• Meetings with the Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection agency, led by the Deputy Secretary of the area, were held. The program developers also met with officials from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. As outlined in the program description, both of these cabinets will collaborate with the capstone research project component of the MES program. A formal external advisory group will be formed once the program is approved.
• ■ What are the employment expectations for graduates? Document the contributions of the program to current workforce needs within the state.
• Graduates of the program should have challenging opportunities with state and local government agencies as well as private enterprises. Based on the responses from KSU's summer teacher's environmental education workshop, it is anticipated that in-service teachers will seek advanced educational preparation through this interdisciplinary program.
• The collaborative partnership with state government agencies (particularly EPPC and KYTC) should result in personnel from these and other agencies taking advantage of the program to advance their careers.

As an HBCU, it is expected that the MES program will enroll a high percentage of underrepresented minority students. These graduates should alleviate the Commonwealth's workforce diversity concerns to some extent.

■ What other benefits to Kentucky's community and its economy will the program provide?

Kentucky has one of the highest sprawl rates in the country. Everyday Kentucky is losing substantial portions of its natural heritage to unsustainable growth practices. The proposed MES program will produce graduates who can provide critical leadership in improving the overall quality of life for all Kentuckys by incorporating best practices of smart growth as the needs and demands of growing demographics are addressed.

Mandated by the CPE, all six of the Commonwealth's comprehensive universities have initiated regional stewardship activities. The MES

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