In regard to diasporic experience, for the past three years, the University has supported faculty research and subsequent study-abroad courses in Brazil. Kentucky State University has developed working relationships with several universities, pre-schools, elementary, secondary schools and non-profit organizations in Brazil. KSU study abroad students have engaged in numerous community development projects in conjunction with Brazilian non-profit organizations. Student evaluations of these projects reveal that students are imbued with a sense of philanthropic satisfaction, respect for other cultures, and renewed appreciation for their place in the global society. The university is engaged in similar opportunities with the nations of Nigeria and Ghana on the African continent.

Africana Studies is committed to teaching the legacy of the HBCU, and thus, is consistent with the Council on Postsecondary Education's Regional Stewardship Program, in that, it links the "resources and knowledge of" Kentucky State University "to the needs and challenges of the[ir] respective regions".14 A primary focus of the Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies is to infuse students with a sense of public service and responsibility that includes an investment in the continued development of their institutional legacy. Additionally, these concepts and values will be instilled through the local and global service projects imbedded into the program's educational and outreach programs.

Appreciation and analysis of the issues and challenges of the people within the geographic focus of the proposed Africana Studies program is vital. As the world becomes increasingly inter-dependent and with the possible diminution of the United States' economic hegemony, this type of analysis is critical. These regions of the world have vast potential for positive utilization of human and natural resources, inclusive of increased consumer markets and the development of innovative approaches to sustainable living.

Kentucky State University has the most diverse student demographic in the Commonwealth. Thus, KSU is exceptionally positioned to develop a cadre of professionals and students prepared for graduate school in this cutting-edge area of research, knowledge production, and analysis of the most under-served regions of the world.

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