John is a sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky. John is new to the College of Arts & Sciences, and is a student office assistant in the Department of Chemistry.

John finds that working in the College of Arts & Sciences has been very useful for a career in accounting or finance. He has already gained some helpful insights regarding his own communications skills and has increased his knowledge and proficiency in using the Microsoft Office Suite of products.

Currently, John and one other student worker in the Chemistry Department are working on a project to help redo the classroom signs around the Chemistry-Physics building. He feels that he is an important part of the process and that their insight on what would be most helpful for the students will be taken into account and potentially implemented.

When he isn’t hard at work in Arts & Sciences, John is an avid sports fan and loves to attend UK football and basketball games. He also enjoys professional sports and follows the Green Bay Packers, Arsenal and Bayern Munich football clubs. John spends his free time either reading or being in nature, and enjoys fishing, canoeing, and exploring.

I am from Indianapolis, Indiana. Following in the footsteps of my only sister, I attended North Central High School there. Once senior year came around, I was determined to be independent and deviate from my sister’s path by attending an out-of-state university. As I was researching schools in the surrounding areas, the University of Kentucky really stuck out to me. It was not until I visited campus, however, that I really felt as though I had found my place. Everyone was quite friendly to me, the campus looked great, and I loved Chandler Hospital – it has such a nice atmosphere! I have been here ever since. Upon my acceptance into UK, I declared biology as my major and decided to follow the pre-med track. I have remained on the pre-med track, but chose to switch my major to dietetics during my junior year. I hope to attend medical school after I graduate in 2017. 

Q: How long have you worked in A&S as a student employee?

A: I have been a part of A&S as a student employee for almost two years now.

Q:  What has been your most memorable experience as a student employee?

For many departments on campus, the summer months are a time to take advantage of quieter offices and catch up on things that get lost in the hustle and bustle of the academic year. The Departments of Physics & Astronomy and Chemistry decided to liven up the relaxed pace by hosting weekly potluck lunches. These gatherings gave the faculty, staff, and students a chance to take a break from research labs and offices and participate in something fun to break up their day. Not only was the company good, but the food was also interesting since each week had a different “theme.” In total the departments hosted nine potluck lunches with a variety of fun themes that were suited to various tastes. Both departments are lucky to have a diverse group of graduate students and faculty with an assortment of cultures and backgrounds represented. One of the most popular lunches was Asian-themed. Many graduate students and faculty members were able to share their home cultures through the dishes they brought to the lunch. Some of the other themes included Italian, fiesta, western, farm & garden and carnival/circus. These potluck lunches were the perfect opportunity to build community between the two departments, building upon the community that already exists.

Hi Everyone! I’m Kim Schindler. I moved to Lexington in July of 2011.  I’m originally from a small town in the Hill Country of Texas. I received my BS in Ocean and Coastal Resources from Texas A&M University-Galveston in 2006 and shortly thereafter, moved to south Mississippi for 5 years.  I enjoyed my time at the University of Southern Mississippi, but I’m very happy here in Lexington and at UK. 

I am currently the lab technician/lab manager of the Sedimentary, Environmental, Radiochemical Research Lab (SER2L).  I’ve worked with Dr. Kevin Yeager since 2003 (almost 13 years!), and I love the research that we do.  I currently oversee the day to day operations of the lab, as well as training and supervising our graduate and undergraduate students in the laboratory.

On June 2, 2015 A&S Staff Council hosts a ceremony to honor the Outstanding Staff Award recipients. Each year two members of the staff receive the Outstanding Staff Award. The 2015 winners were Raegan Wilson (Enrollment Management) and Lori Eckdahl (Kastle IBU). Their dedication to their respective departments and to the college is demonstrated each day in the exceptional work they do. Both ladies received glowing recommendations from their managers and colleagues. It is evident how much they are respected by their teams and the faculty and staff they work with on a daily basis.

Raegan received her award on June 2 at our annual awards ceremony. Due to a previous commitment, Lori was not able to attend the ceremony and will receive her award at the upcoming All Staff Retreat.

Also recognized at the ceremony are staff members reaching milestone years of service. This year 24 staff members, with years of service ranging from five to forty, received their awards. 

Lisa Blackadar Director of Annual Giving & Alumni Engagement Development Office

 

This summer marks my 28^th year in Lexington and I’m proud to call it home. I grew up on the east coast and spent most of my childhood on Long Island and then in New Jersey. It’s fun to get people to identify my accent. I’m proud of the fact that I naturally substitute “you all” for “you guys,” now!

I am an art historian by training and have worked in art museums for most of my professional life. I graduated from the College of Wooster in Ohio and then got my graduate degree in art history from UK. After six years with the UK Art Museum, I am very pleased to be a part of the College of Arts & Sciences. The transition across campus from Singletary Center to POT has been easy due in large part to the warm welcome I’ve received from everyone. I really enjoy meeting new people.

Trying to tell someone else who I am is like throwing a box of photos on the floor and scrambling to pick the most important pictures out in one hand: there are thousands of memories, but I can only share a handful at once.

Lexington is where I am from and where I grew up. Although I am an only child, I grew up around a large extended family. I can never forget how important meeting my cousins, aunts, uncles, and other relatives was every Sunday after church at Granny’s was when I was younger. Community grew on me as well. I studied abroad for five weeks in Mexico while at Transy. I have a broad sense of family that includes those from my family of faith, birth, workplace, community, and worldwide.

My life has changed a lot in just couple of years. I have gotten married, changed location in Lexington, changed location in the College… all fairly close together. I was filled with joy to meet and marry my wife, Latise. This is helping to complete the picture of family for me (of course – stand by for updates to the family list!).

 

Earlier this year, A&S announced an award designed to honor 2 outstanding senior student employees each academic year. One of the winners of the 2014-2015 award was Savannah Tate. Savannah maintained a 3.82 cumulative GPA during her time as a student at UK. Before she even graduated, she was able to secure a full-time position working in the UK Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

We asked Savannah to share with us a few tidbits about her time as a student employee in A&S:

Q: How long have you worked in A&S as a student employee? 

A: I’ve worked with A&S as a student employee for three and a half years. 

Q: What has been your most memorable experience as a student employee? 

A: One of my most memorable experiences as a student worker was the realization that I could make a difference in the lives of others even in the few hours I spent at work per week. I realized that a smile, a kind word, and a helpful attitude can go a long way in brightening someone else’s day.

Q: What work product are you most proud of?