Copperas Cove Student Overcomes Personal Trials to Earn College Degree From Central Texas College Ahead of High School Graduation
 

KILLEEN, TEXAS (May 6, 2025) — When Copperas Cove High School student Emily Kimball enrolled at Central Texas College (CTC) as a sophomore, she anticipated academic rigor—but she couldn’t have predicted the personal challenges that would unfold during her journey. With her father’s cancer diagnosis and the departure of her closest sibling, Kimball found herself facing more than just college-level coursework.

“I felt like I was navigating it alone and had to work ten times harder to get my mind off everything,” Kimball said. “That year, I got to see how a college community operated and it showed me that no matter what I went through, I’d have professors willing to understand and accommodate my academic and personal needs.”

This Friday, Kimball will walk the stage at the Central Texas College Spring Graduation Ceremony at Cadence Bank Center in Belton—earning her Associate of Arts in General Studies before receiving her high school diploma from Copperas Cove High School later this month.

Kimball is one of 34 Copperas Cove ISD students and 1,037 total students worldwide graduating with an associate degree from CTC. Another 428 students will receive industry certifications. Of the Killeen ISD students graduating, 209 are dual credit students, including 152 from the Early College High School program, 39 from the STEM Academy, and 18 traditional dual credit participants. 

Central Texas College Chancellor Dr. Michele J. Carter praised the accomplishments of all graduates, especially those like Kimball who overcame significant adversity.

“Our students inspire us every day,” Carter said. “Their resilience, especially our dual credit students balancing high school and college demands, our soldiers who are active-duty, and those students working full-time jobs and striving toward a better quality of life, demonstrates the power of opportunity. Central Texas College is proud to play a role in changing the trajectory of their lives—providing access, support, and a foundation for lifelong success.”

For Kimball, the journey has been transformative.

“The first time I stepped onto campus was for dual credit orientation, and I was so nervous,” she said. “Now, after pushing through and accomplishing everything that I have, I feel almost invincible. These years brought challenges, but they also built my faith in myself—and that faith is why I’m walking the stage on Friday night.”

The Central Texas College Spring Graduation Ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m., Friday, at the Cadence Bank Center in Belton.