U.S. Representative Ed Whitfield announced on March 4, 2008 that West Kentucky Community & Technical College (WKCTC) will receive an estimated $569,582 over the next five years for a scholarship program, making it possible for more Kentucky citizens to attend the college.

“WKCTC has a rich history in Paducah and throughout western Kentucky,” Whitfield said. “The college has successfully prepared thousands of Kentuckians, both young and old, to thrive in today’s workplace and contribute to the economic development of the region. I am pleased more students will now be able to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities this institution has to offer.”

The National Science Foundation awarded WKCTC the grant to fund their “Manufacturing Technology and Pre-Engineering Scholarship Project.” The project will give two-year scholarships to forty full-time Manufacturing Technology and Pre-Engineering students who demonstrate both academic potential and financial need.

The scholarship project aims to recruit and retain students in Manufacturing Technology, Information Technology and the Pre-Engineering 2 + 2 Program through the University of Kentucky. The goal of the scholarship project is to increase the participation of academically talented, financially disadvantaged students and provide support services to enable students to complete an associate degree, transfer to a four-year institution or be placed in the workforce.