship guidelines.

Professional Women have served the community for more Business and Professional Women club in the state with

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

At-A-Glance 2012-2013

The The Legacy Legacy of of Kay Kay Travis Travis Kay Travis, a Marshall County native and Murray State University graduate, retired in September 2013 after 16 years as the executive director of the Paducah Junior College Inc., the foundation for West Kentucky Community and Technical College. More than 130 friends, family and supporters joined in a retirement reception for Travis in October.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College is a comprehensive two-year community and technical college that is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). WKCTC is a

(Left to right) Dick Veazey, Kay Travis, Dr. Barbara Veazey, and Kay’s husband, Barry Travis. the foundation’s endowment fund, which supports

and raising a total of $13 million in community donations

Travis started her education career as an English and journalism teacher in the Marshall County

Mission

counselor at Marshall County High School for 16 years before joining the staff of the former Paducah Community College. She had been executive director of Paducah Junior College, Inc. since 2001.

Engineering Research Center

Paducah, local businesses and government to develop the Community Scholarship Program

Prior to Travis being named executive director of the foundation, the president of the College had served as the foundation’s director. When the College became a part of the Kentucky Community and Technical

In addition, Travis worked on 17 scholarship auction events over the years, and was thrilled that the last

The mission of West Kentucky Community and Technical College is to provide excellence in teaching and learning, promote student success, and support economic development.

Vision West Kentucky Community and Technical College will be an innovative learning institution committed to empowering individuals to achieve excellence in an environment of respect and will be recognized as a preeminent community college nationwide.

scholarship money. “It’s a wonderful feeling that year after year the people of our area support our students like they do,” Travis said. “Without them many of our students wouldn’t be able to go to college.”

could no longer serve as the foundation director and Travis took over that role. Today, the PJC foundation solicits and administers private funds and donations for school use and special projects. Projects during

WKCTC President Barbara Veazey said Travis has always been “a voice of reason and a voice of honesty” and helped her to stay on track with the College’s mission. “I think there’s no doubt that we have been changed for the better because of her.”

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

... a preeminent community college

Kay Travis is surrounded by her family during a retirement reception October 1 at the Country Club of Paducah. They are (left to right) her husband, Barry Travis, grandson Connor Prince, Kay Travis, daughter Andrea Powell, granddaughter Emma Powell, daughter Alison Prince and Kay’s father, Ed O’Dell. 24

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS OF OF 2012–2013 2012–2013

Selected from an original pool of more than 1,000 community colleges, the Prize recognizes the most outstanding institutions

At-A-Glance 2012-2013

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC CASE 2012 Educational

Total Student Enrollment: 7,052 Available High Wage/High Demand Programs Include: Applied Engineering Technology Business Administration and Management Information Technology Criminal Justice Dental Hygiene/Hygienist Diagnostic Medical Sonography Industrial Maintenance Technology Nursing Radiography

West Kentucky Community and Technical College was selected as winner of a 2012 Educational Fund-raising Award, which honors superior fund-raising programs across the country. The award is a component of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education’s Circle of Excellence program.

A Growing Campus and renovations were made to facilities in 25 projects. Renovation of the Paducah School of Art and Design’s Madison Hall turned the 6,800 square foot facility into the home of a ceramics and jewelry program area with classes beginning in January 2013. The construction of a new 7,000 square foot sculpture building began in April 2013.

High school students enrolled in dual-enrollment/ dual-credit courses: 1,267 Students enrolled in distance education courses:

CASE’s Circle of Excellence program honors exemplary advancement initiatives and activities. WKCTC’s fundraising program was selected based on patterns of growth in total support, overall breadth in program area support, patterns of growth in giving from donors and alumni, and the impact of the twelve largest gifts on total support.

Charles Heyduck, Senior Learning for Fun chairman (center), presents a $2,000 scholarship check for non-traditional students to Dr. Barbara Veazey, WKCTC president (left) with Kevin O’Neill, WKCTC continuing education coordinator (right). This year’s award was earmarked for a student enrolled in classes at the WKCTC Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory.

The new sculpture building, which is expected to be

Part-time students: Full-time students: 36 % Female: Male:

woodwork, welding, and a foundry for the art program.

New Vice President

An expansion project at the Skilled Craft Training Center provided additional and enhanced space for the

Ashley R. Wright was named WKCTC’s

WKCTC Personnel In addition to the main campus on Alben Barkley Drive

Credentials Awarded

Center in Paducah.

In 2012 - 2013, the

degrees

John D. Williams, chairperson of the PJC Foundation Board of Trustees, said the experience Wright brings from her work at the United Way as well as her vibrant

advancement in September 2013. WKCTC President Barbara Veazey said Wright will provide strategic leadership to the College in establishing goals and identifying fund-raising priorities.

College. As state and federal funding for higher education continues to decrease in today’s tougher economy, the College has to

“The position provides the highest level of stewardship in the oversight Ashley Wright of investments and gifts through the Paducah Junior College Foundation,” Veazey said. “Ashley Wright brings a proven record of successful team building, a collaborative leadership style, and the communication skills to enhance the strong partnerships the College has been recognized for at the national level.“ Wright had previously been executive director of Paducah/McCracken County United Way since 2008. At WKCTC, Wright will also serve as executive director of the Paducah Junior College Foundation, succeeding Kay Travis who retired September 30.

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

support, Williams said. “I think there are hundreds of people who do not realize what we have at WKCTC; that we have more than 7,000 students and that we have 350 employees,” Williams said. “Not only is the College a provider of excellent education, but people also need to understand that WKCTC is a viable industry in this area. We have a story to tell and I think we need someone of Ashley’s caliber to get out there and to tell it, and help us grow.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC the event, which recognized the benefactors’ generous philanthropic and voluntary support to KCTCS.

which is a partner in the Community Scholarship Program. The company pledged $50,000 to the project that is working to make postsecondary education a reachable objective for the graduates of all high schools in McCracken County. Dr. William E. Murphy was appointed director of the University of Kentucky College of Engineering Extended Campus at West Kentucky Community

(Left to right) Tom Garrett, Dr. Barbara Veazey and Dr. William E. Murphy

Local Organizations Recognized for Support of WKCTC 28 individuals and businesses honored by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS)

site director on July 1, 2012 but remains an active faculty member of Paducah’s mechanical engineering program. He is active in professional societies at both local and national levels. Throughout his tenure in Paducah, Dr. Murphy has been an advocate for engineering education in western Kentucky and

Awards Dinner October 27, 2012. More than 600 state and local dignitaries from across the Commonwealth attended

of the Fred Paxton Engineering Research Wing of WKCTC’s Emerging Technology Center.

Challenger Learning Center Teacher of the Year Kym Mizell, Clark Elementary School science specialist, at Paducah Outstanding Educator during a surprise presentation at a Clark Elementary school assembly on May 1. Staff from the Challenger Center recognized Mizell as the center’s seventh outstanding educator. During the presentation, Mizell received a framed

Promoting Excellence in Teaching and Learning Online Learning Education through online learning is growing at a dizzying pace. West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s online learning department continued to expand by offering students continuous enrollment through Learn by Term and Learn on Demand course offerings. The addition of Laura Youngblood as a Learn on Demand student success coach provided guidance and stability to students in the open entry model. New courses in a variety of subjects such as accounting, history, and religion were developed in conjunction with the academic divisions. WKCTC emerged as a statewide leader in Learn on Demand course development. Subject areas such as art, music, logistics, and marine technology are in the process of conversion to the open entry, modular format.

WKCTC Chef Patrick Fletcher (left) adds a wine, mushroom and fois gras sauce to a plate while French chef Bernard Braun slices into an entrée of Beef Wellington during a culinary arts class October 2, 2012. (Photograph provided by the Paducah Sun)

Culinary students in Chef Patrick Fletcher’s international and classical cuisine class were able to Chef Bernard Braun, a 22-year veteran French chef, made a surprise visit to the class in October. The class spent two hours cooking with Braun, ending in a full meal prepared for the group. Braun and his wife live in France, and were visiting their daughter during a fall break. Chef Fletcher said he was thrilled his students were able to learn from Chef Bernard. “So much of the technique involved in cooking can be attributed to the French,” he told a local reporter. “It’s things we have talked about, and now they can see someone putting it to use.”

of online learning, was elected chair of the KCTCS Distance Learning Peer Team.

KCTCS Transformation Tour Dr. Michael McCall, president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, visited WKCTC in October 2012 as part of a statewide listening tour.

math supplies donated by Travis School Equipment in Draffenville. In addition, Paducah Public Schools to the Challenger Learning Center at Paducah. Clark Elementary Teacher Kym Mizell (center), with Clark Elementary Principal Steve Ybarzabal (left) and Paducah Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Randy Greene, accepts 2012–2013 Challenger Learning Center Outstanding Educator award during a surprise presentation in May 2013.

nominated Mizell for this award because “she is an inspiration to the students and always willing to go the the Challenger Learning Center experience into many of her classroom lessons.

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

The purpose of the tour was to engage faculty, staff and students in small group conversations about transformation and what it means to be a premier community and technical college system.

KCTCS President Michael McCall talks with Commonwealth Middle College students during a visit to the WKCTC campus. 7

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC of scholarships and endowments supported by generous community benefactors.

Kelsey Bennett Associate in Arts/Transfer Student “This scholarship will help me achieve my academic goals by WKCTC. After graduating, I plan to transfer to Murray State University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in middle school education. I hope to one day be a middle school teacher.”

During an May 2, 2013 open house,

Tucker Fenske of McCracken County E. Corman Maxie Scholarship Recipient Commonwealth Middle Colllege/Transfer Student Sports Management

air conditioning technology at WKCTC, stands in front of the new green energy auditing simulator at the Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory and to students and the community.

Green Energy Auditing Simulator with Chris Nelson, executive vice president of AGC of Western Kentucky during a May 2013 open house at the Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory.

Students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College are receiving essential training in green that included the construction of a green energy auditing simulator at the Skilled Craft Training Center in Hickory. The process and simulator were unveiled to area business and community leaders during a May 2013 open house.

“When I graduated from Paducah Tilghman High School, I had completed 40 hours of college credit toward my associate degree thanks to my participation in the Commonwealth Middle College. prepare as a future student at four-year university.”

proposal included an integrated curriculum to include Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) construction practices and materials. The additional proposal was funded for $253,000.

WKCTC was one of three Kentucky community colleges chosen to be included in a state grant proposal to the federal government that was funded in

The new phase included the major addition to the lab of the green energy auditing simulator, whose construction and design was coordinated by Mark

Shelley Davidson of McCracken County Associate in Applied Science Medical Information Technology Student “As a non-traditional student who waited 18 years to attempt a

HVAC program at the Skilled Craft Training Center to include training in solar, geothermal and emerging

technology, and John Moore, associate professor in construction technology. The work implemented different construction methods, doors, windows, insulation, LED lighting, and a geothermal heating and cooling system powered through photovoltaic panels.

In fall 2012, WKCTC received a request to provide an additional proposal to further enhance training

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

such an award like the Beiderwell Scholarship.”

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Paducah Junior College, Inc., the Foundation for WKCTC

A New Name – Paducah School of Art & Design The name of West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s art school changed to the Paducah School of

worked diligently to build our 80-plus year reputation for excellence.

its programming, which includes graphic design.

Paducah Junior College, Inc.

WKCTC, offers an Associate in Fine Arts degree, as well as studio art classes for students of all levels and disciplines. Classes are offered on WKCTC’s

is used to enhance the College and its programing.

in downtown Paducah; and at Madison Hall in Lower Town.

Challenger Learning Center Anniversary

Delaney Bell, winner of the 10th anniversary patch contest and a student at St. Mary Middle School, with her patch.

In August 2002, Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger mission Commander Dick Scobee, called the Challenger Learning Center at Paducah a “star in the education universe.” That star continues to shine brightly as the center marked 10 years of success. “This center is about science, it’s about technology, it’s about engineering and it’s about math,” said U.S. celebration October 16, 2012. “I’m sure you’ve read many articles that talk about how we have real shortcomings in education in America in science and

as well as members of the local community, ground was broken for the construction of Paducah’s Challenger Center on the campus of West College in April of 2001. The center, a result of a partnership between Paducah Junior College, Inc. and WKCTC, opened its doors to the public on August 16, 2002, initially allowing middle school students to track and analyze celestial bodies on a $750,000 shuttle simulator. The center is

providing young people with the opportunity to learn and achieve skills in math and science that can make a difference in today’s workforce.”

centers founded by the families of the astronauts Challenger space shuttle accident.

square foot studio facility in Lower Town Paducah.

metals through creation of state-of-the-art studio space at Madison Hall.

through new studios at Madison Hall, and the creation of a covered outdoor-kiln yard,

downdraft car kilns.

WKCTC welding students worked on renovations at Madison Hall. (Pictured above, left to right) Jordan Lamb, Instuctor Keith Cooper, Ethan Steele, Wes Chittenden, Tony Seaton and Larry Ramsey.

three national invitational exhibitions featuring ceramics, jewelry, metals and photography.

collaborations with the Lower Town Home and Music Festival.

Challenger Director Mellisa Duncan recognizes Sarah Davis who has worked at the Paducah center since inception.

Dr. Barbara Veazey, John Williams, Deborah Edmonds, Paul Aho, former Paducah Mayor Bill Paxton and Anne Gwinn broke ground on the Paducah School of Art & Design’s new sculpture building on October 25, 2012.

and Dr. Len O’Hara 20

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Increasing Student Access and Success

Enhancing the College’s Strategic Organization

All USA and All KCTCS Students Kevin Quinn and Roy Henley, both West Kentucky Community and Technical College graduates, were named to the 2013 All-KCTCS Academic Team. The All-KCTCS Academic Team is sponsored by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and recognizes outstanding students of community and technical colleges. The selected students successfully represent high achievement in the areas of scholarship, service and leadership.

Grant Expands Training Program

The Clemens Fine Arts Center produced 26 events as part of West Kentucky Community and Technical

WKCTC will receive $2.75 million dollars to expand targeted training programs for unemployed workers, especially those impacted by foreign trade. WKCTC is part of the Mississippi River Transportation, Distribution and Logistics Consortium (MRTDL), led by Lewis and Clark Community College.

5,700 in attendance during the 2012-2013 academic year. In addition, twenty-one events, produced by other campus and community organizations, were facilitated by the center in attendance.

The consortium will receive a total of $23.8 million in grant funds for nine community colleges located in eight states along the Mississippi River Region. WKCTC will utilize its funding to expand workforce training programs in the transportation, distribution and logistics career sector. The grant will provide resources to expand and enhance the college’s marine technology and logistics and operations management programs.

Kevin Quinn and Roy Henley

Kentucky Cisco Networking Academy–13 years and Counting Alex Clark, WKCTC Graduate

Information Technology Professor John Vos, two WKCTC students and a WKCTC graduate participated in a review of the Kentucky Cisco Networking Academy during a state meeting in Lexington in March 2013.

Transfer Success

degree at a fraction of the cost. Paducah native Alex Clark secured a jump start on his college career at the Commonwealth Middle College on the WKCTC campus. While still in high school, Alex took college classes at WKCTC, becoming an active part of the college culture.

John Vos Academy program to other IT instructors. The Networking Academy helps individuals prepare for information and communication technology careers in virtually every type of industry.

Today, a recent WKCTC graduate and a University of Kentucky junior, Alex is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the UK College of Engineering’s Paducah campus.

WKCTC Jeremy Egner, 32, told the audience that he came back to college after dropping out several years ago. Egner recently placed sixth in the prestigious NetRiders competition. “I feel WKCTC has prepared me for a career in Information Technology and I’m

“It doesn’t matter where I go or what I do, WKCTC has been a stepping stone to me getting there and I will never forget that,” Alex said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity than this college.”

all these years.” 10

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

The Scholar House of Paducah, an initiative that provides housing for non-traditional college

Old N. Friendship Road, is home to 50 college students and their children. Most of the student residents are enrolled at WKCTC. Residents and management commemorated the million project is a partnership between Paducah Housing Services and Wabuck Development Corp. The Paducah location was the seventh to open in Kentucky in the summer of 2012.

Children of the Scholar House of Paducah help cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the facility in October 2012.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Pacesetter of the Year

KPTA All-Academic Team

Dr. Barbara M. Veazey, president of West Kentucky Community and Technical College, was named the 2012 National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (NCMPR) District 2

Two physical therapist assistant students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College were recently selected to the 2012 Kentucky Physical Therapy Association All-Academic Team (KPTA). The KPTA partnered with RehabCare to select the students from Kentucky’s Physical Therapist Assistant and Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) Programs.

Dr. Tammy Owen and Kristen Amaya

Patriot Award The National Council for Marketing and Public Relations connects marketing and public Dr. Barbara Veazey relations professionals at community and technical colleges in seven districts across the U.S. and Canada.

Dr. Tammy Owen, former associate vice president of academic affairs at WKCTC, was honored with a Patriot Award in recognition of her exceptional support of Kristen Amaya, WKCTC’s veterans

Association of Community Colleges, NCMPR has more than 1,550 members from more than 650 colleges across the United States, Canada and other countries. District 2 of NCMPR includes members from 13 states. The college president or CEO who has demonstrated special leadership and support in marketing and public relations.

Brandi Bennett of Livingston County and Rachel Halicks of McCracken County were two of only ten students selected for the award. This is the largest number of students admitted to the team from WKCTC since the award began in 2010. Students are chosen for the competitive team based upon academic and clinical performance, extracurricular, campus and community service activities, participation in physical therapy-related activities and organizations, and a personal statement discussing the student’s career goals and the importance of being an advocate for the physical therapy profession.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College was

The awards ceremony was held at Paducah’s riverfront

Award for its effort to create and sustain a cultural transformation which resulted in the College being

The presentation was made by the Rev. Kempton D. Baldridge, chaplain for the Ohio River Region with Seamen’s Church Institute and Area I chairperson for the Kentucky Committee for Employer Support of the

Institute in 2011. The Bellwether Awards are conferred by the Community College Futures Assembly, which is sponsored by the University of Florida Institute of Higher Education. The award recognizes outstanding and innovative programs replicating.

Teacher of Year

Rachel Halicks and Brandi Bennett

For the second time, WKCTC students selected

McCracken County resident, said he was honored that WKCTC students showed their support for him in this resource economics from Virginia Tech. “I am deeply humbled to be in the midst of all the told the audience after accepting the award. “I believe if you stop learning, you stop growing and stop moving forward. I learn from the faculty and the students every day. I love coming to work and being a part of this great institution.”

2013 Phi Beta Lambda Conference Eleven West Kentucky Community and Technical College students won a total of 15 state awards during the 2013 Phi

Dr. Kevin Gericke

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

than 115 students and advisors from colleges and universities across the state attended the conference that was held in WKCTC’s Emerging Technology Center. In addition, WKCTC’s chapter of PBL was honored for being the third largest

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

International Preservation Techniques WKCTC instructor John Moore and several construction technology students attended the 2012 International Preservation Trades Workshop/ Association of Preservation Technology Conference in Charleston, S.C., which showcased the work of some of the most skilled traditional tradespeople from the U.S. and abroad. The conference included highly interactive hands-on demonstrations. Students also learned about rehabilitating and preserving historic buildings. (center) Allison McGullion, business administration program coordinator for West Kentucky Community and Accreditation. She is pictured with Betsy Davis, chairperson of the Associate Degree Board of Commissioners (left), and Steve Parscale, ACBSP director of accreditation.

WKCTC Business Program Receives National Accreditation

Moore said education is a major focus of the Association of Preservation Technology. “The people who are responsible for maintaining our national monuments, for instance — are acutely aware that there aren’t a lot of younger people who are practicing these traditional trades necessary for keeping these buildings up,” Moore said. “It’s important to have people who can maintain these historic buildings.”

Half Broke Horses

West Kentucky Community and Technical College was among 27 institutions whose business school or programs were recently awarded accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and

Jeannette Walls, best selling author of Half Broke Horses and The Glass Castle, spoke at WKCTC before meeting with fans and signing copies of her books during a 2013 visit to campus. Walls spoke about her struggles of growing up in poverty and establishing herself as a celebrity columnist before coming to terms with her own upbringing in an unconventional family.

administration program coordinator at WKCTC, during the 2013 ACBSP Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. “ACBSP accreditation allows the Business Administration Program to distinguish itself from others by demonstrating a higher level of quality and educational standards. This accreditation gives not only our students a competitive advantage but also our college

Walls visited campus as part of the One Book, One Campus, One Community program. The initiative encourages students and faculty to read the same book as part of a community-wide reading program.

provides the Business Administration faculty with many opportunities for leadership and professional development.”

Retired Professor Berry Craig, author of a soon to be published book on the Civil War in the Jackson Purchase, was

Television and Marketing Awards West Kentucky Community and Technical College continued its award winning success in marketing, broadcasting and public relations receiving a total of more than a dozen awards from the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations in 2012 and 2013, including gold awards in the special events promotion category for promotion of the 2012 WKCTC Open

Award, the highest honor the Western Kentucky AFL-CIO Area Council Berry Craig bestows.

Clemens Fine Arts Center Director Gail Robinson-Butler has been selected as

2012 Clemens Fine Arts Center brochure; in the writing category for the article “Campus Unusual Location for Cemetery” in The Paducah Sun; in the college video category for a program featuring Samuel Hawkins and a promotional video on the Challenger Learning Center.

Council Performing Arts Directory. Butler was chosen as one of three jurors to serve on a panel for the Kentucky Arts Council (KAC) in Frankfort.

Tammy Thompson, WKCTC public relations coordinator, headed a winning team for the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce as part of the chamber’s Total Resource Campaign in 2012 and 2013. In 2012, Thompson’s “Business Boomers Team,” made up of WKCTC Tammy employees and other community Thompson members, generated the most points for the campaign. Thompson was the top new members producer in 2013.

Dr. Lisa Stephenson, KCTCS dualcredit project manager, received the Kentucky Business Education Association Service Award in the summer of 2012. Dr. Lisa Stephenson

Paducah School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibits 2012–2013

Dr. Felix Akojie, professor of biological sciences, was appointed

Paducah School of Art and Design Dean Paul Aho exhibited work in several exhibitions and served as curator and presenter in the

and Talented Education.

Surf Expo at the Orange County Convention Center, in Orlando, Fla.

Dr. Felix Akojie Britton

The Iron Horse Literary Review (two poems), The Louisville Review, Water~Stone Review, and The American Literary Review.

Asheville, N.C. BiLan Liao Britton Shurley

Randy Simmons

WKCTC History Professor Scott Garrett to a three-year term on the Kentucky Military Museum Committee of the Kentucky Historical Society.

Diagnostic medical sonography received accreditation for its vascular sonography program and reaccreditation of the overall sonography program in fall 2012. The dental assisting program also received renewal of its accreditation during the academic year.

Dr. Scott Garrett

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Paul Aho

Randy Simmons participated in solo and group exhibitions

Shurley

Accreditation

Gail Butler

International School and BiLan Liao Dongguan Foreign Language School in China.

John Hasegawa was a resident artist in Jingdezhen, China and offered a workshop on pottery. He also participated in a group exhibition called Project Wide West in Austria.

sergeant major.

John Hasegawa

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Accomplishments A State Award Winner Summer Holland of Benton was recognized by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) as the 2013 New Horizon Staff Award recipient. Holland is an administrative assistant for the advising center at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Holland was among 50 KCTCS faculty and staff recognized for their May 2013 at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington. A committee of her peers chose Holland for the statewide honor. She received $1,000 to be used for the professional development experience of her choice. Deborah Smith, director of advising and assessment, was nominated by WKCTC in the faculty category and Jennifer Strout, a business affairs specialist, was nominated in the administrative staff category.

New Multidisciplinary Health Simulation Center

A New Tradition

Nursing and health care students receive hands-on, clinical experience by working in area hospitals, nursing homes and other health care facilities. The Multidisciplinary Health Simulation Center at West Kentucky Community and Technical College provides realistic health care experiences.

WKCTC colleagues Debbie Smith, Dr. Renea Akin, Sherry Anderson, and Sandra Tucker coauthored a chapter for the book, Academic Advising: The Key to Student Success, by Terry O’Banion, president emeritus of the League for Innovation in the Community College. In April 2013, Smith presented with Terry O’Banion, one of the nation’s leading experts on the learning college, at the American Association of Community College’s annual convention in

The simulation center was funded in part by the Aspen Institute Prize for Community College Excellence awarded to WKCTC in 2011. Completed in October 2012, the center is located in WKCTC’s Allied Health Building and includes six bed stations that house

Award in October 2013 for her innovative and outstanding work in advising at WKCTC.

two children, a birthing mother, a full-term newborn, and one 26-week premature infant. In addition, the center has a respiratory ventilator, digital radiography portable chest X-ray machine, diagnostic sonography imaging machines for obstetrics, electronic medication dispensing equipment, bedside electronic documentation system, bedside monitoring, and other technology currently used in health care delivery in the region.

Debbie Smith

Jennifer Strout

Summer Holland

Megan Dotson, WKCTC’s transitional education reading program coordinator, received the Phelps

excellence, and reward competence in teaching in the Liberal Arts and Sciences disciplines. Dotson has been with the faculty since 2010. A Murray State University graduate, Dotson was instrumental in redesigning the College’s developmental reading program.

“The simulation center replicates real-life scenarios in a risk free, supportive environment where the complexity of quality patient care can be created,

Megan Dotson

master’s degree from Murray State University and is currently working on his doctorate from the into student study skills and reading while also reducing cost by moving the radiography program to digital textbooks. 16

In addition to lifelike mannequins that are able to illustrate a variety of bodily functions, the center includes a control room where instructors can watch students and create individualized responses.

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

WKCTC has been using simulation technology for several years in its health care programs, but the new lab allows more than 300 students each year to utilize the center in a variety of areas including surgical technology, radiography, diagnostic sonography, physical therapy assistant, respiratory care, pharmacy technician, and nursing.

physiological changes just as they would occur in real patients.”

PAGE 11 HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012–2013

Expanding Diversity and Global Awareness

Enhancing Economic Development Growing Through Partnerships

Super Sunday Outreach

West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s Workforce Solutions provides customized training and

For a third year, West Kentucky Community and Technical College partnered with two local churches to promote higher education in the African-American community. Super Sunday is a statewide initiative to encourage African-American students to obtain a college education.

knowledge and skills for the jobs of the future. Mary Beth Hudson, Wacker site manager businesses and industries that thrive on innovative ideas and technologies.

WKCTC representatives were on hand at Harrison Street Missionary Baptist Church and Ninth Street Church of Christ on February

The training program WKCTC provided last year to the Calvert City plant was recognized in a recent Wacker executive board meeting as a benchmark program for other locations to follow. Hudson said she had been contacted by the vice president of manufacturing in Adrian, Mich., and the director of human resources in Cleveland, Tenn., with questions of how the Calvert City site has achieved success.

skills.

their parents about the college admission and

The Workforce Solutions team developed and executed an extensive training program for Wacker Chemical Corporation in Calvert City. Mary Beth Hudson, site manager at Wacker, said the progress the company has demonstrated in achieving productivity improvements exceeded the company’s targets and expectations thanks to its work with Workforce Solutions.

opportunities, and available programs and services. WKCTC and each of the other 15 colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College collaborated with churches in their communities to host the information fairs. More than 200 participants took part in the WKCTC sponsored fair.

Wacker is one of many Workforce Solutions clients who is experiencing real world solutions delivered when they want, where they want and how they want it. The perspective of Workforce Solutions gives WKCTC a window into the most current needs of business and industry. Internal partnerships at WKCTC allow these needs to be translated quickly into the academic offerings. Workforce Solutions provides an essential “research and development” function for the College. This process helps sustain WKCTC as one of the top community colleges in the nation.

“Improvements are a direct result of the training and coaching your team provided,” Hudson expressed to Pastor James Lee Hudson introduces Dr. Barbara Veazey at Harrison Street Missionary Baptist Church.

of continuous improvement. The Six Sigma training facilitated us achieving a 17% reduction in unit operating costs in 2011, and we have more ideas in progress. Several energetic atmosphere in our workplace. It is exciting to be a part of the progress.”

New Vice President Jim Pape joined WKCTC in April 2013 as vice president of Workforce and Economic Development, having served for nearly seven years at the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.

Pastor Mark Rowe of Ninth Street Church of Christ receives a Super Sunday proclamation from Paducah Mayor Gayle Kaler.

Instructor Andrew Scott discusses the logistics and operation management program at WKCTC.

PAGE 14

WEST KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Pape has extensive work experience in the automotive, defense, chemical, energy and food sectors. He has held positions as plant manager, operations manager, and vice president and general manager for international companies. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member at WKCTC, John A. Logan College and Rend Lake College.

Jim Pape

the Xerox Professional Sales School and Solution Selling. 15