Dr. Anton Reece Named A Distinguished Alumnus at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville

Award giving during May 12 college commencement

Paducah, KY (05/22/2018) — Dr. Anton Reece, president of West Kentucky Community and Technical College, recently received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Tenneesse's College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (CEHHS).

Reece was the featured speaker during the CEHHS 2018 commencement ceremony May 12 in Knoxville, Tenn. He received the prestigious award in recognition of his outstanding service to his profession and as a distinguished ambassador of the UT's College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences.

In his second year as WKCTC president, Reece is an honors graduate with a bachelor's degree in broadcasting news and a master's degree in counseling student personnel from Eastern Kentucky University. He earned a doctorate in educational psychology and research from UT and spent 13 years at UT serving in various roles including coordinator of academic support, director of student activities, associate vice provost of student success, and director of the Student Success Center.

Reece has a legacy of trailblazing as the first minority affairs coordinator in the University of Kentucky Community College System in 1990. From 1999-2003, he made history again by becoming the first African American dean of student affairs in Paducah Community College/WKCTC history. In October 2016, Reece achieved a historic appointment as the first African American and second president of WKCTC.

Reece's speech to the UT graduates can be seen at: https://youtu.be/4NPYHIgfUHA

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Pictured on right: Dr. Anton Reece, president of West Kentucky Community and Technical College, and Sherry Bell, the acting dean in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, on May 12, 2018