During his visit, Strickland endorsed the CSU plan to triple enrollment at the school over the next 10 years and build a new student center.

Strickland said, “As governor, and in fact I told the president many months ago before the election, that if I were elected governor, that this institution would have a friend in the governor’s office.”

The governor had already included funding the CSU plan in his new state budget. The enrollment growth plan, called “Speed To Scale,” will cost the state $9.9 million over the next three years.

Strickland said he wanted to see the campus and meet with students to talk about the improvements needed there.

Student Crystal Stewart is a freshman from Kansas City and hopes the improvements are made. She said more equipment is needed in science labs and other facilities are in need of an upgrade.

Central State president John Garland welcomed the governor’s help.

Garland said, “He gets it. He understands the value and importance of investing in people and higher education. He also understands in the importance of investing in Central State University.”