Local professionals started higher education in Ashland
April 29, 2018
Ashland Community and Technical College continues its 80th anniversary celebration
by honoring local professionals who attended ACTC’s predecessors.
For the past 27 years, Greg Ray has been a part of the Ashland Fire Department, beginning
as a firefighter, then to engineer, captain, battalion chief, deputy chief. Ray finally
reached his goal of fire chief in August of 2017.
“My family has always been involved with the fire department,” Ray said. “Grandfathers,
great uncles, cousins, all in the fire department over the years.”
But before Ray began a career in public service, he was a student at Ashland
Community College.
He graduated from Paul G. Blazer High School in 1977 and enrolled at the college.
He earned his Associate of Applied Science in 1979.
Ray said he chose the college because of its location and affordability.
“At the time I had to put myself through college,” he said. “So I worked locally
and got my basic classes in at ACC at the time. I always knew I was going to transfer
to Marshall, which allowed me to still work locally and commute back and forth daily.”
During his time at Marshall, Ray married and started a family, putting his education
on hold for a few years. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in business
administration.
Ray said he worked in sales and management for a while, but eventually heard
the call of the fire department. He was hired on in 1991.
“I’ve had the chance in my career now to go back to ACTC and get my associates
in fire safety,” Ray said. “A lot of people who are already in their careers could
go back and finish a degree because the college is right here in our city. Being here
locally and having to work full-time and go to college at the same time, it made it
convenient.”
Ray said, looking back on his college experience, he is glad he chose his hometown
community college.
“I’m sure if I had moved away from home, and on my own, it would have been harder
to work and do my college studies both,” he said. “It allowed me to get my feet wet
before jumping into a larger university.”
Katie Cornwell Fellure also got her education at an ACTC predecessor. After graduating
from Boyd County High School in 1976, she enrolled at Ashland Area Vocational School.
“After talking with seasoned hairdressers, I learned that the education I would
receive at ACTC would fulfill my educational needs and direct me in the first steps
of my long-term career.”
Fellure completed the vocational school’s cosmetology program in 1978 and continued
on her path to earning her Master Cosmetology degree.
“On completion of beauty school, I began my apprenticeship at a salon which was
owned by an instructor at Ashland Area Vocational School,” she said. “During this
time I learned many valuable skills from master stylists and mentors and achieved
my Master Cosmologist degree.”
Fellure worked in salons for 10 year before opening her own business, Feluchees Hair
Salon, in 1987. The salon is located at 808 Blackburn Ave., Ashland, and Fellure said
she proudly employs several ACTC graduates.
Fellure said attending Ashland Area Vocational School prepared her for achieving
her dream of becoming a Master Cosmetologist, and believes ACTC is an important part
of the community.
“My instructors were wonderful. They not only taught me all the basic skills
of cosmetology but also how to work with the public and provide excellent customer
service,” she said. “Most importantly, I gained lifelong friendships and clientele.
The instruction ACTC provides is very much essential to our community. Not everyone
in the beginning of their careers choose to go away. ACTC feeds skilled employees
with diverse educational backgrounds back into our community.”