Owensboro Community and Technical College

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OCTC Alum Justin Cecil is awarded USI's Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship

by Monty Helm

Owensboro, KY (04/02/2018) — Owensboro Community & Technical College alumnus Justin Cecil, was awarded the Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship from the University of Southern Indiana (USI). The Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship is a competitive award program for a talented graduate of USI's Art and Design Department. It provides an artist with the opportunity to develop a strong portfolio in preparation for graduate study. In 2017, Cecil earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree at USI majoring in studio arts.

"We are so proud of all that Justin has accomplished and hope that his story will inspire other students to continue their studies through transfer. We look forward to seeing all the art he creates during this fellowship year" added Scott Williams, OCTC President.

The Efroymson Bridge Year fellowship is awarded to one student each year at USI. Cecil is receiving a stipend for two consecutive semesters to allow him to expand his work, have a faculty mentor, and serve as a teaching assistant. Cecil serves as a teaching assistant in the area of printmaking under Brett Anderson. In addition, he is taking a graduate course, Advanced Study in Art and Design.

Cecil is also allocated office and studio space at USI to conduct research and create a body of work that will be featured in an exhibition scheduled at the conclusion of the fellowship in 2019.

Cecil commented, "My time at USI has been wonderful. USI allowed me to further develop the skills and ideas that began at OCTC. OCTC brought art back into my life and provided me with a community of talented artists whose work continues to inspire me".

Cecil lives in Whitesville, Kentucky and commutes to USI. He earned his Associate in Fine Arts Degree from OCTC in 2015 and transferred to USI continuing his pursuit of art. He exhibits competitively and is an accomplished studio artist primarily working in the medias of printmaking and painting.

Cecil received a Merit Award during his tenure at OCTC and has a piece that is in the college's permanent collection, the ceramic "Blue Heron Box".

For more information about opportunities at OCTC in the area of fine arts, please contact Monty Helm, program coordinator atmonty.helm@kctcs.edu.

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Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.

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The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.

Connect with OCTC: Owensboro.kctcs | Facebook.com/owensboroctc | Twitter@OCTC_Tweets | Instagram OwensboroCTC

Media Attachments

OCTC alum Justin Cecil, recent USI grad and artist earned the presitgious Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship from the University of Southern Indiana (USI).

Bill Monroe as captured by Justin Cecil

Chicken With Woman painting by Justin Cecil

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