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 significant
by Keith Hautala
Older adults who have spoken two languages since childhood are faster than single-language speakers at switching from one task to another, according to a study conducted at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.
The study also found that lifelong bilinguals show different patterns of brain activity than their monolingual counterparts when making the switch.
The research was led by Brian Gold, associate professor of anatomy and neurobiology, who specializes in cognitive neuroscience. The article, "Lifelong Bilingualism Maintains Neural Efficiency for Cognitive Control in Aging," was published in the Jan. 9 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.
As people age, cognitive flexibility — the ability to adapt to unfamiliar or unexpected circumstances — and related "executive"
This article appears courtesy of the UK Alumni Association.
The education of Renée Saunier Brewer ’03 AG into the sophisticated world of the juice of the grape has taken her all over the globe at a very young age, but each step of the way was paved with more forethought and practicality and less wanderlust than it would first appear. Now settled in Lexington, she is the owner of Wine + Market, a quaint establishment in the downtown area that not only sells wines and other spirits from all over the world, but also creates tasty selections that can be ordered off a café menu that showcases local and international delicacies.
Even choosing where to go for college was a decision made at a very sensible level. “I was born and raised in Lexington and graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar, class of
Many UK students consider internship experience to be critical in their preparation for the professional world. A Lexington-based company, Lexmark Inc., consistently facilitates students from various majors into its internship positions. One student, however, took this longstanding relationship with Lexmark one step farther, or approximately 7,400 miles farther, geographically speaking.
Hannah Simms is a junior at UK, majoring in international studies and political science with a minor in Chinese studies, as well as a member of the UK Honors Program. This
by Sarah Geegan & Lauren Kamas
The University of Kentucky Confucius Institute will celebrate its second anniversary Friday, Nov. 9 with various events.
A free public concert, the “East Meets West: Featuring Guzheng and Western Instruments” performance will be held at 7 p.m. at the Singletary Center for the Arts and will be followed by a reception. This concert will feature musical artists Chi-Sun Chan, a veteran tuba player, and Shin-Yi Yang, a professional Gu Qin and Guzheng player.
Events such as this, which UKCI strives to present throughout the year, provide a unique lens into traditional Chinese culture. Confucius Institute Director
by Sarah Geegan
The UK College of Arts and Sciences has launched the third chapter in its Passport to the World Initiative, opening doors for students to "reimagine Russia's realms."
Proceeding from the college's years of South Africa and China, the year of Russia, "Reimagining Russia's Realms" amounts to a year-long exploration of culture and history that shaped Russia and the many other homelands of Eurasia. The initiative provides opportunities for the UK and Lexington community to learn about Russia and its neighbors in a multidisciplinary way, through events that range in focus from literature and history, to politics and the environment.
Interested in learning some useful phrases in the Russian language for free and with no grades involved? Join the Russian Club at the University of Kentucky for free Russian classes.
Classes will meet at 8 p.m. Thursdays, beginning Sept. 20, in Room 145 of Patterson Officer Tower on the UK campus. No prior knowledge of Russian is required. Materials will be provided. This is a non-credit course being offered to provide a taste of Russian for anyone interested.
The course coincides with the UK College of Arts and Sciences' Year of Russia. For more information visit www.facebook.com/FreeRussian.
David Crabbe, a graduate student in the Division of Classics in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures has been awarded the Swift-Longacre-Scaife Fellowship for academic year 2012-13, in the amount of $6,000. The award was made in recognition both of what David had already accomplished in the Classics program and for his outstanding promise as a career Latin teacher. David graduated with an M.A. in Classics this past year, and is staying at U.K. to complete a second M.A. in Teaching Latin in the Master of Arts in Teaching World Languages program (MATWL) of the Modern and Classical Languages department.
The Swift-Longacre-Scaife fellowship is named for and honors three notable teacher-scholars in Kentucky. Louis Swift is an emeritus professor of Classics at UK with a specialty in the Latin Church Fathers; he also served as a
by Sarah Geegan
This past summer marked the 16th anniversary of one of the world's most unique events held on UK's campus.
The Conventiculum Latinum Lexintoniense, an active Latin immersion seminar established and directed by classics professor Terence Tunberg, annually draws scholars from across the globe. The seminar aims to fully immerse participants, equipped with various degrees of fluency, in the Latin language and culture — and does so by instating a pledge to speak exclusively in the ancient language throughout the duration of the seminar.
"At the very first session, all members signed a pledge to speak only Latin during the
Elizabeth came to the University of Kentucky in 2009 and completed her MA in Classics in May of 2011. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida in 2009, with majors in Classics and English. Although she had been studying Latin during much of her time at UF and had always been interested in the ancient world, she spent the first four years of her undergraduate education focusing predominately on English, planning, at the time, to become a medievalist. In spring 2008, while taking a course on Vergil’s Eclogues and Georgics, she decided to pursue Classics instead, ultimately finding that Latin allowed for deeper and more meaningful study of the literature she had always loved. She remained in the Classics department at UF for a fifth year, studying Greek over the summer and a heavy load of Latin and Greek during that year to prepare for a
By Sarah Geegan
The Conventiculum Dickinsoniense, an annual Latin immersion seminar hosted by Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., spotlighted two of UK's most acclaimed professors this summer.
Professors Terence Tunberg and Milena Minkova of the Classics Division in the Department of Modern Classical Languages Literatures and Cultures, conducted the seminar, which aims to enrich high school teachers' preparation to teach Latin. The event also attracts professors and graduate students from disciplines that benefit from good knowledge of Latin.
Participants travel from across the globe to attend the Dickinson seminar each year; the past three
By Sarah Geegan
Seven University of Kentucky students in the College of Arts & Sciences have been awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad. These students are among 2,300 U.S. undergraduates who will be participating in programs abroad during the summer, fall, or 2012-2013 academic year.
The Gilman Scholarship Program offers awards to U.S. undergraduates who are receiving Federal Pell Grants at a two-year or four-year college or university to study abroad. Scholarships of up to $5,000 may be awarded and vary depending on the length of study and student need. The average award amount is approximately $4,000.
The Gilman Scholarship program supports a diverse group of students who have been traditionally under
By Sarah Geegan, Guy Spriggs
UK graduate Casey Carmichael, who earned his master's degree from the Department of Classics in 2010, was recently awarded a six-month doctoral fellowship from the Leibniz Institute for European History in Mainz, Germany.
The fellowship funds doctoral and post-doctoral candidates to conduct research projects at the Leibniz Institute, an independent research organization that facilitates historical research related to Europe. Carmichael will research and write his doctoral dissertation for the theology faculty at the University of Geneva from July-December 2012.
“Receiving the fellowship has brought me great joy and an added sense of motivation to pursue my doctoral research,” Carmichael said.
Carmichael’s project
By Guy Spriggs
Casey Carmichael, who earned his masters degree in Classics at the University in Kentucky in 2010, has been awarded six-month doctoral fellowship from the Leibniz Institute for European History in Mainz, Germany.
“Receiving the fellowship has brought me great joy and an added sense of motivation to pursue my doctoral research,” Carmichael said.
The fellowship funds doctoral and post-doctoral candidates to write their research projects at the Leibniz Institute. From July to December 2012, Carmichael will be researching and writing his doctoral dissertation for the Faculty of Theology at the University of Geneva.
Carmichael’s current project focuses on biblical exegesis of seventeenth-century Dutch theologian Johannes Cocceius. “I am fascinated by the history of
To see a little of what Dr. Francisco Salgado-Robles' students were doing in Seville this summer, take a look at some of the adventures of sophomore Spanish major Nicole Sands, who blogged from Spain about her experiences with the the May session service learning course created by Dr. Salgado-Robles.
By Jessica Powers
A professor can impact a student during and after their college career in a plethora of ways. Leighanne Root has been able to learn, utilize and grow with her professors throughout her time at the University of Kentucky.
Root entered UK as a philosophy major, but during her freshman year she enrolled in PHI 260 a course on classical philosophy taught by Paul Carelli. She was instantly fascinated by his use of Greek and Latin, so with his guidance, she decided to switch majors to Classics with a minor in philosophy. Carelli helped her transition into the program by consulting with her on questions and giving advice.
Sophomore year, Root enrolled in Greek courses with Professor Amy Clark. Learning a new language with a new alphabet is difficult, but Clark was patient enough to make the task enjoyable to her students.
“Dr. Clark was a huge
By Sarah Geegan
With the school year freshly completed, 11 students in the College of Arts and Sciences are kicking off the summer in a unique way— with a 4-week intensive language and culture program in Shanghai, China.
The faculty-led program, supported by the Chinese Studies program in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Culture, will advance the students' conversational fluency in Chinese. It will also introduce them to traditional and modern aspects of Chinese culture such as calligraphy, tea houses, Shanghai's history and contemporary society.
Assistant Professor of Chinese Matthew Wells said that the 4-week program is structured to optimize the
By Whitney Hale
Sarah Gooch, a University of Kentucky junior majoring in Japanese language and literature with a minor in anthropology, has been awarded a National Security Education Program (NSEP) Boren Scholarship to travel to Japan this fall. Gooch is one of 161 award winners selected nationally from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants.
The Boren Scholarships provide up to $20,000 for U.S. undergraduates to study abroad in areas of the world that are critical to U.S. interests and underrepresented in study abroad. Boren Scholarships are funded by the National Security Education Program, which focuses on geographic areas, languages and fields of study deemed critical to U.S. national security.
Gooch is
By Whitney Hale
In 1912, an incredible gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees was bestowed on Washington, D.C. by Tokyo, Japan. Rooted strongly and surviving outside elements, the trees have withstood the test of time and become a beloved treasure of our nation's capital. Nearly a century later, the friendship between Japan and Kentucky is preparing for an unprecedented and once-in‐a‐lifetime centennial celebration of this gift as the Japan/America Society of Kentucky (JASK) paint the state and University of Kentucky campus pink.
In honor of this international friendship between Kentucky and Japan, the Embassy of Japan and the Consul General of Japan in Nashville, Tenn., has awarded the JASK 20 offspring from the original cherry blossom trees to be donated to the
