Hopkinsville, KY – Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) is proud to announce the new Dr. Ben Self Scholarship Endowment Fund in support of students who are pursuing a credential at HCC in the academic division area of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (LASS) and have the intent of transferring to a 4-year college or university.The Dr. Ben Self Scholarship Endowment was established with an initial gift of $20,000 by Dr. Self’s widow, Mrs. Carolyn Self. The scholarship will be awarded annually beginning in the fall 2026 semester and will provide financial assistance for fees, tuition, books, and other educational supplies.
“Ben was brilliant and well-educated, and he was concerned to educate others. He felt like his job was to make people think,” explained Mrs. Self.
To be eligible for the Dr. Ben Self Scholarship, applicants must:
- Be pursuing a credential at HCC in a program within the Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Have intent of transferring to a 4-year college or university
- Enrolled in classes at least in a part-time status
- Have a GPA of at least 2.5
“The college is honored to hold a scholarship endowment in memorium of Dr. Self. He was a well-respected faculty member at HCC for decades and remains a prominent figure in our history,” stated HCC President Alissa Young.
Dr. Self was invited to join the newly formed faculty at the Hopkinsville Community College in 1968, which was then part of the University of Kentucky. He taught courses at HCC in philosophy, religion, English composition, logic, ethics, public speaking and theater for 28 years.
Dr. Ben Self was born in Texas in 1931. After graduating from Rosenberg High School at the age of 16, he went to Baylor University where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in philosophy.
Dr. Self also received a scholarship to Yale Divinity School where he earned a master’s degree in divinity. Later, he continued his education, earning a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt Divinity School. In the summer of 1954, while at Yale, Dr. Self served as the park pastor at the Crater Lake National Park in Oregon as part of a program through the National Council of Churches where he met his future wife, Carolyn Cleland.
Additionally, Dr. Self pastored churches in New York City; Laverne, Tennessee; and Midway Baptist Church in Caldwell County, Kentucky. He also served as interim pastor at numerous churches including multiple stints at Kelly Baptist Church and Millbrooke Christian Church. As a member of First Baptist Church, Hopkinsville, he served as congregational moderator for over 25 years and taught Sunday School classes for many different ages and groups.
Dr. Self authored three books, including, “Loving God with Your Mind”, as well as numerous articles about the Christian faith published in various journals and magazines. In the early 1970s he served as the chairman of the Hopkinsville Human Relations Commission during the integration of the city and county school systems. Over the years, he moderated many community forums.
Dr. Self and Carolyn were married for 67 years until his passing in October 2024. Their family includes three adult sons, Dr. Stephen Self, Timothy Self, and Judge Andrew Self along with 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
The Dr. Ben Self Scholarship is open to gifts at any time. To donate, contact the HCC Advancement Office at 270.707.3733 or mail donations to Hopkinsville Community College, Attn: Advancement Department, PO Box 2100, Hopkinsville, KY 42241.
About Hopkinsville Community College
For many Pennyrile Kentucky region and Fort Campbell residents, higher education begins at Hopkinsville Community College (HCC). The college serves thousands of area residents each year as a comprehensive regional learning center providing academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning.
As part of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, HCC is a critical component to transforming the region’s economy by providing citizens with the education and training needed for high growth, high wage careers.
For more information, visit Hopkinsville.kctcs.edu.
