By Whitney Hale

In celebration of the University of Kentucky's upcoming sesquicentennial in 2015, the 55th of 150 weekly installments remembers Neville Hall, the fifth building constructed at the institution.

The New Dormitory, the second building added to the institution's original three buildings, was constructed in 1890 at a cost of $14,500. It was remodeled for classes in 1918 due to a report in June of 1917 that described the New Dormitory and the Old Dormitory as "public nuisances."

On Dec. 18, 1919, the Board of Trustees, following the recommendation of President Frank L. McVey, renamed the building known as the New Dormitory Neville Hall in honor of

The College of Arts & Sciences is very pleased to announce that the recipients of the 2013-14 A&S Outstanding Teaching Awards are Drs. Shannon Bell (sociology), Jacqueline Couti (MCL), Stephen Testa (chemistry), and Kim Woodrum (chemistry).  The College wants to thank the selection committee—Yanira Paz (chair), Christia Brown, Juliana MacDonald, and Bradley Plaster—for their hard work and fine judgment.

Dr. Shannon Bell of the Sociology Department is recognized for her efforts in engaged learning and public sociology.  Since joining her Department in 2010, she has been committed to guiding students' learning about real-world social issues through research, activism, and their combination.  In her course in environmental sociology, for

By Jenny Wells. Video by Reveal Research Media.

The UK Office of Undergraduate Research, along with SPUR (the Society for the Promotion of Undergraduate Research), and the UK Student Government Association, will host the eighth annual Showcase for Undergraduate Scholars 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, in the ballrooms of the UK Student Center. 

Each year, the showcase brings together undergraduates from all disciplines, their faculty mentors, and members of the community to learn about the various types of research being done by undergraduate students at UK. This occasion provides these students the opportunity to demonstrate and discuss their specific projects and the professional advancements the projects helped

By Whitney Hale

The University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections will highlight the projects of its first full cohort of Learning Lab interns with an undergraduate panel presentation, exhibition and reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, in the Margaret I. King Building. The events and exhibition are free and open to the public.

Currently in its inaugural year, the Special Collections Learning Lab (SCLL) is a center of primary research, experiential learning, and training. Targeting undergraduate students in the humanities, social sciences and arts, the SCLL promotes undergraduate research, scholarship and

By President Eli Capilouto

Last year, I had the opportunity to travel to China with a delegation from the University of Kentucky to advance several partnerships growing between UK's colleges and departments and universities and industries in a country growing in economic importance.

One such partnership is between UK's Center for Applied Energy Research and the world's largest power company. During a meeting with industry representatives, we shared our exciting work in the development of clean coal technology and discussed partnerships, the exchange of students, and faculty collaboration as part of the US-China Clean Energy Research Center.

As we met, they described several multi-billion dollar research and development investments in their country’s energy sector. In comparison, the proposed

By Sarah Geegan

Students from Shanghai University (SHU) will get a taste of the bluegrass this week as the UK American Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences will host a summit for SHU students on Monday, April 22.

Shanghai University is home to one of approximately 10 American Studies Centers in China. Funded by a grant from the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, and pioneered through a joint-venture agreement between SHU and UK, the center began operation in 2011.

Since then the facility has served to emphasize the diversity of American culture and experience, to broaden Chinese

By Ellyce Loveless

For graduate students Christie Pavey and William Little, paleography is an exciting and fresh field of study. The two Classics students, who also participate in the Institute for Latin Studies here on campus, have been recently awarded fellowships to study abroad in an aim to practice deciphering ancient and medieval scripts.

Though they are from very different parts of the country, both Pavey and Little decided to study at UK for the unique approach to learning that the Institute for Latin Studies provides for its students. The program is attractive because it focuses on actively reading, writing, and speaking Latin.

Pavey, who received her undergraduate degree at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, said “I was drawn to UK by the

by Sarah Geegan

By Whitney Hale, Grace Liddle

The University of Kentucky Department of Theatre in collaboration with UK's Russian Studies Program and the Department of History will present Bulgakov's Dreams, a drama on the life of the Soviet writer. The performance will begin 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21, at Reynolds Building No. 1.

Mikhaíl Afanasyevich Bulgakov was a Soviet writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which has been called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century. Bulgakov's Dreams is a

By Breanna Shelton, Whitney Hale

Origami  (ȯr-ə-ˈgä-mē ) is the Japanese art or process of folding squares of paper into representational shapes. The art of origami takes over campus this month as the university celebrates the 10th anniversary of the University of Kentucky Asia Center. On April 8, UK Libraries will host "Extreme Makeover: Paper Edition," a workshop on basic origami techniques. In conjunction with the anniversary, an exhibition of the art form, "Extreme Origami," is on display through May 24 at William T. Young Library and the Science Library.

"Extreme Makeover: Paper Edition" is designed for

By Whitney Hale, Breanna Shelton

The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities has chosen 12 outstanding undergraduates as new scholars for the university's Gaines Fellowship Program for the 2013-14 and 2014-15 academic years. Gaines Fellowships are given in recognition of outstanding academic performance, demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, an interest in public issues and a desire to enhance understanding of the human condition through the humanities.

Gaines Fellowships are awarded for the tenure of a student's junior and senior years, or for the last two years of a five-year program; students in all disciplines and with any intended profession are given equal consideration.

UK's

By Ellyce Loveless

Claire Bishop, a University of Kentucky graduate student in Classics who is also working towards her Masters in Teaching a World Language, was named as a winner for the 2013 Manson A. Stewart Teacher Training Award. This award is designed by the Classical Association of the Middle West and South to give financial aid to those hoping to teach Latin at the primary through the secondary level. The award is a great honor for Bishop, the Classics department, and the university.

Originally from Louisville, Bishop graduated with an undergraduate degree in Classics from UK. She continued her education here in order to participate in the Institute for Latin Studies developed by Drs.

By Sarah Geegan, Derrick Meads

Education Abroad at the University of Kentucky recently awarded grants to five faculty members to develop innovative programs abroad. In addition, a graduate student was awarded a grant to support her research into education abroad experiences and possibilities for the future.

Faculty-Sponsored Program Development Grants recipients include:

·         The Nile River: A History of Water Politics in Africa. Awet T. Weldemichael, assistant professor, Department of History, UK College of Arts and Sciences — will establish a program in

By Whitney Hale

An undergraduate in the University of Kentucky's College of Communication and Information and a doctoral candidate in the College of Arts and Sciences have received Critical Language Scholarships to study languages abroad. Meredith King, a senior majoring in communication, will study Chinese in China, and Lydia Shanklin Roll, a doctoral candidate in anthropology, will study Turkish in Turkey.

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program, a program of the United States Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, will offer intensive summer language

By Whitney Hale

On Wednesday, Feb. 20, the first-ever Western singers trained in modern Mandarin lyric diction will debut a special evening of music from the East and West on a Bluegrass stage courtesy of the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute. "I Sing Beijing," which will have made its American debut at New York's Lincoln Center only four days earlier, will grace the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall stage beginning at 7 p.m. The program is free and open to the public.

Joining the Western singers, who represent some of the top young artists programs in the world, will be rising stars from China to perform a concert that

By Kathy Johnson

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 is a continuation of last week's conversation about "Reimagining Russia's Realms," the College of Arts and Sciences' in-depth examination of the people, art, cultures and homelands of Eurasia. The guests are Cynthia Ruder, associate professor of Russian studies and Gordon Hogg, Special Collections Library director.

By Whitney Hale

In celebration of University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences' year-long exploration into the culture and history of Russia, UK Libraries continues "Reimagining Russia's Realms" throughout the spring semester with an exhibit of Soviet Cold War-era military posters from the UK Libraries Scott Soviet  Military Collection. The free public poster exhibit will open with a Russian Tea at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Hub at William T. Young Library.

The Scotts’ collection of Soviet propaganda posters includes striking large-scale

By Kathy Johnson

Huajing Maske, director of the University of Kentucky Confucius Institute, was the guest on Saturday's "UK at the Half," which aired during the UK vs. LSU game that was broadcast on radio.

"UK at the Half" airs during halftime of each UK football and basketball game broadcast on radio and is hosted by Carl Nathe of UK Public Relations and Marketing.

To hear the "UK at the Half" interview, click here. To view a transcript of the interview, click here.

By Sarah Geegan

UK alumna Lauren Cook did it in Switzerland; UK  junior Hannah Simms did it in China; they studied abroad. Widely seen as a life-changing experience, education abroad has been perceived as one with added financial burden. However, Education Abroad at UK is seeking to dispel the myth that money is necessarily an obstacle; rather, they want students to know money does not have to be a barrier.

Education Abroad at UK strives to make education abroad programs more affordable and accessible for all UK students. In 2011-2012, Education Abroad at UK awarded $231,750 in total scholarships. The 2011-2012 year also represented a 42 percent increase from the number of students who received scholarships in 2010-2011 and a 41 percent increase in total funding.

"One of the