2024-2025 ACADEMIC YEAR
CI CONNECT ANNUAL MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY THE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION
The
POWER of PLACE
FROM
THE DEAN
DESIGNING OUR FUTURE Space doesn’t create a community — but it can strengthen it. Thoughtfully designed environments accelerate collaboration, spark creativity and bring people together. This year, the College of Communication and Information has experienced that truth firsthand as we moved into new and renovated spaces — Pence Hall, the UK Downtown Studio, McVey Hall and Lucille Little Library. These aren’t just buildings. They are catalysts for learning and innovation. Students, faculty and staff now have comfortable surroundings, access to cutting-edge technology and collaborative areas, and mostimportantly, a place to call their own. This issue of CI Connect celebrates the Power of Place, highlighting not only our physical spaces but also the people who learn, work and connect within them. We also share the stories of donors whose generosity made this transformation possible. These spaces reflect our commitment to preparing students for a rapidly evolving communication and
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information landscape and to strengthening ties with the broader community. The UK Downtown Studio, for example, serves as a bridge between campus and city, creating opportunities for partnerships and providing students with real-world learning opportunities. This is a pivotal moment in the College’s history. The University of Kentucky and CI’s supporters have invested in us. Now, our challenge is to fully leverage these spaces to advance our mission. We invite alumni and friends to visit and see for themselves how they are shaping our future. Until then, we hope you enjoy learning about CI’s new spaces — and all the other wonderful things happening in them — on these pages.
Jennifer Greer, Dean cidean@uky.edu
WHAT’S INSIDE 4 THE POWER OF PLACE
CI is using the power of place to create community across campus and beyond.
16 STUDENTS
Students shine with awards, accolades and innovations.
37 COLLEGE NEWS
The College is making news. Read about it here.
44 UK DEBATE
The Kentucky Debate Team continues its storied history with solid performances in the 2024-2025 season.
47 ALUMNI
From albums to academia, CI alumni are making headlines.
30 GRADUATE STUDENTS
CI graduate students excel in and out of the classroom as they work toward advanced degrees.
33 RESEARCH
Research by CI students and faculty makes impact across industries.
59 THE IMPACT OF GIVING Your giving helps in immeasurable ways.
BOLD DENOTES CI ALUMNUS ITALIC DENOTES CURRENT CI STUDENT
DEAN: JENNIFER GREER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: CATHERINE HAYDEN EDITOR: GRAY GREENWELL DESIGNER: JACKIE POWELL
CONTRIBUTORS
ANN BLACKFORD ADRIENNE BROVERO CATE GLADWELL GRAY GREENWELL CATHERINE HAYDEN C.E. HUFFMAN DAN KNAPP REAGAN KUYPERS ALEXANDRIA LANDGRAF KACI MCCARTHY AIMEE PIERCE MATTIE PRICE MEG MILLS SHORT HALEY SIMPKINS LINDSAY TRAVIS JENNY WELLS-HOSLEY
PHOTOGRAPHERS
ALEXIS BAKER KENZIE BENNETT LANIE BIVINS JEREMY BLACKBURN MOSES BOTAKA KELLEY BOZEMAN NICOLE BREAZEALE MARK CORNELISON ABBEY CUTRER MEGHAN DOWELL REESE DURHAM GRAY GREENWELL JENNIFER GREER ADRIANE GRUMBEIN CATHERINE HAYDEN SCOTT HAYES HANNAH LECOMTE KACI MCCARTHY JEREMY MIDKIFF MATTHEW MUELLER ISABELLA SEPAHBAN CARTER SKAGGS DAVID STEPHENSON UK PHOTO TIM WEBB 859 PHOTOGRAPHY
COVER PHOTO
LANIE BIVINS Note: Information in this publication is current as of printing and encompasses the 2024-2025 academic year.
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THE POWER OF PLACE Since 2020, the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information has been on a mission to reimagine every inch of our space to help build community and advance our goals. Follow along through our renovation journey and hear from the faculty, staff and students who use these spaces. Finally, learn the stories behind some of our named spaces.
SPACE
TIMELINE
Renovated McVey Hall offices for CI Business
2021-2024
2022
Downtown Studio and production facility (photo 3 next page)
Renovated Lucille Little Library: new advising/recruiting space; added faculty and staff offices (photo 2 next page)
2022-2025 Pence Hall asset preservation project (photo 4 next page)
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2024 New Mac lab and team room in McVey Hall
2020-2021 Blazer Dining upgrades
2021 Renovated McVey Hall rooms for Graduate Program; added collegewide conference room (photo 1 next page)
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UNDERWAY
Renovated 2nd Floor McVey Hall for ISC (photo 5 next page)
Lucille Little Library renovations for SIS, Business Center, UK Debate (photo 6 next page)
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Assistant Professor Jen Smith teaches a journalism class in Wrigley Auditorium.
Pence Hall
CI’S NEW FRONT DOOR
With the opening of a renovated Pence Hall in August 2025, the College of Communication and Information has its first building entirely its own since 2018. Pence completes the integrated, cohesive CI neighborhood in the heart of campus, which includes operations in McVey Hall and Lucille Little Library and connectivity to the Downtown Studio (see story page 12). Formerly home to the College of Design, renovations to Pence for CI began in 2022 as part of the University’s Asset Preservation Initiative, a multi-phase effort to preserve existing campus buildings so they continue to serve their intended functions well into the future. Dean Jennifer Greer was hired in 2019 with a mandate to find a new permanent home for the
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College after CI offices had been relocated from the former Grehan Journalism Building. The move to Pence Hall grew from the right pieces falling into place at the right time and the support of UK’s administration and donors (see pages 9-11). It also reflects the dedication of faculty, staff, students and alumni to CI’s mission, Greer said. “We are grateful for this new home that will serve us well for the next 50 years,” she said. “It’s a transformative moment in our college’s history. Working together, we envisioned what this new building could mean for our future. We gathered information and told our story clearly, powerfully and persuasively, using the core values of our disciplines to shape our future.”
Associate Professor David Stephenson works with students in one of Pence Hall’s Mac labs. Across four floors, Pence Hall houses the CI Dean’s Office, the Department of Communication, the School of Journalism and Media, Student Success (advising, recruiting, career services), CI Marketing and Communications, Student Media and CI Technology Services, which includes a student equipment checkout room holding more than 1,700 pieces of technology.
Xander Majovsky (MAS) said it’s wonderful to have a place for CI students to call home.
The building features five classrooms, a 150-seat auditorium, a seminar room, two computer labs, a whitebox photo studio, a video podcast suite, and indoor and outdoor gathering spaces.
Anthony Limperos, chair of the Department of Communication, said Pence is helping build and strengthen an already close-knit community.
The design honors the history of the 1909 building, with the building frame, interior brick walls, main entrance, wrought-iron staircase and hardwood floors all refinished but still in their original forms. To meet today’s needs, the back of the building was transformed into a modern entryway with a balcony, elevator, new restrooms and improved accessibility. Furnishing and finishings were chosen based on the needs of faculty, staff and students and with input from them to blend old and new aesthetics. “This new open space with all the natural light and the many comfy seating areas is so welcoming,” said Suanne Early, who oversees advising operations for CI. “Our students often tell us how much they love the building. It brings a warm feeling to walk through the halls and see students studying, relaxing or just enjoying each other’s company.” Hannah Carver (ISC) agrees with Early’s assessment. “Pence Hall feels like the heart of CI,” she said. “It’s a welcoming, collaborative space where students are able to create, connect and support each other.”
“For a while, we were literally and figuratively all over the place when it came to classes, so it is great to know where we will be spending a majority of our time, with the convenience of having our faculty around whenever we need them,” he said.
“Since moving into the building, I have seen staff and faculty morale increase,” Limperos said. “I can tell that the students have a great sense of pride and eagerness to learn in this inviting environment.” As both an alum and now assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Media, Jen Smith (JOU, 2008) said she and her students enjoy Pence’s central location on campus and having key college offices in one building.
Wrigley Auditorium allows CI to house large lecture classes.
“I have this giant, beautiful lecture hall to teach in, but now, when I have a student who wants to meet with me after class, I can walk them straight up to my office,” Smith said. “Or if they want the Kernel experience or to check out equipment, I walk them downstairs.” On Pence’s ground level, students working for Student Media have a dedicated
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Right: Senior Advisor Ryan Story teaches on the first day of classes in Pence Hall. Top: Journalism students work on a class assignment. Middle: A student utilizes one of Pence Hall’s many study areas. Bottom: Students study beside the rooftop deck.
newsroom with editors’ offices but can use the podcast and whitebox studios as well as classroom space on that level after hours. “The space has been wonderful and accessible whenever I need it before and after my classes,” said Sylvia Freire (JOU), copy editor for the Kentucky Kernel. “It also has been phenomenal for collaborative use. Many of us come in and sit down to work together on news stories or assignment brainstorming.” Early loves that CI students take classes, work on projects and study in the building where their instructors and advisors are housed. “Being physically closer strengthens the CI community itself,” she said. “This is also
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true for McVey and Lucille Little, as we are now all in the same neighborhood. For the advising team, we love our new offices and the convenient location for students to meet with us. We can connect more frequently and more easily. We tell students to stop by to see us — and they do.” Smith, a former Kernel editor, said the energy and community growing in Pence remind her of her time as a Kernelite in Grehan. “I told alums after our first day in Pence, ‘Absolutely come back and remember what home feels like,’” Smith said. “It feels better than it used to, it feels more connected, it feels more like us. The energy is incredible, and that makes you want to collaborate more, create more.”
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WRIGLEY MILLER’S TRANSFORMATIONAL GIFT In December 2024, the College of Communication and Information received the largest gift in its history to support its move into the renovated Pence Hall. In recognition of the transformational $2.5 million gift, the first floor and Pence’s auditorium have been named for philanthropist, entrepreneur, horsewoman and award-winning journalist Misdee Wrigley Miller and her husband — businessman, lifelong horseman and accomplished polo player James Miller. The Wrigley Miller First Floor houses the college’s administration in the Dean’s Suite, where for the first time, all academic deans are co-located. The floor is home to the Student Success Suite, which includes advising, career services, recruitment and marketing communications. The Ramsey Family Conference Room, a kitchenette, and multiple study and gathering spaces complete the floor. The second floor 150-seat Wrigley Auditorium is the first auditorium ever in a CI building. The auditorium allows the college to hold larger classes, including those in the UK Core serving students from all majors. As owner and CEO of Kentucky-based Wrigley Media Group and LEX Studios, Wrigley Miller oversees a team that creates, produces and distributes content worldwide. Wrigley Media has a long partnership with both the University of Kentucky and CI, with the shared goal of growing the media production workforce in Kentucky. “My goal in supporting the future home of the UK College of Communication and Information is to expand and enrich the educational opportunities offered in Kentucky,” Wrigley Miller said. “The results will be an educated, local crew base that is skilled to produce the film and TV industry work that is headed our way.”
With a degree from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism, Wrigley Miller worked on air for the CBS affiliate KOOL-TV in Phoenix, Arizona. As a reporter, she focused on investigative stories and earned a civic award for her groundbreaking series on domestic violence, which helped enact state legislation to protect victims. Wrigley Miller tapped into her roots as a fourth-generation horsewoman and left television news for the equine industry. While competing, she made marketing and promotional videos devoted to horses. In 2001, she relocated her horse operations to Lexington, where the American Saddlebred Museum asked her to help produce a video. For that project and others, Wrigley Miller worked with Post Time Productions and noticed the company’s high level of talent and potential for growth. Wrigley Miller later became a partner in Post Time Productions, which eventually became Wrigley Media Group.
Misdee Wrigley Miller joins UK President Eli Capilouto following the announcement of the historic gift.
While growing Wrigley Media Group, she helped Team USA win its first gold medal for combined driving at the World Equestrian Games in 2018, becoming the first woman to win gold in the sport. The Saddlebred Division of Wrigley Miller’s Hillcroft Farm is the first farm to win all four World Grand Champion titles since 1932. In June 2024, Wrigley Miller opened Kentucky’s largest film and TV production facility. Encompassing three soundstages across its 50,000 square feet, LEX Studios is poised to attract national and international television and film production to Kentucky.
Students in ISC 261: Strategic Planning and Writing were the first to have class in Wrigley Auditorium.
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TELLING THEIR STORIES THROUGH OUR SPACES The College of Communication and Information’s focus on building community within its walls through new spaces and places allows us to celebrate people who have left their mark on our college and our lives. The following stories share the histories behind several newly named CI spaces. These people join Misdee Wrigley Miller in leaving their legacies for generations of future students.
If you would like to honor someone’s commitment to the College of Communication and Information or memorialize their legacy for future generations by naming a space, please contact Nathan Darce, director of philanthropy, at nathan.darce@uky.edu or by calling (859) 257-3033.
of Trustees, is the founder and former chairman of Guthrie/Mayes Public Relations and one of the founding partners of the Worldcom Public Relations Group, the world’s largest network of independent public relations firms. Guthrie was inducted into UK’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2015.
RAMSEY FAMILY CONFERENCE ROOM AND STUDENT SUPPORT FUND
John Ramsey (TEL/MAS, 1994) and wife, Keenan, named the Ramsey Family Conference Room on the first floor of Pence Hall to honor the Ramsey family’s legacy at the University of Kentucky and across the Commonwealth. The room is CI’s premier meeting space and hosts many college, alumni and leadership events.
Guthrie helped establish the College’s James C. Bowling Lecture Series and scholarship fund, now in its 26th year, as a tribute to his mentor, former boss and friend, Jim Bowling, a legendary public relations practitioner and a lifelong supporter of higher education in Kentucky. Bowling, a native of Paducah, Kentucky, was senior vice president and assistant to the chairman of Philip Morris Inc (now Altria). The Bowling family and Dean Jennifer Greer named the Kernel editor’s office in honor of Guthrie for his commitment in honoring Bowling’s legacy.
The Ramseys also established the John and Keenan Ramsey Student Award Endowed Fund to provide scholarships for students in the information communication technology program.
JIM HOST CLASSROOM
JACK GUTHRIE KENTUCKY KERNEL EDITOR’S OFFICE
The Kentucky Kernel editor’s office inside the Student Media suite on the ground floor of Pence Hall has been named for former Kernel editor Jack Guthrie (JOU, 1963) to honor his lifetime involvement with the Kentucky Kernel and the University of Kentucky. Guthrie, a past president of the UK National Alumni Association and former member of the UK Board
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The classroom/newsroom in the Downtown Studio is named for CI alum, former UK baseball player and collegiate sports marketing trailblazer Jim Host (TEL/MAS, 1959) to honor his legendary career and lasting impact in sports marketing and sports broadcasting. The founder of Host Communications, nationally renowned for its expertise in marketing services to universities, conferences and national associations, Host is credited with implementing the first collegiate corporate marketing program with the NCAA in 1985. Host is a member of the Travel Industry of America’s Hall of Leaders, the National Tourism Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame and UK’s
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Hall of Distinguished Alumni, among others. In 2024, the Indiana Sports Corp awarded him the Tom Jernstedt Lifetime Achievement Award for his distinguished career dedicated to the advancement of Division I men’s basketball at the Men’s Basketball NCAA Final Four in Phoenix, Arizona. Thomas Preston (JOU, 1956) established a fund in Host’s honor to support events in the Downtown Studio. With Preston, the College named the classroom to recognize Host’s efforts in bringing to life his vision of a student-focused teaching laboratory where CI, UK Athletics and JMI Sports work collaboratively.
THE ELIZABETH “SCOOBIE” RYAN PODCAST AND MULTIMEDIA STUDIO
School of Journalism and Media Associate Professor Kakie Urch (JOU, 1991) named the new multimedia and podcast studio on the ground floor of Pence Hall for retired Associate Professor Elizabeth “Scoobie” Ryan to honor her mentor and friend and acknowledge the lasting impact Ryan left on students during her tenure in CI.
HENRY REYNOLDS OFFICE
Named in memory of the late father of CI Assistant Dean of Finance Tina Navis, the Henry Reynolds office is situated inside the Dean’s Suite in Pence Hall. Born one of 12 siblings in Jessamine County, Kentucky, Reynolds worked for more than 40 years for the Trane Company in the electrical and maintenance departments. His proudest accomplishments were his grandchildren Taylor, Jonathan, Michael and Benjamin, and he prioritized making sure they had a better life than his own. The space is dedicated to honoring and remembering Reynolds’ wonderful life as a husband, father and grandfather.
A THOMAS CHARLES “TOMMY” LOBBY
The lobby of the new, modernized ground floor entrance to Pence Hall is named to honor the memory of Thomas Charles “Tommy” Kvech, brother of donor Brent Kvech. This high-traffic area features an abundance of natural light from floor-toceiling windows and moveable, comfortable seating for studying and gathering.
JAY FINCH “SQUAD ROOM”
The hub of the soon-to-be-remodeled Debate space on the third floor of the Lucille Little Fine Arts Library will be the Jay Finch “Squad Room.” Named by former Debate Team member Cy Kiani for his friend and fellow debater Jay Finch, the squad room will be the primary meeting space for the team and coaching staff to hold partnership meetings, practice rounds, strategy sessions and to conduct research for the year-long policy debate topic. For more on Cy Kiani and Jay Finch, turn to page 44.
DIANE MASSIE STUDY SPACE
Named for passionate and involved CI alumna Diane Massie (ADV/ISC, 1979), this study space is situated in a high-traffic area just outside the Student Success Suite in Pence Hall. Massie currently serves on the CI Dean’s Leadership Council and is a past president of the UK Alumni Association as well as the 2005 recipient of the UK Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award. CI CONNECT
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Assistant Professor Liz Spencer shows ISC students how to use equipment in the UK Downtown Studio.
More Updates for
THE CI NEIGHBORHOOD
In addition to Pence Hall as CI’s new front door, the rest of the CI Neighborhood has received major upgrades. THE DOWNTOWN STUDIO
“My jaw hit the floor when I saw the equipment and technology students have available there,” said Samantha Valentino (JOU, 2022), alum and anchor/ reporter for WKYT. “It’s amazing to see how much the technology has advanced in the few short years since I graduated.”
The 20,000 square-foot studio, production center and learning laboratory — a collaboration between the College of Communication and Information, JMI Sports and UK Athletics — began operating in Fall 2024 and opened for classes in January 2025. At the heart of the collaboration is the real-world setting in which CI students learn digital and broadcast news, live TV production, sports broadcasting, and video game design and development.
Reese Durham (JOU), a member of the Wildcat News team, calls the immersive experience invaluable.
“Being down the hall from JMI Sports and UK Athletics means we can work together with other media professionals and expand the experiences and networks of our students beyond our classes,” said Carey Higgins-Dobney, assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Media who often catches up with former students now working for JMI Sports and UK Athletics in the space. “It also gives staff and faculty like me access to other professionals’ experiences and opportunities to collaborate.”
Higgins-Dobney said that’s the goal: “Everything we produce in the space with our students is geared to prepare them for professional content production, whether that is news, sports, podcasting or social media.”
At UK’s Downtown Studio at Central Bank Center, students learn media production and content creation skills, working with state-of-the-art equipment alongside media rights and athletics professionals — all just steps away from iconic Rupp Arena.
The Downtown Studio features two broadcast studios, two control rooms, a video podcast studio, a 24-foot LED wall, a Cyclorama wall, robotic cameras and classrooms.
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“I know what working in an actual newsroom is like, and I have the opportunity to build my reel right from the classroom,” Durham said. “With how professional the broadcast studio is, I feel like I am well-prepared for any aspect of news I would want to go into.”
Megan Sizemore (ISC, 2008), CI’s director of operations said the Downtown Studio is not just a facility. “It is a vibrant hub of creativity, innovation and collaboration,” she said. “This shared environment directly reflects UK’s mission by connecting campus and community, bringing together academic programs, creative production, outreach and research.”
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In just its first year, the space has supported a wide range of innovative work, from a podcast by medical students and doctors exploring the role of AI in health care to media training for incoming student athletes in all sports, Sizemore said. CI course offerings in the space are being expanded to serve majors throughout the College. Classes in sports promotion and branding, personal branding and promotion, and name, image, and likeness will help CI further bridge educational and professional production environments. Liz Spencer, an assistant professor in integrated strategic communication, teaches part of her multimedia storytelling course in the space. Using the Downtown Studio has led to fresh depth and dimension in her students’ strategic branding campaigns. They can now incorporate high-quality sound, image and motion to enhance their visions. “It is exciting to watch our ISC students step into a legitimate professional-quality production studio, to see their eyes widen at the equipment and lighting, and to watch their creative ideas take shape through industry-standard tools and technology,” Spencer said. Beyond formal classes, CI students are integrated in professional productions in the studio. In January, the Downtown Studio hosted live audiences of CI students, staff and faculty for the UK HealthCare Mark Pope Show, the Bluegrass Hearing Clinic Kenny Brooks Show and the Clark’s Pump-n-Shop BBN Radio Show. The space has hosted film workshops and creative development
and media storytelling sessions for all majors. Graduate students also are finding opportunities to amplify their research. Next fall, students will collaborate with JMI Sports to launch a broadcast TV version of the “Countdown to Tipoff” Men’s Basketball pregame radio show in the space for class credit. “We are only scratching the surface of what is possible,” Sizemore said. “But our vision is clear. We are positioning the Downtown Studio as a national model for university-community partnerships in creative production and experiential learning.”
Left: JMI Sports Producer and Host Michelle Knezovic (JOU, 2019) works with Colton Johnson (JOU) to record a video podcast. Right: Students in MAS 312: Television News Production work to produce the student news broadcast.
MCVEY HALL
Renovations in McVey Hall to administrative and faculty offices mark the beginning of an era for the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication — one that places student engagement and department identity at the forefront of ISC’s goals. After the Department separated from the then School of Journalism and Telecommunications in 2016, ISC faculty and staff were spread out in separate spaces away from classrooms or central gathering areas. In summer 2025, the Department was brought together for the first time in its history, with a redesigned departmental suite, all faculty offices on McVey’s second floor, adjacent to a team room, a UK Mac lab and a CI conference room. The move completes a project that began with improvements to flooring, accessibility and lighting in 2022. “McVey has not always been a visible space for students,” Department Chair Leigh Moscowitz said.
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Left: The new administrative office of ISC brings more faculty together. Right: Graduate teaching assistant offices in McVey Hall give students opportunities to meet and study.
“Now, when you come to us on the second floor, it’s a brighter, more welcoming new space for ISC.” Staying true to some of the work ISC teaches students — promotional and direct response communication — efforts to enhance the space have mirrored real-word projects with clients. “We’re doing a lot of research with our students, our most valuable stakeholders, trying to figure out ‘How are you finding ISC?’ and ‘What are you getting out of our program?’” Moscowitz said. “We’re thinking strategically about the research, gathering insights and really branding ourselves as a unit.” ISC has updated signage and installed boards to showcase student work, faculty achievements and community-building events. Elaina Garrett (ISC, COM), a member of the National Student Advertising Competition team, said that the space the team uses in McVey has been a huge help to their planning and strategy sessions. “It feels like our own think tank,” she said. Preceding updates to ISC’s spaces were renovations to rooms in McVey to accommodate the Graduate Program in Communication, giving graduate students in CI customizable work stations in multiple “pods” on three floors and a lounge with comfortable seating options and a kitchenette. CI’s 45 funded graduate students work as teaching assistants while completing master’s and doctoral degrees. “It’s a nice place for our graduate students to just call their own,” said Renee Kaufmann, associate
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dean for graduate programs in communication. “When a graduate student comes to us, our goal is to train them so they can move into academia. By giving them an office space, teaching them how to build and rely on networks in that office, we are offering them a sort of informal training.” Nadia Sesay (Ph.D., COM) has experienced McVey’s updated graduate spaces both as a master’s student and now as a doctoral candidate, noting the versatility offered by the spaces. “I’ve used McVey as my primary work and study space on campus,” Sesay said. “In particular, I appreciate the graduate student multipurpose lounge. I can print there and frequently use it as an alternative workspace. It is also a convenient meeting point for collaborative work but offers a space for private meetings as well.”
LUCILLE CAUDILL LITTLE FINE ARTS LIBRARY
The third floor of the Lucille Caudill Little Fine Arts Library once held archives and stacks of books that rarely circulated for UK Libraries. When the books were relocated, the then School of Library and Information Science moved to Little Library from King Library in 2008. Over the next decade, other units in Communication and Information joined them, including the Center for Instructional Communication, the CI Dean’s suite and eventually advising, recruiting and career services. With the Dean’s suite and student support offices’ move to Pence Hall this year, Little Library’s third floor is undergoing renovations to fit the needs
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Left: The new SIS spaces will include a remodeled lobby (see page 5) and conference room (shown). Right: Renovated spaces for UK Debate include an office suite, a squad room (see page 11) and conference room (shown).
of the School of Information Science, CI’s Business Center and UK Debate. For the School of Information Science, that means updating the entry way and conference room, as well as faculty offices to serve students, faculty and staff. A dynamic meeting space for Information Communication Technology, Instructional Communication and Library Science will feature movable furniture and upgraded technology to allow for seamless connections for in-person and virtual attendees, serving the needs of the online degree programs.
CI’s Dean’s suite. Debate Director David Arnett said the functionality of the suite will have a significant impact on the daily operations of the nationally recognized, award-winning program. The new Debate space will adjoin breakout rooms and open areas renovated in 2022 that formerly housed CI’s student advising and recruitment services. “Debate teams work every day researching, practicing and discussing strategy,” Arnett said. “Little Library offers the perfect combination of functional office and break-out space for the team and will certainly help us work more efficiently and productively.”
The School’s entry space, once full of cubicles, is being transformed into an inviting, open-layout multipurpose area, providing faculty, staff and students space to meet informally with colleagues in a comfortable, modern setting.
Arnett said UK Debate’s success over the generations has been linked to its strength in recruiting, and the new space will make a strong impression on recruits and their families as they imagine themselves as part of the program.
“The cubicles once held by the space didn’t make things feel very welcoming,” School Director Youngok Choi said. “We aim to foster a welcoming culture in SIS, and we hope the updates to our space reflect that. This renovation ensures we remain an inclusive hub where ideas thrive and our community continues to grow stronger over the next decade.”
The space will serve the program’s future while paying tribute to its past. The team’s new “squad room” is being named in honor of debate alumnus Jay Finch, who “exemplifies everything UK Debate is about,” Arnett said. Additionally, space for trophies will allow the program to put its legacy on full display.
Office renovations will allow the School of Information Science to better serve its growing faculty. Other offices vacated in the Pence move are being repurposed to provide functional new work spaces for CI’s Business and HR operations, allowing easier access for the vital support work these key personnel perform every day.
“Little Library gives us the perfect opportunity to display over 100 years of awards that honor our alumni and show current and future students what is possible,” Arnett said. “In a real sense, the space is a symbol of commitment from both the University and alumni.” For more about UK Debate, turn to page 44.
UK’s Intercollegiate Debate program will relocate from Funkhouser to Little Library into the former
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STUDENT
HIGHLIGHTS
Philanthropy: Thank you from students
Welcome
CLASS OF
2029
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In August, 345 first-year students and 45 transfer students joined the College of Communication and Information in our newest space, the renovated Pence Hall.
Drone photo by David Stephenson, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Media.
Pence philanthropy
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STUDENT
HIGHLIGHTS
CI STUDENTS TAKE ON SWEET 16 COVERAGE At the UK HealthCare Boys’ Sweet 16 Basketball Tournament at Rupp Arena, students from two University of Kentucky journalism courses collaborated to provide real-time, professional-level coverage of one of the state’s most iconic sporting events.
Above: Jen Smith (back row, third from left) and David Stephenson (front row, right) with some of the students in the Game On program. Below Left: Kristen Roberts shoots from the sidelines during the Sweet 16 tournament at Rupp Arena. Photo by Abbey Cutrer. Below Right: David Stephenson speaks with some of his students during the tournament. Photo by Abbey Cutrer.
Under the guidance of Assistant Professor Jen Smith and Associate Professor David Stephenson, 14 students from JOU 308: Sports Reporting and Editing and JOU 387: News and Sports Photography operated as a fully functioning newsroom on-site through an innovative new program named Game On. “There’s no better training to be a sportswriter or a photographer than actually being one,” Smith said. “They got that experience, whether it was asking questions at postgame press conferences, writing on deadline or capturing the winning shot in overtime.” The coverage, made possible through a partnership between the College of Communication and Information and the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, had an impact beyond the classroom. Student photos were distributed immediately after each game and published by outlets such as the Lexington Herald-Leader, regional media and participating high schools.
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Community newspapers across Kentucky also benefited, including The Oldham Era and Henry County Local. “As a small paper, we have a small staff, and having additional photographers covering the games allowed us to share a lot more photos than we normally would have been able to,” said Jane Ashley Pace (ISC, 2001), publisher of the Era and the Local and regional advertising director for Paxton Media Group. “We also loved being able to give the students a byline in our newspaper that they can use in their portfolio.” To further showcase student work, images were displayed daily inside the Downtown Studio in Central Bank Center, giving thousands of visiting students and families a front-row look at the content UK journalism students were producing in real time. “We wanted the public to see the opportunities available in our program,” Smith said. “It also turned into a powerful recruiting tool for our school, the studio and our growing sports media offerings.” After the crowds had cleared, the students stayed focused, editing photos and finishing stories on the arena floor. “The facilities crew was tearing down tables, goals and electrical cords all around our students as they were finishing up their final
Left: Montgomery County players react during their quarterfinal win over North Laurel. Photo by Isabella Sepahban.
Below: Players from Bowling Green celebrate during their semifinal win over South Oldham. Photo by Alexis Baker.
edits,” Smith said. “There’s no tighter deadline than that.” Journalism student Casey Sebastiano emphasized how the immersive, real-time environment accelerated her learning. “I’m a super hands-on learner, so it was exactly what I needed,” Sebastiano said. “The workshop helped me solidify the smaller things, the building blocks.”
For local publishers like Pace, the value of the program extends well past tournament week. “It gets students valuable hands-on experience and helps small papers at the same time,” Pace said. “There’s no better way for the future of our industry to learn and truly experience journalism than in the field, or in this case, on the court or sideline.”
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Students describe how the side eye emoji would be classified.
ICT CLASS GIVES THUMBS UP TO NEW EMOJI SUBMISSION TO UNICODE From crying laughing to salsa dancing, emojis have become a mainstream media method to include context and emotion in direct communication. With this in mind, School of Information Science Assistant Professor Meghan Dowell challenged her Fall 2024 ICT 325: Multimedia and Technology class to create and submit their proposals to be featured as the newest emojis through Unicode, the governing body of emojis. “ICT 325 is a course designed to engage students with the development of multimedia within contemporary interactive technology,” Dowell said. “To do this, students were asked to develop novel emojis that they believe are missing from the current offering from Unicode.” There is an elaborate series of steps to prepare a submission for a new emoji proposal. The team was required to research the evidence of frequency, clarify search results, conduct an in-depth Google search, break down factors of inclusion and exclusion, and develop high-quality designs. Top to bottom: Students present the eye twitch, pinky promise and hydration emojis to the class.
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“The emoji proposal portion of the class was an eye-opening opportunity because I had no idea the process involved in getting an emoji implemented,” ICT student Skilar Brooks said. “I certainly hope that our emoji finds its way onto keyboards across the globe.”
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Starting with 24 designs, the class held weekly discussions on the objectives and intentions of each design as well as their historical and cultural context. This helped the class narrow down to the final four emoji designs to pitch to Unicode. Once this was finalized, they wrote their pitch to Unicode, highlighting the interest, alternative meanings, potential duplication and global cultural relevance. After developing and finalizing their ideas, the team brought in a graphic designer to bring their emoji creations to life. For final revisions, the proposal teams presented to an audience of peers and faculty members, where they received rave reviews. ICT major Nicholas Wadley referred to this opportunity as a “truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.” He explained that they were able to discuss various types of media to incorporate in the production of their emoji ideas, allowing each student to bring something to the table. Submission selections from Unicode will be announced in late 2025. “In addition to the importance of having inclusive multimedia, I hope students learned that they have the power to change or at least contribute to interactive technologies that have global reach,” Dowell said. For more information on the submission process, visit Unicode’s website.
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COM STUDENT LEADS SUPPORT GROUP HELPING STUDENTS COPE WITH LOSS University of Kentucky students who have experienced the loss of a loved one and are ready to work on processing their feelings can now turn to Loss Inspiring New Connections, or LINC. “It’s difficult to come to college and try and make new friends when you are working through such a difficult personal issue, like grief,” said COM/PSY student Rose Barczak. “Ultimately, I wanted to find people who not only understood my situation but were also my age and dealing with similar college struggles.” LINC was created for Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment Associate Professor Nicole Breazeale’s community and leadership development senior capstone seminar. UK’s Women and Philanthropy Network helped sponsor the initial project and the continued expansion efforts. “My sister died right before I went to college, and I was overwhelmed with grief,” said Chase Hill, a student who participated in LINC last fall. “I felt I was stuck, so when I saw the poster, I felt the group would be a good chance for me to express my grief to people who would understand as well as potentially making new friends.” LINC is a peer-led grief support program facilitated by a trained grief counselor, and it’s now being offered to all UK students through the Martin-Gatton CAFE. Barczak is a former participant
who now helps facilitate the program as a peer mentor. “After a new member signs up, it’s my job to reach out and try to build a connection,” Barczak said. “The goal is for them to feel like they know at least one person (the peer mentor) before coming to meetings.” LINC is an eight-week program, meeting weekly throughout the academic semester. The program is not designed for people who are fresh in their grief but is intended for people who’ve had at least six months to process. Each 90-minute session focuses on a different aspect of loss. Accompanying coping skills and tools are also introduced to participants. “This program is not about getting rid of your grief, but about helping you to live with it,” Hill said. “This group also gave me something to look forward to each week and gave me a reason to get out of bed, which can be hard to do when you’re overwhelmed with grief.” Every meeting is meant to provide a positive environment with a meal so students can focus on relaxing, looking inward, learning skills and connecting.
Rose Barczak, right, led the first cohort of the peer-led grief support program and inspired Chase Hill, left, to stay with the program as a peer leader mentor.
“This group has brought me a lot of joy and support in my personal life,” Barczak said. “I have made great connections with members and still keep in touch with past members.”
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Kernel Photo Editor Christian Kantosky (left) shares a photo with other Kernel staffers.
KERNEL MEDIA EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING Two years after successfully prioritizing multimedia and multi-platform storytelling, Kernel Media continues to advance its digital outreach across campus and the greater Lexington area. The 2024–2025 academic year saw Kernel Media student publications — the Kentucky Kernel and KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion magazine — produce more video content than ever and take home over 100 awards, including 27 first place finishes across national and regional competitions.
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Likewise, the KRNL staff took note of the Kernel’s multimedia successes and sought to implement their own strategies.
Also on the digital front, The Kernel Chronicles, the Kernel’s broadcast magazine that began publishing in 2024, received recognition from the Ohio Valley Emmy Awards this year.
Laurel Swanz, KRNL’s 2024–2025 editor-in-chief, said she established an entire videography team to tackle broadcast-style story elements as well as behind-the-scenes content.
“I was very happy about the increase of videos the Kernel produced this past academic year,” said Bryce McNeil, student media coordinator for the College of Communication and Information. “Both the Kernel Chronicles as well as KRNL’s investigative reporting and multimedia use are causes for celebration.”
As a result, nearly all printed stories in KRNL’s semesterly magazine were accompanied by video elements for the first time.
Abbey Cutrer, Kernel editor-in-chief for the 2024–2025 academic year, said the media outlet’s ongoing shift to digitals lent well to expanding coverage beyond campus news — one of her main goals at the Kernel’s helm.
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“We certainly bolstered our coverage of off-campus and city topics,” Cutrer said. “We had stellar photos to go along with every story, vertical videos for social media that gained thousands, sometimes millions of views, intentional writing and ultimately we worked together as a staff to make sure every story was told as a package.”
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Swanz also looked to use the magazine’s glossy medium and exceptional pick-up rate to “prioritize students and hit our target audience with stories we knew we wanted to bring their attention to,” she said, including an in-depth investigative report as well as high-profile interviews that still underscored student perspectives. As KRNL continues to evolve, current Editor-in-Chief Reaghan Chen also intends on maintaining the
magazine’s identity as a hub “where students can step outside of their comfort zone and take their creative and journalistic abilities to new heights,” she said. McNeil said that while Kernel Media’s current digital efforts are comprehensive, students will continue to evolve over time and with added resources. “The exciting thing is I don’t see this as even close to complete,” McNeil said. “Where we’ve actually evolved the most is the video and audio quality of vod/ podcasts. Moving to the William T. Young Library, and now Pence Hall, the students have sharpened their abilities on the mixing boards, in terms of camera setups and isolating shots for socials.”
Craig said Kernel Media now looks to “balance out” after hitting the ground running with multimedia. “Now that we’ve had this tremendous push toward multimedia, I think the biggest thing most students can work on is storytelling,” Craig said. “What’s important to consider is how we tell our stories from beginning to end in different versions, telling them well and accurately. They’re going to have to think more strategically from here on out.”
Kernel Broadcast reporter Olivia White (right) interviews former Wildcat and current WNBA player Georgia Amoore (left) for a TikTok at Big Blue Madness.
In addition to a podcast recording studio, the College’s renovated Pence Hall now houses the Kernel Media offices as well as a whitebox photo studio. These spaces — and the Downtown Studio at Central Bank Center — will be essential for placing multimedia skills in the hands of every student who works for either publication, current Kernel Editorin-Chief Giana Gallo said. “My goal is to enable any student who walks through our doors to pick up a camera and use it to capture photos for a gallery or film a video sequence,” Gallo said. “I want everyone to dabble in everything possible.”
The Kentucky Kernel and KRNL were recognized as two of the best student-led media organizations in the nation during the National College Media Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana.
UK Student Media Advisor Ryan Craig said Kernel Media’s depth of coverage continues to expand not only to adapt to audiences but also to address a rapidly shifting journalism job market. “The business has changed so much since the [COVID19] pandemic that a student with a wide variety of skills, especially if they can shoot a video or fly a drone on top of writing, will end up getting a much better opportunity for employment when they leave,” Craig said.
2024-2025 STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS Kentucky Press Association • 16 first place, 14 second place, 15 third place awards and two certificates of merit
Southeast Journalism Conference Onsite Competition • One first place, one second place and two third place awards
Southeast Journalism Conference Best of the South Contest • Five first place (including Best Newspaper [tie] and Best Magazine), seven second place, one third place, four fourth place and one fifth place award
College Media Association Pinnacle Awards • Three first place, five second place, 11 third place awards and 14 honorable mentions BEA Festival of the Arts • One second place, one third place and two Awards of Excellence
Associated Collegiate Press Awards • Pacemaker co-finalist in Innovation, one second place, one third place, three fourth place awards and five honorable mentions Associated Collegiate Press Best in Show Contest • Two first place, one second place, one third place, one fourth place, one fifth place, one eighth place and two 10th place awards
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Abbey Cutrer works to capture images at the national Hearst Photojournalism competition.
JAM STUDENTS PLACE NATIONALLY IN HEARST PHOTOJOURNALISM Two University of Kentucky journalism students were recognized by the Hearst Journalism Awards Program during the 20242025 academic year, with one earning a spot to compete in the Hearst National Photojournalism Championship in June.
One of Cutrer’s photographs from the national Hearst Photojournalism competition that helped her place second in the nation.
The Hearst Journalism Awards Program honors outstanding performance in collegiate journalism and is open to undergraduate journalism majors or minors in a nationally accredited program. Abbey Cutrer (JOU) placed second in the national Hearst championship, second in the Hearst Photojournalism News and Features Competition, and fourth in the Hearst Picture Story/Series Competition. Cutrer’s placements also earned her more than $10,000 in awards. Matthew Mueller (JOU) earned 10th place in both the news and features as well as picture story/ series competitions. Cutrer and Mueller’s submitted portfolios for the competitions included photos from Kentucky
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Kernel and KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion magazine story assignments as well as their work from the Picture Kentucky Photojournalism workshop, a four-day immersive visual storytelling course produced by the Kernel with support from the College of Communication and Information and the School of Journalism and Media. David Stephenson, associate professor in the School of Journalism and Media, said that Cutrer and Mueller’s awards mark UK’s highest ranking individual and team Hearst photo placements this millennium. “I’m really proud of both Abbey and Matthew, but honestly, I’m not surprised,” Stephenson said. “And I think that says a lot about how good they are and how consistent they are. They worked toward this, built toward it, and I couldn’t be happier for them. I have no doubt that both of these photographers are going to be top-notch professionals in their trade for a long time if they want to be.” At the Hearst National Photojournalism Championship in June, held in San Francisco, Cutrer and other contestants had three days to find a subject and create an original photo story based on a provided prompt. The championship was previously attended by Kernel photographer Jack Weaver, a 2023 Gatton College of Business and Economics graduate.
Cutrer’s chosen photo story centered on Rosario Marcias, a 37-year-old single mother and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient, who Cutrer said dedicates all of her time to supporting her family despite hardship and instability. “Documenting her life was such an honor and it was a highlight of the trip,” Cutrer said. Cutrer described the Hearst championship as much more than a competition and was able to network with editors and contest judges who gave valuable advice. “Earning the second place national title while representing UK and our growing journalism program is one of the greatest honors I’ll ever have,” Cutrer said. “I’m so thankful for the Hearst program for making this possible, and I’m looking forward to continuing to tell the important stories and showing the humanity in the headlines every day.” Stephenson said he couldn’t have asked for a better person than Cutrer to represent UK’s journalism program at the national level. “She’s a brilliant journalist, thoughtful photographer and compassionate human being, and you can see all of that in her second place story,” Stephenson said. “I’m so proud of her and excited that her hard work and talent is being rewarded and recognized.” Likewise, Cutrer expressed her gratitude to Stephenson for sparking her interest in photojournalism and encouraging her along the way. “I’m proud of David for everything he’s done for photojournalism at UK,” she said. “Matthew and I would not have these awards without David and being able to sit in his office looking at pictures for hours and having actual, critical feedback.”
The student points accumulated from Cutrer and Mueller’s Hearst placements also rank UK as second in the United States for collegiate photojournalism. “[That ranking] is crazy to think of because we don’t even have a dedicated photojournalism program here,” Stephenson said. “The fact that we have good enough photographers and infrastructure to allow students to succeed at that level is pretty cool. I told a friend when I got the results, ‘We’re on the map.’”
One of Cutrer’s award-winning photographs from the Picture Kentucky workshop.
Stephenson said he hopes the national exposure will show others, including current and prospective journalism students, what is capable within the School of Journalism and Media. “It can help further the programs we are already offering, like the Picture Kentucky workshop and the recent Game On UK sports journalism workshop,” he said. “[These] are major factors in recruiting and training our students and giving them experiences that lead to national awards, internships and jobs.”
Two of Mueller’s award-winning photographs from the Picture Kentucky workshop.
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Alexandrea Shouse at a celebration of First Gen students.
COM GRAD TRIUMPHS OVER ADDICTION, ADVERSITY Against the odds and fueled by wanting to inspire her kids, Alexandrea Shouse (COM) proved that it’s never too late to chase your dreams. Early in life, Shouse faced battles with addiction that led to difficult consequences, including time in jail and the loss of loved ones. However, she was determined not to let her past control her and started working as a server after her release in 2018. COVID-19 threw a wrench in those plans, and a nationwide shutdown led to the elimination of her position. Shouse and her children at the December 2024 commencement.
Yet again, she was resilient. “I had made all this progress with my life and was not about to let myself go backward,” Shouse said. She took a completely different direction and applied to Bluegrass Community & Technical College. “Even though no one in my family had done it before and I was on my own, I wanted to go to school,” Shouse said. Her biggest fear was her past holding her back. “I didn’t think they would ever accept me because of my record, but they did and it changed my life and opened so many doors,” she said. Shouse flourished during her time at BCTC — even setting up Addicts and Allies for Education as well as a Narcan program — and instantly knew she wanted more, so she transferred to the University of Kentucky.
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“It had always been my dream to go to UK since I grew up in Lexington,” Shouse said. “Here is this girl that didn’t think she could get into community college and now I’m going to my dream school.” Shouse transferred into CI and found her place within the communication major. “When I came to UK and met the professors and the courses it felt like home. I knew I had found my people,” she said. Shouse is leaving UK with skills needed to succeed in the future. “Now I have confidence walking into job interviews knowing that I am enough and I am worthy of these jobs,” she said. “I feel more prepared, and I made relationships with people I can take with me. The whole journey has shaped and molded me into this new woman and has changed my life. It’s amazing coming out on the other end.” Shouse is now a college graduate, a graduate student persuing a master’s in social work, sober and has regained full custody of all six of her children. She walked across the stage Dec. 20, 2024 surrounded by her kids, who she has inspired to also look to the future. “Since I was a first-generation student, none of them had any aspirations to go to college until they saw their mom go,” she said. “Now it is a viable, visible goal for them.” Her oldest daughter plans to start her own college journey at UK in the fall.
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ISC STUDENTS PLAN VENDOR FAIR For the third consecutive spring semester, integrated strategic communication students in Instructor Marc Whitt’s ISC 471: Event Planning class partnered with United Events/United Talent to plan, promote and execute a local vendor fair. “I’m incredibly proud of these students,” Whitt said. “Their dedication, creativity and professionalism were on full display, and the event was living proof of their efforts.”
This year’s “United We Shop: Kentucky Vendors in Support of Small Businesses” event showcased over 40 small businesses, the event’s largest number of participating vendors to date. Held in Georgetown, Kentucky, United We Shop featured local artisans, jewelry and food as well as family-friendly activities. Emma Karpowich (ISC, MKT) served as the vendor relations team captain and said
the planning and execution of the event was quite the rewarding experience. “Working closely with our amazing vendors has shown me just how much passion and creativity they bring to the state of Kentucky and this community,” Karpowich said. The fall semester Event Planning class has been working with the Downtown Lexington Partnership to coordinate the Lexington Holiday Parade for several years.
LAMBDA PI ETA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS CI inducted 19 new members into the College of Communication and Information’s honor society, Lambda Pi Eta, for the 2024-2025 academic year.
selected based on outstanding academic performance as well as character and involvement, said Schyler Simpson, CI’s director of retention and engagement.
Combined with current membership, the cohort of 30 students had an average GPA of 3.8 and included students from each of the College’s five undergraduate majors.
Lambda Pi Eta is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. The University of Kentucky’s Alpha Chi chapter is one of 600 chapters across the nation.
The College’s Alpha Chi chapter is open to all majors in the College. Inductees are
OFFICERS FOR 2024-2025 President: Alexandrea Shouse Vice President: Reese Durham Social Media Coordinator: Katie West
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UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY FILM FESTIVAL Ten College of Communication and Information students were selected to compete in the 2025 UKY Film Festival which showcases and celebrates films created by UK students.
Sofia Ceccarello won Best Narrative Film. Jordan Williams was awarded Best Documentary. Luke Stone’s film was chosen Best Experimental/Art and a film by Samech Godhasdoneit was awarded Honorable Mention.
Films by Helena Arjona, Jenna Stewart, Lily Foster, Kalianne Bess, Catalina Mason and Zach Brangers were also selected to be screened at the festival.
ISC STUDENTS SWEEP LEXINGTON ADDY AWARDS Every student receiving an award at Ad Club Lexington’s 2025 ADDY Awards was either a current ISC student or a recent graduate.
Kaitlin Sammons, AnneMarie Bell, Savannah Chapman, Lauren Shaffer and Cailey Bingham at the 2025 ADDY Awards.
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Josephine Gabbard won two Silver ADDYs. A group of students won a Silver ADDY, a Gold ADDY and Best in Show for their campaigns as part of the 2023-2024 National Student Advertising Competition Team. The team consisted of Tatum Armstrong, AnneMarie Bell, Cailey Bingham, Ava Brunson, Savannah Chapman, Emma Gayle, Alyssa Hayes, Hallie Lindsey, Emma Reilly, Kaitlin Sammons, Lauren Shaffer, Cam Snyder, Sydney Turner and Aly Wilder.
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STUDENT SUCCESSES
Adah Hufana (JOU/PS) and Laura Ribeiro Da Mata Silva (JOU) were named to the 2024 class of Chellgren Student Fellows. The program helps prepare students for the next phase of their career through regular meetings with faculty members who serve as individual mentors. Together with their mentors, Fellows develop strategies for engaging in the intellectual life of the university.
Four CI majors were among the 32 students chosen to serve as Alumni Ambassadors for the 2024-2025 academic year: Kenzie Bennett (ISC), Morgan David (COM/ISC), CeCe Gregory (ISC) and Sarah Samiri (JOU). Alumni Ambassadors serve as the official student hosts for the University of Kentucky.
Anneli White (ISC, MKT) placed third in the annual logo contest for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in August 2026.
In March, shortly before the University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball team took the court against then top-ranked Auburn University, four CI students were recognized on the floor of Rupp Arena. The students were part of the first cohort of students to take classes in the new studio space inside Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington. Shown left to right are CI students Kylie Hert, A.J. Nava, Mary P’oryem and Noah Wehby.
Genesis Pena-Lozada (MAS, SPA, HIS) was one of 71 UK undergraduate students chosen to present their undergraduate research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research at Duquesne University. NCUR is one of the largest events for undergraduate students to share their academic work with peers, faculty and professionals across the country.
2024-2025 CI ambassadors, shown above, include Quézia Arruda Cunha, Morgan Blankenship, Bailey Darbro, Reese Durham, Elaina Garrett, Cate Gladwell, Alexandria Landgraf, LaNasia Mason, Kaci McCarthy, Manuela Blanco Suarez and Garrett Todd. Not pictured: Jeremy Brentzel, Skilar Brooks and Carlee Hogsten.
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CI doctoral student Nigel Taylor was chosen as the student speaker for CI’s May 9 commencement ceremony.
DOCTORAL CANDIDATE DELIVERS 2025 COMMENCEMENT SPEECH Communication doctoral candidate Nigel Taylor was chosen to give the student address at UK’s May 2025 Commencement Ceremony. Taylor previously earned his bachelor’s degree in communication from UK in 2016, followed by a master’s in media ventures from Boston University in 2017. Returning to UK at age 25 to pursue his Ph.D., he said the experience has felt like a “full-circle moment.” “This journey has meant everything to me,” Taylor said. “My community here has poured into me in ways that have deeply shaped the man I am today and the one I continue striving to become.” During his time at UK, Taylor was a dedicated campus leader. He served as an ambassador for the Martin Luther King Center and founded Underground Perspective, a student organization that encourages open dialogue, growth and belonging. Known affectionately as “uncle” or “gramps” by many undergraduates, he has helped create community on campus through efforts like an
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annual Thanksgiving dinner he hosts for students unable to travel home. Taylor also collaborated with fellow UK alumni to co-author the children’s book “The Endless Possibilities with Nora and Vincent.” This story follows two Black children as they explore various career paths, aiming to inspire children of color to envision a wide range of futures for themselves. His doctoral dissertation, titled “Black Love, Media Portrayals, and Social Identity,” explored how media stereotypes about Black relationships influence Black individuals’ perceptions, shaping their understanding and expectations of love. Following graduation, he plans to continue his career as a content creator, relationship coach and event planner. His ultimate goal? Becoming a talk show host. Taylor said delivering the student commencement address is the realization of a long-held dream. “I hope they take away the message that it’s okay not to have everything figured out,” he said. “What matters most is recognizing that at every stage, you are still enough just as you are.”
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GRAD STUDENT AWARDED PURPLE HEART MEDAL Communication doctoral student Joey Bates (MS ICT, 2023) was recently awarded the Purple Heart medal for his injury sustained in the line of duty while deployed with the Marine Special Operations Command in Somalia in 2019. Bates served 17 years in the United States Marine Corps, from 2004-2022. The Montgomery County native was 17 when he graduated high school a year early, prior to joining the Marine Corps. For the majority of his five deployments, Bates was in the Infantry and specialized in operations while deployed to the combat zones of Iraq and Somalia. In 2012, he transitioned into the role of psychological operations where he was introduced to working within the Special Operations field, allowing him to conduct antiterrorism and anti-smuggling operations in South America, throughout the Pacific and in the Middle East. On Sept. 20, 2019, Bates’ deployment was brought to a halt when he was severely injured during an attack on his base in Somalia. The compound was invaded by 20 Al Shabaab militants, a Sunni Islamic terrorist group that had previously publicly pledged loyalty to al-Qa’ida. The terrorists also set off three vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices containing more than 6,000 pounds of explosives. The blast left Bates with a severe traumatic brain injury and hydrocephalus,
a neurological disorder causing abnormal fluid buildup on the brain. Over the next year, Bates underwent three brain surgeries at Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins hospitals where he received a ventriculoperitoneal shunt device in his brain to drain the excess cerebrospinal fluid. On May 7, 2024, Bates was awarded the Purple Heart medal, the oldest military award still given to service members, for his sustained injuries from the attack in Somalia. “A Purple Heart recipient represents someone who has a second chance at life, and now sees the world in a different way, never taking anything for granted,” Bates said. “I am constantly reminded now every day is a blessing and I owe it to those who can no longer pursue their dreams to strive toward excellence in everything I do.” After his injury, Bates said he was inspired to pursue a degree from UK because of “Rudy,” the 1993 movie about the life of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who dreamed of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite the many challenges he faced.
Above left: Joey Bates (left) was awarded the Purple Heart Medal by U.S. Rep. Andy Barr. Above: Bates during one of his five deployments before his injury in 2019.
“Being a Big Blue Nation student has always been my ‘Rudy dream,’” Bates said.
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MSLS STUDENT NAMED TO PHI BETA KAPPA The University of Kentucky chapter of Phi Beta Kappa honor society recently inducted Will Christofield (MSLS) as part of its 2025 cohort.
CI doctoral students Anne Amissah, Ikeola Bodunde and Marian Jaitto-Jeffrey were selected to participate in the UNITE Predoctoral Research Enhancement Program, an initiative to engage scholars from a variety of backgrounds interested in an academic career at the University of Kentucky. Students in the program are supported by the research priority area with individualized research mentorship and research career development activities. Throughout the year, participants have the opportunity to engage in workshops and networking events that enhance their success in academia as part of the global community.
As the nation’s most prestigious honor society, Phi Beta Kappa champions education in the arts and sciences, fosters freedom of thought and recognizes academic excellence. Induction honors the best and brightest students across the country through a rigorous, merit-based invitation process. Members are equipped with information and tools to engage in American society as leaders, volunteers and citizens after graduation.
Fellowships & Awards LIBRARY SCIENCE • Hallie Day Blackburn Scholarship: Eva Grossi, Whitney Willis • Williena Burdine Broyles Memorial Endowed Scholarship: Cody White • Helen E. Fry Memorial Scholarship: Nicole Young • Anne McConnell Scholarship: Carly Peruccio, Bryan Stocker • Library Science Alumni Endowed Fund: Chey Brown, Jamie Collins, Maya Creamer • SIS General Scholarship: Ashlee Cobble, Lillian Faulk, Mollie McIntosh, Fadhia Mohamud, Alexa O’Kane, Ash Pechon
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Pictured L-R: Nadia Sesay, Lauren Batey, Anne Amissah, Ikeola Bodunde, Ansley George
GRADUATE PROGRAM IN COMMUNICATION • Martha and Howard Sypher Memorial Graduate Scholarship: Anne Amissah • Bruce H. Westley Scholarship: Ansley George • R. Lewis Donohew Graduate Fellowship: Lauren Batey
• Palmgreen Fellowship: Nadia Sesay • Graduate Program in Communication Dissertation Year Fellowship: Ikeola Bodunde
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
CC Rhein tabled at the Junior League Holly Days Market to help bring awareness to the QPR program.
CI STUDENT, FACULTY HIGHLIGHT SUICIDE PREVENTION THROUGH QPR TRAINING Integrated strategic communication Assistant Professor Sarah Geegan (ISC, 2012/MA COM, 2015/ Ph.D. COM, 2021) and a student research team including ISC student CC Rhein are championing suicide prevention through the QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) training method, a free, evidencebased program designed to help individuals recognize the signs of suicide risk and how to intervene. Geegan’s passion for QPR training stems from her work in the state, where suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10 to 34, according to the Kentucky Department of Education. “The disparity between how we view physical versus mental health is what inspires me,” Geegan said. “People in our communities are struggling, and many do so in silence because of the stigma around mental health. I want to help change that.” QPR training teaches individuals to recognize warning signs of suicide, initiate an open conversation and refer someone to professional help. “QPR prepares us to help someone in a mental health crisis, just as CPR prepares us to assist in a physical emergency,” Geegan said. Rhein, a former high school peer-to-peer suicide prevention advocate, became involved with QPR after learning about Geegan’s work. “I knew that my history with suicide prevention and my love for strategic communication made it a perfect
match for my interests,” Rhein said. “I was looking for ways to get hands-on experience and feel more involved in the community and being a research assistant for this project was a dream come true.” Rhein has seen firsthand the positive impact of QPR training. “QPR is more than just identifying those at risk, it helps you create an open and nonjudgmental conversation,” Rhein said. “I’ve used QPR myself in situations where I was able to connect a peer with the resources they needed. That person is now doing really well at college.” For Rhein, the research experience has been invaluable. “It’s given me the opportunity to practice the skills I’m learning in class and see the theories come to life,” Rhein said. “I’ve worked on my networking skills and met so many amazing professionals, both in my field and in adjacent fields like journalism.” Geegan and Rhein both emphasize the critical role that every individual can play in suicide prevention. “Suicide prevention is a community responsibility,” Geegan said. “It’s a public health crisis, but we all have the power to intervene. QPR gives us the tools to recognize the signs and guide people to help.” Kentuckians can visit ukhealthcare.com/qpr for free online QPR training.
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Jessica Barfield explains Misty’s capabilities to ICT students.
STUDYING THE HUMANNESS OF HUMAN-COMPUTER INTERACTION As once unreachable technologies like artificial intelligence become commonplace, many are considering how these can be implemented in their everyday lives, and some are left wondering whether they can even be trusted. Jessica Barfield’s (assistant professor, SIS) research focuses on human-computer interaction (HCI) and human-robot interaction (HRI), which refer to human interaction between software and physical, autonomous robots and AI entities respectively.
Misty, the robot Barfield shares with UT.
Barfield earned her doctoral degree in information sciences at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where she first began researching HCI and HRI. In her research, Barfield observes biases people show toward technology based on its perceived social characteristics. Her interest in the field was sparked when she noticed how users select and interact with different nationalities and genders of Apple’s virtual assistant, Siri. “People don’t always think about the humanness of human-robot and -computer interaction,” Barfield said. “I want to make sure that the designers of these technologies are aware of biases and keep in mind who their diverse user audience is.” Being faculty, Barfield has access to myriad resources that allow her to examine biases in HCI and HRI. Quantitative surveys administered virtually by Barfield have presented participants with audio files, photos and clips of robots, posing questions like “How does this make you feel?” and “Do you trust it?” And with hands-on tests, Barfield can bring in actual robotic hardware for participant interaction.
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Enter Misty, the small-but-mighty programmable robot Barfield shares with her alma mater, UT’s School of Information Sciences. Equipped with depth cameras, touch sensors and interchangeable limbs, Misty has the capabilities to move on preset paths and react to participants with customizable eye movements. Additionally, Misty can speak and understand a host of languages and can even speak with an accent. Barfield said chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT can be installed on Misty to accommodate a more backand-forth conversation with participants. Barfield found that people treat technology like they do actual people, noting real-life gender and race biases reciprocated toward software and robots. “Somebody could be interacting with a female-voiced chatbot or technology like Misty and have gender biases that we typically attribute toward females,” Barfield said. “But if I set [Misty’s] voice to a deeper tone and call her ‘Robert,’ people sometimes react better, and trust Robert more.” Looking forward, Barfield not only thinks these technologies will become more customizable but also that people will start to trust them more. “Right now, [industry] focus is on creating tech that is cool and can fulfill needs,” Barfield said. “But I think the missing part is the human connection. It’s important, especially when tech is being created for more vulnerable populations, like people with disabilities, that designers are creating things people trust and want to use.”
RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
PROFESSORSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS Congratulations to our faculty who have been awarded professorships and fellowships in the College of Communication and Information and at the University of Kentucky in recognition of their excellence in instruction, research and other creative activity, or service in their discipline. See also Kimberly Parker Research Professorship announcement on page 36.
O’HAIR EARLY FACULTY AWARD
Erin Hester (assistant professor, ISC) This award was established by the late H. Dan O’Hair, professor and former CI dean, who had a distinguished career as a university faculty member, researcher and administrator. This award recognizes a tenure-track faculty member who has been in CI for at least two years and has demonstrated exceptional progress in research/creative activity, teaching and service in the College.
GIFFORD BLYTON PROFESSORSHIP
Kody Frey (associate professor, SIS) 2025-2028
LESTER REYNOLDS PROFESSORSHIP
Luke LeFebvre (associate professor, SIS) 2025-2028 This endowed professorship is in the College of Engineering but awarded to a faculty member in CI who provides support to the Engineering faculty and staff for enhancing the oral and written communication skills of engineering undergraduates and graduate students.
TEK FACULTY FELLOWS
Hayley Hoffman (lecturer, SIS) Jennifer Scarduzio (associate professor, COM) Kimberly Parker (professor, ISC)
The Blyton Professorship was established to honor Gifford Blyton, who taught speech and communication from 1948 to 1975 at the University of Kentucky and coached the Debate team for 21 years. This gift was made possible through the efforts of several of his former students. Money from the endowment is used to support a faculty member involved in public speaking, oral communication education and research.
BOYD PROFESSORSHIP
Andy Pilny (associate professor, COM) 2025-2028 The Douglas A. and Carole A. Boyd Professorship in Communication was established by former CI Dean Doug Boyd and his wife to enhance communication education through the examination of existing research coupled with the generation of new ideas, concepts and research.
The Transdisciplinary Educational approaches to advance Kentucky (TEK) program challenges faculty and students to engage with complex, multidimensional and context-specific issues. TEK Fellows develop new transdisciplinary courses as well as revise current courses to integrate transdisciplinary skills and learning outcomes.
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CI’S PREVIOUS RESEARCH PROFESSORS
Kimberly Parker, left, with UK President Eli Capilouto, is a 2025-2026 University Research Professor.
PARKER NAMED UK RESEARCH PROFESSOR Kimberly Parker, professor in the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, has been recognized as one of 18 University Research Professors for 2025-2026. These professorships honor faculty members who have demonstrated excellence that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in the region and around the world. Parker joined the College in 2014, and her research is focused on improving lives by generating
evidence-based solutions to community-specific challenges, from public health interventions to understanding how local nonprofits might develop more effective fundraising efforts. She has partnered with local organizations like Mission Health, Voices of Hope, A Caring Place and others to help strengthen campaigns and improve the lives of Kentuckians.
Shannon Oltmann (2024-2025) Allison Gordon (2023-2024) Bobi Ivanov (2022-2023) Maria Cahill (2021-2022) H. Dan O’Hair (2020-2021) Nancy Harrington (2018-2019) J. David Johnson (2017-2018) Sherali Zeadally (2016-2017)
UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH 13 CI students presented their research at the Spring 2025 Undergraduate Research Showcase. Presentations included:
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Photo 1: Persuasive Precedent in First Amendment Lawsuits: Meta Platforms, Inc. Fernanda Fuentes (ICT) Photo 2: In the Shadows of the Algorithm: Transparency, Control, and the Suppression of Digital Creators. Sara Bakhit (ICT)
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Photo 3: Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice. Lindsey Brinkley (ISC) CoupCats - A Forecast for Coups D’etat. Morgan Blankenship (MAS, PS) Queering Contemporary Comedy: FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows” and the Mediation of Nonnormative Gender and Sexual Identities. Annie Casadevall (MAS)
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Journalism in Crisis: The Journalist and the Citizen. Jemi Chew (JOU) Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Local Community Newsroom: A Statewide Assessment in the U.S. Adah Hufana (JOU)
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Addressing the Hidden Crisis in Doctoral Education: Identifying the (De)Motivating Effects of Memorable Messages From a Self-Determination Theory Perspective. Erin Levine McCaffrey (COM) and Tegan Zura (COM) Imposed Ideologies and Self-Defining Truth: A Rhetorical Analysis of Ritt Momney’s “[If] The Book Doesn’t Sell.” A. Lin (MAS) Immersion Through Transmedia Storytelling: Mattel’s Intentionality Across Monster High Brand Generations. Genesis Pena-Lozada (MAS, SPA, HIS) Crime Reporting in Brazil and the United States: Key Differences and Insights. Laura Ribeiro Da Mata Silva (JOU) Question, Persuade, Refer: Creating Media Guidelines for Kentucky. Zoe Stefanic (ISC, AS)
COLLEGE
HIGHLIGHTS
Paul and Ellen Wagner spoke to Beecher Reuning’s MAS 404: Film Directing class while on campus.
FILMMAKERS BRING DOCUMENTARY TO CAMPUS The University of Kentucky welcomed Academy Awardwinning alumnus Paul Wagner (MA COM, 1972) in April for a screening of his film “Georgia O’Keeffe: the Brightness of Light,” a documentary about American art icon Georgia O’Keeffe. The film features Claire Danes as the voice of O’Keeffe with narration by Hugh Dancy and includes interviews with leading experts on the artist. Wagner holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from UK and was inducted into the UK Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2020. Wagner and his wife and producing partner, Ellen Casey Wagner, were inspired to develop the documentary after visiting a museum exhibit about O’Keeffe in 2018.
a celebrated role model for second-wave feminists. “The Brightness of Light” explores the life and art of one of the most important American woman artists of the 20th century. Wagner is an Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning independent filmmaker, whose documentaries have premiered at the Sundance, Toronto, Telluride and Rotterdam film festivals and have been broadcast widely on PBS. He has produced and directed over 40 films over a 40-year career. The filmmakers visited with a film directing class prior to the screening — a collaboration between CI, the College of Fine Arts and the College of Arts & Sciences — which was then followed by an audience Q&A.
“We learned that, in 1908, when she was 20 years old, O’Keeffe had given up on her dream of becoming an artist,” Wagner said. “This young woman, who would later emerge as ‘the Mother of American Modernism’ and the most iconic woman artist of the 20th century, did not pick up a brush to paint for nearly four years.”
After the screening, filmmakers Ellen (left) and Paul (center) Wagner held a Q&A moderated by Mark Shanda (right), dean of the College of Fine Arts.
O’Keeffe exploded on the New York art scene in the 1920s with her paintings of flowers, bones and the beauty of nature. In the 1970s, O’Keeffe, isolated in the New Mexico desert and emerged as
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CI’S 2024-2025 LYMAN T. JOHNSON HONOREES Continuing the University of Kentucky’s tradition of highlighting the impact of trailblazing students and alumni, a CI alumnus and a current CI student were honored for their achievements during the 34th annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards. CI student Nadia Sesay (left) and CI alumnus Carlos Phillips (right) were the College’s Lyman T. Johnson Award winners for 2024.
Each year, colleges and units across the University choose honorees based on their contributions to UK and the broader community. Nadia Sesay (MA COM, 2023), a Ph.D. student in CI, was recognized as the 2024 Torch Bearer, honoring a current student with outstanding academic achievement and impactful efforts.
Alumnus Carlos Phillips (COM, 1990) received the 2024 Torch of Excellence award, recognizing an alumnus whose leadership and dedication positively impact the UK campus, the city, state or nation. Sesay’s research focuses on health communication and disparities in chronic illnesses such as cancer and hypertension. She also investigates patientprovider communication and health campaigns, particularly in women’s health. Beyond research, she volunteers to support food equity, people with disabilities and children. Additionally, Sesay was the 2024 winner of GradTeach Live!, a university-wide graduate teaching showcase. Phillips is a business and economic development leader with nearly two decades of experience. He has held senior leadership roles at Greater Louisville Inc. and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and has served as president and CEO of the Greenville, South Carolina, Chamber of Commerce since 2016. Phillips has spearheaded initiatives such as the statewide expansion of the Greenville Chamber’s Minority Business Accelerator and has been recognized by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, the Association of State Chamber Professionals and the United Way of Greenville County. Both honorees were recognized at the award luncheon hosted by the University of Kentucky Alumni Association’s Lyman T. Johnson Constituency Group, with the support of the Office of the Provost, in October 2024.
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COLLEGE
HIGHLIGHTS
2024-2025 CI College Excellence Awards winners (left to right): Montina Jiang, Daniela DiGiacomo, Anyiah Chambers, Bri Winn, Ray Celeste Tanner, Cathy Black, Scott Johnson, Al Cross. Not pictured: Felix Smith, Don Lowe.
College EXCELLENCE AWARDS The 2024-2025 College of Communication and Information College Excellence Awards were announced at a college-wide luncheon in April. This year marked the 26th year CI recognized and celebrated the College’s outstanding faculty and staff. The 2024-2025 CI College Excellence Awards winners are: Faculty Teaching Excellence: Don Lowe (COM) Faculty Research Excellence: Daniela DiGiacomo (SIS) Community Service and Engagement: Anyiah Chambers (Grad COM) Graduate Teaching Excellence: Ray Celeste Tanner (Grad COM) Outstanding Advising Faculty: Mengtian “Montina” Jiang (ISC) Outstanding Advising Staff: Felix Smith (Student Success) Outstanding Staff: Scott Johnson (CITS) and Bri Winn (Business Office) Dean’s Leadership Award: Al Cross (JAM, retired) The Outstanding Alumni Award was presented to Cathy Black (TEL/MAS, 1985). Black is currently a talent recruitment manager on ABC News/Disney’s Talent Strategy and Development Team and serves on the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees. She is a Lyman T. Johnson Alumni Torch of Excellence winner and a School of Journalism and Media Distinguished Alumni Award winner.
Cathy Black, the 2024-2025 Outstanding Alumni Award winner, accepted her award at the annual CI College Excellence Awards.
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COLLEGE
HIGHLIGHTS
David Stephenson (back left) and Yung Soo Kim (center) led workshop participants in learning essential multimedia storytelling skills.
SUMMER WORKSHOP HELPS TEENS ROAR INTO REPORTING The School of Journalism and Media collaborated with the Lexington Public Library to host “So … You Want to be a Journalist,” a two-day summer 2024 workshop for middle and high school students. Associate Professors Yung Soo Kim and David Stephenson led the workshop, teaching local preteens and teenagers essential multimedia storytelling skills. The workshop was geared toward those who had an interest in multimedia storytelling, journalism or production as a potential career. The event was part of the library’s summer programming, which aims to provide local students with safe,
educational and interesting opportunities during the summer break. Participants first learned how to use photography and videography to produce multimedia stories. Students practiced photographing, filming, editing, on-camera reporting and interviewing. The School provided attendees with state-of-the-art equipment often used in the School’s journalism and media arts courses to practice these skills. Participants then put the skills they learned into action to cover the Eastside Library’s “Life-Size Dinosaur Encounter” event, which included meet and greet
opportunities with life-sized animatronic dinosaurs. Workshop participants captured b-roll, or supplemental footage, and guest interviews during the event, culminating in a short recap video news story filmed, edited and reported by the aspiring journalists. “I had a blast working with these young journalists,” Stephenson said. “They were curious and fearless, two great qualities in journalists, and I couldn’t be prouder of what they produced in such a short period of time.” Visit ci.uky.edu/summerworkshop to watch the event recap video that participants produced.
NEW FACULTY AND STAFF • Jessica Ashcraft, senior college project manager, Dean’s Office
• Sitong Guo, assistant professor, Department of Communication
• Doug Powell, lecturer, Department of Integrated Strategic Communication
• Kelin Beattie, college business analyst, Business Office
• Hillary Hamilton, post-doc scholar, Department of Communication
• Kathy Previs, lecturer, Department of Integrated Strategic Communication
• Chris Clements, lecturer, Department of Communication
• Korrie Harris, administrative support associate, Student Success
• Grayson Ritchey, administrative services assistant, Business Office
• Christy Coffman, academic advisor, Student Success
• Chandler Marr, assistant professor, Department of Communication
• Abi Stephens, post-doc scholar, School of Information Science
• Gray Greenwell, marketing promotion specialist, MarComms
• Jonathan Morford, server administrator/programmer, CI Technology Services
• Heng Zheng, assistant professor, School of Information Science
• Rebecca Greer, assistant professor, Department of Communication
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COLLEGE
HIGHLIGHTS
FACULTY & STAFF NEWS
Ryan Craig (student media advisor) was a 2024 recipient of the Distinguished Advisor Award from the College Media Association. The national award recognizes staff with five or more years of experience who have demonstrated exceptional service in a specific area of the field.
The UK Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching named Kari Benguria (senior lecturer, SIS), Adriane Grumbein (professor, ISC) and Joe Martin (senior lecturer, SIS) to its 2024-2025 cohort of the Teaching Innovation Institute. The cohort discussed approaches and strategic uses of generative AI in higher education. Additionally, Martin was one of six UK faculty named as Lewis Honors College inaugural Faculty Fellows.
The Health Communication Division of the National Communication Association named Aurora Occa (associate professor, COM) one of its Early Career Scholar award winners and Kimberly Parker (professor, ISC) a Dale E. Brashers Distinguished Mentor for 2025.
Mengtian “Montina” Jiang (associate professor, ISC) and Elizabeth Spencer (assistant professor, ISC) were recognized with excellence in teaching awards from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Jiang was awarded the 2024 AEJMC Advertising Division’s Early Career Teaching Excellence Award. Spencer was awarded the 2024 AEJMC Visual Communication Division’s Sandy Utt Excellence in Teaching Award.
Five CI faculty and staff members earned UK International Center’s Global Engagement Academy certification: Jessica Barfield (assistant professor, SIS), Skya Covington (academic advisor), Suanne Early (director of student affairs), Catherine Hayden (communications manager) and Amanda Lawrence (director of high impact practices and senior lecturer, SIS).
Adriane Grumbein (professor, ISC) was selected for the 2024 cohort of UK’s WELD Faculty and Staff Leadership Development Program. The program seeks to develop a new generation of leaders in higher education through an eight-month long curriculum covering topics including leadership, strategic planning and crisis management through mentored projects and discussions with administrators.
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EVENTS
CI faculty and staff joined students and their families for CI’s Dogs with the Dean event as part of the University of Kentucky’s 2024 Family Weekend. Attendees enjoyed hot dogs, CI swag, photo ops and lots of laughs.
CI faculty and staff represented the College at the UK Alumni Association’s Homecoming Tailgate in October 2024. Teresa Moss (COM, 1974), shown above, was at the event as part of the Golden Wildcat Reunion, which celebrates each class’s 50th anniversary.
The CI Internship and Career Fair allows students to connect with employers in CI-specific industries. Students also get tips on their resumes, professional headshots and interview practice throughout two CI Career Months, each March and October.
A group of sports journalism and sports communication students met with legendary sports broadcaster Tom Hammond and long-time Lexington Herald Leader sports columnist Mark Story. The pair discussed and then signed Hammond’s book “Races, Games, and Olympic Dreams: A Sportscaster’s Life,” co-written by Story.
Cody Keenan (left), former speechwriter for the Obama administration, delivered the 25th anniversary James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence Lecture. John Drees (right), former vice president of communication and marketing at the University of Louisville, was recognized with the Excellence in Public Relations Award. Bowling was a legendary public relations pioneer and supporter of higher education in Kentucky.
In December, CI students visited Kentucky Educational Television, where they learned about technical production, educational production and digital content. They also viewed a taping of “Kentucky Edition” and met with the host, Renee Shaw (shown above).
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COLLEGE
HIGHLIGHTS
Kentucky Kernel staffers attended the annual Al Smith Awards Dinner. The event honors Albert P. Smith Jr., who owned weekly newspapers in Kentucky and Tennessee, was founding host of KET’s “Comment on Kentucky” and main founder of the Institute for Rural Journalism.
The opening of the Downtown Studio in Central Bank Center allows for the College to offer broadcast opportunities, like the live call-in show for UK Men’s Basketball Coach Mark Pope with CI students, faculty and staff in January.
To help students de-stress, CI offered Downward Dog with the Dogs, an event where students could participate in chair yoga in the company of service dogs in training.
Lynn Blashford, a two-time UK alumna and chief marketing officer for White Castle, delivered the 2025 Irwin Warren Lecture in Advertising and Digital Media in April. The lecture honors the memory of Irwin Warren, who created some of the nation’s most successful advertising campaigns and was established by CI alumnus Patrick Mutchler, who worked with Warren at Johnson & Johnson.
In April, all of CI’s 2024-2025 undergraduate and graduate scholarship, fellowship and award winners, as well as students who represent the College as ambassadors, peer mentors and members of the Dean’s Student Advisory Council, were recognized at the annual CI Student Awards.
Five new members of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, which recognizes Kentuckians who have made significant contributions to the profession of journalism, were inducted in April. Inductees pictured left to right: Stephen Ford, Renee Shaw, Jamie Lucke, Dick Gabriel and Ron Garrison.
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DEBATE
HIGHLIGHTS
Cy Kiani, Jay Finch, Paul Skiermont and Jonathan Reeve, pictured left to right at the 2014 Kentucky Oaks, have remained friends since their days of collegiate debate.
LOVE OF DEBATE LEADS TO FRIENDSHIP, PHILANTHROPY For Cy Kiani, Jay Finch, Paul Skiermont and Jonathan Reeve, being members of the University of Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate Team was where a lifelong friendship began. What started as shared competition turned into a bond that has lasted more than 30 years.
thoughtful. I went home from my first debate team meeting and I felt something was different. In retrospect, it was the birth of a passion I didn’t know I had. It didn’t require a physical characteristic like being strong, fast or tall. It required intelligence and hard work, and those were things anyone could do.”
“My very first memory of the flourishing of our friendship dates back before my freshman year at UK,” Reeve said. “Cy Kiani approached me at the Tournament of Champions and asked whether I would be interested in being roommates.”
Together, their love of debate and the time they spent honing their craft built more than skill — it built friendship.
By the time Finch and Skiermont joined, the group was inseparable — Reeve describing them as “thick as thieves.” Jonathan Reeve with a debate award in 1992.
“I arrived in Lexington knowing about Paul, Cy and Jonathan,” Finch said. “Getting to spend time with them in the library and around the squad room soon revealed that they were really nice people and we had a lot in common. They were debate giants, but also just like me — young, away from home and trying to figure things out.” That sense of connection reminded Finch why he’d fallen in love with debate in the first place. “I tried many activities in high school before finding debate,” Finch said. “For me, debate was where it ‘clicked’ — the people were diverse, curious and
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“Those early days forged a sense of community for the group,” Kiani said. “After we graduated, we would routinely return to Lexington for debate events and reunions. We also came back for Kentucky basketball and Keeneland.” Even decades later, time and distance haven’t weakened their connection. “We still get together several times a year, and through the wonders of modern technology, we communicate in some form or fashion pretty much every day,” Reeve said. “That doesn’t happen without a lot of love, commitment and — after all this time — curiosity about one another.” Beyond shared memories, the countless hours spent researching, traveling and competing strengthened their bond even more.
“Intercollegiate debate is a very intense activity,” Finch said. “The UK Debate team drove to all our tournaments, even those as far away as Baylor and Harvard, and you really get to know someone quickly in those conditions.”
I am committed to helping the next generation have their own unique experience at UK.”
Their friendship now extends into every part of their lives.
“I don’t know what my family or community would have looked like if UK Debate hadn’t provided me a scholarship, and I’m honored to be able to help provide that opportunity for others,” Finch said.
“All of my best friends originated from debate,” Kiani said. “Jay Finch, Paul Skiermont and Jonathan Reeve were my contemporaries on the UK Debate team. They were also in my wedding. I was in their weddings.” But their connection to UK Debate didn’t end with graduation — it inspired them to give back through time and philanthropic gifts. “It’s tempting to think of the UK Debate program as eternal and immutable,” Reeve said. “But the reality is that it has persisted because of the generosity and support of alumni and other benefactors.” For Kiani, supporting the program is deeply personal. “UK Debate gave me so much when I was 18 years old,” Kiani said. “UK Debate taught me how to be a critical thinker and introduced me to my best friends.
That same sense of gratitude is what motivates Finch to donate to UK Debate.
Jay Finch (left) and Paul Skiermont (second from left) shown in 1992.
Together, the group credits the program for shaping not only their friendship but their careers and outlooks on life. “Human beings often assume that their perspective on any given issue is the only valid one,” Reeve said. “Debate teaches you that most issues are infinitely more complex and nuanced than you can possibly imagine.” Ultimately, the lessons they learned from debate — about empathy, curiosity and communication — continue to guide them today. “We relied on each other when we were on the Debate team and we continue to rely on each other today,” Kiani said. “I can’t imagine my life without these friends that I met on the UK campus.” Debate alumni Cy Kiani (far right), Jay Finch (second from right) and Paul Skiermont (fourth from right) at a debate presentation in 1994.
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HIGHLIGHTS
The UK Intercollegiate Debate Team earned its 10th consecutive automatic bid to the National Debate Tournament in 2025.
DEBATE EARNS 10TH CONSECUTIVE AUTOMATIC BID DEBATE SEASON
BY THE NUMBERS
15
tournaments plus the Dartmouth Round Robin
319 debates
205
debate wins
14/15
elimination rounds reached
9,570
minutes of speeches delivered
3,828
minutes of cross-examination
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For the 10th consecutive year, the University of Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate Team ranked in the top 16 entering the 2025 National Debate Tournament. The 2024-2025 season began in August with a preseason “Work Week” before classes started, where students did research, gave practice speeches and prepared to debate about whether the United States should adopt a clean energy policy, the year’s topic. Debate alumni Jonathan Geldof and David Griffith joined to provide coaching advice and research assistance. The partnership of Jared Adam and Lauren McBlain earned a coveted first-round automatic bid to the NDT held this spring at Gonzaga University, securing the new team record for consecutive bids. At the 2025 NDT, the Adam/McBlain pair finished their debate careers with a 6-2 record and the eighth seed. The partnership of Jeremiah Rimpson and Anna Stockstill also qualified for the NDT as one of the top-ranked teams from District 6 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee). Ariel Gabay and Regan Slish earned a second round at-large bid, scoring UK one of the prized slots reserved for a school’s third partnership. Only six schools can qualify for a third partnership each year and this was UK’s first time doing so since 2016. UK Debate competed in seven fall tournaments, including the JW Patterson Debates, hosted at UK. The Adam/McBlain pairing reached the final four at the two most competitive tournaments of the
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fall, held at Harvard University and Wake Forest University. Gabay/Slish reached the quarterfinals of the JW Patterson Debates. Rimpson/Stockstill went undefeated and won the University of Minnesota College Invitational, and Maddie Augustine and Saidah Ervin won their first college tournament at the Big Tent Online tournament. The partnerships of Gabay/Slish and Rimpson/ Stockstill both reached the semifinals of the US Naval Academy’s Crowe Warken Debates. Adam/ McBlain were one of only seven teams invited to the prestigious Dartmouth Round Robin, where they tied for third place. In addition to the NDT, the team also competed at the American Debate Association National Championship at the University of Houston and the Cross Examination Debate Association Nationals at Rutgers University. At ADA Nationals, the teams of Gabay/Slish, Adam/McBlain and Rimpson/Stockstill reached the elimination rounds. Rimpson and Stockstill earned the Front Royal Cup, awarded to the top-ranked team based on performance at ADA tournaments. The ADA also recognized McBlain as this year’s recipient of the Julia Burke Award for Character and Excellence in American Debate Association Policy Debate. This is the second year in a row a Kentucky Debater has received this award. At CEDA, both Augustine/Ervin and Rimpson/ Stockstill reached the elimination rounds. Augustine/ Ervin reached the octafinals, and Rimpson/Stockstill beat several teams on their path to the final round.
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ALUMNA WINS PRESTIGIOUS GRACIE AWARD Kristin Klingshirn (JOU, 2002) was honored in May with a Gracie Award for her work as a co-host on “The Bert Show,” an Atlanta-based morning radio show heard in more than 20 markets. The Gracie Awards recognize outstanding programming created by, for and about women in radio, television and digital media. Named after American performer Gracie Allen, the awards spotlight individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry. With her Gracie Award win, Klingshirn joins an esteemed list of past recipients, including Taylor Swift, Michelle Obama, Amy Poehler and Hillary Clinton. During her time in CI, Klingshirn found immense support from Scoobie Ryan, retired School of Journalism and Media associate professor. “She was like my counselor,” Klingshirn said. “I remember her being no nonsense but also comforting and just keeping it real.” After graduating, Klingshirn began her radio career directing promotions for 104.5 “The Cat” in Lexington and WEBN in Cincinnati. She returned to Lexington and moved behind the mic at WKQQ before becoming a morning show host on G105 in Raleigh, North Carolina. In 2011, she joined “The Bert Show” on Q99.7 Atlanta, which aired its final show in October 2025 after host Bert Weiss retired. Early in her career, Klingshirn said she faced challenges working in a male-dominated field, recalling a time when she was told she wasn’t “radio friendly” and would not likely see airtime. She remained positive and focused on her passion, finding her niche in “The Bert Show’s” laid-back, candid nature. “You’re not going to give up on your purpose just because one person says no, right?” she said. “So, just hold on to that that fire and that passion … What might feel like a setback could be propelling you forward in ways you never could have.”
Now a beloved voice in Atlanta radio, she has built a loyal following by championing women’s issues, like grief and IVF struggles, and using her platform to uplift others.
Kristin Klingshirn at the 2025 Gracie Awards.
In 2024, Klingshirn spearheaded the Pinot Period Party, supplying Georgia’s baby supply bank Helping Mamas with more than 51,000 period products. She also assists with “The Bert Show’s” non-profit, Bert’s Big Adventure, which sends children with chronic and terminal illnesses and their families to Walt Disney World at no cost. Klingshirn’s Gracie recognition underscores her unwavering commitment to authenticity, vulnerability and empowering women through honest conversations that blend heart and humor. “I’m beyond proud to be a woman in the media and even prouder to be a woman in media who has won a Gracie,” Klingshirn said. “I’m honored to be in such tremendous company, and winning this award only fuels my fire to continue to speak on women’s issues with honesty, humor and compassion.”
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FROM CAMPUS TO COUNTRY J.D. SHELBURNE
For one College of Communication and Information alumnus, having access to an on-campus recording studio allowed him to make professional quality music at no cost. Another noted his journalism coursework shared themes with songwriting and helped him strengthen his lyrics. A third was inspired by an advisor’s suggestion to pursue a flexible major to think about the business side of her music career. In Nashville, Tennessee, three CI alumni — J.D. Shelburne (TEL/MAS, 2007), Neil Medley (JOU, 1997) and Hannah Ellis (ISC, 2012) — have harnessed skills acquired during their undergraduate studies to turn heads in country music, not only by lending their writing chops to major label artists but also telling resonating stories in their own songs.
As he stood on the historic Grand Ole Opry stage at the 10th annual Josie Music Awards in October 2024, where he accepted the award for Modern Country Artist of the Year, J.D. Shelburne said he immediately thought of all the hall of famers who stood there before him. “It’s always a blessing when you reach certain goals and bucket-list moments,” Shelburne said. “That was one of my favorite nights.” The musician got his footing in the genre after the death of his grandmother in 2002 when he inherited her guitar. Shelburne spent his free time learning how to play and sing, and when he transferred from community college to UK, music became more than just a hobby. During his time at UK, Shelburne made connections with peers and professors that led to a lifechanging journey. Following graduation, Shelburne moved to Nashville and began booking shows. Since then, he has performed more than 3,000 shows, achieved two No. 1 videos on CMT and released six studio albums,
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including a top 10 album on iTunes “Straight from Kentucky” and 2023’s “Neon Hallelujah,” which featured Country Music Hall of Fame members The Oak Ridge Boys. Reflecting on his time at UK, Shelburne said that if it weren’t for the skills he built while completing his degree — adaptability, effective communication strategies and creative marketing to build a personal brand — he would have never been able to launch his career and find success in the way that he has. “I owe all the success I have been able to reach to the University of Kentucky,” Shelburne said.
HANNAH ELLIS
Hannah Ellis describes her music as “Shania Twain meets Sabrina Carpenter” — uplifting, relatable and chock-full of the same kind of personality the two stars are known for. Ellis said singing has always been a part of her life. Her parents are singers who performed at weddings when she was growing up, and Ellis’ sister sang, too. As she got older, Ellis began singing in church and at contests and, soon enough, realized she wanted to make music for a living. While at UK, Ellis took the time to develop both her performing and songwriting at local bars while also traveling to Nashville twice a week. She said her advisor in CI recommended she choose integrated strategic communication as her major to better present herself and her music as a brand to listeners.
NEIL MEDLEY
Neil Medley sees songwriting as a mystical experience. For him, inspiration stems from the challenge of writing a great song that listeners will sing along to, spin at their weddings or link to special memories — just as he has with his own favorite music. Over the span of his career, Medley has written close to 2,000 songs, but jokes that picking his best-loved track would be like picking a favorite child. Medley has lived in Nashville since 1998, and prior to his move, as a UK journalism student, he developed a knack for sports reporting. He accepted a job writing for a small paper in Bardstown, Kentucky, after graduation,
but left for Music City to chase songwriting instead.
“Being an artist is being a business, so we really leaned into that,” Ellis said.
Writing for two publishing companies in Nashville — River House Artists and Sony Music Publishing — Medley said his calendar is full of sessions four to five days a week with other songwriters and artists.
After graduation, Ellis moved to Nashville. Just a few years later, in 2015, Ellis auditioned for “The Voice.”
“For the most part, every day looks the same: a couple of songwriters with guitars and a few ideas trying to write a great song,” he said.
“They are truly my biggest champions and have made so many of my dreams come true through their belief in me,” Ellis said of her label.
While she was in Los Angeles for “The Voice,” Ellis received an offer for a publishing deal back in Nashville. Ellis wrote for the company until it was bought by Curb Records, whose label reps signed her in 2020 after hearing the songs she was writing in their shared building.
Visit ci.uky.edu/musicians to read the full story.
And Medley’s no stranger to great songs. His tracks have been recorded by country titans like Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Jason Aldean and Jon Pardi. In 2021, Medley earned his first No. 1 with Jake Owen’s “Made For You,” co-written with Benjy Davis and Joey Hyde. In 2023, after making a name writing songs for others, Medley released his debut effort “South End Kid” and is enjoying the most activity of his entire career as a songwriter.
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Krista LeRay poses in front of a wall of her original needlepoint designs.
SEW OLD, SEW NEW
LeRay models the inspiration for one of her designs.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when most were quarantined, baking sourdough and giving themselves bad haircuts, Krista LeRay (COM, 2013) was in her New York City apartment launching a multimillion-dollar needlepoint business.
and bonded over their interest in needlepoint. After college, Caldwell worked in managerial positions; LeRay worked for Major League Baseball as a social media strategist while growing her brand through her “Covering the Bases” blog.
LeRay, a fashion and lifestyle blogger, was keen on needlepointing long before she saw it blow up on her social feeds in the late 2010s. Her grandmother taught her the basics years prior, and her interest grew after she enrolled at UK, where she took note of the SEC-inspired “hobby belts” worn by her fellow Wildcats.
LeRay left MLB in 2018 and blogged full-time until the pandemic. Then came Penny Linn, which was a hit almost from the start, enjoying impressive growth and, more importantly to LeRay, making needlepoint more accessible and affordable to a new generation.
Even before the pandemic, LeRay had difficulty locating needlepoint canvases that appealed to her millennial sensibilities. “[It was] all kind of outdated,” LeRay said. “So, when COVID hit, I had more time, and I just decided to create my own stuff.” Enter LeRay’s business, Penny Linn Designs (named for her grandmother), which launched in September 2020. She said the company’s ethos is based on what she wanted as a consumer — designs “by a stitcher, for a stitcher.” LeRay’s designs run the gamut from ribbons and bows to bawdy words and expressions, and, of course, Kentucky. “I think it’d be illegal for us not to have Kentucky stuff,” LeRay said. After all, Penny Linn is run by not one, but two, UK alumnae. Amanda Caldwell (MAT, 2011) is the company’s vice president of operations. The two met at UK
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LeRay recognized she needed input from someone with a merchandising background and reached out to Caldwell. Both take pride in their contributions to the needlepoint renaissance and leading a womenowned company. “When we started, my only goal was to one day make $1 million in a calendar year, and we did that in our third year,” LeRay said. “It’s really cool to run a female-founded business doing $1 million a year.” With a brick-and-mortar store in Rowayton, Connecticut, as well as a recent “TODAY Show” feature, Penny Linn continues to grow, and the duo remains committed to fostering a space for new and seasoned stitchers despite resistance from crafters who feel the brand’s youthful approach is altering tradition. “I’ve kind of flipped it all on its head, which has been really fun for me,” LeRay said. “I’m not doing this to put off the traditionalists — I’m doing it to grow the industry.” Read more at ci.uky.edu/LeRay.
ALUMNI
HIGHLIGHTS
ALUMNA USHERS IN NEW CHAPTER AS DEAN Colleen Harris (MSLS, 2006) knew from a very early age that libraries were a haven for her, but it wasn’t until she attended the University of Kentucky that she was convinced by faculty that library work in higher education was her calling. While pursuing her master’s degree in library science, Harris worked the overnight shift at William T. Young Library. That experience allowed her to immediately put into practice what she was learning in class. “I did not know what to expect, having only experienced libraries as a user and not as an employee, but the enthusiasm of UK’s SIS faculty for their subject matter in every course I took quickly convinced me,” she said. In 2024, Harris was named the first dean of the Sue and Radcliff Killam Library at Texas A&M International University. The transition into deanship has been both exciting and eye-opening, Harris said. After leaving UK, Harris held faculty positions at numerous institutions including University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, North Carolina State University and California State University Channel Islands. Moving from a faculty member to a leadership role has given her a new perspective on how libraries can help students, other faculty and the university as a whole. Harris said that her graduate experience helped her grow as both a scholar and a professional. While in graduate school at UK, she took advantage of everything available to her, making sure there was always enthusiastic help available, something she learned from former library science Associate Professor Lisa O’Connor. “Even today, a priority for me in my work as a library administrator is to help people understand how the library is a teaching and learning tool and that librarians are natural teachers,” Harris said. “The ways in which I frame this often goes back to my lively and enthusiastic discussions with Professor O’Connor.”
Those early experiences at UK in the classroom taught Harris that librarianship is just as much about people as it is about information. She learned libraries don’t simply hold knowledge; they cultivate curiosity, confidence and community.
Colleen Harris is the first dean of the Killam Library at Texas A&M International University.
That mindset, she said, has guided her career and helped her become well-rounded in thinking about interdisciplinary scholarship and the landscape of information. “Having the knowledge that there’s always someone I can ask if I need help and that librarians truly believe there’s no such thing as a silly question, made me never feel the burden of ’I can’t do this,’” Harris said. “I hope at some level that my own work in libraries manages to reach people to give them a similar feeling of comfort.”
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While on campus, Michael Eaves spoke to students in sports broadcasting (right) and sports journalism classes (bottom, next page).
2025 HALL OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Five alumni with ties to the College of Communication and Information were inducted into the University of Kentucky Hall of Distinguished Alumni. Established in 1965, the Hall is the university’s highest alumni honor, recognizing graduates whose professional achievements and service have made a lasting impact on Kentucky, the nation and the world. The 2025 inductees are Terry L. Birdwhistell, Michael T. Eaves, Earl F. “Marty” Martin III, Ouita K. Michel and Pamela S. Whitten.
MICHAEL T. EAVES | JOU, 1994
Michael Eaves is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and studio anchor for ESPN’s SportsCenter. Over three decades, he has covered the Olympics, Super Bowls, NBA Playoffs and historic events including Muhammad Ali’s funeral and the death of Kobe Bryant. Before ESPN, he anchored at Al Jazeera America and FOX Sports West. A Kentucky native, Eaves began his career while studying journalism at UK, where he attended on a full academic scholarship.
EARL F. “MARTY” MARTIN III | COM, 1984
TERRY L. BIRDWHISTELL | MA LIBRARY SCIENCE, 1978
Terry Birdwhistell devoted more than 50 years to UK as a nationally recognized oral historian and founding director of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History. He conducted nearly 1,000 interviews, ranging from Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Kentucky governors, co-edited “Kentucky Remembered,” and authored or co-authored 15 books. A recipient of the UK Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award and dean emeritus of UK Libraries, he continued preserving Kentucky’s history until his death in 2023.
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Marty Martin is the 13th president of Drake University, where he has led campus redevelopment, launched the John Dee Bright College and overseen record fundraising. A retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and former judge advocate, he also earned a Master’s of Laws degree from Yale Law School. His academic career includes leadership roles at the University of Illinois, Texas Wesleyan University and Gonzaga University.
OUITA K. MICHEL | 1986 NATIONAL DEBATE TOURNAMENT CHAMPION
Ouita Michel was on the UK Intercollegiate Debate Team from 1982 to 1986, earning the Outstanding First-Year Award in 1983, the Distinguished Student Speaker Award in 1984 and ultimately the 1986 National Debate Tournament championship with her partner, David Brownell. She later returned as a mentor during her final semester. Michel is now an award-winning chef, restaurateur and food advocate whose restaurants, including Holly Hill Inn and Wallace Station, have helped transform Central Kentucky dining. She is an eight-time James Beard Award semifinalist and co-founder of the nonprofit FoodChain.
Jesse Birdwhistell (left) with her mother, Janice, at the HODA reception for Terry Birdwhistell given by UK Libraries. Jesse accepted her late father’s award at the ceremony.
Visit ci.uky.edu/michel to read more.
PAMELA S. WHITTEN | MA COM, 1986
Pamela Whitten is the 19th president of Indiana University and the first woman to lead the institution. She has advanced faculty hiring practices, expanded student support and guided the transformation of Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) into IU Indianapolis. Previously, she served in leadership roles at Michigan State University, the University of Georgia and Kennesaw State University. She holds a bachelor’s from Tulane University and a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. Visit ci.uky.edu/whitten to read more.
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Katie Morrison uses her creativity to make orthodontic appliances and custom art.
ISC ALUM BLENDS ORTHODONTICS AND ARTISTRY By day, Katie Morrison (ISC, 2013) works as a dental lab technician in an orthodontics practice, providing a routine and stability, while her side hustle as a fine art watercolorist allows her to channel her creativity nurtured since her youth. “I’ve always loved working with my hands,” Morrison said. “My dad used to bring home scrap paper from work because he was tired of buying me drawing pads. I’d burn through them like crazy.” After graduation, Morrison worked in marketing roles around Kentucky. But as she approached 30, boredom began to set in. While she thrived on the creativity that came with marketing and cherished the relationships she built, the tedium of hours in front of a computer screen left her yearning for more. After seeking counsel from friends and family, including a sister-in-law who was an oral surgeon, Morrison realized that much of the artistry she craved could be found in a completely different field: orthodontics. She embraced the challenge of learning a new craft, one that would blend precision with creativity. Morrison’s portfolio includes (top to bottom): pet portraits, custom boots and live paintings.
Despite lacking formal dentistry education, Morrison learned from practitioners who patiently showed her the ropes of making orthodontic appliances like spacers, retainers and palatal expanders. Morrison’s artistic journey took an unexpected turn in 2016 when a simple act of dog sitting led to her first commissioned painting. A sketch of a
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silver Labrador she made for his owner was so well received that Morrison was asked to paint a full watercolor portrait. Today, her commissioned works often feature dogs, cats or horses. In recent years, Morrison has expanded her artwork to include scenes taken from nature as well as human-made structures, such as houses. She calls commissions for paintings of houses “a nice break from pets, a nice break from that intensity of trying to represent a living thing.” Her portfolio now features homes, pets and even one-of-a-kind apparel. Her custom cowboy boots are a particularly popular item. “I fell in love with the concept of painted boots, so I ordered myself a cheap pair from Amazon and just started playing around,” Morrison said. While on a trip to Montana, a local milliner spotted a pair of her boots and requested his own design. From there, she shared the final product on social media, sparking a surge of interest. Morrison now applies much of her PR and marketing knowledge learned in CI to help showcase her artwork to the public. As she works special events, where she live-paints for onlookers, she can discuss her work and artistic philosophy with potential clients, allowing her part-time passion to grow. Visit katlynannart.com to view Morrison’s art. Visit ci.uky.edu/Morrison to read the full story.
ALUMNI
HIGHLIGHTS
ALUMNI
EVENTS
Pictured are some of our alumni events that took place at academic conferences and other gatherings. Update your information with the UK Alumni Association at ci.uky.edu/update to ensure you’ll know when we are visiting near you.
Washington, D.C.
New York City Lexington
San Francisco
New Orleans
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ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS
The Richard Wilson Alumni Symposium brings CI alumni back to campus to discuss careers in journalism and media with current students. Shown above left to right are Reese Fleming (MAS, 2020), David Schuh (JOU, COM, 2014), Bailey Vandiver (JOU, 2020), McKenna Horsley (JOU, 2019) and Evan Crane (JOU, 2010).
Abby Thorne (MSLS, 2005) was one of four Special Library Association members named a Fellow for 2025. SLA Fellowship is awarded to active SLA members in recognition of past and present service. Fellows advise the association’s Board of Directors and membership on issues and trends warranting action.
The ISC Alumni Symposium/ Entrepreneurship Panel held during Career Month in March featured CI alumni who have shared their stories and strategies for building successful careers as their own boss. Shown left to right are Lauren Carpenter (ISC, 2007), Carla Curtsinger (TEL/MAS, 1985), Ben Johnson (ISC, 2023), Jackie Powell (ADV/ISC, 1997) and Meryum Siddiqi (ISC, MKT, 2020).
Rachel Watts Webb (ISC, 2005, shown back center) and Ouita Michel (1986 Debate champion, shown back right) were named two of four 2025 UK Alumni Association Distinguished Service Award winners. The award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated a history of diligent work on behalf of the university.
Matthew Goldberg (MSLS, 2020) was recently named to the American Library Association’s 2025 Class of Emerging Leaders. The program allows library staff and information workers to participate in project planning work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into the ALA structure and have opportunities to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers.
Kendall Staton (JOU, 2023) was one of 15 journalists named as a 2025 Spring Higher Ed Media Fellow by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. The Fellowship aims to increase the number of journalists equipped with tools and networks to provide more comprehensive coverage of postsecondary education. Staton now works at The Washington Post.
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Maggie Davis (JOU, 2020) has been named the National Sports Media Association 2024 Kentucky Sportscaster of the Year. A WLEX-TV 18 sports reporter and “BBN Tonight” co-anchor, Davis joined the WLEX team in September 2020 as an associate producer and multimedia journalist for nightly UK sports shows “BBN Tonight” and “BBN Gameday.” She was named full-time co-anchor in 2023.
Jennifer LeMaster (COM, 2000) has been appointed as the new president and first female CEO of the Seattle Convention Center’s Board of Directors. Her 26-year career started in college sports at UK’s Athletic Association, leading marketing and special events. She then joined the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, first at the Georgia Dome and then at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Bruce Berger (Ph.D. COM, 2000) has written “Brothers Bound,” a book of historical fiction that takes readers on a tense and thrilling 14-month journey of two American POWs in Vietnam. When the men escape being held in a bamboo cage, their trip through the dangerous jungle underscores their strength of brotherly love, the enduring hope in good memories, and the power and possibilities of the human spirit.
Joseph Nevels (JOU, 2008) was featured in Rolling Stone as an “Artist You Need to Know” after releasing his debut album, “I Should Write a Book,” which chronicles Nevels’ life and philosophical approach to the world. In August, his 2020 song “In My Soul” premiered in the Lifetime movie “Terry McMillian Presents: Tempted By Love.”
Michael Stephenson (Ph.D. COM, 1999) has been named provost and vice president for academic affairs at the University of Tampa. Previously, he was the provost and senior vice president at Sam Houston State University and vice provost for strategic affairs and strategic initiatives at Texas A&M University.
Jamie Estes (MA COM, 1988) is the founder and president of Estes Public Relations, which was named 2025 Public Relations Agency of the Year and Public Relations Team of the Year at the Icons of Whisky Awards.
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MEMBERS OF THE CI COMMUNITY
Lost in 2025
Gurney Norman (JOU, 1959) was a writer, documentarian and professor emeritus in the Department of English at the University of Kentucky. He was named the Kentucky Poet Laureate for 2009-2010. He is a member of the Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame and the UK College of Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame. Norman died in October at the age of 88.
Quintissa Peake (TEL/MAS, 2004) was CI’s 2003 Lyman T. Johnson Torch Bearer Award winner, which honors a current student with outstanding academic achievement and impactful efforts. She was awarded the Joseph T. Burch Young Alumni Award in 2012. Peake volunteered at the Kentucky Blood Center and the UK Alumni Association, where she was a member of the Board of Directors. Peake died in August at the age of 44.
John Raymond “Jack” Baseheart was hired in 1969 to teach in the Department of Speech in the School of Communication, which was established the previous year in the College of Arts and Sciences. Through his 29-year tenure with the College of Communication and Information, he served in a number of roles including professor of communication, internship director and director of communication graduate programs. Baseheart died in July at the age of 89.
Charles Whaley (JOU, 1949) was UK’s oldest living alum — born on Leap Day, Feb. 29 — and UK’s first Marshall Scholar, one of the most prestigious scholarships for U.S. citizens. Whaley worked at the Courier Journal before and after being drafted for U.S. Army service during the Korean War. Upon his return from his study abroad, Whaley met and married Carol Sutton, then editor of the women’s section for the Courier Journal. Sutton later became managing editor of the Courier Journal, the first woman to lead a major daily American newspaper in the U.S. After her death, Whaley established a CI scholarship to honor her life and legacy to support journalism students. Whaley died in November at the age of 97 (or 24 in Leap Years). Visit ci.uky.edu/whaley for more about Whaley’s remarkable life.
Our focus for One Day for UK in 2025 was the Traci Letcher Student Award for Excellence in Communication, which supports students from Kentucky who are actively involved in university or community organizations related to our disciplines. Traci, a long-time communication faculty member, died in 2023 and the fund was established in her memory.
2025 ONE DAY FOR UK
$26 160 thousand
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gifts
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Thanks to our donors, bonus gifts received by having the highest number of faculty and staff donors this year, and a $5,000 matching gift from Jessica (COM, 1997) and Wayne Place (EE, 1997), we were able to fully endow the Traci Letcher Student Award for Excellence in Communication, so that Traci and her legacy can continue to support students into the future.
Mark your calendar now for One Day for UK 2026 on April 23, 2026!
DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY
Nathan Darce nathan.darce@uky.edu (859) 257-3033
GIVING I M PA C T
THE IMPACT OF GIVING Each year, more than 100 CI students are awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships and awards. Here are a few of their stories, in their own words. We thank our donors for helping our students.
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This scholarship has renewed in me the need to prove myself. As I near graduation from my MSLS program, I will not lose sight of why I am on the path I am on. I will continue to improve in all areas necessary to be a successful information professional. Cheyanne (MSLS)
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My goal is to become a professor in health communication, and this fellowship has been instrumental in helping me achieve that goal as it allows me to dedicate more time and energy to my research. Beyond the financial support, this fellowship serves as a strong motivator to keep pushing toward my academic and career goals. I am excited to make the most of this incredible opportunity. Huaiyu (Grad COM)
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Receiving this scholarship means so much to me, not only financially, but personally. It eases the burden of educational expenses. I come from a background where higher education is both a dream and a challenge, and support like this brings me one step closer to achieving that dream. Sara (ICT)
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Being a first-generation college student, I am grateful for support like yours which provides me with the experiences and educational opportunities no one in my family has ever had. Being able to continue to do what I love, while always learning from profound professors and feeling prepared for a career I enjoy is a dream come true, and your support helps make this dream a reality every day. Ian (JOU)
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This scholarship puts me closer to a degree. I am incorporating my love for sports into a career in sports communications. With courses like technology-mediated communication in sport and sport communication and analytics, my degree will provide me with the skills, knowledge and experiences to obtain my dream job. Owen (COM)
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As an out-of-state student from Ohio, I came to the University of Kentucky seeking more opportunities in the marketing field, where I want to pursue a career as a public relations manager. With the added cost of being an out-of-state student, it has been difficult for my family and I to handle the cost of college. The financial help you have provided me will not only help me in the present but also lay a strong foundation for my future. Alyssa (ISC)
Scan here to support our scholarship fund and students like these. CI CONNECT
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110 Pence Hall University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506-0041
WAYS TO GIVE:
1.
Scan the QR code.
2.
Contact Nathan Darce at
or (859) 257-3033.
Help Us
SHAPE PASSIONS INTO PROFESSIONS!
Your support today helps the College of Communication and Information shape tomorrow’s leaders.
3.
nathan.darce@uky.edu
Visit ci.uky.edu/alumni/giving to make a gift.