President Davies addresses PADD meeting.

(Mayfield KY - August 18, 2014) - President Bob Davies, completed his round of visiting Murray State University's 18 county service area yesterday with an appearance at the Purchase Area Development District's Board of Director's meeting.

He recognized many of the elected officials and school administrators in attendance from visits to their communities.

"Murray State is here to serve the region." He told his audience the University should be a civic, cultural and economic hub. He said it finds it interesting as a university president to get involved in economic development.

Research shows that 71% of the students who graduate from Murray State find jobs in Kentucky. In the coming days, the University will begin a new school year. President Davies said the school will welcome 1426 new students, 649 transfers and 700 international students.

"That's a lot of students from all over."

President Davies was asked what programs and initiatives that he would bring to Murray State from his last job in Oregon. He told us that each community is unique. Each has a "philosophical framework" that does not allow all programs will transfer whole cloth.

The program he believes that will transfer is outreach to K-12. He mentioned elementary students in 4th and 5th grade particularly. He wants to get them thinking "college bound" developing readiness skills that will serve them as they move through the educational process.