- U K News
U K Confu ci us Institute celebrates Nati°"a' B°°k Award f"
, Poetry goes to UK professor
fi rSt yea r a n n lversa ry Niqu Finney, creative writing profes—
sor at UK, has won the 2011 National
Book Award for Poetry for her recent
1" 1]! I; Naif“? . work, “HeadfOff85 Spllit.” For 61 (years, a
.§° '-’ s5. 5 .5» l s v. ‘ ’ 'V N? F , 2' H I " , '7'. committee 0 writers as convene an—
:2: ‘3 w , I A ... ' 3:”? HRH“, llll‘llitlat \thfffi’fi El ”fl/”Pl {5th nually to judge the work of other writers
E ' 2 '4‘“ g , ' . 0nfuc1us Institute! ' ‘ .. and to recognize literary excellence. Na—
3 ' NJ ‘-; :3 ’3 :_ . if / . ‘ " I tional Book Awards are conferred in four
:3 2243:“ 2 "5 k l .1 ’ I 1 ,5i ;- I .' ~ . I I is" . genres: fiction, nonfiction, children’s lit—
53 \ -" “gt; A I, erature and poetry.
§ ': 2.”; "I": T1:‘:,:::J: ' 1‘ 5 g x2. ‘ l ; The National Book Award website says
g . " 7 ~- 7 I” 3‘“ -, Finney’s poems “sustain a sensitive and
gas . ., intense dialogue with emblematic figures
E” «a, and events in African—American life:

In the first year of its existence at UK, nate classes in Chinese music, art appre— from Civil Rights matriarch Rosa Parks,
the Confucius Institute is spreading the ciation, calligraphy, tai chi, cuisine and to former Secretary of State Con—
Chinese language and culture to the painting, in addition to co—sponsoring doleezza Rice, from a brazen girl strung
Commonwealth, making an impact on community celebrations like the Moon out on lightning, to a terrified woman
UK, Central Kentuclq schools and the Festival and Chinese New Year. “We col— abandoned on a rooftop during Hurri—
community. laborate closely with the Kentucky Chi— cane Katrina...”

The institute has helped the UK College nese American Association, local schools Finney has taught at UK for decades
of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, and the community. People have begun and is the author of three previous vol—
Education Abroad and the College of Fine to know who we are,” says Huajing umes of poetry and is also a recipient of
Arts in establishing agreements, teaching, Maske, director of the institute. the Kentuclq Foundation for Women
and study abroad programs with Jilin Uni— More than 2,000 K—12 students have Artists Fellowship Award. I
versity in Ningbo, China, and Shanghai Chinese instruction this year because of
University (SU). Also, the College of Fine UK Confucius Institute—sponsored teach— Kentucky African American
Arts brought in 24 SU arts students and ers. The UKCI frequently hosts profes— Encyclopedia
faculty last summer to take a week—long sional development workshops for The history of African American life in
class in its Department of Art. UK has es— Chinese teachers in Lexington, as well as Kentucky has been detailed in scattered
tablished a student teaching program in western Kentucky and Louisville. “Teach— resources. It’s hoped that the Kentuclq
Shian, China, for 7—10 weeks, as well. ers and students love our workshops be— African American Encyclopedia, ex—

The UK Confucius Institute (UKCI) cause of our resources and support for pected to be published in 2013 by the
works closely with constituencies outside K—I2, students will arrive to UK knowing University Press of Kentucky, will be—
of campus, too. It continues to coordi— Chinese at a higher level,” says Maske. I come a primary reference source for fu—
ture generations The PIOJ'Cct is the first

of its kind in the nation and is head uar—
Blackwell named to lead Gatton med at the UK Department of Hisgory
College of Business & Economics With Gerald Smith ’81 ’8? ’88 A57 ”50’
crate professor, as a co—editor.

David W Blackwell, arecognized aca— Houston and Emory University. He also There is still much research and writing
demic leader who also possesses broad ex— has served as a director for two major ac— that needs to be done. Volunteers want—
perience in industry, developing corporate counting firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers ing to write about specific topics do not
relationships and fundraising has been and KPMG. need to be in Kentucky to help. For
tapped as the new dean of the UK Gatton “Dr. Blackwell has the right set of skills more information, visit
College of Business and Economics. and experiences to move the Gatton www.ulqedu/OtherOrgs/kaae I

Previously he was associate dean for College to an even higher level,” says UK
graduate programs at Texas A&M Uni— Provost Kumble R. Subbaswamy. “He
versity Mays Business School and also has been very entrepreneurial in finding
served as head of the department of fi— support for his initiatives at Texas A&M. Compiled from UK websites, UK Public
nance from 2002 to 2008. Blackwell pre— This experience will serve Gatton’s stu— Relations news reports, and Kentucky Alumni
viously held faculty positions at the dents, faculty, and all of its constituen— magazine staff reporting.
University of Georgia, the University of cies very well.” I

www.uka|umni.net 9