Academics
Kentucky State University has a special emphasis on training Black men and women to become teachers in predominantly Black elementary schools. Over the years, it has broadened the available areas of study for its nearly 2,200 students to include nursing, consumer sciences, humanities and the performing arts, STEM courses, and more. KSU provides students the higher education that best suits their needs, whether that be an associate, bachelor鈥檚, or master鈥檚 degree. Most recently, KSU has instituted a unique online curriculum enabling anyone across the globe to earn a master鈥檚 degree in Special Education from the university.
Founded as a land-grant university, agriculture is still a dominant focus of KSU. The campus offers an impressive 204-acre research farm, as well as the world鈥檚 only full-time Pawpaw research program that studies the tropical-like fruit native to the state of Kentucky. One of the university鈥檚 other areas of distinction is the aquaculture tract that studies alternative methods of production and water quality to find solutions as demand grows for fish consumption.
Student Body
Kentucky State is home to 鈥渁 variety of students.鈥 You鈥檒l find the occasional 鈥渞ude鈥 student here but, for the most part, 鈥淓veryone is friendly鈥 and 鈥渙utgoing.鈥 鈥淢ost students are African Americans鈥 鈥渟imply because this school is a Historically Black College.鈥 (White students make up roughly a quarter of the population.) There are also 鈥渇oreign exchange students,鈥 and there is 鈥渁 large population of nontraditional and commuting students.鈥 鈥淭here are definitely cliques鈥 on campus but students 鈥渕ingle and mix well.鈥 A large number of students choose KSU 鈥渙ut of convenience and cost鈥 and because 鈥淚t鈥檚 close to home.鈥 鈥淲e are just trying to make ourselves, our family, and our community proud,鈥 says one student.
Campus Life
On KSU鈥檚 鈥渟mall鈥 campus, students are 鈥渧ery involved鈥 in a broad range of activities, from sports, to drama, to choir and band (the Marching Thorobred Band is reportedly fantastic). 鈥淟ife in general is fun, and in order to be part of the fun you have to include yourself, and take the opportunity when people make the effort to include you,鈥 counsels a senior. There are 鈥渙ccasionally鈥 parties sponsored by 鈥渟ororities and fraternities.鈥 Other student organizations host a good number of events as well. Off campus, though, 鈥淭here is not much to do.鈥 鈥淭he city of Frankfort is very small and does not have much to offer鈥 besides a Wal-Mart. A large contingent of students leaves on the weekends, particularly the ones who are 鈥渦sed to larger cities.鈥 Students seeking more in the way of nightlife often head to nearby Lexington, which is a mere 15 minutes away and offers a number of restaurants, bars, and other entertainment options. The closest big city is Louisville, about an hour away.
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