LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 18, 2026) – When Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers first came to the University of Kentucky as a student, Lexington felt like "the big city."
Growing up in southeastern Kentucky, between London and Manchester, Stivers saw UK as a place that opened his eyes to the diversity of the Commonwealth — its people, geography, industries and needs. Decades later, as one of Kentucky's most influential legislative leaders, he says his view of the university has expanded far beyond the classroom.
On this episode of Behind the Blue, UK Strategic Communications' Amy Timoney talks with Stivers about his path from Laurel County to Lexington, his time as a UK student, his journey into public service and the university's role in helping shape Kentucky's future.
In the conversation, Stivers reflects on the needs he hears from constituents across his district, including access to good jobs, reliable broadband and cell service, quality health care and education. He also discusses how UK's land-grant mission reaches communities across the Commonwealth through education, extension, health care, research and service.
Stivers says his appreciation for UK's research enterprise grew through both his role in the legislature and deeply personal experiences with cancer in his own family. He shares how his mother received care at UK Markey Cancer Center, and how seeing constituents from eastern Kentucky receiving treatment there helped shape his understanding of why investing in research matters.
The episode also explores how research can drive economic development. Stivers points to examples ranging from cancer care and health research to forestry, agriculture, engineering and partnerships with industry. Research, he says, is not only about new discoveries; it also brings talent, investment and opportunity to Kentucky communities.
Looking ahead, Stivers discusses the pace of technological change, including artificial intelligence, and the role he believes UK and other universities must play in preparing students for jobs that may look very different in just a few years. He encourages students to remain adaptable, ready to train, retrain and respond to a rapidly changing world.
Throughout the conversation, Stivers returns to the idea that Kentucky's flagship university must help the state think not only about today, but about "tomorrow, next week, next month and next year." As he puts it, UK must continue to be "the tip of the spear" in helping provide ideas and direction for the future.
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This interview has been edited for time and clarity.
