Kentucky State University News February 22, 2023 Kentucky State University announced today that it received a grant from the national non-profit VentureWell to develop a discussion series to introduce first-year students to mentors, innovators, and successful entrepreneurs in their intended fields of study. The $14,000 Course and Program Grant from VentureWell will be matched with additional funds from KSU to enhance the development of the university's proposal, titled "KSU FutureBred Forums: Stimulating Freshman Entrepreneurship," from February 2023 through August 2024. Kentucky State, along with 27 other institutions from across the country, was selected for the grant and is one of only three institutions chosen from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, including the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University. "We are encouraged by VentureWell's recognition of our commitment to empower students with the experiences that will help propel their career, personal, and community success," said Dr. Ronald A. Johnson, Kentucky State interim president. "Dr. Chinonso Etumnu, Dr. Kirk Pomper, and their team at KSU are to be commended for stepping forward with their grant-winning proposal." The grant allows for further development of KSU 186: Navigating the Technological World, a course already required for all Kentucky State first-year students. An essential part of the revised course will be FutureBred Forums, a series of discussions aimed at stimulating the interests of the freshman class in science and technology in support of an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem on campus and in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. "KSU 186 impacts the career trajectory of the 400 students who take the course each year. The FutureBred Forums will expose students to the technological world and the importance of human-centered design from leaders and experts in different fields and will help create a more robust ecosystem for inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship, and social impact in support of Kentucky's burgeoning innovation economy," said Dr. Kirk Pomper, dean of the College of Agriculture, Community, and the Sciences and director of the Land Grant Program. FutureBred Forum leaders will also share with students their insights on the new trends and opportunities that are shaping the future of their respective fields. Each Forum in the series will be presented by the KSU College of Agriculture, Community, and Sciences, in collaboration with the KSU Office of the President. "The FutureBred Forums represent the first step in a broader effort to energize innovation and entrepreneurial activities across the university by connecting with public and private partners for the benefit of our students and our community," said Dr. Johnson. "The Forums are an essential part of our overall strategy to restore, realign, and reignite an intended future for KSU." For more on VentureWell and its latest grantees, visit: https://venturewell.org/course-program-grants-fall-2022/?utm_campaign=vw-partners. For more information on the KSU FutureBred Forum series, please contact Dr. Chinonso Etumnu at chinonso.etumnu@kysu.edu<mailto:chinonso.etumnu@kysu.edu>. 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