Paducah, Kentucky (February 23, 2015) – This Sunday, West Kentucky Community and Technical College will partner with St. Thomas More Catholic Church for Super Sunday, a statewide initiative to encourage Latino and African American students to get a college education.
“We have had the pleasure to partner with our African American pastors and churches for Super Sunday in the past several years,” said Belinda Dalton-Russell, WKCTC vice president of student development. We felt it was important to partner with St. Thomas More this year to reach out to our growing Hispanic population and to allow WKCTC representatives to connect with prospective college students and their families attending the service,” she said.
During the fair, college representatives will be available following the service to talk with potential students and their parents about the admission and enrollment process, financial aid, scholarship opportunities, available programs and services, and answer any educational questions from Super Sunday participants.
“Attendees will also have the opportunity to talk with Super Sunday visitors including local immigration attorney, Alisha Bobo, and representatives from the Human Rights Commission,” said Dalton-Russell.
The afternoon service at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, which is located at 5645 Blandville Road in Paducah, begins at 1:00 p.m. with the information fair immediately following in the church fellowship hall.
WKCTC President Barbara Veazey and Paducah Mayor Gayle Kaler will speak briefly during the service. Kaler will present Father James McClure with a Super Sunday proclamation. Parishioner Miguelina Sutherland will translate their comments for the congregation. Bilingual WKCTC student Yesenia Bernabe will also share her story about overcoming adversity, career preparation and how education has changed her life.
Each year, each of the 16 colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) choose someone who has excelled in life as a result of attending college and earning a degree to be in the Super Sunday Hall of Fame. This year, 2011 Mayfield High School graduate Victor Escalante is the WKCTC Hall of Fame recipient.
Escalante first learned about WKCTC when UK College of Engineering at Paducah representatives visited the high school to discuss the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or chemical engineering without leaving Paducah. He earned an associate in science degree and graduated from the engineering school with a degree in chemical engineering in May 2015.
“I was able start and finish my education while staying close to home. That was amazing for me; this college was the stepping stone I needed to be where I am today.”
Escalante, who interned with Apex Engineering in Calvert City while attending the engineering school, was hired full-time as a safety engineer just one month after graduation.
Since Super Sunday began in February 2011, WKCTC and each of the other 15 KCTCS colleges have joined pastors all across Kentucky to promote the importance of education and reached nearly 200 churches and approximately 42,000 Super Sunday participants.
For more information, visit super-sunday.org.
“We have had the pleasure to partner with our African American pastors and churches for Super Sunday in the past several years,” said Belinda Dalton-Russell, WKCTC vice president of student development. We felt it was important to partner with St. Thomas More this year to reach out to our growing Hispanic population and to allow WKCTC representatives to connect with prospective college students and their families attending the service,” she said.
During the fair, college representatives will be available following the service to talk with potential students and their parents about the admission and enrollment process, financial aid, scholarship opportunities, available programs and services, and answer any educational questions from Super Sunday participants.
“Attendees will also have the opportunity to talk with Super Sunday visitors including local immigration attorney, Alisha Bobo, and representatives from the Human Rights Commission,” said Dalton-Russell.
The afternoon service at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, which is located at 5645 Blandville Road in Paducah, begins at 1:00 p.m. with the information fair immediately following in the church fellowship hall.
WKCTC President Barbara Veazey and Paducah Mayor Gayle Kaler will speak briefly during the service. Kaler will present Father James McClure with a Super Sunday proclamation. Parishioner Miguelina Sutherland will translate their comments for the congregation. Bilingual WKCTC student Yesenia Bernabe will also share her story about overcoming adversity, career preparation and how education has changed her life.
Each year, each of the 16 colleges in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) choose someone who has excelled in life as a result of attending college and earning a degree to be in the Super Sunday Hall of Fame. This year, 2011 Mayfield High School graduate Victor Escalante is the WKCTC Hall of Fame recipient.
Escalante first learned about WKCTC when UK College of Engineering at Paducah representatives visited the high school to discuss the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical or chemical engineering without leaving Paducah. He earned an associate in science degree and graduated from the engineering school with a degree in chemical engineering in May 2015.
“I was able start and finish my education while staying close to home. That was amazing for me; this college was the stepping stone I needed to be where I am today.”
Escalante, who interned with Apex Engineering in Calvert City while attending the engineering school, was hired full-time as a safety engineer just one month after graduation.
Since Super Sunday began in February 2011, WKCTC and each of the other 15 KCTCS colleges have joined pastors all across Kentucky to promote the importance of education and reached nearly 200 churches and approximately 42,000 Super Sunday participants.
For more information, visit super-sunday.org.