Union Commonwealth University president gives talk on upcoming projects, university growth
CORBIN — The Corbin Rotary Club welcomed Dr. DJ Washington, president of Union Commonwealth University, as guest speaker at its meeting last Thursday.
Washington offered updates on the university's turnaround efforts, shared personal stories of community impact, and invited club members to connect deeper with Union's evolving mission.
'I'm just so incredibly thankful for your willingness to invite us and take Union as part of your team,' Washington said. 'This community did so much for me when I was a student here, and now I want to make sure we're doing the same for today's students.'
Originally from just north of Nashville, Washington attended Union from 2000 to 2003, playing basketball and experiencing firsthand the generosity of the local community.
'When dining halls were closed over break, churches and families helped feed us. That's the kind of care I want to see us continue to give,' he said.
Washington addressed several key developments at Union including a dramatic turnaround in finances, enrollment growth, and a shift to university status.
'When I first came back to campus last summer, I was concerned,' he said. 'But now I'm happy to say we've turned things around quickly. We're expecting about a $5 million swing in revenue and have seen the largest gift commitment in the school's history.'
The university now boasts around 1,300 students, with the majority of growth driven by online and graduate programs.
'Yesterday marked the first time we've had more students enrolled in graduate and online programs than in traditional on-campus programs,' he said. 'That's a good sign; it means we can operate with a surplus and reinvest back into campus.'
Washington shared plans to renovate Miller Hall into a living-learning space with about 60 beds and additional classroom space focused on health sciences and workforce development.
'There's a need for more nurses, more cardiac rehab professionals, more people who can serve rural Appalachian communities,' he said. 'We want to be the school that helps meet that need.'
A final focus point of Washington's talk was the university's renewed focus on community engagement. He mentioned initiatives like inviting local food trucks to campus and encouraging student volunteerism.
'It's not always about writing a check or organizing an event,' Washington said. 'Sometimes, it's just about showing up, giving someone a handshake and a smile.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
Obama WH physician says Biden doc should have performed cognitive test
Former President Barack Obama's White House physician said in a new interview that former President Joe Biden's doctor should have performed a cognitive test to evaluate his fitness to serve in office. Obama's doctor, Jeffrey Kuhlman, told The Washington Post that Biden White House physician Kevin O'Connor should have performed a cognitive test during Biden's last year as president, given his age. O'Connor, who Kuhlman first appointed as Biden's doctor in 2009 when he was vice president, declared in a 2024 report that the then-81-year-old president "continues to be fit for duty." The report did not mention any neurocognitive testing. "Sometimes those closest to the tree miss the forest," Kuhlman told the Post. "It shouldn't be just health, it should be fitness," Kuhlman said. "Fitness is: Do you have that robust mind, body, spirit that you can do this physically, mentally, emotionally demanding job?" Trump Responds To Biden Dismissal Of Autopen Probe, Says He Didn't Know 'What Was Going On' Read On The Fox News App Kuhlman, who departed the White House Medical Unit in 2013, described O'Connor as "a good doctor" who appeared to do his best to "give trusted medical advice." "I didn't see that he's purposely hiding stuff, but I don't know that," Kuhlman told the Post. "Maybe the investigation will show it." President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Biden's aides "abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden's cognitive decline and assert Article II authority." "This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history," the order says. "The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts." "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency," Biden said in a statement Wednesday night. "I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false." Trump's order appeared to nod to the findings of special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents while he was vice president. In a report released in February 2024, Hur concluded Biden "willfully retained and disclosed" sensitive materials but should not stand trial, describing the president as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." Hur cited instances when Biden could not recall key dates and events, including when he served as vice president and when his son, Beau, passed away. The report was released at a time when Biden was still planning a second term run. Last week, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena for O'Connor to appear for a deposition at the end of the month "as part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden's cognitive decline and potentially unauthorized issuance of sweeping pardons and other executive actions." Biden's Personal Doctor Summoned As Republicans Dig Deeper Into Alleged Cognitive Decline Cover-up The committee re-posted the Post's interview with Kuhlman to X, writing, "Even Obama's doctor admits the truth. This is precisely why Chairman @RepJamesComer subpoenaed Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Biden's physician. This is a scandal of historical proportions, and we will investigate it thoroughly!" In a letter to O'Connor, Comer said the transcribed interview would focus on the physician's February 2024 assessment that Biden was "a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency." "Among other subjects, the Committee expressed its interest in whether your financial relationship with the Biden family affected your assessment of former President Biden's physical and mental fitness to fulfill his duties as President," Comer wrote. Questions about Biden's cognitive state stretch extend solely past Republicans. CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson recently published a book titled "Original Sin," which details concerns and debates inside the White House and Democratic Party over Biden's mental state and age. In the book, Tapper and Thompson wrote, "Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board." Naomi Biden, the former president's granddaughter, dismissed the book as "political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class." Comer requested transcribed interviews with Biden's White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and Steve Ricchetti, a former counselor to the president. He also called for former senior White House aides Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams and Neera Tanden to appear before the committee and suggested subpoenas could be forthcoming if they did not schedule voluntary interviews. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Original article source: Obama WH physician says Biden doc should have performed cognitive test
Fox News
11 hours ago
- Fox News
Obama WH physician says Biden doc should have performed cognitive test
Former President Barack Obama's White House physician said in a new interview that former President Joe Biden's doctor should have performed a cognitive test to evaluate his fitness to serve in office. Obama's doctor, Jeffrey Kuhlman, told The Washington Post that Biden White House physician Kevin O'Connor should have performed a cognitive test during Biden's last year as president, given his age. O'Connor, who Kuhlman first appointed as Biden's doctor in 2009 when he was vice president, declared in a 2024 report that the then-81-year-old president "continues to be fit for duty." The report did not mention any neurocognitive testing. "Sometimes those closest to the tree miss the forest," Kuhlman told the Post. "It shouldn't be just health, it should be fitness," Kuhlman said. "Fitness is: Do you have that robust mind, body, spirit that you can do this physically, mentally, emotionally demanding job?" Kuhlman, who departed the White House Medical Unit in 2013, described O'Connor as "a good doctor" who appeared to do his best to "give trusted medical advice." "I didn't see that he's purposely hiding stuff, but I don't know that," Kuhlman told the Post. "Maybe the investigation will show it." President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate whether Biden's aides "abused the power of Presidential signatures through the use of an autopen to conceal Biden's cognitive decline and assert Article II authority." "This conspiracy marks one of the most dangerous and concerning scandals in American history," the order says. "The American public was purposefully shielded from discovering who wielded the executive power, all while Biden's signature was deployed across thousands of documents to effect radical policy shifts." "Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency," Biden said in a statement Wednesday night. "I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations. Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false." Trump's order appeared to nod to the findings of special counsel Robert Hur, who investigated Biden's handling of classified documents while he was vice president. In a report released in February 2024, Hur concluded Biden "willfully retained and disclosed" sensitive materials but should not stand trial, describing the president as a "sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory." Hur cited instances when Biden could not recall key dates and events, including when he served as vice president and when his son, Beau, passed away. The report was released at a time when Biden was still planning a second term run. Last week, House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., issued a subpoena for O'Connor to appear for a deposition at the end of the month "as part of the investigation into the cover-up of President Joe Biden's cognitive decline and potentially unauthorized issuance of sweeping pardons and other executive actions." The committee re-posted the Post's interview with Kuhlman to X, writing, "Even Obama's doctor admits the truth. This is precisely why Chairman @RepJamesComer subpoenaed Dr. Kevin O'Connor, Biden's physician. This is a scandal of historical proportions, and we will investigate it thoroughly!" In a letter to O'Connor, Comer said the transcribed interview would focus on the physician's February 2024 assessment that Biden was "a healthy, active, robust 81-year-old male, who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency." "Among other subjects, the Committee expressed its interest in whether your financial relationship with the Biden family affected your assessment of former President Biden's physical and mental fitness to fulfill his duties as President," Comer wrote. Questions about Biden's cognitive state stretch extend solely past Republicans. CNN's Jake Tapper and Axios' Alex Thompson recently published a book titled "Original Sin," which details concerns and debates inside the White House and Democratic Party over Biden's mental state and age. In the book, Tapper and Thompson wrote, "Five people were running the country, and Joe Biden was at best a senior member of the board." Naomi Biden, the former president's granddaughter, dismissed the book as "political fairy smut for the permanent, professional chattering class." Comer requested transcribed interviews with Biden's White House senior advisers Mike Donilon and Anita Dunn, former White House chief of staff Ron Klain, former deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and Steve Ricchetti, a former counselor to the president. He also called for former senior White House aides Annie Tomasini, Anthony Bernal, Ashley Williams and Neera Tanden to appear before the committee and suggested subpoenas could be forthcoming if they did not schedule voluntary interviews.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Former White House doctor: Biden physician should have tested for cognitive decline
A former doctor for the White House under the Obama administration said former President Biden should have been tested for cognitive decline in his final year in office, given his age. Jeffrey Kuhlman said performing such a test on Biden would have shed light on the former president's mental state and ability to serve another four years. 'Sometimes those closest to the tree miss the forest,' Kuhlman told The Washington Post. Biden's long-term doctor, Kevin O'Connor, didn't perform a cognitive test on the leader during his fourth year in office, as White House officials said formal results weren't needed to prove the former president's mental soundness. 'The president's doctor has said, if you look at what this president, who is also the commander-in-chief — he passes a cognitive test every day — every day, as he moves from one topic to another topic, understanding the granular level of these topics,' former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a February briefing last year. 'You saw him talk about fighting crime today. Tomorrow, he's going to go to the border. Next week, he's going to give a State of the Union Address,' she added. O'Connor was recently subpoenaed by the House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) to address why a cognitive test wasn't given. Biden traveled often while serving, including taking two international trips prior to his first presidential debate with President Trump. 'This is a very rigorous job. And the president has been able to do — do this job every day for the past three years,' Jean-Pierre previously told reporters from the podium. However, Kuhlman said the public deserved to have evidence that Biden was mentally sharp, arguing that health reports should include a total overview of a president's well-being. 'It shouldn't be just health, it should be fitness,' Kuhlman said. 'Fitness is: Do you have that robust mind, body, spirit that you can do this physically, mentally, emotionally demanding job?' Months after leaving office, Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer amid reports alleging he suffered from mental decay while serving as commander-in-chief. 'Cancer touches us all. Like so many of you, Jill and I have learned that we are strongest in the broken places,' he wrote in a post on X. 'Thank you for lifting us up with love and support.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
