UK honors 2025 Hall of Distinguished Alumni

From Kentucky to every corner of the globe, University of Kentucky alumni are shaping lives, advancing knowledge and creating change. This weekend, 20 of those leaders and innovators were inducted into the UK Hall of Distinguished Alumni, the highest honor bestowed by the UK Alumni Association. 

Held every five years, the Hall recognizes UK graduates whose achievements bring distinction to the university and inspire current students, faculty and fellow alumni through excellence across the arts, sciences, public service, business, education and beyond. With the addition of the 2025 class, a total of 353 alumni have now received this honor since its inception in 1965. 

As part of the ceremony, a special video was shown to the newest inductees, featuring past members of the Hall of Distinguished Alumni welcoming them to this prestigious group and reflecting on the meaning of the honor. 

“The newest members of the Hall of Distinguished Alumni are not only graduates of this institution, they are the keepers of our legacy and the teachers of what it means to live our mission of advancing Kentucky,” said UK President Eli Capilouto. “They remind us that the value of a University of Kentucky education is not measured in accolades alone, but in the lives made stronger and the futures made brighter because of their influence.” 

The inductees included: 

Terry L. Birdwhistell*, Ph.D.

M.A. ’74 – History, College of Arts and Sciences  

M.A. ’78 – Library Science, College of Communication and Information  

Ed.D. ’94 – Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation, College of Education  

Willis K. Bright Jr.  

B.A. ’66 – Social Work, College of Social Work   

Clyde R. Carpenter*  

B.S. ’59 – Civil Engineering, College of Design  

Xiangming “Jack” Cheng, Ph.D.

Ph.D. ’00 – Materials Science and Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering  

M.B.A. ’03 – Business Administration, Gatton College of Business and Economics  

Rebecca M. Cowen-Hirsch  

B.S. ’88 – Electrical Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering, Lewis Honors College  

Ambassador Kelly Craft  

B.A. ’85 – Topical Studies, College of Arts and Sciences  

Brian L. Cury  

B.A. ’81 – Topical Studies, College of Fine Arts  

James “Jimmy” P. Dunne  

B.A. ’77 – Topical Studies, College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis Honors College  

Michael T. Eaves  

B.A. ’94 – Journalism, College of Communication and Information  

Ambassador Christine A. Elder  

B.A. ’89 – German, College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis Honors College  

Robert “Bob” Hall Jr.  

B.S. ’53 – Agriculture, Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment  

Samuel “Sam” N. Hazen  

B.B.A. ’82 – Business Administration, Gatton College of Business and Economics  

Rebecca B. Liebert  

B.S. ’90 – Chemical Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering  

Michael L. Marberry  

B.S. ’81 – Chemical Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering  

M.S. ’83 – Chemical Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering  

Earl F. “Marty” Martin III  

B.A. ’84 – Communication, College of Communication and Information  

J.D. ’87 – Law, J. David Rosenberg College of Law  

Ouita K. Michel  

B.A. ’87 – Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences, Lewis Honors College  

Caroline R. Pogge, Dr.P.H.

M.S. ’99 – Health Administration, College of Public Health  

David B. Ratterman  

B.S. ’68 – Mechanical Engineering, Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering  

J. David Rosenberg  

J.D. ’73 – Law, J. David Rosenberg College of Law  

Pamela S. Whitten, Ph.D.

M.A. ’86 – Communication, College of Communication and Information  

*Terry L. Birdwhistell died in 2023 at the age of 72. Clyde R. Carpenter died in 2022 at the age of 84.  

To read full biographies of the 2025 inductees and learn more about the Hall of Distinguished Alumni, visit www.ukalumni.net/HODA.