On Thursday, Kentucky State University announced that it has received a $7 million grant from the National Science Foundation. The money will be used to research soil-less agriculture technology that will better grow food in Kentucky.
KSU President Koffi Akakpo said the grant was a historic announcement for the school.
Covering Kentucky
Kentucky program ensures those qualified gain access to medical cannabis
“This project emphasizes impact - the impact on the commonwealth by Kentucky State University and partners, the impact on the economy, on education and on the future,” Akakpo said.
“I could not be more proud," he added.
Aaron Thompson, the president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, emphasized that the grant is even more significant given the school's recent financial troubles.
Between 2018 and 2021, KSU has widespread financial issues, such as misused funds under a previous administration. New leadership has been tasked with getting the school back on track. They say, that work is underway.
Thompson called the NSF grant “the kind of grant that gives you the base to build on other possibilities and outcomes.”
“We will get the enrollment. We will have the student success,” Thompson added.” We will have the innovative programming and we will have many more of these.”
