ASHLAND, KY--Ashland Inc. has continued its support for higher education in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and in the Ashland, Kentucky community where the company began. Ashland continues to be a positive influence in the community, as it has for many years, with a recent gift to Ashland Community & Technical College.

A parcel of property of nearly seven acres near Ashland's former headquarters in Russell, Kentucky was recently conveyed as a gift to the Community & Technical College Foundation of Ashland, Inc., the fundraising arm of the college.

"We are so pleased to receive this generous gift of real estate from Ashland" said Dr. Gregory D. Adkins, President and CEO of Ashland Community & Technical College. "This will be considered a lead gift of our Fulfilling the Promise Major Gifts Campaign. We anticipate marketing this property at some point in the future subject to the approval of our Foundation Board."

Robert Maher, the ACTC's Foundation President added, "This is a good step in securing funds for needed projects of the College, such as the proposed Child Development Center the Foundation plans to build adjacent to the College Drive Campus." The college's Foundation needs to raise $600,000 to build the Child Development Center.

"Support from the private sector such as this gift of real estate from Ashland is necessary if ACTC is to continue as an open access institution of higher education," said P. Bruce Leslie, Chair of the Board of Directors of ACTC. "With increased enrollment and reduced or flat state funding over the past several years, we are doing more with less. We really appreciate the continued support of Ashland."

Ashland Community & Technical College, with a fall 2005 enrollment of over 4000 full and part time students, is part of the Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS).