‘Behind the Blue’: UK Invests transforming financial literacy, student success
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 25, 2025) — As the cost of higher education continues to challenge students and families nationwide, the University of Kentucky is taking a different approach — one that goes beyond tuition and scholarships to equip students with long-term financial confidence. Since 2022, UK Invests has helped students earn up to $500 each year by participating in activities tied to wellness, engagement, employability skills and financial literacy, with funds deposited directly into individual Fidelity investment accounts.
For Paul McKinney, UK’s associate vice president for student financial stability, the program represents the next step in the institution’s commitment to supporting students both inside and outside the classroom. A veteran of more than 30 years in higher-education finance, McKinney joined UK after seeing the potential of UK Invests to not only educate students about budgeting and long-term investing, but to meaningfully shape their financial futures. Since its launch, the university has disbursed more than $2.2 million to participating students, who show higher GPAs and retention rates compared to their peers.
On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” McKinney discusses the origins of UK Invests, the partnership with Fidelity and iGrad, and the program’s unique focus on practical financial education — from understanding risk tolerance and compound growth to navigating AI-powered budgeting and investment tools. He also shares how UK Invests is influencing student behavior across campus, the lessons learned from its early rollout, and the program’s potential to position a generation of graduates to make informed financial decisions that strengthen both their personal futures and the economy of the Commonwealth.
“Behind the Blue” is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university.
“Behind the Blue” is a joint production of the University of Kentucky and UK HealthCare. Transcripts for this or other episodes of “Behind the Blue” can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here.
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.