LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Bluegrass Community and Technical College Foundation has received a $7,900 grant from the Julian-Carver Family Foundation of Versailles, funding an initiative to expand hands-on robotics learning opportunities for students.

The funding will support a project titled "Engagement That Drives Persistence & Credential Completion Through Experiential Learning Robotics Team Participation," which aims to establish a fully equipped Robot Gladiator League chapter at BCTC's Georgetown Campus. The initiative is designed to expand access to experiential learning opportunities and enable more students to connect classroom instruction with real-world technical application.

The program will include expanded faculty mentorship to foster a collaborative environment that promotes engagement, belonging, and academic persistence. Equipment, materials, and practice infrastructure for hands-on engineering, fabrication, and testing activities will be funded through the grant.

"The generous support from the Julian-Carver Family Foundation is an investment in both our students and the future workforce of Central Kentucky," said Dr. Greg Feeney, president and CEO of BCTC. "Through hands-on, experiential learning opportunities like the Robot Gladiator League, we are creating pathways for students to apply their knowledge, build critical technical skills, and persist through to credential completion."

The Julian-Carver Family Foundation was established in 2018 to support education in the southern United States, with a focus on helping community college students attain certificates, diplomas, and degrees. In seven years of grantmaking, the foundation has awarded more than $135,000 to community and technical colleges across Kentucky.

The project is expected to be completed by June 2027. For more information about the Robot Gladiator League, contact Jeff Herrin at jeff.herrin@kctcs.edu.