West Kentucky Community and Technical College will honor more than 700 candidates for graduation during commencement ceremonies at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, May 9 at the Luther F. Carson Four Rivers Center. There will also be a pinning ceremony held prior to commencement at 11:30 a.m. for nursing students to receive pins.
Paducah City Commissioner Sandra Wilson will be the keynote speaker for both ceremonies. Wilson, a Calloway County native and Murray State University graduate, became president of the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce in June 2013. She currently serves on the boards of the Carson Center, Market House Theatre, and the Paducah McCracken County Industrial Development Authority. Earlier in her career, Wilson worked 26 years as the public affairs manager at the NewPage Paper Mill in Wickliffe.
WKCTC students Tara Isbell of Graves County and Clarissa Pease of McCracken County will be the student speakers. They were named to the 2015 KCTCS All-Academic Team, which recognizes outstanding students of community and technical colleges.
“I am humbled and privileged to be a representative of the May 2015 class of WKCTC at the graduation ceremonies and hope that my words ring true with many of my classmates,” said Isbell.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Murray State University in 2011, Isbell said she decided to pursue a career in nursing. “From a young age, I have always had a desire to serve others through medicine, and I chose WKCTC for my nursing degree because of the school’s outstanding reputation,” said Isbell. She said her affinity for caring was both ingrained and nurtured by the nurses in her family including her mother, grandmothers and aunts.
During her time at WKCTC, Isbell said she has felt nothing but welcomed and embraced by the nursing faculty and other students. “I truly believe they (the faculty) are passionate about helping students pursue their dreams to become outstanding nurses,” said Isbell, who is graduating with an associate in applied science degree and plans to pursue a master’s degree in nursing.
Pease started college the first time in 2001, but took some time off to get married and start a family. “I always knew I would go back but kept telling myself ‘next semester,’” said the 32-year-old mother of three.
Pease worked as a certified nursing assistant for ten years and also helped care for the five special needs children her mother adopted. “That made me decide I wanted to be a special education teacher,” she said.
Pease returned to WKCTC in spring 2013 and is graduating with an associate in arts degree. “It has been an amazing experience and I am very honored to have been chosen to the KCTCS All-Academic Team and to speak at graduation,” said Pease, who plans to transfer to Murray State this fall.
Registration for summer and fall classes at WKCTC is currently underway. Call
1-(855) GO-WKCTC or visit westkentucky.kctcs.edu for class offerings. Fall classes begin August 17.
Paducah City Commissioner Sandra Wilson will be the keynote speaker for both ceremonies. Wilson, a Calloway County native and Murray State University graduate, became president of the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce in June 2013. She currently serves on the boards of the Carson Center, Market House Theatre, and the Paducah McCracken County Industrial Development Authority. Earlier in her career, Wilson worked 26 years as the public affairs manager at the NewPage Paper Mill in Wickliffe.
WKCTC students Tara Isbell of Graves County and Clarissa Pease of McCracken County will be the student speakers. They were named to the 2015 KCTCS All-Academic Team, which recognizes outstanding students of community and technical colleges.
“I am humbled and privileged to be a representative of the May 2015 class of WKCTC at the graduation ceremonies and hope that my words ring true with many of my classmates,” said Isbell.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Murray State University in 2011, Isbell said she decided to pursue a career in nursing. “From a young age, I have always had a desire to serve others through medicine, and I chose WKCTC for my nursing degree because of the school’s outstanding reputation,” said Isbell. She said her affinity for caring was both ingrained and nurtured by the nurses in her family including her mother, grandmothers and aunts.
During her time at WKCTC, Isbell said she has felt nothing but welcomed and embraced by the nursing faculty and other students. “I truly believe they (the faculty) are passionate about helping students pursue their dreams to become outstanding nurses,” said Isbell, who is graduating with an associate in applied science degree and plans to pursue a master’s degree in nursing.
Pease started college the first time in 2001, but took some time off to get married and start a family. “I always knew I would go back but kept telling myself ‘next semester,’” said the 32-year-old mother of three.
Pease worked as a certified nursing assistant for ten years and also helped care for the five special needs children her mother adopted. “That made me decide I wanted to be a special education teacher,” she said.
Pease returned to WKCTC in spring 2013 and is graduating with an associate in arts degree. “It has been an amazing experience and I am very honored to have been chosen to the KCTCS All-Academic Team and to speak at graduation,” said Pease, who plans to transfer to Murray State this fall.
Registration for summer and fall classes at WKCTC is currently underway. Call
1-(855) GO-WKCTC or visit westkentucky.kctcs.edu for class offerings. Fall classes begin August 17.