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FRANKFORT, Ky. - The fifth-annual Kentucky Private College Week will be July 14-18.

Kentucky Private College Week is a coordinated effort by the state’s 20 nonprofit, independent colleges and universities to provide students and families an easy way to explore a variety of college campuses during the summer.

A single point of registration at www.kentuckyprivatecolleges.org and common visit times at all 20 campuses - 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (local time) daily - make it easy for prospective students to plan campus visits. Some campuses will offer special times to accommodate the schedules of non-traditional students.

“We want people to see these campuses firsthand and have an opportunity to talk with staff and current students about the admissions process and financial aid,” said Mason Dyer of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities, which sponsors the event. “Many people are surprised to find out how attainable and affordable an independent college education can be.”

The 20 participating campuses serve students from all income levels. Four out of 10 students who attend Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities qualify for a Pell Grant, the federal student aid program for people with high financial need. Together, the 20 campuses provide more than $150 million annually in student financial aid and scholarships. Students attending AIKCU institutions also qualify for state student financial aid programs.

In addition to the two daily sessions, select campuses will host special evening information sessions for working adults interested in pursuing a degree. More than one in five students at Kentucky’s independent colleges is at least 25 years old.

“While non-traditional students are always welcome at all campuses, more than half of Kentucky’s independent colleges offer special opportunities for working adults,” Dyer said. “These may include degree-completion programs, evening or weekend classes, online learning, extended campuses, or participation in special programs such as Project Graduate.”

Project Graduate is a statewide initiative to help students with 90 or more credit hours finish a baccalaureate degree.

Visitors receive an application fee waiver for every campus they visit during Private College Week. Prizes to be given away during the week include t-shirts, gas cards and other items.

“Kentucky Private College Week is the perfect road-trip opportunity,” Dyer said. “Our campuses are located across Kentucky, from Pikeville to Mayfield, in great cities and towns, and in some of the most beautiful places in the entire country. With gas prices keeping people closer to home this summer, we see this as a great chance to see Kentucky while also preparing for the future.”

To learn more visit the Kentucky Private College Week blog at www.kentuckyprivatecolleges.org. There you can register, see videos featuring current students, learn more about participating campuses, get directions, and see the latest news about Kentucky’s private colleges. Or call the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities at (502) 695-5007 for more information.

E.ON U.S. officials pose with E.ON Named Scholars at the AIKCU banquet. L-R: David Freibert, Director, External Affairs, E.ON U.S.; Cliff Feltham, Statewide Media Relations Manager, E.ON U.S.; E.ON Named Scholars; Ed Staton, Director, Transmission, E.ON U.S.; Jan Rose Coleman, Manager, Business Offices, E.ON U.S.

E.ON U.S. took center stage as the featured funding partner during AIKCU’s recent recognition banquet. The annual event brings together students, presidents, staff, friends, and supporters to honor AIKCU’s corporate and foundation partners.

E.ON subsidiary Kentucky Utilities was one of the founders of the Kentucky Independent College Foundation in 1952, one of two organizations that combined in the 1990s to form AIKCU. Since then E.ON U.S. has given nearly $1.4 million dollars to AIKCU in support of independent higher education.

“We’re extremely grateful for the continued support that E.ON U.S. has provided our students for more than half a century, through a number of corporate changes,” said AIKCU President Gary S. Cox. “The scholarships that E.ON and our other corporate partners fund truly is an investment in Kentucky’s future.”

E.ON has contributed $50,000 this year in support of the AIKCU Named Scholars program to fund student scholarships at member institutions located in areas served by E.ON and its subsidiaries. The Named Scholars program allows corporations and foundations to support multiple students attending AIKCU member institutions through a single gift to the association.

“Not only has E.ON been committed to turning on lights across our state, but they’ve been committed to turning on minds across the state,” said Evan Kuhl, a Bellarmine University freshman and E.ON Named Scholar.

E.ON US Chairman, CEO and President Vic Staffieri, who recently chaired the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force on Postsecondary Education, addressed the assembled crowd via recorded remarks.

“In today’s knowledge-based economy, a postsecondary education is of vital importance – not just to you, the individuals who benefit directly from higher wages – but to the economic well-being of the entire Commonwealth,” said Staffieri. “Nearly two-thirds of all high-growth, high-wage jobs created in the next decade will require a college degree – a degree only one-third of Americans and one-fifth of Kentuckians have.”

“This crucial connection between education attainment and economic development is why I volunteered my time over the past year as chair of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce’s Task Force on postsecondary education,” Staffieri continued. “It’s also why E.ON U.S. is proud to support the AIKCU Named Scholars Program – because helping you achieve your dreams will pay dividends for Kentucky businesses and for all of Kentucky.”

Kentucky Chamber of Commerce President David Adkisson praised E.ON for their commitment to postsecondary education in Kentucky and lauded Staffieri’s efforts as head of the Chamber’s task force.

“Just about the time you hear and are convinced that business leaders in the country are only interested in their quarterly returns and what Wall Street thinks and about what the stockholders are going to do at the next meeting, occasionally you see a glimpse of hope in someone like Vic,” said Adkisson. “He took this on as a civic chore…because he believes in the power of higher education and wanted to do something to contribute.”

Other AIKCU Named Scholars partners recognized during the event include Ashland, Inc., the Gheens Foundation, the Keeneland Foundation, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, and UPS. For more on AIKCU and all of its funding and business partners download the 2007 AIKCU Annual Report.

Pikeville College President Hal Smith passes the chair’s gavel to Centre College President John Roush

Watch a video of the ceremonial gavel passing on AIKCU’s YouTube channel.

John Roush, President of Centre College in Danville, has been elected to serve a two-year term as chairman of the AIKCU board of directors. Roush succeeds Pikeville College President Hal Smith as chair. The AIKCU board is composed of the presidents of Kentucky’s 20 independent colleges and universities and two at-large members from Kentucky’s business community.

Chairman Smith passed the ceremonial gavel to incoming Chairman Roush during AIKCU’s annual recognition banquet on April 22. Before handing over the gavel, Smith reflected on a life and career path that began as a student at Centre College in the 1960s before leading into higher education administration at Centre and ultimately to the presidency at Pikeville, where he has served as president for eleven years.

“One might say that I’m a believer in independent higher education. And if you said that, you’d be right,” remarked Smith. “I believe in the value of the independent higher education experience. If it’s right for the student it cannot be beat. In fact, for most it’s a life-transforming opportunity.”

In accepting the chair position Roush thanked President Smith for his service as AIKCU chair and for “his leadership in independent higher education in Kentucky over his entire professional life.”

“This is an exciting time for independent higher education in Kentucky,” said Gary S. Cox, AIKCU President. “Independent colleges and universities are thriving and in a terrific position to help move Kentucky’s economy and people forward. But there are some serious challenges, and President Roush is the type of leader who can really bring our folks together to focus our efforts on our common interests.”

Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities have committed to playing a significant role in the Council on Postsecondary Education’s “Double the Numbers” plan to double Kentucky’s number of bachelor’s degree holders by 2020.

“The Commonwealth of Kentucky finds itself at a point in its history when it must decide how much it values higher education - public and independent,” said Roush. “The independent sector stands ready to provide the citizens of this state with education of the highest quality, yet still accessible to young people of lesser means. That is the tradition of private colleges and universities in Kentucky.”

Bill Huston, President of St. Catharine College in Springfield was named chair-elect and will succeed Roush at the end of his two-year term. John Weber, CFO of Graeter’s Ice Cream, KY was reelected as treasurer.

Commencement season officially began this past weekend, with Union College and University of the Cumberlands both holding ceremonies on Saturday, May 3. Congratulations to all of this year’s graduates!

Alice Lloyd College
Baccalaureate: Saturday, May 10, 10:30 a.m., Grady Nutt Athletic Center
Bacc. Speaker: Lawrence Baldridge, pastor of Caney Baptist Church in Pippa Passes, KY since 1964.

Commencement: Saturday, May 10, 12:15 p.m., Grady Nutt Athletic Center
Commencement Speaker: Dr. Marylee James, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean at Alice Lloyd College

Asbury College
Baccalaureate: Sunday, May 11, 9 a.m., Hughes Memorial Auditorium
Bacc. Speaker: Dr. Donald Adams, superintendent of the United Methodist Church

Commencement: Sunday, May 11, 3 p.m. (doors open at 2:30), Luce Physical Activities Center
Commencement Speaker: Dr. Lloyd J. Ogilvie, former U.S. Senate Chaplain
Honorary degree: Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie

Bellarmine University
Baccalaureate: Saturday, May 10 at 9 a.m. at St. Agnes

Commencement: Saturday May 10 at noon in Knights Hall
Commencement Speaker: Curt Tofteland, founder and director of Shakespeare Behind Bars and producing director of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival.
Honorary degree: Curt Tofteland, Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters

Berea College
Baccalaureate: Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m., Phelps Stokes Chapel
Bacc. Speaker: Rev. Dr. Daniel P. Matthews, rector emeritus, Trinity Church Wall Street, New York City

Commencement: Sunday, May 25 at 2 p.m. in Seabury Center
Commencement Speaker: Dr. Benjamin Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery and professor, the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Md.
Honorary degree: Dr. Benjamin Carson, Honorary Doctor of Science

Brescia University
Baccalaureate: Friday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at St. Stephen’s Cathedral
Speaker: President Larry Hostetter

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. at the RiverPark Center
Speaker: Kentucky Secretary of Education Helen W. Mountjoy
Honorary degree: Sec. Helen W. Mountjoy, Doctor of Humane Letters

Campbellsville University
Baccalaureate: None

Graduate School Commencement: Friday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m. in Ransdell Chapel
Grad Commencement Speaker: Dr. Dwayne Howell, associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Campbellsville University

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 10:00 a.m. at Houchens Insurance Group (HIG) Field
Commencement Speaker: General James T. Conway, commandant of the United States Marine Corps
Honorary degree: Gen. James T. Conway, Honorary Doctorate of Public Service

Centre College
Baccalaureate: Sunday, May 18 at 11:00 a.m. in Newlin Hall in Centre’s Norton Center for the Arts
Bacc. Speaker: Dr. Rick Axtell, college chaplain and association professor of religion

Commencement: Sunday, May 18 at 3:00 p.m. in Newlin Hall in Centre’s Norton Center for the Arts
Commencement Speaker: Leland Melvin, NASA Astronaut and co-manager of NASA’s Educator Astronaut Program, who flew his first shuttle mission on the Atlantis in February 2008
Honorary degree: Leland Melvin, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Georgetown College
Baccalaureate: Friday, May 9, 7:30 p.m., John L. Hill Chapel
Bacc. Speaker: Dr. Paul Redditt, Georgetown College Professor of Religion and former chair of the department for 19 of his 22 years at the college

Commencement: Saturday, May at 10 a.m., Giddings Lawn
Commencment Speaker: Dr. Pearse Lyons, CEO and founder of Alltech Inc., title sponsor of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010
Honorary Degrees:

Dr. Gwen Cranfill Curry, Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa, Georgetown College alumna and retired chair of the English department
Sylvia Watson Jaegers, Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa, civic leader and founding member of the Georgetown College Foundation Board

Kentucky Christian University
Baccalaureate: Friday, May 9 at 3 p.m. in the Nash Chapel
Bacc. Speaker: Phil Martin (KCU ‘85), father of graduating senior Kyle Martin

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. in the Dick Damron Hall of Champions in Lusby Center.
Commencement Speaker: Cam Huxford, President of the 2008 North American Christian Convention

Kentucky Wesleyan College
Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. in Hocker-Hall Grove
Commencement Speaker: Kentucky Supreme Court Justice John D. Minton, Jr.

Lindsey Wilson College
Baccalaureate:
Speaker: Rev. Darrell Lyons of Leitchfield, KY

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m.
Commencement Speaker: Dr. Alice Brown, retiring President of the Appalachian College Association

Honorary degrees:

Dr. Alice Brown
Rev. Paul Fryman of Bowling Green
Rev. Howard Olds of Brentwood, TN
R. Vince Fanelli of Louisville

Mid-Continent University
Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 3:00 p.m. at Graves County High School

Midway College
Baccalaureate: None

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 5p.m. in Graves Amphitheater (rain location: Marshall Gymnasium)
Commencement Speaker: Chris McCarron, retired hall of fame jockey and founder of the North American Racing Academy

Pikeville College
Undergraduate Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 2 p.m., East Kentucky Expo Center
Commencement Speaker: Gen. Robert H. (Doc) Foglesong, retired four-star U.S. Air Force general and president of Mississippi State University
Honorary Degrees:

General Robert Foglesong
Norman A. Chrisman, Jr., retired architect
Stephen N. Frazier, former chief circuit judge in the mountain circuits

Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine
Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m. at East Kentucky Expo Center
Speaker: Steve Davis, M.D., Department of Public Health, Frankfort, KY
Honorary Degrees:

Steve Davis, M.D.
Raymond Wells, M.D., physician from Inez, KY

St. Catharine College
Baccalaureate: Friday, May 9 at 7:30 p.m. in St. Catharine Hall

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 11:00 a.m. in Lourdes Hall
Commencement Speaker: Stan Curtis, founder of Kentucky Harvest and USA Harvest

Spalding University
Commencement: Saturday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. at Canaan Christian Church
Speaker: TBA

Thomas More College
Baccalaureate: Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. at Cathedral Basilica (Covington)
Bacc. Speaker: Reverend Michael Due, Vicar General, Diocese of Covington

Commencement: Saturday, May 10 at 1:30 p.m. on the lawn outside of the Holbrook Student Center (rain location: Connor Convocation Center)
Commencement Speaker: State Representative Addia K Wuchner
Honorary degrees:

State Representative Addia K. Wuchner
Mr. Paul F. Michels, founder of Paul Michels & Sons, Inc.

St. Thomas More Medallion: Mr. Frank Al Schleper, founder of Pilot Contracting Company

Transylvania University
Baccalaureate: None

Commencement: Saturday, May 24, 10:00 a.m., front steps and lawn of historic Old Morrison (rain location: Clive M. Beck Athletic and Recreation Center)
Speaker: John Churchill, Secretary of the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Honorary degrees: None

Union College
Baccalaureate: Saturday, May 3 at 9:00 a.m., Conway Boatman Chapel
Bacc. Speaker: Dr. Joel Allen, Methodist pastor, elder in the Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church, and professor of biblical studies.

Commencement: Saturday, May 3 at 11:00 a.m. in Robsion Arena
Speakers (both will also receive honorary degrees):

Jean Ruth Ritchie, a performer, songwriter, musician and Perry County native who has been called the mother of folk for her role in the American Folk Revival
Dr. Virginia Grady Carter, Executive Director, Kentucky Humanities Council

University of the Cumberlands
Commencement was held Saturday, May 3, 2008

Duane Bonifer, Director of Public Relations at Lindsey Wilson College, was presented the President’s “For the Greater Good Award” during AIKCU’s annual recognition banquet.

The award recognizes a staff person from one of AIKCU’s twenty member campuses who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the organization and to the advancement of Kentucky’s independent college and university sector.

“Duane’s someone I look to when I need help with just about any situation,” said AIKCU President Gary S. Cox in presenting the award. “His hard work, ability and good humor are constant and his commitment to independent higher education is unwavering.”

Bonifer is a tireless advocate not just for Lindsey Wilson, but for the shared values of all of Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities.

“AIKCU’s strength is its members,” said Bonifer. “We are 20 great private colleges and universities working toward one common goal: changing students’ lives and preparing them to be successful and model citizens in our communities.”

“Duane is a tremendous asset to Lindsey Wilson College and to independent higher education across Kentucky,” said Cox. “With a small staff, we rely heavily on campus folks to help us get things done. We can always count on Duane, whether we need him to bring Lindsey Wilson students to Frankfort to meet with legislators or advise us on policy or public relations issues.”

Bonifer has been at Lindsey Wilson College for more than 14 years as the college’s director of public relations. He serves on the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights and he and his wife Kelli, an Adair County Extension Agent, are the parents of two young boys.

Bonifer is the third recipient of the AIKCU “For the Greater Good Award.” Last year’s recipient was Rev. John E. Chowning, Campbellsville University VP for Church and External Relations and Executive Assistant to the President. Midway College Vice President for Business Affairs Lyen Crews was the first recipient for his work with the AIKCU Benefit Trust’s self-funded health insurance initiative.

Judge Roger Crittenden ruled earlier today (March 6) to grant the plaintiffs’ motion for Summary Judgment in the lawsuit surrounding the constitutionality of a 2006 appropriation made by the General Assembly to the University of the Cumberlands for a pharmacy school. The following is the initial statement on the matter from AIKCU President Gary S. Cox:

We have not had an opportunity to review and study this decision, or for our members to meet and discuss it with legal counsel. We look forward to doing so right away. Many of our members share my strong belief that we are well situated to partner in new ways with the state in meeting job training and workforce development needs. Other states are partnering with their non-profit institutions to meet these needs in very cost-effective ways.

While we were not a party to the lawsuit, we have followed the constitutional issues with interest. If the opportunity arises, we will seriously consider participating in the appellate process to reach a result which will benefit the Commonwealth and our members.

- Gary S. Cox, President
Association of Independent
Kentucky Colleges & Universities

Related press coverage:

State money cannot go to religious school - Kentucky.com

Judge rejects state money for University of the Cumberlands (Courier-Journal.com)An Expensive Expulsion - InsideHigherEd.com

Kentucky Judge Finds State Appropriation to a Baptist University Unconstitutional - Chronicle of Higher Education (for subscribers)

AIKCU is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Cook Systems International to help develop Kentucky’s Information Technology workforce. Cook Systems International has partnered with AIKCU to strategically place AIKCU-affiliated college students in real-world situations through the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program.

The COLLEGECAREERCORPS® is a program that integrates students into professional technology teams in entry-level positions. The students join a team that includes experienced information technology professionals working on actual I.T. projects on a long-term basis. Cook Systems International has developed technical and certified management professionals using COLLEGECAREERCORPS® project methodologies and procedures to ensure achieving the highest quality project results. Students typically work 20 hours per week and continue with the same client partner for up to two years. Cook Systems International is currently working with approximately 20 colleges and universities nationwide through COLLEGECAREERCORPS® efforts.

Information Technology jobs represent one of the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S. economy, with more than 1 million new jobs projected to be added through 2014. Six of the 30 occupations expected to grow the fastest are I.T.-related, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Students benefit in the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program by receiving professional training as employees of a professional I.T. services firm working directly on projects for major regional corporations, giving them exposure to key leaders in the business community. This further provides the students the ability to learn to work in a corporate team environment and add practical and real-world work experience to their resume. Students earn money year round and receive possible internship/credit hours while gaining an inside track to jump-starting a career.

As part of its partnership with AIKCU, Cook Systems International will actively identify corporate and government partners that can benefit from the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program. Because partners contract directly with Cook Systems International, projects don’t have to begin and end during a single semester like a traditional internship. The COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program provides real and critical services to partners and long-term employment opportunities as well as professional level experiences to participating students.

Colleges and universities benefit by using Cook Systems International’s COLLEGECAREERCORPS® for several reasons, including improving student recruiting. Colleges and universities have seen computer science-related degree enrollment drop by as much as 70% nationwide. The COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program gives colleges and universities a better ability to attract more students to the field and increases their students’ chances of landing jobs by offering more intense, hands-on experiences.

“The Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities supports our member institutions and students by providing partnerships to enhance both their quality of education and the contribution they make to their community and our state,” said Gary Cox, AIKCU President. “This unique partnership with Cook Systems International’s COLLEGECAREERCORPS® to provide students with real IT work experience is a win-win for AIKCU’s member schools and students as well as for the communities and businesses in Kentucky.”

“We at Cook Systems International are excited about introducing our COLLEGECAREERCORPS® model to the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges & Universities and the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky area,” said Ben Bryant, President of Cook Systems International. “This has been a tremendous success in other regions of the country and we know it will be here as well. In addition to providing I.T. students with real-life project experience, this model serves as a significant I.T. workforce development initiative and globally cost-effective alternative to off-shore outsourcing for the corporate and government partners who support this.”

Corporate and government partners benefit with the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® by receiving Cook Systems International’s unique expertise with the model, leading edge research services from colleges and universities, and the ability to partner with students and faculty to address critical business challenges. Services are delivered at globally competitive rates while developing a future workforce.

Unlike traditional internship models, the student teams support real, operationally budgeted activities. Under the guidance through the COLLEGECAREERCORPS® program, the risk of using students is greatly reduced and ensures the success through Cook Systems International’s delivery accountability. Corporate and government partners further benefit by retaining the best and brightest students in the local area and by finding and managing students with fewer corporate resources.

About Cook Systems International, Inc.
Cook Systems International is a well-established firm headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, providing information technology resources and solutions to customers throughout the United States. With a strong focus on the mid-west and southeast, Cook Systems International currently has active initiatives in Tennessee, Arkansas, Florida, Nebraska, Texas, Colorado, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, and North Carolina with offices in Charlotte, Atlanta, Frankfort, and Colorado Springs.

Cook Systems International offers several types of services including: Program and Project Management, Professional Staffing, Managed Services, Outsourced Software Development and Maintenance Projects, Software Testing, Change Management and Business Process Consulting, and the COLLEGECAREERCORPS®.

Cook Systems International is the number one rated vendor in the Memphis area having a proven track record of providing unsurpassed I.T. consulting services to Fortune 1000 companies, as well as state and local governments. Cook Systems International currently is a major provider of I.T. Professional Services to the Commonwealth of Kentucky as well as to other states and Fortune 1000 companies.

For more information please visit cooksys.com or collegecareercorps.com.

Beginning in January of 2008, all twenty of Kentucky’s nonprofit, independent four-year colleges and universities will have entirely new, campus-designed plates available for purchase from Kentucky County Clerks offices. This is the first time that these institutions that constitute the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) have been able to design their own distinct Kentucky license plates for purchase by alumni, students, faculty, staff, and other supporters of their institutions.

The license plates are designed to increase awareness of independent higher education options in Kentucky and to raise funds for student scholarships; $10 from the sale of each plate goes directly back to the campus to support student scholarships.

The plates have proven extremely popular among supporters of Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities, raising more than $129,000 dollars through 2006 (calendar 2007 figures will be available in early 2008). There is a friendly competition among the institutions – nicknamed the “battle of the bumpers” – to see which campus can sell the most plates annually. AIKCU anticipates that the new designs will increase interest in the plates and the competition, ultimately raising more money to support students.

“We are thrilled that our campuses have gotten a chance to make these plates their own,” said Gary S. Cox, AIKCU President. “We’re looking forward to increasing sales and further raising the visibility of our institutions by putting more of these on the road, and most importantly, raising more money for student scholarships.”

The first independent college and university plates hit Kentucky highways in 2002. AIKCU worked with the General Assembly to establish the “Independent Higher Education” Kentucky license plate series during the 2000 General Assembly. However, under the statutes and regulations that existed at the time all AIKCU member colleges and universities had to share a common plate background and color scheme, with individual campuses differentiated by their logo stickers and individual taglines.

Fast forward to the summer of 2007. The common design has surpassed its state-mandated five year life cycle. Combine that with advances in license plate printing technology and cooperation between AIKCU and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities finally got the long-desired opportunity to make their plates distinctive.

“We’re grateful to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and the staff there for making this possible,” said AIKCU’s Cox. “The new plates look terrific and are a visible reminder of the great diversity we have in the independent sector.”

The new plates for all twenty colleges and universities and the association will go on sale through all Kentucky County Clerks offices in January for January birth month renewals and new issues. Plates cost $44 upon initial issue, including the $10 for student scholarships (because these new plates replace the previous version, all Independent Higher Education plates will be $44 during the first year). Renewal is $31 in subsequent years. Current plate holders interested in renewing early should check with their local County Clerk about renewal policies.

To find contact information for your County Clerk, visit the Kentucky Motor Vehicle Licensing System website.

View all twenty new campus license plates (PDF).

AIKCU Interns pose during their orientation luncheon at the AIKCU office.
L-R: Jana Habarek (Lindsey Wilson); Crystal Bishop (Lindsey Wilson); Amanda Mullen (Midway); Erin Owen (Asbury); Kayla Blanton (Pikeville)

Forget what you might have seen on MTV. Five independent college students got a taste of the “real world” this spring while interning in state government through AIKCU’s Frankfort Semester Internship Program.

Four of the five AIKCU interns will graduate this weekend. One intern, Erin Owen of Asbury College, has already parlayed her intern experience into a full-time position in the Governor’s office (see related story). All of them agree that this experience opened up a world of possibilities for the future.

Jana Habarek explains that the practical experience she gained while interning with the Kentucky Historical Society and the exposure to a variety of people have given her confidence in her ability to face the future. She notes that prior to her internship she “felt that there was nowhere to go in Kentucky to get a job with a bachelor’s degree in History and Social Science. The AIKCU internship showed me the endless opportunities and directions I can go in with my education from a small school like Lindsey Wilson College.”

A key aspect of the AIKCU internships is the full-time nature of the program and immersion in a real state government working environment. Interns are treated as valued employees with real responsibilities. This is both challenging and invigorating for the participants.

Kayla Blanton of Pikeville College, the only non-senior among the five interns, worked in the Department of Parks where she wrote press releases and conducted market research, among other tasks.

Blanton notes that the experience challenged her as both a writer and a person. “This internship has given me the opportunity to sharpen my communication skills as well as invaluable experience that I would have never learned in a classroom,” she said. “I now have a much better understanding of the career path I want to take and the person I want to be.”

Life as an intern in the Secretary of State’s office was never dull for Crystal Bishop, a Lindsey Wilson College biology major. The days leading up to late-January’s candidate filing deadline for state primaries was particularly exciting.

“It was crazy when everyone was filing to run for state office,” said Bishop. “I had photographers jumping on my desk, candidates coming in at the very last second, you name it, it happened.”

Bishop also contends that the internship experience provided educational and professional opportunities that she would never have access to on campus. “I had the opportunity to meet every potential governor and many other influential state government officials,” she notes. “Secretary Grayson and his staff have made me feel right at home. I feel like a part of the team, not just an intern.”

For Midway College’s Amanda Mullen, who interned for the Council on Postsecondary Education, the internship “presented me with the opportunity to build lasting friendships and make valuable connections in the professional world.” Like her colleagues in the program, Mullen gives the AIKCU internship program a ringing endorsement. She writes, “I would highly recommend the AIKCU internship to other students.”

Asbury College’s Erin Owen, who went straight from her internship to her new role as assistant to the director of Gov. Fletcher’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, said that her AIKCU internship “truly changed my life.” She had no experience in state government or administration and public policy prior to beginning her AIKCU internship in January. The help, advice and camaraderie from other Fletcher staff members, she said, have led her to consider a career in some aspect of public service. “That is (also) life changing for someone who would not have thought twice about such an undertaking in the past,” Owen said.

The AIKCU internships are sponsored during the spring semester of each year and are open to applicants from Kentucky’s 20 independent colleges and universities who are juniors, seniors or graduate students. Students work 30 hours weekly and complete two academic seminars while in Frankfort. During even-numbered years interns work with members of Kentucky’s legislature. In alternate years they spend their semester working in state government executive agencies. The primary purpose of the program, held each spring semester since 2000, is to expose outstanding students to public service and state government as a potential career choice.

Click “more” to see more photos of the interns Read the rest of this entry »

Kentucky Private College Week 2007 scheduled for June 18-22

The 4th annual Kentucky Private College Week will be held June 18-22, 2007. Kentucky Private College Week is a coordinated effort by Kentucky’s 20 nonprofit, private colleges and universities that makes it easy and convenient for students and families to explore a variety of campuses. These sessions offer a chance for students and families to get a feel for the campuses that a viewbook or website just can’t provide. Common visit times at all 20 campuses – 9 AM and 2 PM (local time) daily – and convenient online scheduling make it easy for students to plan their trips and visit as many as 10 campuses in a single week.

It’s this convenience that Frankfort High School guidance counselor Joretta Crowe appreciates about Kentucky Private College Week. “Students can hit multiple colleges in the week, and everyone’s on the same page as to what students and parents expect to see during their visits,” Crowe said about last year’s event.

The event is open to all students interested in learning more about Kentucky’s private colleges. Students receive an application fee waiver for every campus they visit during Private College Week. Every student that visits three or more campuses during the week is automatically entered into a prize drawing. Counselors and student groups are also encouraged to visit during the week. Registration is recommended but not required to participate in Private College Week activities. Visit www.kentuckyprivatecolleges.org to register, see videos featuring current students, learn more about participating campuses, get directions, and see the latest news about Kentucky’s private colleges. Or call the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities at (502) 695-5007 for more information.

Kentucky Private College Week is an initiative of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities. Campuses participating in Kentucky Private College Week include:

Alice Lloyd College, Asbury College, Bellarmine University, Berea College, Brescia University, Campbellsville University, Centre College, Georgetown College, Kentucky Christian University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Lindsey Wilson College, Mid-Continent University, Midway College, Pikeville College, St. Catharine College, Spalding University, Thomas More College, Transylvania University, Union College, and University of the Cumberlands.