By Jill Seelmeyer

In 1996, UK founded the Robinson Scholars Program to give the students of Eastern Kentucky a better chance of earning a college degree. Now, UK Athletics is doing its part to increase these efforts.

At a news conference Monday, UK Athletics announced its commitment to giving $500,000 annually to  expand scholarships for the Robinson Scholars Program and scholarships for students from Eastern Kentucky.

The department currently gives $1.2 million to UK for non-athletic, need-based scholarships and Singletary scholars, but the additional $500,000 commitment was made possible through a recent deal between Southeastern Conference schools and ESPN, said Rob Mullens, deputy director of UK Athletics.

“UK Athletics is so pleased that this $500,000 commitment from athletics will be focused on scholarship support for students from the Eastern Kentucky region, including additional support for the Robinson Scholars Program,” Mullens said.

The Robinson Scholars Program serves first-generation college-bound and college students who might encounter economic, cultural or institutional obstacles to four-year college degrees, according to the program’s Web site.

Jeff Spradling has worked as the research administrative coordinator for the UK Center for Poverty Research for the last four years and was introduced as the new director of the scholarship program at the news conference.

Spradling also served as the assistant director of the UK Appalachian Center, according to a news release.

The Robinson Scholars Program currently provides scholarships to 29 first-generation college students, each from a different county in Eastern Kentucky.

Nursing junior Kayla Scalf, a Robinson scholar from Clay County, said the program not only provides financial assistance for students, but gives those from Eastern Kentucky a support system as well.

“They’re really great in helping you along and being a guiding light,” Scalf said. “They really care if you make it and want you to succeed.”

Scalf said she is glad the athletic department’s financial commitment has generated attention for the Robinson Scholars Program.

President Lee Todd spoke about the importance of maintaining a balance between athletics and academics.

“There’s an elastic band that keeps them tied back to this institution, and it’s athletics,” Todd said.

Todd said the athletic department’s commitment to providing scholarships for Eastern Kentucky students is symbolic of the support the region provides to UK Athletics.

Provost Kumble Subbaswamy said the $500,000 commitment from the department would help increase the number of Eastern Kentucky students able to enter the program as eighth-grade students and complete the college preparatory portion of the program. It will also provide additional need-based scholarships for other Appalachian students.

“This gift from athletics will help ensure that when these scholarships are competitively awarded in the senior year of high school, the funds will be there,” Subbaswamy said.