WKU News

Tabatha Spain, Testing Coordinator for the WKU Distance Learning Testing Center, received the NCTA Service & Leadership Award from the National College Testing Association.

The NCTA Service & Leadership Award recognizes an NCTA member who provides outstanding service and leadership to advance NCTA for seven or more years.

“Receiving the award is a true honor and I am humbled to receive it,” said Spain, who has worked at WKU for 17 years. “My service and leadership to the NCTA organization is successful due to the team effort made by myself and the committee members I serve with. The National College Testing Association is an invaluable resource for those in testing. It allows its members the ability to learn, grow, mentor, and innovate while providing amazing opportunities for professional development and networking.”

Spain, a WKU graduate, joined the DLTC in 2005 as a Testing Specialist and was promoted to Testing Coordinator in 2010. In that position, Spain oversees the DLTC operations and coordination of exams on-site and off-site for Online Learning, On Demand, and Admissions/Certification testing with the assistance of DLTC specialists and student staff.

“Tabatha Spain is a highly valued member of the DLTC testing team,” said Tanya Vincent, Program Manager of Online Services. “She is always willing to go the extra mile and consistently produces impeccable work. Her commitment to WKU students, staff, and faculty is exemplary, and her hard work is an inspiration to everyone. I am very grateful to work alongside Tabatha and her team. She is more than deserving of this award, and I am very proud of her accomplishments.”

Spain has been a member of NCTA since 2005, where she is currently actively serving as NCTA Conference App committee chair. She was recently elected to the NCTA Board of Directors for her second term and has previously served on the Technology Committee, Testing Certification Committee, and Credibility/Policy Committee.

The NCTA award is presented to an individual who demonstrates a commitment to the advancement of NCTA, has made a strong commitment to the field of testing, serves on an NCTA Committee or the NCTA Council, and has regularly attended NCTA National Conferences or other NCTA events. The NCTA 2023 Annual Conference was held Aug. 14-18 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“Serving the NCTA organization has allowed me to gain expertise in my field, serve on projects that give back to the organization and its membership, and obtain knowledge that I can bring back to WKU to serve our students, staff, faculty, and community,” Spain said. “I value service and am thankful I have been able to serve both WKU and NCTA and I hope to be able to continue to do so for many years to come.”

-WKU-

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.