Summer Holland Named Top KCTCS Staff Member

Summer Holland of Benton didn’t cry when she was recently recognized by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) as the 2013 top support staff award recipient.

“I just shook,” said Holland, an administrative assistant for the Advising Center at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. “That’s all I could do. I just shook. I couldn’t believe it.”

Holland, the daughter of Tina Dunn of Benton and Ed Wiggins of Mayfield, was among 50 KCTCS faculty and staff recognized for their leadership and significant achievements at an awards ceremony held May 20, at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center in Covington.

Statewide honors went to Holland and two others individuals who not only supported their colleges, but also the entire System. In addition to Holland, Dr. Gerald Napoles, chief academic affairs officer at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, was honored as the Support Staff Award of Excellence recipient. Michael Nyagol, assistant professor of mathematics at Hazard Community and Technical College, was honored as the Faculty Award of Excellence recipient.

Each of the 16 KCTCS colleges selected an outstanding administrative staff member, support staff member and faculty member. Two individuals (one support staff and one administrative staff) from the KCTCS System office were also honored.  WKCTC also nominated Jennifer Strout of Mayfield, a business affairs specialist, in the administrative staff category, and Deborah Smith of Paducah, director of advising and assessment, was WKCTC's nominee in the faculty category.

A committee of their peers chose Holland, Napoles and Nyagol for the statewide honors. Each received $1,000 to be used for the professional development experience of their choice. “KCTCS is fortunate to have so many hardworking, dedicated employees across the state with extraordinary talents and skills,” said KCTCS President Michael B. McCall.

Both faculty and staff honorees were nominated by their college for their innovative and significant achievements, as well as service to students and their communities. In WKCTC’s nomination, Holland was described as “an exemplary staff member” whose work lead to better student service in the Master Advising Center, which was recently recognized by the American Association of Community Colleges as an exemplary program.

Holland, a 1998 Marshall County High School graduate, started working at WKCTC in September 2008. She and her husband, Virgil, who is a welding instructor at WKCTC, are also poultry farmers with more than 60,000 chickens.  In addition, the Hollands have three children, aged 8, 4 and 1.

Balancing a family, a farm and a full-time job can be tough, but the 32-year-old Holland has a harder time figuring out what makes her a top support staff member.  In fact, she credits others with much of her success.

“I don’t feel like I’ve done anything that’s extraordinary,” Holland said.  “I have a wonderful group of people to work with and I have lots of support from my family. Everybody just comes together. We all work together.”