Eastern Kentucky University will celebrate students’ academic success during the Spring 2026 commencement ceremonies on Thursday, May 7, and Friday, May 8, at the Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum. Four ceremonies are scheduled to honor graduates from the university’s six academic colleges, along with master’s and doctoral graduates representing all colleges. The schedule and […]

When Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) student Whitney Brown was growing up in Lexington, Kentucky, her future seemed set. She attended an agricultural school and planned to pursue veterinary medicine, a goal she had held since childhood. During her freshman year of high school, however, her path changed. Whitney’s mother was diagnosed with a malignant brain […]

Mike Karpathakis began his EKU journey pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with encouragement from his then employer’s (Ajax Magnethermic Corporation) generous tuition reimbursement program. In 1998, while working full-time as an electrical engineer, Mike earned an MBA degree from Eastern’s outstanding College of Business with a 3.98 GPA. Mike fondly remembered collaborating alongside […]

From classrooms in Richmond, Kentucky, to the historic streets of Paris and Prague, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) students engage in immersive learning experiences designed to prepare them for their careers at home and beyond. During the 2025 academic year, 17 EKU English majors participated in faculty-led study abroad programs across Europe in England, Ireland, the […]

While most 18-year-olds are just starting college, Om Patel is getting ready to walk across the graduation stage at Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Spring 2026 Commencement ceremony and receive his bachelor’s degree in finance. Patel will be among the youngest graduating Colonels at this year’s ceremony, with graduates ranging from 18 to 72 years old. […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) today expressed gratitude to the Kentucky General Assembly following passage of House Bill 900, which includes $42 million for an escrow account required by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation and $8 million in start-up funding for EKU’s proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine. “This is one of multiple important steps in […]

Eastern Kentucky University’s Spring 2026 commencement will mark a milestone for the university’s growing engineering program as its first cohort of students prepares to cross the stage. These students are ready to begin the next chapter of their journeys, with most having already secured employment following graduation.  “EKU’s engineering program was launched in response to […]

Somewhere in the halls of Lexington Catholic High School, a teenage girl once sat in a math class that changed the trajectory of her life. Her teacher, Mrs. Sally Stevens, nudged her forward, insisting she could be both a girl and good at math—an all too uncommon idea for the time. For Jeri Isbell, that […]

At major events and public speeches, a sign language interpreter interprets in real time, making each word clear for Deaf and hard of hearing viewers. This critical service extends beyond the stage and screen to hospitals, classrooms and workplaces, where interpreters help ensure access to communication every day. Yet across the U.S., there are not […]

Jessica Gutzwiller, ’19, was awarded with the Young Alumni Award from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Best of Eastern Alumni Awards, presented annually during Homecoming weekend, celebrate excellence among EKU alumni. The Young Alumni Award recognizes individuals who graduated from EKU in the last 10 years and have demonstrated exceptional talent in their professions.  Growing […]

On March 23, Toyota Kentucky announced a $400,000 grant to support Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Engineering program, helping to advance the next generation of the workforce. The funding was announced during Toyota’s celebration of 40 years at its Georgetown plant, as part of new grant funding further solidifying the company’s commitment to career readiness and […]

Dr. Whitnee Coy, ’15, was awarded with the Young Alumni Award from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Best of Eastern Alumni Awards, presented annually during Homecoming weekend, celebrate excellence among EKU alumni. The Young Alumni Award recognizes individuals who graduated from EKU in the last 10 years and have demonstrated exceptional talent in their professions. […]

When Jeffery Humble looks back on his journey, it always comes back to Kentucky. Raised in rural Central Kentucky, his roots run deep in the communities that shaped him, and those roots continue to guide every choice he makes. “My family, giving back and working to make Kentucky a place where everyone has the chance to […]

Lieutenant General Ken Keen and his wife, Mary Ellen, know that life isn’t defined by a single decision—but by the steady choices that shape who we become. At Eastern Kentucky University, those choices led them to ROTC, to lifelong friendships, and ultimately, to each other. Along the way, they discovered something lasting: that the true […]

Service has defined Andy Stofleth’s journey — from serving as a Marine infantryman overseas to rebuilding communities after disasters and mentoring veterans across the country. Now, he’s continuing that legacy of service through the Andy Stofleth Endowed Scholarship at Eastern Kentucky University. After transitioning from military life, Stofleth found both purpose and healing at EKU, […]

For Dr. Jon Draud, education has always been about people. A first-generation college student from Ludlow, Kentucky, Draud found his path at Eastern Kentucky University, where support and opportunity helped shape his future in education and public service. Over a 65-year career—as a teacher, superintendent, legislator, and county commissioner—he worked across political lines with one […]

After winning three tournaments in a row, Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Mock Trial team is proving it can compete on the national stage.  During its run, the team earned first-place finishes at the EKU Colonel Classic Invitational, the Mid-Missouri Mock Trial Invitational and the American Mock Trial Association (AMTA) Regional Tournament. Those results secured a […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in partnership with the Kentucky Rural Education Association (KREA) and Partners for Rural Impact, has named Starla Benge of Rockcastle County Schools as Kentucky’s first Rural Teacher of the Year. Benge is a two-time graduate of EKU, earning a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education in 2011 and a Master of […]

“Success isn’t measured by who you leave behind—it’s about how many people you bring with you.” It’s a sentiment Coy and Gladys (Collins) Pigman lived out every day and one their daughter, Heather, still hears echoing in her heart. That phrase, repeated often in their home, now endures through the Collins Pigman Endowed Scholarship at […]

David Silver, ’90, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Best of Eastern Alumni Awards, presented annually during Homecoming weekend, celebrate excellence among EKU alumni. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes those who have demonstrated a heart of service with EKU or within their communities. Recipients of this award are […]

On March 22, more than 40 students from the Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Choirs stepped into the spotlight at Carnegie Hall, one of the most iconic concert venues in the world, for a performance they will never forget. This marked EKU’s first major choir tour since 2017. The students, representing all three EKU choral ensembles, […]

Michael Nygren, ’70, was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). The Best of Eastern Alumni Awards, presented annually during Homecoming weekend, celebrate excellence among EKU alumni. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes those who have demonstrated a heart of service with EKU or within their communities. Recipients of this award are […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) will celebrate the impact of giving on its seventh annual Giving Day, Wednesday, April 22. With the theme “Your Gift, Their Future,” alumni, students, employees and friends are invited to join this one-day fundraising effort to support EKU students. “Giving Day is about the future of our students,” said EKU President […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) announced a $2 million endowed gift from Gray, a nationally recognized construction and engineering firm, to advance EKU’s Construction Management program and strengthen one of Kentucky’s most in-demand workforce pipelines.  The gift establishes an endowed professorship, funding a permanent faculty position in EKU’s Construction Management program. The endowed professorship will allow […]