Derek Nikitas admits a fascination with news reports of “ordinary people making extraordinarily poor decisions, mostly because the reports themselves aren’t complete enough. They never get into the deep psychology of the perpetrator. So my imagination starts to churn.”

For Eastern’s Department of English and Theatre, it has been a busy, perhaps unprecedented, year for academic research and creative works.

Eastern has named seven educational extension agents to serve throughout the University’s 22-county primary service region.

Dr. Mary Smith-Stowe, president of Kentucky State University from 1989 to 1998, will address “Race Gender and Leadership in Higher Education” in the Combs Building’s Grise Auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Seven more names were added to the College of Education Wall of Honor during ceremonies on Oct. 29. Front row, from left, are Clara Parrish, representing the late Mabel Jennings; Rosalee Edwards; Sue Long; and Lisa Caudill, representing the late Michael Caudill. Back row are inductees William Alfred Morris, second from left; Jon Draud, third from left; and Lee Gentry, fifth from left. They are joined by Billy Thames, director of field services for the College of Education; President Whitlock; and Bill Phillips, dean of the College of Education. (EKU Public Relations Photo by Tim Webb.)

EKU Libraries and the Office of Graduate Education and Research are raising awareness for scholarly and creative achievements through the launch of a new series of webcasts, Focus on Scholarship.

Dr. Connie Callahan, chair of the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, was named Counselor of the Year at the recent Kentucky Counseling Association conference.

Dr. James Conneely, Associate Provost and Vice President of Student Affairs, has been appointed chairperson of the James E. Scott National Academy for Leadership and Executive Effectiveness Advisory Board.

The next lecture in EKU’s Chautauqua Lecture Series, “Creative Inquiries,” will feature robotics expert James McLurkin.

Linda Fossen, associate vice president/dean of enrollment at EKU, was among the authors honored by the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange at the University of Oklahoma at the National Symposium on Student Retention held in Buffalo, N.Y.

The Friends of EKU Libraries will hold its third annual dinner Friday, Nov. 6, featuring presentations by leaders from local county quilt trail projects.

The work of 35 Eastern graphic design students and eight alumni will be on display at Giles Gallery Nov. 4-23.

Tim Mooney will present “Moliere Than Thou: A One-Man Introduction to the Playwright’s Classic Comedies” on campus Monday, Nov. 2.

EKU’s Percussion Studio will present a concert Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Brock Auditorium.

Chemistry major Michael G. Mazzotta is among 60 students nationwide to receive the Phi Kappa Phi Emerging Scholar Award, which recognizes rising sophomores.

Recent Eastern graduate John Brent was awarded second place in an international research paper competition sponsored by the American Society of Criminology’s Division on Critical Criminology.

QEP Stars, a regular feature in EKUpdate, will take a look at those faculty members who are incorporating critical/creative thinking and communication strategies with their students. The feature hopes to show how those strategies have impacted the classroom experience, both from a learning and teaching standpoint. This issue's "QEP Star" is Erin Barnett, Orientation Courses Coordinator.

Marianne McAdam, director of Dance Theatre and professor in Excercise & Sport Science, is featured in this ongoing series designed to allow EKU leaders and others in prominent positions to discuss their roles as well as campus issues. McAdam worked in a research study that examined the effects of exercise on bone density for seven years before joining the EKU faculty in 1989 for her "dream job." She holds a bachelor's degree in dance education from the State University of New York, and from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a master's degree in dance education/kinesiology and a doctorate in dance kinesiology/biology of aging.

Barbara Ramey, Biological Sciences, was awarded $7,700 from Western Kentucky University to support high school and middle school participants in the Kentucky Science and Engineering Fair in 2010.

Michael Rodriguez, Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, was awarded $14,000 from the Kentucky Small Business Development Center at the University of Kentucky to continue operation of the EKU Small Business Development Center, providing business counseling, training, and information to existing and prospective business owners in a 15-county service area in central and eastern Kentucky.

Ian Mooers, Center for Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Technology, was awarded $14,500 from Kentucky State University to conduct an inventory and feasibility study of a Pennyrile Development District artisan project.

Carol Gabbard, College of Education, was awarded $170,000 from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education for the continuation of the GEAR UP II: E-Mentoring for a Purpose Grant.

Larry Collins, Safety, Security, and Emergency Management, was awarded $10,392 from the International Society of Fire Service Instructors to support a student research assistant for a project examining NIOSH line-of-duty death reports and recent test information.

Shirley Rivard, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Student Services, was awarded $197,559 from the Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the provision of services to deaf and hard of hearing students at EKU.

Bill St. Pierre, Continuing Education and Outreach, was awarded $111,678 from the United States Department of Agriculture to provide innovative technology and telecommunications equipment to EKU campuses in Manchester, Corbin, and Hazard.