Downtown Somerset to welcome 4-year university

SOMERSET, Ky. (WKYT) - A four-year university is set to be built in downtown Somerset.

“You know a four-year college is always good in any town. And Somerset is big enough to support a good size college,” said Ron Sprinkle, whose granddaughter teaches in Somerset.

Described as ‘a place to teach you how to think, not what to think,’ by Somerset Mayor Alan Keck in an announcement video, the University of Somerset is a private, nonprofit liberal arts school.

Offering degree programs in homeland security and artificial intelligence, as well as more traditional subjects, like math and English.

“I mean Columbia’s way smaller and Lindsey Wilson is over there. They’ve had a ranked football team and basketball team for several years over there,” said Sprinkle.

While Somerset is already home to a community college, Ron Sprinkle is supportive of the idea of a bigger university, as well.

The tentative plan is to build the university in Cundiff Square, right next to the downtown.

“Somerset Community College is a good college, but still, a four-year college, is much better than a two-year college.”

In his announcement video, Keck said the university will be good for economic growth. Focusing on ‘jobs of the future, not programs and jobs of the past.’

The mayor’s announcement video does not give a timeline on when construction would start.

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