Kentucky

Harrington named 1st ICA Fellow from the University of Kentucky

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2023

Harrington named 1st ICA Fellow from the University of Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 24, 2023) — Nancy Grant Harrington, professor in the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information’s Department of Communication, was recently named an International Communication Association Fellow.

Harrington was one of only 30 scholars chosen from across the globe this year to join the esteemed list and is UK’s first ICA Fellow.

“Being named a fellow of the International Communication Association was an incredible honor, one that I still can’t quite believe,” Harrington said. “It means that I’m included in a group of distinguished scholars whose research has made substantial contributions to the discipline of communication. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be an ICA Fellow, a group that comprises less than five percent of ICA’s current membership.”

Jennifer Greer, CI’s dean, called ICA one of the premier associations for scholars in the discipline globally, with more than 5,000 members from more than 80 countries.

“ICA Fellows include the biggest names in our field, ones who have shaped the trajectory of our disciplines,” Greer said. “It is no surprise to us at UK that Nancy has joined this list, because the impact she has had, especially on health communication, is so significant — both as a scholar and as a mentor to other researchers.”

Harrington currently serves as director of the Kentucky Conference on Health Communication and director of the Health Communication Research Collaborative in the college. She also holds the title of University Research Professor for the College of Communication and Information (2018-2019), an academic appointment in the School of Public Health and a position as faculty associate of the Multidisciplinary Center on Drug and Alcohol Research. She stepped down as the associate dean for research in 2022 after serving in that position for 17 years and she was chair of the Department of Communication from 1999 to 2011.

Harrington expressed immense gratitude for the opportunities that this distinction awards her.

“As a fellow, I will have opportunities to attend special meetings, make an invited presentation at next year’s convention and work with my colleagues around the globe to advance the mission of ICA,” Harrington said.

The primary consideration for nomination to ICA Fellow status is a documented record of scholarly achievement, something that Harrington’s research career demonstrates vigorously. Much of Harrington’s research focuses on persuasive message design for health behavior change, particularly in risk behavior prevention and health promotion contexts. She has been a principal investigator, co-investigator or principal evaluator on federally funded studies totaling more than $10 million and has published nearly 100 journal articles or chapters in peer-reviewed outlets such as Health Communication, Social Science & Medicine, Patient Education and Counseling and Health Education & Behavior.

Aside from scholarly articles, Harrington has also worked on several published books. She was co-editor of both the third edition of The Routledge Handbook of Health Communication and “eHealth Applications: Promising Strategies for Behavior Change” and editor of “Health Communication: Theory, Method, and Application.” She also is co-author of the forthcoming book “Health Communication: Research and Practice for a Diverse and Changing World” and has started writing a new book on persuasive message design.

Beyond publishing her own work, Harrington has also held several roles that serve her colleagues in communication such as being an editorial board member for several journals, including Health Communication, Prevention Science and Science Communication and guest editing for special issues of Journal of Communication and Health Communication. She also served as chair to the health communication division of the National Communication Association in 2004-2005 and is a founding member of the Society for Health Communication.

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Kentucky

FIU vs Western Kentucky Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight — College Football Week 8

Published

5 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

FIU vs Western Kentucky Prediction, Picks & Odds for Tonight — College Football Week 8

Yonke’s prediction: Even if the Hilltoppers are expected to win, be wary of them covering this 7.5-point spread.

Oct 14, 2025 • 16:57 ET

• 4 min read

Photo By – Imagn Images. Florida International Panthers running back Kejon Owens (5) breaks a tackle.

Week 8 kicks off tonight as the Florida International Panthers look for their first league win against a tough Western Kentucky Hilltoppers team.

The Panthers hope to lean on their ground game in what’s an advantageous matchup on paper, hoping to keep things within striking distance.

See why I fancy the underdog with my Florida International vs. Western Kentucky predictions and college football picks for Tuesday, October 14.

Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. ET from Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, with the game airing on ESPNU.

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FIU vs Western Kentucky prediction

FIU vs Western Kentucky best bet: FIU +7.5 (-108)

The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have been the better team this season, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to win by more than 7.5 points on Tuesday night. The records indicate that — WKU is 5-1, whereas the Florida International Panthers are 2-3 — and so does the spread.

Still, WKU hasn’t dominated teams. The Hilltoppers have won their last two games by an average of 4.0 points. They did beat a terrible Nevada team by 15 points, but were blown out 21-45 by Toledo before that.

WKU has one of the best passing attacks in the Group of Five, led by quarterback Maverick McIvor (284 passing ypg). FIU’s defensive strength lies in its secondary, which held each of its first four opponents to below 6.8 yards per pass attempt.

The lone demerit on the schedule was a big one, when UConn threw for 377 yards and four scores, but the Panthers were without two starters (Brian Blades II and Shamir Sterlin), who are expected back in Week 8.

FIU runs the ball well (48th in EPA per rush, 11th in rushing explosiveness) and should exploit a porous WKU rush defense (123rd in PFF’s rush defense grade, 124th in tackling).

FIU vs Western Kentucky same-game parlay

Matthew Henry is WKU’s go-to receiver, leading all pass catchers in snaps played, targets (34), and receiving yards (377). He’s recorded 172 receiving yards over his last two games and will be relied upon to lead the charge again in Week 8.

FIU should be able to find success on the ground against a WKU defense that has already surrendered 1,175 rushing yards, and the Panthers aren’t exactly trustworthy on defense lately after surrendering 37.8 ppg in their last four contests.

FIU vs Western Kentucky SGP

FIU +7.5
Over 57.5
Matthew Henry Over 63.5 receiving yards

Our deep-ball SGP: Panthers pounce!

FIU’s best chance is to establish the running game early, keeping things close in the first half.

WKU has the best passing attack in CUSA and should have more successful days than not in conference play, especially when playing at home against a reeling FIU defense.

FIU vs Western Kentucky SGP

FIU +7.5
Over 57.5
Matthew Henry Over 63.5 receiving yards
Macerick McIvor Over 290.5 passing yards
FIU first half +6.5
FIU second quarter +2.5

FIU vs Western Kentucky game predictions

FIU vs Western Kentucky moneyline prediction

Western Kentucky will move to 6-1 on the season with a victory at home against an FIU team program that’s dropped 10 consecutive road games.

FIU vs Western Kentucky spread prediction

FIU will cover the spread thanks to the favorable schematic advantages, leaning on a strong running game and a defense that’s better than it has shown lately, ranking 45th in success rate.

FIU vs Western Kentucky Over/Under prediction

This game will go Over the total as FIU’s rushing attack and WKU’s passing attack both find success.

FIU vs Western Kentucky odds

Spread: FIU +7.5 | Western Kentucky -7.5
Moneyline: FIU +250 | Western Kentucky -310
Over/Under: Over 57.5 | Under 57.5

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FIU vs Western Kentucky trend to know

FIU is 5-1 ATS in its last six games as an underdog. Find more college football betting trends for FIU vs Western Kentucky.

How to watch FIU vs Western Kentucky

Location	Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, Bowling Green, KY
Date	Tuesday, October 14, 2025
Kickoff	8:00 p.m. ET
TV	ESPNU

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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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Kentucky

From home economist to VP, University of Kentucky alum leads GE Appliances kitchen cleanup enterprise

Published

16 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

From home economist to VP, University of Kentucky alum leads GE Appliances kitchen cleanup enterprise

University of Kentucky alum Cynthia “Cinthy” Fanning, is the current vice president of kitchen clean up products at GE Appliances. At the company’s Appliance Park global headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, the $450 million installation of two new dishwasher manufacturing lines has created approximately 1,000 jobs in the Commonwealth.

Fanning recalls what this moment meant for the company.

Cynthia Fanning at GE Appliances. Photo by Sabrina Hounshell.

“Becoming the number one dishwasher manufacturer in the country was a huge achievement,” Fanning said. “When you work at a company like GE Appliances, there are so many different and exciting opportunities.”

Fanning has spent more than three decades managing products, leading teams and building strategic growth plans at GE Appliances. Some of her responsibilities include new product development, manufacturing, merchandising, sales and more, working with suppliers like Lowe’s and Home Depot.

For Fanning, pursuing a graduate degree in the Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles (MAT) program at the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment was one of the best decisions she made.

“The University of Kentucky has a great reputation, and I love textile science, apparel and merchandising,” Fanning said. “I knew there was a good opportunity to get real– world experience, which was really important to me and valuable for my career. I got to do meaningful projects that led me to GE Appliances.”

UK Textiles Testing Lab and home economics co-op

As a graduate student in 1991, Fanning was a teaching assistant in the Textiles Testing Lab, housed in the Department of Retailing and Tourism Management at Martin-Gatton CAFE.

Under the direction of Elizabeth Easter, UK professor and consultant for textiles and textile care, the lab is a hub for the textile and apparel industry on campus — providing assistance in the development, evaluation and performance of new or existing products.

GE Appliances has utilized the services of the Textile Testing Lab to evaluate detergents, laundry equipment and clothes care since 1993. Recently, GE Appliances donated four washers, two dryers and one water softener to upgrade all consumer laundry equipment in the Textile Testing Lab.

“Over the years, Cinthy and GE Appliances has supported our research and acquiring appliances and kitchen, dishwasher and laundry equipment for the Textile Lab,” Easter said. We remain grateful for Cinthy and GE Appliances for their on-going support of the lab.”

While working with Easter in the lab, Fanning was also able to get a home economics in technology cooperative position with GE Appliances, developing and testing GE branded cooking products. In this co-op experience, Fanning’s work led to an awarded patent for developing algorithms in GE Appliances’ “CleanSensor” dishwasher launch in 1995.

These first-and experiential learning opportunities at UK helped Fanning learn important skills that still shape her personally and professionally as a leader at GE Appliances.

“I came from the lab,” Fanning said. “I loved my experience with Dr. Easter while working on real-life projects that were valuable for GE Appliances, and it was a great way to learn about the industry. I learned determination, having a strong work ethic and the value of mentorship. Mentoring people is something that is very important to me as a leader at GE Appliances.”

UK’s presence at GE Appliances

Today, there are over 220 UK alums that work at Appliance Park, representing a consistent workforce development pipeline. Furthermore, GE Appliances’ commitment to developing their early-career professionals from the ground up is something that Fanning believes is a talent feeder.

UK alum Justin Bovard. Photo by Sabrina Hounshell. — University of Kentucky engineering alum Justin Bovard at GE Appliances. Photo by Sabrina Hounshell.

“We definitely seek out UK students and know they are going to be great employees at GE Appliances,” said Fanning. “We know that they have great educational backgrounds and experiences, which are certainly valuable to an employer. We believe that lifelong learning is important, and we are committed to that as a company.”

Fanning has hired some of these alums to join her team at GE Appliances, including Rachel O’Bryan, recruiting liaison and Edison Engineering Development Program graduate, and Justin Bovard, executive director, kitchen cleanup product manager and member of the UK MBA Advisory Council at the Gatton College of Business and Economics. O’Bryan and Bovard are both graduates from the UK Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering.

While attending career fairs as a UK undergraduate student, O’Bryan took advantage of three co-op opportunities with GE Appliances. O’Bryan said that her educational and experiential experiences at UK really helped her be successful as an early-career professional at GE Appliances.

“UK has a rigorous program, and my education experience taught me self-discipline,” O’Bryan said. “When I’m working on a project that has really tight deadlines, being organized, getting creative, being resourceful and knowing how to chip away at the problem are all critical to being successful, and are skills I learned while at UK.”

O’Bryan is one of the lead recruiters for GE Appliances and UK, and she offers some recommendations for future graduates to stand out.

“I love going to the career fairs to meet and recruit students,” O’Bryan said. “Beyond being strong academically, I’m looking for well-roundedness, and a curiosity and willingness to learn new things. Being open to investigating a new problem is super critical. I’m inspired when I see passion from students.”

UK alum Rachel O'Bryan at GE Appliances. Photo by Sabrina Hounshell. — University of Kentucky engineering alum Rachel O’Bryan at GE Appliances. Photo by Sabrina Hounshell.

Having worked in various mid-career roles at GE Appliances since 2015, Bovard believes that UK greatly contributed to his success.

“The University of Kentucky challenged me and pulls, pushes you to learn new things,” Bovard said. “UK taught me problem-solving skills and that’s something I use every single day here at GE Appliances.”

For Bovard, working in the “global hub” for GE Appliances offers unique growth and professional opportunities to be exposed to many functions of the business.

“To have manufacturing, sourcing, product and quality management, finance, marketing and sales – everything in one place – it’s enabled me to expand my breath of experience,” Bovard said.

For students seeking long-term professional success, Bovard offers some guidance.

“Find a company that aligns with your personal goals and is committed to supporting your growth,” said Bovard. “Then understand how your specific role fits into the larger company. Once you understand your role, expand and take on additional responsibilities. Doing so will grow your network, expand your expertise and open the door to new opportunities.”

Fanning offers advice for students that want to be future leaders.

“Get your hands dirty and don’t be afraid to fail early,” Fanning said. “Take risks and grow from them. Get a trusted mentor and take advantage of their experiences. And finally, be bold.”

Kentucky’s “bright future”

As a proud alum, Fanning believes that UK students are the key to the future and are important in advancing GE Appliances’ economic impact and investment in Kentucky.

“I know the value of the education that UK provides,” Fanning said. “UK graduates give back to the community. We all take seriously the development of our community and our state. It’s very exciting to see all the investments we are making in Kentucky in workforce development, new jobs and amazing new manufacturing sites that are being built. I see a bright future in front of us in Kentucky.”

To learn more about the Merchandising, Apparel and Textiles program at Martin-Gatton CAFE, visit https://www.mgcafe.uky.edu/academics/programs/bachelors/merchandising-apparel-and-textiles.

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Writer: Christopher Carney, Christopher.Carney@uky.edu 

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

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