News & Updates

Eastern Kentucky University


EKU Invests in Hands-On Healthcare Training

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) was awarded nearly $110,000 from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to purchase essential equipment for healthcare workforce training.  “EKU is grateful for this investment in our programs to strengthen Kentucky’s healthcare workforce,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “This funding allows us to place the latest tools directly into the learning […]
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From EKU to Dream Come True

Adam MacPhàrlain, ’05, Proves “If You Can Dream it, You Can Do it” Adam MacPhàrlain, ’05, didn’t have to wish upon a star to secure his dream job as an Imagineer at Walt Disney World in Orlando in August 2024. He submitted his impressive résumé, reflecting his diverse background in clothing, textiles and art, which […]
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Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony

The Fall 25 Eastern Kentucky University Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony was held Friday, December 5th 2025 at Whitlock in the O’Donnell Auditorium. This semester the department had six cadets commission and become 2nd Lieutenants in the US Army. The official Commissioning party included EKU Professor of Military Science LTC James Plutt and Senior Miliary Instructor […]
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EKU Receives KEMI Destiny Award for Workplace Safety for Seventh Consecutive Year

For the seventh consecutive year, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) has earned the Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI) Destiny Award for workplace safety. EKU is one of 27 recipients across the commonwealth to be recognized for its commitment to workplace safety with the Destiny Award.  “Earning the KEMI Destiny Award yet again is a testament to […]
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Protecting the Skies Through Drone Detection Research at EKU

As drone usage among professionals and hobbyists becomes more common, concerns about flights in restricted airspace continue to grow. When a drone unexpectedly appears near a sporting event, parade or any large crowd, it can cause safety risks, delays or even evacuations. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates 822,039 drones registered as of July 2025. […]
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Turn Experience Into a Degree With Credit for Prior Learning at EKU

Learning opportunities happen everywhere, whether it’s in the workplace, through military service or in high school. At Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), those experiences are recognized and rewarded with Credit for Prior Learning (CPL), a faculty-led process that helps students turn real-world experience into academic credit.  “EKU is leading the way with Credit for Prior Learning […]
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Chief Justice Debra Lambert, ’83, Breaks Barriers as First-Generation College Graduate

With the values of hard work, education and equity instilled by her parents—and the support of a $500 scholarship from the local homemaker’s club—Chief Justice Debra Hembree Lambert, ’83, built the foundation of her highly successful career upon her degree from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU). She carries these principles forward today as chief justice of […]
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EKU Emergency Medical Care Program Welcomes New Faculty

Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) Emergency Medical Care program welcomes new adjunct faculty members Dr. Raphael Barishansky, Bryan Ericson and Matthew Streger. Each brings a wealth of expertise in the courses that they’ll be teaching  Barishansky, DrPH, is a seasoned EMS and public health leader with over 25 years of experience in emergency medical services, preparedness […]
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Three-Time Colonel Graduate Found Purpose and a Home at EKU

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) commencement speaker Dr. Chris Butcher, ’18 ’19 ’25, stood before graduates with a message shaped by years of resilience, community and unexpected beginnings. The same university that welcomed him as a first-generation college student later welcomed him as an employee. He moved from student worker roles into recruitment, earned a master’s […]
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Hired: 5 of the Top Marketable Degrees for Career Success

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) ranks first among Kentucky’s public universities for employment in the state one year after graduation. With degree programs aligned to fit workforce needs, EKU graduates step confidently into careers with purpose and passion. Explore degree and career options in EKU’s computer science, engineering, business administration, healthcare administration and finance programs. Computer […]
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EKU Researcher Leads Global Bee Conservation Efforts

20,000. That’s the number of described bee species worldwide. In tropical Costa Rica, there are almost 700. And Kentucky is home to approximately 400 bee species, according to the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves. With these bees working as powerful pollinators to support crop production, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Associate Professor Dr. Valerie Peters focuses […]
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EKU Set to Celebrate Graduates at Fall 2025 Commencement

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) will celebrate students’ academic success during the fall 2025 commencement ceremonies on Thursday, Dec. 4 and Friday, Dec. 5, at the EKU Center for the Arts. There are five ceremonies scheduled to honor graduates from the university’s six academic colleges, as well as master’s and doctoral graduates from all colleges.  The […]
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EKU’s Brad Hall Selected for Graduate Medical Education Development Fellowship

Brad Hall, Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) chief medical and strategic partnerships officer, has been welcomed into the second cohort of the Graduate Medical Education (GME) Development Fellowship, a program of the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) in partnership with the University of North Carolina Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. […]
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Mining for Knowledge: EKU Student Turns Real-World Experience into Safer Workplaces

After nearly two decades of working in coal mines, Joshua Vereen knows the meaning of hard work. As an online student at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), he’s turning that experience into leadership, helping shape safer workplaces for the next generation of miners.  “The coal mining industry has long been a part of Appalachia’s economy, and […]
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EKU Public Health Leads Evaluation of Kentucky Lung Cancer Screening Program

More Kentuckians screened. Lung cancer detected earlier. Longer, healthier lives. Put simply, that’s the goal of a research project in Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) College of Health Sciences.  November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, which puts the spotlight on the prevention and education measures being implemented across the country. Kentucky has the highest incidence and […]
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Eastern Kentucky University and Lockheed Martin: More Than a Decade of Community Investment and Partnership

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), located in the heart of the state’s manufacturing hub, prepares skilled graduates to enter various areas of manufacturing operations. Committed to meeting workforce demands, the university partners with local businesses to identify ways to support local industries. In 2010, Lockheed Martin, a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific […]
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The Eastern Legacy

Dr. Sanford L. Jones, ’50 Through generations of students and colleagues, Dr. Sanford L. Jones, ’50, represents the best of what EKU strives to be—a community that lasts a lifetime. A Perry County native and WWII veteran, he returned home after completing 35 combat missions as a B-24 nose turret gunner. He finished his high […]
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EKU Celebrates Completion of Alumni Coliseum Renovations

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) officially celebrated the completion of Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum renovations with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Nov. 10, highlighting recent improvements to one of the university’s most iconic and beloved buildings. More than just a place for sports, Alumni Coliseum serves a vital, multipurpose role in the student experience. […]
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First Gen, First in Cyber

Ervin Daniels, ’94, sets the standard as a first-gen graduate and cybersecurity expert With First-Generation College Celebration Day on Nov. 8, Ervin Daniels, ’94, serves as an example of how first-generation students can build powerful firewalls of perseverance to reach their dreams. Daniels has achieved considerable success as a first-generation college graduate and now a […]
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