UK Alumni Association launching Oral History Project
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 23, 2022) — Bringing the University of Kentucky experience to life and uniting alumni across generations are two primary purposes of the Oral History Project, spearheaded by the UK Alumni Association in partnership with the nationally recognized directory firm Publishing Concepts (PCI).
PCI staff will spend the next several months collecting alumni stories that will be assembled into a UK oral history publication to be distributed in September 2023. Alumni will receive communication that provides pertinent information on how to connect with PCI staff to share their UK memories.
“The Oral History Project is vital to helping alumni stay connected to the university and an opportunity to preserve precious memories,” said Jill Smith, associate vice president for alumni engagement and executive director of the UK Alumni Association. “We appreciate our alumni taking the time to reflect upon their time at UK and helping us make this project a success.”
Alumni should consider the following questions when considering memories they wish to share:
- What made you choose UK?
- Did a UK professor or staff member have a profound impact on you?
- Have UK connections developed into lifelong relationships?
- How has UK impacted your career success, relationships and/or life after graduation?
- Were you on campus during an historic moment?
- Are there multiple UK graduates in your family?
- When you think back on your time at UK, what makes you smile?
Alumni will be able to share stories as well as photos to be included in the publication.
Alumni participation in the Oral History Project will also ensure contact information is up to date so alumni receive relevant communication from UK. There is no cost to alumni to participate in the project but there is an opportunity for alumni to purchase the finished product. Personal information is not shared outside of PCI and will be redacted upon completion of the project.
For questions about the UK Oral History Project, call PCI at 800-982-1590 or the UK Alumni Association at 800-269-ALUM (2568) or email ukalumni@uky.edu. For more information about the project, visit www.ukalumni.net/oralhistory.
The UK Alumni Association is committed to fostering lifelong engagement among alumni, friends, the association and the university. For more information about the UK Alumni Association, visit www.ukalumni.net or call 800-269-2586.
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.