Dear Thorobred Family,
Bringing important conversations to campus is an essential part of a university’s
work. Education deepens when students encounter ideas beyond the classroom, test what
they know against new perspectives, and recognize their own capacity to shape what
comes next.
Kentucky State University has a responsibility not only to convene these discussions but also to contribute to them. Our students and faculty enter them not as passive listeners but as people with knowledge, experience, and questions of their own.
Last year’s luncheon drew more than 200 students, faculty, staff, community leaders, and elected officials, bringing campus and community together around issues that affect us all.
Hosted by our School of Business and Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy, this year’s gathering will build on that tradition by bringing our University community into direct exchange with leaders whose work matters to students, employers, and communities. Seema Sheth, a senior vice president at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, leads its Louisville Branch. Tanelle Sawyer serves as chief external impact officer for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.
The economic questions before us are neither distant nor abstract. In an interconnected world, decisions about education, technology, investment, and workforce development shape the opportunities available in communities across Kentucky. Preparing students to be future-ready means helping them understand those connections and see where their knowledge and leadership can make a difference.
Just as important, direct access to leaders and institutions beyond campus helps students build professional relationships, broaden their sense of what is possible, and see where their education can lead. Opportunities like this are among the many ways Kentucky State prepares graduates to move confidently from learning into leadership.
I am grateful to colleagues and partners across Kentucky State who create opportunities for learning and engagement throughout the year. Because of their work, students gain a clearer understanding of the forces shaping their careers and communities — and of the contribution they can make.
Together, Onward and Upward,
Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President
Kentucky State University