Commencement Ceremony Information
West Kentucky Community and Technical College celebrated the Fall Class of 2023 during commencement at The Carson Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, December 11.
More than 850 WKCTC students were eligible to receive associate degrees, diplomas, or certificates during Fall 2023. In addition to the candidates for graduation, more than 45 students received nursing pins. Justice Shea Nickell, a McCracken County native and a Paducah Tilghman High School graduate, was the featured speaker. Andrew Cornelius of Paducah was the student speaker.
“Graduates, I doubt you will remember anything I say tonight, but I guarantee you will never forget the joy of this occasion. You have reached this momentous experience through your diligent efforts, but also with the support of countless others who invested their lives into yours—and your success will be forever indebted to their sacrifice,” said Justice Nickell. “And years from now, I trust you would pay it forward. Pay it forward and help someone else achieve the dream you have achieved tonight.”
He offered the graduates a two-word creed to help guide them in their futures. “Those words? Pursue justice . . . though the heavens fall . . . pursue justice. To be clear, it is a call to seek social justice by building righteous relationships with the Creator and creation through tender kindnesses motivated by sincere affection,” he said. “But what does that require? Simply for one to seek to live right, to do good, and to walk humbly.”
Justice Nickell added, “Obtaining a college degree is an important early step in the long journey of lifetime learning. Many lessons, however, are left to be learned. Schooling has equipped you with knowledge and skills, but wisdom comes with experience. So, proceed in your career and in life with caution, humility, and curiosity, remaining open to new and opposing ideas.”
Justice Nickell was elected to the Supreme Court of Kentucky in November 2019. He serves the First Supreme Court District, composed of the twenty-four westernmost Kentucky counties. Justice Nickell previously served 13 years as a Judge of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. During that tenure, Justice Nickell served as Chief Judge Pro Tempore, Personnel Committee Chair, and Judicial Compensation Commission member. Before becoming an appellate judge, Justice Nickell practiced law for 22 years. He is licensed to practice law before all Kentucky state and federal trial and appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court. Justice Nickell earned a bachelor's degree from DePauw University in 1981 and his juris doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Law in 1984. Among many civic involvements, Justice Nickell is a former director of Lions Clubs International.
Student speaker Andrew Cornelius, who has a passion for helping others, has himself overcome adversity and unforeseen obstacles in pursuit of his associate in applied science degree in business administration/human resources.
“There were times I was ready to tap out,” Cornelius shared with the audience. But the words of his beloved grandmother, who passed away during his first semester at WKCTC, rang in his ears and kept him going.
"She was the backbone of our family. She told me to keep pushing despite what the world says or is going to say," said Cornelius. "She said, 'Andrew, this is your time to leave a mark on the world.'"
In addition to the loving, constant support of his grandmother, his mother and other family and friends, Cornelius said, "The professors here (WKCTC) pushed me every single day to become the person standing before you all today."
He shared with his fellow students the "power of the three P's - Passion, Purpose and Perseverance, saying, “all have been the fabric of our academic journey, and they will continue to shape our futures."
In conclusion, Cornelius said, “My fellow graduates, embrace your passion, find your purpose, and persevere in the face of adversity…I want to leave you with the words of my great-grandmother and my mother, ‘You got this baby.’ Congratulations Class of 2023. You have made it!”
Commencement speakers also included Dr. Anton Reece, WKCTC president; Jay Simmons, chair of WKCTC's Board of Directors; Chris Black, chair of Paducah Junior College Inc.'s Board of Trustees; and Lindsey Gipson, president of WKCTC's student government association.
The college live streamed commencement on its social media channels. The ceremony remains on the platforms for viewing. Facebook: https://fb.me/e/3jzDXQ5Qz, YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/Y7VI0N7UAaA?si=lpXISkrLDKfUVP4W
Photography was provided by Jones Photography. Photos can be purchased at www.jonesphoto.gotphoto.com - access code WKCTCFALL23.
A list of WKCTC's fall candidates for graduation (listed by counties) follows. Students with one asterisk after their name graduated with distinction with a grade point average of 3.4-3.5, while students with two asterisks graduated with high distinction with a grade point average of 3.6-4.0.
Ballard County: Seth Brooking, Lauren Butts, Harold Compton**, Kaitlyn Driskill*, Taylor Greenwell, Marcy Johnson, Jessica Patterson, Karley Poloski, Ali Seaborne
Caldwell County: Cameron Baker*, Devan Baker, Savannah Brewer**, Gabe Dyer**, Abbey Hagan**, Travion Samuel, Annalie Thompson**
Calloway County: Abraham Akabekwa, Josephine Carnes, Caroline Collins, Cameron Crady*, Jacob Ferguson**, Trevor Harrison*, D'ontae Mccallister, Teresa Owen, Michael Parks, Faith Sheridan, Hannah Tinsley, Amanda Waters**
Carlisle County: Jessica Courtney**, Matthew Courtney, Ethan Perry, Sara Shrodes
Christian County: Michael King
Crittenden County: Ashleigh Dunkerson**, Michael Kirk*, Stacy Marshall, Tate Roberts
Fulton County: Melissa Ramsey*, Nathan Roberson**, Joseph Simmons
Graves County: Mackenzie Alsup, Kristen Armstrong, Holley Arnett, Courtney Blanton**, Carson Clymer, Sean Cooper*, Macy Elder, Juan Garcia, Shelby Gargus*, Olivia Henson**, Jennifer Ingrum, Emma Johnson, Faith Mandry**, Ryleigh Smithson**, Megan Spraggs, Joseline Tovar Orduna, Danielle Turner**, Amanda Viniard, Bailey Wilson**, Lydia Woods
Henderson County: Erika Vincent
Hickman County: Gabrielle Collins
Livingston County: Julia Burk, Paige Dudley*, Ashley Funkhouser, Scott Newman, Dylan Paris, Johanna Rodriguez, Samantha Smith, Madalyn Walker**, Mary Wilson*
Lyon County: Katherine Chaney, Lisa Edwards**, Rhonda Lax**, Amanda Smith
Marshall County: Angela Bell*, Alli Burger, Amber Cooper, Avery Darnall, Mark Deleon, Janie Dunn, Latesha Farmer**, Savannah Hairgrove**, Emily Henson, Courtney Hobgood, Melissa Holland, Delaney Hoskins, Dakota Hurst, Austin Johnson, Gage Jones, Beth Kerrick, Adriana Key*, Nathan Monroe, Allee Noles, Ashley Orlandi, Samantha Penney*, Abigail Perry*, Laura Savage, Ron Thompson**
McCracken County: Jackson Brannon, Jayme Brawand, Joseph Caserta, Joseph Cavitt, Andrew Cornelius**, Mary Crawford, Taylor Davis**, Dana Dowdy*, Jessica Duncan, Madison Evitts, Carly Fields*, Hailey Gessel, Lisa Glisson**, Christian Grimes**, Hannah Gross, Emily Hahn, Ethan Hannon*, Angela Helton, Autumn Henson, Nathaniel Hequembourg**, Jazz Hudson**, Kristen Hughes, Katelyn Janusz*, Lejuan Jefferson, Zachary McCauley*, Brady Noles, Dustin Owen*, Sara Pascal, Trinity Patterson**, Tinael Robinson, Paige Sasseen, Jahkeem Shannon, Olivia Smith, Gregg Snow, Micah Spann, Cole Stephenson, Marie Stewart**, Joseph Vanway**, Karla Vied, Savana Watson**, Daniel Watters, Kheilenn Weitlauf, Sojnia Woodham, Ashley Woodward, Steven Wooldridge, Emily Wren
ILLINOIS
Johnson County: Erica Hunt*, Olivia Stafford
Macon County: Daphne Paul
Massac County: Carrie Basso, Sami Burkhart*, Taylor Herron, Neel Patel**, Sofia Saleh, David Weeks**
Monroe County: **Logan Goodnick
Pope County: Amy Weaver
Pulaski County: Arissa McClellan*
INDIANA
Vanderburgh County: Nathan Snyder
NEW YORK
Orange County: Peterson Ochei
MISSOURI
Scott County: Joshlynn Boyd
TENNESSEE
Obion County: Audrey Long**, Chloe Pritchard, Maleigh Roberson**, Kenna Sadler, Piper Warren
Weakley County: Tameka Moffatt
Ballard County: Jayden Anderson, Shelby Blankenship, Christopher Redfern, Marshall Suttles
Caldwell County: Jessica Carroll, Kailey Charles, Jed Dorroh*, Chansey Markham
Calloway County: Karter Graywolf*, M. Jordan Manning
Carlisle County: Hailey Sanchez
Fayette County: John Davis
Fulton County: Sasha Griffith, Eric Kerney, Kala Mosley
Graves County: Amber Bach, Melanie Beasley, Montana Brooks, Kortney Carrico*, Chloe Ellegood, Kelly Green, Lydia Lopez, Cynthia Mateo, Lindsey Miles, Knox Story, Stacey Ward**, Quan'ya Weston
Hickman County: Maegan Godman
Livingston County: Erica Alsobrook-Shirkrisin, Ashley Rogers, Kelsey Sallee, Jake Anderson, Sarah Cornwell
Marshall County: William Cornwell, Madison Jeffrey*, Todd Lovett**
McCracken County: Jaquan Baych, Nicole Burns, Kimberly Cooper, Sydney Davenport*, Cameron Dorris, Destiny Freeman, Malcolm Giltner*, Shelly Gonzales, Chaney Johnson, Marissa Maldonado, Matt McDanel, Kirsten Meadows**, Zoey Perry, Ryan Pirtle**, Lilli Scillion**, Katherine Thomas, Rebekah Thomas, Emelia Walden, Adyson Webb
Murray County: Lorie Crittendon
ILLINOIS
Massac County: Camdyn Boyd, Natalie Rottmann
WEST VIRGINIA
Kanawha County: Samantha Mangalonzo**
McCracken County: Alexandra Hequembourg*, Vuanh Pham*
Ballard County: Carrionia Green
Caldwell County: Elizabeth Myers, Joshua Wall** Calloway County: Nathaniel Burkhart, Dillon Sims
Carlisle County: Keaton Hutchinson
Graves County: Cheyanna Ramirez, Maria Ramirez, Christy Rogers
Hickman County: Alyssa Fuller
Livingston County: Brandy Holbrook, Kelcie Kolba, Katherine Wright, Aidan Wyatt
Marshall County: Sydney Canup, Catherine Creekmore*, Jewell Crowley,
McCracken County: Josh Doan, Blake Hester*, Braden Ivy, Sherry Johnson, Juliet Overton**, Kassandra Przybylo, Whitney Smith
ILLINOIS
Massac County: Dianna Bowman**, Mason Hasty, Alexis Rudolph*
Ballard County: India Aldridge, William Allcock, Troy Ball, Rawlin Brooking, Jeremiah Brown, Rhiannon Cooper, Nachesly Donlow, Luke Evans II, Illyssa Holdman, Breanna King, Emanuel Knox, Rebecca Matney, Alexis Merrill, Jayde Newton, Kayla Osborne, Angela Pratt, Ellison Reynolds, Carol Smith, Sara Vinyard, Terris Wood
Barren County: Megan Heinrich
Bell County: David Voges
Boyd County: Joshua Adams
Caldwell County: Kaitlyn Amaya, Savannah Beckwith, Cole Fralick, Kendra Hackney, Joshua Hagan, Brady Holeman, Laura McKinney, Hannah Miller, Tyler Stevens, Maggie Tipton, Kaylee Watts
Calloway County: Zachary Barger, Shannon Blanton, Kaleb Brian, Lawrence Briggs, Thomas Broshears, Cheriah Burks, Jodi Butler, Anna Chipman, William Clinton, Harleigh Cole, Colton Crider, Olivia Crouch, Lizbeth Damian, David Daughaday, Candace Drew, Jackson Dunn, Aiden Edwards, Manuel Figueroa, Angie Foster, Cory Frazier, Stephanie Frost, Arista Futrell, Emily Garland, Kiley Gomez, Jeremy Guess, Casey Gupton, Bradley Hale, Frances Hammonds, William Hiter, Autumn Holder, Sarah Johnston, Sarah Johnston, Derrickka Jones, Caleb Kerswill, Emily Lamb, John Lewis, Zakary Mathis, Virginia McIntosh, Isolde Menchinger, Brooklyn Miles, Summer Munoz, Lashawnte Nez, Gavin Ohnemus, Bryce Peal, Anna Pogue, Hayden Ragland, Christian Reider, Haily Sanderson, Cody Smith, Kenzie Spencer, Callie Tipton, Andrew Travis, Michael Turman, Makenzie Underhill, Peyton Wray, Cheyanne Wyatt
Carlisle County: Lisa Betz, Garrett Booker, Darrenda Brooks, Courtney Case, Dawson Draper, Hailey Embrey, Corbin Hayden, Chelsea Jackson, Tim Longman, Alyssa Oliver, Erin Peterson, Timothy Thomas, Rhianna Thomason
Christian County: Michaela Bowman, Madison Farris, Natasha Hensley, Thanh Nguyen
Crittenden County: Julia Adams, Carly Guess, Michelle Lynch, Tyler McKinney
Daviess County: Adam Burch
Edmonson County: Madalan Garrett
Fulton County: Samuel Gibbs, Destiny Gordon, Candace Govern, Shamarra Kinney, Meagan Langston, Jana Large, Dallas McClanahan, Nesota Perez, Tristan Swift, Sherrel Walker
Graves County: Hanna Adkison, Judith Aguilar, Luis Ajanel, Noley Billick, David Bolton, Melissa Bond, Elizabeth Bridges, Hannah Brokenshire, Destiny Brooks, Connor Burnett, Kaleb Butler, Clarence Caldwell, Lillian Cathcart, Skyler Clark, Jackson Coles, Nehemiah Coomer, Shada Cross, Jamison Curd, Chani Davidson, Joshua Davis, Marcus Dixon, Haley Doublin, Ashley Emerson, Daniel Forester, Dylan Fowler, Demarcco Gammons, Alexis Garcia, James Griffin Jr., Logan Grove, Charles Harp, Job Harrison,Teresa Heath, Hunter Hicks, Isaac Hill, Jarren Hines, Destiny Hinson, Kristin Hunt, Geoffry Jaggers, Benjamin Jernigan,Tiffany Johnson, Noah Jones, Diego Juarez, James Lopez, Hunter Mahler, Jake Mathis, Liliana Mercado, Carl Meyer, Jennifer Morris, Alejandro Murillo, Joshua Newsome, Nathan O'Neill, Jacob Ogg, Cruz Oronia, Salena Palmer, Hannah Pattillo, Lodner Phillips, Alexander Ramage, Priscila Ramirez, Jose Reyes, Matthew Robertson Jr., Luis Romero, Gabriel Rosas, Tate Rudd, Rachel Sanchez, Robert Scott, Isabella Spalding, Richie Spann, Cade Stapleton, Mykala Suemnick, Bryant Swindler, Asheley Thomas, Ethan Thompson, Kaleb Thompson, Daniel Tillman, Kendall Toon, Sierra Travis, Andrew Vargas, Ashley Wallace, Eric West, Nathan Whitis, Hunter Williams, Alanna Willingham, Marrisa Wilson
Hancock County: Kaitlyn Duff
Hickman County: Elijah Bruer, Joseph Cripps, Kayli Hamilton, Holly Lichtenberg, Lauryn Lupton, Brandi Stacy, Hailey Stinson, Caitlyn Toombs, Adayisha Vinson
Hopkins County: Gustavo Archila
Jefferson County: Holly Harbin, Antoinette Jones, Kiesha Rice
Livingston County: Devin Barnes, Robert Burns, Taylor Davenport, Mason Fuller, Savannah Gilbert, Kainan Goodaker, Brandy Hastings, Alexis Jones, Benjamin Kinder, Sy McDonald, Sara McGregor, Helen Mudge, Liliauna Nichols, Zachary Poindexter, Michael Scott, Austin Skinner, Rodney Stewart, Layken Thomas, Dylan White, Babi Wood
Lyon County: Catherine Armstrong, Adam Balentine, Breanna Castello, Morgan Green, Elizabeth Kelley, Alexandria Lawson, Brady Orr, Evan Rager, Tucker Ramey, Benjamin Yoder
Marshall County: Courtney Allen, Sara Aucoin, Deven Bradley, Eli Burns, Allison Byars, Katelyn Byars, Lillian Castillo, Christine Chittenden, Cameron Collier, Hannah Darnell, Cortney Davis, Nicholas Dowdy, Cayla Dowell, Paige Eggers, Peyton Eitelman, Olivia Erbacher, Rhea Lowella Fiser, Deborah Flint, Riley Foland, Hayden Fugate, Landon Gipson, John Harris, Blaire Hartman, Sara Hartman, Rylee Hines, Isaac Hovekamp, Joseph Howard, Alyssa Humphrey, Keshia Jackson, Shonna Jackson, Tosha Jackson, Dominique Johnson, Gage Johnson, Abigail Joiner, Alysa Jones, Zachary Kelly, Jeremy Kidd, Maizie Martin, Noah McClure, Skyler McGregor, Jacob McNeely, Elizabeth Mensch, John Miller, Bronson Moore, Kaley Moore, Annabelle Myers, Trevor Nanney, Isaiah Neeble, Cynthia Nelson, Lonnie Odom, Ashtyn Oglesby, Stephen Parks, Kinsley Perry, Brandon Pool, Evie Powell, Steven Quillin, Sydney Riley, Savannah Russell, Audie Sanders, Caleb Sledd, Alexandra Smith, Ariel Smith, Rexton Smith, Savannah Smith, Taylor Smith, Mishanda Stacey, Katelyn Thomason, Olivia Vaught, Lori Walker, Maci West, Jade Whitaker, Gavin Wren Joellen Young
McCracken County: Sara Albright, Peyton Aldridge, Bailey Anderson, Derrick Anderson, Elizabeth Armstrong, Gannon Arnold, Maxwell Arterburn, Ardaja Askew, Kohen Atherton, Wayne Bailey, Araceli Bardales, Nathan Barnes, Michael Bartlett, Makayla Boozer, Dayton Boulton, Case Boyd, Joshua Bradford, Joseph Brandon, Charles Brandstetter, India Broady, Isaac Brown, Emily Brown, Christopher Burkeen, Rosie Burns, Veronica Caffey, Bryce Cary, Donetta Casey, Alley Castillo, Brittany Cissell, Nicholas Cissell, Erin Clark, Isabel Clark, Nicole Clark, Nicole Clark, Robert Clark, Madelyne Colson, Chloe Coursey, Wesley Craine, Cameron Crawley, Caitlin Croft, Jasmine Croley, Christian Crouch, Kiera Crumble, Brayden Cruse, Wayne Daniel, Andrew Davidson, Jayson Davis, Joshua Davis, Keianna Davis, Ryan Davis, Maggi Davison, Shelitha Deberry, Jesse Deweese, Anastasia Donelson, Lance Edmonds, Kayla Edwards, Jesus Espinoza, Kimberly Evitts, Staton Evitts, Michael Fairhurst, Gaven Fallow, Jordan Farmer, Jacob Feltner, Colton Fiessinger, Arneza Flournoy, Cody Fraley, Jeremiah Franklin, Samantha Fraser, Daniel Garcia, Brett Garner, James Gearhart, Gabriel Ginger, Avery Goodwin, Terran Gourieux, Noah Gregg, Austin Griffith, Erica Grom, Taylor Haley, Aalysia Halliburton, Alexis Hardman, Heather Harned, Ella Harris, Jaqueline Harris, Keaudrea Hayes, Gage Henderson, Audrie Henley, Bryce Herndon, Jennifer Hewing, Cristopher Hidalgo, Candace Higgins, Laken Hill, Nevada Hinds, Annie Hoffman, Taylor Hubbard, John Hughes, Isaac Humphrey, Kortney Islas, William Janeway, Jaevin Johnson, Tatum Jones, Abigail Jordan, Amy Kellermeyer, Emmalee Kilgore, Jessa Knighten, Natasha Lacour, Ashley Lambert, Heather Lambert, Cameron Land, Alexander Lane, James Lang, Kimberlyn Larson, Ahmarea Laster, Tanner Leatherman, Izabella Leclaire, Cesar Leon, Katie Lindsey, Johann Loaiza, Taylynn Lyman, Hannah Mapes, Demarcus Mason, Ty Mcreynolds, Amanda Mejia, Joshua Melone, Christopher Mendoza, Fatima Mendoza, Ashley Miller, Shawn Mitchell, Isaiah Montoya, Kharentez Moore, Jesse Morehead, Jaquceana Morris, Preston Morris, Julian Mundy, Madyson Myers, Cameron Myre, Alexis Noles, Demirus Oakley, Rebekah Osborne, Joshua Owen, Susann Parlor, Alisa Patel, Austin Peek, Jamila Petty, John Phillips, Amber Potter, Zikise Powell, Kendra Puckett, Letitia Quarles, Lilibeth Ralls, A'staria Ramsey, Emilee Ray, Gwendalyn Reinold, Tiffany Reynolds, Kaden Risley, Vincent Risner, Ben Roberts, Dylan Robinson, Kennady Robinson, Tosheona Rouse, Conner Rowell, Andrew Rudolph, Tiffany Rutland, Connor Savage, Darrian Scarbrough, Taylor Seals, Jenny Settles, Donyea Shaw, Kendall Shaw, Emilee Sheppard, Katelynn Shockley, Howard Simmons, Ryan Skibinski, Taylor Sloan, Justus Smith, Korrena Smith, Robin Smith, Winter Smith, Jorge Soto, Kelsey Southward, Jordan Stone, Chloe Streetman, Brenshae Strow, Brianna Strozzo, Hannah Sunderland, Nicholas Sykes, Wesley Tade, Joshua Taylor, Christopher Teitloff, Ahmad Thomas, Conner Tilford, Vinueza Tito, Olivia Townsend, Tiffany Turner, Shelia Vogt, Avery Wagner, Jehntle Walker, Kashawne Walker, Luke Walker, Nathaniel Walker, Starla Walker, Quentin Warren, Kasandra Weaks, Ethan Weaver, Lillian Wehrmeyer, Amanda Weir, Treyson Wetzel, Dominique Wharton, Megan Wheeler, Kauri Whitfield, Lydia Wiley, Latakia Wilks, Anthony Williams, Bernard Williams, Victoria Williams, Jessica Workman
Scott County: Sarah Quarles
Taylor County: Christopher Harper
Trigg County: Hanna Brewster, Tabitha Hudson, Marshall Jenkins, Davin Nott, Leah Porter, Sam Rush
Union County: Jaden Hancock
ALABAMA
Cullman County: Treshawn Hines
ARKANSAS
Craighead County: Obioma Uzomba-Ekwuribe
SOUTH CAROLINA
Berkeley County: Charles Rodriguez
ILLINOIS
Franklin County: Tammitha Divito
Jackson County: Savana Fish
Johnson County: Adam Board, Morgan Buchanan, Lillian Duncan, Kennadi Jeffords
Massac County: Paige Box, Bryce Burnett, William Corzine, Chase Denfip, Natasha Drain, Kevin Erb, Reece Farmer, Sage Helm, Madeline Hertter, Trea Jeffords, Rachel Kline, William Lang, Lydia Martin, Emily Reames, Shanice Reeves, Marisela Sanchez, Lauren Umberger, Mason Westbrooks, Deidra Williams, Neyland Worthington
Perry County: Kellen Scott
Pope County: Peyton Edwards, Briley Givens, Rylee Hogg, Avery Owens, Julie Parr, Austin Presser, Madison Ward
MISSOURI
Webster County: Taylor Winder
TENNESSEE
Henry County: Dire Dougherty, Cayce Mathis, Chantee Nored
Obion County: Olga Acevedo, Lizabeth Cloar, Tabitha Jonas
Weakley County: James Moffatt
WEST VIRGINIA
Lincoln County: Andrew Sponaugle
INDIA
Haryana County: Charanjit Singh
Caldwell County: Trinity Munley
Calloway County: Mekhi Hudspeth, William Mitchum
Crittenden County: Gavin Hunt
Fulton County: Diane Tubbleville
Graves County: Juan Alejandre, Denise Dowell, Dylan Gibson
Livingston County: Zoe Skinner, Alexandra Waters**
Marshall County: Clayton Jackson
McCracken County: Braden Vernelson
Congratulations Graduates
