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One Kentucky State University graduating senior spent many years exploring campus before enrolling at Kentucky State.

James Stewart Brace, a North Carolina native, graduates from Kentucky State Dec. 14. Brace has many years of memories at Kentucky State to look back on.

Brace majored in agriculture with a certificate in aquaculture, one of Kentucky State’s premier programs.

Brace was introduced to the aquaculture program when he was in seventh grade.

“My brother came up for a summer program called AgDiscovery,” Brace said. “After seeing the school’s ponds, I thought, ‘Man, this is interesting.’”

A few years later, during his freshman year of high school, Brace came back to campus for a summer program called REAP (Research Extension and Apprenticeship Program). The program lasted a month and paired Brace with a College of Agriculture employee.

“After having completed the program in back-to-back summers, I felt that Kentucky State University was the best choice for me,” Brace said.

Attending an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) was important to Brace, as his brother attended Tuskegee University and his sister attended Spelman University.

“The world-renowned aquaculture program was key in my choice to choose Kentucky State University,” Brace said.

During his undergraduate career, Brace took advantage of that program. He also stayed active in extracurricular activities, namely the Thorobreds football team.

Brace served as team captain his senior year and was also named a member of the All-Commonwealth team. Playing in the 2016 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship is one of his favorite memories, Brace said.

Brace also held the position of secretary and historian for the Kentucky State MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences) organization.  He also served as the captain of the Gold Team his junior. The Gold Team is a student-leader organization that helps exclusively with Bred Week.

Brace’s future is filling up with options as commencement nears.

“At the moment I have applied for graduate school at Kentucky State for the aquaculture master’s program,” Brace said.

He’s also interviewing for a position in Utah with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. If he is offered and accepts the job, he’ll work in the area of visitor services.

His best advice for other students? Just keep on keeping on.

“It may seem like the process of getting a college degree takes forever, but as time goes on you are going to look back and say, ‘Man, time sure did go by fast,’” Brace said. “College really is worth it and I wouldn’t change anything else for my time at Kentucky State University.”