Hannah Palai
Hopkinsville Community College is recognizing its Class of 2020 and has announced the Spirit Cup and All-Academic Team award-winners.
The Spirit Cup Outstanding Hopkinsville Community College Graduate Award, given by the Alpha Delta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, is traditionally presented annually during HCC’s commencement ceremony that could not be held at this time due to COVID-19.
The 2020 recipient is Hannah Palai of Fort Campbell. She served as the president of the Hopkinsville’s Kentucky Association of Nursing Students club at HCC and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She graduates with an associate of applied science degree in nursing with a 3.3 GPA.
According to an HCC faculty member’s nomination, she also assumed the role of Nurse Extern at Jennie Stuart Health in the Progressive Care Unit. Palai was able to work as an extern while she completed her nursing courses, and has been able to gain much needed nursing experience while building relationships with community members at Jennie Stuart.
The KCTCS All-Academic Team honors two students from each college – one student representing the transfer associates degree and another student pursuing a technical/occupational program associates degree. Students are selected according to their academic success.
This year’s honorees are Emma Sunderhaus of Hopkinsville and Jennifer Gomez Villegas, now of Germany, who both achieved a 4.0 GPA.
HCC President, Dr. Alissa Young congratulated the Class of 2020 in an online video and challenged them to continue aspiring toward big goals in the future.
While a traditional commencement could not be held at this time, Dr. Young says HCC remains committed to calling those students back when it’s safe to be honored with an in-person graduation. A virtual graduation is also being developed and graduates are being contacted by email to participate in the coming days.
Emma Sunderhaus
Jennifer Villegas