By Chelsea Barger | @KyKernel

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The School of Interior Design has named alumnus Patrick Lee Lucas as the school’s new director. Lucas will begin serving in the position on July 1.

“I hope to build on the strong 40-plus year reputation of the interiors program,” Lucas said. “I am convinced that students in the school of interiors will have the opportunities to think in large ways and small to meaningfully contribute their visions of better places to work and live.”

Lucas, who moves to UK from the University of North Carolina Greensboro, said that he would like to develop a creative relationship between the school and the community within Lexington.

“I think we will also actively engage in Lexington and in Kentucky to do meaningful design work through the interiors studios and with our partners in the institute for workplace innovation,” he said.

Current director of the School of Interior, and future interim dean, Ann Dickson says students are thrilled with the appointment.

“The student body is very excited with the appointment of Dr. Patrick Lucas,” she said. “The design students at UK immediately picked up this energy in Dr. Lucas’ presentation to the (student) body and in small group discussions they were excited by his vision for the school.”

A recipient of the UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award in 2011, Lucas is a well-decorated academic.

Lucas’ previous roles include being the chancellor’s fellow to the Lloyd International Honors College at UNC Greensboro.

In 2010 and 2011, Lucas was named the faculty fellow to the Office of Leadership Service Learning, where he studied community engagement and its impact on the department.

He also directed the faculty teaching and learning commons for UNC Greensboro.

Lucas completed his doctorate at Michigan State University in American studies.  His master’s in interior design is from UK, and his bachelor’s in architecture is from the University of Cincinnati.

Lucas’ work has been presented across the globe, focused heavily in built environments of the 19th, 20th, and the 21st centuries.

One of his works includes a manuscript entitled ‘Athens on the Frontier: Grecian Style in the Valley of the West, 1820-1860.’

More recent work includes research in Edward Lowenstein, a mid-20th century designer from Greensboro, N.C.