Now Accepting Applications for the 2025 Breathitt Lecture

Established to honor Edward T. Breathitt, an eminent Kentuckian (Governor of KY, 1963-67) and a UK alum with exceptional passion for higher education and the humanities, this lectureship is awarded to an undergraduate whose qualities of mind and spirit have been expressed eloquently on one of more of the basic concerns of the humanities: form, value, and memory. The award is presented by the Gaines Center for the Humanities, and the Edward T. Breathitt Lectureship recipient receives a special award and an honorarium of $500.

The application for the Gaines Center for the Humanities' prestigious 2025 Edward T. Breathitt Undergraduate Lectureship in the Humanities is now open to University of Kentucky undergraduates. While applications are welcome from students in any college or major, the lecture must have a strong humanities focus. Any UK faculty member may also nominate a qualified student by emailing Associate Director Chelsea Brislin, Ph.D., at clbris4@uky.edu. 

Each candidate will be required to submit a 500-word prospectus of their lecture (the topic being of the individual's choice). The prospectus must be based on completed research and written work associated with a credit-bearing course.

In addition to the prospectus, two faculty references are required.

The application can be found online at https://uky.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cGzKP9iFnTxovYN

The deadline for application submission is Monday, March 3, 2025

All applicants will be notified of the status of their application as soon after the deadline date as possible, with the lecture taking place 6 p.m. Thursday, April 10. The event will take place in-person.