Hopfame

05/08/2026

Last night's HOPFAME Student Recognition Ceremony was a great success! Congratulations to our award winners:
2026 Adrian Tucker MVP - Jordan Strohl
2026 AMT Distinguished Graduate - Matthew "JoJo" Balthrop

Our HOPFAME Students will be walking across the stage at 3 PM today! Comment below to congratulate our award winners and our graduates!

05/07/2026

🎓 HOPFAME Student Spotlight: Liam Woods! 🎓

Let’s give a huge round of applause to Liam Woods as we celebrate our graduating class! Liam is a 26-year-old Gateway Academy graduate who has shown incredible dedication throughout his time in the program.

Currently gaining expert experience with our partners at JTEKT and already hired-on full-time, Liam joined HOPFAME with a clear mission: "to further expand my career in a trade I would enjoy." His passion for technical work and hands-on problem solving has made him a standout member of this cohort! 🛠️⚙️

Liam’s commitment to service and skill extends far beyond the classroom and the plant. Outside of work and school, he spends his time volunteer firefighting, working on cars, and enjoying quality time with his family. 🚒🏎️👨‍👩‍👦

We are so glad to have Liam in our HOPFAME cohort and are excited to see him continue to grow as a leader in the industry. Congratulations, Liam!

05/07/2026

🎓 HOPFAME Student Spotlight: Jordan Strohl! 🎓

Let’s hear it for Jordan Strohl as we celebrate our graduating class! Jordan is a 33-year-old graduate of Gateway Academy who has brought a wealth of focus and dedication to this year's cohort.

Jordan is currently putting his talents to work with our partners at Metalsa. He joined HOPFAME with a clear vision: he wanted to "learn new skills to create a career and use the skills for other things outside of work." Whether he’s on the clock or working on personal projects, Jordan is all about continuous improvement and building a versatile skill set. 🛠️🏗️

We are so proud of the career path Jordan is carving out and the experience he has shared with our group. We know those skills will serve him well for years to come!

05/07/2026

Tonight is our HOPFAME Student Recognition Ceremony! We're so excited to celebrate our new cohort, our current students, and our graduates! See you at 5 pm!

05/06/2026

Essential Graduation Information Below!

Friday, May 8, HCC will host graduates and their guests at our Spring Commencement & Nurse Pinning Ceremonies.

Nurse Pinning, 9:00AM

Commencement Ceremonies, 12:00PM & 3:00PM

For those preparing to attend just a few quick reminders:

-Parking lots off Talbert Drive are available for guest parking.
-All graduates and attendees must enter through the main entrance of the Auditorium Building.
-Only clear bags are allowed at our ceremonies. Clear bags are subject to search.
-For Commencement only, tickets are required for everyone in attendance, including lap sitters.
-Doors open 30 minutes prior to each ceremony.
-A ceremony overflow room is available. If seating space is available prior to the Commencement ceremonies, overflow guests will be ushered into the lecture hall.
-No signs or balloons are allowed in the Lecture Hall.
-Golf carts will be available for attendees with mobility challenges from the parking lot.
-Late arriving attendees will have their entrance held until an appropriate time in the ceremony allows for entrance.

05/06/2026

🎓 HOPFAME Student Spotlight: Kameron Morris! 🎓

Let’s give a huge shout-out to Kameron Morris as we celebrate our graduating class! A Hopkinsville local and a proud graduate of Gateway Academy, Kameron is also making history as a first-generation college student.

Kameron has been gaining invaluable hands-on experience working with our partners at Huhtamaki. He’s always had a natural talent for mechanics, noting that he joined HOPFAME simply because he "likes working on things." Whether it’s at the plant or at home working on his truck and 4-wheeler, Kameron is clearly in his element! 🛠️🛞

We are so incredibly proud of the path Kameron is forging and the hard work he’s put into this cohort. We can't wait to see all the great things he accomplishes in the maintenance field!

05/06/2026

🎓 HOPFAME Student Spotlight: Josh Carrender! 🎓

Let’s give a huge round of applause to Josh Carrender as we celebrate our graduating class! Josh is a 26-year-old from Elkton who has been making waves during his time in the program.

Josh has already been hired-on fulltime with his sponsor Huhtamaki. He decided to join HOPFAME because he "felt like it was a good opportunity to get into the maintenance field"—and he has certainly turned that opportunity into a solid foundation for his future career! 🛠️💪

We are incredibly proud of the dedication Josh has shown to his craft and are so glad he’s been part of our cohort. We can’t wait to see the great things he achieves in the maintenance world! 🚀

05/05/2026

This Thursday, at our HOPFAME Student Recognition Ceremony, we will be presenting an award in honor of Adrian Tucker. Adrian was in HOPFAME and graduated from the program in 2019. He was a stand-out student who exhibited great leadership and focus on his goals. Unfortunately, Adrian passed in December of 2023.

Every year, each HOPFAME graduating class votes on who they think best exemplifies these qualities:
Demonstrates leadership abilities within HOPFAME cohort
Encourages, motivates, and challenges class peers to be their best
Dedicates themselves to personal growth and achieving goals

We miss Adrian and hope the Adrian Tucker MVP Award will help our students and the community remember his legacy and impact.

We hope to see you Thursday as his mother, Nancy, presents this award.