Council on Postsecondary Education President Aaron Thompson begins the first phase of a statewide listening tour next week in his hometown of Manchester in Clay County.
Thompson will engage students, community and business representatives and educators in conversations about issues impacting college access, student success, workforce quality and transitions to career.
The public is invited to attend the community forum at 1:30 p.m. EST Friday, Feb. 1 at the EKU-Manchester campus.
Thompson said it was important to him to launch his listening tour where his education journey began.
“Growing up as a poor African-American in rural Kentucky in the 1960s was challenging, but the encouragement and support I received along the way made all the difference in the world,” said Thompson.
“I plan to stress to students that there is support to help you achieve your goals, and that there is a career pathway for each of you,” he added.
Six other tours are scheduled through May:
- Feb. 19-20--Murray State University
- March 4-5—Owensboro Community and Technical College
- April 17-18—Western Kentucky University
- May 7-8—Kentucky State University
- May 14-15—Morehead State University
- May 28-29—University of Louisville
Thompson will engage other regions of the state in conversations this fall. Listening sessions will be scheduled at the colleges of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, independent institutions, as well as the remaining public four-year campuses.
Thompson is the fourth president of the Council and is the first native Kentuckian and African-American.
For more information, visit: http://cpe.ky.gov/listeningtour/.
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The Council on Postsecondary Education is leading efforts to get more Kentuckians more highly educated. By 2030, at least 60 percent of working-age adults in Kentucky will need to have earned a postsecondary education degree or credential to meet expected workforce demands.