Kentucky’s network of community and technical colleges are among the institutions impacted by last weekend’s floods.
Big Sandy Community and Technical College in Prestonsburg and Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College in Cumberland are among the eastern Kentucky institutions affected by the flood. Hazard Community and Technical College’s campus in Jackson has also been without water.
Hazard Community and Technical College President Jennifer Lindon says “every point” of education is affected during disasters like these.
“If they have an online class, possibly they've lost their laptop or their course materials, or maybe they've lost their vehicle and they can't get to class or clinical, or perhaps the child care that they so depended on, perhaps they don't have that available now ,” Lindon said.
Lindon says the college is assessing damages and figuring out what the most immediate needs are, and are working to support their students as much as possible.
“The main reason that students drop out of college is not because of academic barriers. It's because of non-academic barriers. And when you have a natural disaster, my, what non-academic barriers you face, you know? And that's the concern,” Lindon said.
In the meantime, the college system has created a disaster relief fund meant to help students and their families. Donations can be made here.
