Jill M. Rappis
1976 - 1980
Bachelor of Arts English

“It is hard to isolate one favorite memory from my days at the University of Kentucky.  So many come flooding back every time I return to campus – the bluegrass bands playing in the Blanding-Tower complex on dormitory move-in day, Football Saturdays, camping out in front of Memorial Coliseum for UK basketball tickets, Greek Sing, Sigma Nu beer blast, and Little Kentucky Derby.  Then there were the trips to Keeneland in April and October, and the long lasting friendships. 

“Beyond the lively social environment at UK, I recall just as warmly, and more significantly, the enriching academic experience.  We didn’t have the luxury of learning in ‘wired’ classrooms, downloading lectures onto iPods, or using state-of-the-art facilities like the W.T. Young Library; but the devotion of faculty to students was the same then as it is now.  I attended Sociology 101 lectures in Memorial Hall that were filled to capacity, but I never felt like I was an insignificant participant despite the size of the class.  I spent many hours in Patterson Office Tower being mentored by my favorite professors – some of whom were kind enough to write letters of recommendation for my applications to law school.  My academic advisor gave me the opportunity to take upper level classes being held in the law school by law faculty, so that I could get a feel for a law school curriculum. 

“The College of Arts & Sciences helped me lay a foundation for the future – hard work, business ethos, and a continuing quest for knowledge.  I will never be able to give back to the college what it has given to me. Though Kentucky is not my birthplace, it will always seem a little bit like ‘home’ to me.”