One Year Later: Alumni Commons Reflection  

 One year ago, UK Alumni Association current and former volunteers, alongside members of the campus community, gathered for the dedication of Alumni Commons. Nestled along Rose Street between Columbia Avenue and Huguelet Avenue, you’ll find the modernized pedestrian corridor that warmly welcomes students, faculty and staff on a daily basis, that was once a traffic nightmare.  

From 1958 to 2008, over 70 articles appeared in the Kentucky Kernel about the ‘Rose Street problem,’ due to its perplexity as a main thoroughfare for vehicles and pedestrians. Throughout the decades, many ideas were considered about how to address the problem. The best solution was determined to be converting the road into a pedestrian corridor, revitalizing the area into a safe space for walking and an engaging area for gathering and events.   

Late in the fall semester of 2021, I was called to an early morning meeting on the top floor of Patterson Office Tower to discuss this new project. Colleagues from Capital Projects and Philanthropy shared the plans for this space that would further transform our campus. I looked out the windows from high atop POT where you could clearly see the space in its current state. To transform this space, a donor was needed to cover costs for about 1/3 of the project.  

Nervous but excited, I left that meeting knowing that my next step was to share this opportunity with the current UK Alumni Association officers. After informing them of the plans, they were all in. Our next step was to talk to the executive committee in January of 2022. They were also all in. And, by April of 2022, the full board had been made aware of the opportunity and unanimously agreed to fund the Rose Street project.   

Last year’s dedication was a memorable celebration of the new look of this storied space. When reflecting on a campus landmark, one often realizes how these places carry more than just architectural or historical significance – they are embedded with personal and collective memories that shape the identity of a university. Landmarks have the power to evoke a sense of belonging or nostalgia.  

At the dedication, I shared a story about my father and grandfather who attended UK about 20 years apart. My grandfather, the late Tommy Holloway, came to UK in the fall of 1948 from Sedalia, Kentucky. His dorm assignment was Bradley Hall, part of the original quad, and located on the west side of Rose Street.  In the fall of 1969, my father, Jim Holloway, made the trek to Lexington to begin his college career. His dorm assignment was the former Haggin Hall, located on the east side of Rose Street. Both lived on campus in the shadows of what we now know as Alumni Commons. I too lived on campus in the fall of 2001 in the Kirwin-Blanding complex and crossing Rose Street to get to class was part of my daily routine. In my family, three generations remember Rose Street as part of their campus experience.  

Since this project’s inception, I’ve thought a lot about the artery of campus that is Rose Street. Chandler Hospital and downtown Lexington are its book ends, and the street itself is chock full of memories. With each generation of Wildcats, our campus looks a little bit different, ever expanding and improving to serve the Commonwealth of Kentucky.   

Landmarks, like Alumni Commons, are markers of key moments in the lives of students, faculty, staff and alumni. It is not just a physical space but symbolizes growth, learning and shared experiences. Over time, a landmark may evolve or change but its emotional significance often remains timeless, serving as a reminder of where the institution has been and how far it has come.  

Since the establishment of Alumni Commons, it’s been heartwarming to see daily gatherings of students, classes meeting outside on nice days, photographs being taken in the area and special events and traditions that have started as a result of the revitalized space. A few noteworthy activities from the past year include: 
  

• Wildcat Welcome Festival during K Week 2023, the first ever event at Alumni Commons that included music, free food and games.   

• The 2023 Homecoming Block Party, an event open to the campus community and UK families that included games, free food, music and an appearance by the Homecoming Royalty candidates.   

• The 2024 Eclipse Viewing Party, where students gathered with friends and fellow students to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse.   

• Wildcat Wrap-up during spring of 2024, an event for graduating students to reflect on their time at UK. Students had an opportunity to make their very own stuffed Wildcat, a chance to take photos with the mascots and participated in a march through the Alumni Commons gates to commemorate their transition from students to alumni.    

• Wildcat Welcome Festival during K Week 2024, the first event of K Week that engaged over 4,800 new Wildcats! New students were welcomed through the gates of Alumni Commons and received a sticker sheet outlining the story of the project, their K Week T-shirts and popsicles. Students enjoyed live music and interactive opportunities throughout the evening.   

• Campus Ruckus during K Week, an event that gave students a chance to learn about the hundreds of student organizations at the university and concluded with the first ever drone show on campus!   
   

With one full academic year with a completed Alumni Commons, it’s been exciting to see the space utilized by our campus community! What was once just an idea is now part of the campus fabric, leaving a lasting impact for years to come. I am extremely grateful to the UK Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and leadership, past and present, for supporting the gift to make this project possible.  

Within the gates of Alumni Commons is a dedication wall that reads: “Alumni Commons is dedicated to our alumni family, reflecting the deep and resounding appreciation that the University of Kentucky holds for its graduates.” As alumni, our experiences at UK are core to our identities. The lifelong bonds we form as students and the traditions we hold so dear stay with us wherever life takes us after graduation. Alumni Commons sits right in the heart of campus and celebrates the University of Kentucky for ALL alumni. It will foster connections, inspire students and be a place for alumni to come back and re-live their time as Wildcats.  

Next time you’re on campus, be sure to visit Alumni Commons and enjoy the scenery of this transformed space full of big blue memories!  

Sincerely,   

 Jill H. Smith ’05, ‘11  
Associate Vice President for Stakeholder Engagement  
Executive Director, UK Alumni Association