Georgiana Roberts made a promise to her father—a promise to return to college, to earn a degree, and to pursue a career fueled by her passion to help others. She had taken classes at West Kentucky Community and Technical College after graduating from Graves County High School in 2006, but took time off to take care of her father who lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease and cancer last May. Roberts then returned to WKCTC in fall 2014 to fulfill her promise. As a nontraditional student, Roberts said she was intimidated at first, but quickly realized WKCTC was more than a college campus. It is a community that has helped her flourish. Now less than a year later, Roberts has been selected as the WKCTC April Student of the Month.
“Becoming involved on campus makes you part of the WKCTC community. I knew I not only wanted to gain knowledge from the courses I took, but also develop my leadership skills,” said the 27-year-old Graves County native. “My experiences with the many wonderful faculty and staff members will be invaluable to my future successes. I am humbled and ecstatic to receive this honor because a year ago I would have never thought it was possible.”
During her time at WKCTC, Roberts has served at Phi Theta Kappa president and has recently been elected the upcoming Student Government Association president beginning in fall 2015. She is a student worker and peer mentor in the college’s Trio Student Support Services.
“That old adage that says ‘If you want to get something done, ask a busy person’ definitely defines Georgiana,” said Gail Bachuss, Trio Student Support Services director. “I often wonder how she manages to do all she does, with the quality of work she produces. As our student worker she has displayed a work ethic, initiative and dependability that many people never reach their entire life.”
Roberts, who has also received Trio tutoring services, said the faculty and staff has gone above and beyond to make sure she fully understood her subjects. “There are not enough words to express how the faculty and staff have impacted my journey.”
Roberts will graduate from WKCTC with an associate in arts degree in spring 2016 and will transfer to a four-year university that fall. She plans to continue her education to earn a doctorate degree in psychology and hopes to become a Christian counselor.
“I also want to be an example for other nontraditional students, for individuals that have given up on prior dreams, and for students in general on this campus,” said Roberts. “I hope they see that their educational journey is not one they must take alone. WKCTC has many faculty and staff that are willing to walk the journey with them and offer guidance and support along the way.”
The Student of the Month program is designed to recognize the accomplishments of students on campus. Individuals selected must be currently enrolled at WKCTC and have maintained a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher and are nominated on the basis of exceptional performance, personal attributes, academic excellence and active participation in various student organizational activities.
Student of the Month recipients receive $100, a certificate of excellence, recognition on the WKCTC Facebook page, campus announcements and Web site. Recipients are also recognized by Pepsi MidAmerica and receive one free month's supply of their favorite Pepsi product.