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Biology and Agriculture students represented Kentucky State University at the annual Kentucky-West Virginia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (KY-WV LSAMP) Symposium, held at Marshall University on February 10, 2024.

Graduating Biology seniors Mr. Donavyn Mosley, Ms. Ariell Dunkley, Ms. Audi Hicks, and Ms. Segen Mussie, and Junior Agriculture major Ms. Jensine Crowder were afforded the opportunity to network with Marshall University’s Provost, Dr. Avinandan Mukherjee, and the keynote speaker, Ms. Jabreel Walker.

"While attending the LSAMP symposium I was granted the opportunity to be around like minded peers in a similar field," said Ms. Ariell Dunkley. "The LSAMP symposium provided the space to be privy to excellent advice that I will use for the rest of my professional career."  

Ms. Segen Mussie noted that, "The symposium truly opened my eyes to the fact that there is so much flexibility with a STEM major. I was able to learn from other graduating seniors in their graduate application process. My biggest take away was to have grace and resilience in everything I do." 

Provost Avinandan highlighted the importance of Inclusive Excellence, Social Responsibility, and Leadership. The keynote speaker, Ms. Jabreel Walker, expressed the importance of moving “From Setbacks to Comebacks: Handling Professional Challenges with Grace and Resilience.” In addition, KSU LSAMP Scholars participated in an academic fair and workshops focused on 1) How to Interview - Resumes and Personal Statements; 2) Get into Grad School; 3) Get to Know Our Keynote Speaker; and 4) How Did I Get Here.

"The LSAMP conference was a valuable experience for me," said Donavyn Mosley. "I had the privilege of speaking to the head of medical school admissions at the University of Louisville. Making such a vital connection can help me better my application for medical school and give me an idea of what admissions like to see over the gap year of an aspiring medical student." 

The Kentucky – West Virginia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation is a consortium of colleges and universities working together to create, enhance, and expand programs designed to broaden participation and increase the quality and quantity of students from underrepresented populations who receive degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. The University of Kentucky is currently the host institution and the ten member consortium is funded by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1826763.