Behind the Blue University of Kentucky Public Relations / UK HealthCare

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 19, 2024) – Robert Hayes is the Executive Director of Student Community Resources and Services in the UK Office for Student Success. His expertise and mission lies in providing support to first-generation students and offering academic advising within the College of Arts & Sciences.
 He believes academic advisors serve as critical touchpoints for students, ensuring they navigate the complexities of higher education seamlessly. From pre-matriculation meetings to summer orientations, these interactions lay the groundwork for student success.
 Additionally, Hayes sees the unique challenges faced by first-generation students, particularly with disparities in social capital. While these students may lack the familial frame of reference for higher education, he highlights the immense growth potential they possess.
 On this episode of Behind the Blue, Hayes discusses the pivotal role advisors play as the bridge between students and the myriad of resources available to them, the evolving narrative around first-generation student research, and how institutions are shifting towards an assets-based approach, empowering students to embrace their journey with confidence.
 "Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.
 Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
 To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 11, 2024) – This week marks the beginning of Campus Pride Week here at the University of Kentucky. Celebrated nationally in June, Campus Pride Week, hosted by the Office of LGBTQ* Resources (housed in the Office for Student Success) allows students, faculty and staff an opportunity to honor pride on campus while the spring semester is still in session. 
Throughout the week, the campus acknowledges the diversity of identities, experiences and histories in the LGBTQ+ community and recognizes all who have and continue to advocate for LGBTQ+ lives, rights and visibility.
While this is an annual event at the university, this year will look a bit different, as the Office of LGBTQ* Resources has hired both a new director and assistant director. 
Glenn Means, new director, believes the week will provide the campus community with an opportunity to learn about the office’s resources and build community. 
Prior to his new role, Means served in the UK College of Public Health as the admissions and recruitment coordinator, and before that, Means worked for the Legislative Research Commission, where he handled constituent service matters for the Commonwealth. Means also served as the development director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bluegrass and the donor stewardship manager for Lexington Habitat for Humanity. Outside of his work experience, Means has volunteered with various LGBTQ* organizations.
“Through all of this work, I have had the opportunity to educate, advocate and inform people on many issues that are important to our community, including mentorship, housing, healthcare, human rights and LGBTQ+ issues,” Means said. “It is a privilege to serve in this role to allow our students to have a safe space on campus and more importantly, a place for them to be themselves.”
As new director, Means hopes to create a more inclusive, supportive and affirming campus environment for LGBTQ+ individuals. He is committed to championing diversity, equity and inclusion, and to creating a space where all individuals are respected, valued and celebrated for who they are.
Atticus White, who will serve as the new assistant director, began their journey with the Office of LGBTQ* Resources back in 2018 during their sophomore year at UK where they were an intern in the office. After graduating in 2020, they held various retail and administrative jobs, but says nothing really stuck or felt fulfilling. 
“I kept thinking back to the office and how wonderful it was to work in an environment that did so much work to support a community I love,” White said. “I sent an email to the director at the time and described my work with the office previously. I made my way into an administrative assistant position. About six months into my position, I became the only full-time staff in the office. I was suddenly in charge of managing everything. While it was extremely overwhelming, I knew that I had to stay to keep our doors open and continue to support our students. After all that hard work and strife, I had the opportunity to apply for and accept the assistant director position.”
As the new assistant director, White wants to continue the great work the office has been doing since starting with the office but push for more visibility. 
“Glenn and I have talked a lot about our visions for the office in the future. One of the biggest things we’ve discussed is how to make our office more visible. Many students might not even know our office exists on campus. We want to change that,” White said. “Students of any marginalized identity have specific needs that their peers might not understand or relate to. We must continue our work so that students know that they are welcome not just in our office, but on campus, in Lexington, in Kentucky, in the United States and in the world.”
Through collaborative initiatives and outreach programs, starting with Campus Pride Week, Means and White

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 4, 2024) – Every year, more than 97% of Americans, and more than 1.6 billion people worldwide, move their clocks forward one hour in the spring — allowing for more evening light as part of daylight saving time (DST).
Sure, that “spring forward” might make you more noticeably tired and cranky. But time is more than just numbers on a clock — it's a force that shapes our days, our routines and even our well-being.
And according to Tyler Kleppe’s new research, that heavy-eyed feeling doesn’t just impact simple day-to-day tasks.
In fact, the assistant professor in the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky, has shown losing that hour is also affecting higher stakes decisions — like investing for one’s retirement.
“Even if you're not directly involved in capital markets, our financial system is relevant to all of us,” Kleppe said. “That’s why it remains important to evaluate regulatory actions and continue asking if they are effective.”
A number of studies show that DST transitions can negatively impact decision-making processes due to the disturbance they have on our circadian rhythm. 
For example, research finds people experience more pronounced mood swings. There are also more serious consequences, such as an increase in car accidents and an uptick in health complications.
But little is known about the influence on financial markets.
“Really the core question we're exploring here is: can that disruption impact how investors respond to firms’ earnings disclosures?” Kleppe explained. “Then, we can have one more piece of evidence to help inform the national debate surrounding daylight saving time.”
On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Kleppe discusses his research on how DST transitions impact investors’ reactions to corporate earnings news.
You can also learn more about Kleppe and his research here, and you can find more information about Gatton College here.
"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.
Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page. 
To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 27, 2024) – Four years ago, the world at large became more familiar with the field of health care known as “critical care” when the COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented numbers of patients being admitted to hospital intensive care units.
Dr. Ashley Montgomery-Yates, a critical care physician and senior vice chair of strategy for the UK Department of Internal Medicine, was one of the many health care providers on the front lines of the pandemic. 
On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Dr. Montgomery-Yates discusses what it means to go into the field of critical care, what life was like for the ICU teams during the pandemic, and how staff experiences helped shape the design of UK Chandler Hospital’s recently opened 12th floor – the new home of its medical and cardiovascular ICUs.
"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.
Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 21, 2024) – The Kentucky Appalachian Rural Rehabilitation Network (KARRN) is a collaborative team that advocates to empower communities impacted by disability. Their focus is improving the quality of life for all. The organization is directed under the University of Kentucky College of Health Sciences and led by Patrick Kitzman, PT, Ph.D.
Each year Kitzman and his team take on multiple projects to help those who need it most. Projects include refurbishing equipment such as wheelchairs and walkers, providing adapted toys to children and fundraising for the Grace Jones Fund.
KARRN also has an undergraduate student club on UK's campus led by Clara Bond, a junior in the College of Health Sciences. Their purpose is to assess campus for accessibility and suggest changes where needed. They have also provided education to children in various schools across the Fayette County school district.
This year during One Day for UK, the University's annual giving day, all donations to the College of Health Sciences will go directly toward the Grace Jones Fund.  
This fund is used to help people with physical disabilities, caused by conditions such as strokes, as well as their families. Funds can be used to pay for adult day care, medical equipment, therapy services (such as PT, OT, or Speech), transportation costs related to attending disability support services, short-term respite care, program development, education, assistive technology and marketing.
On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Kitzman and Bond talk about the important work of KARRN, the collaboration the network has helped inspire, the culture shift they see happening both on and off campus, and more.
"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.
Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.

 LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 15, 2024) – Dr. Tessa London-Bounds, a cardiothoracic surgeon at UK HealthCare’s Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, had two vastly different breastfeeding experiences as a resident and later as an attending surgeon. Variations in workplace support, along with access to technology and facilities made finding a balance between caring for patients and providing for her own children difficult. 
After speaking with co-workers about her experiences, she was inspired to team together with fellow surgeons to create an online survey, which asked nearly 900 surgeons to share their opinions on the challenges of access and equity in the workplace for breastfeeding surgeons.
On this episode of Behind the Blue, Dr. London-Bounds discusses how her own personal experiences helped inspire the creation of the survey, the stigma and difficulties pregnant and breastfeeding surgeons perceive in the workplace, and the positive impact she can already see from the information and understanding the researchers have aquired.
"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify. Become a subscriber to receive new episodes of “Behind the Blue” each week. UK’s latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists and writers will be featured, along with the most important news impacting the university.
Transcripts for this or other episodes of Behind the Blue can be downloaded from the show’s blog page.
To discover what’s wildly possible at the University of Kentucky, click here.