Dear Thorobred Family,

Military service shapes lives far beyond the years spent in uniform. Its influence endures in the discipline veterans bring to their work, the leadership they offer their communities, and the example they set for generations that follow.

Across Kentucky State University’s history, veterans have led this institution, served at sea and in the air, broken barriers, and carried their education into lives of continued leadership. Their stories remind us that service continues through communities strengthened, institutions shaped, and possibilities widened for those who follow.

On Tuesday, November 10, our Veterans Day Assembly will bring the campus and Frankfort communities together around the theme “Beyond the Uniform: Kentuckians Who Served, Led, and Changed America.” The program will honor those who served and consider the fuller lives of leadership and achievement that grew from that service.

History matters most when it deepens how we see the people among us. Veterans, service members, and military-connected students bring perspectives shaped by commitment, adaptability, teamwork, and responsibility. Those qualities strengthen our classrooms, workplaces, and University community.

Kentucky State’s commitment to military-connected students is reflected in its No. 7 ranking among Best Colleges for Veterans in the 2027 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges guide. More important than the recognition is the work behind it. Our Office of Military and Veteran Affairs helps military-connected students navigate education benefits, tuition assistance, and credit for military service as they advance toward a degree.

Education and military service are distinct paths, but they share an important expectation: what we gain through learning, discipline, and experience carries a responsibility to others. As Kentucky’s only public HBCU and the Commonwealth’s 1890 land-grant university, Kentucky State has long prepared people to turn learning into leadership and opportunity into service.

I invite you to join us next Tuesday as we recognize our veterans and reflect on a legacy that remains very much alive. To every veteran, service member, and military-connected member of the Thorobred Family: thank you. Your service is part of our history, and your continuing leadership helps shape our future.

Together, Onward and Upward,

Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President
Kentucky State University