In response to the best advice of business, government, and civic leaders in the communities of Warren, Barren, and Simpson counties, the BGTC identified four initiatives for the Fulfilling the Promise Campaign that will greatly enhance our capacity to meet the developmental needs of South Central Kentucky.

EQUIPMENT AND TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENTS $2.0 million
Computing power doubles every 18-24 months, according to Moore's Law. Each change triggers a multitude of software upgrades that utilize the added power, and in turn, increase productivity. This cycle is projected to continue and even accelerate over the next two decades. Since the programs at BGTC are technology driven, the curriculum and the equipment must be updated repeatedly to keep pace with ongoing changes in industry. Students learn through hands-on practical experience at the College. It is important that the labs contain cutting-edge equipment that prepares students for their world of work. Technology is the essential tool that enables faculty to improve teaching and learning, to reach more students, expand the availability of knowledge and information, and help students prepare for tomorrow's workplace. Increased access to instruction via the Internet requires that adult learners and educators are computer literate and that they are supported through "learning communities" in an online environment. To enhance and expand educational access and assure quality instruction, BGTC will create distance learning labs that enable more students taking distance learning courses to do hands-on assignments. The labs will give students access to equipment that is cost-prohibitive or otherwise unavailable in the home and will ensure that students have opportunities to apply this knowledge while taking classes. The labs will also provide access for faculty to develop on-line courses and to work with students who are taking on-line courses. For South Central Kentucky to attract its share of new businesses and industries, new state-of-the-art technology and techniques must be available that allow students to enhance their educational opportunities. This, in turn, will provide businesses and industries with the technical expertise to increase productivity and improve profit margins in today's ever-changing technical world. BGTC is seeking $2 million to invest in modernizing and expanding our technical labs to accommodate more students with advanced technologies.

ALLIED HEALTH $2.0 million
The College has five health programs located in Bowling Green and Glasgow: Surgical Technology, Respiratory Care, Practical Nursing, Sonography and Radiography. These programs, as well as EMT training, are housed in aging, outmoded buildings that need restoration, modernization and perhaps replacement. With renovated facilities, updated equipment and additional faculty, the College can increase the output of qualified health care providers in these and related areas. With the formation of Homeland Security Departments, many federal, state, and local officials are asking how can we train enough critical care providers and emergency response teams to address the various types of terrorist threats? Emergency response teams and medical and public health personnel are the individuals who are most likely to handle first response efforts for the physical, chemical, and hazardous material attacks. They will need to know, in large numbers and in a short time frame, how to handle future terrorist attacks. Two-year colleges such as BGTC are uniquely placed to address such pressing demands. Classes in homeland security and disaster relief are now routinely offered at the College. With support from the private sector, the College will be able to expand its delivery of existing health programs and place itself in a position of adding new specialties. The equipment upgrades will mean that graduates of the College's health technology programs will be some of the most advanced and best trained in a multi-state area. The region will be able to care for its aged population and be prepared to handle a variety of emergency situations.

UNRESTRICTED ENDOWMENT $500,000
To remain flexible and responsive to the needs of South Central Kentucky, BGTC will create an unrestricted endowment to pursue new opportunities with innovation and creativity. Permanently invested funds will generate annual income that will be directed to special projects and initiatives for which state funds are not available. All great institutions of higher education rely on support from unrestricted endowment. BGTC is no different.


SCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT $500,000
After accessibility, next in importance to our students is affordability. BGTC must always be able to offer excellent educational opportunities at the lowest possible cost. Though our tuition is among the lowest in Kentucky and many of our students qualify for state and federal financial aid, we still have a large number of students who need financial assistance to attend college and often support young families simultaneously. We know that the level of educational attainment is the best indicator of economic well-being for a family. If we can help more students obtain an education, we know we can help children. Privately funded scholarships and loans are the only means for students who fail to meet the strict financial criteria for public assistance. According to national studies, financial hardship is the main reason students withdraw from college.