The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education recently convened experts from colleges and universities across the state who will work to ensure public higher education curricula includes essential skills such as critical thinking, effective communication, collaboration and quantitative reasoning. Nearly three in four employers say they have a hard time finding recent college graduates with the essential soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
“Understanding how to adapt to new environments, problem solve and communicate well is as important as job-specific knowledge since the needs of our economy are ever evolving,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson. “Our statewide, cross-campus collaboration model will support skill-building opportunities at our colleges and universities that are intentional, accessible and built on proven best practices.”
The Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy is made up of three members from each of Kentucky’s eight, four-year public institutions and four Kentucky Community and Technical College System campuses. CPE will provide a $25,000 grant to each institution to support their efforts.
The Academy will base its work on the Kentucky Graduate Profile, which outlines 10 essential skills that have been identified by higher education and workforce organizations:
- Communicate effectively
- Think critically in order to solve problems and create new ideas and solutions
- Apply quantitative reasoning skills to analyze and solve numerical problems
- Interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds
- Adapt to changing circumstances while leading and supporting others
- Perform professionally within their chosen field of study or occupation
- Engage in civic life to improve society
- Collaborate and work in teams
- Apply academic knowledge, skills and abilities to their chosen career
- Use information for decision-making
"Participants in the Kentucky Graduate Academy will work across campuses over a three-year period to identify and implement strategies with the goal of giving all students graduating from Kentucky’s public colleges and universities means to develop these crucial skills before they graduate,” said Melissa Bell, CPE vice president for academic affairs and student success. “To achieve that, these competencies have to be fully integrated into institutions’ academic offerings, co-curricular activities and work-based experiences.”
The Academy will have access to CPE data and tools to implement the Graduate Profile, including the employability scan, or EScan, a method for evaluating higher education programs based on how well they prepare students to succeed in a workplace.
Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy Members
Director: Janna Vice, CPE senior fellow for policy development and EKU provost emerita
Ashland Community and Technical College
Todd Brand, dean of academic affairs/chief administrative officer
Sara Brown, distance learning coordinator
Ashley Vanderpool, director of career services
Dale Queen (alternate), instructor, arts and sciences
Eastern Kentucky University
Nicola Mason, chair of teaching, learning and educational leadership
Chad Foster, associate professor, homeland security
Starr Wentzel, director, first-year course
Russell Carpenter (alternate), assistant provost
Gateway Community and Technical College
Frannie Bennett, QEP director, English instructor
Denise Fritsch, dean of institutional effectiveness
Paula Barnes, workforce development liaison
William Kirschner (alternate), coordinator of student activities and retention
Kentucky State University
Frederick Williams, acting chair and professor, School of Criminal Justice
Beverly Schneller, vice provost for academic quality, research and innovation
Tonika East, assistant director, Office of Career and Professional Development
Charles Holloway (alternate), vice provost for student success and retention
Madisonville Community College
Felecia Johnson, coordinator of special projects
Dr. Scott Cook, provost
Cathy Vaughan, dean of student affairs
Brittney Hernandez-Stevenson (alternate), Muhlenberg campus manager
Morehead State University
Laurie Couch, associate provost for undergraduate education and student success
Tim O'Brien, associate professor of mathematics and co-director of the quality enhancement plan
Megan Boone, director of career services and director of the center for career development and experiential education
Janet Ratliff (alternate), associate professor of management and entrepreneurship
Murray State University
Ashley Ireland, assistant provost and director of online programs
Firm Faith Watson, director, Faculty Development Center
Peggy Whaley, director of student engagement and success
Bob Pervine (alternate), associate provost
Northern Kentucky University
Bethany Bowling, associate dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Meg Hensley, unit director for student support
Jen Cellio, associate professor of English
Abdou Ndoye, interim vice provost for undergraduate academic affairs
Owensboro Community and Technical College
Stacy Edds-Ellis, dean of academic affairs
Meredith Skaggs, faculty and department head
Andrea Borregard, dean of student affairs
Nicole Ralph (alternate), director of experiential learning and Title III
University of Kentucky
Katie Cardarelli, senior associate provost for administration and academic affairs
Kirsten Turner, vice president for student success
Beth Garvy, associate dean for biomedical education
Anna Fiechter Chalfant (alternate), deputy chief of staff
University of Louisville
Beth Willey, vice provost for UG education
Gail DePuy, vice provost for engaged learning
Bill Fletcher, director, University Career Center
Douglas Craddock (alternate), provost's chief of staff
Western Kentucky University
Molly Kerby, assistant provost for institutional effectiveness, professor of sociology
Marko Dumancic, director, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning; associate professor of history
Molly Dunkum, associate professor, Colonnade co-director
Jennifer Hanley (alternate), associate professor, Colonnade co-director