News & Updates

Eastern Kentucky University


EKU’s Women in Aviation Soar High

As a young girl, Wilma “Willi” Walker would look up at the sky and dream of flying as she watched the airplanes fly over. In high school—at a time before any major United States airlines had hired women pilots—Walker wrote letters to airlines inquiring if they had women commercial pilots. “Believe it or not, two […]
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EKU Crowns 2024 Homecoming King and Queen

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) crowned the 2024 Homecoming king and queen, Garrett Jenkins and Gracie Agee, on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. Jenkins, a sophomore from Olive Hill, Kentucky, represents NOVA, an organization dedicated to supporting first-generation college students and others and providing a transformative undergraduate experience. Agee, a senior from Berea, Kentucky, was chosen to […]
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Investigating the Impact of Fire Exposure on Wall Lining Materials

Under the direction of Drs. Shijin Kozhumal and Greg Gorbett and with support from a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) grant, student research assistants, Maggie Fluharty and Molly Morrow, are engaged in a unique opportunity that will prepare them for future careers. The faculty-student research team is collecting thermophysical property data for the purpose of […]
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EKU Honors Former President Benson With Portrait in Keen Johnson

During Homecoming weekend festivities and the Alumni Awards and Pioneer Celebration, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) honored President Emeritus Michael T. Benson with a portrait unveiling in the Keen Johnson Building on Saturday. “It is humbling to see all the portraits of EKU’s former presidents here and think about the legacy that each made on our […]
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EKU Continues Addressing Teacher Shortage With Option 9 Competency-Based Education Courses for Elementary Education Certification

With the state’s on-going teacher shortage, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) offers innovative approaches to place educators in classrooms across the state. The Kentucky Department of Education’s School Report Card notes a nearly 25% teacher turnover rate for the 2022-23 school year. To help address the shortage, EKU became the first public university in the state to announce […]
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Bridging the Gap: Celebrating Success and Community During National Transfer Student Week at EKU

Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Adult and Transfer Center is celebrating National Transfer Student Week (NTSW) from Oct. 21-25, recognizing the unique experiences of adult and transfer students.  “At EKU, we understand the transformative power of education and the unique paths many of our students take to achieve their goals,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “Supporting […]
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Development of a DNA Collection Tool

Dr. Jamie Fredericks (Chemistry) developed a novel DNA collection tool and received funding from the Kentucky Network for Innovation & Commercialization (KYNETIC) program to continue refining the tool with a goal of bringing it to market. Traditional DNA typing requires a multi-step process with testing completed over several hours. Using a direct DNA amplification approach […]
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EKU Awarded Grant for Fire Investigation Research

Faculty in Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) College of Justice, Safety and Military Science, Dr. Shijin Kozhumal and Dr. Greg Gorbett, received a competitive research grant from the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), the U.S. Department of Justice’s research, development and evaluation agency, to research drywall and burn patterns. The NIJ forensic science research and development […]
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Eastern Kentucky University and Allegiant Air Announce Accelerate Pilot Pathway Program Partnership

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) has officially joined Allegiant Air’s Accelerate Pilot Pathway Program, offering EKU students an exclusive fast-track to the airline industry. EKU’s Aviation program, known for its impressive 100% job placement rate and innovative program, now stands alongside other prestigious institutions in the Accelerate Pilot Pathway program, including Purdue University, Kent State University […]
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EKU Earns Spot Among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges for Another Consecutive Year

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) was named in the 2025 U.S. News and World Report’s Best Colleges List for another consecutive year. EKU ranked in the following categories: National Universities, Top Public Schools, Top Performers in Social Mobility and Nursing.EKU moved up from last year’s ranking in the National Universities and Top Public Schools lists. For […]
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EKU Animal Studies Offers Unique Perspective on Animal Relationships

For many people, watching a black bear take a nap is not part of everyday life, let alone part of their daily education. For students like Emily Howard, a senior in Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) animal studies program, it’s an educational opportunity. Howard, from Winchester, Kentucky, never doubted that EKU was the school for her, […]
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Eastern Kentucky University Announces Location for New Model Laboratory School

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) announced the location of the new Model Laboratory School (Model Lab) on Friday, September 27, 2024. Model Lab, named no. 3 among all Kentucky high schools in the Kentucky Board of Education’s annual report card for the 2022-23 academic school year, is currently located on 929 Lancaster Avenue in Richmond, Kentucky. […]
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EKU Herbarium, Largest Collection in Kentucky, Highlights the Region’s Biodiversity

Fall Foliage Week begins at the end of September, kicking off the start of “leaf-peeping” season, meaning many people will be driving to see fall foliage. The show of fall colors highlights the beautiful landscape of Kentucky, while also bringing focus to the biodiversity of plant species in the region.  Nestled within Eastern Kentucky University’s […]
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EKU’s OSHA Training Institute Education Center Renewed by U.S. Department of Labor

The US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced the renewal of Eastern Kentucky University’s OSHA Training Institute Education Center (OTI Education Center). According to the Kentucky Cabinet of Economic Development, in the past five years manufacturers announced over 1,100 facility locations or expansion projects with a reported capital investment of more than […]
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Eastern Kentucky University and Allegiant Air Announce Accelerate Pilot Pathway Program Partnership

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) has officially joined Allegiant Air’s Accelerate Pilot Pathway Program, offering EKU students an exclusive fast-track to the airline industry. EKU’s Aviation program, known for its impressive 100% job placement rate and innovative program, now stands alongside other prestigious institutions in the Accelerate Pilot Pathway program, including Purdue University, Kent State University […]
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EKU Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation Degree Sparks Game-Changing Career Readiness

A fire breaks out and the temperature rises on Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) campus; however, this fire does not present any danger to the campus. Simulated and controlled fire situations instead, help make campus and communities safer because they happen at EKU’s fire lab. As part of EKU’s Fire, Arson and Explosion Investigation bachelor’s degree […]
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EKU Celebrates Scholarship for EKU Manchester Students

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) celebrated the progress of a $1.5 million fundraising initiative on Thursday evening at the EKU Manchester Regional Campus in Manchester, Kentucky. Since the initiative launched last fall, more than $1.2 million has been raised toward the $1.5 million goal. The Manchester Endowed Scholarship Fund provided nearly $70,000 in scholarship support to […]
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Meet the Newest EKU Colonels

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) welcomed the class of 2028, which is projected to be the largest freshman class in EKU history at nearly 3,000 students. The freshmen come from 108 Kentucky counties, 34 states and nine countries. More than 50% of the incoming class are first-generation college students. Since 2020, during a time of national […]
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Alumni Set New Standards in Finance

Taylor Davis, ’16, excelled as a quarterback for the Colonels. Today, he is the founding president of DFG Advisory, a Northwestern Mutual (NM) subsidiary advisory firm based in Lexington. Under his leadership, DFG became a Northwestern Mutual Top 20 firm in 2021, the youngest to ever reach a top-20 ranking in the company’s 166-year history.  […]
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