xt7fbg2h8r8p https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7fbg2h8r8p/data/mets.xml Lexington, Kentucky University of Kentucky Alumni Association 2014 journals English University of Kentucky Alumni Association Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky alumnus Kentucky Alumni, vol. 85, no. 4, Winter 2014 text Kentucky Alumni, vol. 85, no. 4, Winter 2014 2014 2014 true xt7fbg2h8r8p section xt7fbg2h8r8p * * Winter 2014 • Volume 85 • Number 4 Features en-UK sophomore RachelinCurtin happily 12 Carl F. Pollard ’60: a difference seeing blue and making participated “For e Kids” DanceBlue ON THE COVER e former president of Humana Inc. provides major 2014 as part of the Kappa Delta team. 16 DanceBlue: A decade of dancing The annual, 24-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon is a vital part of the UK undergraduate experience and supports research and patient care at DanceBlue Kentucky Children’s Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic. By Robin Roenker scholarship funding for students at his alma mater. Miss Kentucky: Ramsey Carpenter ’14 ED Miss Kentucky 2014 spreads awareness of multiple sclerosis, a disease she was diagnosed with while at UK. 24 By Afton Fairchild Spencer 26 A king-sized success story Kimberly B. Knopf ’82 AS was one of the first female entrepreneurs to enter the mattress specialty industry. By Vickie S. Mitchell 28 ‘Aww’-inspiring Scratch, at the UK Alumni Association annual Legacy Pumpkin Festival, dazzled little Wildcats. The 2013-2014 UK Alumni Association 30 Annual Report It was a memorable year to engage UK alumni and build strong bonds among Wildcat family members. A big ‘thank you’ to UK Alumni Clubs for student scholarships e 2014 Scholarship Celebration honored recipients who received funding from UK Alumni Clubs, the UK Alumni Association and friends of the university. Photo: DanceBlue 34 36 Wildcat Sports a mission to make the platoon Coach John Calipari is on system work this season. By Kelli Elam Departments 4 Pride In Blue 7 Presidential Conversation 8 UK News 11 Blue Horizons 38 Alumni Clubs 42 52 54 55 56 Class Notes In Memoriam Creative Juices Retrospect Quick Take www.ukalumni.net 1 * Where Wildcats have banked for over 75 years. Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government NCUA National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency www.ukfcu.org 859.264.4200 * How To Reach Us University of Kentucky Alumni Magazine Vol.85 No. 4 Kentucky Alumni (ISSN 732-6297) is published quarterly by the University of Kentucky Alumni Association, Lexington, Kentucky for its dues-paying members. © 2014 University of Kentucky Alumni Association, except where noted. Views and opinions expressed in Kentucky Alumni do not necessarily represent the opinions of its editors, the UK Alumni Association nor the University of Kentucky. Association Staff Kentucky Alumni UK Alumni Association King Alumni House Lexington, KY 40506-0119 Telephone: 859-257-8905 1-800-269-ALUM Fax: 859-323-1063 E-mail: ukalumni@uky.edu Publisher/Executive Director: Stan Key ’72 Editor/Associate Director: Kelli Elam ’11 Managing Editor: Linda Perry ’84 Senior Graphic Designer: Jeff Hounshell Publications Production Assistant: Harold Morris Kelly R. Allgeier ’08: Alumni Career Counselor Brenda Bain: Records Data Entry Operator Linda Brumfield: Account Clerk III Nancy Culp: Administrative Services Assistant Caroline Francis ’88, ’93, ’02: Alumni Career Counselor Leslie Hayes: Membership and Marketing Specialist Update Your Record Kelly V. Hinkel ’11: Staff Support Associate I UK Alumni Association John Hoagland ’89: Associate Director King Alumni House Diana Horn ’70, ’71: Principal Accountant Lexington, KY 40506-0119 Albert Kalim ’03: Webmaster Telephone: 859-257-8800 Randall Morgan: IS Tech Support Fax: 859-323-1063 Katie Murphy: Membership Specialist E-mail: ukalumni@uky.edu Meg Phillips ’09: Program Coordinator Web: www.ukalumni.net Brenda Riddle: Membership Specialist For duplicate mailings, please send both Ashley Ritchie: Marketing & Communications Coordinator mailing labels to the address above. Darlene Simpson: Senior Data Entry Operator Jill Smith ’05, ’11: Associate Director Member of the Council for Advancement Alyssa ornton ’11: Program Coordinator and Support of Education Loraine Verrette: Staff Support Associate I Frances White: Data Entry Operator Board of Directors Officers Elaine A. Wilson ’68 SW - President David B. Ratterman ’68 EN - President-elect Peggy F. Meszaros ’72 ED - Treasurer Stan R. Key ’72 ED - Secretary District Michelle Leigh Allen ’06 ’10 BE Jeffrey L. Ashley ’89 CI Lisa G. Atkinson ’92 CI William G. Bacon Jr. ’82 MED Trudy Webb Banta ’63 ’65 ED Brian R. Bergman ’85 ’ 86 EN Heath F. Bowling ’95 BE Jeffrey J. Brock ’83 SCC, ’84 BE Michael L. Brown ’72 BE Mark W. Browning ’80 AS, ’84 LAW Emmett “Buzz” Burnam ’74 ED John S. Cain, ’86 BE Shane T. Carlin, ’95 AFE Rebecca F. Caudill ’72 ’76 ED Dr. Michael A. Christian ’76 AS, ’80 DE Judith G. Clabes ’67 AS Elizabeth Cox ’69 AS D. Michael Coyle ’62 BE, ’65 LAW Bruce E. Danhauer ’77 AFE Ruth C. Day ’85 BE Eugene L. DuBow, ’53 AS Philip D. Elder, ’86 AFE Abra Endsley ’98 ’01 CI Linda L. Frye ’60 AS Robert Michael Gray, ’80 ’81 BE Wallace E. Herndon Jr. ’67 BE Derrick C. Hord ’83 CI Ann Nelson Hurst ’80 BE Lee A. Jackson ’70 SCC, ’73 AS Patricia Wykstra Johnson ’68 AS, ’70 ED Jim Keenan ’90 BE, ’93 LAW Shelia M. Key ’91 PHA Turner LaMaster ’73 BE omas K. Mathews, ’93 AS James D. McCain ’81 BE Herbert A. Miller Jr. ’72 AS, ’76 LAW Ashley S. “Tip” Mixson III, ’80 BE Sherry R. Moak ’81 BE Susan P. Mountjoy ’72 ED Susan V. Mustian ’84 BE Hannah M. Myers ’93 ED Kimberly Parks ’01 BE Quintissa S. Peake ’04 CI Nicholas C. Phelps, ’08 BE Chad D. Polk ’94 DES James A. Richardson ’70 AS, ’72 ED David A. Rodgers ’80 EN Charlene K. Rouse ’77 DES Philip Schardein, ’02 BE Mary L. Shelman ’81 EN Marian Moore Sims ’72 ’76 ED J. Fritz Skeen ’72 ’73 BE George B. Spragens ’93 BE Mary Kekee Szorcsik ’72 BE Reese S. Terry Jr. ’64 ’66 EN Craig M. Wallace ’79 EN Rachel L. Webb ’05 CI Lori E. Wells ’96 BE Crystal M. Williams ’97 BE Amelia B. Wilson ’03 AFE, ’06 ’11 ED Alumni Trustees Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED Kelly Sullivan Holland ’93 AS, ’98 ED Terry B. Mobley ’65 ED Appointed Katie Eiserman ’01 ED - Athletics omas W. Harris ’85 AS - University Relations D. Michael Richey ’74 ’79 AFE - Development Bobby C. Whitaker ’58 CI - Honorary Mariel Bridges Jackson - Student Government Association Vacant - University Senate Past Presidents George L. Atkins Jr. ’63 BE eodore B. Bates ’52 AFE Richard A. Bean ’69 BE Michael A. Burleson ’74 PHA Bruce K. Davis ’71 LAW Scott E. Davis ’73 BE Marianne Smith Edge ’77 AFE Franklin H. Farris Jr. ’72 BE At Large Dr. Paul E. Fenwick ’52 AFE R. Price Atkinson ’97 CI William G. Francis ’68 AS, ’73 LAW Jo Hern Curris ’63 AS, ’75 LAW W. P. Friedrich ’71 EN Antoine Huffman ’05 CI Dan Gipson ’69 EN Matt Minner ’93 AS Brenda B. Gosney ’70 HS, ’75 ED Will Nash ’06 AS Cammie DeShields Grant ’77 LCC, ’79 ED Jane C. Pickering, ’74 ED John R. Guthrie ’63 CI Ann B. Haney ’71 AS College Diane M. Massie ’79 CI Michelle McDonald ’84 AFE, ’92 ED - Agriculture Robert E. Miller P. J. Williams ’91 AS - Arts & Sciences John C. Nichols II ’53 BE James B. Bryant ’67 BE - Business & Economics Dr. George A. Ochs IV ’74 DE Jeremy L. Jarvi ’02 CI - Communication & Information Sandra B. Patterson ’68 AS Dr. Clifford J. Lowdenback ’99 AS, ’03 DE - Dentistry Robert F. Pickard ’57 ’61 EN Lu Ann Holmes ’79 DES - Design Paula L. Pope ’73 ’75 ED Martha Elizabeth Randolph ’83 BE, ’87 ’92 ED - Education G. David Ravencra ’59 BE Taunya Phillips-Walker ’87 EN, ’04 BE - Engineering William Schuetze ’72 LAW Tony R. Rollins ’97 FA - Fine Arts David L. Shelton ’66 BE Barbara R. Sanders ’72 AS, ’76 ED - Health Sciences J. Tim Skinner ’80 DES Christy Trout ’02 LAW - Law James W. Stuckert ’60 EN, ’61 BE Dr. Emery R. Wilson ’68 MED - Medicine Julia K. Tackett ’68 AS, ’71 LAW Patricia K. Howard ’83 ’90 ’04 NUR - Nursing Hank B. ompson Jr. ’71 CI Lynn Harrelson ’73 PHA - Pharmacy Myra L. Tobin ’62 AFE Jennifer L. Knight ’03 ’10 PH - Public Health J. omas Tucker ’56 BE Willis K. Bright Jr. ’66 SW - Social Work Henry Wilhoit Jr. ’60 LAW Richard M. Womack ’53 AFE www.ukalumni.net 3 * Pride In Blue DanceBlue changes lives in many ways It’s with great pride that we bring you the 2014 winter issue of Kentucky Alumni magazine. When I think about dancing, my mind typically goes to that basketball tournament in March or the incredibly awkward moves I make to music when no one is around. However, now I will forever have another thought when I think about dancing: DanceBlue. I’ll bet you will, too, after reading our cover story. DanceBlue, UK’s student-run philanthropic project that raises money for pediatric cancer patients and research at the Markey Cancer Center is turning 10. DanceBlue is something we can all be proud of as Wildcats —10 years, thousands of students and $6.85 million dollars later. The 24-hour, no sleeping, nonstop dance marathon not only benefits such a worthwhile cause, it has also redefined the undergraduate student experience at UK. And, it has changed so many lives along the way. Read about Jarrett Mynear, the inspiration for the project, and how his life had a profound impact on not only the patients, but the students, as well. The dancers form bonds with patients and their families that change them forever. DanceBlue also lays the foundation for lifelong philanthropy for students while still on campus. I think the future is in good hands. Keep dancing. The cover story is just the beginning of the goodness in this issue. If you watched the Miss America competition in September, you had to be proud of Ramsey Carpenter, Miss Kentucky 2014. She finished in the top 12, but as you read her story, you will soon realize that this 2014 grad was a winner before hitting the stage in Atlantic City. We also introduce you to Kim Knopf, a true entrepreneur. Through hard work and perseverance, she became a huge success in the mattress specialty industry. Get to know Butler Ramey “Quint” Pottinger, a young farmer who is now helping to “grow” farmers. He is working to inspire a new generation to infuse life into a fading tradition — the family farm. This is something that is certainly near and dear to this farm girl’s heart. We recognize clubs that raised over $3,000 for their scholarship funds. A really large check was presented to UK President Eli Capilouto for $245,200, representing the total amount of scholarship funds contributed by the association, 4 Winter 2014 individuals and our alumni clubs. This would not be possible without the dedication of our wonderful volunteers. I always enjoy the annual scholarship dinner, particularly meeting the recipients and their families. An added bonus this year was making a new friend — Scratch. I took this “selfie” with the UK mascot. It’s not nearly as adorable as the photo of Scratch from our Legacy Pumpkin Festival (Pages 28 and 29), but it’s still pretty cute. Finally, I hope you enjoy this issue of Kentucky Alumni magazine as much as I enjoy sharing it with you. As always, your feedback is appreciated. With Pride in Blue, Kelli Elam ’11 Editor You never know who you might meet at an alumni association event! * * L IFETIME MEMBERS OF THE UK ALUMNI ASSOCIATION CAN JOIN T HE CLUB AT UK ’S SPINDLETOP H ALL AT ANY TIME WITH NO INITIAT ION FEES! LIFETIME A LUMNI ASSOCIATION C AN AL THE CLUB AT UK’S SPINDLETOP HALL AT INITIATION F EES! TION Yes, you. It just happens to look like Tara. It’s actually a seriously unstu y club that would love to have you as a member. The Club at UK’s Spindletop Hall has been a UK faculty, sta , and alumni club for over 50 years. It’s on 60 acres of rolling bluegrass with four pools, tennis galore, and private access to Lexington’s Legacy Trail. Fabulous food in an upscale casual setting. A terrace for sundown cocktails, dining and live music. Amazing architecture. Divine décor. Activities for everyone, including “Wildcat Road Trips” to UK football away games. Truly a treasure to experience. Club membership is an incredible value at surprisingly modest dues. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: 859-255-2777 or membership@spindletophall.org T C UK’ S UK’ H Young Alumni and Student Memberships available for o Alumni Student Mem Young Alumni or Student Members of the UK Alumni Association Alum Association mni Young Alumni Student Members MEMBERSHIP SUBJEC T TO APPROVAL VAL Page WILDCATS ON THE MOVE Another member benefit from the University of Kentucky Alumni Association “Preferential Wildcat Treatment” • • • • • Minimum of 55% discount on all interstate moves Free full value coverage up to $50,000 on relocations Guaranteed on-time pick-up and delivery available Personalized attention from start to finish Sanitized Air-ride Vans Contact Tom Larkins (The Wildcat Relocator) for details on this program 1.800.899.2527 or email him at tom.larkins@atlanticrelocation.com 6 Winter 2014 U.S. DOT No. 125550 Atlantic Relocation Systems Interstate Agent for ATLAS VAN LINES 6314 31st Street East Sarasota, FL 34243 A portion of the proceeds collected from the transportation costs will be paid to the UK Alumni Association. * Presidential Conversation Planting seeds for the future August, for me, was a time of deep reflection. I celebrated my 65th birthday and 36th wedding anniversary. It also coincided with announcements that illustrated our work of education, research, service and health care. To celebrate, my family and I traveled to Normandy, France, where we somberly walked the beaches and fields of battle. In the American cemetery, 9,386 brave souls rest in peace and the names of another 1,557 missing are inscribed in stone. White crosses and Stars of David are arrayed in solemn order, overlooking windswept beaches. Each one tells a story. Fate drew us to one. e name on the marker is Howard Henry, Ranger and Kentuckian. He died August 19, 1942, two years before the invasion. He was part of a reconnaissance mission and was one of the first two American soldiers to die in the effort to liberate Europe. Henry, from Harlan, wanted to be an electrical engineer. A dream unrealized, deferred by the darkness of war. is fall, thousands of miles away, Mary Lynne and I welcomed the largest, most academically prepared and most diverse class in UK’s history. We oen ask where they are from and what they want to study. Frequently I heard, “I want to be an engineer.” Indeed, this year’s freshman class has 800 students majoring in engineering. Later the same week, we hosted a dinner for several engineering graduates who have been generous to UK. We listened to dazzling stories of successes from construction to commerce. We talked about the joys of living — children, grandchildren, friends, sunrises and sunsets. My thoughts, though, kept returning to Howard Henry and what blessings our state would have known from his full life. I think, too, about the lives that he and others saved. It all reminds me of the passage from the Hebrew Talmud that “whoever saves one life, saves the world entire.” Like the greatest generation, we are being called to educate and serve, to save lives and to build communities. On another powerful August day, I traveled to Hazard with Dr. Mark Evers, director of our Markey Cancer Center. We joined Congressman Hal Rogers and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, both of whom spent three days in the district as part of the Shaping Our Appalachian Region initiative. Dr. Frieden showed data comparing the 5th district to a more healthy community in the United States. ere are hundreds of preventable deaths in the 5th district for the top five killers — cancer, heart disease, chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke and unintentional injuries. All too frequently, we are filling a cemetery the size of the one I witnessed in Normandy. And although the challenges of these dreadful diseases are perhaps most acute in the hills of Appalachia, they exist in rates much too high across Kentucky. Many people are ready to give up on places like Appalachia. You are oen le with the impression that it is a place without hope. But I believe these places define hope. And you would too if you were with me and other UK faculty and staff. We all know, in person or through loved ones, that medical misfortunes do not care who they touch or crush. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS or juvenile diabetes will find us wherever we live and rob us and our families of life’s richness. e result is dreams deferred or lost, lives — like Ranger Henry — unfulfilled. Promise and potential, through circumstance or choice, are unmet. UK is engaged in partnerships with and for communities to improve education, extend and enhance life, and search for discoveries that can rebuild and renew communities. ese partnerships are working, but more must be done. It is time to make death a beggar in Kentucky. Health disparities, whether by circumstance, region, income or race, can be overcome. UK scientists can make breakthroughs from the cellular to community level to save lives. However, we cannot do it without talent and infrastructure. Leading scientists and researchers want to join us. Yet, today, we cannot accommodate them because we are out of quality research space. Without more space, we are saying no to some of the finest talent. We will not conquer these maladies overnight. But solutions are on the horizon if we are willing, as individuals and a Commonwealth, to invest — now. What choice will we make? It reminds me of the story told by President John F. Kennedy about the great Marshal of France, Hubert Lyautey, who asked his gardener to plant a tree. e gardener objected that the tree would not reach maturity for 100 years. e marshal replied, “In that case, there is no time to lose, plant it this aernoon.” Mary Lynne and I have decided to plant a tree. We recently announced our gift of $250,000 to UK to fight health disparities and save lives in the Commonwealth. Specifically, we are taking a stand today toward building a multidisciplinary research building. Such a facility, dedicated with fervor and focus on the seemingly intractable scourges confronting Kentucky, can change our state for the next 100 years. Our gi alone is not enough. We need other gardeners to join us. We need our state to listen when we again ask for bucks for buildings and brains. We must plant now to grow the future we want. Let us plant today for that brighter tomorrow within our grasp. www.ukalumni.net 7 * UK News UK announces largest gift in its history A $20 million commitment and lead gift by UK graduate and Trustee Carol Martin (Bill) Gatton toward the construction of the university’s new 330,000-square-foot Student Center is the largest gift in UK’s history. The new Student Center — a $175 million, self-financed renovation and expansion scheduled to open in 2017 — was authorized by the Kentucky legislature during its 2014 session. It is part of more than $1 billion in campus transformation projects being selffinanced by the university. The Student Center was originally constructed in 1938 and expanded in 1963 and 1982. The new Student Center will include state-of-the-art student activity and study spaces, dining and retail operations; parking; a bookstore; a health, fitness and recreation center; and other amenities that support student success. It will also serve as the new home for the UK Visitor Center upon its completion. Groundbreaking is scheduled for June 2015, with completion anticipated in 2017. Gatton’s total philanthropy to UK is now more than $45 million, and his total gi impact upon the university is nearly $57 million, with some of his gis having been matched by the state’s Bucks for Brains program. He is the single largest donor in UK’s history. n UK students take top honors at national furniture competition Three UK students took home top honors at the “Design Emphasis” Student Furniture Design Competition. The event is a prestigious annual furniture design competition featuring furniture pieces designed and built by students from colleges and universities throughout the United States, presented in conjunction with the International Woodworking Fair. The winners were among six UK College of Design finalists selected for the juried exhibition held in Atlanta, Georgia. Architecture graduate student Mark Manczyk, won first place in the “Design Emphasis” accent tables category. Sarah Mohr, a 2014 graduate with a master’s degree in architecture, took first in seating. In addition to the two wins, Adam Eaton, a 2014 graduate with a master’s degree in architecture, received honorable mention recognition at the show. All six students in the competition were in the spring 2014 furniture studio taught by Professor Mark Manczyk’s design won first place in the Accent Tables category. Leonard Wujcik. n 8 Winter 2014 * UK News UK Education Abroad participation jumps 24 percent The number of UK students exploring the international dimension of their disciplines by studying abroad increased by 24 percent this past year — eight times the national average. “Our growth is massive, and even more significant when compared to the roughly 3 percent growth the rest of the nation is experiencing,” said Anthony Ogden, executive director of education abroad and exchanges at UK. e increasing number of students participating in Education Abroad programming is due in part to Ogden and his staff ’s efforts to understand the goals of every academic department on campus. “Many departments are interested in using Education Abroad programming to expand their curriculum,” Ogden said. “For instance, the English department does not currently offer a course on James Joyce and would like to find one abroad; other departments need language courses during specific times of the year. Several other departments have also shown interest in enrolling their students in intern and research abroad opportunities so as to enable their students to develop international networks.” n Recent graduate De’Osha Burkhalter enjoyed her summer 2013 faculty-led Strategic Communication in South Africa program. College of Law ranked among Top 20 Best Value Law Schools In the recent back-to-school issue of preLaw magazine, the UK College of Law ranked third among the nation’s top 20 Best Value Law Schools, which is a move up from seventh place last year. Best Value Law Schools recognition is based on a combination of bar passage rates, employment rates, debt load and tuition. “We believe our rigorous academics and nationally renowned faculty contribute greatly to our students’ success,” said David A. Brennen, dean of the college. e UK College of Law was founded in 1908 and its Kentucky Law Journal is the 10th oldest student-run law review in the nation. n Unprecedented public-private partnership to support food economy in Kentucky UK announced a $5 million unprecedented public-private partnership designed to elevate and promote a vibrant, healthy, sustainable food economy in Kentucky. e Food Connection at UK is between UK and Aramark, housed in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. e partnership is designed to leverage the innovation and research of UK and the market position of Aramark to substantively grow a vibrant food economy in Kentucky. Partnering closely with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Kentucky farmers, community partners, and consumers, the Food Connection at UK aims to enhance the production, distribution, and consumption of local and Kentucky Proud food products. e Food Connection at UK is backed by a $5 million investment by global food leader, Aramark. e partnership includes $1 million to endow undergraduate and graduate internships and fellowships as well as another $250,000 in one-time start-up costs for equipment and programmatic needs, and $250,000 annually over a 15-year term for staff, programming, research grants and other initiatives in the Food Connection at UK. “We are pleased to invest $5 million in the Food Connection to fund internships and fellowships for undergrad and graduate students, research grants, programming and staffing, as well as other vital support,” said president and CEO of Aramark, Eric Foss. e Food Connection at UK will be housed inside a new dining and student support facility. e partnership will sustain and expand collaborations with the UK Butcher Shop, Lemon Tree Restaurant and Food Systems Innovation Center, as well as existing undergraduate majors in food and nutrition, among other benefits. n Child care program connects UK families with student helpers e University of Kentucky Office of Work-Life is helping to connect UK families in need of child care with UK students who are able to provide occasional care, through a new program called Big Blue Family Care (BBFC). “Last winter, we noticed that a lot more employees had to take vacation or sick days when Fayette County Schools were closed,” said Erika Chambers, director of Work-Life. “rough the BBFC program, we are trying to address some of the breakdowns in child care that occur on school closings, aer-school, and other school breaks.” Bethany Smith, program coordinator for BBFC, said, “UK has a lot of great students on campus who like working with children and have experience as nannies or in a daycare. However, due to their schedule and studying, they need a job that is flexible. e BBFC program meets these needs and makes it simple for students to connect with a UK family directly.” ere is no charge to UK students or UK families for being part of the BBFC network. n www.ukalumni.net 9 * Join the student section of WILDCAT CENTRAL. ™ Get convenience and show your Wildcat pride with a Bleed Blue Checking account. Member FDIC centralbank.com/wildcatcentral * Blue Horizons UK receives $1.8 million to combat obesity e University of Kentucky received a $1.8 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to focus on lowering obesity rates in the Kentucky communities most affected by this issue. Researchers and Extension personnel in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and the UK College of Public Health will work in six Kentucky counties that have obesity rates higher than 40 percent, which include Logan, Clinton, Lewis, Martin, Letcher and Elliott counties. e Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will administer the three-year cooperative agreement that will concentrate on the agency’s goal of reducing chronic disease incidence rates, promoting healthier lifestyles, reducing health disparities and controlling health care spending. “is is the first time the CDC has directly funded a Cooperative Extension program,” said Ann Vail, director of the UK School of Human Environmental Sciences and principal investigator on the project. “e grant will support building and strengthening collaborations between Extension and public health personnel at the university, community and state levels.” Margaret McGladrey, assistant dean for research in the UK College of Public Health, is the community coalition leader for the project. n ‘Suda On Line’ database is complete The first English translation of the entire Suda lexicon, a massive 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia, is complete after more than 16 years of collaborative, volunteer-driven work by a diverse group of scholars, including key contributors from the University of Kentucky. The translation, as well as the first continuous commentary on the Suda’s contents in any language, is now searchable and browsable through the Suda On Line (SOL) database at www.stoa.org/sol. Conceived in 1998, the project grew to comprise more than 31,000 entries, through the contributions of more than 200 volunteers. The project was groundbreaking, providing a new model of open, participatory scholarship. The entire editing process was open-ended and crowdsourced, though that term did not yet exist. Nearly anyone who possessed the ability to translate ancient Greek, regardless of formal credentials and specialization, was eligible to apply to the project and request the assignment of any entry. Two UK faculty members, Ross Scaife, professor in the Department of Classics, and Raphael Finkel, professor in the Department of Computer Science, were heavily involved in the project from the beginning. Design and programming of the SOL system commenced under the supervision of Scaife and Finkel, who also co-authored the database system used by the project. The project suffered a tremendous loss with Scaife’s passing in 2008. His collaborators say the Suda On Line will be a lasting monument to his pioneering efforts. Project organizers say that their work is not finished, although all the entries are translated. Editors will be scrutinizing every entry for opportunities to introduce improvements to the translations, additions to the annotations, updates to the associated bibliography and other enhancements. n UK researchers harvest hemp In September, University of Kentucky researchers harvested the university’s first hemp crop in decades. “It was a good growing season for many crops, not just hemp,” said David Williams, UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment agronomist and co-project lead. “Precipitation was excellent this year and more than adequate for growth.” UK’s research plot, planted May 27, was one of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s pilot studies to reintroduce hemp production in Kentucky. UK’s study was conducted in conjunction with Eastern Kentucky University and Kentucky State University. “Congratulations to the University of Kentucky and all of our partners in the hemp pilot projects on the first hemp crop in Kentucky in almost 70 years,” said Agriculture Commissioner James Comer. Kentucky was a national leader in hemp production before the crop was outlawed in the United States due to its similarity to marijuana. Many agricultural advances have occurred since then, so research trials were necessary to determine the crop’s viability in an everchanging agricultural economy. “Our plan was to simply lay the crop on the ground where the elements will begin to break down or ‘ret’ the hemp,” said Rich Mundell, co-project lead and an agronomist in the Kentucky Tobacco Research Development Center. “Because the hemp was very tall (about 10 feet) we felt the sickle bar mower would do a better job than a more commonly used disc mower.” Researchers will analyze the different varieties to find one that’s best suited for the state and present the results to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. n Compiled from news reports about research at UK. For more information about research taking place at UK, visit www.research.uky.edu www.ukalumni.net 11 * New Developments * www.ukalumni.net 13 * New Developments 14 Winter 2013 * * DanceBlue: Student-run philanthropy event has raised $6.58 million for pediatric cancer patients and research at the Markey Cancer Center By Robin Roenker * Photo: DanceBlue A decade of dancing * Jarrett Mynear earned the Prudential Spirit of Community Award, honoring young people for their volunteer service. families — including everything from gas cards and food vouchers to temporary housing for patients traveling from far away. Matching money from the Kentucky Cigarette Excise tax supports cancer research at the UK Markey Cancer Center. DanceBlue proceeds are overseen and collected through the group’s Golden Matrix Fund, an account in the UK Department of Pediatrics. The money currently supports the salaries for a child life specialist, who works with patients on play therapy and coping strategies to make potentially scary treatments easier to handle, and a school intervention specialist, who serves as an advocate for patients as they transition back to their schools following treatment. Other patient services, such as neuropsychology testing, which are important but not always covered by Photo: DanceBlue they’ll be marking the 10th anniversary of what has become the largest studentrun philanthropy event in the Southeastern Conference. The event’s success is staggering. In just nine years, DanceBlue — the annual, 24-hour no sitting, no sleeping dance marathon — has become a vital and universally-loved part of the University of Kentucky undergraduate experience. It has fostered lifelong friendships between UK students and pediatric cancer p