COE Communicator Volume 1 | Page 18

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION EDUCATIONAL POLICY STUDIES Thelin Authors Book on History of Philanthropy in Higher Education Dr. John Thelin, professor of higher education and public policy in the University of Kentucky College of Education, and Dr. Richard Trollinger, vice president of Centre College, have co-authored a book on the history of philanthropy and its role in the evolution of American higher education.  “Philanthropy and American Higher Education” is the third project on which Thelin and Trollinger have collaborated. According to the book’s description, it outlines their belief that “support of higher education through philanthropy is central to the historic and future character of colleges and universities.”  Thelin, who also has a joint appointment with the UK Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, came to UK in 1996. Since then, he has become nationally renowned as one of UK’s experts on higher education history, policies and issues. An alumnus of Brown University, he received his master’s degree in American history and doctorate in the history of education from the University of California, Berkeley.  He went on to work in a variety of administrative positions in higher education, and eventually became research director for California’s 64 independent colleges and universities in 1979, which sparked his interest and involvement with public policy at the state and federal levels. Over the years, Thelin developed even more interests ranging from the study of philanthropy and foundations to economics of higher education to the study of college sports.  His book, “A History of American Higher Education,” has remained the standard account of the evolution of American universities and colleges since its publication in 2004 by the Johns Hopkins University Press. Professor John Thelin Kinesiology and Health Promotion Clasey receives funding for project to examine factors in weight gain Dr. Jody Clasey has received funding to build partnerships in Clay County that will help look at the impact of circadian rhythms as factors that may contribute to weight gain in children. With new findings implicating time of feeding and time of activity as contributors to circadian health, there is reason to believe these lifestyle factors may contribute to metabolic health in children, but to date, very little is known.  Clasey is an associate professor in the UK College of Education Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. For the study in Clay County she is a co-principal investigator among a team of experts awarded funding for projects to develop sustainable, interdisciplinary, community engaged research in Appalachia. The funding is provided by the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCTS), in conjunction with the Appalachian Translational Research Network (ATRN). Each project was awarded $100,000 over two years to build partnerships between academic researchers and community 18 stakeholders. It is the first pilot funding opportunity from CCTS to require that projects have a community advisory board and that responsibility for the study is shared between the academic and community partners.  Clasey’s project, “Circadian Rhythm Parameters and Metabolic Syndrome Associated Factors in Young Children,” is led by Clasey and Dr. Karyn Esser, professor in the UK College of Medicine Department of Physiology. The work draws on the diverse expertise of UK researchers from public health