UK Renames Outreach Center for Director Donald Frazier

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 30, 2015) – University of Kentucky Professor Emeritus Donald Frazier has had a lifelong passion for teaching and getting young students interested in the health and science world. On Friday, Sept. 25, he was honored for his dedication when UK announced that the UK Outreach Center for Science and Health Opportunities would be renamed after him.

The newly named Donald T. Frazier Science Outreach Center is a tribute to all the work Frazier has done for the center, for students across Kentucky, and for faculty and staff working in research at UK. Since his retirement from teaching at UK, Frazier has served as director for the Outreach Center, where he continues to give demonstrations on the human body using real-life equipment and even human organs and tissues.

Frazier also traveled all around the state of Kentucky to educate kids at their own schools. As a Floyd County native, he originally focused his efforts in Eastern Kentucky. In 1995, he received a grant that allowed him to purchase a truck that served as a miniature Outreach Center on wheels, expanding his ability to travel elsewhere in the state. Unfortunately, in 2014 this project was retired due to budget cuts.

Through his work, he was able to educate thousands of Kentucky kids about science and introduce young people to health related fields. With his high-energy personality and lively demonstrations, he was able to get even the quietest students to discuss their ideas. 

"Dr. Frazier is an inspiration to us all in his dedication to promoting science education and health care careers amongst our youth," said Lisa Cassis, vice president for research at the University of Kentucky. "It was an honor to participate in the re-naming of the Center to the Donald T. Frazier Science Outreach Center.  We hope that this important Center will continue to spark interest in science education and research careers across the Commonwealth."

MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Perry, (859) 323-2399 or allison.perry@uky.edu