Opening Convocation Ceremony

The University of Pikeville (UPIKE) will embark on a new academic year during its 2020 Opening Convocation ceremony held on Benefactors Plaza at 11 a.m. on September 3. The event will have limited seating for university faculty, staff, and students and will be live-streamed on UPIKE's official Facebook page so the community can join campus virtually.

This year's keynote address will be delivered by President of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU) O.J. Oleka, MBA, Ph.D.

AIKCU serves as the voice of Kentucky's private, nonprofit, four-year colleges and universities. AIKCU's 18 member colleges and universities serve more than 56,000 students and play a critical role in Kentucky's postsecondary education system, awarding nearly 11,000 degrees annually.

Oleka recently co-founded the AntiRacismKY coalition, a group working to end any remnant of institutional racism in Kentucky. Earlier this year, he was selected for the Louisville Business First Forty Under 40 list.

Oleka graduated from the University of Louisville with a bachelor's degree in marketing and a minor in political science. He holds a Master's of Business Administration from Bellarmine University and a Ph.D., in leadership in higher education with a research focus on college affordability, social capital and workforce development.

Oleka resides in Louisville, Ky., with his wife Jamie and daughter Riley.

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Co-hosted with: Faith that MOVES (Meaningful Opportunities for Engagement and Service)

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