A college education might have been out of reach for McCracken County resident Jade Townsley if not for the kindness of strangers. “Without the scholarship I received, I really don’t know what I would have done,” said Townsley, a sophomore at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. “I’m not sure I would have even been able to go to college.”
As more students seek assistance in completing their education, events like the upcoming 2015 WKCTC Scholarship Auction are vital to student success. The annual auction, to be held September 11 at the Julian Carroll Convention Center, is the college’s largest scholarship fundraiser with 100% of the proceeds directly benefitting students.
“This year over 1,300 students applied for scholarships from WKCTC. The number of students reaching out for assistance to pay their tuition through scholarships increases every year,” said Ashley Wright, WKCTC vice president of institutional advancement. “While this may not be a new need, it is a growing need. Without scholarships a college education would be out of reach for many of our students.”
Townsley, a 2014 Tilghman High School graduate, volunteered during her high school freshman year as an assistant to the school’s football team and shadowed the athletic trainer, making her career choice clear. “I knew then that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Set to graduate from WKCTC in May 2016, Townsley plans to transfer to Murray State University to earn a bachelor’s degree from college’s athletic training program. “I can save money to make that transition because of the generosity of others. ‘Thank you’ to those who are helping make my dream a reality,” Townsley said.
Wright said supporting the higher education dreams of students like Townsley, who received the Community Scholarship and the John T. Smith Scholarship, is one of the main goals of the 2015 WKCTC Scholarship Auction. “We know it’s becoming more and more important to increase our scholarship offerings. Our generous supporters continue to step up for our students, making it possible for them to achieve their educational goals,” she said.
Wright said this year’s live auction features 26 fabulous items such as a vacation to a private villa on the Turks & Caicos Islands in the Caribbean, a family trip to Washington D.C., and a special get away package to Black Star Winery & Farms in Suttons Bay, Mich. Sports fanatics can bid on great tickets to University of Kentucky and University of Louisville basketball games, Keeneland box seats, a unique guided fish trip by Bassmaster Elite Series Champion and Paducah native Mark Menendez and so much more! Bidders can also compete for over 75 items in the silent auction.
Advance tickets are available for $40 per person. General admission seating will be available on the evening of the event. Walker Hall and the WKCTC catering department will provide heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts. Live music and a cash bar will be offered throughout the evening. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the live auction begins at 7 p.m.
To reserve event tickets, visit http://westkentucky.kctcs.edu/en/Giving/ScholarshipAuction.aspx or contact the Advancement Office (270-534-3086) or email Becky Haus: Rebecca.alcott-haus@kctcs.edu. For more auction details visit https://www.facebook.com/WKCTCScholarshipAuction.