There’s blue... then there’s TrueBlue.
A BIG BLUE THANKS to all of our new LIFE MEMBERS!* Daniel Abul-Khoudoud Sami Abul-Khoudoud Ali Albazzaz Ann W. Aldridge Lynda P. Armstrong Harold E. Armstrong Johna Arnett Jeff L. Arnett April A. Ayers Dwayne D. Ayers Alison L. Bailey Amanda Balcerzak Christopher Balcerzak Taylor T. Ball Won Noelle Balloid Christopher Barclay Kimberly Barnes-O’Connor Bernice Bennett Patricia Besten Lori E. Bethel Karl S. Bethel Greg S. Bickett Jennifer Bishop Austin Blair Christopher R. Blair JoAnne Wheeler Bland Regina Bogue Amy L. Bondurant Kyle Bosh Karin Bosh Nicholas Eugene Bowman Laura M. Bragg Mary D. Brainard Willis K. Bright Jr. Dean A. Brothers Terry R. Burch Donna B. Burch Sylvia Burke John D. Burke Matthew L. Bush Allison B. Cain-Duce Valerie P. Calogero Denise Carl Michael G. Carr Charles D. Carter Greg W. Caudill Eric Brent Childers Rachel S. Childress Andy Chmielewski Linda G. Claus
Eric B. Clevenger Linda L. Cobb William H. Cobb Donna C. Coffey Donald S. Coffey Elizabeth L. Cook Robert J. Cope II Jack B. Crider Joyce B. Crowell Amanda D. Culp-Roche Alan B. Curtis Jennye L. Curtis Andrea Tapp D’Addario Matthew D. D’Addario Patricia A. Dimon Adam D. Downey James J. Duce Michael R. Dunn Brian Elkins Kelley Lynn Elkins Kathryn Eileen Ellis Michael D. Ellis Debora M. Ellis Dennis P. Emerick Jimmie P. Espich Olivia Faulkner Estes Ryan P. Estes Monica Felch Gilbert L. Feltel Heather Michelle Fields Shelby Gregory Fink Joseph L. Fink IV David M. Fisse Fred L. Foill Jr. David A. Franklin Rhonda M. Franklin Betty O. Freedman Gregory A. Freedman Martha B. Frost Guy R. Fulcher Adria Lee Garcia Kristie Y. Garner Heather M. Gearheart Michele J. George Michael Austin Glass Tressa Glass Robert L. Gossett Debby F. Gray Carol M. Greene David Keith Gregston
Nancy E. Hager Gregory T. Hager Sandra G. Hahn Gary N. Hamby Jason T. Hardin Charles E. Harris Whitney L. Hayse Daniel P. Healy Beth Ratliff Healy Paul B. Hennessy Eleanor Christine Herbert Scott Hickman Vaughn R. Hill Carol B. Hill Sherry S. Holmes Brent A. Hughes Robert D. Hughes Janet C. Israel Keith L. Jackson Susanne Z. Jeffress Phillip W. Jeffress Danny Jones Josie Giurgevich Jones Emory N. Jones Doris J. Judd Jerry Judd Roger L. Kehrt Don C. Kelly Janice P. Kelly Jeffrey A. King Daniel A. King Caitlin R. King Sara Kirkpatrick Lyn B. Kling Lyndsey Kunze Nathan E. Kunze Gerald H. Lander Vicki L. Lawson Bridget Lorenz Lemberg Sandra M. Lennhoff David C. Lennhoff John J. Leverence Jr. Gary D. Levin Opal A. Loar William M. Loar Lewis S. Lyons Elizabeth W. Manci Paul R. Manci Steve Massie William T. Mattingly Jr.
James W. May Jr. Joseph J. McCartney Dolly McCartney Gary D. McCollum Geradline Meiners Michael H. Mercer Scott E. Meredith Sissy B. Meredith Sandra W. Miller Kathy T. Miracle Gary D. Miracle Charlie H. Mitchell Lea Ann Newquist Theresa Marie Nowak James E. O’Bryan Laura S. O’Bryan Robert A. Owen Jr. Jonathan Paul Carol Waddell Penner Ronnie M. Perchik Cynthia J. Peyton Janie R. Pickle Mary A. Pieper P. Lynn Pryor Jacqueline Jones Quillen Stephen R. Rogers Melissa Rose E. Kay Rowe Thomas A. Ruggiero Kathleen A. Rulon Nariman Khalil Salem Frances W. Sandiford Gary R. Sandiford Alyson S. Schlinger Dennis C. Schnecker Jeffrey T. Schrand G. Brian Schroeder Kimberly A. Schroeder Lee A. Scott Randall E. Scott Emilee Young Sexton William M. Sexton Ralph W. Shelburne Bili M. Shelburne Caitlin Dungan Simhauser Melanie Smallwood Brandon L. Smallwood Rita H. Smart Keisha L. Spencer Carroll A. Spencer
Suzanna L. Stammer Sheila L. Stinnett Christopher J. Stinnett Larry W. Storm Michael W. Thomas Julie L. Thompson Nathan Thompson David T. Thompson Donald Thurber Janet Tirey Paul F. Tirey Kristie R. Traylor Candy Tretter Lisa Triplett-Short Jill Tuttle Jeffrey P. Tuttle Kathryn C. Vey Robert A. Wainscott Adam J. Walz C. Richard Warner Megan Webb Alan Webb Amy D. Webb Laura M. Wehry Jordan L. Welte Patricia D. Whitaker William M. Whitaker III Stephen J. Wiehe Anthony M. Wilhoit Joseph R. Williams Shannon G. Williams Rebecca G. Williams Johnny G. Williams James B. Williams Laura A. Williams Pete D. Williams Tahney M. Williams Yvonne I. Williams Eva Kate Wilson Florence M. Witte Katherine Wolnitzek Beverley L. Wong Erin B. Woodall Robert L. Woolery II Richard W. Wurst Monique M. Wurst Mary T. Yeiser *Life Members from July 1-Dec. 31, 2016.
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Spring 2017
BOWMAN TURNS 5! WILDCAT ALUMNI PLAZA
Bowman sculpture greets UK alumni and friends, including John Bowman’s greatgreat-great-great-granddaughter.
“Bowman,” the Wildcat sculpture, is a familiar sight to visitors on the North side of campus. It was only five years ago that the opening of Wildcat Alumni Plaza took place on a beautiful April day. The entire project was a result of a yearlong effort undertaken by the UK Alumni Association to benefit the whole campus community and UK alumni. The focal point of the plaza — the eight foot tall bronze sculpture — was lowered into place in 2012 during the week of the NCAA men’s basketball championship, which the UK Wildcats won over Kansas. However, that was simply a fortuitous coincidence because the delivery date of the sculpture had been planned for months. The concept for a Wildcat sculpture goes back to the 1980s, came up again in 2005, but became more viable when two student leadership groups (University Leadership Summit and the Emerging Leader Institute) recommended the project. In 2008, UK gave approval for the location near the Student Center but funding wasn’t available. In 2011 the UK Alumni Association Board of Directors approved the funding of $300,000, resulting in the selection of artist Matthew Gray Palmer to create the bronze sculpture. Since opening, the plaza has been an inviting space for friends to meetup or has been the gathering place for small and big events, from ice-cream socials for UK students to photo sessions after Commencement. The plaza ground also contains pavers that students, faculty, alumni and friends can have engraved with a personalized message. The funds raised from the pavers go to a good cause: scholarships for students. The sculpture is named Bowman to honor John Bryan Bowman, the founder of what would later come to be known as the University of Kentucky. The name of the sculpture was selected in 2012 following a contest to pick the moniker for the artwork. Today, Charlotte Bowman Mayer has a special connection to Wildcat Alumni Plaza. It’s more than just a neat place to sit a spell while waiting for a friend. It’s personal, for she is the great-great-great-great-granddaughter of John Bowman and is also a junior majoring in merchandising, apparel, and textiles with a minor in journalism at UK. She says that when she is walking around campus, it never ceases to amaze her how special it is that she is on a campus that her ancestor had a hand in establishing. “My close friends know about the family relationship, they think it’s pretty neat,” she says.
By Linda Perry
Charlotte Mayer has a special affinity with Bowman, the sculpture in Wildcat Alumni Plaza.
Photo: Misty Ray Hamilton
In a video for UK Public Relations & Marketing last year, Mayer spoke of when she first heard about John Bowman. “I realized I was related to him in a fourth grade project. So I got more information about my family and learned all of these different connections of what my family did in Kentucky history,” she said. “It was just kind of cool to learn all about that. You know in fourth grade, you don’t really realize the importance of that. You don’t really realize the kind of value it has, but then when you’re older you definitely realize what that means to you and your family so it’s a very special feeling.” Charlotte Mayer is the daughter of Mark Mayer ’03 AS and Carlisle Van Meter Mayer of Winchester. She briefly considered several small liberal arts schools in North and South Carolina, as well as several large universities, before deciding on UK. “I attended a small boarding school in Maryland,” she says. “Come senior year, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to get out of my college experience. I applied to all different types of schools, some very big and others very small. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of coming home for college.” Mayer says she believes her great-great-great-great-grandfather would be thrilled to see UK today and she plans on continuing the Bowman family legacy. “I hope after I graduate from UK that I can take all that I have learned from here and apply to my daily life, whether that is in the workplace or in my personal life,” she says. “I also hope one day when I have a family, I can share with them my memories from UK.” ■ www.ukalumni.net
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