Dr. Ryan Quarles
President
Kentucky Community & Technical College System
Our students, families, employers, policymakers and communities are making decisions every day based on what they understand about higher education. That is especially important for community and technical colleges, where we are still working to overcome outdated perceptions about who we serve, the quality of our programs and the opportunities our credentials provide. If we are not clearly and consistently telling our story, someone else will define it for us.
That is why I believe college leadership must treat communications professionals as strategic partners. They help us understand our audiences, strengthen our reputation, prepare for challenges, identify opportunities and most importantly connect the work happening inside our institutions with the people who need to know about it.
I trust our communications professionals to be strategic advisors. Good communications does not begin when a news release is written or a social media post is published. It begins when decisions are being made. Giving marketing and communications professionals a seat at the table helps us communicate more clearly, respond more effectively and lead more thoughtfully.
That message is personal to me. My own educational journey included Lexington Community College, the predecessor of today’s Bluegrass Community and Technical College, before eventually taking me to the University of Kentucky, Harvard University and Vanderbilt University. I know firsthand that a student’s path does not have to look traditional to lead to extraordinary opportunities.
Through statewide media appearances, including an hour-long KET discussion devoted to Kentucky’s community and technical colleges and an appearance on WKYT’s Kentucky Newsmakers just in the past few months, I have worked to elevate conversations about affordability, workforce development, technical education and the changing value proposition of higher education.
Another important example is our work to expand corrections and second-chance education. Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS) colleges are helping incarcerated Kentuckians earn credentials and prepare for employment, and we are working with state leaders and employers to build stronger connections between education, re-entry and the workforce.
Our broader KCTCS for Kentucky initiative follows the same philosophy. We are bringing together colleges, employers, government, economic development organizations and local leaders to ask two simple questions: What does Kentucky need from its community and technical college system, and how can we respond?
My mother was a nurse and an educator who taught nursing at Kentucky State University for more than 30 years. She believed deeply in education and taught me that learning is a lifelong pursuit and education has the power to change the direction of a person’s life.
She returned to school as an adult learner to earn her doctorate, and one of my most meaningful memories is walking across the graduation stage at the University of Kentucky with her, while I was earning one of my master’s degrees. It represented everything she taught me: You are never finished learning, growing or finding new ways to serve others.
Growing up on a farm in rural Kentucky, I understood early that education could open doors. My mother believed everyone deserved an opportunity to succeed and that, given the right opportunity, people could accomplish far more than they might have imagined for themselves.
That philosophy has followed me throughout my career, and it is one of the reasons I continued my own education and ultimately pursued a career in this field. I now hold seven degrees, but the lesson she gave me was never about collecting degrees. It was about remaining curious, continuing to grow and using what you learn to create opportunities for other people.
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