xt7fbg2h8r8p https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7fbg2h8r8p/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky Alumni Association 2014 journals  English University of Kentucky Alumni Association Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky alumnus Kentucky Alumni, vol. 85, no. 4, Winter 2014 text Kentucky Alumni, vol. 85, no. 4, Winter 2014 2014 2014 true xt7fbg2h8r8p section xt7fbg2h8r8p * * Winter 2014 • Volume 85 • Number 4

Features en-UK sophomore RachelinCurtin happily 12 Carl F. Pollard ’60: a difference
seeing blue and making
participated “For e Kids” DanceBlue
ON THE COVER
e former president of Humana Inc. provides major
2014 as part of the Kappa Delta team.

16 DanceBlue: A decade of dancing

The annual, 24-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance
marathon is a vital part of the UK undergraduate experience and supports research and patient care at DanceBlue
Kentucky Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic.

By Robin Roenker

scholarship funding for students at his alma mater.
Miss Kentucky:
Ramsey Carpenter ’14 ED
Miss Kentucky 2014 spreads awareness of multiple sclerosis,
a disease she was diagnosed with while at UK.

24

By Afton Fairchild Spencer

26 A king-sized success story

Kimberly B. Knopf ’82 AS was one of the first female
entrepreneurs to enter the mattress specialty industry.
By Vickie S. Mitchell

28 ‘Aww’-inspiring

Scratch, at the UK Alumni Association annual Legacy
Pumpkin Festival, dazzled little Wildcats.
The 2013-2014 UK Alumni Association

30 Annual Report

It was a memorable year to engage UK alumni and build
strong bonds among Wildcat family members.
A big ‘thank you’ to UK Alumni Clubs for
student scholarships
e 2014 Scholarship Celebration honored recipients who
received funding from UK Alumni Clubs, the UK Alumni
Association and friends of the university.

Photo: DanceBlue

34

36 Wildcat Sports a mission to make the platoon
Coach John Calipari is on
system work this season.
By Kelli Elam

Departments
4 Pride In Blue
7 Presidential Conversation
8 UK News
11 Blue Horizons
38 Alumni Clubs

42
52
54
55
56

Class Notes
In Memoriam
Creative Juices
Retrospect
Quick Take

www.ukalumni.net

1

* Where Wildcats have
banked for over 75 years.

Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000
and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government

NCUA

National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency

www.ukfcu.org

859.264.4200

* How To Reach Us

University of Kentucky
Alumni Magazine
Vol.85 No. 4
Kentucky Alumni (ISSN 732-6297) is
published quarterly by the University of
Kentucky Alumni Association, Lexington,
Kentucky for its dues-paying members.
© 2014 University of Kentucky Alumni
Association, except where noted. Views and
opinions expressed in Kentucky Alumni do
not necessarily represent the opinions of its
editors, the UK Alumni Association nor the
University of Kentucky.

Association Staff

Kentucky Alumni
UK Alumni Association
King Alumni House
Lexington, KY 40506-0119
Telephone: 859-257-8905
1-800-269-ALUM
Fax: 859-323-1063
E-mail: ukalumni@uky.edu

Publisher/Executive Director: Stan Key ’72
Editor/Associate Director: Kelli Elam ’11
Managing Editor: Linda Perry ’84
Senior Graphic Designer: Jeff Hounshell
Publications Production Assistant: Harold Morris

Kelly R. Allgeier ’08: Alumni Career Counselor
Brenda Bain: Records Data Entry Operator
Linda Brumfield: Account Clerk III
Nancy Culp: Administrative Services Assistant
Caroline Francis ’88, ’93, ’02: Alumni Career Counselor
Leslie Hayes: Membership and Marketing Specialist
Update Your Record
Kelly V. Hinkel ’11: Staff Support Associate I
UK Alumni Association
John Hoagland ’89: Associate Director
King Alumni House
Diana Horn ’70, ’71: Principal Accountant
Lexington, KY 40506-0119
Albert Kalim ’03: Webmaster
Telephone: 859-257-8800
Randall Morgan: IS Tech Support
Fax: 859-323-1063
Katie Murphy: Membership Specialist
E-mail: ukalumni@uky.edu
Meg Phillips ’09: Program Coordinator
Web: www.ukalumni.net
Brenda Riddle: Membership Specialist
For duplicate mailings, please send both Ashley Ritchie: Marketing & Communications Coordinator
mailing labels to the address above.
Darlene Simpson: Senior Data Entry Operator
Jill Smith ’05, ’11: Associate Director
Member of the Council for Advancement
Alyssa ornton ’11: Program Coordinator
and Support of Education
Loraine Verrette: Staff Support Associate I
Frances White: Data Entry Operator

Board of Directors
Officers
Elaine A. Wilson ’68 SW - President
David B. Ratterman ’68 EN - President-elect
Peggy F. Meszaros ’72 ED - Treasurer
Stan R. Key ’72 ED - Secretary
District
Michelle Leigh Allen ’06 ’10 BE
Jeffrey L. Ashley ’89 CI
Lisa G. Atkinson ’92 CI
William G. Bacon Jr. ’82 MED
Trudy Webb Banta ’63 ’65 ED
Brian R. Bergman ’85 ’ 86 EN
Heath F. Bowling ’95 BE
Jeffrey J. Brock ’83 SCC, ’84 BE
Michael L. Brown ’72 BE
Mark W. Browning ’80 AS, ’84 LAW
Emmett “Buzz” Burnam ’74 ED
John S. Cain, ’86 BE
Shane T. Carlin, ’95 AFE
Rebecca F. Caudill ’72 ’76 ED
Dr. Michael A. Christian ’76 AS, ’80 DE
Judith G. Clabes ’67 AS
Elizabeth Cox ’69 AS
D. Michael Coyle ’62 BE, ’65 LAW
Bruce E. Danhauer ’77 AFE
Ruth C. Day ’85 BE
Eugene L. DuBow, ’53 AS
Philip D. Elder, ’86 AFE
Abra Endsley ’98 ’01 CI
Linda L. Frye ’60 AS
Robert Michael Gray, ’80 ’81 BE
Wallace E. Herndon Jr. ’67 BE
Derrick C. Hord ’83 CI
Ann Nelson Hurst ’80 BE
Lee A. Jackson ’70 SCC, ’73 AS
Patricia Wykstra Johnson ’68 AS, ’70 ED
Jim Keenan ’90 BE, ’93 LAW
Shelia M. Key ’91 PHA
Turner LaMaster ’73 BE
omas K. Mathews, ’93 AS
James D. McCain ’81 BE
Herbert A. Miller Jr. ’72 AS, ’76 LAW
Ashley S. “Tip” Mixson III, ’80 BE
Sherry R. Moak ’81 BE
Susan P. Mountjoy ’72 ED
Susan V. Mustian ’84 BE

Hannah M. Myers ’93 ED
Kimberly Parks ’01 BE
Quintissa S. Peake ’04 CI
Nicholas C. Phelps, ’08 BE
Chad D. Polk ’94 DES
James A. Richardson ’70 AS, ’72 ED
David A. Rodgers ’80 EN
Charlene K. Rouse ’77 DES
Philip Schardein, ’02 BE
Mary L. Shelman ’81 EN
Marian Moore Sims ’72 ’76 ED
J. Fritz Skeen ’72 ’73 BE
George B. Spragens ’93 BE
Mary Kekee Szorcsik ’72 BE
Reese S. Terry Jr. ’64 ’66 EN
Craig M. Wallace ’79 EN
Rachel L. Webb ’05 CI
Lori E. Wells ’96 BE
Crystal M. Williams ’97 BE
Amelia B. Wilson ’03 AFE, ’06 ’11 ED

Alumni Trustees
Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED
Kelly Sullivan Holland ’93 AS, ’98 ED
Terry B. Mobley ’65 ED
Appointed
Katie Eiserman ’01 ED - Athletics
omas W. Harris ’85 AS - University Relations
D. Michael Richey ’74 ’79 AFE - Development
Bobby C. Whitaker ’58 CI - Honorary
Mariel Bridges Jackson - Student Government Association
Vacant - University Senate

Past Presidents
George L. Atkins Jr. ’63 BE
eodore B. Bates ’52 AFE
Richard A. Bean ’69 BE
Michael A. Burleson ’74 PHA
Bruce K. Davis ’71 LAW
Scott E. Davis ’73 BE
Marianne Smith Edge ’77 AFE
Franklin H. Farris Jr. ’72 BE
At Large
Dr. Paul E. Fenwick ’52 AFE
R. Price Atkinson ’97 CI
William G. Francis ’68 AS, ’73 LAW
Jo Hern Curris ’63 AS, ’75 LAW
W. P. Friedrich ’71 EN
Antoine Huffman ’05 CI
Dan Gipson ’69 EN
Matt Minner ’93 AS
Brenda B. Gosney ’70 HS, ’75 ED
Will Nash ’06 AS
Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED
Jane C. Pickering, ’74 ED
John R. Guthrie ’63 CI
Ann B. Haney ’71 AS
College
Diane M. Massie ’79 CI
Michelle McDonald ’84 AFE, ’92 ED - Agriculture
Robert E. Miller
P. J. Williams ’91 AS - Arts & Sciences
John C. Nichols II ’53 BE
James B. Bryant ’67 BE - Business & Economics
Dr. George A. Ochs IV ’74 DE
Jeremy L. Jarvi ’02 CI - Communication & Information Sandra B. Patterson ’68 AS
Dr. Clifford J. Lowdenback ’99 AS, ’03 DE - Dentistry
Robert F. Pickard ’57 ’61 EN
Lu Ann Holmes ’79 DES - Design
Paula L. Pope ’73 ’75 ED
Martha Elizabeth Randolph ’83 BE, ’87 ’92 ED - Education G. David Ravencra ’59 BE
Taunya Phillips-Walker ’87 EN, ’04 BE - Engineering
William Schuetze ’72 LAW
Tony R. Rollins ’97 FA - Fine Arts
David L. Shelton ’66 BE
Barbara R. Sanders ’72 AS, ’76 ED - Health Sciences
J. Tim Skinner ’80 DES
Christy Trout ’02 LAW - Law
James W. Stuckert ’60 EN, ’61 BE
Dr. Emery R. Wilson ’68 MED - Medicine
Julia K. Tackett ’68 AS, ’71 LAW
Patricia K. Howard ’83 ’90 ’04 NUR - Nursing
Hank B. ompson Jr. ’71 CI
Lynn Harrelson ’73 PHA - Pharmacy
Myra L. Tobin ’62 AFE
Jennifer L. Knight ’03 ’10 PH - Public Health
J. omas Tucker ’56 BE
Willis K. Bright Jr. ’66 SW - Social Work
Henry Wilhoit Jr. ’60 LAW
Richard M. Womack ’53 AFE

www.ukalumni.net

3

* Pride In Blue

DanceBlue changes lives in many ways
It’s with great pride
that we bring you the
2014 winter issue of
Kentucky Alumni magazine.
When I think about
dancing, my mind typically goes to that basketball tournament in
March or the incredibly
awkward moves I make to music when no one is around.
However, now I will forever have another thought when I
think about dancing: DanceBlue. I’ll bet you will, too, after
reading our cover story.
DanceBlue, UK’s student-run philanthropic project that
raises money for pediatric cancer patients and research at
the Markey Cancer Center is turning 10. DanceBlue is
something we can all be proud of as Wildcats —10 years,
thousands of students and $6.85 million dollars later. The
24-hour, no sleeping, nonstop dance marathon not only
benefits such a worthwhile cause, it has also redefined the
undergraduate student experience at UK. And, it has
changed so many lives along the way.
Read about Jarrett Mynear, the inspiration for the project,
and how his life had a profound impact on not only the patients, but the students, as well. The dancers form bonds
with patients and their families that change them forever.
DanceBlue also lays the foundation for lifelong philanthropy for students while still on campus. I think the future
is in good hands. Keep dancing.
The cover story is just the beginning of the goodness in
this issue. If you watched the Miss America competition in
September, you had to be proud of Ramsey Carpenter, Miss
Kentucky 2014. She finished in the top 12, but as you read
her story, you will soon realize that this 2014 grad was a
winner before hitting the stage in Atlantic City.
We also introduce you to Kim Knopf, a true entrepreneur.
Through hard work and perseverance, she became a huge
success in the mattress specialty industry. Get to know Butler Ramey “Quint” Pottinger, a young farmer who is now
helping to “grow” farmers. He is working to inspire a new
generation to infuse life into a fading tradition — the family
farm. This is something that is certainly near and dear to
this farm girl’s heart.
We recognize clubs that raised over $3,000 for their scholarship funds. A really large check was presented to UK President Eli Capilouto for $245,200, representing the total
amount of scholarship funds contributed by the association,

4

Winter 2014

individuals and our alumni clubs. This would not be possible without the dedication of our wonderful volunteers. I
always enjoy the annual scholarship dinner, particularly
meeting the recipients and their families. An added bonus
this year was making a new friend — Scratch. I took this
“selfie” with the UK mascot. It’s not nearly as adorable as
the photo of Scratch from our Legacy Pumpkin Festival
(Pages 28 and 29), but it’s still pretty cute.
Finally, I hope you enjoy this issue of Kentucky Alumni
magazine as much as I enjoy sharing it with you. As always,
your feedback is appreciated.
With Pride in Blue,

Kelli Elam ’11
Editor

You never know who you might meet at an alumni
association event!

* * L IFETIME MEMBERS OF THE UK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CAN JOIN T HE CLUB AT UK ’S SPINDLETOP H ALL AT ANY TIME WITH NO INITIAT ION FEES!
LIFETIME
A LUMNI ASSOCIATION C AN
AL
THE CLUB AT UK’S SPINDLETOP HALL AT
INITIATION F EES!
TION

Yes, you.
It just happens to look like Tara. It’s actually a seriously unstu y club that would love to have you as a member. The Club at
UK’s Spindletop Hall has been a UK faculty, sta , and alumni club for over 50 years. It’s on 60 acres of rolling bluegrass with
four pools, tennis galore, and private access to Lexington’s Legacy Trail. Fabulous food in an upscale casual setting. A terrace
for sundown cocktails, dining and live music. Amazing architecture. Divine décor. Activities for everyone, including “Wildcat
Road Trips” to UK football away games. Truly a treasure to experience.
Club membership is an incredible value at surprisingly modest dues.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
859-255-2777 or membership@spindletophall.org

T

C

UK’ S
UK’

H

Young Alumni and Student Memberships available for
o
Alumni
Student Mem
Young Alumni or Student Members of the UK Alumni Association
Alum Association
mni
Young Alumni Student Members

MEMBERSHIP SUBJEC T TO APPROVAL
VAL

Page

WILDCATS ON THE MOVE
Another member benefit from the
University of Kentucky Alumni Association

“Preferential Wildcat Treatment”
•
•
•
•
•

Minimum of 55% discount on all interstate moves
Free full value coverage up to $50,000 on relocations
Guaranteed on-time pick-up and delivery available
Personalized attention from start to finish
Sanitized Air-ride Vans

Contact Tom Larkins (The Wildcat Relocator)
for details on this program

1.800.899.2527
or email him at tom.larkins@atlanticrelocation.com

6

Winter 2014

U.S. DOT No. 125550

Atlantic Relocation Systems
Interstate Agent for

ATLAS VAN LINES
6314 31st Street East
Sarasota, FL 34243
A portion of the proceeds collected
from the transportation costs will be
paid to the UK Alumni Association.

* Presidential Conversation
Planting seeds for the future
August, for me, was a time of deep reflection. I celebrated my
65th birthday and 36th wedding anniversary. It also coincided
with announcements that illustrated our work of education, research, service and health care.
To celebrate, my family and I traveled to Normandy, France,
where we somberly walked the beaches and fields of battle. In
the American cemetery, 9,386 brave souls rest in peace and the
names of another 1,557 missing are inscribed in stone. White
crosses and Stars of David are arrayed in solemn order, overlooking windswept beaches. Each one tells a story.
Fate drew us to one. e name on the marker is Howard
Henry, Ranger and Kentuckian. He died August 19, 1942, two
years before the invasion. He was part of a reconnaissance mission and was one of the first two American soldiers to die in
the effort to liberate Europe. Henry, from Harlan, wanted to be
an electrical engineer. A dream unrealized, deferred by the
darkness of war.
is fall, thousands of miles away, Mary Lynne and I welcomed the largest, most academically prepared and most diverse class in UK’s history. We oen ask where they are from
and what they want to study. Frequently I heard, “I want to be
an engineer.” Indeed, this year’s freshman class has 800 students
majoring in engineering.
Later the same week, we hosted a dinner for several engineering graduates who have been generous to UK. We listened to
dazzling stories of successes from construction to commerce. We
talked about the joys of living — children, grandchildren,
friends, sunrises and sunsets.
My thoughts, though, kept returning to Howard Henry and
what blessings our state would have known from his full life. I
think, too, about the lives that he and others saved.
It all reminds me of the passage from the Hebrew Talmud that
“whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.” Like the greatest
generation, we are being called to educate and serve, to save lives
and to build communities.
On another powerful August day, I traveled to Hazard with
Dr. Mark Evers, director of our Markey Cancer Center. We
joined Congressman Hal Rogers and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, both of whom
spent three days in the district as part of the Shaping Our Appalachian Region initiative.
Dr. Frieden showed data comparing the 5th district to a more
healthy community in the United States. ere are hundreds of
preventable deaths in the 5th district for the top five killers —
cancer, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke
and unintentional injuries.
All too frequently, we are filling a cemetery the size of the one I
witnessed in Normandy. And although the challenges of these
dreadful diseases are perhaps most acute in the hills of Appalachia, they exist in rates much too high across Kentucky.
Many people are ready to give up on places like Appalachia.
You are oen le with the impression that it is a place without

hope. But I believe these
places define hope. And
you would too if you were
with me and other UK faculty and staff.
We all know, in person or
through loved ones, that
medical misfortunes do
not care who they touch or
crush. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS or juvenile diabetes will find us wherever
we live and rob us and our
families of life’s richness. e result is dreams deferred or lost,
lives — like Ranger Henry — unfulfilled. Promise and potential,
through circumstance or choice, are unmet.
UK is engaged in partnerships with and for communities to
improve education, extend and enhance life, and search for discoveries that can rebuild and renew communities. ese partnerships are working, but more must be done. It is time to make
death a beggar in Kentucky. Health disparities, whether by circumstance, region, income or race, can be overcome. UK scientists can make breakthroughs from the cellular to community
level to save lives.
However, we cannot do it without talent and infrastructure.
Leading scientists and researchers want to join us. Yet, today,
we cannot accommodate them because we are out of quality
research space. Without more space, we are saying no to some
of the finest talent. We will not conquer these maladies
overnight. But solutions are on the horizon if we are willing,
as individuals and a Commonwealth, to invest — now. What
choice will we make?
It reminds me of the story told by President John F. Kennedy
about the great Marshal of France, Hubert Lyautey, who asked
his gardener to plant a tree. e gardener objected that the tree
would not reach maturity for 100 years. e marshal replied, “In
that case, there is no time to lose, plant it this aernoon.”
Mary Lynne and I have decided to plant a tree. We recently
announced our gift of $250,000 to UK to fight health disparities and save lives in the Commonwealth. Specifically, we are
taking a stand today toward building a multidisciplinary research building.
Such a facility, dedicated with fervor and focus on the seemingly intractable scourges confronting Kentucky, can change our
state for the next 100 years. Our gi alone is not enough. We
need other gardeners to join us. We need our state to listen when
we again ask for bucks for buildings and brains. We must plant
now to grow the future we want. Let us plant today for that
brighter tomorrow within our grasp.

www.ukalumni.net

7

* UK News

UK announces largest gift in its history

A $20 million commitment and lead
gift by UK graduate and Trustee Carol
Martin (Bill) Gatton toward the construction of the university’s new
330,000-square-foot Student Center is
the largest gift in UK’s history.
The new Student Center — a $175
million, self-financed renovation and
expansion scheduled to open in 2017
— was authorized by the Kentucky
legislature during its 2014 session. It is
part of more than $1 billion in campus

transformation projects being selffinanced by the university.
The Student Center was originally
constructed in 1938 and expanded in
1963 and 1982.
The new Student Center will include
state-of-the-art student activity and
study spaces, dining and retail operations; parking; a bookstore; a health,
fitness and recreation center; and other
amenities that support student success.
It will also serve as the new home for

the UK Visitor Center upon its completion. Groundbreaking is scheduled
for June 2015, with completion anticipated in 2017.
Gatton’s total philanthropy to UK is
now more than $45 million, and his
total gi impact upon the university is
nearly $57 million, with some of his gis
having been matched by the state’s Bucks
for Brains program. He is the single
largest donor in UK’s history. n

UK students take top honors at national furniture competition
Three UK students took home top honors at
the “Design Emphasis” Student Furniture Design Competition. The event is a prestigious annual furniture design competition featuring
furniture pieces designed and built by students
from colleges and universities throughout the
United States, presented in conjunction with
the International Woodworking Fair. The winners were among six UK College of Design finalists selected for the juried exhibition held in
Atlanta, Georgia.
Architecture graduate student Mark Manczyk,
won first place in the “Design Emphasis” accent
tables category. Sarah Mohr, a 2014 graduate with
a master’s degree in architecture, took first in seating. In addition to the two wins, Adam Eaton, a
2014 graduate with a master’s degree in architecture, received honorable mention recognition at
the show.
All six students in the competition were in the
spring 2014 furniture studio taught by Professor
Mark Manczyk’s design won first place in the Accent Tables category.
Leonard Wujcik. n

8

Winter 2014

* UK News

UK Education Abroad participation jumps 24 percent
The number of UK students exploring the international dimension of
their disciplines by studying abroad increased by 24 percent this past year —
eight times the national average.
“Our growth is massive, and even
more significant when compared to
the roughly 3 percent growth the rest
of the nation is experiencing,” said Anthony Ogden, executive director of education abroad and exchanges at UK.
e increasing number of students participating in Education Abroad programming is due in part to Ogden and his
staff ’s efforts to understand the goals of

every academic department on campus.
“Many departments are interested in
using Education Abroad programming
to expand their curriculum,” Ogden
said. “For instance, the English department does not currently offer a course
on James Joyce and would like to find
one abroad; other departments need
language courses during specific times
of the year. Several other departments
have also shown interest in enrolling
their students in intern and research
abroad opportunities so as to enable
their students to develop international
networks.” n

Recent graduate De’Osha Burkhalter
enjoyed her summer 2013 faculty-led
Strategic Communication in South
Africa program.

College of Law ranked among Top 20 Best Value Law Schools
In the recent back-to-school issue of preLaw magazine, the
UK College of Law ranked third among the nation’s top 20
Best Value Law Schools, which is a move up from seventh place
last year. Best Value Law Schools recognition is based on a
combination of bar passage rates, employment rates, debt load
and tuition.

“We believe our rigorous academics and nationally renowned
faculty contribute greatly to our students’ success,” said David
A. Brennen, dean of the college.
e UK College of Law was founded in 1908 and its Kentucky Law Journal is the 10th oldest student-run law review in
the nation. n

Unprecedented public-private partnership to support food economy in Kentucky
UK announced a $5 million unprecedented public-private
partnership designed to elevate and promote a vibrant, healthy,
sustainable food economy in Kentucky. e Food Connection at
UK is between UK and Aramark, housed in the UK College of
Agriculture, Food and Environment. e partnership is designed
to leverage the innovation and research of UK and the market
position of Aramark to substantively grow a vibrant food economy in Kentucky.
Partnering closely with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky farmers, community partners, and consumers,
the Food Connection at UK aims to enhance the production,
distribution, and consumption of local and Kentucky Proud
food products.
e Food Connection at UK is backed by a $5 million investment by global food leader, Aramark. e partnership includes

$1 million to endow undergraduate and graduate internships and
fellowships as well as another $250,000 in one-time start-up costs
for equipment and programmatic needs, and $250,000 annually
over a 15-year term for staff, programming, research grants and
other initiatives in the Food Connection at UK.
“We are pleased to invest $5 million in the Food Connection to
fund internships and fellowships for undergrad and graduate students, research grants, programming and staffing, as well as other
vital support,” said president and CEO of Aramark, Eric Foss.
e Food Connection at UK will be housed inside a new
dining and student support facility. e partnership will sustain and expand collaborations with the UK Butcher Shop,
Lemon Tree Restaurant and Food Systems Innovation Center,
as well as existing undergraduate majors in food and nutrition,
among other benefits. n

Child care program connects UK families with student helpers
e University of Kentucky Office of Work-Life is helping to
connect UK families in need of child care with UK students
who are able to provide occasional care, through a new program called Big Blue Family Care (BBFC).
“Last winter, we noticed that a lot more employees had to
take vacation or sick days when Fayette County Schools were
closed,” said Erika Chambers, director of Work-Life. “rough
the BBFC program, we are trying to address some of the breakdowns in child care that occur on school closings, aer-school,
and other school breaks.”

Bethany Smith, program coordinator for BBFC, said, “UK
has a lot of great students on campus who like working with
children and have experience as nannies or in a daycare. However, due to their schedule and studying, they need a job that is
flexible. e BBFC program meets these needs and makes it
simple for students to connect with a UK family directly.”
ere is no charge to UK students or UK families for being
part of the BBFC network. n

www.ukalumni.net

9

* Join the student section of

WILDCAT
CENTRAL.
™

Get convenience and show your Wildcat pride
with a Bleed Blue Checking account.

Member FDIC

centralbank.com/wildcatcentral

* Blue Horizons

UK receives $1.8 million to combat obesity
e University of Kentucky received a
$1.8 million cooperative agreement with
the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services to focus on lowering
obesity rates in the Kentucky communities most affected by this issue. Researchers and Extension personnel in the
UK College of Agriculture, Food and
Environment and the UK College of
Public Health will work in six Kentucky
counties that have obesity rates higher
than 40 percent, which include Logan,

Clinton, Lewis, Martin, Letcher and Elliott counties.
e Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention will administer the three-year
cooperative agreement that will concentrate on the agency’s goal of reducing
chronic disease incidence rates, promoting healthier lifestyles, reducing health
disparities and controlling health care
spending.
“is is the first time the CDC has directly funded a Cooperative Extension

program,” said Ann Vail, director of the
UK School of Human Environmental
Sciences and principal investigator on
the project. “e grant will support
building and strengthening collaborations between Extension and public
health personnel at the university, community and state levels.”
Margaret McGladrey, assistant dean
for research in the UK College of Public
Health, is the community coalition
leader for the project. n

‘Suda On Line’ database is complete
The first English translation of the
entire Suda lexicon, a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia, is complete after more than 16 years of
collaborative, volunteer-driven work by
a diverse group of scholars, including
key contributors from the University of
Kentucky.
The translation, as well as the first
continuous commentary on the Suda’s
contents in any language, is now
searchable and browsable through the
Suda On Line (SOL) database at
www.stoa.org/sol.
Conceived in 1998, the project grew
to comprise more than 31,000 entries,
through the contributions of more than

200 volunteers. The project was
groundbreaking, providing a new
model of open, participatory scholarship. The entire editing process was
open-ended and crowdsourced, though
that term did not yet exist. Nearly anyone who possessed the ability to translate ancient Greek, regardless of formal
credentials and specialization, was eligible to apply to the project and request the assignment of any entry.
Two UK faculty members, Ross
Scaife, professor in the Department of
Classics, and Raphael Finkel, professor
in the Department of Computer Science, were heavily involved in the project from the beginning. Design and

programming of the SOL system commenced under the supervision of Scaife
and Finkel, who also co-authored the
database system used by the project.
The project suffered a tremendous
loss with Scaife’s passing in 2008. His
collaborators say the Suda On Line will
be a lasting monument to his pioneering efforts.
Project organizers say that their work
is not finished, although all the entries
are translated. Editors will be scrutinizing every entry for opportunities to introduce improvements to the
translations, additions to the annotations, updates to the associated bibliography and other enhancements. n

UK researchers harvest hemp
In September, University of Kentucky
researchers harvested the university’s
first hemp crop in decades.
“It was a good growing season for many
crops, not just hemp,” said David Williams,
UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment agronomist and co-project lead.
“Precipitation was excellent this year and
more than adequate for growth.”
UK’s research plot, planted May 27,
was one of the Kentucky Department of
Agriculture’s pilot studies to reintroduce
hemp production in Kentucky. UK’s
study was conducted in conjunction
with Eastern Kentucky University and
Kentucky State University.

“Congratulations to the University of
Kentucky and all of our partners in the
hemp pilot projects on the first hemp
crop in Kentucky in almost 70 years,”
said Agriculture Commissioner James
Comer.
Kentucky was a national leader in
hemp production before the crop was
outlawed in the United States due to its
similarity to marijuana. Many agricultural advances have occurred since then,
so research trials were necessary to determine the crop’s viability in an everchanging agricultural economy.
“Our plan was to simply lay the crop on
the ground where the elements will begin

to break down or ‘ret’ the hemp,” said Rich
Mundell, co-project lead and an agronomist in the Kentucky Tobacco Research
Development Center. “Because the hemp
was very tall (about 10 feet) we felt the
sickle bar mower would do a better job
than a more commonly used disc mower.”
Researchers will analyze the different
varieties to find one that’s best suited for
the state and present the results to the
Kentucky Department of Agriculture. n
Compiled from news reports
about research at UK.
For more information about
research taking place at UK,
visit www.research.uky.edu

www.ukalumni.net

11

* New Developments

* www.ukalumni.net

13

* New Developments

14

Winter 2013

* * DanceBlue:
Student-run philanthropy event has raised $6.58 million for pediatric
cancer patients and research at the Markey Cancer Center
By Robin Roenker

* Photo: DanceBlue

A decade of dancing

* Jarrett Mynear earned the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, honoring young
people for their volunteer service.

families — including everything from gas
cards and food vouchers to temporary
housing for patients traveling from far
away. Matching money from the Kentucky
Cigarette Excise tax supports cancer research at the UK Markey Cancer Center.
DanceBlue proceeds are overseen and
collected through the group’s Golden
Matrix Fund, an account in the UK
Department of Pediatrics. The money
currently supports the salaries for a
child life specialist, who works with patients on play therapy and coping strategies to make potentially scary
treatments easier to handle, and a
school intervention specialist, who
serves as an advocate for patients as they
transition back to their schools following treatment. Other patient services,
such as neuropsychology testing, which
are important but not always covered by

Photo: DanceBlue

they’ll be marking the 10th anniversary
of what has become the largest studentrun philanthropy event in the Southeastern Conference.
The event’s success is staggering. In
just nine years, DanceBlue — the annual, 24-hour no sitting, no sleeping
dance marathon — has become a vital
and universally-loved part of the University of Kentucky undergraduate experience. It has fostered lifelong
friendships between UK students and
pediatric cancer p