West Kentucky Community & Technical College

Congratulations to Vincent Massi for being named the 2023 April Student of the Month at WKCTC! "Being selected as student of the month is an incredible honor," said the 19-year-old who is studying education and is expected to graduate in 2024. Originally a native of Long Island, New York, Vincent chose to live in the McCracken County area to pursue his educational goals because of the many friendships he has made and his research into the programs that WKCTC offers. "I ended up making many friends in Kentucky. Because of that, I researched WKCTC and noticed that they had a free two-year program, so I took advantage of that. It was the best decision I made," said the Community Scholarship Program recipient. Vincent is active on the WKCTC campus. He currently serves as the president of Alpha Epsilon Beta, the college's justice club; a member of the Student Government Association and the Gender and Sexualities Alliance. "Being the president of AEB is the most rewarding thing for me at this college. I always look forward to our meetings each week, and I enjoy when we all put our heads together for a big event," said Vincent. He continued to express his gratitude and appreciation for WKCTC's clubs and organizations, as well as the connections he has made with other students and faculty. "The college has many opportunities for students looking to build their resumes, and they have a vast array of different degree pathways you can choose from. My advice for anyone coming in is to join a club. You won't regret it," Vincent added. After graduating from WKCTC, he plans to transfer to Murray State University to pursue his bachelor's degree in education. He hopes to use this knowledge to become a physical education teacher and dreams of one day becoming an actor. Congratulations, Vincent!

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!

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

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!"

Congratulations to Elizabeth (Liz) Thomasson for being chosen as WKCTC's June 2021 Student of the Month!

Joella Williams of Paducah was recently named the 2020 September Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Congrats Joella!

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

Paducah's John Putney was recently named West Kentucky Community and Technical College's March Student of the Month. A criminal justice major at WKCTC, Putney serves as the president of Alpha Epsilon Beta (AEB), the college's criminal justice club. Upon graduating from the college, Putney plans to transfer to Murray State University this fall to continue his education with a focus in criminal justice and social work. Congratulations!

Congratulations to Olivia Chell for being named 2020 February Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Olivia lives in Pope County, Illinois, and is studying to be a social worker. At WKCTC, she serves as the Student Government Association president, a student ambassador, a member of the Hispanic Culture Club, and has been attending the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Student Leadership Series in 2019-2020. At WKCTC and at the KCTCS, Olivia strives to find new ways to encourage students to get involved on campus and to have the best educational experience possible. Olivia plans to transfer to a four-year universtiy when she graduates from WKCTC. Way to go, Olivia!

Congratulations to Taylor Young, who was named West Kentucky Community and Technical College's September Student of the Month! Taylor a 24-year-old Paducah resident, is earning her associate in science degree and is set to graduate WKCTC in May 2020. She then plans to transfer to UK to study dentistry. As a single parent, Taylor is not only dedicated to raising her daughter, Aubre, but also to helping her fellow classmates find success. She recognizes the value of education and the importance FYE 105 plays in helping students have a strong start to their college careers and participated in a recent promotional video sharing her experience in the course. In summer 2019, Taylor went above and beyond her typical duties as a work-study student by helping address and mail over 700 postcards to incoming students welcoming them to WKCTC. Way to go Taylor!

West Kentucky Community and Technical College students Scott Posey and Judah Cashon successfully obtained the CompTIA A+ certification in December 2018. The CompTIA or the Computing Technology Industry Association is a non-profit trade association that issues professional certifications for the information technology industry. Successfully completing the A+ certification process demonstrates that an individual has the equivalent experience of an information te chnology professional with at least 500 hours of hands on computer repair experience. According to CompTIA, "IT professionals with certifications on their resume command better jobs, earn higher salaries and have more doors open to new multi-industry opportunities." Congratulations Scott and Judah!

Congratulations to Paducah's Jon Bilak for being named 2019 April Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College!

Congratulations to Betty Farr of Paducah for being named November Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Farr earned a business administration certificate in fall 2018. Having lived in many places and worked a variety of jobs in her life, when Farr moved back to Kentucky, she decided the time was right for her to go to college, and she chose WKCTC. She said she knew that going to college was important for her to have a career and set a positive example for her kids. A nontraditional student who had been out of school for many years, Farr said she found the extra help she needed at WKCTC in TRIO Student Support Services and the Tutoring Center. She said WKCTC is continuing to help her achieve her academic goals, "One day at a time. One class at a time. One semester at a time." Farr will begin working toward her associate degree in business administration in spring 2019. "Furthering my education has been a goal of mine..., and I am glad I started at WKCTC. I feel much stronger for the road ahead." Congrats Betty!

April Clark of Paducah was named April Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Congrats April!

Paducah's Gavin Posey has been named West Kentucky Community and Technical College's 2017 Student of the Year. Gavin was one of five previous Student of the Month winners nominated for the award. Student of the Month winners were selected between February and November 2017 with Gavin winning in November. Way to go Gavin!

Gavin Posey of Paducah was recently named West Kentucky Community and Technical College's November Student of the Month. Congrats Gavin!

Congratulations to Virginia Blanco-Mireles, the 2016 Student of the Year at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Way to go Virginia!