By Amy Jones-Timoney, Kelli Elam, Kodi Kiser, Whitney Harder

(Feb. 23, 2014) — Basketball players weren't the only ones in the spotlight at Rupp Arena this weekend.  

On Saturday, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association presented its 2015 Great Teacher Awards to six recipients at a recognition dinner.  The award-winners were then recognized on the court of Rupp Arena during the Kentucky vs. Auburn men’s basketball game.

The recipients are:

•  Sameer Desai, College of Medicine, Emergency Medicine

•  Pearl James, College of Arts and Sciences, English

By Gail Hairston

(Feb. 19, 2015) ‒ The University of Kentucky Muslim Student Association, an organization with a sustained 43-year history on campus, was honored last week at a reception hosted by President Eli Capilouto at Maxwell House, the university president’s official campus home.

“The idea behind the reception was to make a statement to the Muslim students and faculty at UK that they are welcome here and also to make a statement to the UK community that UK's commitment to diversity includes Muslims,” said the student organization’s faculty adviser Ihsan Bagby, associate professor of Arabic and Islamic studies in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

In December, UK President Eli Capilouto contacted Bagby, an expert on the American Muslim community,

By Sarah Schuetze

Traveling on the winding roads through the mountains of West Virginia, six people quickly realize that the mountains and the mountain folk are their worst nightmare. This is the premise for the film Wrong Turn, which is an example of “hillbilly horror” and a derogatory portrayal of Appalachia in popular culture.

Images of Appalachia and Appalachians in popular media range from idyllic to horrifying, and this semester, students in Professor Carol Mason’s course, Gender, Film, and Appalachia will examine this range of representation. The class is offered for credit through both the American Studies Program and the

By Whitney Harder

(Feb. 13, 2015) — In any given program and semester, college students are leaving the classroom, and often times campus, to get a glimpse of the professional world or their future career by interning. What isn't as common are high school students going to a college campus every day to get that same experience, but for STEAM students interning at the University of Kentucky, that's just what they did.

"Most high schools give you one perspective of how the real world is, but in an internship like this, you get to really experience it," said Gaby Carreno, a sophomore at the STEAM Academy who has been interning with the Hive, the UK College of Arts and

By Whitney Hale

(Feb. 12, 2015) — An exhibition and symposium at the University of Kentucky will explore the experience of Jewish refugees in China. The traveling exhibit, "Jewish Refugees in Shanghai (1933-1941)," which is on display through March 4 in William T. Young Library, chronicles the story of thousands of European Jews who fled to China to escape Nazi persecution before and during World War II.  An opening reception for this free public exhibition will be held noon today (Thursday), Feb. 12, at The Hub in Young Library.

"It's a great opportunity for us to be able to host this historically significant exhibit," said Jeremy Popkin, the William T. Bryan Chair of History and faculty member of UK's Jewish

UK’s annual Cultural Diversity Festival, which celebrates the diversity of thought, experiences, and culture of our campus community, will take place from February 16 through March 13.

The Cultural Diversity Festival is now accepting event submissions from student organizations, campus units, departments and colleges. 

Submitting your event as part of the CDF will include it on the CDF calendar and promotional efforts throughout the month-long celebration. If your organization is interested in being a part of the festival, complete the event submission form.

"Groups and organizations across campus have events and programs every day that reflect the diversity we embrace on our campus.  This month

By Whitney Harder 

(Feb. 9, 2015) — Since the Deepwater Horizon disaster, also referred to as the BP oil spill, occurred in 2010, scientists have been searching for millions of gallons of unaccounted oil — 11 to 30 percent of the oil estimated to have been spilled — in the Gulf of Mexico. Kevin Yeager, University of Kentucky professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, began his search that same year. After two major oceanographic cruises, and years of data collection and collaboration, Yeager and his research colleagues may have solved the mystery.

In a peer-reviewed manuscript co-authored by Yeager and others from the University of South Florida, Florida State

· "The Silent Woman," the strange, true tale of a painter who lived with an effigy of an ex-lover and coaxes his scullery maid to play along, by Lydia Blaisdell of Austin, Texas;

· "Sisters/Sistahz," the story of identical twin African-American "sisters/sistahz" who must come to terms with their starkly differing views on black womanhood in America, by 

by: Sarah Geegan, Seth Riker

(Feb. 4, 2015) — University of Kentucky Education Abroad will host its Spring Fair from 2-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Hub of William T. Young Library.  

"Unlike our fall event, our Spring Fair has a more narrow focus," Seth Riker, education abroad promotion and outreach coordinator, said. "We primarily highlight summer faculty directed programs and intern, research and service abroad programs."  

During the Education Abroad Spring Fair, students can also learn about scholarships, chat with advisors, meet with Education Abroad partner organizations and more. 

"Leading up to my semester abroad, I attended an EA Spring Fair to learn more about the program I was applying for, to talk

by: Whitney Hale

(Feb. 4, 2015) — Celebrate Chinese New Year in the Bluegrass with Hanfu fashion through the dynasties set to a program of Chinese music and dance beginning 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at University of Kentucky Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

Organized by the UK Confucius Institute (UKCI) and Mu Dan Hong Dance Troupe, Lexington’s Chinese classic/folk dance group, the show will transport its audience to ancient China to reveal the development of Chinese fashion over time. The event features a rare opportunity to witness the

by: Clark Bellar

(Feb. 3, 2015) — Lexington has long been a cultural hub of Kentucky, allowing artists from both rural and urban areas a unique opportunity to celebrate their work among a vibrant and diverse community. The first Lexington Old-Time Music Gathering will do just that, bringing an Appalachian experience to Lexington with traditional Appalachian music and art.

The Lexington Old-Time Music Gathering will run Feb. 12-15, with events occurring at different venues throughout Lexington.

Sponsors for the festival include WUKY, the University of Kentucky's community supported radio station, the UK Appalachian Center, part of the 

by: Kathryn Engle

(Feb. 3, 2015) — The University of Kentucky Appalachian Center,Appalachian Studies and the Graduate Appalachian Research Community (GARC) are announcing a call for participation for the 2015 UK Appalachian Research Symposium and Arts Showcase. Invitations are extended to both undergraduate and graduate students of all disciplines who are currently attending an accredited Kentucky university or college, and registration is free for both presenters and attendees

by: Gail Hairston

(Feb. 3, 2015) — University of Kentucky students have a rare opportunity now to get in on the ground floor of a historical and innovative three-year project to record and preserve Kentucky’s Jewish heritage and history for generations to come.

The Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence Scholars program for undergraduates is made possible by a unique partnership between UK’s interdisciplinary program in Jewish Studies and the Jewish Heritage Fund for Excellence (JHFE).  The JHFE Scholars receive a multi-year scholarship to complete a minor in Jewish Studies at UK. They also have a unique opportunity for research with UK faculty. Of the five scholarships originally created, two

by: Whitney Hale

(Feb. 3, 2015) — As the sesquicentennial of the Civil War draws to a close this year, University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities will examine the war's impact on history and culture in the years that followed as part of the 2015 Bale Boone Symposium on the "Legacies of the American Civil War" Feb. 4, 10 and 12.

"Legacies of the American Civil War" will bring together national recognized historians and cultural scholars in an exploration of  the war’s impact on American life not simply in the past, but also in the present and future. All the events featured below are free and open to the public.

The 2015 Bale Boone Symposium will open with a keynote lecture presented by

by: Lydia Whitman

(Feb. 2, 2015) — The University of Kentucky College of Arts and Science's Committee on Social Theory will host its 2015 lecture series, “Transnational Lives,” throughout the spring semester. This well-established series, organized around a different topic each year, gives the public access to lectures by four international scholars visiting the university campus to address a particular aspect of social theoretical thought from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. All lectures will be held on Fridays at 2 p.m. and are free to the public.

Committee director Marion Rust said these are among “the most exciting intellectual opportunities available to the UK community.”

by: Whitney Hale, Mack McCormick

(Feb. 2, 2015) — Last week, the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning in downtown Lexington held the third annual induction of the Kentucky Writer’s Hall of Fame. The writers recognized in this class include alumni and two former faculty members of the University of Kentucky, as well as the subject of a recent book by University Press of Kentucky.

Created in 2013, the Kentucky Writer's Hall of Fame recognizes Kentucky writers whose work reflects the character and culture of our Commonwealth, and educates Kentuckians about the state’s rich literary heritage.

This year’s inductees have been described as "eloquent, inspirational and

by: Jenny Wells

(Jan. 30, 2015) — The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence will give students an opportunity to learn about unique educational programs this week. Open to first-year students with a 3.5 GPA or above, this information session will help students learn more about the Chellgren Student Fellows Program, Phi Beta Kappa, and the Chellgren Student Outreach Team.

The session will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, in Room 200 of the Funkhouser building. Free pizza will be provided.

by: Gail Hairston

(Feb. 2, 2015) — Today, the University of Kentucky Martin Luther King Center continues its tradition of sponsoring a month of events in recognition of Black History Month.

February will include such popular events as the Apollo, an opportunity for UK students to present their theatrical talents; a sampling of soul food; a rap battle; and a King Center and Late Night Film Series presentation of “Dear White People” and a conversation with director Justin Simien.

“The Martin Luther King Center is proud to provide the university community with a strong calendar of events to celebrate Black History Month. The events run the gamut – from rap battles to soul food to black Latino history to the ever-popular Apollo. We are especially honored to offer a screening of “Dear White People” followed by a chat with the film’s director Justin

by: Whitney Hale

(Feb. 2, 2015) — The University of Kentucky Special Collections and Research Center (SCRC) is presenting a new exhibition on LGBTQ members of the African-American community in the Commonwealth. "A Pictorial History of African American Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and Queer Persons in Kentucky," the 2015 Black History Month Exhibit, brings visibility to a history that has not been well represented within most special collections and archives. This exhibition is free and open to the public.

The exhibition's display of images comes from photo collections at UK SCRC and from generous loans by individuals and organizations in the general public. The earliest image is the text of the more than century old Kentucky Court of Appeals case, 

by: Yan Wang

(Jan. 29, 2015) — Nine multi-disciplinary student teams gathered on Saturday, Jan. 24, in the  University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy to compete in the first Global Health Case Competition.

This competition, hosted by the Global Health Initiative, aims to provide advance research and educational programs for students to improve the health of people throughout the world.

Each student team collaborated and presented strategies that they believed would contribute to reducing the health and socio-economic burdens of tobacco in Gujarat, India.

Dr. Perry Pugno, one of the four judges, said this competition helps students realize the importance of collaborative teamwork to solving health issues.

“The reality, in the future, is that health issues are going to become more and more important to the