UK Community & Leadership Development

UK Community & Leadership Development Community and Leadership Development (CLD) page has been set up to allow alumni, faculty and current students to network. P.

Part of the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food & Environment at the University of Kentucky. Who We Are — What We Do — Why We Do It

Formed in the College of Agriculture in 2002, the Department of Community & Leadership Development brought faculty from rural sociology, agricultural education, agricultural communication, and program-and-staff development together in one unit. Forming a new d

epartment out of constituent pieces has meant changes not only for the department but in the history of the College of Agriculture at the University of Kentucky. For example, both our undergraduate and graduate degree programs have been reorganized to better integrate and utilize the resources of the entire department, the agricultural communications program has been refocused on community communication to highlight the fundamental role of communication in both community and leadership development, and programs which were previously instruction-based (community communication and agricultural education) now contain active and successful research components. Our faculty has strong disciplinary training in such fields as communication, education, and rural sociology and takes pride in their disciplinary homes. When it comes to our overall focus, however, we are moving beyond the disciplinary approach of the past. Believing it best represents contemporary approaches to 21st century reality, we are more about the processes of functioning effectively in community and fostering ethical leadership. We are located on the 3rd, 5th, and 7th floors of the W. Garrigus Building located at 325 Cooper Drive (corner of Nicholasville Road and Cooper Drive).

Despite a few raindrops, today’s ribbon cutting for the Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building was a fantastic cel...
05/21/2026

Despite a few raindrops, today’s ribbon cutting for the Martin-Gatton Agricultural Sciences Building was a fantastic celebration! State, local, and university dignitaries joined together to officially cut the ribbon and mark the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our campus community.

Guests enjoyed a cake designed to look just like the new building and had the opportunity to tour incredible displays from the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment departments that will soon call this space home. The innovation, collaboration, and energy on display made it easy to imagine how vibrant this building will be once it is filled with students, faculty, and staff.

What an exciting day for the future of agricultural sciences, CLD and Agricultural Education and Advocacy at the University of Kentucky!

Last Thursday evening, the Community and Leadership Development Department hosted our annual Academic Showcase, celebrat...
05/11/2026

Last Thursday evening, the Community and Leadership Development Department hosted our annual Academic Showcase, celebrating the outstanding work and achievements of our students. The evening featured CLD 497 Practicum poster presentations, academic and scholarly awards presentations, and recognition of many other student accomplishments throughout the year. Congratulations to all of our students for their hard work, dedication, and continued success!

Read how our CLD 320 Students are collaborating with local businesses to develop plans for growth in the community.
04/29/2026

Read how our CLD 320 Students are collaborating with local businesses to develop plans for growth in the community.

Story and Photos provided by Dr. Brad Olson The “CLD 320 Distillery District Marketing Project” was a course-based collaboration between members of the Distillery District Business Owners Association (DDBOA) and the University of Kentucky (UK) . The project emerged from an initial connection bet...

Last evening, our CLD 497 students showcased the results of a semester’s worth of dedication during the Practicum Poster...
04/29/2026

Last evening, our CLD 497 students showcased the results of a semester’s worth of dedication during the Practicum Poster Presentations in Garrigus. From start to finish, it was inspiring to see the creativity, professionalism, and real-world impact reflected in each project.

Students shared their work with attendees and judges, highlighting the meaningful partnerships they built with sponsors throughout the semester. These experiences truly demonstrate the power of applied learning and community engagement.

We’re excited to see these projects again as they are presented during our annual CLD Academic Showcase next week!

Congratulations to all of our students on your hard work, commitment, and strong finish to the semester as we head into the final week of classes. 👏

UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

Big week for our Community and Leadership Development (CLD) program! 🎓✨Please join us in congratulating our five outstan...
04/23/2026

Big week for our Community and Leadership Development (CLD) program! 🎓✨

Please join us in congratulating our five outstanding graduate students who successfully defended their Theses / Creative Components this past week:

Noranne Hendricks
Ricky Lumpkin
Hannah Grace Childress
Allison Reaves
Heather MacKenzie

Each of these students has demonstrated incredible dedication, passion, and scholarship in reaching this milestone. We are proud of their hard work and excited to see the impact they will make moving forward.

Congratulations again, graduates—you’ve earned it! 👏🎉

UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment

CLD Faculty member, Dr. Nicole Breazeale, is helping lead an exciting new effort at UK: the Storytelling for Engagement ...
03/05/2026

CLD Faculty member, Dr. Nicole Breazeale, is helping lead an exciting new effort at UK: the Storytelling for Engagement Community of Practice (SECoP). This project brings together Extension professionals, researchers, health departments, community developers, social services, and arts organizations to strengthen how we connect with communities. Under Nicole’s co-leadership, SECoP is all about turning research into real engagement and bringing people together in meaningful ways.

UK Happenings UK Land-grant Engagement project unites communities through storytelling techniques By Christopher Carney Wednesday of LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 4, 2026) — The University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) and the UK College of Public Health (CP...

Congratulation to Avery, one of our Agriculture Education and Advocacy students!
02/24/2026

Congratulation to Avery, one of our Agriculture Education and Advocacy students!

Congratulations to CLD Alumna - Hannah Sharp-Johnson! 😸💙
02/23/2026

Congratulations to CLD Alumna - Hannah Sharp-Johnson! 😸💙

UK Happenings Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program announces Class 15 By Christopher Carney Monday The Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program’s Class 15. Photo provided by KALP. LEXINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 23, 2026) — The Kentucky Agricultural Leadership Program (KALP), which recently celeb...

Address

Lexington, KY

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when UK Community & Leadership Development posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The University

Send a message to UK Community & Leadership Development:

Shortcuts

Share

Category