UK Marks 137 th Commencement and Recognition Ceremonies
The University of Kentucky will celebrate its 137 th Commencement at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at Rupp Arena. Approximately 6,020 students are candidates for degrees. The Commencement speaker will be UK alumnus George Carlton Wright, president of Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas. Wright also will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree at the ceremony. The graduating student speaker will be Elizabethtown native Donald Clyde “D.C.” Storm, who will receive a degree in accounting and finance. UK’s colleges and other programs also will hold special events during Commencement weekend, including:
Several University of Kentucky graduate programs are among the nation’s best, according to newly released rankings from U.S.News & World Report. Each year, U.S. News ranks graduate programs in the areas of business, education, engineering, law and medicine. The rankings are based on expert opinion about program quality and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. UK graduate programs included in the U.S. News’ rankings, listed alphabetically, are: College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology, clinical psychology/doctorate, 49th; College of Education, overall, 62nd; College of Engineering, civil, 65th; College of Engineering, mechanical, 66th; College of Health Sciences, physical therapy/master’s and doctorate, 35th; College of Law, overall, 50th; College of Health Sciences, Speech-Language Pathology/master’s, 72nd; Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, master’s in Public Affairs, 34th; Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, Public Finance and Budgeting, sixth; College of Medicine, Rural Medicine, 20th; College of Nursing, master’s, 29th; and College of Social Work, master’s, 38th.
A dedication ceremony was held April 23 for the new 108,345-square-foot, $25 million UK Linda and Jack Gill Building that houses the UK Linda and Jack Gill Heart Institute and the UK Center for Advanced Surgery. The completion of the Gill Building defines an era and setting for the UK Chandler Medical Center and serves as a gateway to the University of Kentucky campus. Construction of the five-story facility began in April 2000, more than two years after Linda and Jack Gill of Houston, Texas, donated $5 million for the project and to establish three endowed chairs and 10 endowed professorships, all matched by the Research Challenge Trust Fund, for research and special programs. The gift is one of the largest individual gifts ever given to UK. The UK Center for Advanced Surgery was opened for outpatient surgery patients in February 2004. The UK Gill Heart Institute opened for patients in mid-April.
UK Hospital Performs State’s First Complete Robotic Procedure
UK Hospital announced in mid-April that it performed the state’s first laparoscopic radical prostatectomy utilizing robotic instruments from the beginning to the end of the surgical procedure in February. Stephen Strup, associate professor of surgery and director of Minimally Invasive Urologic Surgery, Division of Urology, UK College of Medicine, performed a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci® Surgical System, developed by Intuitive Surgical. Earlier this year, UK Hospital was the first hospital in Kentucky to perform a minimally invasive, coronary artery bypass graft using surgical robotic instruments.
Provost Names 2004 Outstanding Teachers at UK
The 2004 Provost Awards for Outstanding Teaching were presented recently to four tenured faculty members, one non-tenured faculty member, and two teaching assistants. Tenured faculty members receiving $5,000 awards are Jamshed Kanga, professor of pediatrics and chief of the Division of Pediatric Pulmonology in the College of Medicine; Penny Miller, associate professor of political science in the College of Arts and Sciences; Daniel Richardson, professor of physiology in the College of Medicine; and Jeffrey Peters, associate professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures in the College of Arts and Sciences. Receiving $3,500 for being named the outstanding non-tenured faculty member is Yolanda Pierce, assistant professor of English in the College of Arts and Sciences. Teaching assistants receiving $1,000 awards are Chad Morris, Anthropology, and Joe Sanders, English, both in the College of Arts and Sciences. The UK awards for outstanding teaching have been presented since 1990.
Early Update on Progress of UK’s 2003-2006 Strategic Plan Is Available
An initial update of progress on the UK strategic plan, The Dream & the Challenge, has been completed and is available to the university community. This brief report – & Success – provides recent information on 12 of the 26 key indicators in the plan. Thus far, the university achieved its goals on three key indicators: the six-year graduation rate; results of the National Survey of Student Engagement; and enrollment of postdoctoral scholars. Good progress is evident on seven key indicators, and progress was mixed or reversed on two indicators. dditional updates will soon be available through a new Web site devoted to The Dream & the Challenge.
Three Win 2004 Sullivan Awards for Community Service
An Alzheimer’s disease patient advocate, an organ-donor activist, and a volunteer in Lexington arts and food drives have been chosen as the recipients of the 2004 Algernon Sydney Sullivan Medallions to be presented Saturday, May 8, at the University of Kentucky’s 137 th Commencement at Rupp Arena. The recipients are Virginia Marsh Bell, the non-student winner; Amelia C. Brown, the graduating female student winner; and Albert Kalim, the graduating male student winner. Bell, 81, who earned her master’s degree in social work at UK in 1982, has been active for more than 20 years in assisting Alzheimer’s disease patients. Bell also was recently inducted into the UK College of Social Work Hall of Fame. Brown has been active in UK’s Gift of Life Challenge encouraging organ donation signups, Stop the Violence, which encourages school children to prevent school violence; Relay for Life, raising money for cancer research; Jarrett’s Joy Cart, which collects toys for pediatric cancer patients; and the Ronald McDonald House, among other programs. Kalim has served as an adviser in Student Activities Program Management at UK. He repeatedly volunteered for various activities, including being a coordinator for new students during Welcome Week at UK and for special events for the Student Volunteer Center.
College of Social Work Receives Award
The UK College of Social Work received the Joan Stoeckinger Award for Exemplary Service, given annually by the National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ). This award recognizes the College of Social Work for its exemplary contributions to furthering NCCJ's mission of "fighting bias, bigotry and racism while promoting respect and understanding among all races, cultures and religions."
UK, Mary Chiles Hospital Open Outpatient Cancer Treatment Center in Mt. Sterling
A grand opening was held April 29 for the new Kentucky Clinic Mt. Sterling Cancer Treatment Center. The state-of-the-art outpatient cancer facility, located in Mt. Sterling, is a collaborative effort of Mary Chiles Hospital, the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center and UK’s Department of Radiation Medicine. Patients in Mt. Sterling and surrounding communities now will be able to receive treatment closer to home. The center is one of several facilities where UK has partnered with local hospitals. Including Mt. Sterling, the University of Kentucky offers outpatient radiation oncology services in Berea, Georgetown, Maysville and Morehead.
UK Opens New Pediatric Hematology-oncology Clinic
Pediatric hematology-oncology patients scheduled for a physician visit at UK now receive treatment in a new, beautiful state-of-the-art clinic. The facility includes the first outpatient pediatric sedation center in Kentucky. Built exclusively from donations, the $750,000 clinic is the result of a community effort to improve the outpatient facilities where children, including cancer patients, undergo medical procedures and receive intravenous medications and blood transfusions. The 3,000-square-foot clinic, constructed in existing space inside Kentucky Clinic, includes a new pediatric satellite pharmacy to support pediatric hematology-oncology and the UK Hemophilia Treatment Center; new comfortable and private “family-room” style IV infusion and transfusion rooms; a laboratory area for performing automated blood counts in the office setting to reduce waiting time; computers with Internet access in the waiting area to guide parents to reputable Internet sites and empower them to learn more about their child’s disease; and a private medical staff work area.
College of Nursing Creates Program Aimed at Easing Nation’s Nurse Shortage
In an effort to respond to the growing shortage of nurses nationwide, the College of Nursing will offer the Second Degree B.S.N. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) option, beginning June 10, 2004. The program is designed for those who desire a nursing career, but have a bachelor’s degree in another field. A career in nursing offers advancement potential, a flexible work schedule, competitive salary, work variety and job security. UK Hospital and Saint Joseph Healthcare are contributing partial funding for this new nursing career option. The College of Nursing has received expressions of interest from more than 600 potential applicants over the past two years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million new and replacement nurses are needed by 2012. The U.S. Department of Labor has identified registered nursing as the top occupation in terms of job growth through the year 2012.
UK Health Literacy Project Unveils ‘Well on Your Way’ Program
The UK Health Literacy Project recently introduced its latest program, Well on Your Way, or WOW. It is an incentive-based program whereby UK employees earn wellness credits by practicing healthful behaviors, and prizes are given for earning a pre-determined number of credits. WOW joins other programs such as BEH.I.P., REACH and Healthtrac Rewards in helping employees improve their health and hold down cost increases in health benefits.
Alumnae Inducted Into College of Social Work Hall of Fame
Virginia Marsh Bell, Social Work (MSW 1982), was inducted into the College of Social Work Hall of Fame in late April. Bell is known for her work with persons with Alzheimer's disease and, specifically, for the creation of Helping Hand, one of the first dementia-specific adult day care centers in the country. Ms. Bell is an internationally recognized expert on caring for persons with Alzheimer's disease.
Two UK Undergraduates Win Beckman Scholarships for Research
Two UK College of Arts and Sciences undergraduate biology students have been awarded research scholarships made possible through a grant from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. UK junior biology majors Stephanie Lynn Logsdon and Brandon Michael Sutton, both from Louisville, will each receive scholarships totaling $17,600 to support their undergraduate work over the next 15 months. Logsdon has a 4.0 cumulative GPA and will work with Robin Cooper, professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, studying various aspects of synaptic transmission. Sutton has a 3.7 cumulative GPA and will be working with Diane Snow, associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology, and George Smith, associate professor of physiology, both in the UK College of Medicine. His research will focus on the glial scar that develops following spinal cord injury, inhibiting the regeneration of nerve cells. In 2002 UK was selected, along with 12 other research colleges and universities, to participate in the Beckman Scholars Program for three years. This coming year is the final year of UK’s initial award, however the university has been invited to apply for another three-year award and will be notified by early 2005 if chosen.
UK, CHA Health, WKYT-TV to Honor Kentucky’s High School Sophomores
UK unveiled a new program recognizing academically talented and community-oriented high school sophomores from throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The program will be facilitated through UK’s Office of Undergraduate Admission and University Registrar. The program, called “Class of Kentucky,” honors one top sophomore from each high school in the state. More than 300 students are expected to be selected. They will be featured in television spots airing on WKYT-TV, WYMT-TV, WBKO-TV, and WAVE-TV throughout the state, and they will be invited to attend a day-long program at UK in July to introduce them to college life and the University of Kentucky. Class of Kentucky represents a partnership between UK, CHA Health and WKYT-TV. Its purpose is to promote and recognize the outstanding achievements of the Commonwealth’s best and brightest students. Each student will be selected by their high school based on academic record, community service and leadership within their school.
College of Engineering Inducts Six Into Alumni Hall of Distinction
Six UK alumni were inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Distinction in mid-April, recognizing their accomplishments and contributions to their profession. They are Vijay K. Dhir of Los Angeles, dean of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science at the University of California at Los Angeles; Billy Harper of Paducah, founder and president of Harper Industries Inc.; Edward Lassiter of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., who directed several aspects of national space programs; Aubrey D. May of Lexington, who was involved in many major construction projects affecting Kentucky; Corneilius J. “Neil” Starkey IV of Lexington, a former executive of DataBeam Corp. who now leads the strategic technology relationship team for the chief technology officer of IBM Federal; and J. M. “Mac” Yowell of Versailles, Kentucky, state highway engineer.
Three Gatton College Alumni Inducted Into Business Hall of Fame
The Gatton College of Business and Economics honored three of its best during the 11 th Hall of Fame Induction. The 2004 inductees are Cynthia Harkins Haynes, vice president, assistant secretary and assistant general counsel for Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) in Dallas, Texas; James R. Ramsey, president of the University of Louisville; and Creed F. Smith, president of Carbon Consulting Inc. in Houston, Texas.
Two UK Students Win NSF Grants for Graduate Studies
Two UK students who will graduate this week have been awarded National Science Foundation grants to pursue graduate studies. John H. “Jack” Challis of Erlanger and Ryan Gabbard of Louisville, both UK Singletary Scholars, will each receive $30,000 per year in NSF grants for three years of graduate studies. Additionally, NSF will pay their tuition and fees at the institutions where they study. Challis, who also received $7,500 from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program in his junior year at UK, will receive a bachelor’s degree in physics and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the College of Arts and Sciences during UK’s 137th Commencement. He will pursue a doctorate in physics from Yale beginning this fall. Gabbard, will receive a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a second degree in linguistics from the College of Arts and Sciences. He will study computer science at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, this fall.
UK Joins National Trauma Centers in Blood Substitute Test
UK is joining a select number of trauma centers across the country in a national clinical trial to evaluate the ability of an investigational blood substitute to reduce mortality among severely injured trauma patients. About two million Americans suffer trauma-related injuries each year, and trauma is the leading cause of death among those under 45 years old. The selected trauma centers, including UK Hospital’s, will evaluate the safety and efficacy of an investigational oxygen-carrying blood substitute in treating severely injured and bleeding patients. More than 20 sites in the United States are expected to participate. The blood substitute, PolyHeme®, is universally compatible with all blood types and can be given to trauma victims in the field, whereas blood typically is not. The controlled study will investigate if PolyHeme, with its oxygen-bearing capacity, increases survival of critically injured and bleeding patients. PolyHeme is manufactured by Northfield Laboratories Inc. of Evanston, Ill.
Digital Mapping of Kentucky Completed
On April 30, the Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS) commemorated the completion of the digital mapping of Kentucky. Kentucky is the first state in the nation to achieve this milestone in the history of geologic mapping in the United States. Susan Bush, commissioner, Department for Natural Resources, Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet; Randall Orndorff, associate program coordinator, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Va.; and Ron Gilkerson, chair of KGS Advisory Board and president of GRW in Lexington, were special guests at the ceremony.
UK Hospital Improves Patient Care with Vocera Communications®
To streamline the communications process and improve patient care and satisfaction, the UK Hospital Emergency Department has installed the Vocera Communications® system. The system features a lightweight wearable badge that enables instant voice communications over a wireless network. UK Hospital is the first organization in Kentucky to implement Vocera. Over 200 staff members across shifts in the UK Emergency Department are using the Vocera Communications badges.
Former Attorney General Janet Reno Speaks at College of Law
Janet Reno, the first woman Attorney General of the United States, spoke at the College of Law courtroom in mid-April. Reno’s visit was part of UK’s commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling that ended racial segregation in public schools.
Rites of Passage Honors African-American Health Professions Students
The Office for Multicultural and Academic Affairs and the Chandler Medical Center held the ninth annual Rites of Passage Ceremony to honor this year’s 24 African-American health professions graduates in late April. The event honored students in the tradition of Native and African-American ancestors, and was a solemn tribute to the importance of their accomplishments. The ceremony served as an observance of their passage from the role of student to that of health professional. The guest speaker was John Wesley Hatch, the William R. Kenan Chair in Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of North Carolina School of Public Health and the first African American to be admitted to the University of Kentucky.
Journalism and Telecommunciations School Offers ‘Storytelling’ Program
Television news crews from around the United States and the world visited UK in late April for an intense journalism training symposium focusing on “advanced storytelling.” This is the second year for the symposium, sponsored by the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) under the direction of Yvonne Cappe, an assistant professor in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications in the UK College of Communications and Information Studies.
InterDisciplinary Human Development Institute Creates Award for Service to Disabled
The UK Interdisciplinary Human Development Institute (IHDI) has created an award honoring former UK student and IHDI consultant Paul Kevin Burberry. The award will be given annually to a student who demonstrates a strong commitment to people with disabilities through university and community projects and experiences as well as the leadership qualities exemplified by Burberry. The nominating period runs through May 1, and the $500 award will be announced July 2. For information about the award or to nominate a student, contact Barney Fleming at (859) 257-7225 or bflemin@uky.edu or visit the IHDI Web site at http://www.ihdi.uky.edu/.
UK Police Seeks International Accreditation
The UK Police Department is seeking international accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. UKPD already is accredited by the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police, which requires compliance with more than 100 state standards. Taking this process to the next level will require compliance with nearly 450 international standards. Other law enforcement agencies in Kentucky that have received CALEA accreditation include the Lexington-Fayette Division of Police and Kentucky State Police. Two Southeastern Conference schools, the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina, have obtained accreditation while Vanderbilt University has begun the process.
Election Begins in Race for Staff Representative to Board of Trustees
Electronic voting for the staff representative to the Board of Trustees is under way through May 14. UK Women’s Forum hosted four campus events in April to give employees the opportunity to meet and hear from the candidates. UK Staff Senate provides an informative Web site about the candidates and the election process at www.uky.edu/Staff/Senate/BOTinfo.htm.
Staff Appreciation Day Is Set for May 14
UK’s annual Staff Appreciation Day will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 14, in Memorial Coliseum. The UK Women’s Forum sponsors this annual event that attracts more than 4,000 staff members. They receive a pizza lunch, a T-shirt and giveaways from various departments and university vendors.
Floral Artists Create Spectacular Displays at UK Art Museum
Floral artists from about 25 local florist companies created spectacularly colored arrangements for the popular “Art in Bloom” exhibit at the UK Art Museum in the Singletary Center for the Arts in mid-April. The florists devised creative arrangements using flowers, plants and other natural elements to interpret artwork from some of the museum’s permanent collection and pieces from the current exhibit “A Ceramic Continuum: Fifty Years of the Archie Bray Influence.”
Markey Cancer Center Offers Free Prostate Cancer and Oral Cancer Screens
In an effort to provide the best in cancer prevention, Markey Cancer Center offered free prostate cancer and oral cancer screenings in the month of April. The free prostate cancer screenings are made possible, in part, through the generous support of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, and most cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 50. Oral cavity cancer is greatest in men over 40 years of age. The screenings took less than two minutes and was performed by faculty/staff members of the UK College of Dentistry and the UK Department of General Surgery.
UK COPC’s First Citizens Leadership Academy Class Graduates
The UK Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC) honored the first graduates of the Citizens Leadership Academy (CLA) during a ceremony on April 27. The CLA was developed by the UK COPC in partnership with the Bluegrass-Aspendale Teen Center, the East End Empowerment Program, LexLinc, and the YWCA Phillis Wheatley Center. It is a leadership development project designed to educate, enlighten and empower grassroots community leaders.
Retired UK Graduate School Dean Gets Lyons Service Award
The UK William E. Lyons Award for Outstanding Service for 2004 was awarded to Wimberly C. Royster, retired dean of the UK Graduate School and vice president for research and graduate studies. The award honors William E. (Bill) Lyons, who taught political science at UK from 1968 until his death in 1994. The Lyons award is presented to a person associated with UK who has contributed significantly to the university, the community or the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A Henderson County native, Royster received a doctorate in mathematics at UK in 1952. He joined the mathematics department’s faculty in 1956, becoming chair of the department in 1962. In 1969, he was named dean of UK’s College of Arts and Sciences. Royster has attracted nearly $41 million in National Science Foundation (NSF) funding to UK in his career including a recent $25 million grant to attract and prepare science, technology and mathematics kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers in Appalachian schools. Royster also served as director of UK’s Advanced Science and Technology Commercialization Center (ASTeCC). UK awarded Royster an honorary doctorate in 2001.
UK Wellness Program Schedules Events to Promote Healthy Lifestyles
The UK Wellness Program offers upcoming events to help employees, retirees and spouses maintain a healthy lifestyle. May 10-14, the UK Wellness Program will sponsor a campuswide bingo game to help UK employees eat five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. To get the bingo card, visit www.uky.edu/HR/Wellness, contact Karen Bryla at kybryl2@uky.edu, or contact Theresa Kremer at tekrem1@uky.edu or all (859) 257-5159. The 11 th annual Wellness Conference, “A Holiday for Health & Humor: Reach for the Stars” will be held Thursday, May 13, at the Student Center. Great sessions to choose from include, To Carb or Not to Carb, How to Get Organized, From the Field to the Table, Dance Around the World and more. Prize drawings are held at each session. All the information and a registration form are available on the Web at www.uky.edu/HR/wellness/wellness_conference.html. The 5K Your Way to Wellness Run/Walk will be Saturday, May 15, at shelter six in Jacobson Park. Registration is at 7:15 a.m. The registration is $10 for UK employees, spouses, and retirees; $15 for all others; and $25 the day of the race. Registration forms are available on the Web at www.uky.edu/HR/wellness/wellness_5k.html, at John’s Run/Walk Shop or the Wellness Program office. For more information for these events, call (859) 257-9355.
Former Senator Huddleston, Journalism Grads Offer Insights at Wilson Symposium
Former Senator Walter D. Huddleston, a 1949 graduate of UK’s Radio program, participated in the second annual Richard G. Wilson Alumni Speaker’s Symposium in late March. Alumni Bill Straub and Judith Clabes also participated in the forum titled “Covering the Big Race.” The symposiums are named after former Courier-Journal Reporter Richard Wilson who also served as interim director of Journalism and Telecommunications in the College of Communications and Information Studies.
UK Hospital Is Part of Habitat for Humanity House-building Team
UK Hospital is teaming with other Lexington health care facilities to raise funds and muscle to build a Habitat for Humanity house in Lexington during National Hospital Week May 9-14. The construction cost of the house is $37,500. To make a donation, contact Ame Sweetall at (859) 257-1121. Other participating facilities include Cardinal Hill Rehabilitation Hospital, Central Baptist Hospital, Lexington Clinic, Saint Joseph HealthCare, and Samaritan Hospital.
Groundbreaking for New Gainesway Playground and Park
Citizens and agencies working together in the Lexington community of Gainesway gathered in late April to break ground for a new community playground and park. A $60,000 UK Children’s Hospital grant received from the Allstate Foundation and the Injury Free Coalition for Kids provided the last missing piece of money for the playground, long envisioned by a group including the Gainesway Empowerment Center, the United Way Success By 6® iniative, LexLinc, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Division of Parks and Recreation and Minnifield-Cutter-Ball Inc. The playground will be fully constructed this summer.
UK’s Kentucky Snake Identification Web Site Tops Google’s List in Category
UK’s Kentucky Snake Identification site is the number one snake identification site listed on the World Wide Web by Google.com, reports Tom Barnes, Forestry. The site can be accessed at www.kentuckysnakes.org/.
Student Awards and Achievements