The Class of 2022 Welcome to the 2018-2019 edition of CI Connect magazine. CI Connect was established to reinforce the connection with our alumni and friends. As we move into the next major phase of our College at the University of Kentucky, this connection is more important than ever. We’ve been actively engaged here at UK, searching for a new permanent dean, developing a master plan for a new building and creating innovative curriculum and processes that will renew our focus on student success. This list is not comprehensive for all of the changes the past year held, but it certainly illustrates how we are transforming. We also said goodbye to several of the professionals in the college that have retired or moved on to another chapter of their lives, including former deans Doug Boyd and J. David Johnson. I am pleased to announce that Dr. Jennifer Greer, who we recruited from the University of Alabama, will be joining our college as the new permanent dean effective August 1, 2019. We share this with you, our alumni and friends, so that together we can celebrate our past and plan for our future together. We share our stories of our faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends so that we can highlight how we are impacting our campus, our community, our state, our nation and even our world. While some things are changing around here, there are some things that most definitely will not change. We will not change our commitment to grow our college, provide more and diverse opportunities to our students, support groundbreaking research efforts and seek out the most innovative faculty and staff members. We will not change our objective to support all of our students with a fully-staffed student services office, strong college ambassador program and our ever-growing Living Learning Program, CI Connect. We will not change our desire to seek out and recruit the best and the brightest students our state, our nation and our world have to
offer. We will not change our focus on student success and retention, which have led us to some of the highest graduation rates on campus. And, we will not change our desire to offer more need- and merit-based scholarships to help our students reach their highest potential while here at UK. What also will not change, is our need for support from our alumni and friends. We could not have achieved our past successes without your time, financial support and internship opportunities for our students. Moving forward, your continued support is critically important—especially if we are to realize a new building. All of us in the College are grateful for your generosity and support during our ambitious capital campaign. I hope your support will continue. As I close this note to you, I want to thank all of you who have made my last year as interim dean of the College a valuable learning experience. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities and cooperation extended to me by so many people. I look forward to being your partner in this wonderful College for some time to come and I am anxious for the time when our paths cross again. Please stay in touch and let us know your ideas for a better CI. Building stronger relationships with our alumni and friends ensures the future success of our students.
Derek R. Lane, Interim Dean UK College of Communication and Information
CI Snapshot > DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION Diane Francis was named a 2018 DREAM Scholar. The Disparities Researchers Equalizing Access for Minorities Scholars Program supports the training of exceptional underrepresented minority Pre-docs, Post-docs and Assistant Professors who are committed to health equity research and is supported by the College of Nursing, Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Center for Health Equity Transformation.
Kevin Real was honored with the 2017-2018 Faculty Community Service Award from the College of Communication and Information. Kevin spent over a decade volunteering weekly at the Federal Medical Center Lexington, a United States federal prison for inmates requiring medical or mental health care. He was also awarded the 2018 Michael Brill Grant in Urban Communication and Design Behavior from the Environmental Design Research Association, as well as named the H. Lester Reynolds Endowed Professor in Engineering.
Allison Scott Gordon received the Douglas A. and Carole A. Boyd Professorship in Communication. The Boyd Professorship is awarded to a Department of Communication faculty member that holds the rank of associate or full professor, has research interests clearly linked to communication, has tenure and has made outstanding contributions to social scientific research and graduate education in the field of communication.
Jeannette Sutton was selected as a UK-CARES Fellow in Science Communication. She is one of an elite group of faculty at UK who will comprise the first cohort of 10 Fellows.
Nancy Harrington was chosen as a 2018-2019 University Research Professor. The University Research Professorships were established by the UK Board of Trustees in 1976 to recognize outstanding research achievements.
> DEPT. OF INTEGRATED STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION Laura Fischer is collaborating with Jeannette Sutton, Department of Communication, on a project exploring relationships between eye tracking and risk communication. The project aims to develop a model of visual risk communication to explicate the idea of search and visual attention on weather emergency messages. In October 2018, the two researchers submitted a grant proposal to NOAA asking for almost $300,000 to fund the project. Fischer was also awarded the 2018 Outstanding Dissertation Award by the Association for Communication Excellence.
Don Helme was named the Gifford Blyton Professor of Oral Communication. The Blyton Professorship was established to honor Dr. Blyton who taught speech and communication from 1948 to 1975 at UK and coached the debate team for 21 years. Dr. Helme was also recognized for his partnership with the Kentucky Attorney General to identify and communicate drug disposal solutions. Additionally, he was recently recognized as part of UK’s record-breaking $87 million NIH grant announcement. Dr. Helme will partner with Kentucky’s local health departments and state officials to develop and implement health communication campaigns to encourage utilization of evidence-based interventions for opioid use disorder. He will contribute to the HEALing Communities project’s communications strategy, will help define metrics for communications reach and help identify appropriate media venues for the Health Communications advertising, and in close partnership with the media vendor who will implement the Health Communications Strategy for KCH. Kelly McAninch was honored as a Teacher Who Made a Difference by the UK College of Education. Andrew Pilny was honored with the 2017-2018 Faculty Research Award from the College of Communication and Information. Andrew also received the 2018 Ernest Bormann Research Award from the National Communication Association. This award is given to authors of an outstanding scholarly book or monograph that focuses on group communication.
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Shari Veil was selected as a 2018-‘19 SEC-ALDP Fellow, a program designed to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond.
Adriane Grumbein‘s fall 2018 ISC 431 class partnered with the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention to create a strategic creative campaign for their newest fund – the LexEnd Homelessness Fund. This fund is designed to collect charitable donations that will be used to fund housing for the chronically homeless in Lexington using the Housing First model. The client was so impressed with the students’ work, that two groups were invited back to present to the mayor of Lexington and other local government officials in January. Hyun Ju Jeong was named as the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication’s first director of undergraduate studies. As DUS, Jeong will advise students one-on-one, collaborate with college-level advising staff on student course enrollment, and work with other faculty members to determine the most pressing needs for the department’s undergraduate program. Faculty and students from the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication and from the College of Journalism and Communication, Jilin University, Changchun, China, held a one-day partnership-building workshop in Lexington to discuss areas of mutual interest and potential collaboration.
CI Snapshot Six outstanding ISC alumni served as panelists for the annual ISC Alumni Symposium, held April 3, 2019 and explored the topic of digital strategies, AI and machine learning. Jennifer Bowers, Senior Account Executive at Ocatagon; Brittney Bray, Assistant Digital Campaign Manager at Kroger; Jessica Chu, Social Listening Analyst at YUM! Brands; Alex Gaidzik, Business Consultant at Farlinium; Ashlee Harris, Senior Account Planner at Cornett; and Rachel Izydorek, Account Leader at Continuum Clinical shared their professional insights and offered career advice to current students. Several ISC students won accolades in the spring of 2019 at the AAF Lexington Awards. ISC students took home five gold awards, including Best in Show, and six silver awards. Goldwinning entries advance to district competition, where judges will decide which work moves on to nationals. > GRADUATE PROGRAM IN COMMUNICATION Our students continue to receive the freedom to tailor their studies to their academic interests, while the core of the graduate program continues to be grounded in the study of theory and research methods along with the rest of our specializations that include: Health Communication, Information Studies, Instructional Communication, Media and Mass Communication, Risk and Crisis Communication, and Strategic and Organizational Communication. Our graduate program continues to support the three graduate certificates in Health Communication, Instructional Communication and Risk Sciences. > SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND MEDIA Jon Clark spent his summer recording, mixing and producing the new solo album by Lexington musician Michael Tyree, due out this fall. Mel Coffee was a recipient of the 2019 UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award. He was also named a Fulbright specialist at Kilimanjaro Film Institute of Zambia, where he taught journalism and short and long form reporting. He also served as a Fulbright specialist peer reviewer, selected to review applications for candidates wanting to participate in Fulbright programs in journalism, media and communication. Al Cross received $25,000 from the Kentucky Veterans Program Trust Fund as primary funding for production of a documentary about the late Murl Conner of Albany, who posthumously won the Congressional Medal of Honor 73 years after his heroism on a battlefield in France. Andrew Dawson launched the School’s first student-run sports broadcast television show. It was a 15-minute show (now expanded to 20) that students produced, anchored and edited, focused on reporting on the university athletics and local high school sports.
Kimberly Parker was recognized with the Faculty Teaching Excellence award in 2019. She was also honored as a Teacher Who Made a Difference by the College of Education. Scoobie Ryan was appointed acting director of the School April 1, 2019. She’s also serves as associate director and internship coordinator. Jennifer Smith, an award-winning sportswriter, joined the JAM faculty in the Spring of 2019. She has revamped the introductory journalism class (JOU 101) and also taught (JOU 303) and journalism history (JOU 535) this spring. Jen will add a course focused on sports journalism in Fall 2019. David Stephenson became a licensed Part 107 drone pilot which led to the creation and completion of our first drone journalism class, now a permanent offering as JOU 377. He also won the Faculty Teaching Excellence Award from CI in 2018. He was also featured as a photographer in Apple’s Instagram feed for his iPhone photos of pigeons. Zixue Tai served as the faculty director in hosting 15 visiting students from the School of Journalism and Communication at China’s Minjiang University from September to December 2018. Kakie Urch worked tirelessly on the four-day 30th Anniversary Celebration for WRFL-FM. She won the Faculty Community Service award for her work with Lexington Community Radio and with women in recovery at the Chrysalis House. She planned and built a multimedia studio which included a podcast studio, isolation voice booth, VR and drone flight simulator in the Blazer Dining Building. > SCHOOL OF INFORMATION SCIENCE Fifteen library and information science students participated in Alternative Spring Break in 2018 and 2019. ASB is an annual program that places graduate students in professional settings for a week where they can learn new skills, work with mentors and gain a deeper understanding of LIS concepts in practice. JD Carruthers, Lauren Colburn, Sarah Hazelmyer, Alex O’Keefe, Amanda Neace, Ariel Macon, Breck Turner, Jessica Perry and Stacey Mitchell interned at the Smithsonian Libraries in Washington, DC. Cindy Butor, Amy Curtis, Becky Fulton, Elan Ward, Kelly Bilz and Jennifer Quick interned at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland. Each year, students in CIS courses may be nominated for the Excellence in Composition & Communication Award (for their work in CIS 110/111/112) and the Excellence in Business Communication Award (for their work in CIS 300) presented by Instructional Communication and Research in the College of Communication and Information. Faculty nominated Olivia Zidzik and Lexi Shepherd for the Excellence in Composition
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CI Snapshot & Communication Award in 2019, and 2018, respectively. In 2019, Caleb Wilson earned the Excellence in Business Communication Award. Donovan Ferguson won the year prior. As a result of generous gifts from alumni, the School of Information Science awarded seven library and information science students a scholarship in Fall 2018. Aryssa Damron, Shantel Richardson, and Dawn Sweeney earned the Hallie Day Blackburn Scholarship; Jordan Sharp and Raychel Bennet were awarded the Broyles Scholarship; and Beth Kerrick and Benjamin Nielson earned scholarships as well. Students and faculty in the Division of Instructional Communication and Research diligently prepared for the National Communication Association’s 104th Annual Convention in November 2018. This past year 16 papers or panels were accepted to the conference, three of which were top papers authored by Kody Frey, Kelsey Moore, Brandi Frisby, Alexis Hadden, Kelsey Moore and Renee Kaufmann. The following graduate students and faculty members also shared their research and expertise at NCA this semester: Troy Cooper, Nick Tatum, Annie Beck, Jessalyn Vallade, Hayley Hoffman, Nora Radway and Amanda Slone. The School of Information Science distributed its first-ever Outstanding ICT Student awards to Mariah Thompson, senior, and Chelsea West, junior, at the College’s awards ceremony in April 2019. Recipients of the award demonstrate exceptional academic performance and professionalism.
Terry Duncan, a library and information science student, was awarded the 2019 Special Libraries Association IT Student Award for his paper “Third Project Installment (Final Prototype and IA Strategy)” at the association’s annual conference in June 2019. Spencer Greenhalgh published a new study titled, “Tweet, and We Shall Find: Using Digital Methods to Locate Participants in Educational Hashtags,” in Tech Trends, a publication of the Associate for Educational Communications and Technology. David Nemer was named CHI 2018 Diversity Champion Recognition Emerging Voice by The Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction. Nemer’s paper “Privacy is not for me, it’s for those rich women”: Performative Privacy Practices on Mobile Phones by Women in South Asia received the IAPP Privacy Award at the Fourteenth Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security. Additionally, his article “The Three Types of WhatsApp Users Getting Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro Elected,” was mentioned in The Guardian. Following that, Nemer was cited in a story published by “We are the Nieman Journalism Lab” at Harvard and Nemer was invited to interview with Quartz magazine. Fatima Espinoza-Vasquez was selected to participate in the 2019 Faculty Success Program. The program includes 12 weeks of coaching, social support and networking to advance scholarly productivity for tenure-track and tenured faculty.
CI Career and Internship Fair Expanded for 2019 The annual College of Communication and Information Career and Internship Fair was held in the newly-renovated Gatton Student Center Grand Ballroom on Wednesday, March 27, 2019. The fair was the highlight of multiple events hosted by the College of Communication and Information designed to help CI majors learn more about internships as well as prepare for their careers. CI expanded the annual fair into a weeklong event for students featuring workshops and information sessions prior to and after the actual career fair. Prior to the fair, CI partnered with the Stuckert Career Center to offer a Handshake overview/Job Fair Etiquette session as well as two resume review sessions. After the fair, the college hosted an internship information session to help students navigate our College’s internship policies and procedures.
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These events gave CI majors an opportunity to learn about possible internships, meet with potential future employers in-person and learn more about what they need to enter the workforce. Thank you to all the organizations that came out to recruit our students.
Lane Named Interim Dean Dean Dan O’Hair announced during the 2017-2018 academic year that he would return to the faculty to pursue research and educational interests. “Dr. Lane is a seasoned administrator who has demonstrated a lasting commitment to the College and the University,” Blackwell said. “I am confident in his ability to undertake this role as we search for an individual to assume the position permanently.”
University of Kentucky Provost David Blackwell named Derek Lane to the position of interim dean of the College of Communication and Information for 2018-2019.
A member of the College of Communication and Information faculty since 1997, Lane has a strong record of administrative leadership, having served as associate dean for graduate programs (2005-2009), associate dean for administrative and academic affairs (2012-2013) and senior associate dean
for administrative affairs (2013-present). Lane earned his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma, focusing on instructional and interpersonal communication, along with instructional technology and survey research methods. “I am excited about this opportunity, and I look forward to working with the college as we move forward,” Lane said. Lane began his tenure as interim dean August 1, 2018. He will continue to serve in the position until August 2019 when Jennifer Greer, the newly-appointed permanent dean of the College of Communication and Information will begin her appointment.
Greer Named Permanent Dean of Communication and Information into a new era of excellence.” Greer, a tenured professor with 19 years in academic administration at the University of Alabama and the University of Nevada, currently serves as associate provost at the University of Alabama, a position she’s held since August 2014. In that role, she handles faculty personnel issues, faculty orientation and leadership programs, and oversees several academic support and compliance units in Academic Affairs. Jennifer D. Greer has been named dean of the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information. Greer will join UK in August, taking over for Interim Dean Derek Lane, who will continue his positions as a professor in the Department of Communication and senior associate dean in the College. “We are thrilled to welcome Jennifer Greer to the UK family,” said Provost David W. Blackwell. “She has rich experience as an administrator, leader and scholar, having served for 19 years in academic administration at two state flagship universities. I am confident that she will lead the College
Her other administrative service includes nearly three years as an interim/acting dean, seven years as a chair, and four years as a graduate director at her previous two universities. She holds a doctorate from the University of Florida, a master’s from the University of Kansas, and two bachelor’s degrees from the University of Missouri. She has been recognized for her excellence in teaching, winning collegewide teaching awards at Nevada and Alabama. She was also honored with a university award for excellence in academic advising at Alabama. Greer served as president of the Association for Education in Journalism
and Mass Communication in 20172018. She has extensive experience working as an author, coordinator or final reader of Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications accreditation selfstudies. She also has worked on accreditation reports for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation and assisted with external review panel site visits for the American Library Association Committee on Accreditation. Greer also has worked with general education committees at two universities and chaired the university’s Graduate Council at Nevada. “The University of Kentucky and the College of Communication and Information are well positioned and are on a strong trajectory,” Greer said. “I’m honored that Provost Blackwell has entrusted me to work collaboratively with an outstanding group of faculty and staff at a critical time in the college’s history. Together, we will strive for continued excellence in fulfilling our teaching, research and service missions while we work to secure a new, state-of-theart facility in which to educate the next generation.”
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Coffee Awarded Great Teacher Honors worked on-air as reporter and anchor. He also has spent many years producing and in management in multiple markets including Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Denver and Nashville. While teaching, he has continued a newsroom presence writing at CNN and WABC in New York, reporting at KSBW in Salinas-Monterrey and working as a Fulbright Specialist at ZNBC, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation in Zambia, Africa. Coffee received his Bachelor of Science in Radio-TelevisionFilm from Northwestern University and his Master of Science in Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Each year, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association awards a handful of educators the Great Teacher Award. In 2019, there were six winners, including Mel Coffee. The Great Teacher Award, started in 1961, is the longestrunning University of Kentucky award recognizing teaching. In order to receive the award, educators must first be nominated by a student. The UK Alumni Association Great Teacher Award Committee, in cooperation with the student organization Omicron Delta Kappa, then makes the final selections. Recipients receive a cash prize and an engraved plaque, as well as being recognized at the annual UK Alumni Association’s Great Teacher Award Dinner and on the floor of a men’s basketball game at Rupp Arena.
The other 2019 Great Teacher Award Winners are: Charles Hazle Jr., College of Health Sciences, Department of Physical Therapy; Gregory Luhan, College of Design, School of Architecture; Margaret Rintamaa, College of Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction; Michael D. Toland, College of Education, Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology; and Wendy Liu, Gatton College of Business and Economics, Department of Finance and Quantitative Methods.
Coffee is an associate professor in the School of Journalism and Media in the UK College of Communication and Information. He spent 16 years in news before teaching and
Harrington Named Research Professor Congratulations to Nancy Harrington, associate dean for research and professor in the Department of Communication, on earning the University Research Professorship Award for 2018-2019. The UK Board of Trustees established the University Research Professorships in 1976 to recognize outstanding research achievements. Harrington’s research focuses on persuasive message design in the health behavior change context, particularly as it relates to risk behavior prevention/health promotion. She has been a principal investigator, co-investigator or principal evaluator on several NIH-funded and CDC-funded studies totaling nearly $9 million. She has published more than 70 journal articles or chapters to date.
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CI Alumna, Journalist-in-Residence Part of Pulitzer Prize-winning Team
James Pilcher, investigative reporter at the Cincinnati Enquirer and journalist-in-residence at UK, and Sarah Brookbank, an Enquirer reporter and 2015 graduate of the UK School of Journalism and Media.
A University of Kentucky alumna and adjunct professor are part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team for their work covering the heroin epidemic. The Pulitzer Prizes, journalism’s most prestigious awards, were announced Monday, April 16, by administrator Dana Canedy, also a UK alumna. Sarah Brookbank, a Cincinnati Enquirer reporter and 2015 graduate of the UK School of Journalism and Media within the College of Communication and Information, and James Pilcher, investigative reporter at The Enquirer and journalistin-residence at UK, both reported for the paper’s “Seven Days of Heroin” project. UK alumna Nancy Daly, who graduated with a degree in journalism in 1982, also works on staff at The Enquirer. Their team was awarded the coveted Pulitzer in the local reporting category, “for a riveting and insightful narrative and video documenting seven days of greater Cincinnati’s heroin epidemic, revealing how the deadly addiction has ravaged families and communities.” “Winning a Pulitzer Prize is to a journalist what winning an Olympic gold medal is to an athlete,” said Mike Farrell, professor and interim director of the School of Journalism and Media. “To see Sarah and James honored for their roles reinforces our faith in our students and the training we can provide them.”
More than 60 reporters, photographers and videographers went into Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities to explore the epidemic’s impact and the personal stories of those affected. The piece chronicles just one week — July 10 through July 16 — but includes 18 deaths, nearly 200 overdoses, hundreds of heroin users in jail and 15 babies born with heroin-related medical issues. Brookbank was a news and features editor at the Kentucky Kernel while attending UK and Pilcher teaches data journalism and investigative journalism at UK. In a Kentucky Kernel story on the award, Pilcher spoke about UK’s many connections to the Pulitzers. “The fact that Sarah was part of it, I was part of it, the Pulitzer chairwoman was part of it, I think it speaks to the legacy and the ongoing quality that speaks to the UK School of Journalism,” he said in the Kernel. “What is even better is that this was such a powerful story and on such a critical topic, a drug that is robbing families of loved ones,” Farrell said. “The story reinforces our faith in the power and importance of journalism. And we are extremely proud that the wonderfully talented and accomplished Dana Canedy, a Pulitzer winner herself and one of our distinguished graduates, is the administrator of these coveted awards.”
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The Year(s) in Pictures
How could we not want to be #CISweethearts with these great students?
National Advisory Board Members Henry Evans and Pat Muchler present outgoing Dean Dan O’Hair with an awesome going away gift at the April 2018 meeting.
SURPRISE! We were able to pull off a surprise going away reception for Dean Dan O’Hair to thank him for his service to our college before he stepped down.
Beth Barnes with the James C. Bowling Scholarship 2018 winner, Kaitlyn Summe.
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The 2017-2018 CI Student Awards are a great reason to celebrate with the whole family.
In the summer of 2018, we moved out of Grehan and relocated our Dept. of ISC into McVey Hall and our School of Journalism and Media, Dept. of Comm, and Student Services offices into Blazer Dining.
College Excellence Awards Friend of the College Award: Jayne Hancock (2018); Jeff Ashley/Larry and Susan Patrick (2019) Outstanding Alumnus Award: Dan Hassert (2018); David Thompson (2019) Faculty Teaching Excellence Award: David Stephenson/T. Kody Frey (2018); Kimberly Parker (2019) Graduate Teaching Excellence Award: Gabrielle Dudgeon (2018); Sean Goatley-Soan (2019) Faculty Research Award: Andy Pilny (2018); David Nemer (2019) Outstanding Staff Award: Matt Cockerell/Rachel Dixon (2018); Will Buntin/John Cruz (2019) Faculty Community Service Award: Kevin Real/Kakie Urch (2018); Al Cross (2019) Outstanding Advisor Award: Sherali Zeadally (2018); Shannon Oltmann (2019) Graduate Awards Palmgreen Fellowship: Minhao Dai (2018); Kaylee Lukacena-Buzzetta (2019) Bruce H. Westley Memorial Scholarship: Lauren Roberson (2018); Sarah Geegan (2019) Carozza Graduate Fund for Excellence in Health Communication: Serena Daya (2018); Will Silberman (2019) Martha and Howard Sypher Memorial Graduate Fellowship: Tara Watterson (2018); Sarah Bell (2019) R. Lewis Donohew Graduate Fellowship: Ted (Richard) Carter (2018); Erin Hester (2019) Dorothy M. Carozza Memorial Fellowship Fund: Will Silberman (2018, 2019) Dissertation Year Fellowship: Audrey Smith Bachman (2018); Liz Spencer (2019) Staff Service Awards Faith Cracraft: 5 years Lincoln Garrett: 5 years
Josh Maddox: 20 years Mary Plank: 20 years Megan Sizemore: 10 years
L-R: Sarah Jane Tamme, Jen McConchie, Catherine Hayden, Harlie Collins, Schyler Simpson and Rachel Dixon (Team CI Scrambled Legs) represented CI at the 2019 Faculty/Staff DanceBlue event in February.
The UK Intercollegiate Debate Team was crowned the 2019 NDT Champions!
The 2019 CI Student Awards were held in the newlyrenovated Gatton Student Center.
As his nomination stated, “Al Cross IS community service.” Interim Dean Derek Lane presents Al Cross with the 18-19 Faculty Community Service Award.
CI Staff Council sponsored a luncheon to show our staff how much we appreciate them.
When these smiling faces are greeting you, the rain can’t dampen your spirits on LLP Move In Day!
We welcomed alumni, students and families to campus for Family Weekend.
CI Staff Council partnered with the FEED backpack food program throughout the 18-19 academic year.
Team “Run for the Roses” took home the Best Group Costume Prize at “Boonanza” held at the Boone Center on Halloween.
The ISC 471 Event Planning class worked with the Lexington Philharmonic to make November’s “Made in America” student night a huge success.
Our faculty and staff enjoy making the holidays a little brighter for a family through the Circle of Love.
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Online Giving Made Easy With you as our partner, the College of Communication and Information can continue our mission of becoming a national leader at the graduate and undergraduate levels among public research universities in the fields of communication, journalism, integrated strategic communication, media arts and studies, and library and information science. Your gifts allow us to award scholarships, fund student travel, support undergraduate research efforts and provide students with experiential learning opportunities. The University of Kentucky’s partnership with Network For Good, an online giving platform, makes it easier than ever to donate to the College of Communication and Information, our departments and our scholarships. The cloud-based platform will enable departments to create project-based or peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns and offers options to share online via social media. Take a quick tour around the new online platform below and then go online to start your giving experience. If you are interested in learning more about giving, please visit the Office of Philanthropy website: http://www.uky.edu/philanthropy.
Main page of CI’s online giving platform Find it at ukci.me/give
Share these funds on social media to help spread the word! The main CI fund is the first listing.
Many (but not all) of CI’s funds can be found here. Use the search tool to find our other giving options.
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One Day for UK
It was a day that exceeded all expectations and showed the generosity of the University of Kentucky community. One Day for UK, the university’s first giving day, raised more than $1 million on April 17, benefiting colleges, programs and causes across campus. “One Day for UK was an outstanding day for the University,” said Anne Lichtenberg, director of annual giving. “It was inspiring to see our community come together. The UK family truly showed what Kentucky can do.” In 24 hours, UK received $1,068,758 from 3,262 gifts, including 450 gifts from first-time donors and nearly 600 gifts from faculty and staff, said Sarah Fitzgerald, associate director of annual giving. “It was exciting to see alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students and friends support a variety of causes at the University,” Fitzgerald said. “I want to thank everyone who participated in our first One Day for UK. It has set the bar for all future giving days.” The day also raised awareness about the need for support at UK as well as the diversity of places and programs to support.
engagement. “In eight months, we have already seen the impact of the campaign. With lead gifts, donors have ensured more students have access to a UK education. Corporations and individuals have enhanced our research, allowing UK to tackle some of the biggest problems facing our state, nation and world. And alumni throughout the world have established endowments that will sustain and grow UK well into the future. “We have just begun to show the world what Kentucky can do and the strength of our alumni network,” Richey said. One of Kentucky Can’s goals was to increase alumni giving by 21 percent, Richey said. Alumni participation rates show the loyalty and dedication of a university’s alumni base. Higher giving rates indicate a broad base of support for an institution, positioning it for future success. Alumni giving also impacts national rankings, the university’s reputation and future enrollment, and it shows corporations, foundations and other donors that UK is a wise investment. As a result, high alumni giving rates can attract additional private support that will strengthen UK’s endowment and provide necessary funding for future programs and initiatives.
“We had great participation across the board,” Fitzgerald said. “Both small and large units benefitted from the day, and it was nice to see where people gave. The turnout was overwhelming and showed how much people love UK.”
UK is currently ranked 13th in the nation in alumni giving participation among the 50 flagship universities – the primary, most recognizable public institution in a state – and 33rd among the 484 public universities that participated in the Council for Aid to Education’s 2017 Voluntary Support of Education Survey.
All of the day’s funds supported Kentucky Can: The 21st Century Campaign, the University’s comprehensive campaign to increase scholarship support, to fund innovative research, to advance health care, to strengthen the alumni network, to enhance UK’s athletic programs and to grow the University’s endowment. UK is already more than halfway to its $2.1 billion campaign goal.
“These are incredible statistics that truly show the loyalty and dedication of our alumni base,” Richey said. “One Day for UK could elevate those rankings, making UK one of the top 10 state flagship universities and one of the top 20 universities nationally for alumni participation.”
“When we launched the campaign in September, we said that Kentucky Can would ensure UK’s future and would bring momentous change to the Commonwealth,” said D. Michael Richey, vice president for philanthropy and alumni
CI Stats: The College of Communication and Information raised just over $25,000 with online/mail donations, challenge prizes and matching gifts from the 2019 One Day for UK cmapign. CI CONNECT • 11
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Meet the CI Alum Behind UK’s New Home for the LGBTQ* Community stepped up to support the work Poston, the University and other UK alumni were dedicating to LGBTQ* students. Dinkle had found his purpose. “When I was at the University of Kentucky in the late ’70s and early ’80s there was not a campus home for the LGBT community. There wasn’t even really a student organization dedicated to the LGBT community,” Dinkle said. “And that was very important to me, and Carlos, in talking about creating an endowment fund at UK that there be a center that serves as a home for the LGBT community on campus and its allies. So, it’s very meaningful. It’s a leap across time for me to be able to be here. … To come back today and see the changes for the better — it’s quite heartening. And I am just thrilled to be part of this center’s future. So, to tell you that it’s meaningful doesn’t even begin to approach how heartened, happy and thrilled we are to be part of this.” When Jim Dinkle (’82 communication) discovered the University of Kentucky’s LGBTQ* Resource Center on Facebook a few years ago, it had been more than three decades since he had visited the UK campus. Nothing like the services provided by the UK Office of LGBTQ* Resources had been in place when he was a student here. In fact, it was such a different world in the early ’80s that Dinkle was not “out” until several years after he graduated as the UK Student Government Association president and a voting member of the University’s Board of Trustees. Finding himself a proud UK alumnus for unexpected reasons, Dinkle visited campus in December 2017 to learn more about the contemporary University of Kentucky and its services for the LGBTQ* community. He met with Lance Poston, director of LGBTQ* resources; Sonja Feist-Price, vice president for institutional diversity; and President Eli Capilouto. He says he was “shaken to the core” by Capilouto’s first words as they shook hands: “Welcome home!” “I felt as though I had walked across a time bridge,” Dinkle said. “I found Dr. Capilouto, (Feist-Price and Poston) to be intensely committed to diversity and the LGBTQ* Resource Center.” That acceptance did not jibe with Dinkle’s experience three decades earlier as a closeted gay college student. “It was a lonely feeling knowing that I was gay,” Dinkle said about his young adult years at UK. “I never want to know of a young person today at the University of Kentucky who feels as conflicted, torn or alone as I once felt when I was a (university) student 35 years ago.” He and his partner were determined to do something to assure the University remained a welcoming home for a diverse community. After carefully considering their options, Dinkle and his partner of 18 years, Carlos Mas Rivera,
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Thanks to Dinkle and Rivera’s generous gift of $250,000, the Dinkle-Mas Suite was dedicated in the Gatton Student Center in October of this year. Situated at the heart of the new Gatton Student Center, the space serves as a home base and a one-stop information shop where the entire community can celebrate, learn about and support the diversity of gender and sexual identities on campus. The Dinkle-Mas Suite serves specifically as a hub for accessing the services of the Office of LGBTQ* Resources. These supports include community building, education and advocacy initiatives that support students, faculty and staff in succeeding as their open and authentic selves. Individuals can come into the suite to access direct or referral services related to on-campus housing, holistic health and inclusive institutional identifiers. Additionally, multiple formal and informal student groups and classes utilize the space as a regular meeting site or comfortable space to study, network and develop a deeper sense of belonging as parts of a beautifully diverse university. It was exactly the space Dinkle and Rivera envisioned. “It wasn’t about putting our names on (the space), although I’m flattered. One reason we did put our names on the suite (is) because I want my name to be out as a gay man. That’s very important to me at the University of Kentucky because, again, in the early ’80’s when I was here it would have been much more difficult. It probably wouldn’t have been attainable being Student Government president if I’d been an out student,” Dinkle said. “That’s not who I could be in the late ’70s and early ’80s,” he added. “But this space will help other young people to become who they are … now and throughout their lives.”
JOU Students Take to the Sky to Learn from a Bird’s Eye View
University of Kentucky journalism students are taking to the sky to learn from a bird’s eye view. In David Stephenson’s drone journalism class, in the School of Journalism and Media within the College of Communication and Information, students are learning to use new technology for news gathering purposes. As a photographer and film maker himself, Stephenson wanted to add drone experience to his arsenal and help students do the same. “In the past five years, the accessibility of drones has put aerial reporting in the hands of practically any newsroom. They no longer need to hire helicopter or airplane pilots at a rate of hundreds or thousands of dollars per flight, and drones can reach places we can’t go ourselves,” Stephenson said. “But we also should not overlook the need for proper safety training and licensing.” The class has three components. One day a week students learn Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and safety protocols in order to take the FAA licensing exam. This includes weather, safety and air space maps. During the second component of the class, students look at examples of drone work previously done in film and journalism such as cinematography and photo technique. They use these past examples to study ethics and law as it applies, and also learn how to navigate the controls of the drones. Finally, students spend time outside, flying drones under the supervision of Stephenson.
“I want students to see the potential that drones can offer them as reporters and photographers who are reporting and telling stories,” said Stephenson, who stresses the importance of safety and the importance of following rules and regulations. “It will be a fantastic portfolio and resume´ line for our students to be experienced and licensed drone pilots.” By the end of the class, students will be prepared to take the FAA Part 107 drone pilot licensing test and be a future expert on drones in their newsrooms. Stephenson predicts every newsroom in the future to have at least one licensed drone pilot. Derek Lane, the interim dean of the College of Communication and Information, is enthusiastic about the program and believes drones for journalism “provide an incredibly innovative visual storytelling tool that allow our students to break down physical barriers — especially when telling stories that are only possible when drones are deployed — such as crises and natural disasters.”
Students can also use a flight simulator to practice without having to be monitored by a licensed pilot. CI CONNECT • 13
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Remembering Dr. R. Lewis Donohew Dr. R. Lewis Donohew passed away on June 15, 2019. Our college owes much to him for laying the foundation to get us where we are today. Lewis Donohew earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism (’51) and his master’s in political science (’61) from the University of Kentucky. After receiving his doctorate in communications from Iowa (’65), he returned to UK as an assistant professor in journalism and adviser to the Kentucky Kernel. Just three years following his promotion to full professor, Donohew was appointed Director of the School of Communication and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1971. Donohew retired in 1999 after nearly 35 years on the faculty at UK. He influenced countless students and colleagues and remained active in research and publishing for several years after his retirement. Donohew was a pioneer in the field of health communication with his use of behavioral science research and technology to develop drug-prevention messages that targeted thrillseekers. At the core of his seemingly different interests, he was driven by the desire to preserve democracy by having informed citizens. Throughout his tenure at UK, Donohew was instrumental in many programmatic changes. He was the driving force in the establishment of the three communication degrees (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate), as well as the cofounder of the first Kentucky Health Communication Conference.
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What follows are excerpts of an interview conducted in August of 2102 and printed in the Fall 2013 Graduate Standard publication.
Evolution of the Discipline
At the time, in World War II, I tell people sometimes that the father of our modern discipline was Joseph Goebbels. Because he has such great success with the German people and the propaganda, American scientists were studying how the process worked. The government had gotten a lot of prominent scientists, psychologists, sociologists, library scientists, political scientists, all to converge on this and state it from their own perspectives. They had come back and started teaching from all of their research they had done after the war, and their students found this fascinating. They didn’t want to teach Psychology 101 or Sociology 101 and so forth. They started joining journalism and speech departments and transformed the schools into more science oriented. Up till that point they were more humanities oriented. Then you started having a bit of a conflict between the humanities and behavioral sciences. And eventually that got resolved and they made peace. And today, as it has further evolved, we have communication with a humanities-oriented group and the behavioral-oriented group.
Developing the Graduate Program
I came back to the journalism departments to create some undergraduate courses in the influence of mass media, and areas like that, which were a little bit different than what had been in the standard curriculum. Mel DeFleur, who was a well-known sociologist at the time, was teaching some mass communications courses at UK. So we had to get past some
they eventually approved it, and then we started the doctoral program [1977]. One thing I want to make clear, although I suppose I was the driving force in starting a department of communication and developing the graduate program, there were other people who were supportive of it, and helped push it. Robert Bostrom being one of them. He was certainly a good ally.
Early Students
I will confess something here. And put it now into the cameras and for posterity. I came out of my doctoral work as a pretty hard-lined behaviorist. And we wanted a behavioral science program. And so that guided hiring faculty for the new College of Communication [1976].
agreement with sociology in order to put in some courses… but we did, so I taught some of those. And we created an undergraduate major in communication with cooperation among some of the units that are now in the college. But we wanted a graduate program. So the master’s was to also be a cooperative program. We put together a master’s degree program and that sailed right through as I recall [1966]. What really helped us as much as anything was that the university decided that the College of Arts and Sciences was too big to be administered the way it was, so they were going to break it down into schools. So they created a School of Communication [1968] with only two units: a broadcasting [telecommunications] area and a journalism area. But there wasn’t a department of speech. So we got the English department to have their two faculty members who were teaching speech as a sub-area of English, J.W. Patterson and Gifford Blyton. Then they added an instructor and a chair to make four people, and that created [a third department in the School], the Department of Speech.
Because of that orientation, our earlier students were much more in those behavioral science oriented areas. I remember my first PhD student, Bill Gillespie, was studying what could be called subliminal responses to messages and was measuring skin conductance while people were watching a film that had little skulls and crossbones and images in it, to see if they were aware of those things in it, and if it made any difference in their physiological response… along the way our research has gotten a little bit more sophisticated!
So we proposed the doctorate. And in it’s wisdom, the university elders decided that it was too much, and we couldn’t handle it. And so they turned it down. The dean of Arts and Sciences at the time asked me to be the new Director of the School of Communication and Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences [1971]. And so I used that as a springboard for pushing and rewriting the doctorate proposal. It went before, it seems like 40 committees…I guess it was only five or six, but it was still a lot, and had to defend it at all of these stages along the way. And it was finally approved. And then the Council on Higher Education, which has the final say on a doctoral program, decided that they wanted to slow down things a little bit in higher education, generally speaking. And so they declared a moratorium. So we were sitting there in limbo. I think it was at least two years later
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ICT Student Develops App to Edit Photos Using Artificial Intelligence
If you have ever struggled editing a photo, you don’t have to wait any longer for a mobile application that guides you through the editing process. A new mobile app by Dagmawi Nadew, an information communication technology major in the College of Communication and Information at the University of Kentucky, uses artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify and enhance the photo editing experience. “Sason is an iOS mobile application that takes the guessing work we normally find ourselves doing when editing photos for social media, with the help of artificial intelligence,” Nadew said. Nadew, along with students at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Texas at Austin trained the AI to “analyze patterns between a great shot and one that is not and gives you an aesthetics score” per the app’s website. “I was in charge of integrating our Machine Learning Model, or the AI, into our iOS application as well as designing and developing the mobile application itself. Other team members were in charge of marketing, web development, data science and, of course, helping develop the machine learning model,” Nadew said. “The biggest challenge that
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we faced was allowing users to access our AI at the same time by developing an application programming interface (API) and having that properly scale up without crashing.” In order to overcome these challenges, Nadew and his teammates sought advice from faculty members. “Dagmawi is one of those students who makes it really fun to be an instructor, and it’s always neat when he stops by my office and talks about his work. He’s quite a motivated person and I have enjoyed watching him rise to meet a number of challenges that have been placed before him. I’m also grateful that he’s trusted me to engage with him in some conversations about the app he’s developing,” said Sean Burns, assistant professor in the School of Information Science.
simple enough for users to understand and find their way around,” Nadew said. “ICT 205: ICT in Society helped me navigate the privacy aspect of the software development process. And, lastly, I advise taking ICT 390: Systems Administration with Linux in order to learn how to deploy your own server that hosts your application.” According to Nadew, Sason was recently ranked top 500 grossing application in the App Store in South America. Additional information about Sason, the AI photo editing app, is available at http://Sason.co and on Instagram (@ sasonapp).
Nadew’s advice for students interested in app development is to not be intimidated to ask for help. “As far as acquiring skills I would advise taking ICT 301: Introduction to Databases, as it equipped me with enough knowledge to store and retrieve user information from a database and have it properly scale up. I also suggest ICT 390: Semantic Web, which allowed us to develop a user interface that was
This screenshot shows how to edit photos within the Sason app.
ISC, JOU Students Chosen for NFL Seminar
(Left to Right): ISC senior Torrie Mitchell, ISC junior Emily Fields, journalism junior Jordan Colquitt and ISC senior Danielle Potts.
University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information students acquired insider knowledge about public relations in the sports industry through networking at the National Football League (NFL) PR College Student Seminar. Four students, three majoring in integrated strategic communication (ISC) and one in journalism, were selected to attend a seminar hosted by the NFL in February. This opportunity provided key insight and networking experience for undergraduate students with public relations professionals in the sports industry. Danielle Potts, a senior ISC student, explained what happened during the two-hour event. “We would talk, exchange numbers and resumes,” said Potts. “It was really low key and relaxing.” UK faculty across multiple disciplines were asked to nominate up to five students to attend this seminar. Eligible students had demonstrated a previous commitment to public relations, as well as an interest in pursuing a career in the sports industry (specifically, an interest in NFL teams). Emily Fields, a junior ISC student, detailed the importance of
being selected for this experience. “It was huge honestly. I want to work in the NFL doing public relations for an NFL team,” Fields said. “Having the opportunity to network with these people was something that I never thought I would experience, so it was a really big moment.” Two of the four students were able to attend a second event called Sports Management Worldwide NFL Combine Career Conference. Presentations by industry leaders allowed for attendees to understand the day-to-day responsibilities involved with sportsrelated careers.
“I would advise all students to look for third party events going on in surrounding areas to attend because you can’t stay stagnant in school and expect opportunities to fall into your lap,” Mitchell said. “Having interviews scheduled less than a week after is a blessing and true testament that it was worth attending this event.” Professionals at the event were able to elaborate on the internship opportunities their teams offer students, and the students had the opportunity to ask questions to better understand what they can do to set themselves apart from other candidates in the sports industry.
“Professionals gave their advice on working in a high stress environment,” Fields said.
Jordan Colquitt, a junior journalism student, highlighted what she learned from spending time with each team.
The ability to network, receive career guidance and obtain insight on how to be hired in such a competitive field were things detailed as crucial takeaways by the four students who attended. Torrie Mitchell, a senior ISC student, explained the importance of seeking out new experiences.
“Branch out and do things you haven’t done, move places you haven’t moved and take a chance,” Colquitt said. “Don’t just stay within your comfort zone, be versatile and open.”
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COM Hosts Student-Alumni Networking Night human resources measurement and evaluation, but I am certain that I would not be where I am today had it not been for my communication undergrad degree from UK!” Graduate School Our alumni who talked about how to prepare for graduate school included Dr. Schyler Simpson who is a three-time communication graduate and current Director of Recruiting and Retention for the College, Joshua Santiago who is a current communication doctoral student and Kristina Alexander who is now studying human resources at Ohio State and already has a job lined up at Marathon after her May graduation. Alexander said, “My organizational communication degree gave me the tools I needed to pursue a career in the business world. Without those building blocks I wouldn’t have been as equipped for graduate school.” On Wednesday, October 30, the Department of Communication hosted its Student-Alumni Networking Night a the Hilary J. Boone Center on campus. The event connected current communication majors with alumni in a variety of careers and industries for a fun night of networking. Advertising and Public Relations Regan Nichols, Casey Smith and Austin Wicker talked to students about what it is like to work on advertising, public relations and political campaigns. When asked how having a degree in communication has helped her in the advertising industry, Nichols responded, “Having a communication degree helped me learn the importance of reading people. I probably engage with 75+ people a day so being open to their perspective and motivators is key.” Development and Fundraising Heather Shaw, Laura Coleman Pritchard and Townsend Miller discussed what it is like to work in development for community agencies and academic institutions. Shaw explained, “My degree in communication has helped me be able to relate to and engage with more people. The degree has helped with writing grants (especially when data is involved), newsletters, marketing material and so much more.” Entrepreneurship Nigel Taylor, who currently works as a trainer for UK’s Unconscious Bias Initiative while developing the online environment Find Your Comfort, talked to students about how to manage setbacks and learn to fail. He advised students to make sure they have a strong support network if they are going into business for themselves. He said, “You need them to be there when you fail, because you will fail, but you can’t succeed if you don’t.” Whitney Martin credited Interim Dean Derek Lane with inspiring her career choice, “Dr. Lane’s research methods class was the fuse that lit my passion for statistics and research methods! I ended up getting a master’s degree in
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Healthcare Maggie Owens and Laura Moore gave students insight on the array of career opportunities in health communication. Owens said, “I found that my degree really set me apart in my master’s program. While receiving my MHA, we discussed many scenarios around patient-provider communication and interpersonal skills in the hospital with patients and employees. I already had a ‘leg-up’ in this area. I also felt that I excelled in interview season for the fellowship and in my leadership skills.” Law John Norman and Hammad Khan represented the communication alumni who have gone on to law school after completing their communication degree. Khan reported, “Having a solid foundation in communication that I obtained from UK assists me in countless ways at work. From communicating with survivors of violent crimes in a compassionate manner to being persuasive in court and in plea negotiations, my communication plays a role every day.”
CI CoLab Uses Virtual Reality to Bring Basketball to Kids with Cancer
The University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information CoLab is providing a way for fans of all types to cheer on the Cats this basketball season, especially those young fans in the DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Hematology/Oncology Clinic.
Stevens and his team have worked extensively with VR in the CI CoLab, a technology usability lab where students and faculty work together to test emerging technologies. He’s also an expert on video games, teaching a course that gives an overview of the industry and its technological advances.
The CoLab’s newest project is a 360-degree 4K virtual recording of the introduction of a UK men’s basketball game shot in collaboration with UK Athletics. After making the video virtual reality capable, arrangements were made to share the video with children in the DanceBlue Clinic at the Kentucky Children’s Hospital.
Stevens was inspired to do VR projects by an article he read as a graduate student about different ways to distract patients with cancer from their treatments.
“When you see UK fans on their feet and fireworks when the players walk out, it’s a mesmerizing place,” said Nathan Stevens, college media officer in the College of Communication and Information. “Some of the kids may have been in the hospital their whole life, and it allows them to feel what it is really like to be at a game.” After putting the VR headset on, the children can turn and view every part of Rupp Arena as fans jump to their feet to cheer on the Wildcats. They can also clap along with the Wildcat and UK cheerleaders, see the UK players up close and feel the energy of the arena for themselves.
“We’re just wanting to take their minds off of their diseases and treatments for a few minutes and transport the children to another world,” he said. Stevens is also working on two VR games, a replica snake game and a crane game, which will give children the opportunity to explore, play and communicate with others while in their “virtual world.” The CI CoLab worked with UK Athletics to shoot 360-degree video of the Blue/White Spring Game on Friday, April 16, 2019. Plans for other sports are in the works. For more information about the projects Stevens and his team are working on, visit http://ci.uky.edu/cicolab/.
MSLS Program Earns Continued Accreditation The American Library Association recently granted continuing accreditation status to the School of Information Science for its Master of Science in Library Science degree program. The program’s accreditation will expire in 2025.
ALA accreditation is a factor in the ranking of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” published by U.S. News and World Report. According to U.S. News and World Report, UK’s MSLS degree is ranked in the Top 5 for health librarianship as well as Top 25 of “America’s Best Graduate Schools.”
The ALA is recognized by the United States Department of Education to accredit schools that prepare professional librarians in the U.S., as well as Puerto Rico and Canada. Most employers require an ALA-accredited master’s degree for professional level positions, and some states require an ALA-accredited degree to work as a professional librarian in public or school libraries.
For nearly 100 years, SIS, also a part of the iSchools consortium, has been educating future library and information professionals to meet the needs of their communities. The mission of UK’s MSLS program is, “to prepare information professionals to be leaders and change agents in meeting the needs of a diverse and evolving society.”
SIS is the only ALA-accredited program in library and information science in Kentucky and has maintained accreditation for nearly 80 years. The degree is offered online to students across the country.
“We are proud of the preparation that we provide our MSLS students, particularly given the breadth and depth of the educational opportunities this preparation includes,” said Jeff Huber, director and professor in the School of Information Science. CI CONNECT • 19
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Helme Part of Record-Breaking NIH Grant to Combat Opioid Epidemic The award was announced in April by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex M. Azar at a press conference in Washington D.C. “Kentuckians know the insidiousness of this disease better than most,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “The opioid epidemic does not discriminate by zip code, race, income or any other demographic characteristic. It is not a character or moral failing, but an illness. It’s unforgiving. It touches us all. We all know someone — a member of our family, a loved one, a lifelong friend or classmate — whose life has been damaged by this illness. Its victims are us. But there is hope. There is us. That is why we believe aggressive, ambitious change is possible. Indeed, it is essential. That is why we believe we can — and must — lead the way.” Don Helme, (back row, fourth from left) is an associate professor in the Department of Communication and part of the team awarded UK’s record-breaking NIH grant.
In the largest grant ever awarded to the University of Kentucky, researchers from UK’s Center on Drug and Alcohol Research and across campus — in partnership with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet — will lead a project as part of the HEALing Communities study. The four-year, more than $87 million study has an ambitious but profoundly important goal: reducing opioid overdose deaths by 40 percent in 16 counties that represent more than a third of Kentucky’s population. More than 47,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose in 2017. Kentucky and UK represent one of only four study sites across the United States selected by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, for this groundbreaking effort. The study is part of the NIH HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, a bold, trans-agency effort to speed scientific solutions to stem the national opioid crisis. The goal is to develop evidence-based solutions to the opioid crisis and offer new hope for individuals, families and communities affected by this devastating crisis. More broadly, the idea is to see if solutions in different communities across the state can be scaled up and replicated as part of a national approach to the challenge. Helme will partner with Kentucky’s local health departments and state officials to develop and implement health communication campaigns to encourage utilization of evidence-based interventions for opioid use disorder. He will contribute to the HEALing Communities project’s communications strategy, will help define metrics for communications reach and help identify appropriate media venues for the Health Communications advertising.
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Capilouto said the grant is a testament to UK’s strong partnership with the state. “We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from Gov. Bevin and his administration,” Capilouto said. “Today, we are declaring in a united voice that we can stem this devastating tide. We look forward to our continued partnership with the Governor as our efforts, together, yield a better future for the state we serve.” “We owe a debt of gratitude to Leader McConnell, Sen. Paul, Rep. Barr, and Rep. Rogers — and our entire federal delegation — for their enduring support of UK’s efforts to build a brighter future for Kentucky. Together, our elected officials and the University for Kentucky are committed to stemming the deadly tide of addiction that has claimed too many Kentucky lives. Their support has been, and will continue to be, crucial to fulfilling our promise of hope and healing for the people of the Commonwealth.” Chair of the UK Board of Trustees Britt Brockman said that the grant is an investment in Kentucky’s future. “This grant is a recognition that this university — the University for Kentucky — must lead in helping shape a brighter future for the Commonwealth we have served for more than 150 years,” Brockman said. “In partnership with state government, we are taking on the bold — but essential — goal of combating the epidemic of opioids that is destroying lives and ravaging communities. This grant represents the hope and promise that we can change that, that we can bring help and healing to our state and our country. Our university was founded to lead in this way. We look forward, in partnership with our state, to meeting this challenge.” Consider the dimensions of the problem nationally and in Kentucky: • More than 2 million Americans live with addiction to opioids. • Life expectancy in this country has dropped — fueled, in large measure, by drug overdose deaths.