Helen Brunty retiring after 30 years of service to HCTC

It was a love story that sent Tennessee native Helen Brunty to Kentucky. She met her husband, Ron, at an educational conference in Louisville. Ron asked her to marry him two years later after the conference. They married in April 1992. She began her career at Hazard Community and Technical College (HCTC) as a Career and Transfer Counselor with the Student Support Services Program on January 21, 1992.

Brunty later served as the Transfer and Career Counselor for the University Center of the Mountains, stepping into the role of Co-Director in 2021. She also served many years as a faculty advisor to the Student Government Association (SGA).

She applied a holistic advising approach with students, working with them to overcome barriers that could hinder their educational success. Along with helping students, she was the Co-Chair of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Peer Team. The team created a template to assist colleges and universities in creating transfer plans students will need.

“Helen has always put her students first,” said Dr. Deronda Mobelini, Chief Student Affairs Officer. “She has not only provided sound academic advising and career counseling, drawing from years of experience, but she has tended to other needs as well such as providing food or clothing for students or connecting students to housing and family counseling resources. If students or the college are hosting an event, Helen is there to support the event,” she noted. “Helen has positively impacted the lives of so many of our HCTC students. We will miss her.”

Brunty said many HCTC students transfer to other colleges and universities to further their education after they graduate, adding HCTC is the beginning of a student’s future.

“While working at Hazard Community and Technical College for the last 30 years, I have worked with thousands of students,” she said. “It is such a joy to run into them and see where they are now.  I feel like I really did make a difference in Southeast Kentucky,” she added.

Her last day at HCTC is June 30, 2023.