Higher education: KCTCS helped over 4,400 inmates earn GEDs, new scholarship with KSU
Kentucky Community and Technical colleges are celebrating a milestone: more than 4,400 GEDs earned by incarcerated individuals through the system since 2020.
Fourteen KCTCS colleges provide education through Kentucky Adult Education, the state agency that administers GED programs. Classes are held at county jails and prisons. In total, more than 14,400 people enrolled in GED prep programs, with 4,460 incarcerated people earning their GED.
“Many people who are incarcerated will be released one day, and they will be our neighbors,” said Maggie Price, director of student success at Maysville Community and Technical College. “We want our neighbors to be educated and involved in enhancing our communities. Research supports these reasons as well. We are seeing more studies being published stating people are less likely to reoffend when they participate in educational programs during incarceration.”
Research shows that inmates who work towards certificates have lower rates of recidivism when released, Price said.
“When we say KCTCS is education for all, that’s exactly what we mean. Supporting those who lack a high school diploma is a key priority for our state and workforce,” System President Ryan Quarles said.
KCTCS, KSU announce transfer scholarship
A new program was announced that would give students at KCTCS colleges free tuition at Kentucky State University.
Scholarship applications for the Kentuckians Pathway Scholarship close Nov. 15. Pell-elligible KCTCS students who earn their associate’s degree through KCTCS and transfer to KSU will be able to earn their bachelor’s degree are eligible, with the scholarship covering fall and spring tuition.
“KSU is committed to removing barriers and expanding opportunities in higher education and we see that this scholarship has the potential to positively change students’ lives,” said KSU President Koffi Akakpo. “We see our partnership with KCTCS and this scholarship as a necessary investment in our future leaders and world changers by ensuring Kentuckians have access to affordable postsecondary education.”
According to KCTCS data, 63% of associate degree earners received a Pell grant during the 2022-23 academic year and could be eligible for the scholarship.
“We know education opens doors to opportunities that change lives forever. We also know that we have to do all that we can to make higher education affordable for Kentuckians,” Quarles said. “While not every student needs to attend a four-year institution to be successful, many of our students will continue their education after earning their associate degrees.
Barnstable Brown Gala raises $1M for UK
The Barnstable Brown Gala donated $1 million to the UK Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center from its 2024 gala. In total, more than $21 million has been donated to UK from the gala to go toward diabetes treatment and research since 2008.
The gala is held each year around the Kentucky Derby, drawing many celebrity guests. The Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at UK offers treatment for patients and focuses its research on diabetes treatment and care.
“This $1 million donation from the Barnstable Brown Brown Gala is another transformative donation for the Center and the battle against diabetes,” said Dr. Simon Fisher, director of the University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center. “The Barnstable Brown family’s longstanding support has made a tremendous impact on the care we provide here in Kentucky and on the research we conduct to advance diabetes care around the world.”