A new campaign launched by Work Ready Kentucky received a boost in the way of a star-powered endorsement from Kentucky native and resident, Buffalo "B." Stille. Stille encourages adult Kentuckians to pursue a degree or certification through the "Never Underestimate You!" campaign, aimed at empowering adults through education and employment preparedness.
Work Ready Kentucky has launched a new campaign aimed at recruiting adults to earn college degrees. Owensboro Community and Technical College has offered scholarships through the program since 2017 and administrators are excited to continue doing so under the new campaign. The new campaign employs the slogan "Never Underestimate You!" and is enjoying a boost from famous Hip-Hop artist and native Kentuckian, Buffalo "B." Stille from the band Nappy Roots. The program is focused on increasing access to post-secondary education for adults already in the workforce with the goal of increasing their employability.
Work Ready Kentucky is an initiative started in 2017 that provides scholarships to eligible residents of Kentucky to pursue a degree at any of 21 participating colleges and universities across the state. To be considered eligible, applicants must have US citizenship and Kentucky residency, must have a high school diploma or GED, must not already possess an associates degree or higher, and must not be currently in default on any Title IV or KHEAA programs. Accepted students can receive up to 60 hours of free tuition applicable to over 350 course options, including courses in certification programs in the high-demand fields of healthcare, manufacturing, business and IT, transportation and logistics, and construction.
Owensboro Community and Technical College awarded nearly $800,000 in scholarships for the 2019-2020 academic year and has already awarded scholarships this year to 182 students for the fall semester. In a recent press release, OCTC Director of Financial Aid expressed her enthusiasm for the program and her department's eagerness to assist those interested stating, "We are excited to be able to offer students this resource. Interested students can check out the website or contact our financial aid staff to get help with the process. If students are unsure of which program they want to pursue, we can refer them to the Pathfinder Den where the success coaches can help them explore all their options." The new campaign has also added a hotline (833-711-WRKS) for receiving guidance on the program and the application process. Scholarships are on a first-come, first-served system.
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of this year's campaign, "Never Underestimate You!" is the endorsement from native Kentuckian and Grammy-nominated Hip-Hop artist Buffalo "B." Stille. Stille recently earned his bachelor's degree and is eager to encourage his fellow Kentuckians to pursue higher education as a pathway to a better life. In an effort to help promote the new campaign, Stille wrote and recorded a new song. In a video posted on YouTube, the artist explains how he made the decision to pursue his degree to better prepare him to run a business. Stille says, "I believe that education is the one thing that nobody can take away from you. The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship program is amazing because it offers a lot of different skills sets and is tuition free. If I can go back to school, anybody can do it."