Laptops donated by SOAR sit ready for distribution at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College. The devices will revive the college’s loaner program, offering essential tech access to students in need. (Photo submitted)

Thanks to a generous gift from Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR), Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College will be able to relaunch its student loaner laptop program, helping students continue their education during times of hardship. The Southeast Education Foundation played a key role in securing and coordinating this gift, working closely with SOAR and campus leadership to ensure the donation would directly benefit students in need.
Originally created during the COVID-19 pandemic, the loaner program provided vital access to technology for students navigating remote learning and personal challenges. With this new donation, Southeast can once again offer short-term laptop access to students who may not otherwise be able to participate in classes.
“These laptops will be used to revive the student loaner laptop program that we started during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Merrill Galloway, information technology officer at SKCTC. “We’re incredibly grateful to SOAR for making it possible to continue this work and support students who are doing their best to stay enrolled despite personal or financial difficulties.”
SOAR leaders say the donation aligns with their broader mission to create opportunity and remove barriers for Eastern Kentucky residents.
“Our mandate is simple: a meaningful job for every Eastern Kentuckian,” said Joshua Ball, chief operating officer at SOAR. “One of the greatest equalizers in achieving that is education. Whether it’s a credential or a degree, education opens the door not just to employment, but to purpose—to staying in the region, raising a family, and contributing to our communities. That’s why this isn’t just a donation. It’s an investment in our most valuable natural resource: our people.”
Southeast and SOAR have worked together on multiple projects focused on economic and educational opportunity, and this latest gift continues that legacy of impact.
For more information about the Southeast Education Foundation and how you can support student success, visit southeast.kctcs.edu or contact Dr. Lee Harrison at lee.harrison@kctcs.edu or 606.589.3152.