Success Stories
University of Kentucky MBA alum Kimra H. Cole has been named President and Chief Operating Officer at Columbia Gas of Kentucky which is headquartered in Lexington, KY.
University of Kentucky MBA alum and current Chief Medical Officer at UK Healthcare, Dr. Phillip Chang, is chairing an advisory committee to fight the current opioid epidemic in Kentucky and develop the standards for the Kentucky Statewide Opioid Stewardship (KY SOS) program. The National Institute on Drug Abuse ranks Kentucky among the top 10 states with the highest opioid-related overdose deaths, and Kentucky’s hospitals are on the frontline in the fight to help the state recover.
University of Kentucky MBA program at the Gatton College of Business and Economics hosted a special UK MBA Graduation Reception and Ceremony for the 2019 graduating class at the Hilary J. Boone Center on campus, which included over 100 students from the One Year MBA, Professional MBA and Professional MBA (For Leaders in Healthcare) programs. Graduates of the 2019 UK MBA class at the graduation ceremony toasted and celebrated with each other along with family, friends, faculty and staff of the UK MBA.
The University of Kentucky MBA program at the Gatton College of Business and Economics is pleased to announce its first MBA in "Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation", which will be launched in the Fall of 2019. With the increased demand of MBA candidates wanting to expand their entrepreneurial skills, this new concentration will deliver the necessary skills and resources to be expand candidate's entrepreneurial capabilities in Kentucky and beyond.
University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics is launching their highly anticipated Real-Time, Online MBA option starting Fall 2019. This new online option will be available in the existing Professional MBA, Professional MBA (For Leaders in Healthcare) and applicable dual degree programs. Geared towards working professionals and industry leaders, the option offers candidates the opportunity to attend classes in person, online from any location, or a combination of both.
For innovative data analytics and marketing companies, like 84.51°, it's increasingly more important to determine a candidate's practical approach to problem-solving. They have adopted "case-interviewing" in their interviews whereby the applicant is presented with a challenging business scenario that he/she must investigate and propose a solution. One Year MBA student Erika Penrose, who will be starting with 84.51° after she graduates, reflects on her interview preparation along with her positive experiences in the UK MBA program.
University of Kentucky MBA and UK Football alumnus Edward "Ed" Berry did not always envision that he would end up where he is today. With a dream of playing in the National Football League (NFL), he got his start playing football at a very young age. Today, Ed can be found as an agent at Creative Artists Agency (CAA), traveling across the country to represent his clients and building professional relationships such Green Bay Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Zachary "Zach" Cain, alum of the One Year MBA program at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics, is Senior Marketing Analyst of Market Intelligence at UPS in Atlanta, GA which is their headquarters for this global leader in logistics. Zach actually started as a Package Handler during his senior year at Cairn University where he was finishing up his Bachelor's of Science degree in Theology. Within 3 weeks of working at UPS, Zach was quickly identified as a high performer and was recommended for a promotion, however Zach knew he still needed to obtain additional skills in order to grow long term.
Victoria Russell, alum of the MBA program at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics, is the current Chief of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Papa John's International, Inc. and has been with Papa John's for almost 13 years. She was recently spotlighted in the "Business Women First: Woman Making a Difference" by Louisville Business First. Papa John’s diversity and inclusion efforts will be crucial to the future success of the brand and Victoria (and her team) are ready for the challenge.
Laura Boison, alum of the MBA program at the University of Kentucky's Gatton College of Business and Economics, is one of the recipients of the prestigious 2019 Martha Layne Collins Leadership Award by Women Leading Kentucky. In 1999, the Martha Layne Collins Leadership Award was created and presented to former Governor Collins for her contributions to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its people. This award recognizes Kentucky women of achievement who inspire and motivate other women through their personal, community and professional lives.