Debbie Banks is an assistant professor of English at Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College.
College is often viewed as a rite of passage into adulthood, the next step for a high school graduate or the last years of fun and partying before the ‘adulting’ begins. High schools prepare students for college entrance exams, encourage them to apply to various colleges, help them with transcripts to send to particular colleges and help them explore the limitless options for career paths available to them. College is a time to explore options, hang out with friends, change plans and work on figuring things out. But it is also sometimes a second chance for older students to do things the way they wished they had when they were younger. Sometimes it is the second chance to pursue dreams that can become a reality.
At SKYCTC (Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College) the age range for students is from 13 to 78. There are dual credit high school students and there are recent high school graduates and there are many “non-traditional” students, who are over 25 and have made a choice to return to school.
Many of these students are afraid of college, feel that they have not had the background to make them successful, are too old to grasp the information, cannot keep up with the younger generation, have forgotten too much, messed up the first time, are worried about juggling work and classes, or any number of things that create apprehension for all students. Turns out they have the same anxiety as their younger peers. It also turns out that they are just as easily able to make dreams a reality!
One such student is Jodi L. Foerster, who is a 53-year-old mother of three who will graduate from SKYCTC this May with an Associate’s degree in Business Administration and Human Resources. When Jodi first began college, it was overwhelming, but she now says, “Going to college not only was a goal of mine, but it pushed me to my fullest potential. It was the best decision that I could have ever made. I encourage everyone thinking to go back to college to do it!” Not only did it turn out she could do it, she came back to school after graduating from high school in 1982 and taking the time to raise her family.
Another successful student story comes from Jeff Corder, a 49-year-old father of two. After 18 years of working as a paramedic, Jeff said, “SKY wasn’t my first choice. When my wife started working at SKY and I realized they had an RN program, it just seemed a better fit.” Jeff will complete the RN program in December 2018 and will then have many opportunities. The national average on the NCLEX-RN licensing test used in all 50 states being 88 percent, but with SKYCTC averaging 97-100% every year, his options should be limitless.
On his experience at SKY, Jeff said, “It has been great. I love the smaller class formats and the professors seem to be focused on the students’ success. The campus is very well maintained and I am proud to say I am a SKY student. Since starting here I have also become employed part-time in the security department.”
Logan County also has some of its own at SKY. Robert G. Cardwell is a student who worked for a factory for 18 years before pursuing his dream to teach. He is the father of 16- and 12-year-olds and is planning to get a degree to teach Elementary or Special Education. He will transfer to WKU in the fall of 2018 and plans to finish his degree in the fall of 2020.
After going to school part-time for a while, Robert recently left his factory job and began driving a bus for Russellville Independent Schools so he can attend classes full-time. Robert said, “I chose SKY because it is more affordable for a family man and its credits all transfer to WKU where I plan to finish my degree in the fall of 2020. The staff has been very helpful and the classes have prepared me for my teaching future. I would advise any non-traditional or student who is not sure about a major to attend SKY.”
Another Logan student is Ken Faircloth, who is 32 and the father of two. He works at Logan Aluminum, and to transition to the maintenance department at Logan Aluminum he needed to get his Industrial Maintenance degree from SKY. He was added to the program called SKYFAME that works with students who have full-time jobs by making the classes more accessible. He feels that the “experience has been good; with the new SKYFAME program we have the ability to get hands-on training the days we are not in school.” Ken graduates this May and may possibly pursue his bachelor’s degree in the future.
With many programs to choose from, the possibilities are endless. If one wants to be a nurse, maintenance technician, HR, or teacher, SKYCTC is the place to start. If one isn’t sure what to do, SKY offers Associate in Arts or Science degrees. It also offers adult services from ESL to GED preparation if those are needed.
No matter at what level one must begin, there is a program to help at SKY. Take that leap to chase dreams! Do not be afraid to take the chance! Hope to see you soon!