Information for Parents & Family

Welcome to the Lewis Honors Family Community!

Whether you are a family member supporting a prospective or current Lewis Honors College student, we welcome you to the Lewis Honors Family Community led by the Family Advisory Council and the larger University of Kentucky Parent and Family Association.

For an overview of the 2025-2026 academic calendar year, click here.

Emily received multiple offers from various university Honors programs including UK Lewis Honors College. After reviewing all the benefits that UK Lewis offers she happily chose Lewis and is having the time of her life meeting wonderful faculty and new friends also in Honors. As a parent, it made my heart sing to receive a letter from her, about 3 weeks in, saying 'Mom, I love it here at UK and Lewis Honors is the best decision I have ever made.'

Kelli Hardeman

Mom of Emily Hardeman-Erbar '27

Support for Students

Academic Advisors

Each Lewis Honors College student is assigned an academic advisor who will be a constant resource until graduation.

CPD Counselors

Each Lewis Honors College student is assigned a Center for Personal Development counselor to cultivate self-awareness, well-being, and career readiness.

Peer Mentors

Each Lewis Honors College student is assigned a Peer Mentor who fosters a sense of community in the Honors Residential Experience.

Alumni Mentoring

Sophomores may apply for an alumni mentor who will assist students in developing professional skills and positive life habits.

A group of people sitting in a circle, laughing while eating ice cream.

Student Involvement

Students can explore a variety of clubs and organizations to establish their sense of community.

A group of students sitting in a lecture hall listening intently. The camera is focused on a boy in a red shirt and a blue lanyard.

Student Resources

Students have access to many resources to ensure student success.

Stay in Touch

We invite you to follow us on social media @ukyhonors, join us for events, or contact us at honors@uky.edu or 859-257-3111.

News and Upcoming Events

TEK announces 2026-27 Faculty Fellows cohort

By Jennifer Osterhage

Sep 4, 2026

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 4, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Office of Transdisciplinary Educational approaches to advance Kentucky (TEK) has announced the TEK Faculty Fellows for the 2026-27 academic year, which includes Adrian Magendzo, Ruth Jones Lewis Faculty Scholar in Entrepreneurship. A critical mission of TEK is the development of new transdisciplinary courses and the reimagining of existing courses to emphasize one or more essential career skills.

VR practice for public speaking: Brandi Frisby’s CURATE research

By Christian Honce

Sep 2, 2026

Brandi Frisby, Ph.D., associate provost for academic affairs and former acting dean of the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information (CI) in the School of Information Science at the University of Kentucky, and her team (including Honors faculty member Joe Martin, Ph.D.) examined how 360-degree video and virtual reality (VR) headsets can evolve public speaking pedagogy to better serve students and prepare them for the workforce.

Boost the blood supply: DOUGH-nate at upcoming campus drives

By Eric Lindsey

Aug 28, 2026

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 28. 2026) — The great thing about donating blood is that just about anyone can do it. No “dough” is needed to make a difference in your community — all it takes is a little bit of time and a pint of blood. Stop by the Lewis Honors College (Scholars Student Lounge) from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 3 or Friday, Sept. 4.

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