News & Updates

Eastern Kentucky University


Two female students, wearing protective clothing and gloves work in a lab setting to examine samples with microscopes.

EKU Medical Laboratory Science: Cultivating Careers, One Sample at a Time

Students Cheyanne Scherder and Isabel Alguera put on their lab coats and gloves and head into Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) state-of-the-art Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) lab in the Dizney Building. Here, they apply what they’ve learned in the classroom, examining blood samples under a microscope and looking for any abnormalities to make diagnoses. EKU’s MLS […]
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Six students, professionally dressed and wearing name tag lanyards, post for a photo at the event in building with many windows and sunlight.

Students Take Their Research to Harvard, Representing EKU at the National Level

In January, six Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) students traveled to Harvard University and presented their research at the National Collegiate Research Conference (NCRC). This marked the second time students from EKU attended the conference, following recommendations from faculty mentors. “Our students being accepted to showcase their research at the NCRC—at Harvard—shows the massive potential of […]
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EKU’s Classroom in a Box Initiative Supports First-Year Teachers

Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) College of Education and Applied Human Sciences launched an innovative initiative to support graduates as they embark on their teaching careers. “Classroom in a Box” provides essential classroom supplies to new teachers, many of whom are the first in their families to graduate from college. “Schools across Kentucky are filled with […]
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EKU Confronts Stigma Surrounding Memory Loss with New Exhibition, “Portraits of Dementia”

The Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Center for the Arts exhibition “Portraits of Dementia,” runs from Jan. 31 through March 10. More than 50 million people are living with dementia globally. In the United States, one in three seniors suffers with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia at the time of their death. And yet despite the millions […]
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A male student in maroon scrubs with a stethoscope draped on his neck sits in a clinic setting and speaks with another male student, standing.

Bringing Healthcare Back Home

For Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) Spanish and pre-med graduate Evan Singleton, ’17, the path to becoming a physician may have led him away from home, yet his goal has always been to return. He went on to earn his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati and after completing his residency in family medicine in […]
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In one of EKU's health lab settings, a female professor instructs three young students how to insert a syringe into practice arms.

EKU HEAT Program Sparks Healthcare Exploration for High School Students

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) received funding from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) to host a summer program for rising high school seniors interested in the health sciences. The program, called Healthcare Exploration and Academic Transition (HEAT), aims to provide students with opportunities to explore healthcare careers through hands-on experiences, simulations and essential skill […]
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Photo of an EKU student using new research equipment in the Science Building.

EKU Enhances Research Capabilities with New Scientific Equipment

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) received a Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) award of $381,870 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Fall 2024 to purchase a state-of-the-art scientific research instrument. The award has led to the successful acquisition and maintenance of a microbial identification system, which can rapidly and accurately identify certain bacteria and pathogens.  “Our […]
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Photos of EKU students, Claudia Douglas and Elizabeth Davis, with a maroon background behind them.

EKU Exhibits Excellence in Healthcare Education

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) is home to several nationally ranked healthcare degree programs, playing a crucial role in shaping the healthcare workforce. As of Fall 2024, approximately 4,000 students are enrolled in EKU healthcare degree programs. Expanding on a commitment to excellence in healthcare education, EKU proposed a College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM) to provide […]
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Photo of members of EKU’s School of Nursing and Humana

Breaking Barriers to Nursing Education: EKU and Humana Partner to Develop a Sustainable Nursing Workforce

EKU’s top-ranked School of Nursing and Humana have partnered to develop a program aimed at helping build a more sustainable nursing workforce. With a $75,000 contribution from Humana and a dollar-for-dollar match from Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund, EKU’s School of Nursing received $150,000 to support innovation and excellence in […]
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A dark haired male nursing student, wearing glasses and a stethoscope around his neck, leans against a doorframe in the clinic and smiles.

Filling the Gap: EKU Graduate Helps to Address Healthcare Shortage

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) graduate Oscar Garcia, ’24, helps to address an unprecedented healthcare shortage across the state as a registered nurse (RN) at UK Healthcare. The Kentucky Hospital Association’s 2024 Workforce Survey Report notes a 12% statewide hospital workforce vacancy rate and 3,899 registered nurse vacancies. “I wanted to be a source of help […]
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two female healthcare professionals conversing in a hospital hallway next to mobile diagnostic equipment

The Prescription for Kentucky: EKU’s Proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine

By: David McFaddin, President of Eastern Kentucky University For many Kentuckians including myself, the mission to improve access to quality healthcare across our state—especially in rural areas—is deeply personal. As an Eastern Kentuckian and the president of a university serving the state’s most underserved communities, I feel a profound responsibility to help our friends and […]
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Student Voices Amplified Through EKU Student Government Association

 What do former Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Steve Pence, Council for Postsecondary Education President Aaron Thompson, Kentucky Democratic Party Chairman Coleman Eldridge, and top-ranked Washington, D.C., lobbyist Hunter Bates all have in common? Not only are they alumni of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), but they were also once members of the oldest student organization on campus: […]
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smiling group of EKU faculty and president McFaddin hold giant $100,000 check from Anthem

EKU and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Announce Continuation of Anthem Rural Medicine Scholarship

Today, Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Kentucky announced a continuation of their work together to grow the number of frontline healthcare workers in the eastern region of the state, increase access to care and improve health outcomes for more Kentuckians. The Anthem Rural Medicine Scholarship is a fellowship […]
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Photo of Mark Sweet alongside Dean Sherry Harrel and Dean Tom Otieno

College of STEM Honors Mr. Mark Sweet

A two-time Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) graduate, Mr. Mark Sweet, was named the 2024 College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Award recipient. The college’s highest honor is presented to individuals who have made impactful contributions to the college. On receiving the College of STEM award, Mr. Sweet had this to say, “Considering the substantial number […]
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Photo of STEM Start participants practicing programing and robotics

STEM Start Program: Equipping Students for Success In College

Completion of undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees continues to lag behind workforce demands, and success rates for populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM disciplines remain substantially lower than the same rates for other students. With the recent launch of a B.S. degree in manufacturing engineering at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), the university has […]
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EKU College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Congratulates Fall 2024 Graduates

Congratulations to the Fall 2024 graduates of Eastern Kentucky University! EKU proudly celebrated over 1,300 students during the commencement ceremonies held on December 5 and 6, 2024, at the EKU Center for the Arts. This milestone honors the hard work and accomplishments of the remarkable graduates from all of EKU’s academic colleges. Family, friends, faculty, staff, […]
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EKU Grad, Now Harvard Fellow, Joins Allied Gaming Board of Directors

Chi Zhao, ’10, a research fellow at Harvard Kennedy School, was appointed as an independent board director for Allied Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed company. She chairs the nominating and corporate governance committee and serves on the compensation committee. Zhao received a bachelor’s in broadcasting and electronic media from Eastern Kentucky University. As a […]
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Aviation Careers Beyond the Cockpit: EKU Graduates Soar in Aerospace Management

Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) isn’t just preparing students to pilot planes—it’s launching them into high-powered careers managing some of Kentucky’s most critical aviation hubs. From strategic innovation to airport operations, EKU aviation alumni are proving that aerospace management offers dynamic, impactful career paths. Hannah Meredith, ’15, leads innovation initiatives as the senior manager of strategic […]
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EKU's Alumni Coliseum, from an aerial view with blue sky and clouds in the background

Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum Reopens for EKU Basketball Season

Eastern Kentucky University’s Baptist Health Arena at Alumni Coliseum will temporarily reopen for the basketball season after undergoing extensive renovations that began last spring. The facility will remain open through the end of the basketball season and for EKU’s Spring 2025 graduation ceremonies before closing again for final renovations. “We’re excited to showcase a preview […]
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