Wildcat Forum announces 2026 Sarah Bennett Holmes Award winners
LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 16, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Wildcat Forum (UKWF) announced the recipients of the 2026 Sarah Bennett Holmes Award during a celebratory luncheon held March 26. Award recipients, nominees and invited guests heard opening remarks from outgoing UKWF chair Heather McAtee and UK President Eli Capilouto. A keynote speech was delivered by Jasmine Prince, associate director of the Martin Luther King Center at UK.
The Sarah Bennett Holmes Awards honor individuals and teams who foster the growth and well-being of employees at the University of Kentucky and throughout the Commonwealth. The awards celebrate those who embody the values, accomplishments and enduring legacy of Sarah Bennett Holmes, a distinguished former dean of women at UK.
Widowed at a young age, Holmes raised four children while completing her education. She went on to build a successful career at UK, where she inspired generations to persevere through adversity and pursue their professional aspirations. Among her many achievements, Holmes developed work programs for women during the Great Depression. In recognition of her legacy, the UK Wildcat Forum established the Sarah Bennett Holmes Award in 1994 to honor employees at UK who demonstrate these same principles through their work and service.
Faculty, staff and graduate student honorees receive a monetary award and commemorative plaque. The team award includes a framed certificate for the group and plaques for individual members. All award recipients are permanently recognized on plaques displayed in the Main Building. The Sarah Bennett Holmes Award is one of the UK’s most prestigious honors and highlights contributions that might otherwise go unrecognized.
The 2026 Sarah Bennett Holmes Award recipients are:
- Faculty: Michele Staton, Department of Behavioral Science, College of Medicine
- Staff: Rhyan Banas, Office of Strategic Planning, College of Social Work
- Graduate Assistant: Faezeh Panahandeh, School of Interiors, College of Design
- Team: Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Mu Epsilon Chapter
- 30-Under-30 Undergraduate awards:
- Audrey Wirasakti – Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
- Makiya McNear – College of Arts and Sciences
- Nadia Rosales – College of Arts and Sciences
- Jennifer Gonzalez – College of Arts and Sciences
- Mateo Herrera – Gatton College of Business and Economics
- Aniyah Maxey – College of Social Work
- Maria Wanderley – College of Arts and Sciences
- Kirsten Smith – College of Arts and Sciences
- Jakayla Allen – Gatton College of Business and Economics and Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
- Saana Mugabo – Gatton College of Business and Economics
- 30-Under-30 Alumni awards:
- Bailey Vandiver – College of Communication and Information (2020)
- Saadia Akhtar – College of Arts and Sciences (2020)
- Noor Ali – College of Arts and Sciences (2019)
- McKaylee Copher – Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (2020)
- Rockia Harris – College of Arts and Sciences (2017)
For more information about the UK Wildcat Forum, visit www.wildcatforum.uky.edu or contact UKWF@uky.edu.
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 healthcare. 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 $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.