2023-2024 CI Connect Magazine

2023-2024 ACADEMIC YEAR

CI CONNECT ANNUAL MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY THE COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION

The

COMMUNITY EDITION

FROM

THE DEAN

CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY Connection. It’s a concept so important that we put it in the name of our annual magazine. The College of Communication and Information was founded on the principles of connecting people with information, messages, news and entertainment, as well as connecting people with each other, their organizations, their networks and their communities.

This year’s CI Connect focuses on how students, alumni, staff and faculty build connections in our communities. Starting on page 4, you’ll find 14 pages highlighting how CI’s teaching, research, service and career preparation help strengthen communities by creating vital connections around the region, nation and world.

CI also is eagerly anticipating new transformative spaces coming in 2025 to build CI community in Lexington. On pages 34-37, you’ll find details on state-of-the-art facilities that will strengthen connections for decades to come.

A new downtown studio near Rupp Arena will promote content creation, production and

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research innovation, and the College will have a new campus “front door,” when we move into a renovated Pence Hall in summer 2025.

On a personal note, I am thrilled to be back as a fullfledged member of the CI community, after being away from the College for seven months last year in a temporary role to assist the Office of the Provost.

A huge thank you to Brandi Frisby, who stepped in to lead. You’ll see her smiling face throughout this magazine in her acting dean role. Brandi is now the University of Kentucky’s associate provost for academic affairs, and we are so proud to see her in this key role for the university.

Thank you, reader, for your connection with this special CI community. We are stronger because of you. I hope you enjoy this issue of CI Connect.

Jennifer Greer, Dean cidean@uky.edu

BOLD DENOTES CI ALUMNUS ITALIC DENOTES CURRENT CI STUDENT

WHAT’S INSIDE

DEAN: JENNIFER GREER ACTING DEAN: BRANDI FRISBY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: CATHERINE HAYDEN EDITOR: HALEY SIMPKINS DESIGNER: JACKIE POWELL

CONTRIBUTORS

4 CREATING COMMUNITY

34 COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS

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46 UK DEBATE

CI faculty, staff, students and alumni build community at UK and beyond.

STUDENTS Students shine with awards, accolades and innovations.

New spaces, faces and initiatives. Read about them here.

Kentucky Debate continues its storied history with a winning 2023-2024 season.

48 ALUMNI

Across the state and across the nation, CI alumni are making headlines.

28 GRADUATE STUDENTS

Students in CI’s four graduate programs excel in and out of the classroom.

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RESEARCH Faculty and student research makes an impact in our fields.

57 THE IMPACT OF GIVING

Your gifts help our students shape passions into professions.

DAVE ARNETT BEN BRANSCUM ADRIENNE BROVERO BETH GOINS HAYDEN GOODING CATHERINE HAYDEN ALEXANDRIA LANDGRAF DIANE MASSIE MELISSA MCCAUGHAN VENDELA NORRIS MATTIE PRICE MALLORY PROFETA MEG MILLS SHORT HALEY SIMPKINS CAMERON SNYDER VALARIE HONEYCUTT SPEARS LINDSAY TRAVIS JENNY WELLS-HOSLEY ERIN WICKEY

PHOTOGRAPHERS

MOSES BOTAKA CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM MARK CORNELISON RYAN CRAIG ABBEY CUTRER MEGHAN DOWELL REESE DURHAM BRANDI FRISBY STACEY GISH MADDIE GRAVES JENNIFER GREER CATHERINE HAYDEN PAT HOST KYRA HUNTING MALICOTE CREATIVE CO. DIANE MASSIE ROB METZGER HANNAH SEGURA SERIOUSLY SABRINA PHOTOGRAPHY HALEY SIMPKINS CARTER SKAGGS LIZ SPENCER DAVID STEPHENSON NIGEL TAYLOR KOPANA TERRY SYDNEY TURNER UK ATHLETICS PHOTOGRAPHY STAFF UK PHOTO JORDAN WILLIAMS

COVER PHOTO

DAVID STEPHENSON Note: Information in this publication is current as of printing and encompasses the 2023-2024 academic year.

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CREATING COMMUNITY

BEING, SERVING, BUILDING Community can have many meanings, 12 if you refer to Merriam-Webster. The theme throughout these various definitions is the focus on community being formed by individuals with some kind of connection.

This magazine’s title, CI Connect, reinforces that connection is at the core of all we do in the College of Communication and Information.

This places CI’s commitment to creating a community of students, alumni, faculty, staff, donors and friends at the foundation of the College’s work too.

The following 14 pages show how CI has fostered and encouraged faculty, staff, alumni and students to build, strengthen and expand their connections and communities, both inside and outside the College.

You’ll read about students who are finding their community here in CI, providing for others in the UK community and serving the Lexington community.

You’ll learn about faculty who are researching ways to better communities across the Commonwealth.

Finally, you will meet CI alumni and friends who are working to better their communities across the state and the nation through their passions, professions and service.

From being to serving to building, community is paramount to the College of Communication and Information, and we are so glad you are a part of ours.

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TURNING COMMUNICATION INTO COMMUNITY The University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information prepares students for a range of careers, while encouraging students, faculty, staff and alumni to use their skills and experiences to better their communities and the lives of people around them.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

As an out-of-state student, Nigel Taylor, a 2016 communication graduate and current communication Ph.D. candidate, knows all too well the importance of community. This rang especially true as the Thanksgiving holiday approached.

“Through many conversations, I realized how many people struggle emotionally and mentally on Thanksgiving Day,” Taylor said. “The thought of so many people spending the day lonely did not sit well with me, so I decided to cook for anyone in my network who did not have plans, did not want to spend the day

alone or had to work but still desired a meal made with love.”

For several days, Taylor prepared all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes—using his own time, money and resources to feed more than 50 people.

“I know what it feels like to go through life feeling like you’re not seen, heard, valued or understood,” Taylor said. “I try to do everything in my power to make sure the people I come across don’t feel the same way. Being able to build community helps in the process of feeling like you belong and have a social

connection. The more people you connect with, the more you’re able to make any place feel like home.”

which made the transition smoother.”

Visit ci.uky.edu/thanksgiving to learn how Taylor continues to build community year-round through campus organizations.

Finding a community on campus was crucial for Hazrat. He joined various student organizations, finding a particular sense of belonging and camaraderie in the Muslim Student Association and Afghan Student Association. Hazrat also found community within his classes and college.

HELPING COMMUNITY

When students in the Lambda Pi Eta (LPH) communication honor society decided to take on a spring service project, LPH members knew they wanted to use this project to help fellow students.

“They wanted to focus on bettering the campus community,” said Schyler Simpson, LPH advisor and CI director of retention and engagement.

“Members shared some of the causes they were passionate about and food insecurity came up. It was like a lightbulb went off, and they immediately decided to do a food drive.”

Students worked with the CI Staff Council to collect donations for the Big Blue Pantry, an emergency relief food pantry designed to meet the short-term food security needs of UK students. Both students and staff donated throughout March, and donation totals were finalized in early April.

“When LPH asked us to partner with them on this, we were happy to give back to the campus that gives so much to us,” said Kenny Blair, CI Staff Council chair and director of CI Technology Services. “We were grateful to have participants from across the College bring donations.”

At the end of the drive, LPH and the CI Staff Council donated more than 25 pounds of food and toiletries to the on-campus food pantry.

Visit ci.uky.edu/BBP to support the Big Blue Pantry.

FINDING COMMUNITY

Obaid Hazrat’s journey to UK was quite a non-traditional one. His academic path began at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul until the Taliban takeover forced him to leave his homeland in 2021. He then spent a year at American University of Iraq, Sulaimani before finally making it to Lexington and enrolling in CI’s undergraduate information communication technology program.

“The campus was incredible, a sight unlike anything I had ever seen,” Hazrat said. “The diverse and vibrant community was a pleasant surprise.

Everyone I met was helpful and motivating,

“The supportive environment of the College of Communication and Information helped me feel at home and build strong relationships,” Hazrat said.

“CI fostered a strong sense of community through social events, study groups and professional networking opportunities. The approachable and supportive faculty also created a nurturing environment.”

CI connected Hazrat with two fellow ICT students, Ali Reza Mohsini and Sayed Hasibullah Saber, who also arrived in the United States as refugees from Afghanistan in January 2023. The three quickly bonded over their shared experiences and passion for ICT. “They became an essential part of my community and support system, providing friendship and encouragement during our time at UK,” Hazrat said.

Graduating in May with his ICT degree was a monumental achievement for Hazrat.

“It represents resilience and determination through challenging circumstances,” Hazrat said.

“The degree has equipped me with the skills and knowledge needed to pursue my career aspirations, and it stands as a testament to my ability to overcome adversity.”

Left page: Doctoral student Nigel Taylor (front) hosted community members for a Thanksgiving meal.

Top (left to right): Sayed Hasibullah Saber, Ali Reza Mohsini and Obaid Hazrat graduated with their ICT degrees in May 2024.

Bottom: Donations to the Big Blue Pantry helped ease student food insecurities on campus.

Equipped with his degree and support system, he is now eager to embark on a career in cybersecurity and data analysis. He also hopes to mentor others facing similar challenges, continuing the cycle of support and encouragement.

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CREATING COMMUNITY

CIS 112 students volunteered with Step by Step as part of their servicelearning course.

CIS 112: EMPOWERING STUDENTS, ENRICHING COMMUNITIES The School of Information Science’s CIS 112 Accelerated Composition and Communication course, an advanced version of the standard two-semester sequence fulfilling the University of Kentucky’s composition and communication core requirement, serves thousands of students of all majors across the University. The course also serves more than 35 community organizations across the country through a service-learning component.

The course focuses on integrated oral, written and visual communication skill development and emphasizes critical inquiry and research. CIS 112’s service-learning component means students engage with a community organization and complete course assignments related to this experience.

CIS 112 offers more than a dozen sections during the fall, several in the spring semester and recently began offering an asynchronous online summer section to accommodate even more students.

CIS students work with about 40 organizations in the Lexington area, including the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge, the Ronald McDonald House, God’s Pantry Food Bank, Lexington Children’s Theatre and the Lexington Public Library.

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The summer online students partnered with organizations from across the United States, including the Internet Archive and the Nashville Diaper Exchange, increasing the scope and reach of CIS 112’s impact.

Students are broken up into small groups and assigned to an organization based on an interest survey. Each student must complete eight hours of service with their assigned organization. Students then individually complete assignments such as a reflection essay about their service experience and a rhetorical analysis of their assigned organization’s social media accounts. Students also work as a group to create a series of three podcast episodes about their collective service-learning experience that are then uploaded to Spotify.

“CIS 112 affords our students the opportunity to hone their communication skills in real-world settings,” said Hayley Hoffman, CIS 112 coordinator and SIS lecturer. “Their service work has a profound, tangible impact on the lives of those in our Lexington community. Our students, regardless of their major, can form connections through the course with local organizations that often lead to internship and employment opportunities down the road.”

CIS 112 students helped launch the rebranding of the Lexington Children’s Museum announced at a press conference.

LEXINGTON CHILDREN’S MUSEUM

Samuel Tholen, a sophomore mechanical engineering student, was paired with the Lexington Children’s Museum, formerly the Explorium, for the service-learning portion of his Spring 2024 CIS 112 course.

Tholen and his classmates helped the nonprofit prepare for its rebranding by removing Explorium branding, making flyers to help with the renaming and organizing new merchandise. The group also rearranged an underutilized space, transforming it into a muchneeded exhibit building workshop area.

J. Colby Ernest, the museum’s executive director, praised the students’ enthusiasm and dedication.

“While some jobs may not be glamorous, the impact on our mission is immense,” Ernest said. “The organization of our shop provides an incredible space for us to use to support our mission of inspiring a community of curious minds.

Recently, we utilized the space to support museum enhancements—that otherwise would not have been possible without the students’ work.”

Visit ci.uky.edu/TholenCIS112 to hear more about Tholen’s service-learning experience via his group’s podcast episodes.

STEP BY STEP

Maggie Kaiser, a first-year information communication technology major, worked with local Lexington nonprofit Step by Step as part of her CIS 112 course in Spring 2024. Step by Step’s mission is to empower and embolden young single mothers to improve their lives, their families and their communities through healing, encouragement, faith and education.

Her service-learning role involved providing childcare for the single mothers attending Step by Step’s support groups and workshops, a task that allowed her to form meaningful bonds despite the limited time.

“We all were able to form friendships and bonds with the kids and even have some tough conversations with them,” Kaiser said. “Ultimately though, the main impact I believe we made on our service-learning organization and the community was simply our volunteer support.”

Amanda Williams, Step by Step’s community engagement coordinator, praises the partnership with CIS 112 students.

“These students are truly at a place in their lives where they are longing to contribute to the world and be active parts of their community,” Williams said.

Step by Step serves more than 300 mothers and children each year with a staff of only five, so the organization relies heavily on community contribution and volunteers.

Step by Step was one of 35 local agencies CIS 112 students served this year.

“Step By Step continues to partner with CIS because we continue to meet amazing young people that are world changers, doing the work that is necessary to spread love and kindness,” Williams said.

“These students keep our organization going because without them we absolutely could not do what we do.”

Visit ci.uky.edu/KaiserCIS112 to hear more about Kaiser’s service-learning experience via her group’s podcast episodes.

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Research

BETTERING COMMUNITIES In addition to teaching students to be better community members through coursework and service-learning opportunities, College of Communication and Information faculty members also conduct research to support and improve communities and their members across the Commonwealth and country.

PROMOTING SAFE OPIOID STORAGE AND DISPOSAL

CI faculty are researching ways to encourage the safe storage and disposal of opioids in the community.

Don Helme, CI’s associate dean of research and a professor in the Department of Communication, is collaborating on a project funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, a part of the National Institutes of Health, to help encourage secure storage of opioid medications during treatment and the safe disposal of medications after treatment.

Nonmedical use of prescription opioids remains a critical public health issue across the country, but even more so in Kentucky, as the $87 million NIH-funded HEALing Communities Study, the largest grant in University of Kentucky history, proved.

“Every year, around 3.9 billion controlled substances are prescribed, many of them opioids,” Helme said. “Greater than 70% of those go unused. The existing disposal program really only accounts for 0.2% of those unused medications. It’s not even a drop in the bucket.”

Helme, part of the HEAL research team at UK, and his fellow researchers are testing the impact persuasive text messaging interventions may have on patient adherence to proper opioid disposal procedures. Participants in the intervention group will receive a series of four text messages sent from their

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pharmacy or health care provider about securely storing prescription opioids during treatment, followed by three text messages about disposing of unused prescription opioids after treatment.

“Part of our project is to use existing technologies that people are already familiar with and use every day—such as text messaging—to encourage individuals who are prescribed opioids and other controlled substances to take advantage of the existing disposal facilities and to make them feel that it’s a safe and proper thing to do,” Helme said.

Results from the success of this study could be used in multiple other healthcare situations and offer providers the opportunity to utilize existing digital technologies to improve patient care.

SUPPORTING PUBLIC AND SCHOOL LIBRARIES

Two School of Information Science faculty were awarded nearly $700,000 in combined research grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to fund their work on supporting community libraries.

Associate Professor Shannon Oltmann and her team received the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant for $445,281 and will use the grant for a three-year research project that examines how public libraries respond to attempted book bans.

Oltmann said these bans often are targeted at books by and about marginalized individuals, in effect trying to remove them from local communities instead of celebrating the unique contributions and perspectives of everyone.

Her team will create a database of public libraries that have faced calls to ban or restrict books in their collection and interview their library directors about

how they responded to these censorship attempts.

The results will be distributed nationally in hopes of providing libraries with information they need to fight future book bans.

The second grant went to Professor Maria Cahill as part of a multi-university team that received $249,000 in funding from National Leadership Grants for Libraries for a project focused on pinpointing school librarians’ current evidencebased practice knowledge and activities and to identify their challenges and best practices. Based on the findings, the team will design a professional development curriculum to support secondary school librarians in their efforts to incorporate evidence-based best practice into their professional practice. The curriculum will culminate in a freely accessible online learning tool.

Another of Cahill’s projects was funded by the Landgrant Engagement Office, detailed below.

FOSTERING KENTUCKY’S LAND-GRANT ENGAGEMENT

Kentuckians with actionable knowledge and skills they can use to improve their lives, livelihoods and/ or communities.

Department of Integrated Strategic Communication Assistant Professors Sarah Geegan and Erin Hester received funding for the “Building Bridges of Trust” project, with the goal of building trust between people with disabilities and emergency management professionals in eastern Kentucky.

Research shows people with disabilities do not trust emergency management to save them in an emergency. Geegan and Hester plan to leverage the power of UK’s Cooperative Extension offices in three southeastern Kentucky counties to counteract this history of distrust and improve the safety, health and welfare of Kentucky communities.

Above: Research

by Maria Cahill (left) and Shannon Oltmann (right) supports school and public libraries.

Left: Sarah Geegan (left) and Erin Hester (right) are finding ways to help people with disabilities in times of emergency.

“Our goal is to use strategic communication to build and maintain trust between people with disabilities and the emergency management personnel who aim to keep everyone in the community safe,” Geegan said.

This project stems from an earlier collaboration between Geegan and Hester intended to better understand the attitudes of people with disabilities around corporate sustainability efforts and how these efforts are communicated.

The Office of the Vice President for Land-grant Engagement selected two CI faculty-led projects for funding in recognition of their potential to provide

Cahill’s “Together We Can” project aims to combine the power of county extension agents and local public librarians to help prepare Kentucky’s children for their education.

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CREATING COMMUNITY

Doctoral student Yolanda Jackson (right, center) works with a focus group to culturally tailor information on Alzheimer’s.

ADDRESSING HEALTH DISPARITIES WITH CULTURALLY TAILORED INFORMATION University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information doctoral student Yolanda Jackson describes health communication as the “missing link” for making a positive impact in public health.

Now in the fourth year of her communication Ph.D. program, Jackson works as a graduate research assistant with the UK Center for Health Equity Transformation and just completed her first year as a TL1 Scholar with the UK Center for Clinical and Translational Science.

The TL1 Training Program equips pre- and postdoctoral trainees with the necessary skills for a career in multidisciplinary health research. Jackson’s TL1 project focuses on developing culturally tailored health messaging about Alzheimer’s disease for rural Black adults, highlighting risk factors impacted by poor diet and therefore modifiable. Jackson learned that many patients who are labeled “non-compliant” are in fact experiencing environmental barriers that prevent them from engaging in healthy behaviors.

“Once I learned about the modifiable risk factors (for Alzheimer’s disease), I realized I could use my background in this field,” said Jackson, a former registered dietician. “As a health communication scholar, I’m trying to put out messages that are evidence-based and theoretically supported to hopefully curtail all the misinformation out there.”

Through one of her mentors, Elizabeth Rhodus, assistant professor with the UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, Jackson connected with the First Baptist Church Frankfort in Frankfort, Kentucky, a

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city with the nation’s second-highest prevalence of Alzheimer’s in Black adults. She conducted focus groups with church members to refine messaging from the Alzheimer’s Association so that it was better tailored for community understanding.

She found that limited knowledge about Alzheimer’s led to feelings of powerlessness, whereas awareness and education led to hope. She also found that past healthcare experiences significantly influenced beliefs and behaviors among participants and that cultural norms played a crucial role in how health messaging was received.

Based on her findings, Jackson converted the information from the text-heavy Alzheimer’s Association handout into an infographic that uses visual cues and simplified lists to explain warning signs and modifiable risk factors.

Jackson’s research on this topic recently earned her third place in the annual Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship 60-Second Poster Pitch Competition at the 2024 CCTS Spring Conference.

Jackson is now working with her mentors, Rhodus and Nancy Harrington, professor in the Department of Communication, to develop additional infographics focused on modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease for her final year of the TL1 program.

“Being a TL1 Scholar links that clinical background with health communication, which allows me to do research that can impact public health and chronic disease management,” Jackson said. “Communication is a science and not as easy as you might think.”

CREATING COMMUNITY

KEEPING COMMUNITY SAFE Jason Beach (COM, 2011), captain emergency medical technician at the Richmond Fire Department in Richmond, Kentucky, embodies the profound impact effective communication can have in the realm of emergency services.

Beach’s journey into emergency services began as an EMT, inspired by his older brother, a paramedic. His transition to the fire department in 2014 allowed him to expand his ability to serve the community in diverse ways, driven by his passion for making a difference.

Promoted to captain in December 2018, Beach’s role involves a variety of responsibilities. He manages a team of three firefighters, ensuring the smooth operation of the fire engine and the completion of tasks around the station. A significant aspect of his role includes conducting in-house training sessions, ensuring his crew is prepared for any emergency.

On the scene, Beach directs his crew, making sure incidents are handled efficiently and safely. His duties extend beyond the immediate response, as he meticulously documents each incident, highlighting the importance of accurate communication in these reports for future reference or potential legal proceedings.

Jason Beach relies on his communication degree in times of emergency.

“The impact I want to have the most in my role is having a positive influence on the community,” Beach said. “The fire department is the perfect place to work for that, because we are able to help others and positively impact the community on a daily basis by responding to calls, through outreach programs or even being out in the community each shift.”

Beach said his communication background has been instrumental in helping him succeed.

“My degree has allowed me to confidently and concisely communicate during the many aspects of my role, whether that be communicating with my crew on the fire ground or communicating with patients on a wreck scene,” Beach said. “The ability to communicate effectively during these stressful incidents directly impacts the outcome of the situation. It is something I use every day and something I am grateful I developed while in the College.”

For students looking to use their degree for the betterment of a community, Beach shared the following piece of advice: “Communication is literally in the DNA of a community, so the impact current students and young alums can have is huge,” Beach said. “For that reason, I would advise students and alums to find a cause in the community they are interested in and just take action.”

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FOSTERING COMMUNITY AMONG YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN LA When Camille Wright (ISC, 2022) moved to Los Angeles, she knew networking would be the key to unlocking her new professional community on the West Coast. Little did she know, two years later she’d play a pivotal role in helping other young advertising professionals find community through her volunteer work with ThinkLA. ThinkLA is a nonprofit professional association for marketing and media professionals in the LA area.

ThinkLA hosts networking events and professional development events such as industry-focused brunches, expert panels and awards ceremonies.

Camille Wright (second from left) volunteers with ThinkLA to support Toys for Tots.

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As an event volunteer, Wright assists the ThinkLA team with everything from registration to day-of setup and logistics during these events. Wright has also volunteered at some of ThinkLA’s community service events such as 2023 Toys for Tots, where the team raised a truckload of toy donations for children in need. Outside of

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her volunteering with ThinkLA, Wright is a young, community-seeking advertising professional herself, who currently works as a community manager for Unfold, an LA-based digital creativity agency with clients such as Warner Brothers, Netflix and Disney.

Wright said ThinkLA’s mission, values and impact are what keep her coming back. She said she appreciates how a variety of voices and perspectives are represented at ThinkLA’s events, membership and leadership. “I feel like it’s one of those rare occasions where not only do they talk the talk, but they totally walk the walk,” Wright said.

Wright said ThinkLA’s values, combined with its well-planned events, create the perfect space for young professionals to feel safe and begin building their own community.

“I feel like it definitely helped me find my advertising squad when I was first moving out here,” Wright said. “ThinkLA gives people that sense of community and belonging because they recognize that there’s a need amongst our generation to make those connections when they can do so comfortably and when they feel like they have a place in the organizations and events.”

For those looking to get involved in their community, Wright says the first step is to just say yes.

“You have to go get the thing, ask the people, put yourself out there, attend the events, be a yes person for as long as you can,” Wright said. “So, say yes, but then be reliable. Show up, show out. Give it a hundred, even if it doesn’t turn out how you want, at least be able to say you gave it 100%.”

CREATING COMMUNITY

Rachel Clarke combines her passions for technology and mental health in providing technical support for the 988 suicide and crisis hotline.

COMBINING TECHNOLOGY AND COMPASSION IN TIMES OF CRISIS Rachel Clarke (ICT, 2020 and MS ICT, 2022) combines her dual passions for technology and mental health in her role as a 988 technical support specialist for Vibrant Emotional Health.

The nonprofit provides nationwide, round-the-clock crisis hotline services, community mental health programming, advocacy and education programs, crisis intervention and emotional care to empower survivors of any natural or human-caused disaster.

Clarke plays a crucial role in supporting online mental health counselors from nonprofits across the country by making sure their technological tools function smoothly. Her daily tasks involve managing technical support tickets, handling account creations and troubleshooting issues within customer relationship management systems like Genesys and Salesforce. She describes her team as the “middleman,” assisting various nonprofits that utilize Vibrant’s services. These services are essential for counselors providing aid to those in need,

offering counselors access to resource links for help-seekers and follow-up scheduling capabilities.

Initially, Clarke’s career path included various desktop support technician roles, including time at the United States Equestrian Federation, where she gained valuable nonprofit experience. She then transitioned to a logistics company, serving as a regional office manager.

However, Clarke felt unfulfilled in the logistics industry. Clarke’s enthusiasm for ICT reignited when she decided to combine her technology skills with her passion for helping others.

“Mental health is something that’s always been really personal to me, and I know a lot of family members have mental health issues as well as myself,” Clarke said.

She emphasizes the importance of reducing stigma and increasing access to mental health resources, something she gets to help with in her role with Vibrant.

“I get to help indirectly by making things easier for the people who are directly helping those who need it,” Clarke said.

“That’s what drew me toward it, because I felt like I could make an impact and help with this cause that I’ve been so passionate about for years.”

One of Clarke’s most memorable experiences highlights the impact of her work. She recalls assisting a user who had been locked out of her account for a week.

“I got her back into her account,” Clarke said. “She was so very thankful to be able to attend to the weeks’ worth of messages or follow ups that she had waiting for her once she got back into her account.”

The user’s gratitude underscored the significance of Clarke’s role in enabling counselors to perform their highstakes jobs effectively and exemplifies how technology and compassion can intersect to make a meaningful difference in the community.

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Reinette Jones is co-founder of the Notable Kentucky African Americans Database.

PASSIONATELY PIECING TOGETHER KENTUCKY’S HISTORY In a few short minutes of talking to Reinette Jones (JOU, 1983 and MSLS, 1988), you quickly understand two things: she is passionate about her work and equally passionate about Kentucky.

Jones is a librarian in the University of Kentucky Libraries’ Special Collections and Research Center and a faculty affiliate with African American and African Studies in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

She is most well-known professionally for her work in creating the Notable Kentucky African Americans Database. It features entries with names, places, events, communities and sources that share the stories of African Americans in and from the Commonwealth.

“It’s about Kentucky for me and the African American experience in Kentucky,” Jones said. “My goal is to educate people about this state and the people in this state while sharing the stories that, oftentimes, aren’t told.”

Jones started the database 20 years ago with Rob Aken (MSLS, 1983), a UK emeritus librarian. Grown from a simple webpage to a robust knowledge base, the site is now used by half a million people from elementary school students to senior citizens.

“It may seem like a small thing or that all the information could just be found in a history book,” Jones said. “But before this database was created, there wasn’t a whole lot in the history books about African Americans in Kentucky.”

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The database grows as Jones explores new avenues of knowledge, either from reference questions, website submissions or from community events.

“Libraries are supposed to be that place that documents, houses and preserves the history and the stories of everybody,” Jones said. “But so many people have been left out and we’re going back and filling in gaps.”

For her exemplary work in documenting and making Kentucky’s history accessible, Jones has received multiple honors including the 2022 Paul A. Willis Outstanding Faculty Award, the Lexington Fairness Hall of Fame Award for Lifetime Commitment Toward Achieving Fairness and the University of Kentucky LGBTQ* Alumni of the Year Award, among others.

If the Commonwealth’s past is a canvas, Jones is a talented painter who intentionally ensures historically ignored groups of people are included in the artwork of Kentucky’s shared heritage. As much as she’s dedicated to this goal, she is equally devoted to giving back.

“There’s nothing that I’ve done on this earth that I did on my own,” Jones said. “I came to UK as a single mother and a lot of people have given me a hand, so I’m trying to give back as much as I can to help others as much as I can.”

Visit nkaa.uky.edu to view the database.

CREATING COMMUNITY

CONNECTING CURE AND COMMUNITY Kelly Berger (JOU, 2011) has made significant strides in the rare neuromuscular disease community since becoming outreach and engagement coordinator at national nonprofit Cure CMD in 2020. Cure CMD’s mission is to advance research toward treatments for congenital muscular dystrophies (CMD) and empower those living with CMD through engagement and support of their community. As someone who personally lives with a rare form of CMD called Collagen 6, Berger brings a unique and invaluable perspective to her work, bridging the gap between CURE CMD and the CMD community.

For nearly five years, Berger has managed Cure CMD’s community outreach programs such as peer-to-peer connections and virtual social happy hours. She also co-hosts a bi-monthly webinar series that covers often overlooked topics for affected individuals and caregivers in addition to operating the organization’s social media networks and creating engaging graphics and digital content.

“I help bridge the gap between the organization and our community members to ensure all are informed, up-to-date and connected, keeping the voice of the affected community at the heart of all we do,” Berger said.

Berger’s personal connection to the CMD community and the impact she can have in this role fuels her drive.

“It’s extremely rewarding being able to help connect and mentor younger

affected individuals living with the same rare disease that I have,” Berger said.

“Offering them advice and guidance in their journey, being that sense of support for them, is a truly gratifying experience.”

One of Berger’s most cherished memories with Cure CMD was attending the 2022 Scientific and Family Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. As part of the conference, Berger co-ran the young adult program, championing a day-long program full of presentations for young adults living with CMD. She also spoke at the Food and Drug Administration’s Patient-Focused Drug Development Meeting, giving an affected individual’s perspective on what treatments would mean for those living with rare diseases.

Berger said her journalism degree has been instrumental in her communityfocused career, preparing her for realworld scenarios. Anyone with a passion for a cause or community and a College of Communication and Information degree is already well-equipped to make a positive impact, she said.

Kelly Berger works to further Cure CMD’s mission through community service and outreach.

“There are so many ways to make a difference in the world by dedicating your career to helping others, you have the ability to make a true impact,” Berger said. “The world now more than ever needs our future generations to step up and come together to work toward a brighter tomorrow and a world that’s more inclusive for all. I encourage you to take that leap, and work for an outlet that’s bettering this world. Use your passions for purpose!”

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CREATING COMMUNITY

2024 marks the return of the Kentucky Fellows program to UK.

KENTUCKY DEBATE IMPACTS CAMPUS AND BEYOND The University of Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate program’s impact goes far beyond providing collegiate debaters with a chance to hone their skills in a nationally competitive program.

For more than a hundred years, the tournaments hosted by UK Debate serve its mission of promoting debate on and beyond the campus. In the 20232024 season, UK hosted 13 speech and debate events, covering all levels of education from the elementary school level to the collegiate level. More than 500 schools from 40 states and eight countries were represented amongst the more than 9,000 individuals in attendance online or in-person at the UK-hosted events.

UK’s flagship tournament event, the JW Patterson Tournament of Champions, is an annual high school speech and debate championship. The event brings the best national and international competition to Lexington each year. The April 2024 tournament was the largest in-person TOC in program history, with more than 1,300 students competing.

BLUEGRASS DEBATE COALITION SERVES KENTUCKY STUDENTS

The Bluegrass Debate Coalition works with schools to make competitive debate available to all of Kentucky’s elementary, middle and high school students.

Research demonstrates there is a strong relationship between K-12 debate and student retention, improved test scores and higher overall academic achievement.

Since 2020, the BDC has connected with more than 100 schools in Kentucky, taught hundreds of students and coaches through low- and no-cost classes and hosted clinics throughout the year.

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DIGITAL SPEECH AND DEBATE INITIATIVE SHAPES THE FUTURE

The Digital Speech and Debate Initiative is focused on growing and sustaining K-12 online speech and debate opportunities. The Initiative focuses on three core projects: developing best practices and norms for digital speech and debate, providing curriculum development and training for students and coaches and being a source of continuous online tournament administrative support.

DEBATE GOES INTERNATIONAL

Over the past decade, UK Debate has added an international dimension to its outreach efforts. Its China partnership has blossomed into a China TOC circuit of tournaments. Taiwan continues to host a TOC qualifier and in October 2024 will become the first international TOC event to include United States teams traveling abroad to compete.

Additionally, the 2023-2024 season included two visits to Vietnam to build debate programs in local high schools.

KENTUCKY FELLOWS RETURNS

UK Debate’s newest outreach initiative brings back a popular, longstanding summer program. For decades, the Kentucky Fellows brought talented high school debaters from across the country to campus each summer to work with UK coaches and students. In collaboration with the National Urban Debate League, UK Debate brought 17 students from urban debate leagues around the country to UK’s campus. The program is free to participants outside of travel to campus, and the goal is to provide a summer debate camp experience to talented students who would otherwise be unable to have such an experience.

CREATING COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTIONS

A collection of College of Communication and Information faculty, staff, students and alumni impacting communities across the state

In Fall 2023, Maria Cahill (professor, SIS), Allyson DeVito (senior lecturer, JAM), Sarah Geegan (assistant professor, ISC), Kakie Urch (associate professor, JAM) and Marc Whitt (instructor, ISC) were part of the first cohort of the University of Kentucky’s Land Grant Engagement Academy. Participants had the opportunity to engage in discussions with colleagues across campus and learn about projects that could lead to campuswide collaborations.

Lauren Abner (MSLS, 2011) was named to Library Journal’s 2024 Mover and Shaker list for her work in increasing E-Rate participation levels and funding to Kentucky libraries to record highs. The Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program provides schools and libraries with discounts and reimbursements to make telecommunications and information services more affordable. Abner hosts webinars and in-person trainings, as well as hands-on, one-on-one meetings walking library staff through the application.

JAM faculty, staff and students guided 25 high school students from 17 Kentucky counties through the topic of new media during the 100th annual Kentucky 4-H Teen Conference. The group toured the Kentucky Football press boxes, visited the Kentucky Kernel student media office, recorded a podcast at the UK Media Depot and toured CI’s new studio and production space near Rupp Arena in the Central Bank Center, as well as gained experience with drones and esports.

Fall 2023 ISC 471 Event Planning students worked with Downtown Lexington Partnership to organize the annual 2023 Lexington Christmas Parade. Spring 2024 students partnered with United Talent and United Events to host a local business vendor fair, providing nearly 45 small businesses the opportunity to raise awareness for their Kentucky-made products and/or services.

CI United Way cabinet members Dakota O’Dell (Dean’s Office admin and COM, 2019) and Haley Simpkins (marketing specialist and JOU, 2022) sold Halloween candy-grams that were delivered to CI faculty, staff and students and organized a college-wide chili cookoff and bake walk to raise money for the UK United Way campaign. These efforts resulted in CI surpassing its $2,500 campaign fundraising goal.

Regan Nichols (COM, 2007), chief marketing and development officer for the Louisville Ballet, partnered with Associate Professor Adriane Grumbein’s ISC 431 Advertising Creative Strategy and Execution students to create campaign pitches aimed at helping the nonprofit increase the amount of seasonal membership sales.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Audrey Meulehe is UK’s second student chosen to participate in the AAF Most Promising Multicultural Students program.

ISC SENIOR SELECTED FOR NATIONAL PROGRAM Senior integrated strategic communication major Audrey Meulehe was named to the 2024 class of the American Advertising Federation’s Most Promising Multicultural Students program.

The program connects the nation’s top multicultural advertising students with industry professionals.

Selected students gain valuable networking and professional development opportunities in a fourday immersion in New York City.

As part of the program, participants’ announcements were shown in Times Square.

In its 27th year, the program continues to provide opportunities for traditionally underrepresented groups within the advertising industry. Meulehe was one of 50 students chosen from a competitive pool of thousands of student applicants across the country. She is the second University of Kentucky student to ever be selected.

In Summer 2023, Meulehe was a participant in the AAF’s Multicultural Advertising Internship Program, an experience that reignited her passion for the advertising industry and solidified her decision to apply for the Most Promising Multicultural Students opportunity.

“I credit the Multicultural Advertising Internship Program for laying the foundation for my journey,” Meulehe said. “Additionally, my major in integrated strategic communication has undeniably equipped me for this.”

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Meulehe’s experience in New York included professional development and personal branding workshops, the Building Bridges for Our Future awards ceremony and recruiter’s expo. Meulehe also was able to learn from industry professionals, network with other students and participate in a pitch competition.

“I had the opportunity to tackle a real-life client problem, leveraging my problem-solving skills and creativity to develop innovative solutions,” Meulehe said. “I acquired a wealth of knowledge, but the most pivotal lesson was the importance of taking up space.”

Learn more about UK’s first student accepted to the Most Promising Multicultural Students program, Camille Wright, on page 12.

STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

FROM MILITARY TO MOM, ICT STUDENT MARCHES ON TO EARN DEGREE Going to the University of Kentucky wasn’t part of Jasmin Keith’s original plan. Coming from a military family, the Elizabethtown, Kentucky, native had aspirations of following in her family’s military footsteps after high school.

When she learned her tuition could be paid in full through the William C. Parker Scholarship, she decided to change her course and started at UK in 2018.

After years of hard work and determination, Keith graduated with a bachelor’s degree in information communication technology in December 2023.

As a student, Keith decided to follow a military path while working toward a degree. As a sophomore, she enrolled in the UK Army ROTC. She enlisted as a combat medic in the National Guard and began training in May 2020.

However, her course shifted when she found out she and her husband were expecting their first child, and she had to leave the ROTC program.

As an active full-time medic in the National Guard for a COVID-19 mission to help administer vaccinations, she traveled hundreds of miles each week, while pregnant, to vaccinate people all over Kentucky—while also remaining a full-time student.

Keith’s husband, also in the military, was four hours away at Purdue University.

“We would see each other when possible, but it wasn’t a frequent occurrence,” Keith said. “It was challenging, but so worth it.”

Keith gave birth to her son in January 2022.

While finalizing her degree, Keith learned she was pregnant with her second child.

While her husband was back in Kentucky with her this time, their conflicting schedules still posed challenges.

“When we found out we were pregnant again, I was overjoyed,” Keith said. “Being a new mom with my first-born while taking 18 credit hours was one of the most challenging things I have ever done.

I knew that if I could get through that, I could get through one final semester of college with my second son.”

Keith gave birth to her second son in June 2023, passed her remaining online ICT classes and graduated in December with a 3.3 overall GPA. “Over time, I learned that resilience has to do with one’s ability to remain positive in the face of adversity,” Keith said. “The greatest weapon you have when combating adversity is your support system. I couldn’t have asked for a better support system than the faculty and staff here at UK and my loving family and friends.”

Jasmin Keith earned her ICT degree in December 2023.

Looking to the future, Keith hopes to continue her education and pursue a master’s degree in computer science.

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STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

JOU student Abbey Cutrer’s photo from the 2024 Kentucky Derby earned her a top-20 finish in the Hearst Journalism Awards.

KENTUCKY KERNEL THRIVES IN FIRST YEAR OF MULTIMEDIA FOCUS In its inaugural year of embracing a digital-first approach, Kentucky Kernel Media has celebrated a series of successes that have significantly boosted its presence and engagement on campus.

Kentucky Kernel Media, the University of Kentucky’s student media outlet consisting of the Kentucky Kernel and KRNL L+F magazine, made the strategic shift from traditional print media to a special section printing schedule and a focus on strengthening its presence on a dynamic multimedia platform.

The cover of the Spring 2024 edition of KRNL L+F magazine is shown above.

The Kernel’s strategy involved a comprehensive overhaul, including the creation of a digital desk dedicated to all things multimedia, such as broadcasting, podcasting and social media. A standout success for the Kernel was its embrace of TikTok, a platform that has become increasingly popular among younger demographics like those the Kernel serves on campus.

“We’re proud of the growth we’ve seen on campus this year,” 2023-2024 Editor-in-Chief Hannah Stanley said. “We have freshmen being excited to be in one of our TikTok videos or wanting to do an interview. Yes, the awards are nice but seeing the overall growth in the number of students who understand what’s going on around campus, what’s going on in Lexington and just being able to find different ways to keep them interested has been the most rewarding thing we could have even asked for.”

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The Kernel’s digital-first strategy has not only increased its audience but also diversified its content offerings. The outlet’s ability to produce comprehensive coverage, from breaking news to in-depth features, across multiple digital platforms has set a new standard for multimedia student journalism, and earned the Kernel the multiplatform Pacemaker award, often referred to as the “Pulitzer Prize” of collegiate journalism.

Looking ahead, the Kernel aims to further refine its digital operations and continue to innovate in its reporting and engagement strategies.

“We obviously learned so much,” 2024-2025 Editor-inChief Abbey Cutrer said. “It was uncharted territory, and I think we all did a good job thinking on our feet and being willing to adapt. Now that we’ve fine-tuned everything, nearly every desk is doing something digital; I just think this next year is really continuing everything that Hannah and last year’s staff built.”

Student Media Advisor Ryan Craig expects the digital success to continue.

“The highest priority is to report the truth and the news that our readers, and now viewers, have come to expect,” Craig said. “Other collegiate media leaders gave us a great compliment when it comes to our plan for the media convergence, saying we are a good mile and a half ahead of everyone else out there. I, honestly, can’t wait to see what they do next.”

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 Atlanta, Georgia.

2023-2024 STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS College Media Association Pinnacle Awards • KRNL, five national awards, including first place for Feature Magazine of the Year, two first-place individual finishes, one secondplace finish, one third-place finish and two honorable mentions • Kernel, 10 national awards, including second place for Newspaper Website of the Year, one first-place finish, three second-place finishes, five third-place finishes and three honorable mentions Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Awards • The Kernel won the multiplatform Pacemaker, making them top in the nation for this category. The Kernel also was named a national finalist for the online Pacemaker award, meaning they were in the top 10% of student media outlets in this category.

• Kernel, three individual first-place finishes, six individual top five finishes and three honorable mentions

Narrative Multimedia category. Two students finished in the top 20 in the individual Photojournalism contest.

Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show • KRNL, second place for Feature Magazine, one second and sixth place individual wins • Kernel, third place for Website, one fifth, one sixth and one seventh-place individual finishes

Southeast Journalism Conference Best of the South Awards • KRNL, five first-place finishes • Kernel, 10 first-place finishes, one third-place finish and one fifthplace finish • On-site competition awards, one first-place finish and five secondplace finishes

National Society for Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards • Three national finalists for general column writing, breaking news photography and cultural criticism Hearst Journalism Awards • The School of Journalism and Media earned 10th place in the Intercollegiate Photojournalism Contest. One student earned an individual top 10 finish in the

Kentucky Press Association • Kernel, General Excellence for the sixth year in a row and 47 awards, sweeping eight categories and earning 18 first-place finishes College Media Association Apple Awards • Four first-place finishes, seven second-place finishes, one third-place finish and two honorable mentions

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STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

HIGHEST MISS AMERICA PAGEANT PLACEMENT IN TWO DECADES Mallory Hudson, communication senior and Miss Kentucky 2023, placed third runner up in the Miss America 2024 competition held in Orlando, Florida, in January.

“I am beyond thankful for the special memories, one-of-a-kind friendships and the indescribable feeling of gracing the historic and iconic Miss America stage,” Hudson said.

CI student and Miss Kentucky 2023 Mallory Hudson was third runner up in the Miss America 2024 pageant.

Since Heather French Henry was named Miss America in 2000, it is the highest placement in the Miss America pageant reached by a Miss Kentucky, said Brian Jeffries, executive director of the Miss Kentucky Scholarship Organization.

Before serving as Miss Kentucky 2023, Hudson performed in over 40 theatrical productions, including a feature film, “Beauty Mark.” Hudson’s love for theater translated to her Miss Kentucky community service initiative named Inclusive Stages, which is designed to provide theatrical and artistic opportunities

for special needs individuals. Hudson implemented several initiatives to further inclusivity efforts in theaters across the state, including creating inclusive acting classes for individuals with a diagnosis of Down syndrome and distributing sensory kits to Kentucky theaters to make them more accessible for those individuals with sensory processing disorders.

STUDENT PR FIRM EARNS NATIONAL PRSSA AFFILIATION Grehan Associates, a student-run, full-service marketing and communications firm for Lexington businesses, attracts top-notch students from all areas of communication and beyond.

Students can take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in realworld situations, which translates to

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invaluable experience when pursuing jobs after graduation.

This year, Grehan Associates renewed its national three-year affiliation with the Public Relations Student Society of America. Only 36 student-run firms in the nation have PRSSA affiliation. Firms with this designation have successfully gone through a rigorous application process to ensure the firm has a solid PRSSA/PRSA connection, a high level of professionalism and an effective structure. The 2023-2024 firm director of Grehan Associates was MaKenzie

Purdom, a junior integrated strategic communication and sociology double major.

“I was incredibly honored to learn that Grehan Associates successfully renewed its PRSSA national affiliation for a second consecutive term,” Purdom said. “I was proud of my team for the work they put in to help us rebuild and get to that status. My hope is that the firm will be able to dive deeper into client work and create some start-to-finish campaigns we can all continue to be proud of.”

STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

Left: Students draw story assignments from a hat.

“THE BEST WE’VE HAD IN YEARS”

PICTURE KENTUCKY WORKSHOP SEES CONTINUED SUCCESS

Twenty students attended the Fall 2023 Picture Kentucky Photojournalism Workshop and were guided by professional coaches from across the country, including Pete Souza, former chief official White House photographer.

The University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media hosted the annual Picture Kentucky Photojournalism Workshop in Frankfort, Kentucky, last October. This immersive course experience allows students to spend four days documenting the people and places of Kentucky. Student attendees randomly select a story assignment from a hat and are then paired with a professional volunteer coach to help them navigate how to tell their stories.

Sydney Turner, an integrated strategic communication senior, spent her time photographing Lowell Newsome, a preacher, construction contractor and raccoon hunter in Bald Knob, Kentucky.

“My first day of the workshop I drew his name out of a hat, and six hours later I was running through cornfields and creeks with a camera following Lowell on his hunt,” Turner said.

Turner said she walked away from the workshop with new insights on everything from how to

operate new photography equipment to the basics of raccoon hunting.

Turner and her fellow attendees also had a one-onone review and critique session each night with their assigned coach to prepare for the next day’s shoot.

Turner and four other students were coached by Souza, an award-winning photojournalist and author known for his role as chief official White House photographer for former Presidents Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. While this is Souza’s first year volunteering as a coach with Picture Kentucky, his five decades of experience and expertise served as a tremendous resource for his mentees.

“This year’s workshop was one of the best we’ve had in years,” said David Stephenson, workshop director and assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Media. “The students, the coaches, the staff and the people of Franklin County were so dedicated and passionate. It left us all energized despite the week’s exhaustion.”

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Top: One of Turner’s raccoon hunting photos.

Bottom: Souza speaks with his mentee group.

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HIGHLIGHTS

AWARDS

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY FILM FESTIVAL

Eight College of Communication and Information students were selected to compete in the 2024 UKY Film Festival sponsored by the UK Office of Student Organizations and Activities, Courage Media and the Media Depot.

Jordan Williams won Best Narrative Film and the Audience Choice award. Luke Stone, Xander Majovsky and Kaliann Bess were awarded Honorable Mention for their film in the same category.

Films by Kate Clark, Maria Folio, Vendela Norris and Giana Gallo also were selected to be screened at the festival.

NATIONAL STUDENT ADVERTISING COMPETITION

The 2023-2024 National Student Advertising Competition team won the District 5 competition for the 13th time in team history and the fourth consecutive year. The team, led by ISC Associate Professors Adriane Grumbein and Alyssa Eckman, advanced to regional competition and finished in the top 20 in the nation.

The team consisted of CI students Tatum Armstrong, AnneMarie Bell, Cailey Bingham, Ava Brunson, Savannah Chapman, Emma Gayle, Alyssa Hayes, Hallie Lindsey, Emma Reilly, Kaitlin Sammons, Lauren Shaffer, Cameron Snyder, Sydney Turner and Alyssa Wilder.

Above: NSAC team after District 5 win.

Right: Gold ADDY and Student Best of Show awardwinning design.

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LEXINGTON ADDY AWARDS

Of the 18 students awarded at Ad Club Lexington’s annual ADDY Awards, 16 were ISC students. A Gold ADDY and Student Best of Show (pictured) went to Ashton Payne, Josephine Gabbard, Isaiah Flannery and John Tyler McCaw. Silver ADDY awards went to Emma Reilly and a group of students who won for the Indeed “It’s the Start” campaign as part of the 2022-2023 National Student Advertising Competition team. The team consisted of Cailey Bingham, Ben Johnson, Emme Schumacher, Kennedi Beam, Lauren Shaffer, Madi Rennie, Anjana Vedapuri, Madeline Davis, Megan Fezza, Jenna Rampenthal, Ashley Fisher, Fran Loise and Maya Malawi.

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STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

LAMBDA PI ETA WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS CI inducted 27 majors into the College of Communication and Information’s honor society, Lambda Pi Eta, for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The College’s Alpha Chi chapter is open to all majors in the College and is advised by Schyler Simpson, CI’s director of retention and engagement. Inductees were selected based on outstanding academic performance as well as character and involvement. After being inactive for several years, student leaders recently revived the chapter.

Lambda Pi Eta serves as the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities.

The University of Kentucky’s chapter is one of 600 chapters across the nation. Its purpose is to recognize, encourage and reward outstanding scholarly achievement in the field of communication. Members are encouraged to establish and maintain close relationships with their communication faculty and to seek professional development opportunities.

OFFICERS FOR 2023-2024 President: Kayden Teffeteller Vice President: Kelsey Carman Secretary: Katherine Johnson Social Media Coordinator: Alexandrea Shouse

Read more about Lambda Pi Eta’s service project on page 5.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

1 2 3

Ten CI students presented their research at the Spring 2024 Undergraduate Research Showcase. Many of these students received research fellowship funding from the College in either the 2022-2023 or 2023-2024 academic year.

Presentations included research on: • Photo 1: Climate change and how it affects people with disabilities. Cecilia Rhein (ISC) • Photo 2: Exploring the role of selfefficacy in entrepreneurial decision making. Alysa Lozano (ICT) • Photo 3: Contextualizing inoculation theory across disciplines: Developing the first inoculation theory handbook.

Dailynn Bates (ISC), Cameron Snyder (ISC), Alyssa Wilder (ISC)

• Using play to rehabilitate youth and improve educational and social outcomes. Helena Arjona (MAS/JOU) • Exploring how white parents and their same-race or transracially adopted adolescents discuss race.

Bailey Darbro (ISC) • How ICU health care workers communicatively construct resilience.

Carolyn Boyke-Johnson (COM) • Social media usage in different groups. Sawyer Schaefer (COM) • The impacts of policy adaptations to telemedicine during COVID-19: From the perspective of those with opioid use disorder on Reddit. Angelique Van Guilder (ICT)

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STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

STUDENT SHORTS

The University of Kentucky chapter of Phi Beta Kappa honor society recently inducted two College of Communication and Information students: Richard Nathaniel Lucas (JOU) and Garrett Wright (COM) as part of its 2024 cohort.

Three CI majors were among the 33 students chosen to serve as Alumni Ambassadors for the 2023-2024 academic year: Kenzie Bennett (ISC), Morgan David (ISC) and Lily Messer (COM).

Two ISC students placed in the logo contest for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s 2025 National Conference. Abby Brady (design left) placed second, and Kaylee Hadley (design right) placed third.

Patti Doud (ISC) joined Liz Spencer (assistant professor, ISC) in presenting research at the 2023 International Conference on Communication in Healthcare in Rio Mar, Puerto Rico.

Doud’s research focused on the effectiveness of using memes in messaging materials about hand hygiene.

Bailey Darbro (ISC) was named a 20232024 Chellgren Center Fellow. As part of her fellowship, she worked with a mentor who guided her through her research project focused on social identities in familial settings. The project will help her prepare for the next phase of her career.

The national leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa inducted CI students Giana Gallo (JOU/COM, left) and Ruben Valencia Jr. (ICT, middle) as part of its 2024 class. During the ceremony, Valencia received the Jerry D. Claiborne Award and Cailey Bingham (ISC, right) received the Maurice A. Clay Award.

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STUDENT

HIGHLIGHTS

Jathen “Jaey” Spicer (MAS) was selected to work as a runner during the 2024 NBA All Star Game in Indianapolis, Indiana. Spicer gained hands-on, behind-the-scenes experience assisting professional staff in February.

Helena Arjona (JOU/MAS/WRD, second from right) was named a 2023 Google News Initiative Fellow through the Alliance for Women in Media. As part of this fellowship, she attended the Gracies Leadership Awards, which spotlights women in media, in New York City.

Alayna Tobo (JOU) was selected by President Eli Capilouto as one of four speakers for the 2024 commencement ceremonies. Tobo gave her speech in front of a crowd of thousands at CI’s May 2024 ceremony.

LAUNCHING DREAMS:

INET CERTIFICATE BOOSTS CAREER READINESS

When Ethan Jackson (COM/MGT) decided to pursue the Innovation and Entrepreneurial Thinking (iNET) certificate, he didn’t know the long-term impact the program would have on his professional development.

This certificate requires 12 hours of unique coursework, including COM 381 Communication, Leadership and Entrepreneurship, two electives and an Experiential Education Capstone course. The certificate connects students to a network of innovators and entrepreneurial mentors and gives them access to unique experiences.

A highlight of the iNET certificate program was the entrepreneurial bootcamp

offered through the Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship in the Gatton College of Business and Economics.

“The bootcamp was phenomenal,” Jackson said. “We heard from the best of the best in Kentucky. This, combined with the shared goal of following our dreams and improving ourselves, created a dynamic environment where we all excelled.”

For students curious about the iNET certificate but hesitant to start, Jackson offers encouraging advice.

“The College of Communication and Information has more resources than you can imagine,” Jackson said. “I encourage

anyone interested to reach out to Amanda Lawrence or the executive director of VACE, Warren Nash.”

Now, Jackson is starting his career with Enterprise Mobility as a management trainee.

“CI provides an exceptional place to foster my professional skills and pursue my goals as a future manager,” he says. “I’m able to apply the skills learned from the iNet certificate in a professional setting.”

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GRAD STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

Nadia Sesay (left photo, left) won first place at the 2024 GradTeach Live! competition.

Ray Celeste Tanner (right photo, center) won the pre-3MT category at the 2023 GradResearch Live! competition.

CI DOCTORAL STUDENTS TAKE TOP HONORS AT UNIVERSITY-WIDE COMPETITIONS Two College of Communication and Information doctoral students each won first place in the University of Kentucky’s GradTeach Live! and GradResearch Live! competitions.

Ray Celeste Tanner took home first place in the 2023 GradResearch Live! Competition and the People’s Choice Award in the pre-3MT category held last fall. Nadia Sesay won the first-place title at the 2024 GradTeach Live! competition in the spring for her presentation “A Universal Design Approach to Developing Confident Public Speakers.”

UK’s GradResearch Live! and GradTeach Live! events are modeled after the University of Queensland’s 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition, which focuses on how effectively participants can quickly and concisely present a subject. In both competitions, participants are asked to use a single presentation slide and present in three minutes or less.

The goal of GradResearch Live! is to help earlycareer scholars learn to communicate their research succinctly and engagingly, especially to general audiences, which can give young professionals a boost in the competitive job market both inside and outside academia.

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Tanner competed in the pre-3MT category, geared toward early-stage research projects with preliminary findings for master’s and doctoral students. Tanner’s winning presentation featured her research project “Beyond the Org Chart: Informal Communication Networks and Organizational Culture.”

Doctoral student Anita Silwal also was a GradResearch Live! finalist and was chosen to present her research in the 3MT category.

The GradTeach Live! competition challenges graduate students to present in a way that engages and holds the attention of the judges, just as they would engage students in their classroom. This competition recognizes the importance of teaching by celebrating and showcasing the central role graduate teaching assistants have in the University’s instructional mission.

CI doctoral students Huai-yu Chen and Eleanor Hudd also were finalists in the teaching competition. In 2023, Tanner placed second in GradTeach! Live, making this the second consecutive year CI has had a student finish in the top three of the competition.

GRAD STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

TWO PH.D. STUDENTS CHOSEN FOR HONORS SEMINAR Communication doctoral students Huai-yu Chen (top) and Max Groznik (bottom) were among 30 scholars nationwide selected to participate in the 2024 National Communication Association Doctoral Honors Seminar.

The seminar, held in June at the University of Utah, brought together promising doctoral students and distinguished faculty members from across the communication discipline and around the nation to discuss current topics in communication. The theme for 2023-2024 was Elevating Communication Research.

Participants worked with mentors in one of three tracks: rhetoric/performance, critical cultural/interpretive or social science, depending on their areas of interest.

GLOBAL HEALTH CASE COMPETITION WIN Communication doctoral student Ikeola Boodunde was a member of the team that placed first in the 2023 Global Health Case competition, sponsored by the University of Kentucky International Center’s Office of Global Health Initiatives.

The competition brings undergraduate and graduate students from across campus together to address a critical global health challenge.

This year, students worked in transdisciplinary groups to propose a solution for the impact of environmental disparities on indigenous populations. Boodunde’s group’s project “United Against Uranium” focused on reducing uranium exposure in Navajo communities through bioremediation, economic empowerment and education. The teams then presented their ideas to a panel of global health experts. The team won $1,500 and represented UK at the international competition at Emory University in Spring 2024.

Fellowships & Scholarships LIBRARY SCIENCE

GRADUATE PROGRAM IN COMMUNICATION

• Hallie Day Blackburn Scholarship: Dolores Clark, Jessica Stine • Williena Burdine Broyles Memorial Endowed Scholarship: McKenzie Bargo • Vivian Johnson MacQuown and Melissa MacQuown Scholarship: Elizabeth Massie • Helen E. Fry Memorial Scholarship: Ashton Conley • Anne McConnell Scholarship: Brady Thompson • Melody Trosper Award: Patsy Carruthers • Lois Mai Chan Enrichment Fund: Charlotte Stephens • Library Science Graduate Fellowship Research Challenge Trust Fund Scholarship: Zoë Blackwell, Patsy Carruthers, Miranda Cheatham • Library Science Alumni Endowed Fund: Elizabeth Daniels, Laila Johnson, Kendal Kloostra, Lauren Savage, Lydia Tchividijan, Sydney Webster

• Carozza Graduate Fund for Excellence in Health Communication: Max Groznik • Martha and Howard Sypher Memorial Graduate Scholarship: Ansley George • Bruce H. Westley Scholarship: Anne Amegbeha • R. Lewis Donohew Graduate Fellowship: Jenni Glendenning • Palmgreen Fellowship: Savannah Tucker • Dorothy M. Carozza Memorial Fellowship: Nadia Sesay • Graduate Program in Communication Dissertation Year Fellowship: Huai-yu Chen

Pictured L-R: Nadia Sesay, Jenni Glendenning, Anne Amegbeha, Ansley George, Huai-yu Chen and Savannah Tucker.

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GRAD STUDENT HIGHLIGHTS

UK librarians demonstrate digitization stations for library science students in the M.I. King Library.

MSLS PROGRAM GIVES ONLINE STUDENTS IN-PERSON OPPORTUNITIES In November 2023, the School of Information Science arranged a tour of the University of Kentucky’s Libraries for library science graduate students and librarians. More than 20 students, librarians and faculty from both in and out of state attended the event.

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Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives in Frankfort, Kentucky.

The MSLS program is fully online, and tours serve as an opportunity for students to meet each other and some of the program’s professors in person, as opposed to their regular virtual meetups and events. Although the events are primarily for MSLS students and alumni, members of the local library community and other community members also were welcomed.

Stops along the tour included the State Library Services, the Research Room, the Library Development Branch and the Kentucky Talking Book Library. Participants learned about government documents that KDLA has available for the public to conduct family research, services KDLA provides to public library staff and state/local government offices and circulating collections KDLA has for public libraries. They also visited the Talking Book Library, which provides audiobooks and Braille books to persons with visual impairments throughout the state.

After the success of the November tour, the School decided to hold another during the spring semester. In April, Assistant Professor Brian Real arranged for a graduate student tour of the

Faculty members are planning additional in-person student, staff and faculty tours and look forward to meeting more of the library community and making in-person connections.

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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

OLTMANN NAMED UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH PROFESSOR Shannon Oltmann, associate professor in the School of Information Science, has been recognized as one of 16 20242025 University Research Professors. These professorships honor faculty members who have demonstrated excellence that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in the region and around the world.

Oltmann investigates the antecedents of censorship, how and why people censor information and the effects

of censorship with the goal of promoting freedom of speech in her research. She also studies information precarity—the social, political and economic barriers that often create situations where people cannot access quality, accurate, useful information.

Oltmann joined UK in 2012 and her work has been funded by the American Library Association and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. She was recently awarded the Kentucky Intellectual Freedom Award from

ZEADALLY WINS SEC FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Sherali Zeadally, professor in the School of Information Science, was named a 2024 SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner.

Zeadally was one of 14 university professors recognized for outstanding records in research and scholarship at each of the Southeastern Conference’s member universities.

Zeadally’s other achievements include the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Smart Computing STC Life-Career Award for 2023 and the fourth consecutive year of being named to Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers list.

CI’S PREVIOUS RESEARCH PROFESSORS

the Kentucky Library Association, for her advocacy of intellectual freedom and ensuring every Kentuckian has the right to all types of materials.

For more about Oltmann’s research, turn to page 8.

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)

SHOWCASING COLLEGE RESEARCH The College of Communication and Information’s Research Seminar Series is a monthly, lunch-and-learn style research presentation for the UK community led by a CI faculty or staff member. The Series showcases the College’s research strengths, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and promotes a culture of academic excellence.

Renee Kaufmann (assistant dean for graduate programs and associate professor, SIS): Unveiling Insight from Ten Years of Research on Online Learning and Instructional Communication

2023-2024 PRESENTERS

In addition to CI faculty, researchers from outside the College presented research this year.

Marko Dragojevic (associate professor, COM): Effects of Character Accent on Perceived Similarity, Transportation and Narrative Persuasion Allison Gordon (professor, COM): Miles to Go Before I Sleep: Ten Years of Measuring Communication Quality in Conversations about Health, presented as the University Research Professor Jennifer Scarduzio (associate professor, COM): Unwanted Pictures, Gaslighting and Spillover: Image-Based Sexual Harassment and Privacy on Snapchat Scott Johnson (research and innovative technology support, CITS): CI Research Resources Overview and Demonstration

Nicky Lewis (associate professor, COM): Athlete Representations in Sports Media: Content and Effects

Anita Ciunova (Fullbright fellow and visiting scholar): Monetary and Non-monetary Sales Promotion in Social Media Brand-Related Content: The Effect on Perceived Action Benefits, Brand Expression, Engagement and Loyalty Rachel Amy: Applying Advanced Analytics to Questions Surrounding Personnel Training and Retention and Andrew Slaughter: Statistical Methods, Social Networks and Personnel Assessment. Both are visiting scholars from the U.S. Army Behavioral Science Research Center.

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RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

CI HOSTS A TRIFECTA OF TRANSFORMATIVE CONFERENCES The College of Communication and Information in 2024 hosted three national and regional conferences at the University of Kentucky. Each event was designed to bring together scholars, teachers and practitioners to share knowledge and promote collaboration.

CI kicked off conference season with the 49th annual Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Southeast Colloquium in early March, marking 25 years since UK last hosted the event in 1999. The conference opened with a keynote speech on the media’s role in shaping the legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre from Victor Luckerson, a journalist, author, former staff writer at The Ringer and business reporter for Time magazine who works to bring neglected Black history to light.

Conferences hosted by the College include the AEJMC Southeast Colloquium (top), KCHC (middle) and LRS8 (bottom).

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The conference attracted 150 professionals and scholars working in areas including broadcast and mobile journalism, history, law and policy, magazine, newspaper and online news and visual communication.

In addition to the standard presentations and panels, the conference also featured a Great Ideas for Teaching Competition.

CI hosted the 18th Kentucky Conference on Health Communication in April. The long-standing conference, held biennially, was themed Innovations in Health Communication and featured Carma Bylund, University of Florida professor of communication and founding editor of PEC Innovation, as the keynote speaker.

The conference attracted more than 300 scholars with presenting authors representing 37 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Chile, China, England, Norway,

Singapore and Taiwan, as well as nearly 150 institutions and organizations.

Janet Yang, professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Buffalo, SUNY, was presented with the 2024 KCHC Lewis Donohew Outstanding Scholar in Health Communication Award in recognition of her outstanding research contributions.

Yang studies how communication behaviors and decision-making processes are influenced by the way people perceive risk. She has conducted research in numerous environmental and public health contexts, including climate change, plastic recycling, vaccination, monkeypox, e-cigarettes and COVID-19.

CI rounded out the conference series with the Library Research Seminar 8, a program of the American Library Association’s Library Research Round Table, in mid-September. With the theme “Telling Library Stories,” the seminar emphasized the power of storytelling in the library context. Attendees explored discussions of how to use statistics and other data to tell compelling stories, how research stories reflect library practice, how library stories impact research and development and how libraries can tell stories to advocate for themselves and their communities. The event featured storytelling experts Kate McDowell, associate professor in library and information science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as keynote speaker and Nicole Breazeale, associate extension professor in community and leadership development at the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, as closing plenary speaker.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

PROFESSORSHIPS & FELLOWSHIPS Congratulations to our faculty and students awarded professorships and fellowships in the College of Communication and Information, at the University of Kentucky or by a professional industry organization in recognition of their excellence in instruction, research and other creative activity or service in their discipline. See also Shannon Oltmann’s University Research Professorship announcement on page 31.

SEC ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TEK FACULTY FELLOWS Brandi Frisby (professor, SIS, acting dean)

The Southeastern Conference Academic Leadership Development Program was established to identify, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. Fellows are identified through a competitive campuslevel process. The group of 56 Fellows participated in an SEC-wide workshop in both the fall and spring semesters.

BEAM INSTITUTE FACULTY FELLOWS

Anthony Limperos (chair, COM, associate dean for Graduate Programs in Communication) Brian Real (assistant professor, SIS) Faculty Fellows at The James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits are researchers across campus and across the country who are working together to tackle issues relevant to distillation, wine and brewing studies such as sustainability, biotechnology, packaging, business and public health. Fellows meet multiple times per year to exchange research findings and plan further collaboration.

Kari Benguria (senior lecturer, SIS) Troy Cooper (associate professor, SIS) Lisa Enright (lecturer, SIS) Amanda Lawrence (senior lecturer, SIS, assistant dean for student success) The Transdisciplinary Educational approaches to advance Kentucky (TEK) program challenges faculty and students to engage with complex, context-specific and multidimensional issues.

TEK Fellows develop new transdisciplinary courses as well as revise current courses to help integrate skills and learning outcomes.

UNITE PREDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

CI doctoral student Marian Jaitto-Jeffrey was 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.

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STUDENT COLLEGE

HIGHLIGHTS

THE DOWNTOWN STUDIO Studio A features a 24 foot x 11.5 foot 4K LED wall and robotic cameras.

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QUICK FACTS 20,000 square feet Two broadcast studios Mirrored control rooms Video podcast studio Newsroom/classroom flex spaces 24-foot LED wall Cyclorama wall Robotic cameras Street level, large windows, high visibility Hardware, software and graphics packages used by leaders in news, sports and entertainment The studio’s dual control rooms are designed to replicate the inside layout of a TV truck and utilize industry-standard hardware, software and graphics.

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HIGHLIGHTS

NEW STUDIO PUTS CI IN SPOTLIGHT

The Downtown Studio’s ribbon cutting ceremony included a panel featuring Erik Judson (JMI Sports), Mitch Barnhart (UK Athletics), CI Dean Jennifer Greer and Eric Monday (UK Finance and Administration), moderated by JMI Sports’ Michelle Knezovic (JOU, 2019). The ceremony also included “The Voice of the Wildcats” Tom Leach (JOU, 1982) and sports broadcasting pioneer Jim Host (TEL/MAS, 1959).

The College of Communication and Information, in partnership with University of Kentucky Athletics and JMI Sports, in October 2024 officially opened its state-of-the-art downtown studio and production space near Rupp Arena, inside Lexington’s Central Bank Center. The first students will begin classes in the new CI studio in January 2025.

“This facility places CI at the center of the action, literally, in UK’s sports broadcasting, media rights and production activities,” said Dean Jennifer Greer. “It also will fundamentally change the way we teach skills, research and theory because students will be working in a ‘teaching hospital’ model, learning from professionals working on broadcasts for ESPN and the SEC Network, as well as those working on NIL opportunities and sports promotion.”

JMI Sports Digital Media Producer Jensen Linder (right) interviews UK’s Eric Monday (left) about the partnership.

The 20,000-square-foot facility allows CI students and faculty to work alongside media rights and athletics professionals to learn production, traditional broadcast and social media studio work, podcasting, filmmaking and other audio and video work for news, entertainment, sports and promotional purposes. The new CI space also has a dedicated newsroom/classroom flex space, conference rooms, offices and research areas, which will benefit all CI students, staff and faculty.

Jim Host (left) and Ross Allen (COM, 2019, right), CI multimedia spaces support staff, shown in one of the mirrored control rooms.

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COLLEGE

HIGHLIGHTS

PENCE HALL: CI’S NEW FRONT DOOR The theme of this magazine is community, and while space alone doesn’t make a community, it certainly can help bring a community closer together.

That’s the hope behind a renovated Pence Hall, set to open in July 2025 as the central hub of a threebuilding College of Communication and Information neighborhood in the heart of UK’s campus.

Pence, once home to the College of Design, will be between the College’s other operations in McVey Hall and Lucille Caudill Little Library. As the College’s main building, it will house student support services, the CI career center, media/technology checkout, student media, college administration, two academic units, nine classrooms and group spaces for students, staff and faculty to collaborate.

The entire College was involved in planning a new CI anchor, working collaboratively to create spaces where community could come together in Pence, as well as other spaces nearby. Pence Hall’s community-focused spaces include:

AUDITORIUM

This 150-seat auditorium marks the first large classroom in a CI building and will serve some of the College’s largest enrollment courses, placing students just steps away from vital College resources. The second-floor auditorium also will provide a centralized space for faculty, staff, alumni and college-wide events.

as their favorite times at UK, and this new space, with multimedia studios and production spaces just outside the door, is designed for future Kernelites to produce outstanding content and make memories.

OUTDOOR TERRACE/LEARNING SPACE

Two new outdoor spaces will provide about 700 square feet for all to gather in small groups or for events. Located on the first floor above the modernized, accessible ground-floor entrance, the outdoor terrace is ideal for study breaks or events.

On the ground floor, just outside the new “back” entrance, an outdoor classroom/break area is designed to allow students, faculty and staff to take advantage of good weather throughout the year.

HUDDLE ROOMS/STUDY NOOKS

On all four levels, students, staff and faculty will find small areas for collaboration between two people or in groups as large as 12. Small conference rooms and comfortable furniture in the new expanded back glass four-level navigation section will invite CI community members to linger in their own space.

Dean Greer and CI Chief of Staff Megan Sizemore discuss the building plans during a visit to the construction site.

Classes start in the renovated Pence Hall in Fall 2025.

Visit ci.uky.edu/pence-hall-project to learn more.

STUDENT MEDIA

The ground floor of Pence Hall will house offices and communal spaces for students who are part of award-winning Kentucky Kernel Media. Kernel alumni often cite their memories in the newsroom

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HIGHLIGHTS

CI ALUMNA AND GRAD STUDENT WIN LYMAN T. JOHNSON AWARDS Continuing the University of Kentucky’s tradition of highlighting the impact of trailblazing students and alumni, a College of Communication and Information alumna and a current CI student were honored for their achievements during UK’s 33rd annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards.

Celeste Warren (left), CI’s 2023 Torch of Excellence Award winner with Acting Dean Brandi Frisby (middle) and 2023 Torch Bearer winner Nigel Taylor (right) at the 20232024 Lyman T. Johnson Awards.

Each year, colleges and units choose honorees based on their contributions to UK and the broader community. Nigel Taylor (COM, 2016), a doctoral student in the Graduate Program in Communication, was recognized as a 2023 Torch Bearer, which honors a current student with outstanding academic achievement and impactful efforts. Alumna Celeste Warren (TEL/MAS, 1985) received a 2023 Torch of Excellence award, honoring an alumnus whose faith, hard work and determination positively impacts the UK campus, the city, state or nation.

Taylor serves as an ambassador for the UK MLK Center and is the founder of Underground Perspective, a student group that creates a unique space on campus that allows everyone, including those who feel they don’t fit in, to have their voices heard. He is a podcast host, website founder and the 2022-2023 recipient of CI’s building community award. He is the author of the children’s book “The Endless Possibilities with Nora & Vincent,” which he wrote to encourage children of color to dream big.

Warren serves as the vice president of the Global Diversity and Inclusion Center of Excellence at Merck. Along with her role at Merck, she also serves on the boards of RWJBarnabas Health Systems and All In Together, a nonprofit organization working to bring nonpartisan civic education to voting-age American women. She is also a member of CNBC’s Workforce Executive Council and World 50’s Inclusion and Diversity Impact Community.

Warren wrote the book “How to be a Diversity & Inclusion Ambassador: Everyone’s Role in Helping All Feel Accepted, Engaged and Valued.” Her articles also have been featured in numerous national and global publications and at speaking events across the world.

Warren has been recognized as one of Black Enterprise’s Top Executives in Global Diversity and Inclusion, Savoy Magazine’s Most Influential Women in Corporate America, Women’s eNews’ 21 Leaders for the 21st Century, Diversity Global Magazine’s Influential Women in Global Diversity and named to Diversity Woman Magazine’s “Elite100” List.

To learn more about Nigel Taylor, turn to page 4. To learn more about Celeste Warren, turn to page 55.

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COLLEGE

HIGHLIGHTS

CI is partnering with the College of Education to offer a sport leadership degree, including a track on sport leadership gaming.

CI PARTNERS TO LAUNCH SPORT LEADERSHIP DEGREE The University of Kentucky now offers a bachelor’s degree in sport leadership, based in the Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion in the UK College of Education. The new degree offers two tracks in collaboration with the UK College of Communication and Information.

CI partnered to serve student interests in the gaming and entrepreneurship tracks and to expand the reach of the College’s programs.

The sport leadership gaming track prepares students to lead in emerging and inclusive sporting opportunities. This track introduces esports and

gaming industries. Students completing this track will earn a degree in sport leadership, with a minor in video game design and development.

The sport leadership entrepreneurs track provides a foundation in innovation and entrepreneurial thinking for students preparing to lead a sportrelated business.

Students earn a degree in sport leadership with an undergraduate certificate in innovation and entrepreneurial thinking (iNET), which is based in CI. Learn more about the iNET certificate on page 27.

2024 NEW FACULTY AND STAFF • Jessica Barfield, assistant professor, School of Information Science

• Kelsey Johnson, associate director of debate, Intercollegiate Debate

• Skya Covington, academic advisor, Student Success

• Hannah Jones, assistant professor, Department of Communication

• Zane Dayton, post-doctoral scholar, Department of Communication

• Danni Liao, assistant professor, Department of Communication

• Yvonne Eadon, assistant professor, School of Information Science

• Kelci Marsee, college staff officer, Dean’s Office

• America Edwards, assistant professor, School of Information Science

• Hunter McCullough, coach, Intercollegiate Debate

• Stacey Gish, lecturer, Department of Integrated Strategic Communication

• Addison Zane Mills, recruiter, Student Success

• Dan Moon, department academic administration associate, School of Information Science • David Moscowitz, senior lecturer, Department of Communication • Leigh Moscowitz, chair, Department of Integrated Strategic Communication • Amanda Stringer, administrative services assistant, Student Success • Mary Ann Williamson, department academic administration associate, School of Journalism and Media

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HIGHLIGHTS

ISC DEPARTMENT WELCOMES NEW CHAIR Leigh Moscowitz was appointed chair of the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, following former Chair Chike Anyaegbunam’s retirement after serving nearly 25 years with the College, including leading the department for six years as acting and permanent chair.

“I am honored to step into the role of chair of the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, building on the history and strengths of the program and its prior leadership,” Moscowitz said. “I am excited to collaborate with our incredible faculty, talented students, strong CI leadership team and tremendous network of alumni and community partners to help shape the future of ISC, one that is primed for continued excellence and strategic growth.”

Moscowitz joins the ISC department from the University of South Carolina, where she was a professor and formerly served as sequence head of public relations for the School of Journalism & Mass Communications.

In 2022, Moscowitz was awarded the Mary Caldwell Award for Excellence in Teaching from her school. Earlier in her career, she was on faculty in the Department of Communication at the College of Charleston.

Leigh Moscowitz (top) was appointed chair of the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication following Chike Anyaegbunam’s (bottom) retirement.

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Moscowitz earned doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Indiana University. Her research focuses on the cultural production of news and the politics of media representation.

Moscowitz’s three published books explore how social movements gain access to mainstream media, the

strategies they use to shape public opinion and the complications of media visibility.

Prior to 2016, ISC was part of the School of Journalism and Telecommunications, now the School of Journalism and Media.

Under Anyaegbunam’s leadership, the ISC faculty expanded its offerings to include a minor in 2022 and an online graduate certificate in 2023. The faculty also developed popular new courses, including ISC 100 Introduction to Strategic Visual Communication, which is now part of the UK core curriculum.

The ISC degree is fully accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to lead the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, but it’s time for new leadership and time for me to retire after almost 25 years at the University of Kentucky,” Anyaegbunam said. “I will be leaving with a sense of accomplishment and the belief that the ISC department is poised for continued growth and transition to greatness under the capable leadership of Leigh Moscowitz.”

Anyaegbunam was presented with the 2023-2024 Dean’s Leadership Award for his service to the College (see next page).

“Under Chike’s leadership, ISC flourished and innovated, and we are thrilled to have Leigh join us to build on this momentum,” Dean Jennifer Greer said. “The outstanding faculty in ISC have ambitious goals, and Leigh is well positioned to support and guide the next chapter in the department.”

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College EXCELLENCE AWARDS The 2023-2024 College of Communication and Information College Excellence Awards were presented in a college-wide luncheon in April. This was CI’s 25th year recognizing and celebrating the College’s outstanding faculty and staff.

The 2023-2024 CI College Excellence Awards winners are: Faculty Teaching Excellence: Adriane Grumbein (ISC) Faculty Research Excellence: Maria Cahill (SIS) Faculty Community Service: Zixue Tai (JAM) Graduate Teaching Excellence: Nadia Sesay (Grad COM) Outstanding Advising: Suanne Early (Student Success) Outstanding Staff: Lindsay Vance (Student Success) and Dakota O’Dell (Dean’s Office) Outstanding Contributions to Building Community: Firaz Peer (SIS) Dean’s Leadership: Chike Anyaegbunam (ISC) The Friend of the College Award was presented to Kathel Dunn at the National Library of Medicine, for her support of the School of Information Science’s Alternative Spring Break program.

2023-2024 CI College Excellence Awards winners (left to right): Nadia Sesay, Dakota O’Dell, Adriane Grumbein, Suanne Early, Acting Dean Brandi Frisby, Chike Anyaegbunam, Firaz Peer, Lindsay Vance and Maria Cahill.

The Outstanding Alumni Award was presented at the 2023-2024 CI Student Awards to Michael Eaves (JOU, 1994).

Michael Eaves, the 2023-2024 Outstanding Alumni Award winner, accepted his award via video at the annual CI Student Awards.

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FACULTY & STAFF NEWS

Liz Spencer (assistant professor, ISC) was recognized with a Global Outstanding Advising Award, Academic Advisor: Faculty Role from NACADA, the Global Community for Academic Advising, an organization that promotes and supports quality academic advising in institutions of higher education. She also earned a NACADA Region 3 Certificate of Merit for her faculty advising role.

The UK Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching named Shannon Crawford-Barniskis (assistant professor, SIS), Hayley Hoffman (lecturer, SIS) and Mengtian “Montina” Jiang (assistant professor, ISC) to its 2023-2024 cohort of the Teaching Innovation Institute. Participants work collectively across two semesters to research, experience and reflect on experiences that prioritize a renegotiation of the roles and responsibilities of teacher and student in ways that inspire both.

Six CI faculty and staff members earned UK International Center’s Global Engagement Academy certification. Adrienne Brovero (associate director, Intercollegiate Debate), Brandi Frisby (acting dean), Jennifer Greer (dean), Mengtian “Montina” Jiang (assistant professor, ISC), Jenn Smith (academic advisor) and Liz Spencer (assistant professor, ISC) completed the coursework in the 2023-2024 academic year. Tina Navis (assistant dean for finance) previously earned the certification.

Catherine Hayden (communications manager) was selected for the 2023 cohort of UK’s Women’s Executive Leadership Development Program. The WELD Program seeks to develop a new generation of leaders in higher education through an eight-month long curriculum covering topics including leadership, strategic planning, legal issues and crisis management through mentored team projects and discussions with university administrators. She completed the program in December 2023.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Al Cross (extension professor, JAM and director emeritus, Institute for Rural Journalism) was awarded the Al Smith Polaris Award by the Bluegrass Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for his distinguished and longstanding service to community journalism.

Additionally, Cross was named the 2023 Most Valuable Member of the Kentucky Press Association. In his final year as a faculty member, he was also honored by being selected to deliver the Creason Lecture.

(See more on page 45.)

The awards preceded Cross’ retirement from the University and the Institute after serving as professor of journalism and co-founder/ director of the Institute for the past 20 years. (See more on page 58.)

Renee Kaufmann (associate professor, SIS) has been named acting associate dean for Graduate Programs in Communication. Kaufmann’s history with the College began in 2009 as a graduate teaching assistant while in the doctoral program. She taught at Indiana University East before returning to the School in 2016. Since then, Kaufmann has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in CI, as well as in the Lewis Honors College. She was instrumental in helping propose, develop and promote the ICT online degree completion program for SIS. Kaufmann also holds the Reynolds Professorship in Engineering and is the editor of the Journal of Communication Pedagogy.

CI FACULTY AND STAFF EXPLORE THEIR PLACE AND PURPOSE The College of Communication and Information welcomed award-winning educator Jeanetta Sims for two days in February.

Sims is an award-winning teacher, scholar and professor at the University of Central Oklahoma and an Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame inductee.

Sims guided faculty and staff through inclusive leadership workshops that consisted of interactive activities and actionable strategies to create a more inclusive community in and out of the classroom. Additionally, Sims had lunch with students and shared her expertise in finding a path to success, both in class and in their careers.

Sims’ visit concluded with the public lecture “Finding Your Place and Purpose in Career or Academia.” The lecture focused on helping early career faculty and staff, or upcoming graduates, find and pursue their purpose. Sims shared her educational and professional journey so that attendees could discover or re-discover an appreciation for their own path.

“Throughout the visit I was repeatedly thrown back in time to my own career exploration journey,” CI Career Coordinator Brooke Nowicki said. “It really does feel wonderful to find your place and purpose. I am grateful that the College and I get to help our students do the same.”

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EVENTS

CI students, parents, alumni, faculty and staff joined Acting Dean Brandi Frisby and Dean Jennifer Greer for CI’s Dogs with the Dean event as part of the University of Kentucky’s 2023 Family Weekend. Attendees enjoyed hotdogs, CI swag, photo ops and great conversations.

CI faculty and staff represented the College at the UK Alumni Association’s Homecoming tailgate in October 2023.

Attendees received CI merchandise, got to have one-on-one conversations with Acting Dean Brandi Frisby and watched performances by the UK marching band, dance team and color guard.

As part of the CI Speaker Series, four experts visited CI classes. ISC students heard from Jo-Anne Godden, a British sustainable fashion entrepreneur, and Helen Marcos, a Mexican artist and entrepreneur. ICT students heard from Nyari Samushonga, the CEO of WeThinkCode, a coding academy in South Africa. JOU students heard from Crystal Gentry, an ESPN managing post producer.

Erin Rolfes (left), director of corporate communications and media relations for The Kroger Co., delivered the 2023 James C. Bowling Executive-inResidence Lecture. The series also recognizes an outstanding public relations practitioner through the Excellence in Public Relations Award.

The 2023 recipient was Lisa Deffendall (right), executive communications officer for Fayette County Public Schools.

The annual holiday party is a great way for CI faculty, staff and alumni to gather before the holiday break and have fun.

Shown celebrating above are SIS faculty, staff and their families.

In March, CI Career Coordinator Brooke Nowicki (ISC, 2018 and MA COM, 2019) led site visits to the Cincinnati Reds’ facility and Cincinnati Educational Television. The group of 26 students got to network with professionals in sports, journalism, social media, IT and more.

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HIGHLIGHTS

Jane Reynolds, director of product marketing at Match Group, delivered the 2024 Irwin Warren Lecture in Advertising and Digital Media in March. The lecture honors the memory of Irwin Warren, who created some of the nation’s most successful advertising campaigns and was established by CI alum Patrick Mutchler, who worked with Warren at Johnson & Johnson.

In April, all of CI’s 2023-2024 undergraduate and graduate scholarship, fellowship and award recipients, 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.

CI cohosted a Ramadan Iftar dinner with the Lewis Honors College in April.

The event included breaking fast at sunset, Maghrib (sunset prayer) and a complementary dinner.

The Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame welcomed seven new inductees in April. Inductees pictured left to right: Sheldon Shafer (represented by two of his former coworkers), Betty Winston Bayé, Deborah Taylor Givens, Paul Prather and Peter Baniak. Not pictured: Elizabeth “Scoobie” Ryan and Kyle Vance (awarded posthumously).

At the 2024 Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame inductions in April, Al Cross (extension professor, JAM and director emeritus, Institute for Rural Journalism) delivered the Joe Creason Lecture in Journalism. The lecture honors the late Joe Creason, a long-time journalist for the Courier Journal.

CI alumni, faculty, staff and friends attended CI Day at Kentucky Proud Park in April. After tailgating, Acting Dean Brandi Frisby threw out the first pitch as the Wildcats took on Tennessee.

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DEBATE

HIGHLIGHTS

The UK Intercollegiate Debate team earned its ninth consecutive automatic bid to the National Debate Tournament in the 2023-2024 season.

WINNING TRADITION CONTINUES DEBATE SEASON

BY THE NUMBERS

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tournaments plus Run for the Roses Round Robin

278 debates

175

debate wins

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elimination rounds reached

8,340

minutes of speeches delivered

3,336

minutes of cross-examination

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For the ninth consecutive year, the University of Kentucky Intercollegiate Debate Team ranked in the top 16 entering the National Debate Tournament.

The 2023-2024 season began with “Work Week” before classes start, where students welcome new members, give practice speeches and prepare to debate the year’s topic about whether the United States should restrict its nuclear forces. 1995 UK Debate alumnus Jay Finch met with the team virtually from Brussels, Belgium, to share his nuclear policy experience.

The partnership of David Griffith and Jordan Di earned a coveted first-round automatic bid to the National Debate Tournament held this spring at Emory University, securing the new UK record for consecutive bids. The bid helped Griffith become only the second debater in UK history to secure four first-round at-large bids to the tournament. The team of Jared Adam and Lauren McBlain finished just outside of the automatic bid placement, ranking 21st in the nation.

In fall, UK Debate competed in eight tournaments, including the Run for the Roses, which UK hosts, where Griffith and Di finished with a 3-3 record, and beat the University of Michigan, who went on to eventually win the tournament. The pair reached the final four in the JW Patterson Debates, also hosted

by UK later that same week. First-year members Hana Bisevac, Jeremiah Rimpson and Regan

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Slish all reached the elimination rounds for the first time in their collegiate careers.

UK Debate’s spring semester started before classes with the online Fullerton/Long Beach tournament, where Kentucky teams had impressive wins over perennial powerhouse teams from Dartmouth College, Emory University and University of California, Berkeley.

The Adam/McBlain partnership was undefeated in the preliminary rounds of the Indiana University Hoosier Invitational and went on to beat teams from the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, both of whom finished the season ranked in the top 16, to eventually win the tournament.

Besides the National Debate Tournament, UK Debate’s postseason included competing at the American Debate Association National Championship at Indiana University, where three UK pairs reached the elimination rounds. The team of Adam and McBlain was awarded the Front Royal Cup, which recognizes the top-ranked team based on performance at American Debate Association tournaments throughout the year. The Griffith/Di team reached the final four and Griffith was awarded the Julia Burke Award for Character and Excellence in American Debate Association Policy Debate.

To learn about UK Debate’s outreach programs, turn to page 16.

DEBATE

HIGHLIGHTS

REMEMBERING LEGENDARY DEBATE COACH

JW Patterson Longtime University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information Professor and legendary Debate Coach JW Patterson died in December 2023 at age 95. He is survived by two brothers, a daughter and three grandsons, as well as hundreds of students and debaters he mentored.

JW PATTERSON’S HISTORIC CONTRIBUTIONS TO UK DEBATE After several years of working with the UK Debate Team as a faculty member, Patterson took over as director of the program in 1971, a position he held until 2008. During that time, UK Debate sent 21 firstround teams to the National Debate Tournament and had six top speakers at the tournament, the secondhighest number of all time. Under Patterson’s leadership, the team brought home a national championship win in 1986, runner-up in 2002 and a Copeland Award, given to the top-ranked team in the nation, in 1994. Remarkably, the Patterson era included top 10 teams across four decades.

attracts the top seven college teams in America to UK’s campus every October.

Patterson was an instructor in debate and forensics for almost 60 years, including nine years as director of Debate and Forensics at Muskogee Central High School in Muskogee, Oklahoma, one year as director of debate at the University of Arizona and 40 years as director of debate and forensics at UK.

Patterson was a longtime faculty member in the Department of Communication and an active contributor for many activities and organizations on the UK campus, including serving as the faculty advisor for the Student Government Association and special assistant to UK President John Oswald.

Patterson (back row second from left) and the 2022-2023 team after a dinner hosted by debate alumna and awardwinning chef Ouita Michel (front row far left).

Working with Oswald, Patterson directed the University’s 100th birthday celebrations, which consisted of more than 100 special events over a yearlong period. The celebration culminated with a Founder’s Day visit by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

During his tenure at Kentucky, Patterson founded the Tournament of Champions, as well as the Kentucky National High School Debate Institute, both of which attract top high school debaters from across the country. At the 2022 debate reunion, the annual Tournament of Champions was renamed in his honor.

He also founded the nationally acclaimed Henry Clay College Debate Tournament, as well as the unique Kentucky Thoroughbred Round Robin, which still

“Dr. Patterson’s legacy spans generations and has touched the lives of thousands. He was an elite debate coach, a passionate educator and the brilliant architect of what would become the modern competitive debate ecosystem in this country. What I will remember him for most, though, was his love of friends and community.”

—DAVID ARNETT, Director of UK Debate

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ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

UK and CI alums shared insights into the bourbon industry during a CI alumni webinar in March.

BOURBON INDUSTRY LEADERS SHARE INSIGHTS The College of Communication and Information hosted an alumni webinar, “In the Business of Bourbon,” in March. The panel was moderated by Anthony Limperos, Department of Communication chair, associate dean for Graduate Programs in Communication and James. B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits Faculty Fellow.

Panelists were: Tia Edwards (ISC, 2001) and Sean Edwards (MGT, 2009), owners of Fresh Bourbon, the first Black-owned bourbon distillery in Kentucky; Peggy Noe Stevens (COM, 1987), the first female master bourbon taster and president of Peggy Noe Stevens and Associates, which designs and builds brand strategies for world-renowned clients; and John Vidal (COM, 1984), vice president and director of portfolio innovation projects for Brown-Forman.

Panelists explored topics such as how students could find a career in the bourbon industry, current market trends and the future of the industry.

Panelists shared their career journeys, whether it be seeing a need for a fresh perspective on bourbon like the Edwardses, working their way up the corporate ladder through years of experience at Brown-Forman like Vidal or stepping into entrepreneurship after 17 years in the corporate world like Stevens.

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Panelists also dug into the current trends and opportunities in the bourbon industry and how they expect to see these trends play out over the next few years.

“It’s a diverse market, marketing more to different audiences, instead of the typical 30- to 50-year-old white male,” Stevens said. “Women are half of the population, and this presents a huge opportunity.”

Vidal gave insight into the current competition the bourbon industry is facing from other products, such as cannabis and THC. With the idea of building bourbon experiences in mind, the Edwardses shared how they are focusing on building a unique bourbon experience for their patrons.

“We market our fresh approach,” Tia Edwards said. “You don’t have to have a ‘neat’ experience forced on you. We’re creating a tasting room that is welcoming to everyone.”

New distilleries like Fresh Bourbon bring a rejuvenated energy to the bourbon industry, something that is necessary to parallel the growth expected in the industry, Vidal said.

Visit ci.uky.edu/bourbonpanel to view the full recording of the “In the Business of Bourbon” webinar.

ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

Left: CI’s “30 under 30” award winners (left to right): Aliyah McDaniel, Nia Pennington and Jessica Chu. Below: Kopana Terry, third from right, was a member of the Women in Bourbon Oral History project that won the Team Award.

FOUR CI ALUMNAE RECOGNIZED AT 30TH SARAH BENNETT HOLMES AWARDS Four College of Communication and Information alumnae were recognized by the University of Kentucky Women’s Forum at the 2024 Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards in March. Winners included one CI alumna for the team award and three alumnae for the “30 under 30” list.

30 also were recognized with the inaugural Sarah Bennett Holmes “30 under 30” award.

This inaugural recognition was created to honor the contributions of undergraduate and alumni women who have championed women during their undergraduate or professional endeavors.

These awards recognize individuals and teams who promote the growth and well-being of women at the University and across Kentucky. Awardees receive their monetary prize and plaque during a celebratory luncheon. The Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards are among the most esteemed honors bestowed at UK and highlight efforts that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Of the 30 award winners, three are CI alumnae: Jessica Chu (ISC, 2015), senior digital communications analyst for Yum! Brands; Nia Pennington (ISC, 2020), assistant designer for Athleta; and Aliyah McDaniel (COM, 2022), serving as an athletics communication and public relations intern at UK while completing her master’s degree in sports leadership.

CI alumna Kopana Terry (MSLS, 2007) was part of the Women in Bourbon Oral History Project team that received the Sarah Bennett Holmes Team Award. The Project documented women who helped shape the bourbon industry and the culture that surrounds it.

Sarah Bennett Holmes, a distinguished former dean of women at UK, tirelessly championed the rights of women throughout her career, inspiring young women to persevere in the face of hardship. In her honor, the UK Women’s Forum created the Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards and has been honoring women at UK who demonstrate the same principles as Holmes through their work and service since 1994.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards, 30 alumni under age

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HIGHLIGHTS

Jonathon Spalding at the “Welcome Party” event for the world’s first interstellar tourism campaign transmission.

HOW AN ISC ALUM’S IDEA BLASTED OFF ONLINE AND INTO SPACE Department of Integrated Strategic Communication graduates are trained to target specific audiences in their communication campaigns, but Jonathon Spalding (ISC, 2013) never anticipated he may need to know how to target a specific region of space and its potential alien audiences.

Last year, Spalding, creative director at Lexingtonbased advertising agency Cornett, and his colleagues were brainstorming a new campaign for long-term client, VisitLEX, the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In the last few years, Cornett and VisitLEX have encouraged “The Queen’s Gambit” fans to stop by the 21c Museum Hotel for an experience straight out of the popular Netflix show and created a brand for sneakerheads who just so happen to own (or even be) a horse with the Horse Kicks campaign. Horse Kicks became Cornett’s most successful campaign as of 2022 with 3 billion earned impressions and 274 earned media placements. The Horse Kicks campaign’s popularity soon manifested as a real business venture for local sneaker artist and central figure of the campaign, Marcus Floyd.

To top the success of Horse Kicks, Spalding and his team knew they needed an idea that was out of this world. Spalding took this phrase literally and pitched the idea of creating the world’s first interstellar tourism campaign titled “Hey, Aliens!

Look at Lexington.”

The team spent the next few months collaborating with experts from the University of Kentucky who specialize in linguistics, computer engineering,

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philosophy and science fiction to develop the ad’s message as well as a plan for transmitting the world’s first interstellar travel ad.

The collaborators crafted the message consisting of four grayscale images representing life in Lexington, an audio recording of blues music and a coded bitmap image containing clues to the message’s origin and intent. The team decided to transmit the message to a potentially habitable system 40 light years away.

The team’s hard work culminated in a “Welcome Party” event at the Kentucky Horse Park, where the team transmitted the message via infrared laser.

“Afterward, someone said, ‘I can’t believe we just threw a field party for aliens,’” Spalding said. “All I could do was laugh. It was just such a fun moment.”

Aside from the event, the team put together additional elements of the campaign, including a website with the nearly 40-year countdown until the message reaches its audience and a time capsule in the Lexington Visitors Center.

The campaign garnered more than 3 billion earned impressions and more than 1,100 earned placements. Based on these numbers, the campaign generated $28 million in earned media ad value, making it Cornett’s most successful campaign to date. The story was featured in the Washington Post, People Magazine, NPR, Fast Company, Forbes and the front page of USA Today.

Visit ci.uky.edu/aliens to read the full story.

ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

MOTHER AND DAUGHTER DUO IMPACT LIBRARIES ACROSS THE STATE Most parent-child duos never set foot in the same classroom together, unless it is for the occasional parent-teacher conference. When Marthan Damron (MSLS, 2001) and Emily Damron, now Emily Northcutt (MSLS, 2001), stepped into their first shared graduate course, the duo entered as not only mother and daughter but also as student peers ready to further their education—together.

Damron was working as a teacher at Prestonsburg Elementary in Floyd County, Kentucky, and continued to serve as a teacher and emergencycertified librarian throughout her time in the graduate program.

“There were no online classes in the late 1990s, so my mom was driving to Lexington one night a week to go to class after teaching all day,” Northcutt said.

“She took one class each semester, and she would take as many classes as she could in the summers. It was a process that required a great deal of dedication and commitment.”

Northcutt began the program shortly after completing her bachelor’s degree in teaching English at Transylvania University.

“While we were both pursuing our graduate degrees, we were coming from very different places in our teaching careers,” Northcutt said. “It was great to have her as a resource, sounding board and collaborator as I navigated the program.”

The duo graduated together in the spring of 2001.

“Graduating together was both an amazing experience and a bittersweet one,” Northcutt said. “My father had supported both of us through realizing our career dreams, but he passed away after an extended illness before we got to walk the graduation stage. I have no doubt that he was with us that day in spirit.”

After graduation, Damron returned to Prestonsburg Elementary as a fully certified school librarian and remained in that role until her retirement in 2014.

She still regularly volunteers in her former school. Damron has also been an appointee to the Floyd County Public Library board since 2017.

Northcutt has also built a notable career—but on the other side of Kentucky. She began as a school library media specialist in Lexington then spent 12 years in Hart County. When she moved back to central Kentucky, she worked in Frankfort before finding her current position as school librarian at Marnel C. Moorman School (K-8) in Shelby County. She was recently named the 2023 Outstanding School Media Librarian by the Kentucky Association of School Librarians and received the 2023 Excellence in Teaching Award from the Kentucky Library Association.

Emily Northcutt (left) and her mother, Marthan Damron (right) earned their MSLS degrees together and continue to serve their library communities across the state.

For anyone interested in serving their community, Northcutt says being a librarian is a great path for making a difference.

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ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

Mary Clark and her father John Clark in the WRFL studios on UK’s campus.

RAISED ON RADIO: When Mary Clark (MAS/A-S, 2016 and MA COM, 2021) was only 12 years old, her father, John Clark, started taking her to his radio show. Now, the Clarks are one of several father-daughter duos that make up WRFL, the University of Kentucky’s student-run radio station.

“He really made me feel like I could do anything I wanted to do,” she said. “But also, there’s this passion. I think he’s always wanted me to go above and beyond and do even more than what he’s done with it. It’s cool to have somebody who’s rooting for you like that.”

John Clark spent most of his UK career at WRFL. He started as a WRFL DJ in 1992 and has hosted or cohosted his current show for 17 years. During his time as a faculty member in the School of Journalism and Media, he was the advisor for WRFL for 22 years. He retired from the University in 2022 but still returns to WRFL every other Friday for his evening radio show “Phantom Power Double Hour.”

After graduating from UK in 2016, Mary Clark started work at another local radio station, but it wasn’t long before she returned to UK and WRFL and was once again working alongside her dad.

With his passion for radio, it only made sense that he introduced his daughter to his work from a young age. Mary Clark started reading public service announcements on air when she was in middle school. By the time she reached high school, her dad let her pick out songs to play during his show and encouraged her to get on air and talk about them.

In 2012, Mary Clark came to UK to study both art studio and media arts and studies and quickly got involved at WRFL. When she received her first full-time show at WRFL, her dad was there to support her.

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FATHER-DAUGHTER DUO SHARE SPOTLIGHT AT WRFL

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She decided to come back to UK to attend graduate school and received a Master of Arts in communication. When a position for chief operator opened at WRFL, she knew this would be the perfect opportunity to get involved again at the station.

“I’ve been here almost three years now,” she said.

“So, it’s just been full circle.”

For John Clark, working alongside his daughter over the years has been gratifying.

“I have been a single parent since she was 10 years old, and she has always gone everywhere and done everything with me,” he said. “Radio is just one of the many interests that we share, including Broadway musicals, and the arts in general. I think that’s one of the best things that family members can share.”

ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

One of the ways Symfhani FairHarris helps Cincinnati Children’s communicate with patients and families is through the “Young and Healthy” podcast.

COM DEGREES PROPEL ALUM’S IMPACT AT CINCINNATI CHILDREN’S For Symfhani Fair-Harris (COM, 2018 and MA COM, 2020), her journey from the Graduate Program in Communication to finding a passion-filled profession was more than a lucky turn of fate. She found her passion in the place she least expected— the healthcare industry.

Originally contemplating a career in higher education or the beauty industry, Fair-Harris discovered Cincinnati Children’s and fell in love with the organization’s values and commitment to making an impact.

“I wanted to work at Cincinnati Children’s because I really connected with the organization’s mission,” Fair-Harris said. “I wanted to be a part of improving child health and providing a worldclass experience for families.”

In December 2020, Fair-Harris landed a role at Cincinnati Children’s in the marketing and communication department as a social media intern. In October 2021, she was promoted to the patient and family communication team.

In her role as senior patient and family communication specialist, Fair-Harris’ day-to-day life involves making communication about visiting the hospital and a variety of healthcare topics as clear as possible for patients and families.

“I hope the work that I do helps families in some way, shape or form,” Fair-Harris said. “I just hope patients and families have a good experience with Cincinnati Children’s in whatever communication touch point they connect with.”

Some of the ways Fair-Harris helps maintain this clear communication is through creating patient-centered digital signage, managing the family-targeted newsletter and producing episodes of the medical center’s family-facing podcast, “Young & Healthy.”

Through all these projects as well as other daily responsibilities, Fair-Harris credits her time in the College of Communication and Information for helping her enhance the communication experience for Cincinnati Children’s patients and families.

“My communication degrees have helped me learn how to effectively identify audiences and hone in on my written and verbal communication skills, collaboration and teamwork,” Fair-Harris said. “I work really well with my team. I am able to collaborate and navigate relationships with various departments within the hospital, and I think the University of Kentucky really prepped me for that.”

Despite her original apprehension toward working in the healthcare industry, she is confident joining the Cincinnati Children’s team is one of the best decisions she has ever made.

“You never know where your communication skills will shine, so don’t automatically knock an industry, brand or job off your list because it might just be the perfect place for you.”

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ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENTS

Jenisha Watts (JOU, 2008, right) discussed her experiences in getting started in journalism, the role journalism plays in a healthy democracy and her position as senior editor at The Atlantic in a Q&A event for the campus and Lexington community. The event was moderated by Jen Smith (assistant professor, JAM and fellow JOU alumna, left).

Jon Carloftis’ (COM, 1986) newest book, “Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens” is now available and features photos of 24 private and public gardens he has created. Carloftis’ work has been featured in Garden & Gun, Southern Living, Better Homes & Gardens and Country Living as well as on Home and Garden Television. This is the fourth book Carloftis has published featuring his awardwinning garden design.

Former UK baseball player and collegiate sports marketing trailblazer Jim Host (TEL/MAS, 1959) received the 2024 Tom Jernstedt Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Men’s NCAA Final Four in Phoenix. The award is given to recognize distinguished professional careers dedicated to the advancement of Division I men’s basketball.

Charles Whaley (JOU, 1949), UK’s oldest living alum born on Leap Day, Feb. 29, just celebrated his 24th “real” birthday. Visit ci.uky.edu/whaley to read more about the life Whaley has lived to the fullest these past 96 years.

Matthew Luce (ICT, 2021, second from left) traveled to Copenhagen, Denmark, in July for meetings with the United Nations Office for Project Services as a part of his role as technical account manager for Google’s Public Sector.

Valerie Perry (MSLS, 1994), director of the University of Kentucky Science & Engineering Library, was awarded the Rose L. Vormelker Award from the Special Libraries Association in recognition of her active teaching and mentoring of students and working library professionals.

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ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

Two alumnae were honored at the 2023 Terry B. Mobley Philanthropy Awards ceremony. Andie Savoree (ISC, 2012, left), director of philanthropy and alumni engagement in the Gatton College of Business and Economics, received the Rising Achievement Award. Christina Yue (COM, 2011, second from right), director of strategic stakeholder events, memberships and administration in the UK Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, received the Impact Award.

Sydney McLauglin-Levrone (JOU, left), Masai Russell (COM, 2022, middle) and Ashley Kovacs (TEL/MAS, 2009, right) represented Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. McLaughlin-Levrone won gold in both the women’s 400m hurdles and the women’s 4 x 400 relay. Russell won gold in the women’s 100m hurdles.

Kovacs coached three medalists as the Team USA women’s throws coach.

In his role in Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton’s office, Jacob Keeton (COM, 2023) works on special projects for the city, including being the point person for the city’s upcoming, yearlong 250th anniversary celebration. He also serves on her communications team—writing speeches and press releases, planning press conferences, coordinating media interviews and more.

The College welcomed CI alumna Celeste Warren (TEL/MAS, 1985) to campus to share insights and breakfast with a group of 20 CI students, faculty and staff about her experiences in journalism and being a corporate executive. Read more about Warren on page 38.

Laura Ray Iwanski (ISC, 2010) was named to the 2024 Editor & Publisher’s “25 Under 35” list for the second time. She was first named to the list, which recognizes the next generation of news media professionals from print, broadcast and digital industries, in 2015. She currently works as director of digital agency sales and services for Hagadone Media Group.

Former Kentucky Kernel editor John Voskuhl (JOU, 1986) and others on the staff of Bloomberg were named finalists for Pulitzer Prizes in the investigative category for their reporting on gun violence and explanatory category for their reporting on water privatization.

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MEMBERS OF THE CI COMMUNITY

Lost in 2024

Terry Anderson, the former Associated Press chief Middle East correspondent, was best known as the longest-held Western hostage after being captured in the streets of Beirut, Lebanon, while there on assignment in 1985. He was released nearly seven years later.

In 1993, Anderson published his bestselling memoir, “Den of Lions,” which detailed his time spent in captivity.

Anderson taught a mass media diversity class focusing on international journalism from 2009-2011 in the University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media. Based on his previous work at Ohio University establishing a connection for student to news outlets in the Middle East, he also worked with UK’s provost to broaden the university’s global reach. Anderson helped expand education abroad opportunities, attract more international students to the university and establish new faculty-exchange programs. He also worked to place UK journalism students in international internships.

Anderson died in April at age 76.

For information on the passing of legendary UK Debate coach JW Patterson, turn to page 47.

Bernie Vonderheide spent more than 20 years as the director of public relations at the University of Kentucky. While in this role, he helped lead the University through challenges, including the NCAA basketball scandal in the late 1980s, while always being the voice for honesty and transparency.

While at UK, Vonderheide created and hosted “Campus Scene,” a radio segment broadcast during halftime of UK football and basketball games. For his segments, Vonderheide interviewed students and faculty about their academic and community successes, helping to increase the awareness of UK’s impact outside of athletics.

Prior to joining UK, Vonderheide served as editor-in-chief of Rural Kentuckian magazine and led the subsequent expansion of the Kentucky Farmer franchise across several other states.

He also worked in public relations at the Courier Journal in Louisville, Kentucky, where he launched the “Newspapers in the Classroom” project for area schools.

He later became a feature columnist for the Louisville Times, focusing on showcasing inspiring stories about the people and personalities of Kentuckiana.

In 2005, the Bernie Vonderheide Scholarship in Public Relations was established to support undergraduate majors in the College who demonstrate interest in public relations as a career and have journalistic writing experience.

Visit ci.uky.edu/vonderheide to support the scholarship.

Vonderheide died in June at age 92.

Jim Nelson (MSLS, 1969) was appointed as the commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives under Governor John Y. Brown in 1980 and served under six different governors for 26 years, Kentucky’s longest serving state librarian.

Among his numerous professional accomplishments, Nelson worked with Paul Patton’s EMPOWER Kentucky, the Kentucky Virtual Library and the Gates Library Foundation’s partnership with public libraries to bring access to computers and digital information to library patrons.

He served on or chaired numerous boards, including the State Archives and Records Commission, the Southeastern Library Network and the Legislative Assembly of the American Library Association.

He was a longtime board member of the Kentucky Library Association and a recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award. Today, the KLA annually gives the James A. Nelson Advocacy Award in recognition of his efforts.

Nelson received the Outstanding Alumnus Award from the University of Kentucky College of Library and Information Science in 1985. He championed the 1993 merger of the College of Library and Information Science with the then College of Communications, which formed the current structure of CI. Nelson was the first chair of CI’s National Advisory Board under Dean Dan O’Hair and continuously served on that body and its successor, the Dean’s Leadership Council under Dean Jennifer Greer, for nearly 15 years.

Nelson died in September at age 83.

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GIVING I M PA C T

JIM BOWLING’S LASTING LEGACY One of the College’s longest running and most prestigious annual events marked its 25th year in 2024. The James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence Lecture Series, founded in 1999 and hosted by the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, honors the legacy of James C. “Jim” Bowling. Bowling was senior vice president of corporate affairs and assistant to the chairman of the Philip Morris Companies Inc. He also was a proud Kentuckian, a nationally recognized public relations expert and a friend of the University of Kentucky.

Following the 2023 passing of Ann Bowling, Bowling’s wife of nearly 50 years until his death in 1997, the family continued its generous support of the College’s Bowling fund through an estate gift, marking one of the largest single gifts in the College’s history.

This gift allows the College to continue welcoming nationally recognized public relations professional to UK’s campus each year, providing students, faculty, staff and alumni the opportunity to hear expert insights into current issues facing the PR industry.

This fund also supports the Excellence in Public Relations Award, given annually to an outstanding public relations practitioner with ties to Kentucky.

Amanda Nelson (ISC, 2002), 2001 James C. Bowling Scholarship recipient with Ann Bowling.

Beyond the lecture and award, the Bowling fund also supports the James C. Bowling Scholarship for ISC majors. Each year, one outstanding integrated strategic communication student with a career interest in public relations is named the Bowling scholar and is awarded the College’s largest scholarship. The additional gift from the Bowling estate allowed for several smaller additional Bowling scholarships to be awarded for 2024-2025 and beyond.

Ann Bowling, second from right, with former Bowling Scholarship recipients (left to right) Rachel McMahan (ISC, 2013) and Heather Chapman (ISC, 2015) and Amanda Nelson in 2014.

Visit ci.uky.edu/bowlinglegacy to hear from Bowling’s colleagues and former Bowling scholars about the impact this gift and the Bowling family continue to have on the College.

To learn more about estate gifts, contact CI Philanthropy Director Nathan Darce at nathan.darce@uky.edu or (859) 257-3033.

Members of the Bowling family at the 25th anniversary of the lecture series, from left to right: Doug Longnecker, Taylor Gramps Longnecker, Jim Metzger, Belinda Metzger, Former UK President Charles Wethington, lecture series founder Jack Guthrie, Nancy Gramps, Steve Gramps, 2024 Bowling Lecturer Cody Keenan and UK Vice President for University Relations Tom Harris.

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GIVING I M PA C T

SUPPORTING PUBLIC AFFAIRS JOURNALISM Al Cross, the senior statesman of Kentucky’s political journalists and a longtime journalism professor in the College of Communication and Information, may have retired in 2024, but he’s not done supporting journalism. Cross and his wife, Patti, recently started a new endowment in CI to ensure that public affairs journalism stays vibrant for years to come.

Patti and Al Cross, along with donors from the Tall Grass Farm Foundation, worked to establish the College's first endowment to support public affairs journalism.

2024 ONE DAY FOR UK

$23 109 thousand

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gifts

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Cross, now an emeritus journalism professor, wanted to ensure that the School of Journalism and Media always has support for teaching and research related to the First Amendment and public affairs reporting. The Cross Fund is aimed at educating future journalists on how to cover governmental actions and elected officials, something Cross did for years as a faculty member and founding director of the Institute for Rural Journalism in CI. With support from the Tallgrass Farm Foundation and other donors, the Cross Fund is designed to grow into a full professorship over time to continue Cross’ legacy of teaching student journalists the importance and skills of public affairs

journalism, especially as news deserts spread in the nation’s rural areas.

Lois Mateus of the Tallgrass Farm Foundation said her commitment to the fund came from seeing Cross’ dedication to rural journalism, his passion for straightforward reporting and his longtime leadership of the Institute for Rural Journalism.

As the U.S. continues to see news outlets close weekly, with others fighting to stay afloat, new business models to support this vital reporting must be discovered.

Reporting about government and politics can be seen as dull or unimportant by news organizations looking to generate clicks as well as by student journalists, Cross said.

“We have a problem on both the supply side and the demand side, so we need a faculty member who is dedicated to governmental and political reporting, setting good examples for other schools to follow and attracting students to public affairs reporting,” Cross said.

“After all, this is the fundamental function of journalism in our democratic republic.”

CI focuses on student success in all the work we do. Our definition of success extends beyond the classroom and into students’ professional careers. In 2024, the College chose to focus CI’s One Day for UK campaign on supporting our CI career readiness initiatives. This includes site visits with innovative and exciting companies, internship assistance, professional development certifications and workshops, conference attendance and career fairs. Craig Kurz (JOU, 1984) gave $5,000 after 50 people donated to CI and John Ramsey (TEL/MAS, 1995) gave $5,000 after 75 people donated to CI. Thank you to Craig, John and all our donors.

Mark your calendar now for One Day for UK 2025 on April 24, 2025!

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 125 CI students are awarded nearly $300,000 in scholarships and awards. Here are a few of their stories, in their own words. We thank our donors for helping our students.

“

Being a part of the College of Communication and Information has given me ample opportunities to not only grow academically but also professionally. As an out-of-state student, the additional expense of my schooling places a financial burden on my family. Thanks to CI’s generous donors, I receive scholarships to help ease this burden and achieve my goals.

Skilar (ICT)

”

“

None of this journey would be made possible for me without assistance from scholarship awards. An education is priceless, but college makes a large financial impact on a student and their family. Last summer, my mother was diagnosed with a rare form of blood cancer, which came with an abundance of medical bills for my family. In other words, the scholarships I received from CI could not have been given to me at a better time.

It will be put to great use and means more than you could ever know.

Kayla (ISC)

”

“

Thanks to scholarships and the student resources that the UK College of Communication and Information provides, challenges I have faced during my time here at UK have appeared as only small bumps along my path to success, rather than a mountain I would have to climb alone.

Kennedy (JOU)

”

“

It has been difficult for me and my family to ensure economic stability with the ongoing currency change in my country.

The idea of pursuing a higher education degree outside of my home country seemed impossible, but thanks to CI’s donors I see a bright future in the continuation of my dream to get my undergraduate degree.

Manuela (COM)

”

“

Scholarships like this one allow me to focus on gaining valuable experience in my free time rather than stressing about financing my education. This generous gift allows me to continue working toward my degree and gives me the chance to use my time here at UK to its fullest extent to help prepare me for a successful future career.

Zach (MAS)

”

“

Your generous gift has allowed me to continue working toward my goals and will enable me to continue to develop and hone my skills as I work towards public librarianship or working in a museum. I want to sincerely thank you for your generous gift as it will allow me some relief from worrying about my tuition as my family and I grow and adjust to life with a toddler and a newborn.

Cody (MSLS)

Scan here to support our scholarship fund and students like these.

CI CONNECT

2023-2024

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308 Lucille Little Library University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506-0224

WAYS TO GIVE:

1.

Help Us

SHAPE PASSIONS INTO PROFESSIONS!

Your support today helps the College of Communication and Information shape tomorrow’s leaders.

Scan the QR code.

2.

Contact Nathan Darce at

or (859) 257-3033.

3.

nathan.darce@uky.edu

Visit ci.uky.edu/alumni/giving to make a gift.