Campus News

UK HR Student Employment seeking departments to host students this summer

LEXINGTON, Ky (May 22, 2024) — University of Kentucky Human Resources Student Employment is seeking the help of the campus community for its annual Summer Youth Program.

Each year, UK hosts 10 local high school students who spend six weeks on campus observing, learning and actively participating in meaningful assignments across the university. The program is coordinated by UK Human Resources and made possible by the Office of the President. This year, the program runs June 10 through July 19.

Student Employment is seeking departments willing to host a student for this six-week program. 

“A department’s participation would enable a student to open their eyes to a world of opportunity and inspire ideas for their own future education and career,” said Ben Ward, program coordinator for HR Student Employment. “The expectation for this program is to provide the participants with a rewarding experience through guidance and active engagement.”

A student will work 15 to 20 hours per week with all costs covered through the Office of the President. At the end of the six-week period, the supervisor and the student will attend an awards luncheon and the student will present a brief summary of their experience. Student Employment’s goal is to pair students with departments that match their interests and can provide meaningful work experience. 

Departments interested in hosting a student for the program must complete this online form by May 24. Departments will be notified if they are selected to receive a student or not by May 29. Not all departments will be matched with a participant. Selection will be based on the students’ interests.

For more information on the program, contact Ward at 859-257-9554 or at Ben.Ward@uky.edu.

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.