We have our eyes focused on the future when it comes to reaching a total enrollment of 4,300 students by the year 2020, in line with the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education's goals. And we are putting in place the people and plans for helping us get there. Faculty and alumni will play a pivotal role. At KSU, we take pride in celebrating our high achieving students who are our ambassadors in the community and academic scholars, such as James Lawson Whites, one of our recent graduates who earned a perfect score on his law school admissions exam. At the same time, we make no apology for providing unprecedented opportunities for students to pursue their dream of earning a college degree, even when many come to us with little more than that dream to begin their journey. With their dreams in tow, we know that it's not enough to be satisfied with just admitting them to KSU. At least 60 percent of our students come to the university blazing uncharted trails as the first in their families to ever go to college. And another 80 percent of our undergraduates arrive at our door academically underprepared. We continue to see examples of success with our students, however, as a result of a dedicated faculty that continues to do an exceptional job of supporting students. An example of this is Le Artis Allen, who came to KSU as a freshman in need of a year of academic remediation before he could advance. Today, he is working part time at a job with a major Kentucky employer and is also in graduate school. And that is why the work at KSU must begin today to renew efforts so that all who enter here graduate within six years or less as proud degree earners. The commonwealth of Kentucky and the world are waiting for all that our graduates have to offer. But for now, commitment, accountability and student success start here. Mary Evans Sias. Ph.D., is the 13th president of Kentucky State University.

Mary Evans Sias, Ph.D., is the 13th president of Kentucky State University.