HCC Sponsoring First Super Sunday Event at the Pioneers Complex

Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) is sponsoring its first Super Sunday event on February 27 as one of the first three outcomes of the new Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) diversity plan. On this day, HCC and each of the other 15 KCTCS colleges and System office will partner with churches in their communities to host information fairs for prospective college students and their families. The other two outcomes are the KCTCS diversity supplier program, and a transfer agreement with Berea College.

HCC will sponsor the Super Sunday event at the Pioneer Complex, 904 North Main Street at 2:30 p.m. on February 27. Prior to the college fair event at Pioneers, HCC administrators will attend service at several area African-American churches.

HCC is always looking for ways to partner with the community, said HCC President Dr. Jim Selbe. Weve reached out to local clergy members in our African-American churches to help us educate and assist students and parents. I believe this partnership will make the process of enrolling in college a bit more simple for those that take part in Super Sunday.

For most Pennyrile region residents, higher education begins at Hopkinsville Community College, and so it is a vital part of the KCTCS mission to increase the educational opportunities for people of color, including African-Americans and Latinos. Super Sunday is a statewide initiative intended to increase the college-going rate of students of color. HCC will partner with Cedar Grove Baptist Church, First Street Baptist Church, Foston Chapel Baptist Church, Means Avenue Baptist Church, St. Bethlehem Baptist Church and Virginia Street Baptist Church to reach out to parents and students to promote higher education.

We want students to know, yes, you can go to college. Yes, you can get a college degree. And yes, you can have a high paying job. Many potential students are aware of their educational opportunities; they simply have questions about how to access the pipeline. Super Sunday will show them how to navigate the admission and financial aid process, as well as provide additional information about the educational possibilities that exist, said KCTCS President Michael B. McCall.

Super Sunday will be an annual initiative for HCC. In subsequent years, the program will be expanded to target students from other racial and ethnic groups, such as the emerging Latino population, as well as more church partners.

Of the total undergraduate students who attended Kentucky public colleges in the fall of 2009, 48.9 percent of African-American students attended KCTCS. Although the number of African-American students attending a KCTCS college has grown, KCTCS wants to further increase enrollment and Super Sunday is intended to support this mission.

HCC and KCTCS have a strong commitment to diversity and ensuring every citizen in this state has the educational opportunities they need to succeed. As a system of open access institutions, it is our responsibility to make everyone aware that a college education is within their reach, said Dr. Selbe.

To find out more about Super Sunday or to make a reservation to attend, contact Ms. Tracey Williams at 707-3825.