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(Barbourville, KY) – Dr. Marcetta Darensbourg, an alumna of Union College and director of the Marcetta Y. Darensbourg Research Laboratories at Texas A & M University, paid a visit to her alma mater last week as part of Union’s Distinguished Alumni Scholars program.

A native of Artemus, Ky., Dr. Darensbourg attended Knox Central High School before enrolling at Union. She graduated from Union with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry in 1963. During her visit to the area, Dr. Darensbourg made special appearances at both Union and KCHS.

Dr. Darensbourg talked with students about the importance of scientific research, helping them make connections between research conducted in her laboratory and real-world application. She explained her work with inorganic processes that aid in the production of hydrogen, and asked students to think about why that work might be important. “We see that we’re running out of fuel sources,” she said. “Another way of gaining energy is to use hydrogen.” Dr. Darensbourg gave an impromptu lesson at the chalkboard, demonstrating the need for a way to convert hydrogen into power within a fuel cell. “Microbes do this all the time in nature,” she told the class. Her research, she explained, focuses on how to make the conversion happen, inorganically and without an explosive reaction, in a fuel cell.

In addition to visiting classes at Union and KCHS, Dr. Darensbourg also spoke to Union’s science club, had lunch with math and science teachers at KCHS, and met campus and community members at a President’s reception in Sharp Academic Center.

During one of her classroom visits at Union, Dr. Darensbourg shared her affection for her home state and encouraged students, many of whom are also from Kentucky, to protect its distinctive beauty. “I love Kentucky,” she told them. “I love the wildness, the wilderness, the mountains. Keep a watch on that. Guard that. I encourage you to work where you can to keep Kentucky wild and beautiful and green.”

Dr. Darensbourg is a winner of the OAK Award for outstanding alumni of Kentucky, a recipient of the American Chemical Society Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Inorganic Chemistry, has served as a National Student Affiliates “Eminent Scientist” lecturer for ACS, has edited and authored several publications and textbooks, written more than 140 research publications, and serves on many national advisory committees.

Dr. Denzil Edge, the president and founder of AIKCU business partner Learning House, Inc., is being honored by two AIKCU campuses for his contributions to the distance learning field.

The first honor comes from Edge’s alma mater, Brescia University. Brescia is a coeducational, private, Catholic university located in Owensboro, Kentucky. Edge attended the university as a member of the 1967 graduating class and received a Bachelor of Science in History and a minor in special education.

As part of the university’s esteemed alumni, Edge will be receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award on the evening of April 19. Presented by the Alumni Association, this award will be granted to Edge at the end of the Alumni Weekend festivities, which will conclude with the awards banquet.

Brescia established the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000 as part of the university’s 50th anniversary. The award aims to honor valued alumni who have attained professional excellence while demonstrating a strong commitment to their communities, families and alma mater. The Alumni Association bases its selection upon the breadth and scope of a candidate’s life work and the magnitude of his or her impact nationally and internationally. Most importantly, award recipients are chosen due to their exemplary commitment to the “Brescia Difference: Respect for the Sacred; Devotion to Learning; Commitment to Growth in Virtue; Promotion of Servant Leadership.”

Edge is one of three recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award. His fellow recipients include James E. Voyles, Ph.D., J.D. of the 1965 class and Tara Henderson Parker of the 1974 class.

Edge will also be recognized at this year’s Principle-Centered Leadership Program held at University of the Cumberlands. The Principle-Centered Leadership Program is the third annual program in the Lecture Series presented by the Forcht Group of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Leadership at the university. The center, developed in 2006, was designed to provide programs and activities that enhance the development of leadership, character and good citizenship.

Edge is one of four principle-centered leaders selected to be honored at the program. Honorees were chosen by their embodiment of the program’s elected ideals and involvement at the local, regional and national level.

Edge is an internationally known educator with extensive experience in distance education and distance learning technologies. He has been extremely active in the field of higher education in Kentucky, Florida, Alaska, Scotland, Germany and Australia as a teacher and academic contributor. At the age of 28, he was hired by the University of Louisville to develop teacher-training programs. In this position, he developed the Learning Improvement Center, which included the first built-in television system for use by teachers and students. Edge has taught more than 40 distance learning courses using a variety of distance learning technologies, and he has built more than 50 online campuses.

Edge is currently the president and founder of The Learning House, Inc., a comprehensive online education solutions partner that helps colleges and universities offer and manage their online degree programs.

Read Edge’s complete success story.

This article originally appeared in The Learning House, Inc. Newsletter.

Centre students meet with legislators to discuss state-funded financial aid programs (Centre.edu)

DANVILLE, KY—Financial aid is a key factor in the decision-making process for many high school students embarking on their search for the right college. With possible cuts to educational funding in Kentucky’s proposed budget for the coming year, aid programs such as the Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG), the College Access Program (CAP) and the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship Program (KEES) all could face reductions in the next fiscal year.

In the support of continued funding for these programs, Milton Reigelman, J. Rice Cowan Professor of English; Ned Frazer, associate director of admission; and eight Centre students who receive benefits from state-funded student aid participated in the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) Legislative Day on Wednesday, February 13, in Frankfort.

Despite a widespread blanket of ice and snow, the group made their way to the state’s capitol to meet with legislators. State-funded aid programs enable the students on the trip, as well as many others, to attend Centre College without the threat of excessive loan repayments after graduation.

Kyle Longton ‘08, of Louisville, has depended on merit and need-based financial aid for all four years of his Centre education.

“While the College provides me with significant support, I’ve also received state grants,” Longton says. “My KEES Scholarship money was one of the reasons I stayed in Kentucky for college, and I’ve been able to keep full funding all four years.”

Longton says he fears that reduced funding to KEES will result in more students leaving the Commonwealth with fewer benefits for staying. He says, “We could see not only a financial drain, but also a brain drain.”

This possibility is also alarming to Reigelman, who says that Kentucky spends only four percent of its educational funding on private higher education, versus 96 percent for public schools. But that small percentage is still important to Centre students who, he says, rely heavily on the Kentucky Tuition Grant program and the KEES money they’ve earned.

Morgan Lynn ‘11, of Marion, Ky., looks at the larger picture. “Student aid from the state makes it possible, and definitely easier, for students to bear the burden of rising tuition costs at private colleges,” she says. “In turn, students in small liberal arts schools like Centre go on to become highly motivated, productive members of society.” Continue reading the full article.

Both the Kentucky Senate and House of Representatives approved resolutions yesterday proclaiming February 13, 2008 Independent, Nonprofit Higher Education Day in the Commonwealth. Representatives from almost every AIKCU campus braved the inclement weather to come to Frankfort to celebrate independent higher education and thank legislators for their support of Kentucky’s student financial aid programs. The full text of Senate Resolution 112, introduced on the floor by Senate Education Committee Chairman (and former Campbellsville University president) Ken Winters, appears below. The resolution was cosponsored by all 38 members of the Senate and adopted by voice vote.

A similar resolution (HR 121) was introduced in the House by Speaker of the House Jody Richards, a Kentucky Wesleyan College alum, and adopted by voice vote.

A RESOLUTION recognizing Kentucky’s nonprofit, independent colleges and universities and their students and alumni.

WHEREAS, Kentucky’s 20 nonprofit, independent colleges and universities educate almost 29,000 students annually; and

WHEREAS, 22 percent of bachelor’s degrees awarded in the Commonwealth are awarded by these institutions; and

WHEREAS, 25 percent of Kentucky’s bachelor’s degrees in teaching and nursing and even larger percentages of other bachelor’s degrees produced in math and science are awarded by these institutions; and

WHEREAS, small classes, individual attention, and an emphasis on preparation for life and work are hallmarks of these institutions; and

WHEREAS, these colleges and universities meet the high standards set by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, arguably the toughest regional accreditation standards for higher education in the United States; and

WHEREAS, these nonprofit, independent colleges and universities have committed to playing a major role in Kentucky’s 2020 “Double the Numbers” efforts; and

WHEREAS, Nobel Prize winners, governors, justices, congressmen, and distinguished members of the Kentucky General Assembly were educated on these campuses; and

WHEREAS, about 100,000 independent college and university alumni live, work, pay taxes, and vote in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, hundreds of classrooms and laboratories, libraries, theaters, dormitories, athletics facilities, and related structures valued at well over one billion dollars are provided to educate students and serve communities at no cost to the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, these 20 institutions are major employers and economic development partners that, when taken together, would rank 18th among Kentucky’s 25 largest public corporations; and

WHEREAS, these institutions enhance the economic and cultural viability of communities across the state from Pikeville to Mayfield and points in between; and

WHEREAS, tuition, on average, is 35 per cent lower than the national independent college average and 25 percent less than the Southern average; and

WHEREAS, these institutions provide another $130 million in financial aid to their students annually; and

WHEREAS, these colleges and universities serve the Commonwealth and its students and communities, while receiving only four percent of the state’s postsecondary education appropriations in the form of student financial aid; and

WHEREAS, students, faculty, and staff are visiting the Capitol today to thank members of this august body for their support of student financial aid;

NOW, THEREFORE,

Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:

Section 1. The Senate salutes the outstanding contributions Kentucky’s 20 independent colleges and universities and their students and staff make to the Commonwealth and its future.

Section 2. The Senate recognizes Wednesday, February 13, 2008, as Independent, Nonprofit Higher Education Day in the Commonwealth.

Section 3. The Clerk of the Senate shall forward a copy of this Resolution to Dr. Gary Cox, President, Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, 484 Chenault Avenue, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, for sharing with the Commonwealth’s 20 independent colleges and universities.

Midway College alum and Board of Trustees member Donna Moore was appointed last week to the Council on Postsecondary Education by Governor Steve Beshear. Moore retired from her role as Deputy Executive Director of  after serving at KET for thiry years. She recently chaired the Education Cabinet Transition Team.

Moore holds an Associates Degree in Education from Midway College and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Education from the University of Kentucky. She and her husband, Neal Campbell, live in Lexington.

Governor Beshear also reappointed former Kentucky state representative, state senator and state Supreme Court justice Walter A. Baker of Glasgw to the Council. Both Moore and Baker will serve for a term expiring December 31, 2013.

Chandra Holloway Emerson, a 7th grade language arts teacher at Oldham County Middle School, who was recently named the 2008 Kentucky Teacher of the Year by the Kentucky Department of Education and Ashland Inc. Emerson holds a master’s degree from Georgetown College and is National Board certified.

Ashland Inc. began a partnership in 2001 with the Kentucky Department of Education to “honor exemplary teachers throughout the Commonwealth” each year. Emerson and 19 other outstanding Kentucky teachers were honored last week during a ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda.

Emerson received $10,000 and a commemorative crystal glass bowl for being selected Teacher of the Year. The Department of Education will also provide her with a sabbatical or a suitable alternative, and she will represent Kentucky in the 2008 National Teacher of the Year competition.

Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities play a crucial role in preparing educators for service in Kentucky classrooms. Collectively, AIKCU members produce one-fourth of Kentucky’s new teachers annually. And one-third of all Kentucky teachers have at least one credential from an AIKCU member institution.

These contributions of AIKCU alumni to the teaching profession in Kentucky are reflected in the slate of honorees for this year’s Ashland Inc. Teacher Achievement Awards. In addition to Emerson, six other recipients are AIKCU alumni, with a bachelor’s, master’s, or Rank 1 from an AIKCU institution. These include:

• Karen V. Gill - science teacher at Henry Clay High School in Lexington; bachelor’s from Transylvania University
• Peggy A. Helm - language arts teacher at Crosby Middle School in Louisville; bachelor’s from Spalding University
• Solomon Kilburn - science teacher at Prestonsburg HS in Prestonsburg, bachelor’s from Alice Lloyd College
• Barbara T. Ledford - fourth grade teacher at Harlan Elementary in Harlan; Rank 1 from Union College
• Deidra H. Patton - gifted education teacher at Cannonsburg Elementary in Ashland; bachelor’s from Alice Lloyd College
• Debra Meade Slone - math, visual and language arts instructor for fifth- and sixth-grade at Clear Creek Elementary in LittCarr; bachelor’s from Alice Lloyd College

For bios of all 20 Ashland Inc. 2008 Teacher Achievement Award honorees, visit: http://www.ashland.com/commitments/toy_bios.asp.

For more information about AIKCU’s role in preparing Kentucky teachers, check out the special report Kentucky’s Independent Colleges and Universities: Preparing Teachers…Building the Future (2006).

EVARTS, Ky. – Lindsey Wilson College alumna Mary Mosley is so busy making a difference in her region that she almost didn’t have time to receive an award honoring her contributions.

At a recent youth summit in Prestonsburg, Ky., Mosley was named Regional Substance Abuse Counselor of the Year by Operation UNITE for her efforts to fight drug abuse and addiction in Harlan County, Ky.

But she almost wasn’t present to receive the honor.

Mosley had taken a busload of students from Evarts High School to the event at the Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg. She slipped out a few minutes early in an effort to get a head start back home. That’s when some of the event’s organizers persuaded her to return to the auditorium.

“I was focused on getting my students back to school, and the Operation UNITE staff came to me and said that we had to get back to the center,” said Mosley, who is substance abuse counselor for the Harlan County School System. “They told my students that I was going to receive an award, and my students did a good job keeping it a secret from me. … Receiving the award meant a lot to me because it made me feel like I am making a difference in the area and changing students’ lives.”

Mosley earned a bachelor’s degree in human services & counseling from Lindsey Wilson in 2004 through LWC’s partnership with Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College-Cumberland Campus, and she’s working on a master of education in counseling and human development from LWC at the Cumberland Community Campus.

Mosley has served UNITE – which stands for Unlawful, Narcotics, Investigation, Treatment, & Education – and the Harlan County School System since 2005. Her responsibilities include counseling students in seven Harlan County schools, chairing youth activities for the Harlan County UNITE Coalition, and assisting the county’s UNITE clubs.

A Harlan native, Mosley has seen how drug use – especially abuse of marijuana and prescription pills – has crept into the region’s schools, torn families apart and ruined young lives.

“Abusing drugs has become more common in students’ lives,” she said.

Mosley helps young people avoid drug use through prevention efforts in the schools and communities and also by intervening with young people who are suspected of using drugs.

“I want to see students succeed in society, and I want to do whatever I can to help them overcome their problems,” she said. “It’s often a very long process and very tiring, but it’s worth it when you see the impact you have made on one student’s life.”

Mosley said her approach to helping students was heavily influenced by her professors in LWC’s School of Professional Counseling.

“They have been a huge influence on me and how I work with students,” Mosley said. “My professors pushed me and helped me realize what I could do and accomplish. And that’s what I want to do for my students – help them realize what they can become.”

Churchill Downs hires GE executive Mudd as CFO (Courier-Journal.com)

Bill Mudd, 36, a 1993 Bellarmine University graduate and native of Marion County, has been hired by Churchill Downs Inc. to serve as chief financial officer and an executive vice president. Mudd was previously the CFO for GE Water & Process Technologies in Trevose, Pa.

Wiring rural America (Economist.com)

Brian Mefford, a 1995 Centre College graduate, was featured in a recent issue of The Economist for his work as President and CEO of ConnectKentucky, an organization that works to make broadband internet access available to all Kentuckians and improve the economy and quality of life in Kentucky. ConnectKentucky is cited in the international magazine as an exemplary public-private partnership that is making a substantial difference in economic development and in the lives of people by successfully bringing affordable high-speed access to rural areas. With 98 percent of Kentucky expected to have broadband access by the end of this year, ConnectKentucky is becoming Connected Nation and is expanding its efforts to help wire neighboring states for widespread internet access.

Governor Ernie Fletcher announced last week the appointment of Dr. Fred P. Carter of Glasgow as deputy secretary of the Education Cabinet. Carter retired earlier this year from his position as superintendent of Glasgow Independent Schools after more than 30 years of service in Kentucky public schools. Carter began his postsecondary education at Lindsey Wilson, where he received an associate’s degree. He also holds a BA and Rank I from Western Kentucky University and a doctorate from Vanderbilt.

Read the full press release from Kentucky.gov.

The May 2007 issue of Foresight, the newsletter of the Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center, features an extensive Q&A with Dr. Jim Cecil about the status of oral health in Kentucky. Dr. Cecil is a public health dentist and retired Navy epidemiologist who holds degrees from Bellarmine University and the UK College of Dentistry. He is retiring this summer from his role with the KY Department of Public Health but will continue to serve Kentuckians in a part-time role focused on developing a new maternal-child health program at the UK College of Public Health.

Read the entire Q&A, including Dr. Cecil’s analysis of the state of rural dental health care in KY, how oral health is tied to economic development, and how Kentucky can learn from other states in the May 2007 issue of Foresight (PDF).