The College is part of Kentucky’s rich tradition in communication and information studies and has played a key role in training professionals in these fields since the 1890s, when the first courses in journalism were offered. The College and its units have enjoyed remarkable leadership, exemplified by visionaries such as Enoch Grehan (1869-1939), who was instrumental in establishing the university’s current daily newspaper and in fundraising for the construction of the Grehan Building.

School of Journalism, women and men students in typing class and Professor Enoch

1787      The first issue of the Kentucky Gazzette is published on August 11 
1869      Enoch Grehan is born 1890s    First journalism courses offered in English department at "Kentucky University"
1892      First student newspaper, The Cadet, appears
1903      Marguerite "Miss Margie" McLaughlin graduates from Kentucky University
1908      University President James K. Patterson recommends the establishment of a separate Department of Journalism 
1911      Library science education begins with the offering of a course in Library Training in the English Department
1912      Margaret King appointed librarian at the university

John Day, Kentucky Kernel Staff - date unknown

1914      Department of Journalism is officially established. Grehan becomes the department's first director
1915      Fourth and present student newspaper, The Kentucky Kernel, publishes its first issue.
1917      Margaret King starts teaching Library Methods for Teachers
1924       Kentucky Kernel begins printing operation; Grehan risks his savings to finance the purchase of a linotype machine
1929       University students and faculty run a weekly 15 minute radio program on a local commercial station
1931       The Department of Journalism receives its first accreditation
1932       Department of Library Science founded with Mildred Semmons as head
1942       The Department of Library Science is fully accredited by the American Library Association and offers a BS in Library Science
1944       WBKY founded
1949       The Department of Library Science is offering a BS and a master's degree in library science

The inauguration ceremony at Grehan Hall, 1950
1950       Department of Journalism becomes a School of Journalism
1950       University of Kentucky receives $425,000 gift from the Kentucky Kernel for the construction of new Journalism Building
1953       Marguerite McLaughlin receives the "Pro Ecclesia and Pontificie" award bestowed by Pope Pius XII
1966       MA Program in Communication is approved
1968       School of Communication is established with 3 departments: Journalism, Telecommunications, and Speech
1970      The School of Library Science becomes the College of Library Science, the first in the country
1972      The Kentucky Kernel becomes fully independent on January 19
1975       The School of Communications is abolished and replaced with a School of Journalism and Department of Human Communication
 
Students on the steps of the Grehan Building
1976       A new College of Communications is established
1977       The Ph.D. program in Communication is approved
1980       Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame established by the UK Journalism Alumni Association
1982        College of Library Science changes its name to the College of Library and Information Science
1993       College of Communications and College of Library and Information Science merge into the College of Communications and Information Studies.

1997       The Advertising program within the School of Journalism and Telecommunications is renamed Integrated Strategic Communication.
2000      The Kentucky Kernel is awarded a Pacemaker Award, one of only six daily collegiate newspapers in the country to receive the honor
2004      The founding of the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues