Behind the Blue

LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 10, 2022) – In the fall of 2020, the University of Kentucky announced plans to establish a proposed Commonwealth Institute for Black Studies (CIBS) – a multidisciplinary program designed to highlight UK’s growing research around issues of race and racism.

The interdisciplinary institute establishes research clusters across the campus and promotes the university’s growing research and scholarship on topics of importance in African history and African American history, such as slavery and the quest for freedom, racial discrimination and violence, and the long struggle for civil rights.

This year, the university has announced continued annual funding of $200,000 through UK’s Office for Institutional Diversity – an important step forward in helping the institute achieve its goals.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, Dr. Anastasia Curwood, director of CIBS and African American and Africana Studies (AAAS) at UK, talks about the continued mission of the institute, the connections that present day issues have to Black studies, a student body hungry for this kind of information, and more.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

For more information about CIBS, including ways you can support, visit https://cibs.as.uky.edu/.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 3, 2022) – For Kayli Bolton, adversity in life became a driving force during high school. The Corbin, Kentucky native says it was her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis during her sophomore year that influenced her choice of studies in college, along with an interest in biomedical sciences research.

Since the beginning of her freshman year at UK, Bolton has been active in undergraduate research working in Professor Matthew Gentry’s laboratory in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry in the UK College of Medicine. She has had the opportunity to participate in several metabolomics projects concerning glycogen storage diseases in Gentry’s Lab and describes her experience as a crucial launching point for her continued research in graduate school and her career. One of UK's three 2021-22 Goldwater Scholars, Bolton is also part of the Markey STRONG Scholars Program.

Now a junior majoring in biology in the UK College of Arts and Sciences, Bolton is also a member of the Lewis Honors College. In addition to her other accolades, Bolton was announced as one of 2021’s 60 recipients to be awarded a scholarship of up to $15,000 from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF). The ASF Scholarship is presented annually to outstanding college students majoring in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM).

A nonprofit organization, ASF was established by the Mercury Astronauts in 1984. Its goal is to aid the U.S. in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for exceptional college students pursuing degrees in these fields. Since that time, astronauts from the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs have joined in this educational endeavor. UK students have earned a total of $216,000 from the ASF since 1998.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

The Office of Nationally Competitive Awards assists current UK undergraduate and graduate students and recent alumni in applying for external scholarships and fellowships funded by sources (such as a nongovernment foundation or government agency) outside the university. These awards honor exceptional students across the nation. Students who are interested in these opportunities are encouraged to begin work with the office, housed in the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, well in advance of the scholarship deadline. Staff is available for in-person and virtual appointments to discuss opportunities for the 2021-2022 academic year and beyond.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 27, 2022) – When University of Kentucky alum Elle Smith was crowned Miss USA in November, her life changed in an instant.

With her name catapulted into the national spotlight, Smith quickly learned the power of the Miss USA title and platform, and the importance of capitalizing on every open door.

During her year of reign as Miss USA, Smith will work with the National Cervical Cancer Coalition to educate women about cervical cancer prevention and treatment in an effort to empower women to seek preventative care.

She ultimately chose this platform in honor of her late grandmother, who passed away from the disease in 2015.

As Smith prepares for her year of advocacy ahead, she spoke with experts from the UK Markey Cancer Center about the importance of education and awareness surrounding cervical cancer, including preventative screenings and immunization.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, Smith is joined by Dr. Rachel Miller, a Markey gynecologic oncologist; and Dr. Pamela Hull, the associate director of Population Science and Community Impact with Markey.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 20, 2022) – Living in a global pandemic has been something everyone has had to adjust to. One of the areas that many people had been previously unaware of, but have now become more educated about, has been public Health.

In 2004, the University of Kentucky established the College of Public Health to develop transformative solutions to health challenges through teaching, research and service efforts. The College takes a serious approach to public health responsibility for all communities and individuals in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and beyond.

Residing in a state that is at the epicenter in some of our most major public health challenges, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and cancer, the College of Public Health is made up of six main departments: Biostatistics, Epidemiology, the Graduate Center for Gerontology, Health Management & Policy, Preventive Medicine & Environmental Health, and Health, Behavior & Society..all dedicated to transforming and assisting in the creation of a healthier community, state and world – for everyone.

Since 2016, Donna Arnett has been Dean of the UK College of Public Health, and says we can see public health in every aspect of our lives. Arnett always knew she wanted to work in health care, and during her career fell in love with research, specifically epidemiology. On this episode of Behind the Blue, Arnett talks about the hard work the College of Public Health has done during the pandemic in service to both students and community, as well as the promise and potential that comes from working in a state with such dramatic disparities in health.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

For more information regarding the UK College of Public Health, click here.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 13, 2022) – Monday, January 17, 2022 marks the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a US Federal holiday that honors the birth, life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and is also the only national holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer for opportunities to improve their communities in a variety of ways.

Here in Lexington, this year’s celebration will include a Freedom March and a virtual program directly following, featuring special guest US Senator Raphael Warnock. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Dr. King’s Beloved Community 2022: Facing A Time of Reckoning in An Age of Denial.”

On this episode of Behind the Blue, two members of the Lexington-Fayette MLK Holiday Celebration Committee discuss with UK Strategic Communications staff the work that has gone into planning this year’s event. Kendriana Price, assistant director of diversity for the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment talks with Meg Mills and Jenny Wells-Hosley, and Jay Alexander, the programming and music director for WBTF-FM in Lexington, speaks with Steve Shaffer and Ryan Girves.

If you’re interested in more information regarding the Lexington-Fayette Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday Program, visit uky.edu/mlk. The parade will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, January 17th, with lineup beginning at 9 a.m. at the Lexington Central Bank Center in Exhibit Hall C. The program following the Freedom March will now be VIRTUAL ONLY, beginning at noon on YouTube. You can watch the stream live by clicking here.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 12, 2022) – This week marks the start of the first full week of classes for the University of Kentucky campus.

As we begin this Spring 2022 semester, ‘Behind the Blue’ sat down with UK President Eli Capilouto to reflect upon the obstacles and triumphs the UK Family experienced in 2021 and to look ahead to the opportunities and excitement that lies ahead in this new year.

Listen to learn more about how our campus is once again responding to the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and why Capilouto is so proud of this community.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 6, 2022) – THIS EPISODE IS AN ENCORE EDITION.

Each year, the University of Kentucky Disability Resource Center, or DRC, partners with qualified students with a wide range of disabilities to assist them in gaining equal access to institutional programs and services consistent with their unique needs. The Center seeks to responsibly advocate the needs of students with disabilities to the campus community through consultation and outreach efforts with administration, faculty, students and university partners.

David Beach is the director of the Disability Resource Center (DRC), housed in the Office for Student Success.

Starting this October the DRC is working with UKNow on a series titled “Many People, Creating One Accessible Community,” which focuses on raising awareness surrounding the DRC, accessibility and how each of us on campus can help UK be a more accessible place for all.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, Beach discusses the often unseen or unknown challenges students with disabilities often face while accessing campus facilities, how students can access the resources of the DRC, and what this new series means to the campus community as a whole.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 30, 2021) – THIS EPISODE IS AN ENCORE EDITION.

While some stress in our life can be useful in encouraging personal growth, constant long term exposure to mental stress can be detrimental to health. Introducing additional major stress from events like midterm exams can not only cause minor issues like headaches or trouble sleeping, it can also have long term impacts on the body.

Throughout the year, two areas in the University of Kentucky’s Office of Student Success work to support students with programs and resources for the benefit of both mental and physical wellness.

The UK Counseling Center works with students in areas ranging from mental health and academic counseling to crisis and emergency assistance.

From club sports and intramurals to fitness, dining and healthy sleep programs and beyond, Campus Recreation and Wellness works to provide quality recreation and wellness programs and services for the campus community that support student success and promote healthy lifestyles.

On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, UK Senior Courtney Cavallo recently sat down with Dr. Megan Marks, Assistant Director of the UK Counseling Center, and Ron Lee, Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness, to discuss wellness during midterms, the trends they see with students this time of year, the resources that are available to students year-round and more. This interview originally appeared as a University of Kentucky Facebook Live event.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

For information about UK Counseling, visit uky.edu/counselingcenter.

For more information regarding programs and resources from Campus Recreation and Wellness, visit uky.edu/recwell.

For more information about WellKentucky, please visit wellkentucky.uky.edu.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 23, 2021) – THIS EPISODE IS AN ENCORE EDITION.

Within UK’s role as Kentucky's flagship, land grant university, the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS) unites clinicians, researchers, and communities to accelerate the translation of basic science discoveries to tangible improvements in health.

Since 2006, the CCTS has focused on addressing chronic health disparities in rural and underserved populations throughout the Commonwealth and the Central Appalachian region. They work closely with institutional and community partners to collaboratively identify local challenges and opportunities to improve wellbeing.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, CCTS Director Dr. Philip A. Kern talks about the vast amount of work the Center supports. Since his recruitment to UK in 2009, Dr. Kern has been continuously funded for both his own NIH-funded research program as well as his leadership of the CCTS. He has also served as a mentor, colleague, and collaborator on numerous other projects. In addition, he continues to provide clinical and educational services within the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center and Division of Endocrinology.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 16, 2021) – The UK HealthCare Transplant Center has a history of success and second chances. Since 1964 when they performed the first kidney transplant in Kentucky, the Transplant Center has emerged as one of the top hospitals in the country for a variety of organ transplants.

The Center also has a number of locations across the Commonwealth where patients can undergo screening, have their pre- and post-transplant follow appointments, and meet regularly with their providers while still staying close to home.

Dr. Meera Gupta is a transplant surgeon and clinician-scientist at the UK HealthCare Transplant Center. On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Dr. Gupta talks about her time at the Center, the benefit for patients and their families to have these surgeries done right here in Kentucky, the milestones and future outlook for the Center, and more.

"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email [email protected] or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.