Paducah's Caitlin Dillman Named WKCTC's 2021 September Student of the Month

Congratulations to Caitlin Dillman as the 2021 September Student of the Month at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. Born and raised in Paducah, Caitlin has overcome many obstacles in becoming an excellent student at the college.

A criminal justice major, Caitlin said she hopes to work in law enforcement in some way to make a positive impact on people's lives.

"I feel honored and humbled to be chosen as a WKCTC Student of the Month. Honestly, if someone would have told me five years ago that this is what my life would look like now, I would have laughed and told them they were crazy," she said. "At that time, I was in active addiction, losing everything and everyone in my life that meant anything to me, and my life was on a path of pure destruction."

Caitlin enrolled at WKCTC in 2019, and her life has been on a path to success over the past two years. As a single mother, she said she works hard every day to set a positive example for her three sons, Bentley, 8; Caleb, 4; and Anthony, 2.

"I chose WKCTC because it's close to home and it's affordable.I needed somewhere that could work around my schedule and somewhere that I wouldn't just be another name on a roll-call list, and I found that at WKCTC with my amazing professors," she said.

Caitlin has served in Alpha Epsilon Beta (AEB), the college's criminal justice club, actively participating and in many activities such as the annual Justice Run to fight against child abuse. She currently serves as the club's president.

"I have had the privilege of having Caitlin in class; she is a great leader and facilitator in class discussions. Her attendance and participation positively contribute to student learning in the classroom," said Melissa Durbin, WKCTC instructor and AEB co-advisor.

Caitlin said her advice to her fellow WKCTC students is "to never give up. The journey of life is full of potholes, roadblocks, speed bumps and construction zones; adjust your speed accordingly, and you'll make it to your destination with plenty of stories to tell!"

To view these students click here: https://westkentucky.meritpages.com/achievements/Paducah-s-Caitlin-Dillman-Named-WKCTC-s-2021-September-Student-of-the-Month/140953