Tuesday’s primary elections were historic in that Jody Richards was not a candidate for the Kentucky General Assembly for the first time in over four decades. A great champion of education, Rep. Richards was the speaker for both commencement ceremonies of Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College (SKYCTC) earlier this month at SKYPAC. The following is the tribute paid to him by SKYCTC President Phillip Neal during his introduction.
Graduates, just as you gave thanks to those who supported you, I too want to give thanks to someone who has supported our college. Tonight, we have a special treat in store for you. I want to introduce a special guest, personal friend of mine, and just an all-around great human being, Representative Jody Richards. In just a moment, he will share a few words with you.
As I introduce our guest speaker, I want to give some context of the relationship between tonight’s ceremony and our guest speaker. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, which is comprised of 16 independently accredited colleges. Before each of our graduates walk across the stage tonight, I thought it was appropriate you hear from one of the Commonwealth’s most influential figures.
For those who don’t know our history, the Kentucky Legislature in 1997, created House Bill 1, a statute forming the 16 colleges of KCTCS. One of those colleges was Bowling Green Technical College. Later in 2012, the college’s name changed to better reflect the 10-counties we serve. We now know our institution as Southcentral KY Community and Technical College.
In order to create 16 colleges in 1997, a highly trusted leader in state government had to usher through a volatile political process, one of the most significant reforms to higher education our state had ever seen. The author of the legislation that created KCTCS and our College happens to be tonight’s guest speaker, and back in 1997, he was Speaker of the House.
Jody Richards has served for more than 40 years as the State Representative for the 20th Legislative District, beginning his tenure in 1975. He has held numerous roles during his service to the Kentucky House of Representatives, such as Majority Caucus Chair, Speaker of the House, and even more recently as the Speaker Pro Tempore from 2015 – 2017. He has the distinction of being Kentucky’s longest serving Speaker of the House.
He is a true champion of education, once serving as the co-chair of the committee that helped write the sweeping Kentucky Education Reform Act in 1990. Representative Richards has also been involved in authorizing and funding numerous projects such as the building we sit in tonight . . . the Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center. He also worked to fund new buildings and campuses at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College so that we can offer higher education to more citizens.
Tonight is special for many reasons. First, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Kentucky’s 16 KCTCS colleges. Second, we celebrate the largest graduating class in our college’s history. In the last 12 months, nearly 1000 students earned more than 2500 credentials at SKYCTC. And third, we are celebrating the career of a legendary public servant who will be retiring this year after more than 40 years in the Kentucky Legislature.
Folks, please help me welcome one of the forefathers of SKYCTC, Representative Jody Richards.