The University of Kentucky’s Neuroscience Research Priority Area (NRPA) supports a "collaborative matrix," bringing together diverse groups of investigators, trainees and research groups from nine different colleges across the University of Kentucky campus.
“The key underlying strategy of the NRPA is to provide broad-based support for basic, translational and clinical neuroscience-related research across campus,” said NRPA Co-Director Dr. Larry Goldstein, Ruth Louise Works Endowed professor and chairman of UK College of Medicine’sDepartment of Neurology. “We can uniquely bring together investigators from different laboratories or groups to develop synergies advancing collaborations and supporting trainees, particularly those from underrepresented groups.”
The NRPA members collaborate as well as utilize valuable resources within the NRPA, including statistical support and UK’s NeuroBank. The NeuroBank, one of the initial NRPA initiatives, collects a variety of biospecimens from subjects being evaluated and treated for neurologic conditions at the UK's Albert B. Chandler Hospital and the Kentucky Neuroscience Institute.
Dr. Tritia Yamasaki, assistant professor of neurology, focuses her research on Parkinson's disease and related neurodegenerative conditions. As a movement disorder specialist, she sees individuals in clinic with these conditions and she’s in charge of UK’s NeuroBank.
“My role in NeuroBank has allowed me to work with a great group of people to promote research utilizing human samples,” Yamasaki said. “There is amazing research going on across campus by hundreds of neuroscientists.”
Yamasaki meets with investigators to hear about the research they are conducting, and her team then helps figure out how to best support their projects with human samples. Often this involves thinking creatively about how to integrate sample collection into the clinical workflow to obtain the material needed for the research.
She says they do this by approaching patients in the ambulatory clinic and various hospital settings. Additionally, they work with the pathology department, neurosurgeons, the clinical laboratory, and the epilepsy monitoring unit to obtain patient consent and participation.
“There are thousands of patients with neurologic diseases being seen by physicians in our hospitals and clinics daily, some with rare types of conditions about which very little is known, or others who are in desperate need of effective therapies to halt neurodegenerative conditions,” Yamasaki said.
The NeuroBank leader says being able to combine resources in UK’s clinical settings with the vast research community on campus, is an extremely effective way to advance their work in understanding neurological diseases and developing therapies. “Animal models are a crucial part of research, but the ultimate test for any discovery about human disease will be whether the same phenomenon is also seen in the human condition, which is much more complex, given the interplay of genetic and environmental influences,” said Yamasaki.
“The highly collaborative nature of the investigators in the NRPA allows for transdisciplinary, high-impact, cutting-edge research,” Sun said. “The rich resources of the NRPA that include equipment, banked human specimens, and core services allow for rapid advances in both basic and clinical research in neuroscience.”
The collaborative work cultivated within the NRPA recently led Sun and Matthew Gentry, Ph.D., professor of molecular and cellular biochemistry and director of the Lafora Epilepsy Cure Initiative at the UK College of Medicine, to discover that glucose — the sugar used for cellular energy production — was not the only sugar contained in glycogen in the brain. Brain glycogen also contained another sugar called glucosamine. The full study was recently published in Cell Metabolism.
While looking at various components, factors and diseases of the human brain is what most people might think of when they hear “neuroscience research,” there is much more that plays into the far-reaching category – including the Western honey bee.
Rittschof’s research is focused on brain metabolic regulation, its links to behavior in the honeybee, and its links to human brain health. She says the NRPA has given her an exciting opportunity to grow a new and unusual area of her research.
“Brain metabolic processes are best studied in a medical context as they are associated with neurodegenerative disease and dementia,” Rittschof said. “However, they are also tied to honeybee aggression, a behavior I have studied for about 10 years.”
Thanks to the NRPA, Rittschof has been collaborating with colleagues in the UK College of Medicine, and together they have discovered that honeybee brain metabolism shares many of the features of metabolism in the brains of mammals and humans. However, there also may be key differences that can be leveraged to improve human brain function.
“Working at a large research university with a medical college has been invaluable for me,” said Rittschof. “There are resources, and most importantly, scientists at UK that would not be available on a smaller, less diverse campus. I love working on projects that span discipline boundaries in unusual ways.”
Rittschof and others like Josh Morganti, Ph.D., an assistant professor of neuroscience who works with SBCoA and SCoBIRC, also acknowledge the important role the NRPA plays in providing funds for the groundwork of their various research projects that then allows them to seek funding for their ideas from resources such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Morganti’s lab recently received a large R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging of the NIH to examine how inflammatory responses of glia regulate age-related neurodegeneration following traumatic brain injury.
“Being a part of the NRPA has allowed a great facilitation for collaboration and collaborative projects, which has helped in terms of funding as well as project completion using cutting-edge approaches across multiple labs,” said Morganti.
“The offerings of this office are really invaluable to the development of new faculty members like me,” she said.
Whitehurst, who just completed her first year as a faculty member at UK, studies the importance of sleep for our health and well-being, while also trying to understand how stress and sleep interact to affect how we think, learn and remember information. In her first year, she says she’s already engaged within the NRPA in multiple ways.
“I submitted two pilot grants to support some new research in my lab examining sleep’s role in neurodegenerative disease and its impact on memory in trauma-exposed women,” Whitehurst said. “I have also been fortunate to mentor an undergraduate student who received funding through the NEURO summer fellowship sponsored by the NRPA, as well.”
Each of these researcher’s ongoing projects and personal experiences exemplify exactly what the NRPA was established for — to build upon and leverage existing strengths and relationships — while providing infrastructure and support to promote research collaborations and raise internal and external recognition of the depth of neuroscience-related research at UK. The NRPA is doing all of this with the goals of growing extramural support, increasing academic productivity, enhancing recruitment of faculty and trainees, and providing new knowledge to address the needs of the citizens of the Commonwealth and beyond.
“The NRPA is a valuable part of the UK research community because it provides an infrastructure and resources that benefit neuroscience research broadly across the campus,” said NRPA Co-Director Linda Van Eldik, Ph.D., SBCoA director, professor of neuroscience, and Dr. E. Vernon Smith and Eloise C. Smith Alzheimer's Research Endowed Chair. “The NRPA is facilitating exciting new collaborations and interactions between basic/translational and clinical teams.”
The NRPA is part of the UK Research Priorities Initiative, funded by the Office of the Vice President for Research. This initiative encompasses seven priority areas: cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes & obesity, diversity & inclusion, energy, neuroscience, and substance use disorder. These areas were chosen based on local relevance, existing funding strength, sustainability and disciplinary scholarly diversity.
Juneteenth is observed on June 19, 2021, to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the U.S. On this day, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston, Texas, were notified they had actually been freed almost 2.5 years earlier.
Members of the College of Medicine were asked a series of questions on how they honor Juneteenth.
Kaylin Batey
Class of 2023
Q: When did you first become aware of Juneteenth?
A: I first became aware of Juneteenth when I was eight years old. Despite it being one of the most momentous events in American history, I did not know of its existence early in my childhood, as the holiday received little to no national recognition and as teachings of African American history were avoided in my education. It was through participation in the local arts organization Juneteenth Legacy Theatre that I learned of its existence. Gradually over the years, my family and I have strengthened our ceremonial and celebratory observance of “Freedom Day.”
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to you? How do you celebrate?
A: Many celebrate the Fourth of July with patriotic display and appreciation for our nation’s independence; however, as a Black American I often have mixed emotions on Independence Day considering that my ancestors remained shackled in 1776. To me, Juneteenth represents a stronger actualization of the American promise — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
I celebrate Juneteenth by remembering or discovering more African American history and by intentionally resting and reenergizing. Each year, my family gathers with comforting soul food and fired-up smokers as we celebrate Black joy and the resilience so evident in our heritage.
Q: Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day. What does freedom look like to you?
A: Although Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day, we all know that absolute freedom was delayed by unjust systems and institutions born out of Jim Crowe laws to forestall citizen equality. Despite emancipation, even today, there is evidenced housing inequality, brokenness in our criminal justice system, and disparate health outcomes— all of which represent residual impacts of generations of slavery and racial discrimination. Coretta Scott King said it best: “Struggle is a never-ending process. Freedom is never really won; you earn it and win it in every generation.” To me, freedom and liberation in America involves a system that values and protects Black lives and dismantles systemic oppression.
Q: What do you hope to come about as a result of Juneteenth becoming more widely celebrated?
A: Juneteenth is a day of remembrance, but I hope it also leads people to action. As Juneteenth becomes more widely celebrated, my hope is that it leads to policy and conversations that address the sociopolitical inequalities that continue today. Additionally, I hope to see Black businesses being supported, non-Black Americans educating their families with the abundant documentaries and books available, and action to create racial justice and equity.
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to the College of Medicine?
A: For the College of Medicine, Juneteenth is an opportunity to reflect and commit to the ongoing work that addresses the legacies of slavery and racial discrimination in healthcare and education. The College of Medicine has an opportunity to promote health equity by recognizing the historical context that is connected to our (future) patients.
Emmanuel Dike-Udensi
Class of 2022
President, UK Chapter of the Student National Medical Association
Q: When did you first become aware of Juneteenth?
A: Juneteenth came into my awareness for the first time in the summer of 2020.
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to you? How do you celebrate?
A: For me, Juneteenth represents an opportunity to commemorate, face, and learn more about the racial history of America. In learning, I can reflect on the much that has been achieved through courage and suffering, and how much still must be done. I approach the day with humble reflection.
Q: Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day. What does freedom look like to you?
A: I believe the core of freedom is love. Love through patience and tolerance. Love of the diversity of life that contributes to its beautiful whole. Love of one's neighbor as thyself.
Q: What do you hope to come about as a result of Juneteenth becoming more widely celebrated?
A: I hope people take the opportunity to engage the deep racial history of this country, bright and dark. In so doing, we can better avoid repeating the dark aspects, recognize where those elements still persist, and take necessary, deliberate action to root out these weeds.
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to the College of Medicine?
A: All sectors of human life must endeavor to defeat the many shades of racism, and our College of Medicine and the medical field are integral parts. The purest ideals and virtues of the proclamation and order that underlie Juneteenth stand yet before us, which include overcoming discrimination, systemic racism, and layered inequities. Medicine must play an active role and better yet, take the lead.
Brian Hamilton, MEd
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Q: When did you first become aware of Juneteenth?
A: I struggle to remember exactly when I first heard about Juneteenth, but I want to say it was during my time in undergrad or shortly thereafter. Where I went to school had a lot of folks from Texas who celebrated back home, but the holiday hadn’t really blown up yet in Missouri where I’m from originally.
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to you? How do you celebrate?
A: Juneteenth to me is an opportunity to recognize everything great about being Black. Yes, the origins of the holiday are grounded in this massive lie and abuse enslaved Black folks in Galveston experienced, but what grew from it was a celebration. A day dedicated to Black folks’ collective freedom and in some cases even encouraging one another to get involved politically to take some measure of power and control over their communities. If I can, I like to celebrate Juneteenth in fellowship with family and friends. If I can’t do that, Juneteenth is also an opportunity to rest. Black folks built this country from the ground up so if all I do on June 19 is kick my feet up, that’s OK, too, and in my opinion beyond well earned.
Q: Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day. What does freedom look like to you?
A: Freedom looks like choice, but also having the knowledge, resources, experiences, etc. to make the best choices that will benefit you and your community. While much has changed since 1865, I still think Black folks in this country don’t have the same freedom other Americans do.
Q: What do you hope to come about as a result of Juneteenth becoming more widely celebrated?
A: While it’s great that more and more Black and non-Black folks are learning about Juneteenth and celebrating, I would love for more Black folks to use the day as an opportunity to intentionally create community and build relationships with one another.
Shavonna Ross, MA
Assistant Executive Director
Q: When did you first become aware of Juneteenth?
A: In 2010, I became aware of the Eighth of August before I learned about Juneteenth. My husband, who identifies as Black, is from Paducah, Ky. There they celebrate the Eighth of August since that is when the news of the Emancipation Proclamation arrived in Paducah.
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to you? How do you celebrate?
A: Juneteenth symbolizes the ending of the centuries-long inhumane and disgusting treatment of Black people as personal property for personal financial gain and personal pleasure. As a national holiday, it signifies freedom for all and the (theoretical) embracing of it by our government and nation. My family and I celebrate Juneteenth by participating in Eighth of August events in Paducah. There are concerts, activities for all ages, vendors of all kinds (food, jewelry, clothing), dancing, contests, etc.
Q: Juneteenth is also known as Freedom Day. What does freedom look like to you?
A: As a white person, freedom to me includes, but is not limited to: 1) not being followed by a clerk while shopping in a store; 2) not fearing for my life if pulled over by law enforcement; 3) wearing my hair in its natural state without being perceived as unprofessional; 4) engaging in matters that do (or don’t) concern me and not being ignored by peers and professional colleagues. In short, and though a very general statement, freedom to me is coming and going as one pleases and being trusted and respected while doing so.
Q: What do you hope to come about as a result of Juneteenth becoming more widely celebrated?
A: Raised awareness and true acceptance of and respect for people of color and their culture.
Q: What does Juneteenth mean to the College of Medicine?
A: While I am not the sole voice for the College of Medicine, I’d like to think the majority would agree that Juneteenth is meant to serve as a celebratory day to honor the memory of the generations who came before and paved the way for the college’s faculty, staff, and learners of color. Without the abolishment of slavery, the college would be void of the experiences, insights, and talents of its diverse constituents and severely lacking in the services it could provide to the Commonwealth and beyond.
College of Medicine Interviewees
Kaylin Batey, Class of 2023
Emmanuel Dike-Udensi, Class of 2022
Brian Hamilton, MEd, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
A study headed by Lovoria B. Williams, Ph.D., associate professor in the UK College of Nursing and assistant director for cancer health equity at the Markey Cancer Center, highlights the benefits of utilizing community health workers in educating racial minority populations in lung cancer screening.
The study was done in collaboration with researchers from Augusta University and was published in Cancer Nursing. The team of researchers collaborated to assess the benefit of using community health workers to promote lung cancer screening knowledge in a semiurban city in east-central Georgia, where the community is predominantly African American (57%) and almost a quarter of the residents live below the poverty line.
Despite the 2013 guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on the first-ever lung cancer screening guidelines, in 2018 it was observed only 2-4% of eligible individuals undergo the screening. Lung cancer is the top cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States and worldwide, and Kentucky ranks first in the nation for both lung cancer incidence and mortality.
The efficacy of early detection through screening has been demonstrated in breast, cervical, and colon cancer, meaning early detection of lung cancer could also reduce the high mortality. While there is some data indicating Kentucky is doing better in terms of lung cancer screening, the limited awareness of this tool is a critical barrier to overcome to fully utilize its benefits.
The purpose of the Georgia study was to assess community awareness of lung cancer screening and the effectiveness of using community health workers in promoting education of lung cancer screening guidelines in communities with predominately racial minorities and/or lower socioeconomic status individuals. These populations are known to have lower cancer screening behaviors, along with the social stigma related to lung cancer being associated with smoking habits, increases the challenges in reaching communities that have disparate cancer outcomes.
The study found the utilization of community health workers successfully increased the knowledge of lung cancer screening and overall general cancer knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to lung cancer in these communities. These findings support an implementation science study led by Williams in western Kentucky, published in the J of Community Health.
“Populations of color are often late adopters of new cancer screenings and are more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at later stage than white populations,” said Williams. “We need to be in these communities and we need to be proactive. The University of Kentucky has led a concerted effort in Appalachia and has built trust relationships with that community. We have to apply this successful model in communities of color to let them know we are part of the solution in addressing health inequities and are willing to make a sustained investment.”
Williams hopes both studies utilizing community health workers highlights the substantial benefit of working with these communities to identify the problem and develop solutions to help educate and reduce barriers to care within these populations and empower them to make an informed decision regarding their health.
“Going into the community and to the people instead of waiting for them to come to us can be more impactful,” Williams said. “What we did as a team was go into the community first and talk to the people in those communities about the problem. Then we presented some solutions but engaged them in adapting the approach to their unique cultural needs. We did not provide solutions, instead we met them where they were and worked with them to help them improve their own health outcomes and to help them make informed decisions.”
The University of Kentucky has suffered a profoundly sad loss of a vibrant, kind, and engaging member of our community and Honors family. Patrick D. Walker, the inaugural Ruth Jones Lewis Faculty Scholar in Entrepreneurship & Free Enterprise, an endowed position in the Lewis Honors College, passed away on June 17, 2021, in Lexington, KY. Patrick was also a faculty affiliate of UK African American and Africana Studies, Center for Equality and Social Justice, and the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise (IFSE). He graduated from Hampton University with a bachelor’s degree in Biology, earned a Master of Business Administration from the Hampton University School of Business, and received his Juris Doctor degree from the Regent University School of Law, where he received the Honorable Richard B. Kellan Professionalism Award for Achievement and Character.
Patrick was a first-generation HBCU graduate and he often shared his appreciation for how his grandparents raised and inspired him. A native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, from an early age he was driven to intentionally live a life of purpose and meaning by uplifting those around him and through serving and connecting people from diverse backgrounds and life experiences. Service was deeply embedded in Patrick and guided who he was as a person and member of society. A lifelong friend, Alton Tatman, Jr., shared, “I am deeply saddened by this loss. Twenty-seven years, I will have in my heart and memories until I see him again. I will miss Patrick for the rest of my life. He was my person, my ear, my balance.”
For over 15 years, Patrick served as an award-winning Professor of Business Law and Management at universities in St. Louis, Missouri, and Hampton Roads, Virginia, where he inspired students, impacted colleagues, and activated communities. Amy Gibson, a colleague from a former institution and friend, said of Patrick, “Many words could be used to describe Patrick Walker. But only one word really matters-- love. He loved with all his heart. He was a light who radiated brightly in a dark world yet remained grounded as the salt of the earth. Most importantly, he was my friend and he is beloved.”
Patrick joined the faculty of the Lewis Honors College in 2019 and it was quickly apparent that Patrick was an EXTRAordinary person and an authentic leader, who was guided by his integrity. Everyone knew when Patrick entered the building. Without hesitation, he became a vital and valuable member of the UK community through his exemplary teaching and mentoring of students as well as a commitment to cultivating relationships within UK, throughout Lexington, and beyond. Christian Brady, the Inaugural T. W. Lewis Dean of the Lewis Honors College who hired Patrick, saw his unique abilities and potential for campus-wide impact.
“Patrick had a rare combination of keen intellectual engagement with practical application and had a compassionate demeanor even as he was a challenging teacher and mentor,” Brady said. “He made an immediate impact, not just in the Lewis Honors College, but across the UK campus. Immediately reaching out and engaging with leaders across campus and getting students involved in thinking entrepreneurially about their work and their lives.”
Patrick loved supporting and inspiring the success of all students. Throughout his academic career, he taught courses that examined entrepreneurship, free enterprise, business diversity, business ethics, and conscious capitalism from legal, managerial, and interdisciplinary perspectives. In the Lewis Honors College, he taught “Awakening the S.O.U.L. of Free Enterprise,” “Law, Ethics, and Entrepreneurship,” and “The New C.E.O.: Chief Entrepreneurial Officer.” Lewis Honors College Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Czarena Crofcheck spoke of Patrick’s ability to bring community into the classroom, “He had created opportunities for Lewis students to directly engage with Lexington’s many entrepreneurial innovators, forging a direct link between our undergraduates and their future internships and strategies for success. Patrick was an enthusiastic member of the Lewis faculty, bringing positivity and innovating ideas.”
Every day, we all stood witness to Patrick’s generous spirit, as his office overflowed with students. During this past year, for example, Patrick was the advisor for the student-run media initiative, “No Limits Productions,” and mentored students to produce Breaking the Boundary Podcast, which emphasizes the need to shift the focus of unsolved global issues to a solution-oriented approach. In the classroom, Patrick had students submit their business plan to a national competition hosted by the Small Business Institute (SBI), where they placed third in the nation in the “Project of the Year, Specialized Case Analysis” category. In his honor, Andrew Holt, President of the SBI, recently announced the establishment of the SBI’s Patrick Walker Student Consulting/Experiential Learning Project of the Year Award. Aisley Stuebs, a student in Patrick’s class and member of that team credits Patrick for both personal and academic growth.
"During the time I was honored to have as one of his students, Dr. Walker's mentorship, which inspired, encouraged, and challenged me to become a more fearless version of myself," Stuebs said. "Because of Dr. Walker's persistent belief in the potential of his students and his heart for bettering his community, I will continue to chase after my dreams, embrace an entrepreneurial mindset, and serve those around me as part of his legacy."
Patrick’s accomplishments include numerous peer-reviewed publications, conference proceedings, conference presentations, and workshops. In 2020, he gave a professional presentation titled, “The UKYCEO Workout: Awakening the S.O.U.L. of Rural and Urban Entrepreneurship.” Recently, Patrick was awarded a research grant titled, “The Effect of COVID-19 on African American and Minority Participation in Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: A Pilot Study of Lexington/Fayette County Kentucky” from IFSE of the UK Gatton College of Business and Economics. Additionally, Patrick was Co-Founder and Chief Entrepreneurial Officer of a consulting firm, where he conducted training and evaluations for local and national organizations and Fortune 500 companies. For his research and consulting, Patrick co-created with partners to design equitable entrepreneurial ecosystems and build sustainable multi-paths forward for allies of conscience capitalism and free enterprise who desired to use their power, platforms, and privilege to increase the success and significance of African American and minority-owned businesses. He was a master of networking, bringing together small business owners, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations from various backgrounds to collaborate. Charles Courtemanche, Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the ISFE worked with Patrick on a variety of projects and initiatives during his time at UK.
“It is difficult to put into words how much Patrick meant to the Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise during his two years as an affiliate. He was an endless source of ideas and enthusiasm, and it was a great privilege to support his initiatives that aimed to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among UK students and the development of African-American-owned businesses,” Courtemanche said. “He was also the driving force behind a series of events – jointly sponsored by Lewis, ISFE, and other university partners – on free enterprise and racial inequality. More personally, I will deeply miss Patrick’s unwavering positive energy, encouragement, and support.”
Patrick’s unwavering dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion was known far and wide as he integrated this dedication throughout his teaching, scholarly activities, consulting and service. He believed that “every individual deserves a chance and champion to help them live up to their fullest potential.” Tara Tuttle, Lewis Honors College faculty colleague and assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion said of her work with Patrick, “His passion for affirming underrepresented students and fostering collaboration was contagious. He understood the importance of building up students who have been underestimated and discriminated against. Patrick was frank about inequity and injustice, and he ensured our students learned crucial but often neglected Black histories of contributions to the building of the nation. Patrick was ever-optimistic and action-oriented, and every day he catalyzed students to dream bigger dreams for themselves.”
Patrick worked tirelessly to connect those around him and intentionally built bridges where they did not exist. He, in equal part, challenged and inspired each and every person in his life. He also continually challenged himself, evidenced by his excitement after enrolling in a UK doctoral program this past academic year. Professor and Chair of Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation in the UK College of Education Kelly Bradley worked with Patrick in this capacity and shared, “Quickly, he had become an impactful and energetic member of our College of Education family.”
As many know, Patrick exuded joy through sharing his personal interests and passions. We frequently heard of his Whitney Houston fanaticism and he made sure that every faculty and staff member received a video-clip serenade of “Happy Birthday” from her on their special day. He also was eager to share his adoration and expertise of the Marvel Universe, reflected by posters in his office and his course titled“Batman: The Caped Entrepreneur.”
As we mourn the loss of Patrick D. Walker, we want to ensure that his legacy of service continues. The Patrick Douglas Walker Scholarship has been established for first-generation students who are members of underrepresented racial or ethnic groups in his memory at the University of Kentucky Lewis Honors College. Gifts may be sent to UK Philanthropy, P.O. Box 23552, Lexington, KY 40523, Attention: Patrick Douglas Walker Scholarship. You may also contact the Lewis Honors College at 859-319-6886. To make an online gift to the scholarship, please follow these steps:
• Click on the link that says "Patrick Douglas Walker Scholarship"
• Fill in amount you wish to give
• Select Memorial in the drop-down menu under "Honor or remember someone with your gift."
• Fill in Patrick Douglas Walker under "Whom do you want to recognize?"
Patrick’s Homegoing Service will occur on Friday July 2, 2021 at 2:00 pm at Russell Funeral Home Chapel, 822 Carl Russell Blvd, Winston Salem, NC 27101. His obituary is available here: https://www.russellfuneralservice.com/obituary/patrick-walker
In August, after students have returned to campus, A Celebration of Patrick D. Walker’s Life for the University of Kentucky, the Lewis Honors College, and Lexington communities will be held on August 25 at 4 p.m. in the UK Gatton Student Center Worsham Theater.
If you would like to send a card or note to Patrick’s family, you may provide it in a sealed envelope and drop it off in the lobby or dean’s office in the Lewis Honors College. At the request of the family, they will be sent directly to Patrick’s mother.
“We recognize June 19, Juneteenth, as a holiday to serve as a historical reminder of the vestiges of oppression, racism and injustice that are still a very real and present experience for black people in America and worldwide.
Juneteenth commemorates the official end of slavery in the United States. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed on January 1, 1863, African Americans were not officially freed until two years later – June 19, 1865 –which we recognize today as Juneteenth.
Across the country, this holiday will be marked by celebrations, awareness-raising messaging and demonstrations in recognition of the many rivers crossed to achieve the very basic of freedoms for African Americans and the continued quest for emancipation.
In recognizing Juneteenth, we at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing are encouraging progress toward conscientious actions by each of us, every day to catalyze the spirit of freedom and work towards true racial equality and justice for all.
-Janie Heath, Dean and Warwick Professor of Nursing
University of Kentucky College of Nursing
Last year, the University of Kentucky announced that it would be observing Juneteenth as a university of holiday and will be closed for the first time in observance of the holiday on June 18, 2021.
This June, the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy is featuring the stories of our LGBTQ* community. We spoke with people from within our college and around UK to reflect on what Pride Month means to them.
Drew Ritzel is the Coordinator of Student Success and Wellness for the UK College of Pharmacy. Originally from Bellbrook, Ohio, he joined the College of Pharmacy in September 2017 and has called Kentucky home for the last 10 years.
In what ways do you feel the College has helped create a sense of belonging?
RITZEL: The College of Pharmacy has always stood out as a college that pushes further. We not only create a seat at the table, but we actively invite you and make sure that your voice is heard. But more than anything, the members of the College of Pharmacy truly care for one another. When I lost my partner in 2019, members of this college stepped up to support me in ways that I never thought possible. Through one of my hardest times, the College of Pharmacy showed how much they care for me and my family. I am truly grateful for the compassionate students, faculty, and staff who I get to work with every day.
What does “pride” mean to you?
RITZEL: Pride is an opportunity to celebrate your authentic self. It is a celebration of a community that has fought for equality and acceptance. Pride is love.
What is your favorite thing about Pride Month?
RITZEL: My favorite thing about Pride Month is the sense of community. Pride is a celebration of all people, inclusive of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, race, cultural background – the list goes on. It is a strong, beautiful community that uses love to strengthen each of us.
What gives you hope these days?
RITZEL: I find hope in the continued efforts to improve our world. Our society is not perfect – in fact, we are far from it. But every time I see the hope and inspiration of passionate people who want to make a difference in this world, I become inspired and hopeful for a better future.
How does your identity impact your work?
RITZEL: Within my work, I cherish the opportunity to help others on their path to self-discovery and learning. While academics are part of higher education, the true gem is the growth that happens within your own belief system and identity. As a gay man, I understand what it is like to be misunderstood. People come from all types of backgrounds. Rather than using differences to divide us, I try to create opportunities for empathy and understanding.
What influenced you to come out?
RITZEL: Moving away for college was an opportunity for me to learn more about myself. I grew in so many ways as a person. In finding my truth, I found myself coming to terms with my own sexuality. I had developed feelings for someone and decided that I could no longer keep who I was a secret. I first came out to my best friend, then to my mother. Then slowly I let more people in my life know the true me.
What would you say to someone who is unsure about coming out?
RITZEL: Be patient with yourself. Coming out can be a scary process. You will know when you are ready to take that step. When you are ready, start with a close friend, family member, or mentor who you trust. Find a support system that you can lean on. Most of all, be true to yourself.
This June, the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy is featuring the stories of our LGBTQ* community. We spoke with people from within our college and around UK to reflect on what Pride Month means to them.
Jason T. Mitchell is the Director of Enrollment Management for the UK College of Pharmacy. Originally from Lexington, Kentucky, he has been at the University of Kentucky for six years and is an integral part of the pharmacy family.
In what ways do you feel the College has helped create a sense of belonging?
MITCHELL: UKCOP is striving and thriving. Our college seeks to be a leader in diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus and in the profession. That drive is energized by students, staff and faculty who have taken ownership of making sure we create a place where voices are heard and humanity matters first. In my 18+ years at UK, the UKCOP has been a beacon of belonging across campus. There is a genuine hope that we are a safe space for all people at UK to be exactly who they are—regardless of the differences they bring to the tapestry.
What does “pride” mean to you?
MITCHELL: It means confidence. Pride is the confidence that took years for a poor seventh-grader who was bullied all the way through high school to be confident enough to live his truth in the present day!
What is your favorite thing about Pride Month?
MITCHELL: The diversity of expression is my favorite part of Pride Month. It always gives me butterflies when I see throughout the world how humanity is able to celebrate the difference that is expression of self.
What gives you hope these days?
MITCHELL: These days, I find hope in the simple fact that again in our world we are awakened to the humanity that is in all of us. Even though the world has seen dimly in more recent times, it gives me hope to realize that the humanity around us is revived with what truly matters—that is, our beauty as people who long to be better for each other. If we will just work to leave the world better than we found it, we can realize that humanity is our goal!
How does your identity impact your work?
MITCHELL: I use my identity to seek out those who have trouble realizing their dreams, those who have trouble realizing their possibility, those who have trouble getting on the path because of fear. My confidence, for the longest time, was shaken by the hate I received in junior high, high school, and even at times as a young professional. What I realize now is that those experiences have given me a passion for the underserved, the marginalized and those who are tossed to the side in society. My identity impacts that in a big way.
Who influenced you to come out?
MITCHELL: I was influenced by my good friend Steve Johnson, LCSW, when I first moved back to Lexington to live my truth. I was also impacted by an event in NYC when I—for the first time in my life—saw two men holding hands, walking down 42nd Street. I will never forget that sight. When I moved back to Kentucky 20+ years ago—I moved back as an out gay man.
What would you say to someone who is unsure about coming out?
MITCHELL: In your time, in your space and in your world, live your truth. Do not let anyone take you to a place faster than you want to arrive, sooner than you planned to be there or earlier than your ETA. You will know what is right for you. Seek to check out the world and how you fit into the fabric, and always check in with people who show genuine love for you. Determine in your time that your truth is your undeniable right.
This June, the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy is featuring the stories of our LGBTQ* community. We spoke with people from within our college and around UK to reflect on what Pride Month means to them.
Originally from Kentucky, Tuesday Meadows graduated from UK with a degree in Business Administration in 1977 and is the current president of the Pride Cats LGBTQ Group of the UK Alumni Association. She also works with UK HealthCare as a citizen advocate through Transform Health and other groups, and has served on multiple patient panels within the College of Pharmacy.
I came out late in life, but I knew I would come out and live my true life as soon as I could. Renée Richards was an early inspiration. I later learned of Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera during my research when I was preparing to come out. Actress Laverne Cox hit the screen at the same time I was socially transitioning. In February 2014, I went to see her speak at the University of Kentucky, which had a significant influence on me at the time.
Pride to me is openness. That’s important because many of us face a hostile society in which we can be discriminated against on many different levels. From healthcare to other important services, the LGBTQ community has to stand up often and demand our rights. Pride Month is a time when I tell everyone that I’m a human being and should be treated just like everyone—I am proud of who I am.
Pride Month usually has great events, but it’s also a time to stop and remember those who came before us and fought for our rights. I love history and almost every Pride Month I learn something new about my community. On campus, the Dinkle-Mas Suite for LGBTQ* Resources in the Student Center is a wonderful place where not only can students and faculty come together, but alumni can stay connected to campus.
I never tell anyone that they should or should not come out, but I do reflect on my own experience. No matter what I did—staying in the closet or transitioning to live my truth—I was still transgender, and nothing could change that. My decision was between: “Do I want to be tormented on the inside by hiding?” or “Do I want to face a hostile society by living out in the open?” I figured that I could find people who would support me, and I could stay away from those who disapprove of my existence. However, when one keeps the torment on the inside there is no escape.
M. Cristina Alcalde, who has served as the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences’ Associate Dean of Inclusion and Internationalization, has announced she will be leaving UK on June 30 to become the Vice President for Institutional Diversity and Inclusion at Miami University of Ohio. She will also hold a tenured appointment as full professor in the Department of Global and Intercultural Studies.
Alcalde has been instrumental in leading diversity and internationalization efforts as the first associate dean in the role which was created in the College of Arts & Sciences in January 2018. In this role, Alcalde developed a College-wide DEI Strategic Plan; designed and ran initiatives focused on inclusivity and under-represented faculty, staff and students; designed and directed an online graduate certificate on inclusion and diversity; developed the College Diversity and Inclusivity Committee; developed a Faculty Inclusion Fellows Program; represented the College in developing and managing faculty and student exchange and visiting programs with international universities; and was a liaison to the International Center and Area Studies in the College of Arts & Sciences.
These initiatives complemented a number of new community-building programs, such as the development of the university inclusive excellence book club, a College lunchtime series on DEI classroom topics and women-of-color meetings.
This year, she also focused on the development of individual department-level diversity, equity and inclusion plans within the College and, at the university level, on re-envisioning the role of diversity officers and the DEI resources needed for faculty and TA support and development as co-lead on university DEI working groups. During her time in Arts & Sciences, the College also passed a new Race and Ethnicity course requirement to better prepare students to thrive in a diverse, interconnected society.
“During her time in the College and in the last three-and-a-half years in her role as Associate Dean of Inclusion and Internationalization, Dr. Alcalde has been a leader – in her scholarly work, as an advocate for faculty, students and staff and as a strong presence pushing our College forward in all matters related to inclusion and internationalization,” said Interim Dean Christian Brady. “We will miss Dr. Alcalde and wish her the best as she takes the next step in her professional journey.”
In addition to her associate dean role, Alcalde holds the Marie Rich Endowed Professorship and is a professor of Gender and Women’s Studies.
"I am so grateful to the College of Arts and Sciences and the University of Kentucky for being my personal and professional home for the last 14 years, and for the opportunities I have had here,” Alcalde said. “I am very proud of the work we have accomplished in the Department of Gender and Women's Studies and the College of Arts and Sciences in our work towards diversity, equity, and inclusion and internationalization during my time here. I look forward to the next steps the College takes on this path."
The College of Arts & Sciences is strongly committed to diversity, inclusion and internationalization.
“Dr. Alcalde is leaving a strong foundation and has worked hard to create a community of belonging and acceptance during her time in the College,” Brady said. “We remain committed to building upon that foundation. The College will continue its efforts toward making our curriculum and community more diverse, welcoming and inclusive.”
Alcalde joined the Arts & Sciences’ Gender and Women’s Studies Department faculty in 2007, becoming full professor in 2018. During her time in the College, she held many leadership roles, including faculty director of the A&S Wired Residential College, acting chair of the Gender and Women’s Studies Department, director of Graduate Studies, director of the Online Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion and visiting professor in Lima, Peru, and Munich, Germany. Alcalde received her doctorate in anthropology and her master’s in Latin American studies at Indiana University and her bachelor of arts in anthropology at the University of Louisville.
Carrigan Wasilchenko was adopted from China through Holt International and grew up as an Asian American in Powell County, Kentucky. Thanks to the opportunity to pursue a liberal arts education at the University of Kentucky – and to take part in a new class that looks at the history of Asian Americans – she was able to see how her story fit into the mosaic that is the United States.
“Growing up, I always tried to fade into the whiteness of my community, and I was just kind of afraid because I didn't know, first of all, what it meant to be Asian,” said Wasilchenko, who recently graduated from the College of Health Sciences and will enter UK Medical School in the fall. “In your teen years, everyone has an identity crisis: ‘Who am I? What do I stand for?’ I always felt uncomfortable saying I'm Asian. Even though I’m from China, I felt I wasn’t Chinese. But this class really helped me to see I am an Asian American.”
The class, HIS 351 Asians in America, is the first course on Asian American history to be offered at the University of Kentucky. It promises to be a key part of the UK College of Arts & Sciences’ Race and Ethnicity requirement, which starts in Fall 2021. Akiko Takenaka, associate professor of history, put the class together with an eye toward presenting the full spectrum of Asian American experiences in the United States, including those of intercontinental adoptees like Wasilchenko.
“I realized the need for this course with the rise of anti-Asian hate due to the pandemic,” Takenaka said. “The only other course on Asian America that I am aware of is a course on Asian American music that was offered in Fall 2018.
“The course content is chronological, but I started with contemporary issues so that the students would know why we're learning this,” she said. “The first unit covered not only COVID and anti-Asian racism, but also 9/11 and anti-Muslim racism. In that unit, we also talked about what it means to be Asian right now.”
When the class was under way, a mass shooting that killed six women of Asian descent occurred in Atlanta. Takenaka tried to place that crime in context for her students.
“When the killings in Atlanta happened, I took some time to talk more about the intersection between gender and race, and to place the American tendency to objectify and hyper-sexualize Asian women into historical context,” she said.
Takenaka states in her syllabus that one of her goals in teaching the class is to demonstrate “the global dynamics that come into play in the study of modern history,” particularly in the United States. The class takes on such topics as:
Chinese immigration to North America in the 19th century, including their participation in the building of the Transcontinental Railroad.
The Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred immigration from China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The “yellow peril” anti-Asian movements in the 20th century as well as the internment of Japanese Americans who lived on the West Coast during World War II.
The change in immigration laws in the 1960s to allow more Asians to emigrate to the United States as well as the effect of the Cold War on Asian Americans.
Contemporary issues surrounding the idea of a “model minority” as well as transcontinental adoptions from East Asia through charities.
Her students found much of this material new – and fascinating.
“Very often, I get responses like, ‘You know, I thought I knew American history,’” Takenaka said. “'I took U.S. history in high school and middle school, but I learned none of this.’”
The background she gives students in Asian American history helps students understand anti-Asian sentiments today. She also wants to introduce students to the wide variety of Asian American experiences: As in all lives, nothing is typical.
“We read some chapters from a memoir by a Vietnamese American woman who fled Saigon with her family when she was a baby. She wrote about her childhood in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and her efforts to assimilate into White culture as a daughter of refugees,” she said. “That, too, is a kind of Asian American experience that I wanted my students to know about.”
One of the topics Takenaka takes up in the class is the post-Korean War efforts of U.S. evangelical groups such as Holt International founders Bertha and Harry Holt to sponsor adoptions of children in Korea, China and Vietnam to parents in North America. She found that the topic hit home for a couple of her students, who had been adopted from Asia.
“The Holts just happened to watch a documentary film about babies in orphanages in Korea,” she said. “They decided they had to do something about this. International adoption at the time was complicated. Each adoption required the passage of an individual bill. By lobbying local representatives, Mr. Holt was able to get the ‘Holt Bill’ passed. He adopted eight babies from Korea. He then set up an international adoption agency, which currently is called Holt International.”
As an adoptee, Wasilchenko found that this aspect of Asian American experiences helped to place her own life as a successful student and future doctor – the stereotype of the “model minority” and the experience of micro-aggressions – into perspective.
“Eastern Kentucky is a very rural area,” she said. “There's not a whole lot of diversity; not to say there aren't some diverse folks there because there are. But sometimes I tried to hide my diversity. I felt like people would say, ‘Oh, good job, Carrigan, but of course you're going to do well on that: Look at you.’ People around me would have these high expectations of me just because I was Asian.”
Classes like Asians in America are necessary for just that reason: They help students throughout the University learn about their heritages; give them essential backgrounds to current events; and help them to learn about the similarities – and differences – in the immigrant experiences in the United States.
“There are many people whose ancestors had these experiences of being the ‘other,’ whether it be Irish immigrants or German immigrants or Italian immigrants,” Takenaka said. “German and Italian immigrants, for example, had experienced discrimination because the earlier settlers couldn't understand their language. But at the same time, because their physical features were similar to the earlier settlers, it was very easy for those immigrants to gradually blend in. But for Asians, the situation is different. Because of how we look, we are typically considered the ‘other’ regardless of where we are born, or how long we have been here.”
