LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Gatton College of Business and Economics proudly recognizes Olivia N. Davis, CPA, DBA and Tayshawn Juantez Gooch as the college’s 2025 recipients of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association’s Lyman T. Johnson Awards.
Davis, a Gatton alumna and current professor in the Department of Accountancy, received the Torch of Excellence Award, which honors outstanding professional achievement and positive impact within one’s field. Her recognition reflects her years of dedication to accounting education, mentorship and leadership within both academia and the profession. Davis is known for her commitment to her students’ success, even years after their graduation.
Gooch, a graduate student in marketing, earned the Torch Bearer Award for exemplary scholarship, leadership and service within the Gatton community. His academic excellence and leadership among his peers represents the values and spirit of the Gatton College and the legacy of Lyman T. Johnson.
Both Davis and Gooch were honored during the 34th Annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards Luncheon, hosted by the UK Alumni Association. The annual awards recognize students and alumni from each of the university’s colleges who embody the ideals of Lyman T. Johnson, the civil rights pioneer who became the first African American to enroll in a graduate program at the University of Kentucky in 1949.
About the Lyman T. Johnson Awards
The Lyman T. Johnson Awards were established by the University of Kentucky Alumni Association’s Lyman T. Johnson African American Alumni Constituency Group to honor students and alumni for academic success, leadership and service. Each UK college selects a Torch Bearer (student) and a Torch of Excellence (alumnus or alumna) recipient who exemplify the courage, integrity and pursuit of excellence embodied by Lyman T. Johnson.
