Out of the Big Blue

Judson Kinnucan ’98 BE is the founder and CEO of Chicago nonprofit Bin Donated which partners with Chicago hotels, corporations, residential buildings and foundations to collect and distribute in-kind donations for local nonprofits.

Judson Kinnucan

Last fall, producers contacted him about filming a documentary chronicling the daily activities and mission behind Bin Donated. Figuring that it would be great publicity for the fledgling organization, Kinnucan obliged.

Little did he know that the producers were actually from ABC’s  television show “Secret Millionaire,” which takes self-made millionaires undercover to work at a local nonprofit during the show. At the end of the week’s taping, the millionaire makes a large donation to the charity to which he or she volunteered.

Chicago-based millionaire, author, producer, business and success expert and public speaker Steve Kaplan is the undercover millionaire that will be featured in Kinnucan’s Bin Donated episode.

“This whole thing has been incredible! Meeting Steve and being able to show him the insider’s view of Bin Donated is an experience I’ll never forget. His willingness to dig into what we do and why we do it was amazing. Of course, his generosity to help move our mission forward floored us,” said Kinnucan.

Kinnucan has been “paying it forward” ever since he started Bin Donated in 2009. He says he almost went bankrupt after quitting his full-time job to focus on the organization, but was passionate about helping those less fortunate.

To watch Kinnucan on “Secret Millionaire,” tune in to ABC on Sunday, July 1, at 8 p.m. EDT.

For more information about Kinnucan and Bin Donated, click here.

There are some people who return to their hometown after college and make a real, viable difference in their community. One of these individuals is Joan Hoffman ’64 AS. She was honored earlier this month as the Henderson Chamber of Commerce 2012 Distinguished Citizen of the Year.

Through her time as a teacher, school administrator, community volunteer and Henderson’s first female mayor, she has touched the lives of those in Henderson and beyond. Congratulations to Joan Hoffman on this much-deserved reward!

To read more about Hoffman and her recent honor, click here.

Joan Hoffman

UK Athletics recently rolled out a fun, interactive campaign that is already creating excitement for the upcoming football season. Using #WeAreUK on Twitter or Instagram will allow fans to have the chance to be featured in UK Athletics’ online hub at http://interactive.ukathletics.com/weareuk/

In addition to the hub, UK Athletics will also be using fans’ tweets in a number of different ways over the summer, most noticeably on billboards across the Commonwealth. Once the football season starts, UK Athletics will also incorporate tweets into the rotation on the video board and ribbon boards.

How neat would it be to see your Twitter handle being displayed across Commonwealth Stadium this fall? For more information about #WeAreUK, click here.

Playing the piano wasn’t always Robert Boguslaw’s passion. “I started playing at the age of six,” he says. “I never took it seriously until college at the University of Miami. Then, I practiced four to eight hours a day on top of my studies, classes and other activities.”

Robert Boguslaw

After completing an undergraduate degree, Boguslaw came to the University of Kentucky where he received his master’s degree from the College of Fine Arts.

It was at UK that one of Boguslaw’s mentors, professor emeritus of piano Lucien Stark, left a note in Boguslaw’s mailbox that would change the course of his career.

“Dr. Lucien Stark was a brilliant teacher,” says Boguslaw. “I was working on my doctorate at UK and he left me a note in my mailbox saying that a former student of his had left a position with the United States Marine Corps Band. I was not inclined towards going to a military band but thought it would be a good job.”

So, Boguslaw began the rigorous interview and auditioning process to be part of “The President’s Own.”

The United States Marine Corps Band was founded by Congress in 1798, and is America’s oldest professional music organization. The band’s primary mission is to play for the President of the United States and Commandant of the Marine Corps. Every year, the band performs hundreds of concerts at events for the president.

In December 1990, Boguslaw auditioned for a coveted place in the band and got the spot. Since then, he has progressed to the highest rank that members of the United States Marine Corps Band may attain, Master Gunnery Sergeant.

He has had some once in a lifetime experiences as part of the band.

“Ninety to 95 percent of the jobs I play I don’t meet or talk to anyone,” he says. “I sometimes see the president coming and going. I was called the day before President Obama’s inauguration and told that I would be playing piano at a reception that followed one of the inaugural balls. The president came in, tapped me on the shoulder and I said ‘Welcome to the White House.’ Since I was playing jazz music, he said ‘I didn’t know the marine band plays this kind of music,’ and I replied ‘We play whatever the president likes.’”

At that same reception, Boguslaw was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of playing with the great jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis. Another interesting experience was playing alongside legendary opera singer Renee Fleming while President Bill Clinton listened on. He also recently had the opportunity to play at the Presidential Medal of Freedom Awards and shake John Glenn’s hand.

While not playing with “The President’s Own,” Boguslaw does freelance work in the Washington, D.C.-area.

Boguslaw with President Bill Clinton.

The University of Kentucky Alumni Association is proud to offer Alumni Career Services which are available in person, by phone, through e-mail and via Skype. Our alumni career counselors can assist you in all phases of your career/job search including: administering career assessments and exploring career fields, identifying marketable skills, updating your resume, researching employers, preparing for an interview or customizing a job search campaign.

In today’s competitive job market, this resource is invaluable! Lots of alums and association members have benefited from this service. We recently received the note below from a satisfied alum.

“…I wanted to give you my sincerest thanks for helping me through the interviews. Your guidance made me feel confident and knowledgeable about what to expect through both interviews.  It is because of you that I had the two most successful interviews I have had so far in hunt for a full time job. It was also wonderful that you were willing to so easily schedule an appointment with me, even on the weekends!  Regardless of the decision by the hiring manager, I will be forever grateful for the advice and assistance you provided.  I now have the tools to confidently move forward with my job search and am sure I will land a job soon thanks to your assistance. I’m proud to be a UK alumni and so happy these services exist.”

We think that says it all. For more information about Alumni Career Services, click here.

While walking around UK’s campus a few weeks ago, I came across a sight that many UK students, faculty and staff see on a daily basis. It is a small fountain-like structure beside Miller Hall. Though it is worn and faded from years of exposure to the elements, one can still see ‘The Class of 1905’ carved across the top of the fountain. I, too, had seen this particular marker in the past but hadn’t given it much thought. Since I had a camera with me, I decided to snap a photo.

A few days later, I was still wondering about that structure. What is it? Why is the “Class of 1905” inscribed across the top? Even though it was in the center of campus with bustling activity all around, it seemed to be lonely and almost forgotten.

So, I decided to use UK’s great resources, the M.I. King Library’s Special Collections and William T. Young Library (which has the world’s largest collection of Kentucky newspapers, many major U.S. papers and several foreign papers) to find out more about this monument.

As I suspected, it was given to the university by the class of 1905 as a gift upon their graduation. The UK Alumni Association’s 1905 Annual Report makes mention of the gift.

“The class of 1905 conceived an idea which now stands forth embodied in imperishable stone. This is a fountain erected in memory of the class of 1905, which having passed from the halls of learning into the halls of fame, held a pity for thirsty students and a love for its alma mater.”

The report goes on to say that the students in the class of 1905 held a dedication ceremony for the fountain during the ‘Class Day’ exercises, which took place on May 31, 1905, the day before their commencement ceremony.

One of Lexington’s newspapers at the time, the Lexington Leader, also mentions the gift in articles leading up to the dedication.

“The fountain is of heavy masonry and the water will flow from the mouth of a bronze lion head. This will be the only drinking fountain on the campus.” (Lexington Leader, May 28, 1905)

“This is the first time in the history of the college that a graduating class has presented a prominent memorial that the classes to follow them may enjoy, and in the speeches (during the dedication) the hope was expressed that the sentiment that prompted the presentation of the fountain would find repetition in future years.” (Lexington Leader, May 31, 1905)

Although the bronze lion head is now gone and the years have faded the “heavy masonry,” this monument still proudly represents the love that the class of 1905 had for its alma mater.

Since 1905, classes have gifted the university with trees, historical markers and other items. What did your graduating class give to the university?

By Molly Clark

A current photo of the drinking fountain.

An old photo of the drinking fountain with the bronze lion head still attached. Photo from Explore UK.

University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy alumnus Michael “Mike” Burleson ’74 PHA was officially sworn in as President of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) at the organization’s 108th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Pa.

Burleson currently serves as executive director of the Kentucky Board of Pharmacy and has been very active in the profession within Kentucky and across the nation. Prior to his election as President of NABP, he served a one-year term as treasurer and a two-year member term representing District 3 on the Executive Committee for the organization. He has served on several NABP committees over the years as well.

Burleson has been a member of the Kentucky Pharmacists Association since 1974, having served two terms as a KPhA board member. He has been actively involved in the Tri-County Pharmacists Association, and served the organization as its treasurer for 12 years.

In 1995, he was named Outstanding Alumnus of the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy.

Burleson also is a former President of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association.

*Content written by the UK College of Pharmacy

Mike Burleson