Kentucky State University (KSU), the state’s historically Black public institution, is once again urging the General Assembly to invest in a pivotal infrastructure initiative, one that promises to reshape the landscape of healthcare education in Kentucky and beyond.
In its latest appeal, KSU is requesting $54 million to construct a new Health Sciences Center, a facility designed to support an expanding student population and elevate its nursing program to new heights. This effort signals a renewed commitment to equipping future healthcare professionals with the advanced resources and learning environments they need to thrive.
The funding request reflects the university’s steadfast dedication to improving public health outcomes, particularly in underserved communities. KSU envisions the center as a vital tool for addressing healthcare challenges and empowering the next generation of nurses and health leaders. This latest push follows an earlier proposal submitted in 2024, which received only partial approval. Legislators provided financial support for designing the center. Still, they withheld construction funding, prompting criticism from advocates and lawmakers who saw it as part of a broader history of underinvestment in historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
Now, two years later, KSU is determined to advance its vision. University leaders argue that meaningful progress in health equity and education cannot occur without bold investments, and they’re ready to build. Presenting the updated proposal to the Capital Planning Advisory Board, Wayne Cowan, Director of Capital Planning and Facilities at Kentucky State University (KSU), outlined the ambitious vision for the new Health Sciences Center.
If funded, the state-of-the-art facility would house clinical simulation labs, nursing skills labs, faculty and administrative offices, student study areas, collaboration zones, and a nursing resource center. It would also feature meeting and conference rooms, high-tech learning labs with advanced medical equipment, and a virtual hospital designed to simulate real-world clinical training.
Cowan emphasized that these components are essential to promoting academic excellence and equipping students with the hands-on experience needed to succeed in modern healthcare environments. The interior design prioritizes both functionality and comfort, creating a welcoming, high-impact space for learning, staff training, and professional development. “Kentucky State’s nursing school is ready for a significant expansion,” Cowan said during his presentation. “With the momentum we’ve built in recent years, it’s time we continue toward real progress, not just for our institution but for public health outcomes across Kentucky and beyond.”
One slide from the university’s pitch declared: “KSU’s School of Nursing is poised to grow exponentially with the further development of present and new academic programs to help in making America healthy again.” This sense of need and optimism has been echoed by campus leadership, who view the Health Sciences Center as both a light of innovation and a catalyst for equity, an opportunity to not only transform healthcare education but also address long-standing disparities.
Supported by earlier budget allocations, Cowan noted that recent campus improvements have begun reshaping the learning environment at Kentucky State University. While he acknowledged that much work remains, repairs to sidewalks and campus buildings already reflect meaningful signs of renewal, offering students, faculty, and visitors a safer, more welcoming space to learn, grow, and connect. “We’re seeing the early signs of transformation,” he said. “But to truly serve our students, especially those preparing to enter the healthcare field, we need facilities that match their ambition and potential.”
The university’s vision for the Health Sciences Center also includes a strong emphasis on advancing nutrition education, a priority passionately championed by Dr. Marcus Bernard, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Health Sciences, and Natural Resources. Bernard, who also serves as director of KSU’s land-grant programs, proposed dedicating an entire floor of the new facility to nutrition and wellness initiatives.
This dedicated space will serve as a central hub for nutrition and health education programs, directly connected to KSU’s mobile health units—vehicles funded to operate in Eastern Kentucky, West Louisville, and other regions across the state. These mobile units provide vital health services to communities facing high rates of chronic illness and limited access to care. Dr. Bernard emphasized their dual role in outreach and direct service, describing them as lifelines for residents who often go without routine screenings and preventative health resources. “In those spaces, we’re teaching nutrition, conducting metabolic testing, and screening for diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease,” Bernard explained. “This is about more than education, it’s about improving lives.”
Regions deeply affected by health disparities have already experienced the impact of KSU’s mobile health program, bringing culturally responsive and effective healthcare solutions directly to those who need them most. In historically marginalized communities, this initiative reflects KSU’s broader mission to advance equity in healthcare access. It’s not just about mobile care, it’s part of a growing movement that recognizes the power of institutions like KSU to lead systemic change.
The university’s renewed proposal to build the Health Sciences Center is more than a request for infrastructure; it’s a bold step toward empowering communities, addressing generational inequities, and training health professionals who reflect and serve the diversity of the nation.
Advocates emphasize the pressing need for facilities that extend beyond academic instruction spaces that serve as hubs for innovation, community care, and interdisciplinary research. As lawmakers consider the university’s request, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Kentucky State University (KSU) is positioning itself as a light of excellence in health sciences education. With a growing student body and expanding academic programs, its momentum is undeniable. But the road ahead demands more than optimism; it requires decisive and sustained investment.
Many stakeholders hope the legislature will recognize the lasting value of the proposed Health Sciences Center, not just for KSU’s students but for communities across Kentucky and the nation. As Wayne Cowan noted, the university has already embarked on its journey toward transformative change, yet strategic funding remains essential to sustain that progress and bring its full vision to life. KSU stands ready with blueprints in hand and a vision rooted in service, innovation, and resilience. University leaders believe the Health Sciences Center could become a cornerstone of that vision: equipping students with the tools to thrive and offering communities the promise of a healthier, more equitable future.
