Nearly every city and county employee in Kentucky is now eligible to receive significantly discounted tuition, free books for undergraduates, and a locked-in tuition rate for two years at Eastern Kentucky University in a recently inked agreement between EKU, the Kentucky League of Cities (KLC), and the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo). The partnership, including a three-year memorandum of understanding, is the largest corporate or nonprofit partnership in the University’s history.
“I’m incredibly proud to be part of this partnership because it will give opportunities for KACo, KLC, and city and county employees to better themselves and their communities through the power of education,” said EKU President Dr. David McFaddin. “With each new partnership we sign with the corporate and nonprofit sectors, we strengthen our position of being the school of opportunity. We are excited to welcome these hard-working and dedicated public servants to the Big E family.”
As part of the EKU Advantage, the partnership will provide thousands of employees of those organizations and member cities and counties with a 30 percent tuition discount and a flat tuition rate for two years. Employees eligible for the discounts can begin enrolling as early as the fall 2021 semester “B” term.
“EKU has always been an integral part of the region, and with this agreement, our employees, our county employees from all over the commonwealth, and most importantly our community will benefit from this partnership to continue to enhance our local workforce and further their education,” said Reagan Taylor, Madison County Judge/Executive and president of KACo.
“We are so thankful to have a trailblazer like Judge Taylor leading the way on this initiative,” KACo Executive Director Jim Henderson said. “What a great opportunity for our counties.”
Today’s announcement comes on the heels of several other partnerships the University has recently announced with companies like Hyster-Yale, Central Bank and others.
KLC Executive Director/CEO J.D. Chaney applauded the opportunity the new program provides city employees. “This partnership aligns perfectly with the League’s commitment to education and training. We appreciate Eastern Kentucky University working with us to provide the thousands of people who serve their local community every day an avenue to further their careers. City employees will be able to more affordably obtain everything from a certificate to a master’s degree at a top-notch university.”
To find out more about becoming an EKU corporate partner, Go to: https://advantage.eku.edu/corporate-partnerships.