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 […]

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 […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) College of Business earned recognition as the inaugural champion of the Direct Effect Fall Marketing Blitz competition, scoring 1,766 points—more than double the second-place team.  Students in EKU’s Essentials of Marketing and Principles of Marketing classes competed against universities across the country in a United States Postal Service initiative designed to […]

A portrait of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) President Dr. David T. McFaddin was unveiled at the EKU Center for the Arts on Friday, March 27. The portrait shows McFaddin standing in front of a window with EKU’s campus and the iconic clock tower of the Keen Johnson Building in the background.  “The framing of the […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is now the third-largest public university in Kentucky for student enrollment, according to the latest data from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). EKU reported total enrollment of 15,969 students for Fall 2025. With steady enrollment growth over the past few years, EKU became Kentucky’s largest regional public university for […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) has been named the No. 1 large public university in the nation in the 2026-27 Military Friendly® Schools rankings.  “EKU has a long history of excellence in veterans education, and we are beyond proud to be recognized as the best in the country for Military Friendly® Schools,” said EKU President David […]

To describe Dr. Deborah Alexander by a single title—diplomat, scholar, humanitarian—would never capture the full depth of her story. Her career has spanned continents and crises, peacekeeping missions and pivotal elections, always driven by a deep and unwavering belief: that we are all part of one human family.  Dr. Alexander’s passion for travel and cross-cultural […]

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and EKU alumnus Dr. Andrew Napier, an emergency room physician, former Army combat medic, Purple Heart recipient, Pat Tillman Scholar and CEO of the medical equipment manufacturer, IntuBlade, announced an equipment donation for students in the Emergency Medical Care (EMC) program on April 7.  Napier donated a fleet of IntuBlade video […]