KCTCS celebrates $100,000 scholarship award milestone from Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels for KY Colonels Better Life Scholarship

Published on Dec 14, 2023

Kentucky Community and Technical College System is proud to announce a significant milestone of 20 years in its partnership with the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and the celebration of a $100,000 scholarship award for the KY Colonels Better Life Scholarship. This substantial donation marks a pivotal moment in the program's history, which commenced in 2003.

The KY Colonels Better Life Scholarship provides tuition awards to eligible students at every college within KCTCS that are single parents with children under 12 years old. The scholarship focuses on working parents and first-generation college students. Recipients are eligible to receive awards for up to four semesters, with a maximum of $1,500 per semester.

Since its inception, the program has had a profound impact on the lives of students and families throughout the KCTCS System. The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels has generously donated a total of $1,655,000 to the Better Life Scholarship, supporting 475 students with scholarships.

Sherry Crose, executive director of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels, emphasized the organization's commitment to its mission.

"The Board of Trustees, in 2003, had a goal to help individuals better their lives while making a positive impact on families. The Better Life Scholarship with KCTCS is accomplishing that goal,” she said. “On behalf of the Trustees and over 30,000 Kentucky Colonels, we believe in KCTCS students and know that they are the future of the commonwealth."

Scott Tracy, assistant vice president for philanthropy and executive director of the KCTCS Foundation, expressed gratitude for the enduring impact of the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels' commitment to supporting education for single, working parents.

"The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels' commitment to supporting education for these single, working parents has made a profound impact on the lives of numerous students and families across the entire KCTCS System and will continue to do so for generations,” said Tracy. “We are so honored and thankful to be able to partner with the Colonels in a testament to the transformative power of higher education.”

The Better Life Scholarship has been instrumental in providing opportunities for individuals seeking to enhance their lives through education. KCTCS is dedicated to nurturing this legacy of support and looks forward to the future achievements of scholarship recipients.

Students interested in applying for the Better Life Scholarship should visit the scholarship page of their local KCTCS college website.