By Francis Von Mann
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 21, 2025) — As a first-generation college student, Ryson Neeley didn’t know what to expect from a place as big as the University of Kentucky. What he found in the College of Arts and Sciences is a community that believed in him, one that helped him become a future doctor.

That discovery came in an unassuming conference room.

Neeley was set on going to a different college before an Arts and Sciences information session. But after listening to faculty members and a student ambassador share their passion and experience, he changed his mind.

“I remember talking to them and seeing how much they cared about their students and how involved they were,” Neeley said. “That’s why I chose to come here.”

Neeley

By Tom Musgrave 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 18, 2025) — University of Kentucky students Sophia Zhou and Blake Byer were awarded Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships. Zhou and Byer were among 441 college students across the United States to earn Goldwater Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year.

The Goldwater Scholarship awards up to $7,500 a year to sophomores or juniors planning to pursue research careers in mathematics, engineering or a natural science, according to information from the UK Office of Nationally Competitive Awards.

Zhou and Byer were selected for Goldwater Scholarships from

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 14, 2025) — Two University of Kentucky students are playing major roles in the traditions leading up to the Kentucky Derby.

Maddie Duff, a Lewis Honors College senior majoring in neuroscience and Appalachian studies, and Elizabeth King, a senior Presidential Scholar majoring in finance and music performance, were selected as

By Jennifer T. Allen 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 24, 2025) — Plamedi Nsensele feels called to help others navigating their new life in the United States. 

“As an international student at the University of Kentucky, I see it as a blessing to pursue my education without the fear of needing help,” said Nsensele, a neuroscience and biology major from The Democratic Republic of the Congo. “Now, through the Step-Up Program, I’ve had the opportunity to work with immigrants from the same country as me, but with different circumstances.” 

Step-Up is an innovative service-learning program supporting high school students from immigrant and refugee families. The program helps them integrate into the United States. The program was recently awarded a Provost Impact Award for the 2024-25 academic year.

By Cassady Brockman 

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- On certain afternoons, Alani Moore, a University of Kentucky sophomore neuroscience major from Atlanta, can be seen playing the grand piano in the atrium at the UK HealthCare Pavilion A through the Arts in HealthCare program.  

Moore, a Lunsford Scholar, once was a music performance minor. Despite dropping the minor, she is still passionate about music, and through UK Arts she gets to combine her interests in music and science by playing the piano for patients and visitors.  

“I’ve been playing (piano) for as long as I can remember,” she said. “I grew up playing in my church, so I definitely knew that (music) was something I wanted to take with me to college. The UK

By Beckman Foundation 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 24, 2025) — Growing up in Lexington, Kaitlyn Brock’s earliest exposure to research came from her stepmom, who was a student at the University of Kentucky participating in biology research. Now Brock and one of her four younger siblings attend UK. 

In 2022, the University of Kentucky was named a Beckman Scholars Program awardee. As one of just 14 institutions to receive the award, UK received funding support six scholar-mentor pairs over a three-year period. The Beckman Scholars Program provides

By Zoey Schwartz 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 22, 2024) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research recently announced the 22 undergraduate winners of the 60th annual Oswald Research and Creativity Awards. Chad Risko, faculty director of the Office of Undergraduate Research, and research ambassadors celebrated the winners and presented the awards.

Established in 1964 by then-UK President John Oswald, the Oswald Research and Creativity Competition aims to promote undergraduate research and creative endeavors across all academic disciplines.

The competition spans categories, including biological sciences, design (architecture,

By Beckman Foundation 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2024) — University of Kentucky graduate Elaf Ghoneim was born and raised in Lexington. Her family, originally from Libya, established a tight-knit, community-oriented home that stressed service and advocacy. 

This upbringing cultivated her self-assuredness and instilled a deep sense of purpose, nurturing her two great passions: helping people and a love of science. Ghoneim aspires to pursue a career in medicine, where she hopes to help her community.

“In terms of service, my parents are

By Brandon Brown 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 18, 2024) — As a mentor and role model, University of Kentucky alumna Connor Perry is using her title to inspire young girls across the Commonwealth, proving that dreams can become reality.  

Perry, a recent graduate of the UK College of Arts and Sciences, won the Miss Kentucky USA 2024 title in her first pageant competition.  

In recognition of National Kentucky Day, observed on Oct. 19 to mark the day Kentucky became a state in 1792, Perry shares what

By Jesi Jones-Bowman 

LEXINGTON, Ky (Oct. 10, 2024) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research has selected 15 undergraduates for the 2024-25 Undergraduate Research Ambassador program.

The program’s mission is to increase awareness and create opportunities for students to  engage in research. Ambassadors must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and be involved in mentored research. This year’s ambassadors represent four colleges, nine disciplines and 10 research areas.

The student leaders’ goal is to make undergraduate research more accessible. Ambassadors promote undergraduate research involvement through

By Brandon Brown 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 10, 2024) — It’s University of Kentucky Homecoming week — a time when the UK community comes together to celebrate and honor its alumni. This week, UKNow is shining a spotlight on just a few of the thousands of alumni who embody the university’s mission to advance Kentucky. 

Today’s spotlight is on Connor Perry, a 2023 graduate of the UK College of Arts and Sciences, originally from Lexington, Kentucky. Perry is the current Miss Kentucky USA 2024. Perry is the primary ballet

By Joe Bandy

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 27, 2024) — The University of Kentucky Alumni Association announced the selection of 32 students who will serve as Alumni Ambassadors for the 2024-25 academic year. As official student hosts of the UK, Alumni Ambassadors promote the university at numerous events in partnership between the Office of the President, Office of Philanthropy and the UK Alumni Association.

Alumni Ambassadors represent the best and brightest of UK students, demonstrating high achievement in their collegiate careers and a dedication to the advancement of the university. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA or higher and represent diverse backgrounds, cultures and areas of campus involvement.

By Haven L. Patrick

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The 22nd annual Posters-at-the-Capitol on March 7 featured 13 University of Kentucky undergraduate research projects that address such issues in Kentucky as public safety, energy conservation, homeownership and lung cancer prevention. 

Posters-at-the-Capitol is hosted by Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky Community and Technical College System, Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University, University of Kentucky, University of Louisville

By Richard LeComte 

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Maddie Duff is reaching out to her fellow Appalachians through a University of Kentucky research initiative called SPARK, or Students Participating as Ambassadors for Research in Kentucky.  

Duff, a junior neuroscience major in the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts and Sciences, conducts research through SPARK, the Appalachian Career Training in Oncology and the John Calhoun Wells Eastern Kentucky Scholars Fund. Each of these programs encourage and assist students with giving back inside their communities. For example, Duff conducts phone surveys of people with hearing issues.

“A lot of the participants I've dealt with just want to be heard,” said Duff, who’s from Prestonburg, Ky. “They want somebody to understand the struggles that they go through as a patient who has all these

By Jesi Jones-Bowman 

LEXINGTON Ky. (Oct. 25, 2023) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research has announced the fifth annual 5-Minute Fast Track student research competition finalists. These undergraduates competed in the competition’s preliminary round and were selected as Top 10 finalists. They presented their research Oct. 26 on campus. 

Abigail Knoy, a senior Lewis Honors College member and neuroscience major in UK's College of Arts and Sciences, won first place. Knoy's mentor is Myunghee Kim, Ph.D., Pigman College of Engineering

 Neuroscience majors selected for the Undergraduate Research Ambassador program.

By Jesi Jones-Bowman 

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) at the University of Kentucky has selected 26 outstanding undergraduates for the 2023-24 Undergraduate Research Ambassador program.

The program’s mission is to increase awareness and create opportunities for students to actively engage in research. Ambassadors must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership potential and be involved in mentored research. This year's ambassadors represent six colleges, 21 disciplines and 18 research areas.

The student leaders’ goal is to make undergraduate research more accessible. Ambassadors will promote undergraduate research involvement and opportunities through student outreach and program

https://bio.as.uky.edu/galleries/biology-neuroscience-graduation-celebr…

By Jesi Jones-Bowman 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 8, 2023) — The University of Kentucky Office of Undergraduate Research  has chosen 20 undergraduates for the 2023 Commonwealth Undergraduate Research Experience Fellowship program.

Sponsored by the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Office of the Vice President for Research, the CURE Fellowship program helps undergraduates to become leaders for their respective communities by providing opportunities to develop knowledge and skills through research within six of UK’s Research Priority Areas: cancer, cardiovascular health, diversity and inclusion

By Ryan Girves 

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 30, 2023) — The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for Humanities has selected 12  undergraduates as scholars for the university's Gaines Fellowship Program for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years.

The Gaines Fellowship is presented 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. Founded in 1984 by a gift from John and Joan Gaines, the Gaines Center for the Humanities is designed to enrich the study of the humanities at UK and functions as a