Campus News

iwin Establishes Award in Honor of President Todd

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 13, 2011) — University of Kentucky President Lee T. Todd Jr. had the foresight to create UK College of Social Work's Institute for Workplace Innovation (iwin) four years ago.

In establishing iwin, UK became the first land-grant university in the United States to respond to its state’s economic workforce and workplace concerns by engaging employers in implementing innovative best practices grounded in research.

"Dr. Todd recognized that making the resources of the university available to employers through outreach was an essential part of achieving his vision to make UK an economic development engine for the Commonwealth," said iwin Executive Director Jennifer Swanberg. "His commitment and dedication to adopting best practices for Kentucky employees and for the success of our organizations contribute to the goal of making Kentucky a 'state-of-choice' for employers, which only strengthens our state’s image for being a great place for companies to locate and for people to want to live and work."

In honor of Todd's work for Kentucky employees and employers, iwin has established the Dr. Lee T. Todd, Jr. Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Research and Practice Award.

The annual award, offered in the form of a scholarship waiving one year of Innovative Employer Roundtable membership fees, will be given to an employer that has demonstrated innovative workplace practices based on the dimensions of the iwin Innovative Employer Model.

 iwin honored Todd at its Innovative Employer Roundtable meeting Thursday, May 12.

The Bridging the Gap Between Workplace Research and Practice Award is designed to recognize Todd for his vision to create an institute committed to state economic and workforce development challenges in Kentucky and to honor his dedication to iwin and the Innovative Employer Roundtable.

Current Roundtable partners may nominate an organization by filling out a brief application that will be available on iwin’s Partners Only website.

The first scholarship will be granted in May 2012 and will include attendance to May 2012 and October 2012 Round Table Meetings in addition to host other benefits that Roundtable partners receive. Each subsequent scholarship will be offered annually in May.

Please contact Partner Relations Specialist Lee Ann Walton at leeannwalton@uky.edu or (8590 323-0582 for more information.

MEDIA CONTACT: Erin Holaday Ziegler, (859) 257-1754, ext. 252; erin.holaday@uky.edu