West Kentucky Community and Technical College announced more than 1,100 students who were conditionally eligible to receive one or more associate degrees, diplomas or certificates during Spring 2020. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the college postponed its 2020 Spring Commencement which would have been held Saturday, May 9 at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center, and announced the ceremony will be held Saturday, December 19 at the Carson Center. The complete list of Spring 2020 candidate for graduation can be also be seen online and can be seen in alphabetical order by degree and county.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College recognized its 2019-2020 honor students during a virtual tribute May 20. More than 90 WKCTC students were recognized on the college's Facebook channel in a variety of subject areas for outstanding achievement. The college produced the tribute video to help recognize the accomplishments of this year's honor students, noting that an in-person celebration could not be held due to COVID-19 restrictions.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Selena Bell was recently named April Student of the Month. Congratulations Selena! We are #WKCTCProud of you!

Due to COVID-19, physical therapist assistant (PTA) students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College had their "First-Ever Best Stay Safe at Home Activity/Photo Contest" in April 2020. Students sent in photos and shared what they are doing with their families while staying safe and healthy at home. PTA Program Coordinator Mary Jo Campbell said there were "lots of great pictures with kids and dogs and surprisingly a lot of other animals too!" The PTA students who submitted photos were: 1st year students: Jessi Brewer Leah Kluemper (Mary) Carson Dubrock Allie Davis Deane White Randi Futrell Courtney Burkeen 2nd year students: Caitlin Shaffer Emily Crawford Walker Grubbs Kate Moore Kayla Baker Andrea Favela The winner was Jessi Brewer. This is what she said about her photo: "...helping my Grandpa who had a stroke last year get back on a horse! He was a three-time world champion barrel racer and wanted to get back in the saddle!" Jessi's prize was extra credit bonus points on her final exam and a "free homework pass". Great job to all the PTA students!

Eagle Scout Caleb Buford, a student at West Kentucky Community and Technical College, was recently featured in the Paducah Sun for his work helping Scouts across Kentucky make progress on their merit badges during COVID-19. Caleb teaches a group of Boy Scouts using the virtual tool, Zoom. Caleb is a WKCTC Community Scholar Program student studying communications, and a graduate of McCracken Co. High School. The Eagle Scout Award is the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers to Scouts. Caleb, a member of Boy Scout Troop 2066 sponsored by the Barlow United Methodist Church, earned his Eagle Scout Award in January 2018. Thanks Caleb for what you're doing for your fellow Scouts!

Four WKCTC students are serving as student ambassadors during spring 2020. Student ambassadors are outstanding student leaders selected to publicly represent WKCTC, Office of Student Services, and the community in a multitude of essential capacities. The ambassador is positive, professional, displays enthusiasm, and a genuine desire and spirit of helpfulness. They seek increased involvement and knowledge of academic programs, student concerns, employee roles, college resources, facilities, and social interaction. The ambassadors are part of a dynamic team of student leaders, dedicated to creating positive change and student success. Ambassadors make students and campus guests feel welcomed, comfortable, and supported through building strong connections. Ambassadors, thank you for all you do for WKCTC and the community! If other WKCTC students are interested in becoming a student ambassador, just visit the WKCTC website at westkentucky.kctcs.edu and search for student ambassador to find out how.

Five Phi Theta Kappa students from West Kentucky Community and Technical College recently attended the 2019 regional PTK Honors in Action and Leadership Conference in Louisville. They brushed up on teamwork skills and leadership development. The students learned from the Philadelphia Regional Office of the U.S. Census Bureau about efforts to ensure that citizens understand the importance of being counted during the upcoming 2020 Census. They also received information about jobs that are perfect for college students. Way to go everyone!

Skye Jones, a student at West Kentucky Community and Technical College and a resident of the Scholar House of Paducah, recently received a one-year, $2,500 scholarship from the Scholarship Committee for the Kentucky Housing Association. Congratulations Skye!

More than 525 students were recently named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2019 semester at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must be a full-time WKCTC student earning at least a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) and successfully completing 12 hours or more of course work numbered 100 or above for the academic term. The Fall 2019 Dean's List recipients are listed below.

The WKCTC Stars Basketball Team and their coach Mike Chumbler were recognized April 30 for their contributions to the campus at West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Student Services Red Carpet Student Leader Celebration. Team members recognized were Jashaud Fleming, Al McFarland, Lamont Bell, Dre Smith, Jamison Hicks, Dylan Richards, Zach Tracy and Connor Griffin.

Thomas Byerley of LaCenter was recognized as a star member of West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Student Government Association (SGA). He was honored with more than 30 student leaders during WKCTC's Student Services Red Carpet Student Leader Celebration April 30. A culinary arts student, Thomas attended the National Conference on Student Government and is an active member of SGA.

Congratulations to Dylan Richards for being named West Kentucky Community and Technical College's 2019 February Student of the Month! Dylan is 20 years old and is a 2017 honor graduate of McCracken County High School. He became part of the WKCTC family in fall 2017. "In high school I always thought I wanted to be a physical therapist. However, after taking FYE 105 at WKCTC and taking advice from advisors, I knew that I would truly enjoy a career as a high school history teacher. WKCTC helped me realize my passion in history and that my desire to help others could be used through teaching. If I had gone to a big university right out of high school, I don't believe the decision would have been as clear." Dylan is the president of the WKCTC's Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the vice president of the Student Government Association, a student ambassador, a West Kentucky Stars basketball athlete, a TRIO tutor, member of the Spanish Honor Society, and secretary of the Kentucky Education Association chapter. Through his volunteer work in the Paducah community he received the honor of being named a Kentucky Colonel and a Duke of Paducah. He also graduated from the Paducah Youth L.E.A.D. program. When not a school, Dylan likes playing basketball, camping, hiking/biking, playing guitar, reading, watching movies and traveling. He has also earned the rank of Eagle Scout. Way to go Dylan!!

Six West Kentucky Community and Technical College students were inducted into the college's National Hispanic Honor Society, Sigma Delta Pi's Sociedad Honoraria de la Lengua Espanola on February 25, 2019. The induction ceremony was held in the Student Government Association lounge, located in the college's Student Center. Congratulations to all!

Congratulations to Allison Wiles and Abigail Fountain, physical therapist assistant students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College who were selected to the 2018 Kentucky Physical Therapy Association All-Academic Team in the college's current all semester. Both will graduate with an associate in applied science degree from WKCTC's Physical Therapist Assistant program December 10 at 7 p.m. at the Carson Four Rivers Center.

Congratulations to four West Kentucky Community and Technical College students who recently won honorable mention in the 2018 Libraries Transform student essay contest. The contest is sponsored by the Community & Technical College Round Table of the Kentucky Library Association (KLA). Each of the four WKCTC students received a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Card for their essays. Way to go!

West Kentucky Community and Technical College student Meagan Millsap of Paducah recently received a paid internship with the Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition. The coalition is a non-profit organization with the goal of informing young Kentuckians on effective ways to have their voices heard about issues regarding the environment and political activism. WKCTC Professor Bobby Ann Lee recommended Meagan for the internship. Meagan plans to study environmental issues as a career. Congratulations Meagan!

Over the Memorial Day weekend (May 27-30, 2017), Tyra Henderson, Dr. David Heflin and Sanci Teague (right) presented at the 2017 NISOD International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in Austin, TX! They presented "Revising and Refining the First-Year Experience Through Dialogue and Research". The presentation outlined how WKCTC reinvented its First Year Experience course with research-based instruction and faculty engagement, as well as discussing policy, procedures, and course design and insight into how the First Year Experience course is an effective retention and persistence tool. Way to go team!

Congratulations to the 85 WKCTC students who received special recognition at the 2017 Honors Ceremony that was held in the Clemens Fine Arts Center on May 4. Way to go!

Four West Kentucky Community and Technical College students won several awards at the Phi Theta Kappa International Convention in Nashville April 8-9, 2017. The college's PTK chapter chapter received First Runner Up for the Honors in Action Project, Kentucky Region, and First Place in the Distinguished Theme: Rights and Responsibilities, Kentucky Region. Congrats Team!

Fifteen West Kentucky Community and Technical College students helped make the college's recent Share the Love Auction a success. More than 70 people attended the auction, which raised over $7500 to send the students to El Salvador during this year's Spring Break to learn about diverse cultures and to help families in need.

WKCTC student Jalin Burnette is one of the cast members of the Market House Theatre's next Family Series production, "'The Secret Life of Girls." Break a leg, Jalin!