November 14, 2024 - Kylie Lessenberry & Silas Moffitt (UK Invests)
Release Date: 11/14/2024
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 20, 2025) – THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE. Fans, dressed from head to toe in their team’s colors, swarm the stadium chanting fight songs and waving banners. It’s game day, and the stakes feel monumental. Sports rivalries are a cornerstone of athletic culture — sparking packed bleachers, passionate debates and unforgettable moments. But what drives the fervor that fans feel for their team and the disdain for their rivals? Experts suggest the answer lies not just in the scoreboard, but in the human psyche. According to Matt Moore,...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 14, 2025) – It seems like foreshadowing that they met while playing the board game Life. Marietta Barton was 19 years old; Jeff Baxter was 21. Despite both growing up in London, Ky., they never crossed paths until they moved to Lexington for college. But within a few weeks of their chance meeting, they were in love—and engaged. Now, 35 years into their marriage, Jeff has published a book chronicling their whirlwind romance, the life-altering health struggles they faced soon after, and their enduring commitment to one another. He originally wrote...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 6, 2025) – [THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE] For over three decades, has been the driving force as director of , which is part of the at the . The school has earned a national reputation for excellence in opera, choral and instrumental music performance, as well as in music education, music therapy, composition, theory, and music history. As the first African American to earn a doctoral degree in music from the University of Alabama, McCorvey is personally committed to creating opportunities for UK students from diverse backgrounds to thrive. One of McCorvey’s...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 29, 2025) – The University of Kentucky Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging is celebrating 40 years of research and community impact. The center is world-renowned for its significant contributions to the field through the decades. As the UK-ADRC celebrates this milestone, we reflect on how the Center has evolved over the years and highlight some of its notable achievements. This episode of Behind the Blue features a conversation with Dr. Linda Van Eldik, Director of the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging and Alzheimer’s Disease...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 23, 2025) – This week’s episode of Behind the Blue features an episode of the podcast. Hosted by Mindy McCulley of the UK Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Program, Talking FACS is a production of the . On this special guest episode, Dr. Alex Elswick, Extension Specialist for Substance Use Prevention and Recovery, discusses a critical and timely issue—the alarming rise of stimulant use alongside the ongoing opioid crisis, a phenomenon some experts refer to as a "twin epidemic." In this interview, Dr. Elswick unpacks startling data: stimulant use,...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 16, 2025) – For over 50 years, the city of Lexington, Kentucky, has honored the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with one of the longest-running celebrations in the country. This year, thousands of community members will come together once again to reflect on Dr. King's vision for racial equality, social justice and service to others —values that remain as relevant today as they were during his lifetime. The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. encompasses influential decisions, monumental actions and steadfast progressions of humanitarian rights...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (January 9, 2025) – As the new year begins, the University of Kentucky is welcoming back students for the spring 2025 semester—a time to reflect on the strides made in the past year and to look forward to the opportunities ahead. On this episode of Behind the Blue, UK President Eli Capilouto reflects on 2024, highlighting the achievements of a campus community deeply committed to care—care for students, for discovery, and for the Commonwealth. “The most important question we should ask ourselves every day,” he notes, “is, did we care? And then, how we care. That...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 23, 2024) – The University of Kentucky Alumni Association started the Great Teacher Award program in 1961 to honor excellent teaching at the university. There have been more than 300 teachers honored since that first year. Nominations may only be submitted by current students. To receive the award, a candidate must: Hold the rank of full-time lecturer or above and have been a member of the faculty for the past three years at UK. Have superior knowledge of the subject matter. Have original and innovative classroom presentations. Demonstrate concern...
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 12, 2024) – On Friday, December 20th, the University of Kentucky will honor its newest alumni during the December Commencement ceremonies. On this episode of Behind the Blue, we’re spotlighting a few of those graduates, hearing their stories about their time at UK, the memories they’ll carry forward, and how they’re ready to apply what they’ve learned to the next exciting chapters of their lives. Jayla McCoy, a graduating senior from Cleveland, Ohio, is earning her Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science. A standout...
info_outlineBehind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (December 12, 2024) – Fans, dressed from head to toe in their team’s colors, swarm the stadium chanting fight songs and waving banners. It’s game day, and the stakes feel monumental. Sports rivalries are a cornerstone of athletic culture — sparking packed bleachers, passionate debates and unforgettable moments. But what drives the fervor that fans feel for their team and the disdain for their rivals? Experts suggest the answer lies not just in the scoreboard, but in the human psyche. According to Matt Moore, Associate Dean of Academic and Student...
info_outlineLEXINGTON, Ky. (November 14, 2024) – In September 2022, the University of Kentucky launched a groundbreaking initiative: UK Invests.
Designed to help students become healthier, wealthier, and wiser, UK Invests is a first-of-its-kind financial literacy program aimed at building a foundation of financial wellness for all students — undergraduate, graduate, and professional.
Through UK Invests, students can open a brokerage account, access financial wellness resources, and earn rewards for taking steps to improve their financial, physical, and mental health. The program is designed to help students become equipped to make smart financial moves that benefit them now and in the future.
Here’s how it works: students can earn up to $500 per year through activities like attending financial literacy classes, participating in wellness events, and engaging with career-building opportunities. And the impact is clear — students in the program show higher GPAs and retention rates compared to those not enrolled, proving the long-term benefits of financial literacy on their college experience and beyond.
On this episode of Behind the Blue, UK students Kylie Lessenberry and Silas Moffitt share how UK Invests has helped them navigate personal finance, sharpen their investment skills, and enhance their overall student journey.
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