B.S. in Mining Engineering 1966 D.J. Patton isn’t reluctant to talk about his humble beginnings. By his account, he wasn’t a good college student, grew up in a poor family and went to a high school where the academics were well below average. For those reasons, Mr. Patton credits the University of Kentucky and, specifically, the Department of Mining Engineering, with giving him the training for a successful career in the mining industry.
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, 1982 With a civil engineer for a father and an engineering major for a brother, Steve Macadam didn’t need much persuasion that engineering offered a promising future. What he did not know at the time he enrolled at the University of Kentucky was that he would parlay his engineering degree into a successful business career.
Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, 1980 Ruth Dyer joined the faculty at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kan., in 1983. Throughout her tenure, she has built an impressive career as a professor, associate provost and now senior vice provost; but perhaps the most distinguishing aspect of her career is her substantial contributions to helping students and faculty members from underrepresented populations advance their education and careers.
B.S. in Computer Science, 1982
B.S. in Civil Engineering, 1951 When Garey White was seven years old, his father gave him a calf as a reward for doing chores on the family farm. The young entrepreneur then did what any industrious kid with a passion for construction would do: he sold the calf and bought a basic carpenter’s tool set. Thus was born an engineer who would go on to found the largest non-residential construction employer in central Kentucky.
B.S. in Computer Science, 1985 Before arriving at the University of Kentucky, Beth Weeks had very little exposure to computer science and certainly had never considered it as a viable major or career option. Strong in math, the Horse Cave, Ky., native planned to major in accounting; however, during her freshman year, she added a computer science class to her schedule and was hooked. A new career direction followed.
B.S. Chemical Engineering 1974 M.S. Chemical Engineering 1975 Ph.D. 1977
B.S. in Chemical Engineering, 1990
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, 1974 The son of a small-town family physician, Joe Halcomb grew up around medicine. From an early age, he was fascinated by the miracle of life—and the inner workings of the human body. When he came to the University of Kentucky, he looked for ways to put medicine and engineering together. Since one of his goals was to become a physician, he took pre-med courses alongside his engineering courses. This enabled him to earn a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1974 and his M.D. degree in 1978.
B.S. in Electrical Engineering, 1990 Since his days as a student at the University of Kentucky, AT&T senior vice president of corporate strategy Michael Bowling has excelled in leadership roles. Convinced that participation in student organizations would prepare him for life, Mr. Bowling served as two-term president of UK’s Student Activities Board and president of Kappa Sigma fraternity. As a result, he received the honor of being named the Otis A. Singletary Outstanding Senior Male. Without question, Mr. Bowling’s college career portended future success.
