Two Outstanding UK Women Honored

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 11, 2010) - Two outstanding women at the University of Kentucky were honored with the Sarah Bennett Holmes Award today -- Christy Burch-Epperson, art and advocacy director with UK's Violence and Intervention Prevention Center and Diane Snow, professor of neuroscience in the College of Medicine and faculty associate with the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center at UK.

The Sarah Bennett Holmes award recognizes a female faculty member and a female staff member for their contributions to issues that affect women at UK and across the Commonwealth and who promote the growth and well-being of other women.

Snow, winner of the faculty award, said she is privileged to be recognized in this way. "Of all the awards I have received, I think this is the most valuable. In all I do, I have kept women as the central theme."

Burch-Epperson, recipient of the staff award, said she considers it a privilege to work with and in support of victims of violence, and she considers the Holmes Award an honor. "This helps fill my spirit to keep doing the work we do."

In its 17th year, the Sarah Bennett Holmes Award was created by the UK Women’s Forum in honor of Sarah Bennett Holmes, a distinguished former dean of women at the University of Kentucky. She championed the rights of women and inspired young women to persevere in the face of hardship and to pursue their educational and career goals.

The winners and nominees for the award were honored at a luncheon today at the Student Center Grand Ballroom. The audience heard from keynote speaker Lynda Brown Wright, one of last year's Holmes Award winners. Wright, associate professor in the Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology in the College of Education, spoke on "Strong Women Overcoming Challenging Times.”

In addition to Burch-Epperson and Snow, the following women were nominated for the Sarah Bennett Holmes Award this year:

Rebecca Dutch, Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry (faculty)

Brenda Fahy, Anesthesiology (faculty)

Sonja Feist-Price, Special Education & Rehabilitation Counseling (faculty)

Jessica Fletcher, College of Social Work (staff)

Louise Graham, College of Law (faculty)

Marlene Huff, Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine (faculty)

Janet Johnson, College of Agriculture – Cooperative Extension Service (staff)

Kathy Johnson, UK Public Relations & Marketing (staff)

Karrie Jones, Cardiovascular Research Center (staff)

TK Logan, Behavioral Sciences (faculty)

Randa Remer, Gatton College of Business & Economics (staff)

Juana Suarez, Hispanic Studies (faculty)