UK Welcomes Student Congress on Compromise to Campus

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 17, 2016) — In the coming week, college seniors from across the nation will travel to the University of Kentucky to participate in a weeklong program hosted by UK's Martin School of Public Policy and Administration in conjunction with the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship (HCCS).

The HCCS works to impart the skills of public dialogue and leadership to bring about change in an increasingly polarizing environment. The HCCS Student Congress gathers exceptional college students from every region to engage in groups where next-generation leaders and public servants learn the seemingly lost arts of negotiation, goodwill and compromise.

The Clay Congress experience comes at a critical time, said Merl Hackbart, professor and interim director of the Martin School.

“As future leaders in their states and in the nation, the Clay Congress participants will gain valuable knowledge and experience in the art of public policy development,” he said. "Such experience will be valuable to them as citizens and active participants in the development of issue-resolving government policies which continually emerge in a democracy such as ours.”

President Eli Capilouto will welcome the 2016 Clay Center Student Congress to UK at 9:30 a.m. Monday, June 20, at the new Gatton College of Business and Economics building. During the congress, students will focus on means of compromising on major national policy issues such as immigration, economic development, climate change and education. This project will be supplemented by events featuring important speakers discussing various topics associated with fostering ways to reach such compromises. These speakers include former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott and Robert Clay, owner of the renowned Three Chimneys Farm.

Throughout the week, events will take place on the UK campus, at the Council of State Governments offices in Lexington, and at the Old Statehouse in Frankfort. The program will conclude with an event hosted by the Martin School Friday (June 24) evening at Spindletop Hall.

The Martin School of Public Policy and Administration excels in research, education and service by applying intellectual resources to public policy and management issues. It accomplishes its purpose by engaging in cutting-edge, policy analytics research, providing an innovative environment reflective of strategic thinking, and providing service to the Commonwealth, national and international communities. The Martin School offers graduate degrees at both the master's and doctoral degree levels.

UK is the University for Kentucky. At UK, we are educating more students, treating more patients with complex illnesses and conducting more research and service than at any time in our 150-year history. To read more about the UK story and how you can support continued investment in your university and the Commonwealth, visit  uky.edu/uk4ky. #uk4ky #seeblue

MEDIA CONTACT: Carl Nathe, 859-257-3200; or Loretta Stafford, llst227@g.uky.edu