APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN The 2026 Breathitt Undergraduate Lectureship

Applications for the prestigious 2026 Edward T. Breathitt Undergraduate Lectureship in the Humanities, presented by the Gaines Center for the Humanities, are now open.

Established to honor Edward T. Breathitt, an eminent Kentuckian who served as governor of Kentucky from 1963–67 and was a University of Kentucky alumnus, the lectureship recognizes an undergraduate whose qualities of mind and spirit are expressed eloquently through the humanities. Breathitt was known for his exceptional passion for higher education and the humanities, values reflected in this annual lecture.

While applications are welcome from students in any college or major, the proposed lecture must have a strong humanities focus Any UK faculty member may also nominate a qualified student by emailing Associate Director Dr. Chelsea Brislin at clbris4@uky.edu.

Each applicant is required to submit a 500-word prospectus outlining their proposed lecture topic. The prospectus must be based on completed research and written work associated with a credit-bearing course. In addition, applicants must submit two faculty references.

The selected Edward T. Breathitt Undergraduate Lecturer will receive a special award and an honorarium of $500. They will present their lecture to the community on April 9, 2026

Applications are due Monday, March 2, 2026, and can be found here. All applicants will be notified of the status of their application as soon as possible following the deadline. 

More information about the application process and past Breathitt Lecture topics can be found on the Gaines Center for the Humanities website. For additional details, contact the Gaines Center at 859-257-1537.