UK Happenings

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, UK Martin School Host Final Part of Urban-Rural Issues Roundtable Series

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2021) — Economic development will be the focus of the third and final installment of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce-University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Policy and Administration’s Roundtable Series on "Bridging Kentucky’s Urban-Rural Divide." The webinar event is set for 1 p.m. EDT Wednesday, Aug. 18. Earlier programs centered on health care and education.

“This partnership between the Kentucky Chamber and the Martin School has produced important conversations on how education and health care issues intersect with Kentucky’s urban-rural divide,” said Chamber Senior Vice President of Public Affairs Kate Shanks. “We are excited to continue these discussions by exploring the urban-rural divide from the perspective of economic development.” 

The panel will feature key Kentucky public policymakers from the General Assembly and UK faculty members with expertise in economic development issues.  

  • State Sen. Chris McDaniel, chairman of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee;
  • State Rep. Jason Petrie, chairman of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee;
  • Merl Hackbart, the Provost’s Distinguished Service Professor of Finance and Public Administration, former director of the Martin School and former State Budget Director; and
  • Alison Davis, the H.B. Price Professor of Agricultural Economics in the UK College of Agriculture, Food and Environment and executive director of the Community and Economic Development initiative of Kentucky (CEDIK).

The panel’s moderator will be Kate Shanks, the chamber’s senior vice president for public affairs.

“We are honored to be part of these important discussions about matters so vital to Kentucky’s future,” said Ron Zimmer, Martin School director. “Our hope is that these sessions will help facilitate meaningful, long-term public policy strategies for these issues."

Key questions to be considered during the Aug. 18 program include:

  • What are some of the major underlying economic strengths of our urban and rural communities and how effectively are we leveraging them for economic development?
  • What is the role of public policy in stimulating economic growth in Kentucky’s urban and rural areas?
  • What should be done to address disparities between economic growth in urban and rural areas?

To register for the webinar, please click here

Watch past webinars from this series on the Kentucky Chamber’s YouTube page

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.