News & Updates

Eastern Kentucky University


Famed EKU football coach Roy Kidd relaxes in his recliner and reads a copy of EKU Magazine with his photo on the cover.

Legendary EKU Football Coach Recognized for his Outstanding Achievements

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) released a special-edition EKU Magazine celebrating legendary Coach Roy Kidd. For almost four decades, Kidd built a legacy as the EKU football coach that led the Colonels to 314 career wins, 37 non-losing seasons, two I-AA national championships and 16 conference titles from 1964 through 2002. His career achievements earned him […]
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EKU Regents, faculty and staff pose in the Kentucky Capital rotunda with Governor And Beshear.

EKU Visits State Lawmakers During Colonels at the Capitol

Eastern Kentucky University Colonels filled the Kentucky State Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 15, as EKU hosted the annual Colonels at the Capitol event. The event allowed EKU Regents, faculty, staff and students to visit the Capitol to participate in discussions with Kentucky legislators regarding vital issues impacting the Commonwealth.  The day started in the Capitol […]
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Christian Bustos and EKU President Dr. David McFaddin laugh outside at a campus event.

A Day in the Life of Student Writer Christian Bustos

Eastern Kentucky University Colonels have probably seen Christian Bustos around the Campus Beautiful and his photo on EKU’s publications and website. Bustos, a first generation senior, broadcasting and electronic media major, started getting involved with numerous EKU promotional photoshoots in the summer of 2022 before becoming a university brand ambassador and an intern for EKU’s […]
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A large group of EKU students stand on stage with faculty and administration with spinning wheel for the Spin the Wheel Scholarship awards.

Colonels Spin the Wheel to Land Education Abroad Scholarships

Over 400 eligible students gathered in O’Donnell Hall on Feb. 1, to be entered into EKU’s annual Spin the Wheel Education Abroad Scholarship contest after a two-year hiatus. Excitement was high as students eagerly waited for the scholarship recipient names to be drawn.  The Spin the Wheel scholarship, covering complete program costs and airfare for […]
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A group of EKU faculty award Jeff Saylor as the "Experience Excellence" Superintendent of the Year."

EKU Announces 2023 “Experience Excellence” Superintendents of the Year

Continuing a commitment to education throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky and building on a rich, foundational history of preparing teachers and educational leaders, Eastern Kentucky University is proud to announce the inaugural recipients of the “Experience Excellence” Superintendents of the Year. The awards are given in conjunction with the Central Kentucky Educational Cooperative (CKEC) and […]
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A group of male and female EKU STEM students gather around a table to work on a robotic arm.

EKU Launches High-Demand Degree Program in Manufacturing Engineering

Eastern Kentucky University students will soon have the opportunity to pursue a degree in the high-demand field of manufacturing engineering. With an anticipated 32,400 new manufacturing engineering jobs nationally by 2029, EKU’s bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering addresses an expanding need within the state and beyond.  “I’m excited to announce that Eastern Kentucky University will […]
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EKU student teacher, Michael Thomas, stands at whiteboard to teach elementary children math.

EKU Becomes First Public University to Offer Option 9 Alternative Route to Teacher Certification

Eastern Kentucky University became the first public university in Kentucky to offer an Option 9 alternative route to teacher certification following recent approval by the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB). According to the Kentucky Department of Education, “Option 9 is a new alternative route to certification that allows a person to complete a bachelor’s degree […]
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Student wearing EKU hat backwards hikes at Red River Gorge.

EKU’s GONE FISHIN’ Grant Assesses Outdoor Programs for Youth

In a collaborative effort, several Eastern Kentucky University centers, departments and faculty were awarded funding for their GONE FISHIN’ grant proposal submitted through EKU’s Cross College Interdisciplinary Collaboration (CCIC). The purpose of the GONE FISHIN’ project is to assess the feasibility of outdoor programming and wilderness training for youth and young people in Eastern Kentucky, […]
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Three EKU police officers pose with a member of the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police and a framed certificate of appreciation.

Eastern Kentucky University Police Department Receives Five-Time Accreditation

Eastern Kentucky University Police Department is now a five-time accredited law enforcement agency by the Kentucky Association of Chiefs of Police (KACP). The EKU Police Department provides 24-hour patrol of the university’s Richmond campus and consists of 24 sworn police officers and eight 911 dispatchers.  “One of my main goals as police chief is to […]
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EKU students Savanna Ruebsam and Blake Park

EKU Students Earn Top Rankings for Scientific Research Presentations

Three Eastern Kentucky University students ranked among the top scorers for research presentations given at the Kentucky Academy of Science’s 2022 Annual Meeting in November. More than 700 students and professional scientists from across the state attended the annual meeting, which was held Nov. 10-12, at Morehead State University. Panels of scientists who judged students’ […]
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EKU graduate Josiah Stendel

An Entrepreneur at Heart

Always having a knack for entrepreneurship, Josiah Stendel, ’22, started his business, Made You Look Media, when he was only 13 years old. His video agency has since grown into a local powerhouse, producing commercials and video content for companies like Chick-fil-A, Eventbrite and Duolingo. “I am really passionate about helping these brands grow and […]
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EKU faculty members Dr. Dominic Ashby and Dr. Jill Parrott pose in front of large image of their book in the library.

EKU Libraries Launches Free English 101 Textbook

Eastern Kentucky University is a School of Opportunity with an aligned vision to remove barriers prohibiting student success. Through the EKU Board of Regents Innovation Grant funding, faculty from EKU’s English department partnered with EKU Libraries to publish “The Commons: Tools for Reading, Writing, and Rhetoric,” an open education resource (OER) for first-year students in […]
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EKU police chief Brandon Collins.

Collins named Chief of Police at EKU

Brandon Collins has been named chief of police at Eastern Kentucky University. A 2002 graduate of the university, Collins’ career began as a student worker for the EKU Police Department in 2001. Since then, he has climbed the ranks to serve in the department’s highest possible position. “I came to the university straight out of […]
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Ximena Patino and Victoria Kay, EKU students, pose in vacation photos.

EKU Students Engaged in Meaningful Experiences Abroad Thanks to Gilman Scholarship

Two Eastern Kentucky University students were awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship, a highly competitive education-abroad grant that receives thousands of applicants each year.  Ximena Patino, EKU Honors Program junior majoring in nursing and Spanish, and Victoria Kay, junior early elementary major, were named recipients in March 2022. Over the past six years, a […]
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Dominique Kellam smiles for a photo in front of EKU's Workforce Pathway at Kit Carson Commons building.

Single-Parent Student Finds Home at EKU

On Oct. 26, 2022 the Richmond community was introduced to the Workforce Pathway at Kit Carson Commons, the newest housing development on Eastern Kentucky University’s campus. For 30 families, it’s more than just a housing development, it’s their home.Kit Carson Commons is a combination of a scholar and workforce development house geared toward providing affordable […]
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EKU alumna Pam Marshall smiles in a lavender suit.

Track Record of Excellence

Family. Love. Excellence. Those are some of the values held tightly by Pam Marshall and her staff at Marshall Pediatric Therapy. Putting those values into practice with each family the clinic serves is a daily goal for each member of the organization. It was a challenge getting to this point in the life of the […]
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NBA player, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist stands with a group of EKU students behind an EKU Clinical Therapeutic Programs banner.

NBA Player Visits EKU Communication Disorders Class

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist visited EKU’s advanced fluency disorders class in the graduate communication disorders program on Oct. 18, 2022, to share his personal journey as someone who stutters.  Kidd-Gilchrist played college basketball for the University of Kentucky, where he and his teammates won the 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament under Coach John Calipari. He […]
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Dressed in a maroon blazer, EKU alumna Maribeth McBride Berman poses for a professional photo.

EKU Alumna Fulfills Big Promise

It officially started in 2015. Momentum was built, milestones were reached and new initiatives generated excitement along the way. More than $60 million, 10,000 donors and seven years later, EKU’s largest comprehensive campaign — Make No Little Plans — finished over $10 million above its ambitious $50-million goal. The leader behind the success is philanthropist […]
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