A collaboration between the University of Kentucky College of Communication and Information, UK Athletics and JMI Sports has created an innovative new studio space in Central Bank Center, just steps away from Rupp Arena. The goal? Taking media education to the next level at the University of Kentucky.
On March 1, 2025, shortly before the University of Kentucky Men's Basketball team took the court against the then top-ranked University of Auburn, four College of Communication and Information students were recognized on the floor of Rupp Arena. The students were part of the first cohort of students to take classes in the new studio space inside Central Bank Center in downtown Lexington.
The 160-year history of the University of Kentucky has taken place with what many in this campus community agree is a beautiful backdrop: the City of Lexington.This year, the Horse Capital of the World celebrates 250 years since its founding. Through the years, faculty, staff and students have taken advantage of all that Lexington offers, from unforgettable experiences at Keeneland to distilleries, restaurants, history, art, music and everything in between.
The College of Communication and Information, in partnership with University of Kentucky Athletics and JMI Sports, in October 2024 officially opened its state-of-the-art downtown studio and production space near Rupp Arena, inside Lexington’s Central Bank Center. The first students will begin classes in the new CI studio in January 2025.
The state-of-the-art facility – a partnership with the college, UK Athletics and JMI Sports – will create a high-tech collaborative space where students can learn alongside media production and sports marketing and communication professionals, said Jennifer Greer, dean of UK’s College of Communication and Information.