Bluegrass Technical & Community College talks success with foreign born students

As Mayor's International Advisory Commission meets for the first time this year

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — The Mayor’s International Affairs Advisory Commission in Lexington, meeting for the first time this year on Friday.
It was created with the purpose of providing information to the governor and the Fayette Urban County Council on issues concerning foreign born residents in the area.

“We’ve done quite a bit helping our immigrant and international students a transition into the commonwealth, as you know Lexington is actually destination for refugee students, especially Congolese students, and BCTC (Bluegrass Community & Technical College) is actually their first stop in terms of higher education,” says Dr. Iddah Aoko Otieno, professor English & African Studies Director, Kenya Exchange Program Humanities at BCTC.

Those with Bluegrass Community and Technical College presenting their initiatives Friday, to help students become successful, especially those who may otherwise not be able to earn a degree to the Mayor’s International Advisory Commission.

“BCTC is leading actually in this region with regards to helping our students transition into the workforce, and I’m very proud to be part of the process and also as a teacher, but also part of the exchange program that takes our students from the Commonwealth of Kentucky to other parts of the world through educational travel,” added Dr. Otieno.

The main purpose of the commission, “and so our role is to give some guidance to the mayor and the rest of the Council on International Affairs and things that affect our immigrant community here in Lexington,” added Jennifer Reynolds of the 11th District Council Member, Urban County Council.

Those with the college say, they’ve been working to ensure that every student gets the proper higher education, including those who may think they might not be able to afford it.

“With BCTC, we have those programs, we have wraparound services, we have scholarships, and we have students and faculty who are ready to work to help those students who actually can dream to go back to school and make their lives better,” added Dr. Otieno.

For more information on BCTC, click here.