MOREHEAD, Ky. — Morehead State University announced an effort to help students and graduates affected by the flooding in eastern Kentucky last summer. The school announced that it would replace paper diplomas for any graduate free of charge.
In a news release, MSU listed the 13 counties affected by the flooding that they would offer the service to. They include:
- Breathitt
- Clay
- Flody
- Johnson
- Knott
- Leslie
- Letcher
- Magoffin
- Martin
- Owsley
- Perry
- Pike
- Wolfe
Graduates wishing to get a replacement need to make their request by March 2023. You can make a request by going to the Morehead State registrar’s website.
The public university joins a chorus of outpouring support from across the state, including its schools. The Kentucky Association of School Administrators is currently running a statewide coat drive to collect warm clothes for those impacting by the floods. In the fall, Western Kentucky University allowed students displaced by flooding to move into their dorms early, at no extra charge. The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team held its annual Blue-White game in eastern Kentucky in October, with all ticket revenue going to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund.
On July 26, 2022, torrential rain led to flash flooding in eastern Kentucky, displacing thousands and killing 41 people. The resulting devastation has taken months just to clean up, with Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear projecting it will take years to rebuild. Tucked into the foothills of Daniel Boone National Forest, Morehead State serves as the educational hub for many in eastern Kentucky.