Student News

‘UK at the Half’: UK celebrates first-gen students

Photo from last's years National First-Generation Week kick-off event. Mark Cornelison | UK Photo.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 20, 2023) — Around 25% of all students who attend the University of Kentucky are first-generation students. This means that their parent(s) or guardians did not complete a four-year college or university degree. At the university, not only do we welcome these trailblazers with open arms, but we also provide them with the resources needed for them to thrive. In doing so, UK recently celebrated National First-Generation Week, hosted by the Office for Student Success

For this “UK at the Half,” listen to the stories of current first-generation students. 

“UK at the Half” airs during halftime of each UK football and basketball game broadcast on the radio and is hosted by UK Public Relations and Marketing. To hear the “UK at the Half” interview, click the play button above.

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.