'Behind the Blue': Jill Smith and Hannah Myers on ‘History Holders’ and Future Efforts of the UK Alumni Association
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Dec. 7, 2020) — Since its inception in 1889, the University of Kentucky Alumni Association has been a self-governed, nonprofit membership organization that serves the university and its many alumni, students, parents and friends.
From maintaining the Helen G. King Alumni House as the alumni home on campus, to scholarships, Homecoming and Golden Wildcat reunion activities, providing networking opportunities with UK graduates around the world and more, the vision of the UK Alumni Association is to: “Enhance the lives of alumni, the university, and its students and provide opportunities for increased engagement by current and future alumni in service to each other, to the university, and to the communities that the university serves across the Commonwealth and beyond.”
On this episode of "Behind the Blue," UK Public Relations and Strategic Communications' Carl Nathe is joined by Jill Smith, executive director of the UK Alumni Association and associate vice president for alumni engagement, and current UK Alumni Association President Hannah Myers. Myers and Smith talk about their shared UK backgrounds; how their time here inspired them to give back to their communities; the 131-year-history of the Alumni Association and how it has developed and adapted over that time; the importance of being the “history holders” and tradition-keepers for the university; and more.
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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.