Campus News

Behind the Blue: Homecoming Week with UK Alumni Association Executive Director Jill Smith and Association President Rob Crady

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 8, 2024) — For more than a century, starting in 1915, the University of Kentucky has celebrated Homecoming Week — a time for students and alumni to uphold the Wildcat spirit and traditions. Numerous groups, including the UK Alumni Association, Student Organizations and Activities, Black Student Union, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Student Activities Board and the Office for Student Success have worked hard to make this a memorable week for all who take part.

This year, the UK Alumni Association will also honor the Golden Wildcats from the Class of 1974, with a series of events marking their 50th reunion. For a complete schedule of Golden Wildcat Society reunion activities and details on how to register, visit the UK Alumni Association’s website.

Homecoming Week runs from Oct. 6-13, and offers a range of events for the entire UK community, culminating in the Homecoming football game against Vanderbilt on Oct. 12. Highlights leading up to the game include annual events like the Lyman T. Johnson Awards Luncheon, the DanceBlue Silent Auction and the National Pan-Hellenic Council Step Show. These long-standing traditions have made Homecoming an integral part of campus life for over 100 years.

On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” UK Alumni Association Executive Director Jill Smith and this year’s Alumni Association President Rob Crady discuss the significance of alumni engagement, the evolution of campus and what’s in store for this year’s Homecoming. They also reflect on the importance of maintaining traditions and strengthening the sense of community at UK.

“Behind the Blue” is available via a variety of podcast providers, including iTunes and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.

For questions or comments about this or any other episode of “Behind the Blue,” email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. Transcripts for this or other episodes of “Behind the Blue” can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.

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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.