Bowling Green College Backs First-Generation Students
First-generation students at SKYCTC can look to campus emergency aid, scholarships and basic-needs support as they navigate college costs.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Financial Aid
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Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College held its First Gen Day celebration for first-generation college students on Nov. 10, 2026, supported by a $5,000 national grant awarded to the college. The event featured student stories, panel discussions and a $200 scholarship presentation.
Why it matters
Roughly 61% of the college's nearly 7,000 students are first-generation, so the event targets a large share of its population facing financial strain and navigating college without family experience. The celebration highlights supports that can ease costs and help students persist to a credential.
Roughly 61% of SKYCTC's nearly 7,000 students are first-generation, based on FAFSA data. The event included a $200 scholarship presentation, and the celebration was supported by a $5,000 national grant awarded to the college.
The players
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College (SKYCTC)
A public community and technical college in Bowling Green, Ky., with nearly 7,000 students and a large first-generation population.
Kendra Duncan
A first-generation business administration student at SKYCTC who plans to graduate in December and continue at the University of Kentucky.
Javier Fernandez
A first-generation SKYCTC nursing student who moved to the United States from Cuba.
The details
The college estimated its first-generation share using information collected through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, so students who never complete that form are not counted. The First Gen Day program combined student stories and panel discussions with a $200 scholarship presentation in the Social Staircase Lobby of Building L on the main campus. Students who want to know which campus supports apply to their situation can ask the college's financial-aid office about the Pathfinder Pantry, emergency financial assistance and child care support.
Timeline
Nov. 10, 2026: First Gen Day celebration held at the main campus in Bowling Green.
December 2026: Kendra Duncan, a first-generation business administration student, plans to graduate.
Education Landscape
First-generation students make up a large share of community college enrollment, and their needs for financial and emotional support are central to completion. Events like First Gen Day sit within a wider push by two-year colleges to make aid and support more visible to students who lack family experience navigating college.
If you are the first in your family to attend college, ask your school's financial-aid office about emergency assistance, food and child care support, and help covering supplies or required uniforms. Completing the FAFSA is the step that determines whether you can be counted for many of these supports.
The takeaway
First-generation students make up a large share of community college campuses, so support programs are a practical resource to explore early. Ask your college's financial-aid office which emergency and basic-needs programs are available before you need them.
Further reading
For more on the aid programs that support students like these, browse Financial Aid coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WNKY News 40 Television.
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