By Matthew Taylor, news writer, Office of University Communications

CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. - Ashley Simpson, a junior at Campbellsville University who is double majoring in psychology and social work, was accepted to the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) Emerging Leaders Program.

AIKCU Emerging Leaders are rising juniors with various majors and extracurricular interests selected by their respective colleges and universities for AIKCU's two-year program.

The structured program incorporates leadership insights, career development, mentoring and funded summer internships, all of which are designed to prepare students to join the workforce and reach their full potential as business and community leaders.

“During the 2021 academic year, I will be attending one-hour virtual webinars featuring a different business or community leader,” Simpson said. “Furthermore, I will be able to attend a virtual meet and greet in the late spring semester of 2022 to get to know potential employers in advance of my summer internship placement.”

According to the AIKCU website, the program “targets students of color identified for their leadership potential, with special emphasis given to first-generation, low-income students of color who are less likely to be able to accept unpaid internships than their peers with greater financial resources. Students who have not had an internship experience can be at a disadvantage when entering the workforce.”

“The AIKCU Emerging Leaders Program ensures talented students have equal opportunities, regardless of their background or family income,” Dr. OJ Oleka, president of AIKCU, said.

“I am truly blessed and grateful to be a part of AIKCU's Emerging Leaders Program,” Simpson said. “I believe this program will give me the tools I need to succeed in my career and in life. It will help me grow more professionally and lead me in the right direction to begin my journey as a young African American woman.”

To learn how to support this initiative, contact program manager Carol Juett at carol.juett@aikcu.org.

Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with more than 13,500 students offering over 100 programs of study including Ph.D., master, baccalaureate, associate, pre-professional and certification programs. The website for complete information is www.campbellsville.edu.