By Cathy 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 highlights UK creative writing Professor Nikky Finney, whose book of poetry "Head Off & Split" is a finalist for this year's National Book Award. She discusses the book and reads a portion of one of her poems.

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

"UK Perspectives" airs at 8:30 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. each Friday on WUKY 91.3, UK's NPR station.

By Keith Hautala

The observance is open to the entire campus community, to celebrate the many accomplishments and contributions of UK's veterans.

"On Veterans Day, we want to honor the veterans who are living, working and learning with us here on campus every day," Dotson said. "We pay tribute to the fallen each year on Memorial Day. But

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

The University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences will host a trailblazing American diplomat next week to continue the college's Year of China initiative.

Former U.S. Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch will speak on “Leadership and Education in a Globalizing World: China’s Challenge” at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in Room 118 of the White Hall Classroom Building on UK's campus.

Bloch’s talk, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the "Passport to China: Global Issues & Local Understanding" course taught by UK sociology Professor Keiko Tanaka.

Ambassador Bloch, the first Asian-American ambassador in American history, has had a broad career in U.S. government service. She is currently president of the U.S.-China Education Trust, a nonprofit organization working

By Kathy Johnson

Mark Kornbluh, dean of the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences was the guest on last night's "UK at the Half," which aired during the UK vs. Transylvania University game that aired on radio last night.  "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 on the play button below. To view a transcript of the "UK at the Half" interview, click here.

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

The University of Kentucky was recognized by the Chronicle of Higher Education this week as a top producer of U.S. Fulbright Scholars for the 2011-12 academic year, with five recipients as of Oct. 7.

UK is a top producer of Fulbright Scholars among research institutions, according to the Chronicle's listing.

The prestigious Fulbright Scholar Program is the flagship international exchange program of the U.S. and provides grants that allow distinguished academics to spend extended periods of time studying and teaching at foreign universities.

Economics Professor

By Erin Holaday Ziegler, Andrew Jarrells

Lexington's Isaac Murphy Bicycle Club grew out of writer and avid cycler Frank X Walker's vision. The English professor and director of UK's African American and Africana Studies Program wanted to link inner city children to Lexington's Legacy Trail by providing them with bicycles and the equipment needed to enjoy a bike ride.

Furthermore, Walker wanted young participants to have access to mentors; mentors would provide training, education and diet guidance to Lexington's youth.

The bicycle club is named for Isaac Murphy, who grew up on the East End of Lexington, was a three-time Kentucky Derby winner and the

Close, intimate relationships are an essential part of human existence. And obviously, when a partner cheats, it isn't exactly going to brighten your day. New research by Nathan DeWall and colleagues explored the role of attachment style in cheating behavior and attitudes. Read the full article.

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

Four individuals will join the University of Kentucky College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame during a ceremony this evening at the Keene Barn and Entertainment Center. 

The school's Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding alumni, faculty and students whose foundation for success can be found in the Arts and Sciences.

"We are tremendously pleased about inducting these outstanding Arts and Sciences graduates and faculty into our Hall of Fame," said Mark Lawrence Kornbluh, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "As our students prepare for their own journeys, the achievements of our award-winning alumni and faculty serve as an inspiration, bringing honor to the entire university and improving the quality of life for the

By Guy Spriggs

University of Kentucky's Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences (EES), in partnership with UK alumnus Tom Spalding (’80, ’82), accepted a $600,000 gift from Pioneer Natural Resources Company today.

Spalding is vice president of Pioneer, a large independent oil and gas exploration company based in Dallas, with operations in Texas, Colorado, Alaska and South Africa.

“Pioneer really went to bat for us,” said David Moecher, associate professor and director of undergraduate studies of EES in the College of Arts & Sciences. “Tom [Spalding] and Pioneer want to make sure that we have faculty in these fundamental fields to maintain a pipeline of future earth

By Erin Holaday Ziegler

Four years of college is four years of finding yourself socially and [sometimes] academically for many students enrolled at the University of Kentucky. The city in which a student goes about pursuing the next chapter of his or her life doesn't always come into play.  However, a new course at UK wants to change that.

UK geography professor Richard Schein hopes to shed some local, Lexington light on students this fall with a Community 101 class being offered to university students through UK's College of Arts & Sciences.

"We've been an urban society since the 1920s," said Schein. "It's important for our students to become urban citizens,

By Rebekah Tilley

“Last summer I was in Budapest briefly locked in a gypsy’s apartment while she tried to extort more money from me, and had a great time…” said Joe Nickell, as if he were describing a weekend at the lake. He is a man with many interests – over 200 “personas” are listed on his personal website including folksinger, stage magician, and séance conductor. His current title is Senior Research Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry and investigative columnist for Skeptical Inquirer magazine. However, he identifies himself simply as a writer.

“Writer seemed the one thing that complimented my insatiable curiosity,” said the author, co-author or editor of over 30 books. “The reason through so many interests and activities that I’ve held it all together – I attribute that to being

by Colleen Glenn

Patience is a virtue. Just ask Ginny Carney. An alum of the English Department, Carney is now President of Leech Lake Tribal College in Minnesota. But she didn’t get there overnight.

Carney, who is Cherokee Indian, was raised in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. The oldest of five children, Carney grew up without electricity (no phone or TV), indoor plumbing, or transportation. “As achildgrowing up in an isolated mountain region of East Tennessee, I assumed that everyone shared our worldview,” she recalls.

But all of the time she spent not watching television led Carney to become a voracious reader, and the more she read, the more she soon learned about cultures other than her own.

Disturbed by the disparaging views many authors held of Appalachian people as well as the stereotypical beliefs regarding American Indians, she vowed

Biology professor David Westneat from the University of Kentucky's College of Arts & Sciences has won a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), guaranteeing 10 weeks of research to 10 undergraduate students at UK's Ecological Research Facility (ERF) or 

by Erin Holaday Ziegler

The University of Kentucky's Clinical Psychology program took the number one spot in a national study of productivity rankings, meaning that UK psychology graduate students and professors in the College of Arts &

by Erin Holaday Ziegler

The University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences has chosen the following professors as new department chairs: associate professor Deborah Crooks, Department of Anthropology; associate professor Jeff Clymer, Department

The University of Kentucky Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence honored its fifth class of 30 Chellgren Fellows at a reception on campus last night. Benefactor Paul Chellgren and his wife Deborah, in addition to Chellgren Endowed Chair Philipp Kraemer, UK President Eli Capilouto, UK Provost Kumble Subbaswamy, and Associate Provost Mike Mullen, all recognized and congratulated the students on being named Fellows.

The 

by Erin Holaday Ziegler

A renowned Kentucky writer and University of Kentucky English professor was recently honored in a southern writing magazine for his creativity in the classroom.

The Oxford American: The Southern Magazine of Good Writing named associate professor of English in the College of Arts & Sciences 

By Erin Holaday, Kody Kiser, Amy Jones

University of Kentucky sophomore Brittany Courtney went into a freshman writing class last fall with the same thought that many of her accounting major peers do each semester.

"I'm not a writer, but I've always done well in my English classes," said the Frankfort native, who found herself wholly unprepared for lecturer Beth Connors Manke of the College of Arts and Sciences 

With more than 7,000 students,17 departments and 14 programs, the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts & Sciences would be one of the largest universities in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Yet its size and diversity is increasingly an advantage when it comes to creative and innovative ways to teach and conduct research, President Eli Capilouto believes.

By Erin Holaday, Colleen Glenn

It’s almost time for class and you’re still in your dorm room. But you’re not going to be late. There’s plenty of time to walk downstairs.

Imagine what residence halls will be like in 2020. That’s what the College of Arts & Sciences did when they created a new living and learning community at Keeneland Hall.

Debuting this fall,