Gaines Center offers creativity

 

 

By Chelsea O’Connor

A group of UK students are working to complete independent projects aiming to positively influence the Lexington community.

Between 11 to 13 Gaines fellows are selected every year from a pool of applicants, and if accepted, the students must complete hours in humanities and take part in the independent jury project.

“It has given me the ability to join a close fellowship of individuals studying a variety of subjects who are united by our common passion for learning and our desire to impact and play an active role in our community,” he said.

Chapman said the program has given him a greater appreciation for a variety of subjects that he otherwise would not have been exposed to.

The program consists of eight credit hours of humanities-based seminars during the fellows’ junior year, said Nazeeha Jawahir, a chemistry and philosophy junior.

Jawahir said the students choose their own project that two advisers in the field related to it judge, one from UK and one from the local community.

“For me, I’ve been trying to help organize a free medical clinic with volunteers from my local mosque, so one juror was a UK professor who leads our local mosque, and my other juror was a medical doctor who will be one of the volunteers,” she said.

As seniors, fellows write a thesis on any humanities-related topic, which they will defend in front of a committee, Jawahir said.

The program is located in three historic buildings between UK and downtown Lexington to establish a relationship between the campus and surrounding community, according to the Gaines Fellowship Web site.

Students in any major can apply to be a Gaines fellow, and for more information visit the Web site, (http://www.uky.edu/OtherOrgs/GainesCenter/.).