Culture and Engagement

BCTC is a collaborative and inclusive space, both digitally and physically. The resources below will connect you with our student and staff supports, events, forms, and more.

You Belong at BCTC

Welcome to Bluegrass Community and Technical College from The Office of Culture and Engagement!

I am Dr. Carlous Yates, and it is an honor and privilege to serve as your Vice President of Culture and Engagement. The Office of Culture and Engagement advances academic excellence by increasing and advocating for campus diversity and inclusion. Culture and Engagement undertakes initiatives to recruit, retain, and succeed underrepresented students, faculty, and staff by collaborating with academic units, community partners, and national organizations and institutions.

As the nation becomes more diverse, our campuses must reflect this diversity. Diversity on a college campus is not just to benefit the most marginalized/underrepresented groups. We (BCTC) strongly believe that we must create the best educational environment possible for students whose lives will significantly change during their time at BCTC.

While we have a diverse community at BCTC, there is still work to do. Diversity is an action, inclusivity is cultural, and belonging is a feeling. Having courageous conversations around diversity, equity and inclusion can be difficult. Our goal is to invite you to have courageous conversations that allow vulnerability while also establishing expectations of a safe and welcoming BCTC Community.

Carlous B. Yates, Ed.D.
Vice President of Culture and Engagement

Culture and Engagement

It's important to us that where we spend our time studying and working should reflect and embrace all. There is such a broad range of human experiences and perspectives. It not only enriches the quality and vibrancy of campus life. It increases our capacity to learn and disseminate knowledge. It prepares us for engaged citizenship & leadership in a diverse and global society.

We do this by increasing and advocating for campus diversity and inclusion. Culture and Engagement undertakes initiatives aimed at underrepresented groups' recruitment, retention, and success. These groups include students, faculty, and staff. Who do we work with? Academic units, community partners, and national organizations and institutions.

We must create the best educational environment possible for students. Their lives will be significantly changed during their time at BCTC.

Mission

The Office of Culture and Engagement advances academic excellence by increasing and advocating for campus diversity and inclusion.

Recruitment
Retention
Success of underrepresented minorities (URM - Students, Faculty, and Staff)

We (BCTC) strongly believe that we have an obligation to create the best educational environment possible for students whose lives will be significantly changed during their time at BCTC.

BCTC Diversity Plan

Opportunity

Develop a comprehensive outreach and communication plan for Under Represented Minority (URM) student populations to include high school visits, partnerships with high school and community organizations and campus visit programs.
Enhance recruitment communication for both internal and external stakeholders.
Enhance marketing communication for both internal and external stakeholders.
Enhance communication to students to increase credential completion

Success

Develop a comprehensive plan of services aimed at engaging students for the first year to the start of the second year.
Strengthen academic and student services to support student engagement and completion
Identify and cultivate partnerships with business and industry and other community organizations and schools in the central Kentucky region for targeted programs.
Develop and implement a comprehensive array of academic, career and support services for Under Represented Minority (URM) students

Impact

Improve position postings by expanding content and placement for advertising including use of social media and other strategies for reaching diverse candidates.
Improve hiring processes by ensuring selection of inclusive search committee members and monitoring processes to use all tools for equitable assessment of candidates.
Improve onboarding processes with a common set of activities and expectations in a new employee course including content on the college philosophies around equity and inclusion.
Engage in development of a supportive campus climate by creating and implementing a Cultural Competency Certification Program.

Student Stories: Alplato's Why

I always wanted to go into government and politics. BCTC provided an atmosphere where I could achieve what I dreamed about. I now work for the Commonwealth of Kentucky and have a master's degree in public administration. I would not have my success story without BCTC.

His Story

Centers

Programs and initiatives

Forms

BCTC uses the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as a guide to define disability. A condition that substantially limits a major life activity (such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, and learning) and is covered under the ADA makes a student eligible for services from Student Accessibility Services (SAS).

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Safe Space training

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Safe Space Training