Stan Lewis Memorial Scholarship Awarded to Ashley Dillard
Madisonville Community College (MCC) student Ashley Dillard has been selected as the recipient of the Stan Lewis Memorial Scholarship for the fall 2016 semester. The scholarship is awarded to an academically-talented minority student in memory of Stan Lewis, the first African American faculty member at Madisonville Community College. Mr. Lewis was dedicated to meeting the needs of MCC students for over 28 years by providing genuine kindness, concern, and the best possible service to all.Dillard, of Hopkinsville and currently residing in Madisonville, is enrolled in the Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) program at MCC and anticipates graduating in May 2017. She was honored to be selected and shared, Being the recipient of the Stan Lewis Memorial Scholarship means a great deal to me because Mr. Lewis valued multiculturalism and diversity. I m an excellent representation of both. I m black, a woman, and most importantly deaf. I identify with three categories of the minority population and I am proud to be succeeding in a challenging allied health field. Someday I would like to mentor a group of students with similar backgrounds as me who are interested in the STEM field and encourage them that they, too, can be as successful as I am.
When asked why she chose the MLT program, Dillard stated, It s because it s a combination of two passions -- medical and laboratory science. It is fascinating to place different pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together to figure out what type of organism has infected a patient and figure out which antibiotic will be susceptible to it. At first, I faced a communication barrier because of my deafness; however, with the support I received at school, I am succeeding in the MLT program. I m detail-oriented; I value accuracy and thoroughness. Being naturally inquisitive, I always ask questions in class or lab. MLT jobs provide stability and security and it s in demand in the near future.
Dillard is looking forward to entering the workforce in either rural or metropolitan areas in Kentucky. She will also be looking into several graduate programs, specifically in clinical microbiology.