Advancing undergraduate education through the Chellgren Endowed Professorship: Rebekah Radtke

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 23, 2026) — For Rebekah Radtke, design has always been about connection — between people and place, local histories and global conversations, and disciplines that too often operate in isolation.

As an associate professor of interior design in the University of Kentucky College of Design, Radtke’s work bridges Appalachian communities and international networks, inviting students to see design not simply as a profession, but as a way of understanding and shaping the world. That philosophy came into sharper focus through her appointment as a Chellgren Endowed Professor.

“Being named a Chellgren Endowed Professor was an immense honor,” Radtke said. “It affirmed the value of interdisciplinary, community-engaged design and connected me to a vibrant network of scholars dedicated to strengthening undergraduate education at the University of Kentucky.”

Part of the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence, Chellgren Endowed Professors are selected for a three-year, nonrenewable term that recognizes and supports faculty who shape the undergraduate experience at UK through teaching, research and program innovation. The professorship encourages initiatives that raise student aspirations, foster curricular creativity and strengthen collaboration across disciplines.

For Radtke, the appointment offered both affirmation and opportunity. Through regular cohort meetings and shared reflection, the Chellgren community fostered a sense of belonging and intellectual exchange across campus.

“It was also simply a joyful experience,” she said. “It is an inspiring group of faculty paired with brilliant students.”

‘Global x Appalachia’

Radtke’s Chellgren project, “Global x Appalachia,” focused on strengthening ties between her long-standing Appalachian design work and international communities while expanding access to design education beyond her home discipline.

“Design education can often be siloed,” Radtke said. “My goal was to create more porosity — inviting students from any discipline into design processes and community-engaged research.”

That motivation led to the development of a new nonmajor course — Expanding Interior Design — which introduces students to design as a way of seeing, questioning and responding to the physical and social environments around them. The course invites students from across campus to explore concepts of place, materiality, culture and atmosphere, regardless of major.

The initiative was inspired by years of community-engaged design work in Southeastern Kentucky, as well as Radtke’s growing international partnerships through the International Network on Acclimating Post-Mining Territories. By bringing local and global perspectives together, students learn to understand Appalachia as part of a broader transnational story of resilience, adaptation and change.

Impact on students

Through her Chellgren work, Radtke strengthened undergraduate education at UK in several meaningful ways. By intentionally designing courses for nonmajors, she expanded access to design thinking and research methods for a wider population of students. At the same time, she deepened high-impact learning experiences by engaging students in real-world, community-based design challenges.

Students collaborated directly with Appalachian communities through design studios that addressed socially meaningful issues, gaining hands-on experience while learning how design can serve as a tool for listening, storytelling and collective problem-solving.

Beyond the classroom

The Chellgren Endowed Professorship also allowed Radtke to further integrate her teaching, research and community partnerships. She infused global perspectives into Appalachian-centered work, enriching students’ understanding of post-industrial landscapes and cultural resilience. She also developed new pedagogical models grounded in experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and narrative-based research.

Importantly, the appointment allowed Radtke to mentor undergraduate researchers beyond her own discipline, strengthening cross-college learning and reinforcing the value of diverse perspectives in design research. These efforts have helped anchor new partnerships that now support the Sustainable Futures Design Lab, part of UK’s Innovate TRUST Hub, and advance UK’s leadership in community-engaged design.

“Overall, the experience broadened my sense of what undergraduate design education can be at UK in a very positive way,” she said.

Advice for future Chellgren Endowed Professors

Radtke encourages faculty considering the Chellgren Endowed Professorship to think expansively about the reach of their work.

“I would encourage future applicants to envision how their work can extend beyond their department and meaningfully shape undergraduate learning across UK,” she said. “Be open to conversation and collaboration — the Chellgren community is one of its greatest benefits.”

She also emphasized using the time and support to test new ideas in teaching and mentorship. Looking ahead, Radtke is especially excited about mentoring a new Chellgren Scholar from engineering, an example of the innovative cross-disciplinary relationships the professorship helps make possible.

“This professorship provides an exceptionally rich intellectual community,” she said. “It creates space to work closely with students outside your home department while contributing to a campus-wide culture of educational excellence.”

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This profile is part of a UKNow series highlighting past and current Chellgren Endowed Professors whose work has strengthened the undergraduate experience at UK. Their projects demonstrate how these prestigious appointments elevate teaching, foster student success and advance UK’s national reputation for undergraduate excellence.

Application

Applications are now open for the next cohort of Chellgren Endowed Professors, with the application deadline recently extended. Applications must be submitted electronically by Feb. 15 to chellgrencenter@uky.edu. Final selections will be made by the provost, in consultation with the senior associate provost for administration and academic affairs, from finalists recommended by the Chellgren Endowed Professor Search Committee. The next cohort of Chellgren Endowed Professors will be announced no later than March 1.

Tenured UK faculty with a sustained commitment to undergraduate education are encouraged to apply for this honor, which includes a $5,000 annual stipend for salary or research support during the three-year term. For eligibility details, required materials and selection timeline, visit www.uky.edu/chellgren or email chellgrencenter@uky.edu.

The Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence advances UK’s commitment to student, teaching and program excellence. The center supports high-impact learning experiences; mentors students for nationally competitive scholarships; and partners with colleges and programs to strengthen undergraduate education. Learn more at www.uky.edu/chellgren.