Faculty members shared how Kentucky State is embedding essential skills into curriculum, assessment, and student career readiness.

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky State University faculty helped bring Thoro10 into a statewide conversation on how colleges can connect classroom learning, student engagement, and workforce preparation.

The University’s work was highlighted during the Graduate Profile Institute and Pedagogicon 2026, statewide gatherings focused on teaching innovation, assessment, artificial intelligence, high-impact practices, and the future of student learning.

Kentucky State’s participation centered on Thoro10, the University’s framework for embedding Kentucky’s 10 Essential Skills across undergraduate education. The effort helps students build and demonstrate skills such as communication, critical thinking, teamwork, professionalism, adaptability, and applied problem-solving.

That work has advanced under the leadership of Dr. Frederick A. Williams Jr., Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy Team Lead. Dr. Williams was recently appointed Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences after serving several years as chair of the School of Criminal Justice and Government Relations.

For Pedagogicon, Dr. Williams developed the poster presentation “Leading Toward Meaningful Change: Impact(s) on Student Engagement & Exceptional Learning,” which highlighted Kentucky State’s multi-year approach to Thoro10 implementation. Dr. Williams joined Mr. Bruce Griffis and Dr. Tierra Freeman-Taylor in representing the University’s Thoro10 work at the statewide gathering.

Dr. Freeman-Taylor played a central role in Kentucky State’s Pedagogicon presence, serving as a featured panel participant and presenter. In that role, she shared insight into the University’s approach to academic assessment and helped elevate Kentucky State’s work before colleagues from across the Commonwealth.

The poster presentation outlined efforts that include leadership workshops, revision of the 30-hour general education core, designation of the skills as part of the University’s Quality Enhancement Plan, faculty champion training, curriculum mapping, hallmark assignments, standardized rubrics, and syllabus integration.

It also showed how Kentucky State is building assessment into the student experience at multiple levels, from 100-level benchmark courses to 200- and 300-level milestone experiences and 400-level capstone work. That structure is designed to help faculty assess student growth over time while giving students clearer opportunities to practice and demonstrate essential skills.

During the gathering, Dr. Williams was acknowledged alongside other institutional leaders advancing Kentucky Graduate Profile work across the Commonwealth. Dr. Freeman-Taylor’s panel presentation further demonstrated Kentucky State’s growing role in statewide conversations about assessment, student learning, and workforce preparation.

Kentucky State’s participation also reflected broader faculty engagement across the University. Faculty members who attended the Graduate Profile Institute, Pedagogicon, or both included Gary Cornett, instructor of communications in the School of Humanities; Dr. Patrese Nesbitt, assistant professor of health, physical education, and exercise and sports studies in the School of Education; Dr. Dharma Khatiwada, assistant professor of physics, in the School of Engineering and Technology; Dr. Carole Cobb, chair of the School of Education; and Dr. Milon Chowdhury, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering in the College of Business, Engineering, and Technology.

Earlier this spring, the University released the second in a series of Thoro10 videos that helped explain how the framework supports career readiness and how essential skills are developed across academic programs and campus life.

Together, the video, faculty training, assessment work, panel participation, and statewide presentation show how Kentucky State is building a common language around student success. Through Thoro10, the University is helping ensure that Thorobreds graduate not only with academic knowledge but also the essential skills needed to lead, serve, adapt, and contribute in a changing world.