LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky will host the first of three finalists for a new dean of the Lewis Honors College on Wednesday as part of an extensive national search to fill the leadership role.

The candidate will participate in an open forum at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, in Lewis Hall Room U136, according to a University of Kentucky news release. Members of the UK community are invited to attend in person or view the forum remotely via Zoom to provide feedback on the candidate.

UK Provost Robert S. DiPaola announced the search committee and will make the final selection after receiving feedback from the committee and campus. The names and curricula vitae of finalists will be made available exclusively to the UK community 24 hours before their first on-campus meeting on the search website.

Following each open forum, a recording and confidential online survey about the candidate will be available on the search website for 48 hours, providing community members the opportunity to evaluate the candidate's strengths and growth areas. Supervisors are encouraged to work with team members to enable participation in the open forums.

The Lewis Honors College provides an enhanced academic experience for outstanding, highly motivated students from all programs of study. The college features small, discussion-based courses taught by dedicated faculty and offers opportunities for research, study abroad and service learning. Recent admissions data showed the college received a record-breaking number of applications, demonstrating the continued demand for the honors experience.