The new program is a collaboration between Western Kentucky University’s Ogden College of Science and Engineering and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine-Bowling Green Campus. It will give medical students the opportunity to work alongside faculty on real-life research.

The pilot program has been established through House Bill 6, which was passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in the 2026 Regular Session. It will evaluate whether financial incentives for caregivers elevates kindergarten readiness outcomes.

The Promise Scholars Program is designed to help recent graduates from Letcher County Central High School prepare for a successful transition to college.

The nearly $40,000 grant will support workforce development, educational opportunity, and reentry initiatives.

The grant will allow the program to receive new equipment that will give students the opportunity to practice imaging on infants’ heads and brains.

Bank of America awarded the college with $50,000 to support the region’s workforce development. In a separate grant, the Truist Foundation provided $30,000 to support career advancement for resettled immigrant families.

The funding comes from the Kentucky Community and Technical College System's (KCTCS) TRAINS initiative and, along with partner funding, covered tuition for the 2026 paramedic cohort in full.

The partnership will work to collect and preserve oral histories and document Black Hoosier history.

The two institutions first launched their collaborative Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program in 2023 as a response to the increased need for qualified nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new program will create partnerships with local employers to give students pathways from the classroom into a career, supporting the region’s workforce.