More than 650 students were recently named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2022 semester at West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC). For the first time, the college also recognizes not only full-time students but part-time students. To be named to the Dean's List, a full-time student must earn at least a 3.5 grade point average (GPA) or higher and successfully complete 12 hours or more of coursework numbered 100 or above for the academic term. Part-time students must have a cumulative 3.5 grade point average (GPA) or higher and a cumulative total of at least 15 KCTCS semester credits.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College recognized and celebrated the fall Class of 2022 during commencement at the Carson Center for the Performing Arts Monday, December 12. Sarah Ladd of Louisville, a 2017 WKCTC alumna, expressed excitement and gratitude to return to the college as the featured speaker to more than 160 candidates for graduation at the Carson Center for the Performing Arts.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College's 2022-2023 Student Government Association (SGA) officers are Alexandra "Lexie" Harned, president; Lindsey Gipson, vice president; and Krystian Clayton, secretary. SGA represents the student body by generating knowledge, interest, and participation in college affairs among students. SGA is an integral part of Student Life as the sponsor and collaborator for events and programming provided to students of WKCTC. Congratulations Lexie, Lindsey and Krystian!!

Congratulations to Cameron Dorris as the 2022 September Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College! Way to go, Cameron. We are #WKCTCProud of you!

On September 28, 2022, Physical Therapist Assistant Program students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College helped with the Orthopedic Institute of Western Kentucky/OIWK winter/spring sports physicals for Paducah Tilghman and McCracken County Schools. Way to go! We are #WKCTCProud of you!

Congratulations to Vivian "Nikki" De La Paz, a student a West Kentucky Community and Technical College, as the recipient of the first James Wright Cosmetology Scholarship during a special presentation in the college's Bistro on September 19, 2022. A graduate of WKCTC with an associate in applied science degree in cosmetology in 2020, De La Paz, who is working in the beauty industry, is studying to be a cosmetology instructor. Bethany Edwards, Sheri Wright and Kathryn Thomas of Paducah's State Beauty Supply presented the $500 scholarship to De La Paz, in honor of their late father and husband, James Wright, who passed away in November 2021. De La Paz said she is grateful for this new opportunity. "I am very thankful for all the instructors (at WKCTC) who have helped me. I am super grateful for State Beauty Supply." Way to go Nikki. We are #WKCTCProud of you!

Two West Kentucky Community and Technical College students recently helped the University of Kentucky with the Urban Forestry Initiative. Cameron Dorris and Savannah Murt spent two days identifying trees, assessing tree health, as well as measuring and GPS mapping each tree near the Ella Munal Complex at 2010 Hendricks Street in Paducah.

We applaud West Kentucky Community and Technical College's 2022 graduates of the Surgical Technology program who received a 100 percent pass rate on the Certified Surgical Technologist exam! We are so proud of all of you! Congratulations to the WKCTC Surgical Technology Program Coordinator Paul Craig as well! #WKCTCProud

West Kentucky Community and Technical College sophomore Shenelie Askew of Paducah was recently named one of three students to receive a scholarship from the Omega Psi Psi Fraternity, Inc. Shenelie, the daughter of Lela and Bill Askew and a Paducah Tilghman High School graduate, has a 4.0 GPA at WKCTC.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College physical therapist assistant (PTA) students volunteered to help with sports physicals provided by the Orthopaedic Institute of Western Kentucky for Paducah Tilghman athletes on June 22, 2022. The PTA students are out of school for the summer but volunteered their time to help with screenings. #WKCTCProud

More than 400 students were recently named to the Spring 2022 Dean's List 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.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College recognized and celebrated the Class of 2022 during Spring Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 7. Featured speaker Dr. Chrystal Dilworth Henderson was thrilled to be in Paducah speaking to more than 175 candidates for graduation during WKCTC's Spring Commencement recently at the Carson Center for Performing Arts.

Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed 1,971 new initiates from 78 universities during April 2022. Students initiated into the Society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars, and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than five percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.

Congrats to Zoey Perry of Paducah for being named the 2022 April Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Way to go Zoey! #WKCTCProud

In early March 2022, the Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) Class of 2022 at West Kentucky Community and Technical College formed a team for the Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics. Ten class members participated in fund raising and six brave students "took the plunge" in Kentucky Lake. The team raised over $500! Breck Boswell also represented the PTA group in the Polar Plunge 5K run event. Way to go everyone! #WKCTCProud

In Fall 2021, several physical therapist assistant students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College volunteered to help with the Regional Special Olympics Bowling Tournament at Cardinal Lanes in Paducah. #WKCTCProud

Members of West Kentucky Community and Technical College's Justice Club, Alpha Epsilon Beta, helped the Family Service Society sort food items on March 1, 2022. Family Service Society, located at 827 Joe Clifton Drive in Paducah, aids residents of Paducah/McCracken County in crisis situations by assisting with basic needs such as food, clothing, prescription medications, emergency dental, utility assistance, personal hygiene items, household goods, and eyeglasses. #WKCTCProud

Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed 265 new initiates from 9 universities during January 2022. Students initiated into the Society must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduate/professional students in the top 35% of their class, demonstrate leadership experience in at least one of the five pillars, and embrace the ODK ideals. Fewer than five percent of students on a campus are invited to join each year.

Congratulations to WKCTC's Juliaun Pracht of West Paducah who was recently named the January Student of the Month for Continental Belts and Hose, and was featured on the Tomorrow's Tech website. He won the Continental Student of the Month contest, which spotlights outstanding automotive students across the United States. We are proud of you, Juliaun!!

More than 500 students were recently named to the Dean's List for the Fall 2021 semester at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. The semester ended on December 10, 2021. 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.

C. Todd Birdsong, director of the Clemens Fine Arts Center on the campus of West Kentucky Community & Technical College in Paducah, will be a featured artist in the upcoming LIVING IMAGE 2021/2022 Contemporary showcase of traditional and historic photographic processes exhibition. Held in Philadelphia, Pa., the exhibit will be featured from January 14th, 2022 - February 27, 2022 with a virtual opening reception at 7:30 p.m. on January 15 at https://www.thehalideproject.org/events/living-image-opening-reception/ The Halide Project was founded in 2015 to support the continued practice and appreciation of traditional and historic photographic processes. Based in Philadelphia, The Halide Project serves local and global communities by providing exhibition opportunities, educational programming, and other resources. We enthusiastically invite practitioners of chemistry-based photography from around the world to submit work to be considered for Living Image 2021 as a means to share their work with others and connect with like-minded artists. Living Image showcases contemporary artists working in traditional and historic photographic techniques. Selected works will be included in an exhibition held at The Halide Project gallery in Philadelphia and published in a printed catalog to accompany the exhibition.

West Kentucky Community and Technical College recognized more than 1,000 candidates for graduation during the Fall 2021. More than 115 WKCTC students participated in one of three walk-thru Fall 2021 Commencement ceremonies aired on the college's Facebook page and YouTube channels on December 11, 2021.

Congratulations to Megan Greenwell, a McCracken County resident and WKCTC Diagnostic Medical Sonography student, who is the featured speaker at the college's Fall 2021 Walk-Thru Commencement on Saturday, December 11.

More than 15 culinary arts students at West Kentucky Community and Technical College used their skills to prepare and serve a holiday luncheon for the college's board of directors and Paducah Junior College, Inc. Board of Trustees in the College Bistro Thursday, November 18.

Alpha Epsilon Beta officers were recently installed for 2021-2022. AEB is the criminal justice club at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Way to go everyone!

The Radiography Class of 2022 at West Kentucky Community and Technical College donated $200 and gift baskets to the Lily Pad, Easterseals West Kentucky's childcare program for medically fragile children located in Paducah, on Thursday, November 4, 2021. Great work WKCTC students!

Congratulations to Caitlin Dillman as the 2021 September Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Born and raised in Paducah, Caitlin has overcome many obstacles in becoming an excellent student at the college. A criminal justice major, Caitlin said she hopes to work in law enforcement in some way to make a positive impact on people's lives. "I feel honored and humbled to be chosen as a WKCTC Student of the Month. Honestly, if someone would have told me five years ago that this is what my life would look like now, I would have laughed and told them they were crazy," she said. "At that time, I was in active addiction, losing everything and everyone in my life that meant anything to me, and my life was on a path of pure destruction." Caitlin enrolled at WKCTC in 2019, and her life has been on a path to success over the past two years. As a single mother, she said she works hard every day to set a positive example for her three sons, Bentley, 8; Caleb, 4; and Anthony, 2. "I chose WKCTC because it's close to home and it's affordable.I needed somewhere that could work around my schedule and somewhere that I wouldn't just be another name on a roll-call list, and I found that at WKCTC with my amazing professors," she said. Caitlin has served in Alpha Epsilon Beta (AEB), the college's criminal justice club, actively participating and in many activities such as the annual Justice Run to fight against child abuse. She currently serves as the club's president. "I have had the privilege of having Caitlin in class; she is a great leader and facilitator in class discussions. Her attendance and participation positively contribute to student learning in the classroom," said Melissa Durbin, WKCTC instructor and AEB co-advisor. Caitlin said her advice to her fellow WKCTC students is "to never give up. The journey of life is full of potholes, roadblocks, speed bumps and construction zones; adjust your speed accordingly, and you'll make it to your destination with plenty of stories to tell!"

West Kentucky Community and Technical College has eleven players on the 2021-2022 West Kentucky Stars basketball roster. The West Kentucky Stars are coached by Eli Pepper. Go Stars! #WKCTCProud

Congratulations to Tori Gardner! She won the $50 gift card at the Constitution Bee at West Kentucky Community and Technical College in September 2021. Tori lives in Paducah and is a chemistry major at the College. She and other WKCTC students tested their knowledge of the U.S. Constitution to celebrate Constitution Week (September 17-23, 2021), which commemorates the formation and signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. The WKCTC Culinary program provided great-tasting Ice Milk during the event.

Students and faculty from West Kentucky Community & Technical College's Radiography program participated in Project United Way in September 2021. They spent several hours sprucing up Lone Oak Elementary School by painting several outside entrance doors and basketball goals on the playground. Project United is the United Way of Paducah-McCracken County's annual community-wide day of service, which kicks-off the organization's annual workplace giving campaign each September. Many volunteers completed projects at non-profit agencies including painting, landscaping, office support, and much more. Thank you to our students and faculty and all this year's volunteers for helping to make a positive difference in the community. #wkctcproud