Bluegrass News & Events

Fourth Annual Lexington Jazz Festival

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 13:00:00 -0400

Date: Sunday, June 2, 2013
Time: 1-7 p.m. (gates open at noon)
Location: Talon Winery, 7086 Tates Creek Road, Lexington, KY
Ticket Pricing: $25 in advance ($30 at the gate)*

Headliner

The Fourth Annual Jazz Festival will be featuring Denny Jiosa as the headliner for the event (click here to visit Denny's official website).

Purchase Tickets Online Now*

Advance tickets can be purchased online until 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, 2013.

Click the 'Order' button to order tickets now!

BCTC Student Named New Century Scholar

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:04:00 -0400

Pictured left to right: BCTC student Mark Simonds (PTK International Distinguished Chapter Member), BCTC President/CEO Augusta A. Julian, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, BCTC student Ebony Nava (One of USA Today’s 20 Winners of the 2013 All-USA Community College Academic Team and Coca-Cola New Century Scholar), and Kentucky State Rep. Kelly Flood.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 25, 2013) - Kentucky State Rep. Kelly Flood and Lexington Mayor Jim Gray joined Bluegrass Community & Technical College today to honor BCTC student, Ebony Nava who was named one of USA Today’s 20 Winners of the 2013 All-USA Community College Academic Team and Coca-Cola New Century Scholar.

The All-USA Community College Academic Team and the New Century Scholars program, which are sponsored by Follett Higher Education Group and presented by USA TODAY and Phi Theta Kappa, share a common application and together recognize outstanding community college students. More than 1,800 students were nominated from more than 800 community colleges for recognition. Judges consider grades, leadership, activities and most importantly, how students extend their intellectual talents beyond the classroom.

New Century Scholars are the highest scoring students in each state. Each scholar received a $2,000 scholarship and plaque at the American Association of College Presidents (AACC) Convention in San Francisco.

“We appreciate the support of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation and The Coca-Cola Foundation to recognize the outstanding academic achievement and leadership accomplishments of these outstanding community college students,” said Phi Theta Kappa’s Executive Director, Dr. Rod Risley. “These scholarships provided by organizations like Coca-Cola make the goal of college completion possible – especially during these challenging economic times.”

BCTC student, Mark Simonds was also recognized as PTK International Distinguished Chapter Member. This is the second year the BCTC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa has had an International Distinguished Chapter Member. In 2012, BCTC student, Keith Rodgers was named International Distinguished Chapter Member.

The BCTC Foundation is participating in Kentucky Gives Day

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:20:00 -0400

On April 24, 2013 Kentuckians have the chance to come together to support organizations that improve the quality of life for so many individuals and families across the Commonwealth.

Kentucky Gives Day is the first-ever statewide giving day, where Kentuckians will go online to kygives.org and make donations to support hundreds of nonprofits like ours that serve the community in so many different ways.

BCTC Foundation is excited about participating in Kentucky Gives Day, and we’d love your support. Please follow the link provided to make your gift on April 24: BCTC Foundation for KY Gives.

Let’s make it a great day for Kentucky and for BCTC! If you have any questions, please contact Linda Epling at linda.epling@kctcs.edu or (859) 246-6584.

NARA Horses Win Big on Spiral Stakes Day at Turfway Park

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 14:20:00 -0400

From left to right: Chip Bach, General Manager, Turfway Park; Marty Maline, Executive Director, Kentucky HBPA; Clifford Reed, Vice President and CFO, Turfway Park; Dr. Augusta A. Julian, BCTC President/CEO; and Remi Bellocq, Executive Director, NARA.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 10, 2013) – The retired racehorses used for teaching at the North American Racing Academy (NARA) in Lexington, Ky., gained $20,008 in donations from Turfway Park and the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (KHBPA).

The BCTC International Catch a Riding Star challenge race, run March 23 on the Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes undercard, pitted graduates of jockey schools around the world against graduates of NARA, the only school of its kind in the United States. Turfway Park and the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association donated their shares of money wagered on the race-the takeout-to help support the 15 to 18 retired racehorses stabled at NARA that give students hands-on experience in equine business management, equine science, training, and race riding.

Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) provided title sponsorship for the BCTC International Catch a Riding Star challenge race. NARA, founded in 2006 by Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, is part of the college's Equine Program, which includes not only courses related to equine management but also general education courses required of all students in the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. NARA graduates earn a two-year associate's degree or a one-year certificate in Equine Studies from BCTC.

"We are proud of these young men and women who are learning to be successful jockeys at NARA and the other participating schools. The generosity of Turfway Park and the KHBPA will help provide a high quality education at NARA," said BCTC President Augusta Julian.

Takeout usually is split between the purse fund available to horsemen, represented by the KHBPA, and the racetrack. Turfway contributed $9,983 to the total donation, while the KHBPA contributed $10,025.

Riding St. Armands and representing Team USA was apprentice jockey Mallory Strandberg; the challenge race was her second career win. Team World captain Mathieu Adam, who attended jockey school in France, was second aboard Simon Ridge. Team USA captain Ben Creed was third aboard the even-money favorite Ful Da Funk. Following were mounts ridden by Fabienne De Geer (Sweden), Adam Bowman (USA); Aparna Das Battula (India), Natalie Turner (USA), and Martin Seidl (Germany).

Sustainablility Committee: Monthly Meeting

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 01:00:00 -0400

Local Foods Expo

March 30, 2013

For more information contact sustainableberea at (859) 985-1689 or info@sustainableberea.org or visit their website at www.sustainableberea.org.

Teams Announced for Turfway’s International BCTC Catch A Riding Star Challenge Race

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 09:40:00 -0400

Turfway Park will host the first-ever BCTC International Catch A Riding Star challenge race this Saturday, March 23, featuring top riders who have attended racing schools in the United States and around the world.

Designed to promote racing industry career and technical schools, the race also will add an international flair to the Florence, Ky. Thoroughbred racetrack’s premier afternoon of racing, Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes day.

Journeyman and apprentice jockeys scheduled to ride for Team World hail from Germany, France, India, Puerto Rico, Sweden, and Panama. Most are graduates of racing schools in their home countries. Team USA features journeymen and apprentices from across the country, most of whom attended the North American Racing Academy (NARA), based at Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) in Lexington, Ky.

Awards will be given both to the winning rider and to the team that earns the most points as determined by finish positions.

As an added benefit, both Turfway Park and the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (KYHBPA) have agreed to donate their shares of the pari-mutuel commissions on the race, known as takeout, to help support NARA’s team of “equine mentors,” a group of 15 to 20 off-the-track Thoroughbred racehorses that give NARA students important hands-on training.

In 2006 NARA became the first accredited professional jockey school in the United States. Since then, NARA has expanded its role and now serves as an overall workforce provider to the racing and breeding industries. NARA provides classroom and online courses that result in either a two-year associate degree or one-year certificates that focus on the riding, care, and training of the racehorse.

Depending on field size, the following jockeys are scheduled to ride:

TEAM USA - Ben Creed (captain, Kentucky), Matt Straight (New York), Natalie Turner (Kentucky), Adam Bowman (Pennsylvania), Mallory Strandberg (Washington), and Rodney Prescott (Kentucky).

TEAM WORLD - Mathieu Adam (captain, France), Martin Seidl (Germany), Aparna Das Battula (India), Fabienne De Geer (Sweden), Roberto Morales (Puerto Rico), Alexander Castillo (Panama), and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. (Panama).

The BCTC International Catch A Riding Star challenge race will be the sixth of 12 races on a day highlighted by the $550,000 Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati Spiral Stakes (G3) and $100,000 Fathead Bourbonette Oaks (G3), respectively designated points races on the road to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks, and the $75,000 Team Valor International Rushaway Stakes (listed). The card will be broadcast by TVG and additional coverage on selected races will be provided by Horse Racing Radio Network.

BCTC Hosts District 15 SkillsUSA Competition

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 11:12:00 -0400

Bluegrass Community & Technical College hosted the SkillsUSA North Central Regional South District 15 competition on March 8. The event is considered a “workforce Olympics” of career and technical education. More than 300 high school juniors and seniors from Mercer, Woodford, Madison, Clark, Garrard, Lincoln, Harrison, and Franklin Counties attended the event. Students from Southside Area Technology Center and Eastside Area Technology Center also attended.

Students matched skills with their peers during the event in contests including architectural drafting (CADD), welding, mobile robotics, automotive technology, carpentry and collision repair. Students also showed off their leadership skills in math, job interviewing and extemporaneous speaking and writing.

BCTC awarded the first place winners in each event with a waiver for three college credit hours. Those winners will compete in the state competition and winners at the state competition will advance to the International Skills USA Championships.

Bluegrass Community & Technical College offers accredited certificate, diploma and degree opportunities designed to improve employment opportunities and maximize success in education and training. For more information about the college and its programs, go to http://www.bluegrass.kctcs.edu/.

BCTC visits Frankfort to Participate in Legislative Process

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:59:00 -0400

Students from the Bluegrass Community & Technical College Lawrenceburg and Danville campuses visited the capital last week to meet with representatives and other political leaders.

“This day provided a great way for our legislators to hear how Bluegrass Community and Technical College makes a difference in our students’ lives,” said Lawrenceburg campus director Rhonda Wheeler.

Students present during the Frankfort visit said affordable prices at their local BCTC campuses have allowed them to further their education in a timely and cost-effective manner.

“Students shared their personal stories and the impact the Danville Campus has on their ability to access higher education,” said Danville campus director Erin Tipton.

BCTC’s Phi Theta Kappa chapter receives top honor at the KY Regional Awards Conference

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:58:00 -0400

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 21,2013) — Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s (BCTC) Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) chapter was awarded International Five Star Chapter status during the KY Regional Awards Conference on March 8-9 at Ashland Community and Technical College. The Five Star status is the highest level a PTK chapter can achieve, making BCTC one of only four in the state to receive the prestigious title for 2013.

Fourteen Chapter members participated in this year’s conference bringing home sixteen awards, including the highest honor for the Honors in Action project, ‘Everybody Wants to Rule the World.' BCTC student, Mark Simonds was recognized as the Distinguished Chapter Member for his service at BCTC and will go on to represent the college at the International Awards next month in San Jose, CA. Simonds hopes to follow the same path as last year’s winner, Keith Rodgers, who was named as International Distinguished Chapter Member which earned him a full University of Kentucky-PTK Transfer Scholarship.

Chapter Awards for 2013:

Five Star Chapter Award
Honors in Action Project Award
College Project Award
Regional Distinguished Chapter Member Award – Mark Simonds
Distinguished Chapter Officer – Brittney Davis
Shining Star Awards:
- Steven Anderson, Austin Clark, Judy Deal, Melanie Lau, Ying Liu, Srijana Mandal, Elizabeth Mirsky,
  Ebony Nava, Theresa Robertson, Joshua Terrell, and Ruby Wilkinson.

BCTC Spring Transfer Fair

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:20:00 -0500

Meet with representatives from over 20 schools!

Go to the Transfer Center website for more information.

BCTC Students Recognized for their Leadership and Scholastic Achievement

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 01:00:00 -0500

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 4, 2013) - Sixty Bluegrass Community and Technical College students have been nominated to the prestigious 2013 edition of the Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Who’s Who Among Students is a national program that honors outstanding campus leaders for their scholastic and community achievements.

Selections to Who’s Who Among Students are made each fall by the College’s faculty, administration and students.

For the full list of students nominated to the long-standing honors program for 2013, Click Here.

Bluegrass Community and Technical College Board of Directors Meeting

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:59:00 -0500

LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 20, 2013) - The Bluegrass Community and Technical College Board of Directors will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 at the Thoroughbred Center on Paris Pike in Lexington, KY. For a schedule of meetings, board members, information and minutes of past meetings click here.

“YES YOU CAN” Is the Message as KCTCS Kicks Off Super Sunday

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:41:00 -0500

"YES YOU CAN" Is the Message as KCTCS Kicks Off Super Sunday

Frankfort, KY (February 13, 2013) – The echoes of a choir singing “Yes You Can” said it all at a Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Super Sunday press event yesterday at the Capitol. Super Sunday is an annual student recruitment initiative specifically targeting African-American students and their families. On February 24, KCTCS and each of its 16 colleges will partner with African-American churches in their communities to host information fairs for prospective college students and their families.

“As a former mayor and now as Lt. Governor, I share your desire to promote higher education around the state, more importantly to encourage early planning for college with the involvement of parents and community leaders,” said Lt. Gov. Jerry Abramson.

In addition to the Lieutenant Governor, the event was attended by KCTCS President Michael B. McCall, KCTCS Board of Regents Chair P.G. Peeples, BCTC President/CEO Dr. Augusta A. Julian, BCTC Multiculturalism and Inclusion Vice-President Charlene Walker, BCTC’s Hall of Fame alumni Ed Thompson, Jr. and Rev. William Jenkins of St. James AME Church, Danville.

“Partnerships like Super Sunday are critical to our open door mission,” said Dr. Julian. “We appreciate the pastors who are working with us to let potential students know they can get a college degree. BCTC welcomes all students who can benefit from our small classes and individual support.”

On Super Sunday, more than 5,000 prospective college students and their families are expected to attend the statewide college fairs sponsored by KCTCS and its 16 colleges.

Super Sunday Events

BCTC will hold Super Sunday events at 11:00 a.m. at the following churches:

Consolidated Baptist Church
1625 Russell Cave Road
Lexington, KY 40505

St. James AME Church
124 Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422

First Baptist Church
37 North Highland Ave
Winchester, KY 40391

First African Baptist Church
465 Price Rd
Lexington, KY 40508

Super Sunday is a statewide initiative intended to increase the college-going rate of students of color. To learn more about Super Sunday in Lexington visit http://bit.ly/BCTCSS.

Turfway Park to Host First International Catch a Riding Star Challenge Race

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 10:57:00 -0500

Event Will Benefit North American Racing Academy Horses

Turfway Park will host the first ever International Catch A Riding Star challenge race for apprentice jockeys on Sat., March 23, as part of the Florence, Ky. Thoroughbred racetrack’s premier afternoon of racing, Spiral Stakes day.

A team of licensed apprentice jockeys who have trained at racing schools overseas will be invited to compete in the race against riders from the Americas, including several from the North American Racing Academy (NARA), based at Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) in Lexington, Ky. Awards will be given to both the winning rider and the team that earns the most points based on finishing positions.

Each year, NARA maintains a string of 15 to 20 off-the-track recycled Thoroughbred racehorses who serve as “equine mentors” for students enrolled in the school’s equine industry workforce programs. Unlike previous races involving NARA at Turfway, the International Catch A Riding Star challenge race will be a wagering event, and both Turfway Park and the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (KYHBPA) have agreed to donate their shares of the pari-mutuel commissions on the race, known as takeout, to support NARA’s horses in their second careers.

In 2006 NARA became the first accredited professional jockey school in the United States. Since then, NARA has expanded its role and now serves as an overall workforce provider to the racing and breeding industries. NARA provides classroom and online courses that result in either a two year associate degree or one year certificates that focus on the riding, care and training of the racehorse. NARA was the vision of Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron, the program’s lead instructor with a focus on the Jockey Pathway.

"The college is excited to be working with Turfway Park and Kentucky HBPA to showcase apprentice riders and benefit the horses that are an integral part of the program’s instructional resources,” said BCTC president and CEO Augusta A. Julian. “Our students will continue to be successful due to the great partnerships that have been created.”

Said BCTC-NARA executive director Remi Bellocq, “This will be a fun event that racing fans will enjoy while also supporting two good causes: education and equine aftercare. Chris and I greatly rely on these wonderful horses to help us teach our students how to properly groom, ride, feed, bed and care for racehorses in a training barn or breeding farm environment.”

“We have partnered with NARA before to showcase their graduates in exhibition races and have been impressed with the professionalism of the students and the comprehensive nature of the program,” said Turfway Park general manager Chip Bach. “The Academy is an asset to Kentucky and the Commonwealth’s world-renowned horse industry, and we’re proud to be part of a unique event that not only brings the school to the attention of the international racing community but also supports racehorses in new careers.”

The International Catch A Riding Star challenge race will be part of a 12-race card that includes the Spiral Stakes (G3) and Bourbonette Oaks (G3), respectively designated points races on the road to the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Kentucky Oaks (G1), and the Team Valor Rushaway Stakes (listed). The card will be broadcast by TVG and additional coverage on selected races will be provided by Horse Racing Radio Network.

American Water Charitable Foundation Awards $10,000 to Jobs for the Future

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:54:00 -0500

Donations will support the Accelerating Opportunities Program via the Bluegrass Community and Technical College Foundation

The American Water Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization created by American Water, the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company, today presented a check for $10,000 to the Bluegrass Community and Technical College Foundation in Lexington, Ky. The check was presented by Cheryl Norton, president of Kentucky American Water, to BCTC President/CEO Augusta A. Julian at the Leestown Campus of BCTC in Lexington.

“The American Water Charitable Foundation seeks to support our employees’ efforts to give back, through donations and volunteer efforts, to the communities we serve. Accelerating Opportunities, a Jobs for the Future program coordinated at BCTC, was selected for a grant based on what our employees felt were important needs in their communities,” Norton said. “We are proud to support BCTC’s and Jobs for the Future’s efforts to help prepare students so that they can achieve success in the workplace.”

The grant will support BCTC’s Accelerating Opportunity students with tuition and the purchase of books and classroom materials. The Accelerating Opportunity program combines basic skills in math, reading and writing with technical skills training to prepare students for high demand jobs. BCTC offers four learning pathways: Construction, Office Systems, Early Childhood, and Bridge to Biotechnology.

“We’re very grateful to receive this funding,” says JFF President and CEO Marlene B. Seltzer. “It will help support the important work Accelerating Opportunity does to help guide workers toward the credentials they need to secure family-sustaining jobs and long-lasting career opportunities.”

“BCTC students will receive significant benefit due to the generosity of the American Water Charitable Foundation and Jobs for the Future. These students are working hard to improve their workplace essential skills and to gain technical skills for good jobs. We appreciate the American Water Charitable Foundation’s support to provide this grant. This is a win for both our students and the regional workforce the students will soon join,” said President Julian.

The donation to the Bluegrass Community and Technical College Foundation is one of five, one-time grants recently awarded by the American Water Charitable Foundation to select organizations in the company’s service areas. In a recent survey, American Water employees ranked veterans, youth, community, environment and health/welfare as the most important types of services supported by nonprofit organizations. Potential grantee organizations were then selected in each of these categories on a competitive basis according to criteria established by the foundation’s Employee Advisory Committee.

Established in 2010 with a founding contribution from American Water, the American Water Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides a formal way to demonstrate the company’s ongoing commitment to being a good neighbor, citizen, and contributor to the communities where American Water and its employees live, work and operate. The Foundation helps support American Water employee-identified nonprofit endeavors.

Jobs for the Future works with its partners to design and drive the adoption of education and career pathways leading from college readiness to career advancement for those struggling to succeed in today’s economy. JFF manages Accelerating Opportunity, which seeks to fundamentally change how Adult Basic Education is delivered and ensures that participating states’ policies encourage dramatically improved student outcomes in terms of completing credentials of value in the labor market.

BCTC Biotechnology Program Awarded $20,000 Grant

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:22:00 -0500

The Bluegrass Community and Technical College’s (BCTC) Biotechnology program has been awarded a $20,000 grant by the Kentucky National Science Foundation’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (Ky-NSF EPSCoR) through the University of Kentucky.

The funds will be used to support four BCTC students during their research for the “Aloe Project.” The project is a long-term study investigating the possibility of using Aloe Vera as a biofuel. The BCTC Biotechnology program will partner with the University of Kentucky’s Advanced Genetic Technologies Center on the project, which is part of a new focus on applied research in BCTC’s Biotech curriculum.

“Learning science should be an active endeavor that focuses on science as a process and not just a set of facts to memorize,” BCTC biotechnology instructor Keith Devon Allen said in the grant proposal.

Allen will play a key role as the principal investigator of the BCTC Undergraduate Research Biotechnology in Education.

Four undergraduates are working on this project: Cagney Coomer, lab technician at the Advanced Genetic Technology and team leader; Tiffany Carol Richard, student researcher; Sandhya Paudel, student researcher; and Mila-Ruth Wright, student researcher.

“We believe this opportunity to participate in active learning will support students’ interest in science as well as build more sophisticated lab skills,” Allen said.

Students involved with the Aloe Project will be encouraged to present their findings at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System conference for student research, Kentucky Academy of Science and may have the opportunity to publish their findings in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

“We have to devote the necessary resources to scientific and technological research and development, including biotechnology,” Allen said. “We must further encourage innovation among our undergraduate students and insure that we introduce new developments into our productive activities.”

The project began in November 2012 and will continue through July 2013.

Bluegrass Community and Technical College receives scholarship funding from PNC Foundation

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:49:00 -0500

Bluegrass Community & Technical College students will soon have a new opportunity to apply for 123 financial support, thanks to a new partnership between the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Foundation and the PNC Foundation. The PNC Skilled Workforce Investment Scholarship is a one-time $30,000 scholarship.

“We are grateful to PNC for their generosity. Their investment in BCTC students will help individuals and families plan for high paying, fulfilling jobs that benefit local businesses and ultimately support the economy of the entire region,” BCTC President/CEO Augusta. A Julian said.

Students enrolled in high wage, high demand workforce development programs or who plan to transfer to a Kentucky four-year institution will be considered for the scholarships. Preference will be given to applicants from low-income households, and also to BCTC applicants aspiring to high-quality jobs in advanced manufacturing.

“A business cannot succeed if its communities are not well positioned for future growth and success,” said PNC Regional President John L. Gohmann, Lexington/Central Kentucky. “Our goal with this scholarship is to further the development of Kentucky’s workforce and ensure the long-term vitality of the communities in which we serve.”

The scholarship will be awarded during 2013, 2014 and 2015. Scholarship recipients will receive $1,000 ($500 per semester) to use toward tuition. Recipients will be able to reapply for the scholarship, but will also be considered among new applicants.

For additional information about the PNC Skilled Workforce Investment Scholarship program, please contact Vernal Kennedy at vernal.kennedy@kctcs.edu (859) 246-6507.

BCTC Holds Pinning Ceremony for Nursing Students

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 10:47:00 -0500

Smiles, tears, and pride were on the faces of students, instructors, family and friends during Bluegrass Community & Technical College’s (BCTC) Practical Nursing pinning ceremony held November 30. The pinning ceremony not only celebrates the accomplishments of study, practicums, and personal sacrifice, it means leaving school and entering the workforce as a Practical Nurse.

The pinning ceremony is a symbolic welcoming of newly graduated nurses into the nursing profession. During the ceremony, students light individual candles representing one of the most well-known nurses, Florence Nightingale. It symbolizes the “passing of the flame” from Nightingale to each nurse.

BCTC PN Nursing Graduates December 2012:

Jyoti Adhikari
Kimberly Bright
Emma Kate Bussell
Jennifer Campbell
Cherie L. Carl
Marie Garrett
Brittany Danielle Gordon
Kaylenn Reid Gosman
Kimberly Renee Groves
Kari Elizabeth Guiler
Diann Carmack Hamilton
Kimberly Ann Harrison
Jennifer Lynn Huls
Ram Prasad Khanal
Gilbert Kongnyuy
Paige Nicole Lainhart
Chris Lister
Julie Lyons
Ashton Ray Markland
Evguenia I. Mateeva-Allie
Tomila Rochelle Mills
Rosine Murayire
Zeabeth Rice
Amanda M. Sparks
Jo Spencer
Cassie Michelle Stewart
Scarlet Rose Wagner
Ann Marie Ward
Amanda Kay White
Chriss R. Woodall

MOSAIIC Challenges the Notion of the Underdog

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:43:00 -0500

Bluegrass Community & Technical College (BCTC) Office of Multiculturalism and Inclusion hosted its annual Multicultural Opportunities, Strategies & Institutional Inclusiveness Conference (MOSAIIC), Thursday and Friday, November 29 -30 at the Griffin Gate Marriott Hotel. This year’s theme “Doomed to Succeed: The Impetus of the Underdog” captivated audiences as educators, students and community members discussed how the adversities of life can be motivating factors for many to live successful lives.

The keynote speakers at the conference were Hasan Davis, commissioner, Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice and Dr. Belle Wheelan, president of the Commission on Colleges’ Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Davis, who overcame various societal barriers as a child humorously, but profoundly, challenged anyone who finds themselves in a tough situation to do two things: “figure out why you’re there and figure out what you can do to make it better.”

Wheelan, who raised her son as a single mother, reminded the audience that while those students who attend selective admission colleges are successful despite the faculty and staff, the students who come to us [community colleges] are successful because of the faculty and staff.

“Even though technology has changed the way students learn, it hasn’t changed the way they feel about it. We must understand the circumstances from where students come, empathize with them and work to find ways to help them apply what they are learning,” Wheelan said.

The opening session, led by Mark Johnson, Health Equity Team Leader, Fayette County Health Department sparked emotional and sometimes heated conversations during several audience participation games aimed at drawing out the prejudices that reside in all of us.

“We are all prejudice – we all pre-judge and have our own biases,” Johnson said. Meaning that despite what we say, we all carry around schemas that cause us to interact and react in ways that can be hurtful and discriminatory.

Johnson presented a message that one should look beyond the external characteristics like race, sexual orientation, age and gender and get to know an individual for their true character. He challenged the audience to consider that worth is not determined by whether one is straight or gay, African American or Caucasian, poor or rich, but by what you choose to do with the life you are given.

During the panel discussions, audience members were given inspirational and heart-wrenching glimpses into the lives of men and women who overcame great odds and prejudices which propelled them to succeed.

The student panel was comprised of young adults who overcame staggering adversities and obstacles to become successful entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, authors and advocates in their communities.

Representatives from the I Am Diversity Project, Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, Gateway Community & Technical College, Kentucky State University and the University of Kentucky also presented during the conference.

The conference creator, Charlene Walker, VP of Multiculturalism & Inclusion at BCTC, hopes the conference will open everyone’s eyes to the diversity issues that America continues to face. Her mantra this year, “I see that what troubles me has no impact on you, but I’m going to keep doing what I do until it troubles you too,” is a resounding admonishment for everyone to not let things fester or merely sit by and watch, but when faced with discrimination, prejudice, or injustice to speak out against it and keep doing so until others take up the charge along with you.

Each year faculty, staff, students and community members are selected to receive the MOSAIIC award for their proven commitment to diversity. This year’s recipients were:

Mr. Samuel Giles, Teacher, Henry Clay High School
Dr. Jim Fenton, Associate Professor, BCTC
Mr. Elmer Keith Whitaker, CEO, Whitaker Bank
Merlene Davis, Lexington Herald-Leader Columnist (accepting her award from 2011)

(Fall) Absolute deadline for transfer, readmit, non-degree and visiting students to apply for admission.