Behind the Blue University of Kentucky Public Relations / UK HealthCare

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 23, 2024) – In October 2016, the UK College of Social Work (CoSW) established a partnership with the Department of Defense to offer the one-of-a-kind Army-UK Master of Social Work degree. 
A satellite site was established within the Army Medical Department Center and School at Fort Sam Houston. The satellite implements the full-time, 60-hour CoSW program. The curriculum is delivered in a condensed format over 14 continuous months of study, and all classes are administered face-to-face on the Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston campus. The goal is to develop well-qualified clinical social workers to fill positions across military service branches.
Colonel Teresa Murray, a graduate of the MSW program, is now the director of the very same program she graduated from.
Murray was promoted to the rank of colonel in April of this year. There are currently fewer than 10 active-duty social workers who have earned that title in the army.
With more than 21 years of active federal service, Col. Murray says the role of social workers in the military continues to evolve.
On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Col. Murray discusses her career path, the importance and value of social workers serving the members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the continuing importance of observing Memorial Day, as communities across the United States prepare to honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.
"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.

This podcast discusses suicide, which may be difficult and distressing for some to listen to. Resources and assistance are available at 988lifeline.org.
 LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 22, 2024) – On May 1, 1824, Eastern State Hospital opened its doors as part of Fayette Hospital, becoming just the second state psychiatric hospital in the nation. Now 200 years later, it also holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating state psychiatric hospital in the U.S.
Last week, Eastern State Hospital held a celebration to honors its 200 years of mental health service to the Commonwealth. Lexington lawyer Bruce Simpson – who received treatment at Eastern State Hospital following a suicide attempt – joined the celebration to share his personal story and to thank the staff who helped him.  
On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Simpson joins the podcast to talk openly and candidly about his nearly lifelong struggles with mental health, including his suicide attempt. He also highlights the importance of Eastern State Hospital and why mental health should be prioritized just as highly as physical health.
"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. (May 16, 2024) – Greystar is a global leader in the investment, development, and management of high-quality rental housing properties. Greystar is one of the largest operators of rental housing in the world, with properties including apartments, senior living communities, corporate, and student housing.
In 2012, the University of Kentucky embarked upon an historic multi-phased partnership with Greystar to construct state of the art student housing facilities on campus. The development provided new housing to enhance the learning experience for students at the University of Kentucky. The multi-phased project replaced most of the existing student housing located across campus with modern state of the art facilities.
Over the past two years, Greystar and the University have embarked on a new partnership – working with students through the Explore First: Careers, Cultures and Connections program. Explore First is an education abroad program designed to equip and empower First-Generation students through participation in a 3-week education abroad program in London and Dublin.
Along with introducing career readiness within a global context, the program connects students with organizations, like Greystar, that have a global presence and employ UK graduates.
On this episode of Behind the Blue, Maria Hatch, Greystar’s Senior Director of Client Relationships, and UK’s Vice President for Student Success Kirsten Turner talk about the Explore First program and the benefits to both students and corporate participants.
"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. (May 9, 2024) – UK HealthCare employs dozens of nurses from around the world, advancing care for a diverse Commonwealth while also providing an opportunity for international nurses to advance and continue their careers in a cutting-edge health care environment.  
But packing up your life to work at a hospital on the other side of the globe is never easy. UK’s International Nurse Well-being Council offers those nurses a chance to be heard and help tackle challenges associated with living and working in a new country. The findings from the council’s monthly meetings are shared with enterprise leadership to ensure UK HealthCare stays a great place to work and patients receive the best care possible.  
The council includes nurses who have been in the U.S. for years and many who are brand new. That mix of experience can help international nurses not just learn to adjust to a new place but also offer a space to be listened to and supported. The council also helps build a cross-cultural community among nurses offering events and potlucks where everyone can share a little bit of their culture.  
With International Nurses Day on Sunday, check out this episode of “Behind the Blue” where UK HealthCare nurses Kobie Boateng and Anthony Ndirangu explain the challenges international nurses face and how the International Nurse Well-being Council can assist. 
"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. (May 3, 2024) — Cierra Couch, a representative of the University of Kentucky May Class of 2024, is a first-generation college student who came to UK in 2020 with a strong sense of determination, but without a clear roadmap.
As a Robinson Scholar from Hyden, Kentucky, Couch instantly found community through like-minded peers who were also from Eastern Kentucky. As time went on, she began to curate her college journey through resources like UK’s Stuckert Career Center, Student Support Services and her first-generation advisor. These services helped Couch first learn about the multitude of opportunities in the field of social work.
But it was later in her academic journey when Couch stepped into a UK student involvement fair, where, by chance, she learned about Alternative Spring Breaks (ASB), a program that connects UK students to service and learning opportunities across the U.S. and around the world. After becoming involved in ASB, Couch discovered a passion for social work and working with immigrant and refugee populations.
But perhaps Couch’s most transformative experience happened through Explore First —  an education abroad program designed and implemented intentionally to equip and empower first-generation students at UK, like Couch. She was part of the inaugural cohort of students to take part in this trailblazing program, which launched in the summer of 2023. Students traveled to London and Dublin for a three-week course, which emphasized career readiness within a global context. Couch says this experience helped her solidify her career goal to work in global social work.
On this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Couch reflects on her time at UK, her experience with the Explore First program and what’s next after she walks across the Commencement stage this Friday with her social work degree. 
"Behind the Blue" is available on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher 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.
For questions or comments about this or any other episode of "Behind the Blue," email BehindTheBlue@uky.edu or tweet your question with #BehindTheBlue. 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 25, 2024) – Dr. Kenneth Campbell is the director of translational research in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine in the UK College of Medicine. His work, to help map out an important part of the heart on a molecular level was part of a study published online in the prestigious journal Nature in 2023.
Campbell says the study is important for discovering new drug therapies for heart disease, the leading cause of death in Kentucky. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Kentucky is among the top 10 states with the highest death rate from the disease. 
On this episode of ‘Behind the Blue’, Dr. Campbell talks about this important research and how the development of the Gill Cardiovascular Biorepository has helped drive heart muscle research around the world.
"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.