This article presents an interview with Kentucky State president and APLU chairwoman, Dr. Mary Sias. President of Kentucky State University since 2004, Dr. Mary Sias added chair, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities to her list of titles in November. In that capacity, Dr. Sias is charged with being one of the chief advocates for not only Kentucky State and the 17 other "1890s" Land-Grant HBCUs, but public institutions across the nation. Her tenure as APLU board chair comes at a difficult time for her constituent institutions, as many are reeling from deep cuts in public funding amid unprecedented state budget shortfalls. In the interview, Dr. Sias talks about her passion for education and goals for Kentucky State and other APLU institutions.