Career-readiness framework comes into sharper focus through new University video

FRANKFORT, Ky. — A college degree should do more than certify what a student has studied. It should also show how well that student can think, communicate, collaborate, and lead.

Kentucky State University is doing just that with a new video titled 10 Essential Skills, Part 2 that highlights ongoing efforts the University is pursuing to prepare students for life after graduation. The video is available on the University’s Thoro10 webpage and YouTube page.

For students, families, faculty, staff, and employers, the project offers a clearer view of what Kentucky State means by career readiness. It also underscores how those skills are being developed intentionally across academic programs and campus life.

At Kentucky State, the framework is known as Thoro10. It aligns with the Kentucky Graduate Profile, a statewide effort led by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to help public colleges and universities define more clearly the knowledge, skills, and abilities students need for long-term success.

Rather than leaving those outcomes abstract, the video makes them visible. It shows how essential skills are taught, practiced, and reinforced across disciplines and throughout the student experience.

“The Thoro10 skills are the cornerstone of our students’ professional readiness,” said Dr. Frederick A. Williams Jr., Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy team lead and chair of the School of Criminal Justice and Government Relations. “By clearly defining and demonstrating these competencies, we are helping ensure that every Thorobred crosses the graduation stage ready to communicate, collaborate, adapt, and lead effectively in the workplace and beyond.”

A Kentucky Graduate Profile Academy team spearheaded the effort, including Dr. Williams, Dr. Tierra Freeman-Taylor, Prof. Bruce Griffis, and Interim Dean of Students Vince Bingham.

Broad participation from across Kentucky State’s three colleges and 11 academic schools also shaped the project. Faculty and academic leaders featured in the video include Dr. Shannon Brogan, Dr. Gary Stratton, Dr. Shambra Mulder, Dr. Angela Williams, Mr. Vince Bingham, Dr. Clifton Wise, Dr. Jyotica Batra, Dr. Carole Cobb, Dr. Mary Broaddus, and Dr. Maheteme Gebremedhin, reflecting the breadth of the University’s academic enterprise.

Together, those voices show that Thoro10 is not confined to one office or one initiative. It is a university-wide commitment to preparing graduates not only with disciplinary knowledge but also the practical skills needed to contribute in their careers and communities.