Campus News

In the fall of 2019, UPIKE announced the addition of the College of Nursing and Human Services. The new college is home to both the Elliott School of Nursing and the School of Social Work.

Nursing and social work share many commonalities with both careers having missions driven for social change in a very physical discipline with extensive field work. Pairing the similar fields of study will continue to strengthen their common goals of improving the quality of life for the communities in which they serve.

“For many years now, the social work program has been growing and our graduates have been making a difference in communities across the nation,” said Associate Professor of Social Work and Chair of the School of Social Work Genesia Kilgore-Bowling, Ph.D. “The impact is undeniable and immeasurable, but we can do more.”

With both programs on a steady incline in recent years, the new college will soon offer a master’s degree in social work and will begin classes in fall 2020.

“We are growing,” said Dean of the College of Nursing and Human Services Karen Damron. “The school of nursing just enrolled its second expanded class and currently has 108 students in the associate degree program. We have 17 full-time RNs completing their bachelor’s degree in our online RN to BSN program and the social work program is adding a new online master’s degree in fall 2020!”

UPIKE receives $750K HRSA grant to fund Master of Social Work program

UPIKE faculty member Genesia Kilgore-Bowling (pictured above at left) served as principle investigator on a competitive grant to implement a Master of Social Work program at the university. Kilgore-Bowling serves as Chair of the School of Social Work and MSW Program Director.

In August 2019, the University of Pikeville was awarded a $750,000 competitive Opioid Workforce Expansion Program grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This grant will assist the new Master of Social Work (MSW) program in recruiting and training new highly skilled social work professionals to improve the behavioral health workforce in Central Appalachia.

UPIKE’s MSW will contribute to the opioid workforce expansion program by increasing the number of professionals trained to transform integrated behavioral health and primary care teams, as well as to effectively prevent and treat substance abuse in communitybased practices. The grant will aid the MSW program with student recruitment, personnel attainment, professional development, stipends for students and other key functions.

“We are grateful that HRSA invested in our Master of Social Work program in such a significant way,” said UPIKE President Burton J. Webb, Ph.D. “This investment will benefit the entire region by expanding the number of social work professionals trained in Appalachia with the skills needed to address the problems we all face together.”

Goals of the grant-funded project include, but are not limited to, placing a significant percentage of students in training areas with high levels of opioid/substance abuse disorder and having 75 percent of graduates employed in high-need areas.

UPIKE’s MSW is a 12-month program and will welcome its inaugural class in the fall of 2020.

This program is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $750,000 with no percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

KYCOM White Coat Ceremony

UPIKE-KYCOM formally welcomed the Class of 2023 during a traditional White Coat Ceremony on September 14. White coat ceremonies are rites of passage for beginning medical students. The ritual encourages a psychological contract that emphasizes professionalism and empathy in the practice of medicine and focuses on the importance of both scientific excellence and compassionate care for the patient.

KYCO Class of 2023 Gives Back

KYCO Class of 2023

The class of 2023 has set a record level among students in the college. A remarkable 71 percent of KYCO’s newest students chose to make a financial gift to the university. The yearly gift from students at KYCO has evolved into a tradition of giving that helps to advance the UPIKE mission.

“Growing up, I have always been taught that your greatness is not what you have, but what you give,” said Alyssa Miller, KYCO class of 2023. “After only a few short weeks of being in Pikeville and a student at KYCO, I already feel like the university has given me so much. I was joyful to return a small financial initiative that will continue to help my class or future classmates be successful.”

The class of 64 students from 24 different states is forming a legacy of leadership that will continue to grow with each new class.