The grant will help the college expand its accelerated course options, giving students the ability to earn credentials more quickly and in a flexible manner.

The funding comes from a number of sources, which was matched through the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund.

The university has partnered with TimelyCare to provide students with resources like 24/7 emotional and mental health support, health coaching, and basic needs assistance, among others.

The new programs in Elementary Education, Middle Grades Education, and Secondary Education will begin enrollment in the Spring 2026 semester.

The funding will provide the university’s Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)  program with $120,000 to give out as student scholarships for individuals who are looking to enter the high-demand physical therapy workforce.

The initiative will help prepare more STEM grads to become teachers of STEM subjects within Kentucky, which is facing a shortage of this type of educator.

The initiative has come to fruition through a partnership between Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, TJ Regional Health, and Barren County Schools and will help high schoolers earn a nursing credential before graduation.

The Russell Mast SGA Scholarship Endowment was created by the university’s Student Government Association as a surprise for retiring vice president for student affairs Russ Mast.

The program is adding two new credentials: a certificate in Telehealth and Medical Office Communications and a Medicolegal Administrative Assistant diploma.

The grant comes from Lilly Endowment’s Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education (AIHE) initiative and will help the college make plans for how to address challenges and opportunities that arise with artificial intelligence use in education.