Building a Legacy

When Dr. Veazey began teaching at PCC, she never imagined that she’d eventually be thrust into a leadership position that would have her completing a monumental task that was, initially, very unpopular. But through her strength, determination, and grace, she set forth a vision that came to pass. And now, 20 years later, the fruits of her labor are abundant.

LIFE, AS FAR AS EDUCATION WAS concerned, seemed just fine in Paducah in 1997. West Kentucky Tech served over 3,000 students annually, preparing them for future careers—all in a spirit of betterment that dated back to 1909 when Dr. D.H. Anderson opened the institution for Black students. Nearby, Paducah Community College, formerly Paducah Junior College, carried on its own rich history from when PJC was established in 1938. By ’97, PCC enjoyed a prestigious association with the University of Kentucky.

Then came the news. The Kentucky legislature passed the Post-Secondary Education Improvement Act. The act would remove oversight of the state’s community colleges from UK and grant leadership to a newly-formed Kentucky Community and Technical College System. Post-secondary technical schools would join with the community colleges under KCTCS. The new system was designed to increase training opportunities for students, reduce bureaucracy, help with the transferability of credits, and positively impact the state’s workforce.

That same year, Dr. Barbara Veazey was serving as Dean of Academic Affairs at PCC, which was now located on Alben Barkley Drive. West Kentucky Tech was right next door. “There was always an undercurrent of a merger in our future,” says Dr. Veazey. “Paducah Junior College had given the land for West Kentucky Tech to be built. So, we thought that one day it could happen.”

Dr. Veazey came to PCC as a nursing instructor and quickly ascended to a leadership position. By the early ‘90s, she was coordinator of the nursing program. “Dr. Clemens, who was then President, called me into his office, telling me we're going to have an allied health building. At first, I was overjoyed,” adds Dr. Veazey. “I had been advocating for that for years. And then he said we were going to share it with West Kentucky Tech. I said, ‘Oh no, we need the space.’ He said, ‘This is going to happen, and you are going to make it happen. So, think about what you want and how you want it done. This will be the model for the merger.’”

“Ultimately it was a test,” she says. “We were able to go into a building and share a space. And that’s what it was—a shared space.” Her leadership in the creation of the allied health program launched Dr. Veazey into administration, and she was named Dean of Academic Affairs.

Soon the news came that the state’s community and technical colleges would merge. And even though the allied health cooperation had been a success, there was very little initial support for a full merger. “We were proud of the affiliation with UK. We were proud of the community college system,” says Dr. Veazey. “And we were proud of West Kentucky Tech. It had such a long history, being one of the first African American colleges in the nation. Our mission was to make them work together.”

Between the passage of HB1 and the merger of PCC and West Kentucky Tech, then PCC President Len O’Hara retired. A search for a new president began. Consequently, Dr. Barbara Veazey became the first woman president, the first to be promoted from within, and the first from western Kentucky. And her first charge was a successful marriage of PCC and West Kentucky Tech. Her goal was clear, she says. “We are going to do this and we are going to become one of the premier community and technology colleges in this nation,” she remembers. And even though the community was not necessarily supportive of the idea of a merger, once it became inevitable, Dr. Veazey was able to rally support.

One of the first steps was to get every program accredited. “If we could achieve accreditation for every discipline, then that would show we were meeting industry standards,” she recalls. “That would drive an up-to-date curriculum, and it would drive up-todate equipment and facilities.It was all supported by our mission to be the best.”

Dr. Veazey also turned her attention to students. “Reading was a major reason why some students didn’t succeed,” said Dr. Veazey. “The faculty implemented a reading program across the curriculum, whether the student was in welding, auto body, or business. And it worked. Success followed.”

The work was often arduous and unpopular. But Dr. Veazey, along with the support of faculty and staff, outlined a vision that couldn’t be denied. And they delivered. In December 2003, the newly christened West Kentucky Community and Technical College received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. And while the achievement was immense, the effort put forth to be the premier community college in the nation was simply the lighting of a fuse.

WKCTC, under the leadership of Dr. Veazey, expanded allied health options, established the Emerging Technology Center, the Skilled Craft Training Center, dual-credit courses for high school students, Workforce Solutions, and eventually, the Paducah School of Art and Design.“The biggest achievement,” adds Dr. Veazey, “was the collaboration between the technical programs and general education. A student could come interested in a technical program, and they could get a certificate. But they could also get an associate degree and then transfer to get a baccalaureate degree. That was our biggest accomplishment for both students and the community.

Employers could get well-educated employees in varying forms.” Then came the prestigious Aspen Institute award in recognition of WKCTC as one of the nation’s top community colleges—for five years!

“There were a lot of criticisms and discussion around our use of the word premier when we began,” adds Dr. Veazey. “But indeed, WKCTC has become a premier, award-winning institution. This college was obviously a huge part of my life. Standing back now, looking at the college 20 years later, I continue to be proud. Current accomplishments are based on our early vision—building up students, building up the community, and making West Kentucky more economically viable.” some of our programs such as in allied health, we offer close to a 100% local placement rate.”

WKCTC ★ by K ATHY M C H ANEY