UK EDC News | August 2025 | | |
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Each summer, University of Kentucky students gain valuable experience through internships. Jakayla Allen and Gabryele Carter, both agricultural economics seniors in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, interned with John Deere for the second time this summer.
Growing up in Middletown, Delaware, Allen would drive through rural areas, noticing the farmers, the cows and the John Deere tractors.
“I always had this invisible string tugging me toward agriculture,” Allen said. “So when I got the chance to study it, I said, ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’”
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The University of Kentucky’s Estate Whiskey Alliance® (EWA) has announced the first awardees of its research grant program.
Two projects led by researchers in the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment were selected:
-Harmonie Bettenhausen, Ph.D., “Exploring Regional Terroir in Kentucky-Grown Barley for Single Malt Whiskey Production”
-Tracy Lu, Ph.D., and Min-Young Lee, Ph.D., “Consumer Perceptions of Certified Estate Whiskeys: Marketing Insights for Sustainable Branding”
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Economic Engagement Update
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UK through its Growing Our Own initiative, is inviting small businesses to participate in a hands-on training session designed to demystify the process of doing business with the university.
On Friday, August 29, at 11 a.m. EST, participants can join the training either in person at the Greenup County Extension Office or virtually via Zoom.
The session will provide a step-by-step walkthrough of the current Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) Request for Proposal (#UK-2541-26), which is required for businesses seeking to work with UK, including its affiliated hospitals - King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland and St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead.
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Earlier this month, UK President Dr. Eli Capilouto joined Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and representatives from Lockheed Martin, a global defense technology company driving innovation and advancing scientific discovery, as the company celebrated the grand opening of their new Engineering Center of Excellence on the University of Kentucky’s Coldstream Research Campus. The facility will add up to 70 full-time jobs to the community.
The defense sector’s growing demand for innovative engineering and manufacturing solutions has led to the establishment of Lockheed Martin’s new facility, which will provide critical engineering support of transformative technologies and help enable its commitment to deliver 21st Century Security Solutions.
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The University of Kentucky and JMI Sports, a leading multimedia rights and venue development company, today announced a historic multimedia rights agreement valued at more than $465 million.
Building on more than a decade of successful collaboration between UK and JMI Sports, the agreement reflects a shared commitment to innovation, adaptability and long-term growth. In addition to multimedia rights, JMI Sports will now provide strategic support across name, image and likeness (NIL) operations and advise UK on facility development opportunities and fan engagement experiences designed to drive revenue and help UK remain competitive in the evolving college athletics landscape.
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What We’re Reading, Watching & Listening To
A monthly peek into the media inspiring EDC members — and how it’s shaping their work.
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Type: Book
Shared by: George Ward, AVP for Economic Development and Real Estate and Chair of the UK Economic Development Collaborative
How it has shaped George's work:
In Hidden Potential, Adam says, "The goal isn’t to be the smartest person in the room. It’s to make the entire room smarter. If we listen only to the smartest person in the room, we miss out on discovering the smarts that the rest of the room has the offer."
It made me think that sometimes we only listen to the loudest person in the room while the person with the best ideas sits quietly. That's why the EDC does a lot of small group discussions. Every person in the room gets their voices heard and the idea generation is much better than what was first imagined.
Quote/Takeaway:
"We worry about making our parents proud when we should be focused on making our children proud. Our responsibility is not to please our predecessors – it’s to improve conditions for our successors." - Adam Grant
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KY Job Club:
Smart Job Search Strategies
for Success
September 9, 2025 - 9:00 AM
Presented by Kathleen Dohoney, Career Coach & Resume Writer, Celtic Resume & Coaching Services
Looking for your next role? Join this informative session to guide you through effective strategies for building a targeted job search, networking with purpose, uncovering job leads, and understanding how to use LinkedIn. Take control of your search with clarity and confidence.
| | The news featured here does not exclusively represent the work of the EDC, but rather highlights the contributions of various collaborators. We are honored to showcase the remarkable achievements taking place across the University of Kentucky. | | | |
The EDC Mission:
To proactively grow economic
prosperity in the Commonwealth by focusing on the area of Talent, Innovation, Place, Partnership, and Economic Engagement.
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