Community Programs

The school takes great pride in its outreach to the professional media community and the public. Engagement and inclusivity are hallmarks of the school, its faculty and students. Please take a moment to browse through our many community-oriented activities.

Institutes and Centers

The Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues

IRJCI is a public policy institute that helps non-metropolitan journalists define the public agenda for their communities, and grasp the local impact of broader issues. A key feature of the IRJCI web site is The Rural Blog, a daily compendium of rural issues, trends and events. IRJCI is directed by Al Cross, a long-time political journalist and former national president of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The Scripps Howard First Amendment Center

The Scripps Howard First Amendment Center promotes understanding of the First Amendment among citizens of Kentucky, advocates for First Amendment rights in the Commonwealth and nationally, and produces internationally recognized scholarship concerning the First Amendment and its related freedoms. The Scripps Howard First Amendment Center is directed by Mike Farrell, former managing editor of The Kentucky Post.

Professional Recognition Programs

The Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame

The school is the home of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, which honors persons who have made substantial professional contributions to the field of journalism. Inductees must either be Kentucky natives or have spent a large part of their career in Kentucky.

The Excellence in Public Relations Award

The Excellence in Public Relations Award is presented annually to a distinguished public relations practitioner who has spent the majority of his or her career in Kentucky.

Annual Lectures

The Joe Creason Lecture Series

The annual Joe Creason Lecture in Journalism honors the memory of Joe Creason, a graduate of the University of Kentucky and a long-time columnist for The Courier-Journal (Louisville) and The Courier-Journal Sunday Magazine. The Creason Lecture brings a prominent journalist to campus each spring for a public lecture.

The James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence Program

The annual James C. Bowling Executive-in-Residence Program brings a nationally-known public relations practitioner to campus each fall to meet with students and present a public lecture. The series honors the memory of Jim Bowling, senior vice president of corporate affairs and assistant to the chairman of Philip Morris Companies Inc.

Programs for High School Students

The school participates in the Kentucky High School Journalism Association. School faculty members assist in KHSJA judging, and participate, along with school students, in the annual KHSJA convention.

High School Journalism Workshops

The school offers two summer workshops for high school students and recent graduates. The Advanced Workshop is a week-long program for students with previous journalism experience. The Dow Jones Workshop is a 10-day program sponsored by the Dow Jones Newspaper Fund.