Behind the Blue

LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 30, 2021) – Discussed as early as 1957, the Hall of Distinguished Alumni of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association was established along with the construction of the Helen G. King Alumni House in 1963. The Hall pays tribute to those UK alumni who have distinguished themselves and their alma mater through their contribution to the welfare of the commonwealth and nation in arts, sciences, business, industry, engineering, journalism, politics, military science, religion, agriculture, labor or other fields of endeavor.

The original selection of inductees of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association Hall of Distinguished Alumni included 85 in 1963. Two years later in 1965, 39 inductees were chosen and the first official recognition ceremony of the members took place that year in conjunction with the university’s Centennial Anniversary.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, two individuals with unique connections to the Hall talk about its impact on the Commonwealth, the country and the world.

Taunya Phillips is a past president of the UK Alumni Association board of directors. Currently, Phillips is the director of the Office of Technology Commercialization at the University of Kentucky where she oversees a team of 14 staff managing the University’s intellectual property, licensing and startup portfolios.

Previously, she was the senior associate director of New Ventures & Alliances, where she was focused on overseeing key alliances for OTC and managing support and services for UK and Lexington entrepreneurs and startups.

She has worked at UK since 1999, where her previous positions have been assistant vice president for Commercialization & Economic Development, chief financial officer for Kentucky Technology, Incorporated, College of Engineering lecturer, and Minority Engineering program director. Taunya has a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and a Master of Business Administration, both from the University of Kentucky.

Charles Wethington, Jr. was named to the Hall of Distinguished Alumni on April 21, 1995. Dr. Wethington was elected the 10th president of the University of Kentucky September 18, 1990, serving in that role until June of 2001.

He began his career in higher education in 1965 as an educational psychology instructor on the Lexington campus of the University and two years later was named Chief Administrator of Maysville Community College. In 1971, he moved to Lexington as Assistant Vice President, becoming Vice President of the Community College System in 1981.

In the University reorganization of 1982, he was named Chancellor of the UK Community College System, one of the three major sectors of UK. In 1987, he was given university wide responsibilities for public and governmental relations in addition to his community college role, and his title was changed to Chancellor for the Community College System and University Relations.

"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. (September 23, 2021) – UK’s Saha Cardiovascular Research Center recently held its annual Cardiovascular Research Day, an event that showcases innovative research in cardiovascular health. The event features prominent speakers in the field of cardiovascular health, and was the first in-person scientific conference in the field of lipid and lipoprotein metabolism and cardiovascular disease in nearly two years.

With 250 attendees from UK and nearly 40 other universities, the event featured a wide variety of research activity from scientists and researchers, from trainees to prominent senior scientists.

This week’s episode of ‘Behind the Blue’ features the director of the Saha Cardiovascular Research Center and chair of the UK Department of Physiology, Dr. Alan Daugherty. Dr. Daugherty is also the Gill Heart Foundation Chair of Preventive Cardiology. He serves as editor-in-chief of the American Heart Association’s Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (ATVB) journal, and his research focuses on molecular mechanisms of vascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and aortic aneurysms.

"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. (September 16, 2021) – Making the transition to college can be an intimidating time not only for incoming undergraduate students, but also for families, as they seek to support their students from their earliest days on campus through graduation.

Embracing a multidimensional concept of family and the diversity of family structures, including families of origin and families of choice, the UK Parent and Family Association invites parents, guardians, grandparents, spouses/partners, and any other supportive people in the lives of UK students to join for free. The Association strives to enhance student success by actively engaging parents and families as part of the larger university community through publications, programs, and services. Their goal is to offer the best way to stay informed, get connected and find support for families and their students.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, two members from UK’s Office for Student Success talk about their work with these families and students.

Nancy Stephens is the head of the New Student and Family Programs team, working with programs such as the K Week fall welcome week and the UK Parent and Family Association.

Nicki Jenkins is the Senior Program Specialist for the Parent and Family Association, overseeing all day-to-day functions and coordinating events and programs.

Together they discuss the Parent and Family Association and the work they do, including UK’s Family Weekend coming up this weekend, September 17-19th.

"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. (September 9, 2021) – Telehealth, or the delivery of health care services through electronic communication, has been at the forefront of UK’s College of Health Sciences academics since 2015. Between lack of access to services in both rural and urban areas, and rising preferences to a virtual health care experience, the growth in telehealth and communications technology is forever altering the landscape of health care.

Joneen Lowman, associate professor in the communication sciences and disorders program with the college, first began work with the Linking Kids to Speech Language Pathologists (LinKS) program, and is now at the helm of a new Graduate Certificate in Telehealth. The program is the first of its kind among health sciences colleges and is the only telehealth certificate available in the state of Kentucky.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, Lowman talks about the growth of telehealth services and how this certificate program is assisting students meet the rising need for it in the Commonwealth and beyond.

"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. (September 2, 2021) – 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. (August 25, 2021) – A national leader with more than 25 years of experience at some of the country’s leading institutions has been selected as the University of Kentucky’s next vice president for institutional diversity.

Katrice A. Albert, Ph.D., will begin her duties as vice president for institutional diversity on Sept. 27, according to an announcement from UK President Eli Capilouto.

Highlights of Albert’s career in leading diversity and education efforts include:

• Serving as the top diversity officer and a senior executive at Louisiana State University and the University of Minnesota system as well as the NCAA, where she also led Human Resources.
• Authoring two volumes of work around issues of race, racial equity and mental health. She is the author of a forthcoming work on leadership in intercollegiate athletics.
• Serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Community Engagement. Albert also has been published in other academic journals related to psychology, counseling and development.
• Teaching graduate-level courses in multicultural counseling, the politics of race and gender, and serving as an adjunct faculty member in education at LSU.
• Consulting with some of the leading governmental, civic, religious, private, public and nonprofit sector institutions throughout the country on issues of diversity, development and strategy. Clients have included: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, American Red Cross, the Neiman Marcus Group and the Universities of Notre Dame, Nebraska, West Florida and Central Florida.

On this edition of ‘Behind the Blue’, UK Chief Communications Officer Jay Blanton talks with Albert about what she’s looking forward to in joining UK, particularly at this moment, as the institution is engaged in a broad-based and expansive effort around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

You can read more about UK’s DEI efforts here: https://dei.uky.edu/.

You can read Capilouto’s message to the campus about Albert 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. (August 19, 2021) – Dr. Eli Capilouto became the 12th President of the University of Kentucky on July 1, 2011. Under his leadership, the Commonwealth's flagship and land grant research university has grown from $2.7 billion to nearly $5.1 billion in total operations and has gained significant momentum in fulfilling its mission of teaching, research, service and health care.

On this episode of Behind the Blue, Capilouto sits down for a conversation about the upcoming fall semester, the work to return to “normal” in the midst of the pandemic, UK’s Strategic Plan and how its implementation will guide the University into the future.

"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. (August 12, 2021) – The University of Kentucky Alumni Association started the Great Teacher Award program in 1961 to honor excellent teaching at the university. There have been 307 teachers honored since that first year. Nominations may only be submitted by current students.

To receive the award, a candidate must:

• Hold the rank of full-time lecturer or above and have been a member of the faculty for the past three years at UK.
• Have superior knowledge of the subject matter.
• Have original and innovative classroom presentations.
• Demonstrate concern for students, both inside and outside the classroom setting.
• Not have been a recipient of the award for the past 10 years.

A committee of the UK Alumni Association Board of Directors and a representative from the student organization Omicron Delta Kappa select the recipients based on objective rating and ranking of the eligible nominations submitted.

This episode of Behind the Blue features part two of interviews with the 2021 winners of the Great Teacher Awards. On this episode, we’ll be talking with three of them: Christopher Crawford, from the College of Arts & Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, Chad Risko, representing the College of Arts & Sciences, Chemistry, and Kathleen Swan, representing the College of Education, Curriculum and Instruction.

"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. (August 5, 2021) – The University of Kentucky Alumni Association started the Great Teacher Award program in 1961 to honor excellent teaching at the university. There have been 307 teachers honored since that first year. Nominations may only be submitted by current students.

To receive the award, a candidate must:

• Hold the rank of full-time lecturer or above and have been a member of the faculty for the past three years at UK.
• Have superior knowledge of the subject matter.
• Have original and innovative classroom presentations.
• Demonstrate concern for students, both inside and outside the classroom setting.
• Not have been a recipient of the award for the past 10 years.

A committee of the UK Alumni Association Board of Directors and a representative from the student organization Omicron Delta Kappa select the recipients based on objective rating and ranking of the eligible nominations submitted.

This episode of Behind the Blue features part one of interviews with the 2021 winners of the Great Teacher Awards. Featured on this episode are:

• Clark Kebodeaux, representing the College of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Practice and Science
• Wayne Sanderson, representing both the College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering as well as the College of Public Health, Epidemiology
• Joseph H. Hammer, representing the College of Education, Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology.

"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. (July 29, 2021) – The University of Kentucky is quickly approaching the start of the fall 2021 semester, and plans are in place for a full capacity restart.

Concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic aside, newly arriving students, along with their families, are always full of questions as they navigate their way onto campus. How will I meet and make new friends? What will I eat? Where will I study? These are only a few of the concerns students have as they transition to college life.

Joining Behind the Blue this week are two guests who work year-round to answer those questions and more.

Sarah Ballard is the Executive Director of the First-Year Experience and Early Outreach programs here at UK. Nicki Jenkins is the Senior Program Specialist for the Parent and Family Association. We talk with them about what they do to help relieve concerns, provide balance, and work to provide students and their families with the best foundation possible on their way to graduation.

"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.