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The Gleaner
October 21, 2003
HCC opens drive for funding
Supporters of Henderson Community College gathered Monday at the college to
kick off a fund-raising campaign that is expected to net millions of dollars.
"This comes at a very critical time," HCC President Pat Lake said
to about two dozen people. "We're not any different from any other college
in the country; we're all struggling to access all available resources."
The campaign is part of a statewide effort called "Fulfilling the Promise,"
which will run five years to benefit the Kentucky Community and Technical College
System. The original plan was for the Henderson gathering to be linked via interactive
television with a similar gathering in Lexington that launched the fund drive
for the entire state. But an equipment problem in Lexington prevented local
participants from hearing and seeing the Lexington meeting.
Scott Davis, the chairman of the local fundraising effort, alluded to that
problem in outlining the goals of the campaign.
"Our educational infrastructure is so important to whatever aspect of
community development you look at," he said. "For this college to
continue to excel we've got to provide facilities.
"The first priority is for child-care facilities. If you look at enrollment
-- and see the number of nontraditional students we have here -- that's critical.
"The second priority is technology infrastructure. With the glitches we've
seen this afternoon we recognize we can beef that up in many areas. We need
to provide access to communications and technology for all aspects of learning.
"The third area of the campaign is student access, providing more scholarships,
more access to education for community citizens.
"The campaign's lined out real well. The need is aptly demonstrated. The
strong increase in enrollment that the college is now enjoying is posing new
challenges."
No goal was announced for the campaign, but an earlier feasibility study indicated
that about $3 million could be raised locally. The statewide goal is to exceed
the $43 million raised by the community college system in a similar campaign
in the mid-1990s.
Methodist Hospital kicked off the local campaign by pledging $285,000 over
five years. Lake said that will allow HCC to immediately add 20 slots to its
nursing program.
"Across the state and nation there is a nursing shortage," said Bruce
Begley, executive director of the hospital. "The answer to the nursing
shortage is putting more qualified individuals into those jobs, not taking from
existing sources. Our partnership with the college is a key strategy to address
this issue, and we have always found the college to be very helpful and willing
to work with us to address our needs."
The Paducah Sun
October 21, 2003
Mother among students to benefit from two gifts to colleges
The Paducahan will get one of the scholarships made possible by the Kentucky
Colonels. A Toyota gift will fund an automotive program.
A $2,500 scholarship launching a major Kentucky Community and Technical College
System fund-raising campaign "means everything in the world" to Paducah
single parent and cosmetology student Joy McCuiston.
"I get to finish school, finish my associate degree, which I've always
wanted to do," said McCuiston, a 28-year-old mother of three children under
6. Her biggest obstacle in obtaining an associate degree in science has been
finding money to pay for her education.
"It means a better education, more money, a better job, better benefits,"
she said.
McCuiston attends classes from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and works at the Trade Secrets
salon in Kentucky Oaks Mall.
"That doesn't leave much time for much else," she said, noting that
"wonderful day care" has been essential to getting through school.
Her children "won't see the benefits of this right away, but they will
when they get older. They may remember Mommy going to school and working so
hard. Right now they just know Mommy's gone a lot. I hope this shows them how
important it is to finish school, no matter how old they are, no matter what
happens in their lives."
McCuiston plans to use the renewable scholarship through spring 2004, when
she's scheduled to graduate.
She's one of 16 students receiving the scholarships, sponsored by a $320,000
donation from the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. The Kentucky Colonels
Better Life Scholarship Program, aimed at full-time working students who are
parents of children under 12, is one of two major gifts announced Monday in
the launch of the KCTCS Fulfilling the Promise Campaign.
The other, a $500,000 gift from Toyota Motor Manufacturing, will establish
a KCTCS Center of Excellence in Automotive Manufacturing at Lexington Community
and Technical College.
The multimillion-dollar campaign is expected to last about five years. It
will be conducted at the state level and in each KCTCS district. No local or
statewide goals were announced. The campaign was to have been launched during
a teleconference Monday afternoon, but was canceled because of technical difficulties.
West Kentucky President Barbara Veazey said Fulfilling the Promise is expected
to be the system's largest fund-raising campaign, bigger than a $43 million
effort in the mid-1990s. The system and its colleges will seek major gifts to
invest in scholarships, equipment, faculty development and new facilities.
Major areas of the campaign include the Student Success Fund, which will offer
loans and scholarships to students who plan to transfer to four-year institutions
in high-priority workforce areas, and the KCTCS Building Fund, which will provide
centrally located meeting space and communication systems for businesses.
Several colleges, including Madisonville Community and Technical College,
have already begun their campaigns, Veazey said. The local campaign will begin
after Veazey and members of her administration meet in December with community
officials and complete a feasibility study outlining priorities.
Because of western Kentucky's aging population, Veazey said she believes the
feasibility study will focus on the area's health-care needs.
Veazey called the campaign the final step in a recently approved strategic
plan emphasizing a major gifts campaign, new professional development programs
and increasing public awareness of the school’s new name.
Veazey said, "It's been a good year for us."
Paducah Sun
October 16, 2003
Court reporting test now being offered
West Kentucky Community and Technical College will administer its first court
reporting certification test on Nov. 1.
The college was recently approved for certification testing by the National
Court Reporters Association.
The examination, given twice a year at more than 100 sites across the nation,
allows national certification as a registered professional reporter, certified
realtime reporter, registered merit reporter, registered diplomatic reporter
or certified legal video specialist. The test takes one and five hours.
Participants should report at 7:30 a.m. on the second floor of the Anderson
Building. The testing fee of $125 to $150 must be pre-paid.
To register, call 800-272-6272.
Paducah Sun
October 16, 2003
WKCTC board joined by Chronister
Michael E. Chronister of Barlow has been elected the student representative
to the West Kentucky Community and Technical College board of directors.
The district board consists of seven community representatives appointed by
Gov. Paul Patton as well as faculty, staff and student representatives. The
next district board meeting is Jan. 13.
Chronister, 36, is a mechanical engineering student who was employed at VMV
Enterprises before recent layoffs. A graduate of 71st Senior High School in
Fayetteville, N.C., he is president of the college's student government and
a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Mu Alpha Theta.
He will serve a one-year term.
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