The Mountain Eagle

Carl Banks and Pauline (Penny) Ritter of Whitesburg were recognized as county chairs at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College's kickoff of its fundraising campaign.

Banks, assistant chief executive officer of Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation, is heading the fundraising efforts for SKCTC in Letcher County. Ritter, retired executive vice president of First Security Bank, headed the last fund-raising campaign for the college and is going to assists Banks with this fundraiser.

"Fulfilling the Promise" is the name of the new campaign at SKCTC. The goal is to raise $4,725,000 for the college. As of August 25, SKCTC raised more than $3,000,000 in gifts and pledges.

The money raised from the campaign will be used to fund Endowed Student Scholarships; Student Leadership Workshops; the Southeast Scholars Program; the EXPLORE College Fund Endowment; an Equipment and Technology Fund Endowment; an Unrestricted Endowment Fund; and capital projects on each of the school's five campuses.

More than 4,000 students attend the five SKCTC campuses each year. The campuses are located in Whitesburg, Cumberland, Harlan, Middlesboro and Pineville.

According to SKCTC, fewer than 55 percent of students in eastern Kentucky go on to college after high school graduation. According to the 2000 Census, 17.9 percent of adults 25 and older in Letcher County have attended college or have earned an associate's degree.

College officials also announced August 26 that the old A&P/United Super grocery store building in Whitesburg will be used for classes that will be taught here by Midway College, as well as SKCTC classes.