---

Kentucky State University will celebrate the opening and naming of its new pedestrian walkway during a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday, March 7 at 10 a.m.

The pedestrian walkway will be named in honor of the leadership and service of Dr. Mary E. Sias, the 16th president of Kentucky State University. Sias served from 2004 to 2014.

The Mary E. Sias Pedestrian Walkway crosses over East Main Street, connecting the north and south sides of campus.

Sias is a nationally known leader and advocate for students and higher education. As president of Kentucky State, she brought a broad range of experience and valuable state and national perspectives on higher education. Sias also chaired the boards of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).

Sias is currently the director of the Millennium Leadership Initiative and assistant to the president of the AASCU.

A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Sias received her Bachelor of Science in sociology from Tougaloo College, as well as her Master of Science degree and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Sias also holds an MBA from Abilene Christian University and an honorary doctorate from Central Michigan University.

To RSVP for the ceremony, please email engagement@kysu.edu or call (502) 234-4970.