UK Board Accepts Gifts for new Programs
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Lexington, Ky. (Oct. 15, 2008) – The University of Kentucky's Board of
Trustees Tuesday accepted two significant gifts.
The Lucille Caudill Little Foundation has made the initial pledge toward the creation of a $3 million endowment to create the state's first graduate degree program in music therapy at the University of Kentucky School of Music and a unique performing arts program for the new UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital.
"It is unusual for a school of music and a health care system to work together as we are doing to establish an academic program that has the opportunity to change people's lives," said UK School of Music Director Ben Arnold.
The Lucille Caudill Little Performing Arts in HealthCare Program offers performing arts experiences, education and research opportunities for the UK School of Music. A new graduate faculty position and curriculum for music therapy will be created, making UK the first and only university in the state to offer this degree program. School officials expect graduate students to enter the program in fall 2010.
"The UK School of Music has been pursuing a music therapy graduate program for years and many UK students had to leave the state for training," said David Sogin, professor of music education, UK School of Music.
Cecilia Wang, director of graduate studies at the UK School of Music, said, "A degree in music therapy is a rigorous course of study, and the professionals who emerge are trained musicians and music educators with extensive course work in psychology and the behavioral sciences, in addition to clinical experience. UK has all of the components to build a premier music therapy program, including talented music students, published researchers, nationally recognized psychology and behavioral sciences programs and a state-of-the art hospital with great performance space."
The endowment will fund future student and faculty performances presented in a new 300-seat auditorium in the new UK Chandler Hospital, scheduled to open in phases starting in 2010.
"The new hospital's auditorium will be an amazing performance space with excellent acoustics for classical performances," said Everett McCorvey, the Lexington Opera Society Endowed Chair of Opera in the UK College of Fine Arts and director of UK Opera Theatre.
The level of technology available in the auditorium will allow performances to be accessed through the television or audio systems in each patient's room. UK will transmit performances as part of a pilot outreach program for music therapy to St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead and will possibly expand the outreach to other hospitals. In-room patient music, when requested, will be provided by UK School of Music's renowned faculty and students at UK Chandler Hospital, UK's Good Samaritan Hospital and St. Claire Regional Medical Center. And, the artists will create opportunities for patients to create their own music as well.
"An ongoing presence of music in the health care setting will create a calming, pleasant, patient-centered environment and ease the stress for patients, staff and visitors," said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs. "I greatly appreciate the Lucille Caudill Little Foundation for providing the UK School of Music the chance to fill an unmet need in its curriculum and UK HealthCare the opportunity to see and think about the delivery of care to our patients in new ways."
Faculty and students in the UK School of Music and UK Medical Center will conduct collaborative research on the effects of music in the health care setting and contribute to the growing body of academic research on this topic.
Such studies have shown music therapy can lead to:
The Lucille Caudill Little Foundation has made the initial pledge toward the creation of a $3 million endowment to create the state's first graduate degree program in music therapy at the University of Kentucky School of Music and a unique performing arts program for the new UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital.
"It is unusual for a school of music and a health care system to work together as we are doing to establish an academic program that has the opportunity to change people's lives," said UK School of Music Director Ben Arnold.
The Lucille Caudill Little Performing Arts in HealthCare Program offers performing arts experiences, education and research opportunities for the UK School of Music. A new graduate faculty position and curriculum for music therapy will be created, making UK the first and only university in the state to offer this degree program. School officials expect graduate students to enter the program in fall 2010.
"The UK School of Music has been pursuing a music therapy graduate program for years and many UK students had to leave the state for training," said David Sogin, professor of music education, UK School of Music.
Cecilia Wang, director of graduate studies at the UK School of Music, said, "A degree in music therapy is a rigorous course of study, and the professionals who emerge are trained musicians and music educators with extensive course work in psychology and the behavioral sciences, in addition to clinical experience. UK has all of the components to build a premier music therapy program, including talented music students, published researchers, nationally recognized psychology and behavioral sciences programs and a state-of-the art hospital with great performance space."
The endowment will fund future student and faculty performances presented in a new 300-seat auditorium in the new UK Chandler Hospital, scheduled to open in phases starting in 2010.
"The new hospital's auditorium will be an amazing performance space with excellent acoustics for classical performances," said Everett McCorvey, the Lexington Opera Society Endowed Chair of Opera in the UK College of Fine Arts and director of UK Opera Theatre.
The level of technology available in the auditorium will allow performances to be accessed through the television or audio systems in each patient's room. UK will transmit performances as part of a pilot outreach program for music therapy to St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead and will possibly expand the outreach to other hospitals. In-room patient music, when requested, will be provided by UK School of Music's renowned faculty and students at UK Chandler Hospital, UK's Good Samaritan Hospital and St. Claire Regional Medical Center. And, the artists will create opportunities for patients to create their own music as well.
"An ongoing presence of music in the health care setting will create a calming, pleasant, patient-centered environment and ease the stress for patients, staff and visitors," said Dr. Michael Karpf, UK executive vice president for health affairs. "I greatly appreciate the Lucille Caudill Little Foundation for providing the UK School of Music the chance to fill an unmet need in its curriculum and UK HealthCare the opportunity to see and think about the delivery of care to our patients in new ways."
Faculty and students in the UK School of Music and UK Medical Center will conduct collaborative research on the effects of music in the health care setting and contribute to the growing body of academic research on this topic.
Such studies have shown music therapy can lead to:
· Reductions in heart rates and the
need for fewer sedatives in surgical
patients
· Shorter hospital stays for
premature infants
· Better social
interaction and verbal communication for Alzheimer's
patients
· Earlier recovery for stroke
patients
· Reduced burn out in health care
professionals
The Lucille Caudill Little Foundation's $1 million gift will be matched by Bucks for Brains funding and other philanthropy to create the $3 million endowment.
The college dreams of students growing up in Muhlenberg County have moved a big step closer to reality, thanks to a gift from the Felix E. Martin Jr. Trust.
"We are delighted to announce the establishment of the Felix E. Martin Jr. Scholarship to enable outstanding students from this area to attend UK's Gatton College of Business and Economics," said Rod Tompkins, the executor and trustee of the Felix E. Martin Jr. Trust and a 1961 graduate of the university. "The generosity of Mr. Martin will benefit generations to come as they pursue a higher education and prepare for their careers."
Martin, a native of Greenville, Ky. and a 1954 graduate of what was then known as the UK College of Commerce, died last November at the age of 80.
The gift by Martin's estate establishes a $2.8 million endowment which will provide four-year scholarships to students who meet specified academic criteria and have declared their intention to major in one of the degree programs offered by the Gatton College. In any given year where the available scholarship positions are not filled by students from Muhlenberg County high schools, scholarships will be offered to qualifying students from Hopkins County.
D. Sudharshan, dean of the Gatton College, said, "What a wonderful legacy and living memorial to this great Kentuckian."
In addition to a successful business career with Southern Bell Telephone Company, Martin served his country in the U.S. Maritime Service, and later in the U.S. Army, earning two Bronze Stars for his military service in Korea with the 101st Airborne Division.
The Lucille Caudill Little Foundation's $1 million gift will be matched by Bucks for Brains funding and other philanthropy to create the $3 million endowment.
The college dreams of students growing up in Muhlenberg County have moved a big step closer to reality, thanks to a gift from the Felix E. Martin Jr. Trust.
"We are delighted to announce the establishment of the Felix E. Martin Jr. Scholarship to enable outstanding students from this area to attend UK's Gatton College of Business and Economics," said Rod Tompkins, the executor and trustee of the Felix E. Martin Jr. Trust and a 1961 graduate of the university. "The generosity of Mr. Martin will benefit generations to come as they pursue a higher education and prepare for their careers."
Martin, a native of Greenville, Ky. and a 1954 graduate of what was then known as the UK College of Commerce, died last November at the age of 80.
The gift by Martin's estate establishes a $2.8 million endowment which will provide four-year scholarships to students who meet specified academic criteria and have declared their intention to major in one of the degree programs offered by the Gatton College. In any given year where the available scholarship positions are not filled by students from Muhlenberg County high schools, scholarships will be offered to qualifying students from Hopkins County.
D. Sudharshan, dean of the Gatton College, said, "What a wonderful legacy and living memorial to this great Kentuckian."
In addition to a successful business career with Southern Bell Telephone Company, Martin served his country in the U.S. Maritime Service, and later in the U.S. Army, earning two Bronze Stars for his military service in Korea with the 101st Airborne Division.