January 14, 2026 - Ja'Mahl McDaniel and Jay Alexander (Lexington's MLK Day Celebration)
Release Date: 01/14/2026
July 15, 2026 - ToniMarie Marchioni (2026 Great Teacher Award Winner)
Behind the Blue
The University of Kentucky Alumni Association established the Great Teacher Awards in 1961 to recognize outstanding teaching at UK. More than 300 faculty members have received the honor, and nominations may only be submitted by current students. Honorees must demonstrate exceptional knowledge of their subject, innovative teaching, and a strong commitment to students inside and outside the classroom. On this episode of Behind the Blue, Steve Shaffer speaks with 2026 award recipient ToniMarie Marchioni, professor of oboe in the UK College of Fine Arts, about the highly personal nature of...
info_outline![July 9, 2026 - Schyler Simpson (Nationally Competitive Awards) [ENCORE] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/203956090?height=50&width=50)
July 9, 2026 - Schyler Simpson (Nationally Competitive Awards) [ENCORE]
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 9, 2026) – THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE. Schyler Simpson, PhD, is no stranger to the University of Kentucky. A three-degree UK alum, she has spent years serving students in a variety of roles across campus, including teaching, advising, recruiting, and retention and engagement work in the College of Communication and Information. In her new role as director of Nationally Competitive Awards, she now helps students explore prestigious opportunities such as the Rhodes, Fulbright, Goldwater, Marshall and Truman awards. The University of Kentucky’s Office of...
info_outline
July 2, 2026 - Amy Murrell Taylor (UK's 'Celebrating 1776' lecture series)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 2, 2026) – As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, the University of Kentucky Department of History is helping the campus and broader community think more deeply about 1776 — not only as a moment of celebration, but as a moment for reflection. Through its 'Celebrating 1776' lecture series, public events, film screenings and courses, the department is bringing together historians, public scholars and UK experts to explore the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence and the ideas that have shaped the nation across two and a half...
info_outline
June 26, 2026 - Summer Survival Guide
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 26, 2026) – Summer is often thought of as the easy season — school is out, the days are longer and families are heading to pools, parks, camps, museums, beaches, mountains and airports. But summer also comes with questions, especially for parents, caregivers and travelers: Do we need vaccines before a trip? Are prescriptions refilled? What should we do about ticks, sunburns or injuries? And how can families keep kids learning without making summer feel like school? On this episode of 'Behind the Blue,' experts from across the University of Kentucky offer a practical...
info_outline
June 18, 2026 - Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers (UK & Kentucky's future)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 18, 2026) – When Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers first came to the University of Kentucky as a student, Lexington felt like “the big city.” Growing up in southeastern Kentucky, between London and Manchester, Stivers saw UK as a place that opened his eyes to the diversity of the Commonwealth — its people, geography, industries and needs. Decades later, as one of Kentucky’s most influential legislative leaders, he says his view of the university has expanded far beyond the classroom. On this episode of Behind the Blue, UK Strategic...
info_outline![June 11, 2026 - Ky State Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe (UK, Kentucky, and responsible AI development) [ENCORE] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/202888635?height=50&width=50)
June 11, 2026 - Ky State Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe (UK, Kentucky, and responsible AI development) [ENCORE]
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 11, 2026) – [THIS IS AN ENCORE EPISODE.] Artificial intelligence is moving fast — and Kentucky lawmakers are working to make sure the state can take advantage of new tools without sacrificing transparency, privacy or public trust. On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Kentucky State Senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe — a Lexington native and University of Kentucky alum — joins host Kody Kiser to talk about her path into public service, what she’s hearing from constituents in Senate District 12, and how she views UK’s land-grant mission of service to communities...
info_outline
June 4, 2026 - Golisano Children's at UK and Dolly Parton's Imagination Library partnership
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 4, 2026) – A new partnership at Golisano Children’s at UK will help put books directly into the hands of Kentucky children and families. On this episode of Behind the Blue, host Kody Kiser talks with Kelsey Rahenkamp of Golisano Children’s at UK, Lindsey Westerfield of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Kentucky and Dr. Anna Thamann, a neonatal neurologist at UK HealthCare, about the hospital becoming an official enrollment location for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Through the partnership, families coming through Golisano Children’s at UK...
info_outline
May 28, 2026 - Dr. Abbie Latimer (TEDxUKY - Hospice & Palliative Support)
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 28, 2026) – When someone we care about is going through something painful, many of us struggle with the same question: What do I say? On this episode of Behind the Blue, Dr. Abbie Latimer, an assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, talks about hospice and palliative care, serious illness communication and how people can better support one another during difficult moments. Latimer also holds an affiliate appointment in the UK College of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Palliative and Supportive Care. ...
info_outline
May 21, 2026 - UK and the Artemis Project
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 26, 2026) — When NASA’s Artemis II mission sent four astronauts on a path around the moon — farther from Earth than any humans have traveled in decades — the world watched in awe. Yet, one of the most critical parts of the journey remained invisible. For a team of faculty, staff and students in the at , that unseen work is their expertise. Artemis II shows how research — right here in Kentucky — is helping address one of human spaceflight’s...
info_outline![May 14, 2026 - Kristine Yohe & Frank X Walker (Reckoning with the Past: The Historical Poetry of Frank X Walker) [ENCORE] show art](https://assets.libsyn.com/content/201957515?height=50&width=50)
May 14, 2026 - Kristine Yohe & Frank X Walker (Reckoning with the Past: The Historical Poetry of Frank X Walker) [ENCORE]
Behind the Blue
LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 14, 2026) – [THIS IS AN ENCORE PRESENTATION.] What does it mean to “reckon” with the past — not as a distant record, but as a living force that still shapes our communities, our classrooms and our shared civic life? Kristine Yohe, a professor of English at Northern Kentucky University, explores that question in her new book, “Reckoning with the Past: The Historical Poetry of Frank X Walker” — a thoughtful, book-length study of Walker’s historical persona poetry. In that work, Walker gives voice to pivotal figures such as York, Isaac Murphy and Medgar...
info_outlineLEXINGTON, Ky. (January 14, 2026) – Monday, January 19th, 2026 will mark Lexington’s 53rd anniversary of the observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a US Federal holiday that honors the birth, life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and is also the only national holiday designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer for opportunities to improve their communities in a variety of ways.
As part of the planning committee for Lexington’s annual MLK Holiday Observance, Ja’Mahl McDaniel has helped shape one of the longest-running celebrations of Dr. King’s legacy in the country. McDaniel is director of the University of Kentucky’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Center — a hub for student opportunities in academics, civic leadership, and cultural exchange rooted in Dr. King’s philosophy.
This year’s event will bring the community together around the theme, “The Right to Live, The Right to Choose: Health, Ballots & The Beloved Community,” connecting Dr. King’s work to present-day questions about public health, voting rights, and collective responsibility — and what it looks like to turn reflection into action.
On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, McDaniel is joined by co-committee member Jay Alexander, the programming and music director for WBTF-FM in Lexington, to walk through what to expect on MLK Day in Lexington — including the Freedom March and commemorative program — and talk about why the celebration still matters, what they hope people take away from this year’s keynote message, and how the day’s visual storytelling helps bring history into sharper focus.
“Behind the Blue” is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university.
“Behind the Blue” is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for this or other episodes of “Behind the Blue” can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here.