The Beginning of a Journey Research And Campus Life Vickie and Ric had to deal with things
Vickie and Ric Ladt, Kelsey)s parents, Kelsey says that she has known from the that parents of other college students
knew something was unique about their time she was very young that she wanted to don)t even think about — like when
daughter early on. She started skipping be involved in medicine. She chose UK for study groups at the library ran past 4
grades at Concord Elementary in Paducah her pre-med studies, she says, because of its a.m. and Kelsey would call home saying
and after the start of Hfth grade, her par- research opportunities that are not available she was ready to be picked up. But they
ents decided she would be home-schooled at smaller colleges. At UK, she was able to all adjusted!
with tutors. participate in spinal cord injury research in Kelsey says she never felt uncomfort-
Kelsey was able to start high school state-of-the-art laboratories. able as far as being younger than other
when she was 8 because she skipped mid- “Dr. Todd should be very proud of his fac- students. Once she got taller, it was
dle school. While attending Lone Oak ulty and staH?) Ric says. harder to tell that she was younger. She
High School, she simultaneously was en- Dr. C. Darrelljennings, senior associate points out that in the past, nontradi-
rolled at West Kentucky Community 8; dean for medical education, says UK pro- tional students were typically older indi-
Technical College (WKCTC). She gradu- vided a rigorous academic experience for viduals, but it is becoming more common
ated from high school in 2006 while at the Kelsey as it would for any student, but it also for much younger students to attend col-
same time earning an associate)s degree took into consideration her unique situa- lege, given the fact that grade accelera-
from WKCTC. This allowed Kelsey to tion. “We approached her as a (special needs) tion is becoming more common.
enter UK as a junior at age II. student, just as we would a physically-handi- Campus life was not all-work and no-
The family had a plan. Kelsey and her capped student or a student from a vastly play for Kelsey. She was involved in sev-
mother settled into a home in Lexington different culture. UK thrives on havinga eral UK clubs and activities, such as
so that Kelsey could go to UK. Vickie)s highly-diverse campus and Kelsey is ex- helping the biology honor society Beta
work as president of Ladt Consulting Serv- tremely talented. We just extended the con- Beta Beta with its plans for the Dance-
ices Inc., a human resources Hrm, had cept of what constitutes (special needs.) Blue fund-raiser.
enough flexibility to allow Vickie to follow Kelsey)s presence enriched the campus and She says that she has enjoyed herself
this path. Ric continued with his two jobs other students in our program)]ennings the whole time she was on her unique
in Paducah: president and CEO of says. “This whole experience shows the best journey and she is looking forward to
PEBCO, a manufacturer of powder and side of UK — how a large school can accom- pursuing her MD-Ph.D combined de-
bulk solids handling equipment, and presi- modate special needs in the broadest sense.) gree, starting in the fall of 2010 — and
dent/ owner of PeTroCoke, a supplier of Neuroscience holds Kelsey)s interest and possibly — at UK! But first she is return-
ground petroleum coke to the paper indus- it)s also the type of research she was involved ing to Bethesda for a one- to two -year
try. He would make the trip to Lexington with at the NIH last summer. There, her re- post baccalaureate position with the
on the weekends. This lifestyle was an am- search involved transcranial magnetic stimu- NIH. The family will have the same
bitious undertaking, but worked. “Vickie lation to measure the brain)s reward arrangement in Bethesda as they did in
is a great organizer and planner) says Ric. processing function. She was actively in- Lexington, with Vickie and Kelsey mov-
When Kelsey had an opportunity to volved in many areas ofthe study including ing to Bethesda and Ric visiting when-
perform research during the summer of recruiting/ interviewing potential partici- ever possible.
2008 at the NIH in Maryland, the family pants to data analysis. “ We were able to find a completely fur-
followed the same path: Kelsey and Vickie Kelsey was three years younger than the nished home within 48 hours of arriving
found a place to stay and Ric visited on program)s minimum age requirement. But in Bethesda during Spring break,) says
the weekends. luckily the staff at NIH agreed to let her Vickie. “ Kelsey truly has been blessed
Ric says they are just doing what parents participate. Kelsey received an “Exceptional with so many wonderful opportunities.)
do, and although their schedule is a little Summer Student J j
diHAerent from other families, their family Award) for her · ' V   T ‘ ` )‘))
is much the same as others. “Parents want work there. ‘ _ g . __  
to try their best to provide a nurturing en- In high school j 4   ;`*T`f. ,    yr js I
vironment for their children and to sup- and at WKCTC y :_‘F‘   ,1;*, 2; _ -- nz _` " ,;v*~ Lvl i  
port them the best way they can) he says. Kelsey main-   V   l l -.QQ..:.....--     vj  
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ney for their family has actually been fairly and is ending her _  i j   f
smooth. “Kelsey has been very lucky all stint at UK _   °
along the way,) she says. It especially Summa Cum H  
helped, right from the start, that the school Laude. Her goal /' q   9K
system in Paducah was so accommodating is to become a   A Q J b
in helping Kelsey get the education that physician scien-   A l T
she needed in the way that she needed it. tist so this young , I
‘Although Paducah is not a large city, the lady never shied      
McCracken school system and WKCTC away from the \ _   _ l
Wim YCIY Opcmmmdcd and flexible;) rigoious PIC'mCd Kelsey Ladt, far right, attends a UK football game with friends
Vickie $3YS* Curmculum Lauren Tallio and Sarah Bush.
www.uka|umni.net 11 (