Tuesday night at Hopkinsville Community College’s Emerging Technologies Center, Business Administration Program Coordinator Diane Thomas walked out of her second-floor Excel spreadsheets classroom — one sprinkled with employees from Wabash, Ascend Elements and the like — and looked over the balcony.
Below her, in the atrium, was a chatty gaggle of past, present and future HCC leaders — preparing to celebrate the school’s 60th birthday with the announcement of a new “60 For 60” capital campaign and fundraiser.
In many ways, it was a circuitous moment of just how far the world has come, and the college along with it.
HCC’s sixth President & CEO Dr. Alissa Young, who has held various roles with the institution over the last three-plus decades, said she was “grateful” to be in the moment, and shared the year-long birthday theme: “60 Years: A Mosaic Of Growth, Learning And Community.”
For retired faculty member Jim Hunter, this campus “still feels like home” to him.
Beginning in 1986, he taught for more than 25 years before spending his final five in administration.
One memory — from a time teaching Applied Mathematics — strikes him most frequently, regarding a young lady who was strong in mathematics and nursing, but perhaps struggled with culinary arts.
With his wife, LaVena, by his side, legendary Christian County historian and former faculty member William Turner regaled for a moment his 34 years at HCC — a timeline that began in 1971, having watched the campus construction from a window as a teacher at Christian County High School.
Naturally, Turner knew a lot more about HCC came to be.
Turner noted ground was broken in 1964 for “The Blue Building,” and in September 1965, HCC’s enrollment was 330. Old photos to his left showed the inaugural graduating class took in a commencement speech from Christian County’s own and Kentucky’s 51st Governor Ned Breathitt.
Several memories are imprinted on his mind. A group of young professors constantly pranking each other’s classrooms. The human chain of students who were granted a day pass from learning in order to move books from the main building to the new library. And so many others.
HCC’s full community impact, however, lingers above the rest.
Rena Young, HCC’s vice president of advancement and marketing office, confirmed that funds raised during this capital drive will go to avenues like student scholarships, an emergency fund, the Pathfinder Pantry, textbook and academic scholarships, and other related needs.
In the last year, between Hopkinsville and Fort Campbell, she noted students in need made more than 400 visits to the school’s food banks, and a recent discussion about Fort Campbell’s lack for a pantry freezer has brought forth unsolicited, but greatly appreciated, interest in the matter.
FULL TURNER AUDIO:
FULL HUNTER AUDIO:
