During the period of July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015, Kentucky State University received contributions in the amount of $451,215 from 840 contributors – alumni, employees, University friends, corporations, foundations and organizations. The total amount received to date for Uniting Generations...Securing Futures – A Capital Campaign for Kentucky State University is $6,395,966.

Highlights for the third quarter for the Office of External Relations and Development include the following: The second installment of the KSU Alumni Postcard was mailed in May and the third installment of Onward and Upward went out on June 30 via the website and 10,500 copies of the publication were printed for distribution. The publication includes a pullout edition of the 2015 Homecoming Schedule of Events.

To reignite interest in the Henry E. Cheaney Legacy Plaza, a challenge was issued to all Greek organizations, student organizations and alumni classes to purchase bricks on the plaza. The organization that makes the largest financial donation by Homecoming will receive a special engraved paver on the plaza.

The External Relations and Development staff is in the midst of planning Homecoming events that will include a full complement of activities designed to target the interest of alumni of all ages. Also, the Public Relations Office completed the installation of displays in the Louisville and Lexington Airports.

The Office of External Relations and Development has been in a re-staffing mode over the past three months. The new staff members are Wendell Thomas as Director of Alumni Relations; Katrisha Waldridge, Coordinator I; and Dedra McDowell, Communication Specialist. Filling these positions will allow the division to better serve the University, alumni and community partners.

The Office of External Relations and Development assisted in the submission process for a Verizon grant designed to expose African-American and Hispanic young men in grades 6 – 8 to STEM technology by introducing them to 3D printing and app development. External Relations and Development partnered with Dr. Beverly Downing and the Office of Sponsored Programs on the submission. Kentucky State University was one of four HBCUs selected to be in the program. The other three participating schools are Jackson State, North Carolina A&T State and Morgan State Universities. The Verizon Male Maker Program was launched on KSU's campus July 6 and opened to 150 students from the Frankfort area and Lexington's BMW Academy.

[1]