Kentucky Energy Club - Year 3

The third year of the Kentucky Energy Club will consist of a continuation of existing chapter programming alongside new chapter development throughout the state’s post-secondary institutions. The existing KY energy club chapters include the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University and Ashland Community and Technical College. Each of these club chapters have a core of dedicated student leadership whose mission coincides with that of the club which states, “to serve as a conduit for all members of the community to engage, educate and excite one another concerning the issue of energy and the future of Kentuckians as active participants on the global energy stage.” The core of club programming includes the KY 101 discussion series which has covered such topics as: Foundational Energy Issues in KY, Smart Grid Technology, Coal Technology and Careers, Energy Security, Energy Efficiency and Design Innovation, and Energy Policy and Legislation. The series is designed to bring energy experts in their field directly to the student body, facilitating networking opportunities. To expand student awareness, the club also offers opportunities to partake in site tours series and to travel to energy-related facilities within Kentucky. Participating students have had the opportunity to visit operating coal-fired power generation facilities, underground and surface coal mining operations, and energy research and development centers. A third element of core programming is the Energy Mentorship Program, which is a program to connect current students with prominent alumni working in the energy field. This will be expanded over the course of the project to include a system to facilitate energy-related internships and summer employment opportunities. The existing chapters are poised to form the foundation of the Alumni Program as club members graduate. This will allow for measurement of club success and strategic objectives within the ongoing club community. Lastly, social entrepreneurship and service learning is encouraged through the KY energy club’s dedication to community outreach programs, such as the 2012 Energy Fair which is an outstanding energy and coal education event for over 300 elementary school children in the greater Lexington area. The event involved a diverse group of presenters (KGS, UK Sustainability, KU, Toyota, CAER research groups, EKU, etc.) and provided an outstanding venue for coal and energy education. The students were able to experiment with hands-on displays and interact with presenters who graciously volunteered their time. We propose supporting two additional regional energy education days for K-12 participants over the next year. The addition of new KY energy club chapters will continue with the core programming structure, though tailored to the particular school campus community and student interests in order to reach a diverse audience and address regional and local energy issues.