Gateway To Graduate 995 Students Today

Gateway Community & Technical College will confer 1,786 credentials upon 995 graduates at the colleges 14th annual commencement ceremony today at 7 p.m. at the Northern Kentucky Convention Center.

Our celebration tonight represents years of work on the part of our students and hours of instruction and support by our faculty and staff, said Dr. G. Edward Hughes, Gateway president and CEO. Since its inception in 2001, the college has conferred over 11,900 degrees, diplomas and certificates to over 7,200 graduates. This year, we saw an over 9 percent increase in the number of students receiving credentials and an over 6 percent increase in number of credentials awarded. We are pleased to welcome the class of 2015 as new Gateway alumni and a prepared workforce for the community.

One special student who will walk tonight is Jasper Bichler, a Ryle High School senior who will graduate this summer with his Associate in Science degree. He is the first of Gateway Regional Academy (GRA) students to earn his AS degree while in high school. Bichler started at Gateway as a sophomore and has used Advanced Placement (AP) courses, one College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Spanish test and Gateway Regional Academy (GRA) dual credit to earn his AS degree. Jasper has been accepted into NKUs College of Informatics and will start there in the fall.

The ceremony will feature the presentation of the annual Student Choice Awards to outstanding faculty and staff nominated and selected by students. The college also will announce faculty and staff New Horizon nominees for statewide recognition by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System and confer GEDs upon 50 individuals who have successfully completed the requirements for a general equivalency diploma.

Gateway credentials to be awarded include associate in arts, associate in science, and associate in applied science degrees, plus technical diplomas and certificates. Many graduates receive more than one credential.

Gateway Community & Technical College is one of 16 colleges that comprise the Kentucky Community and Technical College System. In all, KCTCS will honor more than 7,150 candidates receiving nearly 14,000 credentials for graduation this spring in 16 college ceremonies across the state.