UK and UofL and Their Home Cities Work Together for Economic Progress

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 22, 2011) — The presidents of the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville are among the 21 board members for a new economic partnership that’s been launched by the mayors of Lexington and Louisville. 

UK’s President Eli Capilouto and UofL’s President James Ramsey will serve on the Bluegrass Economic Advancement Movement (BEAM) board.  The board, chaired by Lexington businessman Jim Host, held its first meeting in Frankfort Nov. 21.  According to Host, the purpose of the initiative is to get Kentucky’s two largest cities and universities collaborating on education, technology and workforce issues to grow Kentucky’s share of the world economic pie. 

The deans of the education and engineering schools at UK and UofL attended the first BEAM meeting, outlining their existing collaborations and pledging to do more.  The four deans have agreed to focus on strengthening the pipeline from K-12 to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees, particularly engineering degrees to better meet the demands of 21st century companies. 

Host said “two great universities working together is historic” and added “they can fight like the dickens on the field, but on this initiative they’re joined at the hip.”