2024 News Archive: 50�Ȼ�, Greater Cincinnati Region

U.S. News and World Report: Two Haile College Online Programs Ranked Among the Top
Two online programs in 50�Ȼ�’s Haile 50�Ȼ� Business have been ranked as top online programs in the country by U.S. News and World Report.

NKU To Host First Ever Kentucky National Personal Finance Challenge
50�Ȼ� will host the first-ever Kentucky National Personal Finance Challenge, happening on NKU’s campus in April.

NKU Professor Appointed As Sigma Liaison To United Nations
NKU Associate Professor Dr. Jitana Benton-Lee received a prestigious appointment by Sigma Global Initiatives to the post of Sigma liaison to the United Nations.

NKU Receives Dozens of Pieces of Art Depicting Moby-Dick, Likely Setting A Record
50�Ȼ� is excited to announce a donation of 66 charcoal drawings interpreting Herman Melville’s “Moby-Dick” by retired Boston College art professor and artist Aileen Callahan. With the addition of the new drawings, NKU likely has the largest collection of art depicting the literary classic at any college or university.

February

Chris Calvert Named NKU’s New VP of Finance and CFO
50�Ȼ� is excited to share that Chris Calvert, J.D., will be the university’s new Vice President for Administration and Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

NKU to Move Deadline Due to FAFSA Delays
50�Ȼ� is moving the deadline for incoming freshman to accept merit scholarship awards from May 1, 2024 to June 1, 2024.

NKU Launches Veteran Leadership Minor, First of its Kind in the Region
50�Ȼ� is proud to announce the launch of a ground breaking Veteran Leadership minor, designed to specifically recognize and credit the valuable skills and experiences gained by military and veteran students during their service in the military.

March

Long Time Professor Honored in Haile 50�Ȼ� Business
The Haile 50�Ȼ� Business at NKU proudly announces the dedication of a conference room in honor of the late Professor Sandra “Sandy” Easton.

NKU Implements Direct Admit Process to Streamline Student Enrollment
In an effort to enhance the accessibility and efficiency of its admissions process, 50�Ȼ� is proud to announce the implementation of a new Direct Admit Program

NKU to Host Economic Development Bootcamp
50�Ȼ�’s Haile 50�Ȼ� Business, in collaboration with the Center for Economic Analysis and Development (CEAD), is excited to announce its inaugural Economic Development Bootcamp, taking place from June 3 -7, 2024.

NKU to celebrate Founders’ Day with 1,968 minutes of giving
50�Ȼ� will celebrate its Founders’ Day and 56th birthday with 1,968 minutes (the year of NKU’s founding) of giving.

#Norsebound Tour 2024
NKU is taking our show on the road again this year! We’re loading up a bus with VIPs like President Cady Short-Thompson, Provost Diana McGill, Victor E. Viking and stopping at four local high schools to meet with hundreds of students to show them all that is great about being a part of Norse Nation.

Born Before AI: Where AI is taking us
In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) shapes industries, societies and our daily lives, the College of Informatics at 50�Ȼ� announces a groundbreaking lecture series, “Born Before AI”.

NKU students place in top 5 at Econ Games
The Haile 50�Ȼ� Business proudly announces the exceptional performance of its students at this year’s National Econ Games Conference.

Haile 50�Ȼ� Business recognized as Beta Gamma Sigma’s 2024 Best Practice Chapter
Haile 50�Ȼ� Business (HCOB) celebrates a significant achievement as its Beta Gamma Sigma chapter is named the 2024 Best Practice Chapter out of 630 global chapters.

April

NKU recognized as Military Friendly School with Gold distinction
50�Ȼ� is proud to announce that it has been named a Military Friendly ® School with Gold distinction. This prestigious recognition is awarded to schools that demonstrate exceptional commitment to supporting military-affiliated students and their families.

NKU President launches first-of-its-kind initiative: Women for NKU
50�Ȼ� is celebrating the formal installation of its first permanent woman President, Dr. Cady Short-Thompson, with the launch of the women’s philanthropy empowerment initiative Women for NKU.

50�Ȼ� installed first female president
Dr. Short-Thompson is the seventh president in NKU’s history and was welcomed into office during the investiture ceremony in Truist Arena at the Highland Heights campus. Dr. Short-Thompson shared her vision for the future of NKU, a place she calls home.

NKU Introduces AI Minor Starting Fall of 2024
NKU is the first university in the commonwealth of Kentucky, and in the region, to offer a minor in artificial intelligence. The university moved to create the minor due to the recent impacts of artificial intelligence across various occupational fields including healthcare, business and media.

NKU to host 41st Annual Lou Manchise Labor Management Conference
50�Ȼ�’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Center in the Haile 50�Ȼ� Business is hosting its annual Lou Manchise Labor Management Conference: Strengthening Labor-Management Relationships through Communication and Dialogue on Friday, May 10.

NKU Honors More Than 1,800 Graduates in May 2024 Commencements
50�Ȼ� will honor 1,875 graduates over two ceremonies at the university’s 52nd Commencement on Sunday, May 5. Students from the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Informatics and College of Education will graduate Sunday morning, and in the afternoon the university will honor graduates from Haile 50�Ȼ� Business and the College of Health and Human Services.

NKU congratulates student winners of Kentucky Personal Finance Challenge
The Haile 50�Ȼ� Business Center for Economic Education at 50�Ȼ� congratulates the winners of the 2024 Kentucky Personal Finance Challenge that took place on campus in April.

NKU selects Dr. Gannon Tagher as Dean of the College of Health and Human Services
50�Ȼ� announces Dr. Gannon Tagher as the new permanent dean of the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS). Dr. Tagher has served as interim dean of the college since January of 2023.

NKU’s NUKE robotics team places 7th in 2024 VEX World Championship
50�Ȼ�’s NUKE robotics team earned 7th place in the skills competition at the 2024 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas.

June

NKU’s SOTA Music Prep voted best summer camp in 2024 Best of NKY Awards
50�Ȼ�’s SOTA Music Prep has been voted best Summer Camp in the 13th Annual 2024 Best of NKY awards! NKU’s School of the Arts (SOTA) 2024 summer programs include the Strings Camp and Chamber Music Workshop, NKU Youth Choir Free Workshop and the Summer Adult String Orchestra.

NKU pioneers AI integration in higher education with series of institutes
50�Ȼ�’s Center for Excellence and Teaching Innovation (CETI) is leading the way in integrating artificial intelligence into higher education by hosting a series of three-day Artificial Intelligence Institutes during the summer semester.

U.S. State Department awards NKU grant to expand study abroad programs
The United States Department of State awarded 50�Ȼ� a $35,000 grant as part of the Diversify Education Abroad for US Students (IDEAS) program. NKU is one of 37 colleges and universities selected to receive the grant, which aims to develop institutional study abroad programs in support of U.S. foreign policy goals.

July

NKU awarded nearly $300,000 for 5-year, statewide climate change research project
50�Ȼ� faculty and students will participate in a five-year, $20 million National Science Foundation (NSF) project aimed at advancing Kentucky’s climate resiliency. NKU is one of 37 colleges and universities selected to receive the grant, which aims to develop institutional study abroad programs in support of U.S. foreign policy goals.

The Next Generation of IT Talent Meet with Industry Leaders at NKU
Nearly 300 students from universities and high schools across the country are gathering at 50�Ȼ� on Tuesday, July 16 for the 8th annual intern summit, an all-day professional development conference.

NKU Board of Regents Elects New Chair, Vice Chair; Lucy Burns Serves as New Student Regent
The Board of Regents, the governing body responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and policies of NKU, recently conducted its annual election to appoint officers for the upcoming term.

NKU sophomore, Sarah Ogden, makes first-ever U.S. Women’s Cyber Team
50�Ȼ� sophomore, Sarah Ogden, has been selected to represent the United States on the first-ever U.S. Women’s Cyber Team. The team will compete in global cybersecurity competitions while serving as ambassadors, influencing future generations with inspiration, mentorship and guidance.

National Science Foundation grants NKU more than $250,000 for primate research
50�Ȼ� has been awarded a three-year, $257,596 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct research on the effects of early life adversity on juvenile primates.

3CDC supports NKU’s 7th annual Econ Games as key sponsor
50�Ȼ�’s Haile 50�Ȼ� Business is excited to announce Cincinnati Center City Development Corp. (3CDC) as the corporate data sponsor for the 2025 Econ Games. The event will provide 120 undergraduate students with real-world problem-solving experience while showcasing the ever-growing career opportunities in the greater Cincinnati region.

NKU ranked as a top university for “Best Value” by The Wall Street Journal
For the second year in a row, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) has recognized 50�Ȼ� as one of the top universities in the country for best value and setting graduates up for successfully lucrative careers. According to WSJ’s 2025 report, NKU ranks 29th out of 500 universities around the country when it comes to best value.

NKU partners with National Geographic to host symposium on African American Geography and History
50�Ȼ� is partnering with National Geographic to host an African American Geography and History centered symposium for high school youth. The conference will focus on place-based storytelling and history, and the black freedom struggle.

NKU launches simplified tuition program for all new Tri-State residents
In a move designed to further streamline the college admissions process and make education more accessible, 50�Ȼ� is introducing its new 3 States, 1 Rate tuition model. This initiative offers tuition reciprocity for students from Ohio and Indiana.

October

NKU awarded $2.4 million to meet regional need for paraprofessionals in human services
50�Ȼ� has been awarded $2.4 million from the National Institute of Health’s Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to provide students in NKU human services programs with scholarships, stipends for field placement and apprenticeship support. Human services encompass a range of professions that support individuals in improving their quality of life.

NKU to host Archbishop, leaders from Georgian university to expand global partnership programs
50�Ȼ� will host Archbishop Iakob, a delegation of leaders from St. Andrews Georgian University (SANGU) and a group of students from the universities’ dual-enrollment partnership program on October 7th and 8th.

NKU graduates awarded for support of Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky
A team of five recent graduates from 50�Ȼ�’s Visual Communication Design program have won the Student Experiential Design category at the 2024 Cincinnati Design Awards for their work with the Emergency Shelter of Northern Kentucky (ESNKY).

NKU Professor Kelly Moffett receives second Fulbright scholarship
50�Ȼ� is celebrating the success of Professor Kelly Moffett in receiving a second Fulbright award, a prestigious recognition that highlights her exceptional contributions to academia and cultural exchange.

CHHS Associate Dean Vanessa Hunn named as Fulbright Specialist
50�Ȼ�’s Associate Dean of the College of Health and Human Services, Dr. Vanessa Hunn, has been selected for the Fulbright Specialist Program. Dr. Hunn will have the distinguished opportunity to provide expertise to a Fulbright host university abroad while serving a three-year term on the program’s roster.

Shea Conley named new member of NKU Board of Regents
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced the appointment of Shea Conley, of Lexington, to 50�Ȼ�’s Board of Regents. Conley’s appointment will run through the end of the 2029-2030 academic year.

NKU forms partnership STEM MBA program with Ghana university
50�Ȼ� President Dr. Cady Short-Thompson signed an agreement with Academic City University College of Ghana (ACUC), launching a STEM-focused Master of Business Administration partnership program between the two universities through the Haile 50�Ȼ� Business.

NKU breaks ground on $86 million expansion to Herrmann Science Center
50�Ȼ� officials broke ground on an expansion of the Dorothy Westerman Herrmann Science Center in a ceremony at the Highland Heights campus on Thursday. Kentucky State Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer and Representative Rachel Roberts attended the event with university leaders and stakeholders.

NKU appoints former tri-state superintendent as special advisor to the President
50�Ȼ� has appointed Mike Borchers, former superintendent of Ludlow Independent Schools, as special advisor to the president. In this part-time role, Borchers will work closely with NKU President Cady Short-Thompson to bolster the university’s relationship with K-12 school districts throughout northern Kentucky, supporting a shared commitment to educational excellence and community engagement.

NKU receives more than $2 million to strengthen healthcare workforce
Three healthcare organizations in the northern Kentucky region are partnering with 50�Ȼ� to provide more than $1 million in scholarship funds through the Healthcare Workforce Investment Fund (HWIF). St. Elizabeth Healthcare, CHNK Behavioral Health and OrthoCincy pledged more than $1 million in scholarship funds for NKU students across various healthcare-related fields. Funds were then matched by HWIF to maximize support for university programs, bringing the total amount of funding to more than $2 million.

NKU Foundation appoints new leadership to Board of Directors
The 50�Ȼ� Foundation named new officers to the organization’s board of directors, including Karen Finan as President, Kevin Gessner as Vice President, Barbara Johnson as Treasurer, Mary Zalla as Secretary and Martin Butler as Member-At-Large.

Haile 50�Ȼ� Business ranked by Eduniversal with Three Palmes
50�Ȼ�’s Haile 50�Ȼ� Business has been ranked with three Palmes of Excellence by Eduniversal. This is Haile’s first recognition by the organization and is a significant milestone for the college, marking Haile’s commitment to leadership and international influence.

Head basketball coach Darrin Horn celebrates 100th win at NKU
50�Ȼ� men’s basketball coach Darrin Horn reached a remarkable milestone this weekend, achieving his 100th win with NKU!

NKU graduates more than 2,000 students in Fall Commencement ceremonies
50�Ȼ� honored more than 2,000 graduates over two ceremonies during the university’s 52nd Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 14.