WKCTC The NEWS letter - issue 3

Spring Term • Issue 3 • April 5, 2018 ,

WKCTC Honors Regional Educators

THE

NEWS LETTER

More than 200 educators, family, friends and students were on hand to cheer and recognize the 28 nominees in West Kentucky Community and Technical College’s Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship program March 15.

Deserving faculty and staff from throughout the Jackson Purchase were nominated for awards in four categories: distinguished faculty for grades pre-kindergarten through five, distinguished faculty for grades six through 12, distinguished administrators, and the Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Staff Award, named for the wife of WKCTC President Anton Reece.

Featured speaker Dr. Lucian Yates III said he was glad he was a not a judge who had to select a winner from the nominees. “You are all winners,” Dr. Yates told the audience.

“I was brought to tears with the authenticity, warmth, and fervor with which these educators were described. How blessed your communities are to have such consummate educators in your presence.”

The awards and scholarship program was established in August 2017 to recognize pre-kindergarten through high school educators, administrators and staff members who have gone beyond their daily responsibilities and have

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• • WKCTC Reaches Out With Education Express

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from 2008 until 2012. I want to credit her and her guidance and leadership. She pushes her students to be the best that they can be and I appreciate that.”

West Kentucky Community and Technical College staff member Brandon Story took the rare opportunity during the college’s Education Express visit to Murray/Calloway County to thank one of the educators of his past.

“As I look out it’s great to see familiar faces – Mayor (Jack) Rose, Judge (Larry) Elkins, Dr. (Bob) Davies, and even Teresa Speed,” Story told the audience at the Murray-Calloway County Area Technology Center March 12. “I’m going to put Ms. Speed on the spot. She was my principal when I attended Murray High

Story was one of several WKCTC faculty, staff and students who have been visiting different communities in the college’s service area as part of Education Express: Connecting Community Tours which began in February 2017.

WKCTC staff member Brandon Story (right) and Murray High School Principal Teresa Speed

More than 30 educators, students, business and community leaders attended the tour in

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KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM

One Book Read Marks 10th Year Anniversary

Amy Sullivan, Author Karen T. Walker, and Kim Russell

More than 600 people attended the author visit of New York Times bestselling author Karen Thompson Walker March 13-14 – marking the 10th year anniversary to the college’s One Book Read.

The One Book Read project, which began at West Kentucky Community and Technical College in 2008, is a community effort to encourage reading across various groups of people in hopes of helping to eliminate illiteracy in our region. The project encourages the community, area school districts, and colleges to read the same book and come together to discuss it in a variety of settings.

Regional Educators from Page 1

“We were thrilled to have Karen on campus with us at the culmination of our One Book Read and to help us celebrate 10 years of this project,” said Amy Sullivan, WKCTC One Book Read co-chair. “Over the past decade, we’ve had many distinguished authors be a part of the Read, which has allowed us to reach literally thousands of people of all ages. We are so proud to continue our mission of promoting the importance of reading and helping to eliminate illiteracy in our region.”

v CONGRATULATIONS v

Dr. Faris G. Sahawneh was recently notified that an article he co-wrote titled, “The Relationship between Instructor Servant Leadership Behaviors and Satisfaction With Instructors Faris Sahawneh (standing) in an Online Setting,” was Dr. with a student included in Volume 22: Issue 1 of the Online Learning Journal – March 2018. The article included a sample of WKCTC online students.

Dr. Sahawneh is the coordinator of the Computer and information Technologies at WKCTC.

worked tirelessly on behalf of students, parents and the community in WKCTC’s service region, which includes Ballard, Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Marshall, McCracken, Livingston and Lyon counties in Kentucky and Alexander, Hardin, Massac, Pope, and Pulaski in Illinois.

More than 40 faculty, staff and administrators were nominated by students, parents, community members and colleagues. Each nominee was then asked to submit an application. Twenty-eight applications were then reviewed by a selection committee made up of educators, business and community leaders who selected two finalists and a winner in each of four categories.

In conjunction with the awards program, a scholarship for WKCTC students interested in K-12 teaching or educational support majors has been established to encourage and assist the region’s future educators.

Area businesses and organizations have donated to establish the scholarship.

WKCTC Alumni: In Their Words

Michael Bennett

Computerized Manufacturing & Machining Student

“One thing that I found at West Kentucky that wasn’t at other colleges … was the first time I found a place where the people …didn’t just want you to graduate. They wanted you to succeed in life. That was something I hadn’t really found at the other colleges … and that’s one thing I’ve really come to like at West Kentucky.

Caitlin Rudolph

Software Engineer Computer Services, Inc. (CSI)

“WKCTC connected me with excellent professors that not only equipped me with the education and skills I need for my career but advocated for me in the local job market. Professor John Vos referred me to CSI for an internship which led to my career as a software engineer. I’ve been with CSI ever since!”

MARK YOUR CALENDAR: April 21 - The Alpha Epsilon Beta’s seventh annual “Justice Run to Fight Child Abuse” will be held Saturday, April 21, on the campus of West Kentucky Community and Technical College. The 5K run/walk begins at 5 PM.

April 28 - A host of activities will be held on campus Saturday, April 28 for Earth Day Celebration.

May 5 - WKCTC’s Spring Commencement ceremonies at the Luther Carson Four Rivers Center at 10:30 am and 2:30 p.m.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College, a proud member of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS), is an equal educational and employment opportunity institution.

Award winners at the WKCTC Regional Educators Awards and Scholarship Program are (from left) Susan K. Crawford, Distinguished Faculty Award (pre­K through fifth grade); Heather Vashti Anderson, Cornelia Reece Unsung Hero Staff Award; Gena Maley, Distinguished Faculty Award (sixth through 12th grade); and Ellen Murphy, Distinguished Administrator Award. Standing with the winners is WKCTC President Anton Reece.

vvvvvvvv Education Express from Page 1

Murray. In addition to the Murray visit, the Spring Education Express tour included stops in LaCenter and Clinton in March 2018. WKCTC President Anton Reece said the Express is a way to reach out to the college’s river counties to have a more personal approach to connecting with area communities, including students and their families.

“The initial success of the first leg of our tour is meeting education, community and business leaders one-on-one and in groups to discuss meeting their education and economic needs,” said Dr. Reece.

“Increased education attainment levels and skills of our workforce throughout the region are vital to positioning and showcasing the unique resources and contributions of the western region of the state and southern Illinois.”