By Francis Von Mann

LEXINGTON, Ky. (September 3, 2025) - The energy on campus is palpable. Every fall, new Wildcats arrive from across the Commonwealth and beyond to begin a new chapter in Lexington.

The College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky proudly welcomes the Class of 2029. The first-year students represent 102 Kentucky counties, 39 states and 30 countries. Every student is part of Kentucky’s bright future; future doctors, lawyers, policymakers and scientists all beginning here. Lucy Short, Kendall Hughey and Brenna Mefford are just a few of the students starting that journey.

Lucy Short (

By Jesi Jones-Bowman and Haven L. Patrick 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 19, 2025) — Undergraduate students at the University of Kentucky who participate in research under the guidance of faculty mentors now have the opportunity to publish and broadly share the outcomes of their work and collaborative experiences. The second edition of Aperture Journal of Undergraduate Research is now available and highlights the projects of 15 student-professor partnerships.

Published by the Office of Undergraduate Research, the annual, open-access, peer- and expert-reviewed journal

By Jennifer Sciantarelli and Tom Musgrave 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 26, 2025) — The University of Kentucky has partnered with local organizations to present a powerful two-day celebration of Pulitzer Prize-winning American playwright August Wilson culminating with a presentation of his deeply personal solo piece, “How I Learned What I Learned.”

Events take place in downtown Lexington Sept. 12-13.

The collaborating partners include the UK Department of Theatre and Dance, the College of Arts and Sciences, EMON Event Co., LexArts and

By Jenny Wells-Hosley 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 22, 2025) — Frances B. Henderson, Ph.D., associate professor of gender and women’s studies in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, is one of nine winners to receive the University of Kentucky’s 2025 Outstanding Teaching Awards.

These awards identify and recognize individuals who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement and who are successful in their teaching. Recipients were selected through nomination and reviewed by a selection committee based in the UK Provost’s 

By Tom Musgrave 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 15, 2025) — Several University of Kentucky students were awarded Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships to support their education abroad goals.

The U.S. Department of State’s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship is a grant program that enables students of limited financial means to study or intern abroad, gaining skills critical to the United States’ national security and economic competitiveness. The Gilman Scholarship Program is open to U.S. citizen undergraduate students who are receiving Federal Pell Grant funding at a two-year or four-year college or university to

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2025) — The University of Kentucky is one of nine institutions across the United States to have students selected to receive the NextGen Service Fellowship from the Institute of International Education. Eight UK students have been selected to receive funding from the program to complete service projects around the globe.

The institute with support from The Rockefeller Foundation and Outrider Foundation, announced the launch of the fellowship to equip the next generation of public service leaders with professional experience in international development careers. The NextGen Service will offer 52 American

By Jenny Wells-Hosley 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 8, 2025) — Jesús Ponte Bernal, a Ph.D. candidate and graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Hispanic Studies at the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, is one of nine winners to receive the University of Kentucky’s 2025 Outstanding Teaching Awards.

These awards identify and recognize individuals who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement and who are successful in their teaching. Recipients were selected via nomination and reviewed by a selection committee based in the UK Provost’s Office for Faculty Advancement and the

UK GEOLOGY ALUMNI REUNION OCTOBER 23-25, 2025

Join us on the UK campus this fall to reunite with fellow alumni, faculty and students of the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences. 

2025 UK EES Alumni Reunion 

Tentative Events

(Oct. 23-25 Thursday through Saturday)

RSVP here: www.ukalumni.

By Lindsay Travis 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 30, 2025) — Kentucky NSF EPSCoR’s CLIMBS project will hold a screening of two documentaries that show how communities have endured weather-related catastrophes and the ongoing work to be better prepared for future disasters.

Climate Resilience through Multidisciplinary Big Data Learning, Prediction & Building Response Systems seeks to advance Kentucky’s climate resiliency by bringing together researchers across the state to address this issue.

“CLIMBS - Kentucky Climate Resilience - The Documentary” highlights the effort from more than 50 multidisciplinary researchers from eight universities and colleges across Kentucky.

“All Is Not

By Tom Musgrave 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 27, 2025) — Zada Komara, Ph.D., a senior Lewis lecturer in the Lewis Honors College, is one of nine winners to receive the University of Kentucky’s 2025 Outstanding Teaching Awards.

These awards identify and recognize individuals who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement and who are successful in their teaching. Recipients were selected through nomination and reviewed by a selection committee based in the UK Provost’s Office for Faculty Advancement and the Center for the Enhancement of Learning and Teaching.

“I think so highly of the

By Alicia Gregory 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 26, 2025) — The University of Kentucky is well-represented on a list of the most-cited researchers in the world. In a database compiled by Stanford University in a partnership with Elsevier, 136 current UK scientists and scholars appear among the top 2% of the most-cited researchers across 22 disciplines.

Citations are one measure of the effect of academic research. For researchers, publishing work in a peer-reviewed, scholarly journal is a key step in sharing research findings and new discoveries. 

“Being cited is a sign that your work matters to the research community, and we congratulate

By Tom Musgrave 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 25, 2025) — Three University of Kentucky graduates have received awards from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.  

Robert Anzenberger, a 2013 UK graduate and current Ph.D. student, and Nafisa Nigmatova and Connor Stuart, both 2025 graduates, received the  awards, which expand perspectives through academic and professional advancement and cross-cultural dialogue.

In partnership with more than 140 countries, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program offers opportunities in all academic disciplines to graduating college seniors, graduate students and young professionals from all backgrounds. Program participants pursue graduate study, conduct research or teach English abroad. 

Each recipient is a

By Erin Wickey 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 10, 2025) — Scott Hutson, Ph.D., chair and professor in the Department of Anthropology in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, has been honored as a 2025-26 University Research Professor.

Hutson is an archaeologist focusing on ancient Mesoamerica, which encompasses Guatemala, Belize and portions of Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras. His research investigates how cities rose and fell, how power was distributed and how belief systems shaped economic life. His methods include aerial laser scanning of ancient settlements, mapping on foot, excavation and artifact analysis.

Hutson has authored or edited 10 books and is

By Lindsay Travis 

LEXINGTON, Ky. ) — The University of Kentucky Materials Science Research Priority Area has selected 11 researchers as recipients of multiple funding awards. The area offers a variety of funding mechanisms to support materials research across UK and expand the RPA’s breadth and depth of work.

This call for proposals included a category for research equipment (instruments) or clusters of equipment that will increase research competitiveness in the broad areas of energy and materials science. These Enabling Equipment for Materials Science and Energy Research Grants (EEMSERG) were jointly sponsored by the

By Tom Musgrave

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 20, 2025) — When Georgia-based artist Basil Watson submitted his proposal for the Lexington Freedom Train monument, he said he saw an opportunity to highlight an important story.

“A lot of Black stories have not been told, and I am a part of that community that has been denied the recognition,” he said. “So, this meant another opportunity for me to get involved in telling a Black story. Those are not the only stories to be told, but they are important stories that need to be told now.”

He was there June 19, when the monument — a sculpture depicting abolitionists Lewis and Harriet Hayden,

By Francis Von Mann

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 10, 2025) - The College of Arts and Sciences has a number of students selected for the 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Award program. This year’s SURA recipients represent a an array of academic disciplines and will engage in immersive, faculty-mentored research across the University of Kentucky campus.

The SURA awards provide $5,000 to support Arts and Sciences undergraduate students pursuing summer research full-time. 

Throughout the summer, students will work closely with faculty mentors on projects of mutual interest. Their work will culminate in presentations at the UK Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium on Aug. 26, where they will share their findings with the campus community.

The 2025 SURA recipients are:

 By Jenny Wells-Hosley and Dan Knapp

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 9, 2025) — James “Jimmy” Dunne, a 1977 University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences graduate, has built a successful and wide-ranging career in entertainment — as a songwriter, composer, television and film producer and entrepreneur.

As a student at UK, Dunne found early creative outlets through writing and music. He worked as a writer for the Kentucky Kernel and was deeply influenced by professors who encouraged his passions. 

After graduation, Dunne moved to Los Angeles to launch his career, working as a writer and producer on hit shows like “Happy

By Richard LeComte 

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Research accounts published in popular journals help to get information out to the public, particularly when the research explores under-examined areas of women’s health. So Michelle Martel jumped at the chance to see her research on how menstrual cycles affect ADHD symptoms written up in Scientific American magazine. 

“I personally was excited about it, because I have a big emphasis on disseminating my work,” said Martel, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Psychology in the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts and Sciences. “My experience with Scientific American was really good; they sent me preprints and like ran everything by me to make sure that it was all accurate. I appreciated that.” 

The article by Kelso Harper, “

Approximately 2,008 students have been named to the spring 2025 Dean's List in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences. For a complete Dean's List, click here.

To earn Dean's List honors, students must earn:

A least 12 earned credit hours in graded coursework. Earned credit hours taken as Pass/Fail are excluded.

The Fall 2024-Spring 2025 dean's list celebration is Thursday, September 4, from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Gatton Student Center. To RSVP for the event, click here. 
 

Dean's List Dean's List RSVP

By Jenny Wells-Hosley

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 6, 2025) —Juan Fernández Cantero, Ph.D., lecturer and interim director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Hispanic Studies in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, is one of nine winners to receive the University of Kentucky’s 2025 Outstanding Teaching Awards.

These awards identify and recognize individuals who demonstrate special dedication to student achievement and