Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) President David McFaddin was the keynote speaker during the Southern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce membership luncheon in Corbin, Kentucky on Tuesday, Nov. 12.
McFaddin shared updates from EKU, such as enrollment from the region and opportunities available at EKU Corbin and Manchester Regional Campuses. Additionally, he discussed campus enhancements, including the renovation of Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum on EKU’s main campus in Richmond and partnership discussions for a Scholar House at the EKU Corbin Campus.
McFaddin outlined a vision for the region's future with EKU’s proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine. With only 17% of primary care providers practicing in rural Kentucky, McFaddin said, “One of our biggest goals with a College of Osteopathic Medicine is to recruit, train and retain physicians in rural communities.” Furthermore, McFaddin envisions EKU as a hub for health innovation with existing programs in several health-related fields, such as nursing, biomedical science, communication disorders, emergency medical care, psychology, occupational therapy, psychology and others.
“We’re number one for Kentucky employment among the state’s public universities, making EKU the workforce solution for addressing the needs of our Commonwealth and communities,” said McFaddin.
The top programs of study at EKU Corbin and Manchester Campuses include elementary education, psychology, criminal justice and social work. More than 12,000 EKU degrees have been awarded to students who began their education or took a course at EKU Corbin or EKU Manchester.