By Sarah Schuetze

When Virginia Conn was growing up in LaGrange, Ky., the opening of the town’s first Chinese restaurant warranted a school field trip for lunch. At that time, LaGrange was still growing, and it didn’t offer Conn much exposure to different cultures or people. Through reading, however, Conn’s passion for language and culture began to grow.

This fall, Conn took a new step in pursuing this passion as a graduate student in the Comparative Literature Department at Rutgers University. She hopes her degree will allow her to live and work in different countries, “never settling for too long in any one place,” and it’s that process of adapting that interests Conn.

As an English

One of our English students, Jenny Winstead, was recently awarded one of the top prizes in a photo contest as part of UK’s 1st Annual Water Week.  This was a series of events organized by the TFISE Water Systems working group to engage our community about the critical importance of local, regional and global water supply, water quality and associated issues facing present and future generations..  Contestants were challenged to submit photos that captured the essence of the “celebrate water” theme and conveyed a story or personal connection.  Photos were judged based on several criteria including: 1) connection to Water Week theme; 2) technical quality; 3) interest, 4) creativity, and 5) composition. 

Congratulations Jenny!

Photo Caption: Discovered by early settlers in 1778, Doe Run Creek has given life to herds of buffalo, elk, deer, and

by Gail Hairston 

(Sept. 30, 2014) — More than an “s” has been added since the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Science was created in 1908 with only seven faculty members. In fact there was a College of Arts and Science even before the institution was named the University of Kentucky; the institution was called the State University, Lexington, Kentucky (previously Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky and State College) until 1916.

In those 106 years, several of today’s largest colleges were birthed from the original College of Arts and Science’s former programs, including today’s College of Education, College of Communication and Information, College of Social Work and College of Fine Arts.

The college grew quickly under the inspiration and commitment of President James Patterson, whose statue now graces the plaza next to

by Kathy Johnson

(Sept. 19, 2014) — WUKY's "UK Perspectives" focuses on the people and programs of the University of Kentucky and is hosted by WUKY General Manager Tom Godell.  Today's program features UK senior Nathan Moore who spent the past summer in New York as a fellow for the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute. He discusses his experience there and his research into slave narratives and their coded references.

To listen to the podcast interview from which "UK Perspectives" is produced, click here.

"UK Perspectives" airs at 8:35 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. each Friday on WUKY 91.3, UK's NPR station.

Lucy Combs and the University of Kentucky were intertwined like few others have ever been -- or will ever be. Lucy was an alum of UK, and she worked for the university for 45 dedicated years. Lucy was a constant in the Department of English for most of that time, a true rock for all those that needed to lean on her for every conceivable form of information and knowledge, and she shared that wisdom graciously. Below are some thoughts and memories from those who knew her. 

I walked into Patterson Office Tower for the first time in 1989 and Lucy instantly became my compass for the next 22 years. Her smile lit the way but her extraordinary generosity and tireless devotion to my random neophyte questions always made my day better. Her work ethic informed me. Her kindness was never compromised. She taught me so much about being at UK, essential things that

by Gail Hairston

(Sept. 5, 2014) — Two University of Kentucky English faculty members have been honored with named professorships in the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

Peter Kalliney was named the William J. Tuggle Professor in English. The appointment is for five years and will be renewable at the discretion of the college dean on June 30, 2019. The professorship carries annual additional salary of $15,000 and an additional $10,000 research allowance.

Michael Trask has been named the Guy M. Davenport Professor in English. The appointment is for five years and will be renewable at the discretion of the college dean on June 30, 2019. The professorship

By Guy Spriggs

In the fall of 2013, graduate students from the English Department approached their director of graduate studies, Andy Doolen, to solicit his help in building a more robust community of writers.

“They wanted to bring together people at different levels of the program, different cohorts that might not cross paths so easily,” Doolen explained. “I told them I would look into it and immediately started doing some research.”

Doolen found was that some of the country’s finest graduate schools invest in shared writing programs similar to what UK’s grad students desired. And once he realized the English Department could offer more to its students than writing boot camps, the Let’s Write! program was born.

Listen to a podcast

By Sarah Schuetze

There are many parallels between the kickoff of a program and starting a novel/story. The creative possibilities seem to inspire creative writing faculty members who are energized by new projects. For Andrew Ewell, a new assistant professor in UK’s Department of English, “beginning projects is exciting because you can go anywhere with it but it’s also daunting because you haven’t yet gone, but I like being in the middle of things when it’s always tugging at the back of my mind.”

But no one involved in establishing the Department of English’s Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing Program seems daunted by the newness of the program—their collective

by Jenny Wells

(Aug. 26, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence honored its newest class of Chellgren Fellows this past weekend.  Benefactor Paul Chellgren, along with Chellgren Endowed Chair Philipp Kraemer, recognized and congratulated the students on being named Fellows.

The Chellgren Fellows Program is for students with exceptional academic potential and aspirations, who are eager to participate in a special learning community designed to cultivate extraordinary achievement. Outstanding faculty members from across campus serve as individual mentors for the Fellows.

The students selected as 2014-15 Chellgren Fellows include:

by Whitney Hale

(July 22, 2014) — Fiction writer Rebecca Makkai, whose novel "The Hundred-Year House" was published this month, and the multi-talented Margaret Wrinkle, author of the 2013 novel "Wash," will read from their work and teach fiction at the Kentucky Women Writers Conference being held Sept. 12-13, in Lexington.

Chicago-based writer Makkai just released her second novel, "The Hundred-Year House," described by The Los Angeles Times as "a big-hearted gothic novel, an intergenerational

By Brian Connors Manke

(July 16, 2014) — Originally from Indianapolis, Nathan Moore and his mother moved to Louisville when he was around 12. Growing up on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, Moore is somewhat conflicted as a northern southerner, or is that southern northerner?

Regardless, one direction that Moore is certainly moving is up. The University of Kentucky junior was recently named a fellow for the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute in New York City, and as one of only 10 recipients to be bestowed that honor, it is helping to further define who Nathan Moore is and who he is quickly becoming as an academic.

“Being accepted into this fellowship is not only a prestigious and

by Whitney Hale

(July 14, 2014) — The University of Kentucky Office of Nationally Competitive Awards has announced the selection of three UK students by the US-UK Fulbright Commission to participate in Fulbright Summer Institutes in the United Kingdom.

Kelsey Potter, an English and integrated strategic communication junior, has been awarded a place at the American Institute for Foreign Study (AIFS) 

by Whitney Hale

(July 1, 2014) — Celebrated authors Joy Castro and Leslie Jamison will make their first appearance together at the Kentucky Women Writers Conference for a reading, conversation and a book signing. The reading events are scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.

While best known for their nonfiction works, Castro's "The Truth Book" and Jamison's 

by Rachel Knuth

(June 24, 2014) — Three University of Kentucky graduate students have received the fellowship award from the Association of Emeriti Faculty. Each award includes a stipend of $2,000.

Since 1996, the UK Association of Emeriti Faculty has awarded 53 fellowships to full-time graduate students who demonstrate a commitment to teaching at a university or college. Thanks to generous gifts from UK faculty retirees to the fellowship program and UKAEF’s Commonwealth of Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund, these gifts constitute a $77,000 donation of ongoing support of graduate students.

4Winners for the 2013-14 school year were Brad Fox, Ashley Bourgeois and Michelle Bolduc.

Bolduc is in her fourth year as a doctoral candidate in the

by Benjamin Kandt, photo by Kiran Lannagadda

(June 13, 2014) - The University of Kentucky is proud to host a Confucius Institute (UKCI), a center dedicated to promoting awareness and appreciation of Chinese culture throughout the University of Kentucky and the Lexington community. UKCI’s offerings include Chinese language classes and cultural outreach events. It also serves as a bridge for the University of Kentucky to make connections with institutions

by Whitney Hale

(June 4, 2014) — In an evening that organizers are calling “Brave New Words,” Tina Chang, poet laureate of Brooklyn, N.Y., will join Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith for a poetry reading and conversation at the keynote event of this year’s Kentucky Women Writers Conference. The noted poets will take the stage 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, at University of Kentucky's Memorial Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

The first woman named Poet Laureate of Brooklyn, Tina Chang was raised in New York City. She is the author of the poetry collections "Half-Lit

by Gail Hairston

(May 28, 2014) — Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker was recently honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA) as the recipient of the 2014 Honor Book for Poetry for his “Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers: Poems.” The 2014 BCALA Literary Awards recognize excellence in adult fiction and nonfiction by African-American authors published in 2013.

“This honor is extra special to me because of the reverence I have for libraries and librarians,” Walker said. “When I was a kid I wanted to grow up and drive the bookmobile. Recently, the Boyle County Public Library made my dream come true.

By Brian Connors Manke

Nathan Moore was recently interviewed for an A&S podcast about his experiences with the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute. Listen here, and read the story below.

Originally from Indianapolis, Nathan Moore and his mother moved to Louisville when he was around 12. Growing up on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line, Moore is somewhat conflicted as northern southerner, or is that southern northerner?

Regardless, one direction that Moore is certainly moving is up. The UK Junior was recently named a fellow for the Schomburg-Mellon Humanities Summer Institute in New York City, and as one of only 10 recipients to be bestowed that honor, it is helping to further define who Nathan Moore is

 by Sarah Geegan

(May 1, 2014) – Provost Christine Riordan will honor three tenured faculty members, two lecturers and six teaching assistants today at the 2014 University of Kentucky Provost's Outstanding Teaching Awards ceremony. The ceremony will take place from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Lexmark Public Room.

The award recognizes faculty and graduate teaching assistants who demonstrate special dedication and outstanding performance in the classroom or laboratory. Recipients are selected via nomination and review by a selection committee based in the Provost's Office of Faculty Advancement.

Winners receive cash prizes of $5,000 for regular and special title series faculty, $3,000 for lecturer and clinical title series, and $1,000 for teaching assistants.

The Category One Faculty Award recognizes regular and special title series

by Whitney Hale

The Kentucky Women Writers Conference (KWWC) will offer cash prizes and other benefits in writing contests and scholarships again this year, each with a postmark deadline of June 2. The deadline is one month earlier than prior years in order to allow winners more time to make appropriate travel plans. 

Now in its 36th year, the KWWC  is an annual event known for bringing notable women writers to Lexington for readings, writing workshops and discussions. A program housed in the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences, the conference is made possible in part by continued community partnerships, including its primary venue, the