News Briefs

Donation to fund global design contest

The UK Board of Trustees is expected to accept more than $5.5 million at its board meeting today for a proposed international design competition to be housed at the UK College of Design.

The donation, from the Curry Stone Foundation, would be presented to the university over 10 years and would also establish a chair in the field of contemporary design, according to Michael Speaks, dean of the College of Design.

The annual prize given by the foundation, established by UK alumnus Clifford Curry, will be $100,000 for exceptional emerging designers with extraordinary design projects or ideas that contribute to living conditions for global humanity, according to a news release.

Two UK programs honored for environmental contributions

Two UK groups were among those honored late last week in Frankfort by the Kentucky Environmental Quality Commission for significant contributions to the environment.

The Water Pioneers Water Quality Program received a 2008 Earth Day Award for sponsoring an in-depth study of Appalachian watersheds for students enrolled in the Robinson Scholars Program.

The Bluegrass Partnership for a Green Community was also awarded for its efforts over the past two years in the Conference of Mayors’ City Recycling Challenge. More than 3.7 million cans were collected in Fayette County as part of the week-long program in 2006 and more than 10 million cans were collected during the week in 2007. The program was sponsored by a partnership between UK, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and Fayette County Public Schools.