Nominations open for 2026 UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 15, 2025) — University of Kentucky Libraries is accepting nominations through Friday, Oct. 3, for the 2026 UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement.
Created in 1990 and considered one of the university’s most prestigious awards, the UK Libraries Medallion for Intellectual Achievement is awarded annually to a Kentucky resident whose accomplishments in the fields of science, literature, art or philanthropy have made a profound impact on the state and represent the pinnacle of creative or scholarly thought.
To be eligible, nominees must be a Kentucky native or have more than three years of study, work or residency in Kentucky. Both individuals and groups may be considered. Final selection of the medallion recipient is determined by majority vote of the UK Libraries National Advisory Board.
Past recipients include Thomas D. Clark, Wendell Berry, Guy Davenport, bell hooks, Bobbie Ann Mason, Everett McCorvey, Douglas Scutchfield, George C. Wright, and — most recently — W. Brent Seales, Stanley and Karen Pigman Chair of Heritage Science and Professor of Computer Science.
To submit a nomination, fill out the 2026 Medallion for Intellectual Achievement nomination form. Nomination statements should focus on the following criteria:
- Description of the achievement realized
- Significance of the nominee’s accomplishments
- Endorsements of the nominee’s work
Find additional information on the award criteria and submission requirements on the nomination form.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, Oct. 3. Nominators who have any questions regarding the award or the nomination process can contact David Timoney at davidtimoney@uky.edu or 859-218-7317.
As the premier research library in the Commonwealth, UK Libraries empowers lifelong learners to discover, create and connect by providing ever-expanding access to quality information and collaborating with academic and creative communities worldwide to advance knowledge, enhance scholarship and preserve the history and culture of the Commonwealth. More information about UK Libraries can be found at libraries.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.