MCC Muhlenberg County Campus - 15 Years of Educational Progress

The Muhlenberg County Campus of Madisonville Community College (MCC), tagged as the Muhlenberg Miracle, is celebrating the 15th year of providing educational opportunities to the citizens of Muhlenberg County. MCC President Dr. Cindy Kelley is excited about the future of the campus and shared, The citizens of Muhlenberg County have been loyal supporters of MCC s Muhlenberg County campus and its programs. I look forward to continuing work with the community to grow programs and offer classes and services that will be of benefit our students and community.

Plans began in the early 1990s to take the college s extended campus programming to a new level. In Muhlenberg County, the momentum grew quickly among the community leaders with considerable eagerness to bring a greater higher education presence to the county. In 1992, the Muhlenberg Campus project was included in the MCC Partners in Progress gift campaign. The project was boosted by the donation of a twenty acre site on U.S. 62 across from the National Guard Armory in Central City from the Everly Brothers Foundation in cooperation with the City of Central City.

Next, a committee of local volunteers, co-chaired by John Stovall and Dennis Kirtley, started working with the MCC Advancement Office to raise money for the building s construction. Substantial contributions from local businesses and community leaders aided the fundraising efforts. In all, there were seventy contributions of $20,000 or more, and supporters of the Muhlenberg County Campus raised over $3 million of the approximately $4 million needed for the construction and equipping of the 25,000 square foot facility. The Kentucky General Assembly provided an additional $700,000 and the Muhlenberg County Fiscal Court provided another $100,000 to complete the project.

After many years of work, the MCC Muhlenberg County Campus was ready for students and officially opened its doors on August 31, 2001. At the dedication ceremony, John Stovall reflected on the installation speech given in 1999 by MCC President Dr. Judith L. Rhoads (retired). Her hopes were that the Muhlenberg County Campus would raise Muhlenberg County from one of the lowest percentages of high school graduates to one of the highest. Then it should raise our level of people with two-year or four-year college degrees. This campus will get a lot of people started on their way to college degrees.

Those hopes are being realized and the community impact of the campus has been tremendous. Over the past 15 years, thousands of students have earned associate degrees and other credentials or sought to strengthen their academic skill levels. The campus offers two degree completion options the Associate in Arts transfer degree and the Health Science Technology degree. The county s high school graduation rate now stands at 84.8% (Source: Kentucky Department of Education School Report Card 2015-2016) and efforts are continuing to increase the percentage of adults ages 25-64 with an associate's degree or higher. Muhlenberg County is currently at 21.4% (Source: American Community Survey [2010-2014] 5 Year Estimates).

Additionally, the students, faculty and staff of the MCC Muhlenberg County Campus have developed an extensive community outreach. Over the years, they have actively participated in blood drives, Friends of the Library activities, hosted spelling and math contests for elementary school students, and supported the local Backpack program through numerous fundraising activities.

Madisonville Community College is proud of the spirit of Muhlenberg County. The community has invested in education as a key to a more successful future for its citizens. The generosity of individuals such as Iris Givens, Felix Martin, Jr., Irene Sadler, and Pauline and P.A. Shaver has given root for more Muhlenberg Miracles.