Omicron Delta Kappa inducts 43 new members
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 24, 2024) — The University of Kentucky Nu Circle of national leadership honor society Omicron Delta Kappa (OΔK) inducted 43 new members at a ceremony on Sunday, Jan. 21, 2024. OΔK recognizes superior leadership and exemplary character and encourages collaboration among members across the five phases celebrated by the society: scholarship, athletics, service, communications and arts.
The UK Circle was established on May 2, 1925, and celebrates leaders across campus by co-hosting the Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award and other honors like the Maurice A. Clay Outstanding Graduating Senior Award and the Jerry D. Claiborne scholarship each year.
“This class of inductees is highly talented, hardworking, multidisciplinary — representing 11 different colleges on campus," said Nora Sypkens, Circle student co-president. "I am excited to collaborate with these student leaders and see what impact they can leave upon ODK and in their own respective fields in the coming year.”
Other student officers are: Hallie Rice, co-president; Sami Jones, membership chair; and Molly Tierney, communications chair. Francisco Andrade, Ph.D., a professor in the College of Medicine, is the faculty advisor. C. Lynn Hiler, program coordinator in the Chellgren Center, is the staff advisor and Circle Coordinator.
The 2023-24 undergraduate inductees are:
Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
- Miriam Elizabeth Rock
- Breanna Daray Vessels
- Alexis Brooke Willis
College of Arts and Sciences
- Rohan Kishor Desai
- Kennedi D. Fishback
- James Jie Hao
- Kristen Rebekah Hughes
- Olivia M Jacques
- Mika Shaye Maynard
- Safiyah M. Sadek
- Jennifer Sadler
- Matthew Sepulveda
- Olivia Woodcock
Gatton College of Business and Economics
- Grant Matthew Darbyshire
- Olivia Grace Lepisto
- Matthew McFadden
- Payton M Verespej
College of Communication and Information
- Giana Marie Gallo
- Ruben Daniel Valencia Jr.
College of Design
- Noah Andrew Sprout
College of Education
- Peyton Carol DeWalt
- Jocelyn Salazar
- Allison Jeanne Senio
Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering
- Devin B. Bester
- Ahlrich J Eilers V
College of Fine Arts
- Madylin T Butler
- Richard M Smith II
College of Health Sciences
- Holden Samuel Ortiz Aaronson
- Laura Gayle Cundiff
- Rebecca Claire Spradlin
- Drew Abigail White
College of Nursing
- Kristin Marie Allemang
- Regan E Coughlin
The 2023-24 graduate student inductees are:
- Rachelle Musgrave Aker, College of Education
- Angel Ann Brazeal, College of Social Work
- Mandy N Carp, College of Social Work
- Caroline Elizabeth Couch, College of Nursing
- Lindsay E. Fitzpatrick, College of Social Work
- Antoinette Elizabeth Foliart, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment
- Taylor Reid Fulk, Graduate School-Public Administration
- Grace Ellen Hanna, College of Social Work
- Sarah Torres, College of Social Work
- Lauren R. Volz, College of Social Work
Join us on our social media accounts (@ODKatUKY and @ukyodk) for our celebratory shout outs to our newest members.
Omicron Delta Kappa is supported by the Chellgren Center for Undergraduate Excellence within the Office of the Provost. For more information on membership, contact chellgrencenter@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 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.