Union Commonwealth University

Higher EducationKentucky, United States201-500 Employees

Union Commonwealth University, formerly Union College, is nestled in mountains of Eastern Kentucky and is a vibrant piece of the Barbourville community. Steeped in a rich history and an evolving sense of purpose, Union’s commitment to education and to the region is embodied in its mission statement: To serve the academic needs of a diverse community of undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education students in a dynamic, personal environment that promotes intellectual, spiritual, and physical enrichment of students, faculty, and staff and the economic growth and health of our Appalachian region.

Formed in 1879, Union’s purpose was to educate the next generation of teachers and professionals in Barbourville. Barbourville was, at that time, the largest town south of Richmond, and over the next 50 years, Barbourville would produce two Kentucky Governors, including Union Alumnus Flem Sampson, a United States Congressman, and a US Senator. 

Union’s success has been demonstrated in the accomplishments of its alumni - in 1993, Dr. Phillip Sharp won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for his work in RNA splicing, making Union College one of only two institutions in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with a Nobel laureate among its alumni. Dr. Marcetta Darensbourg was named the 2018 SEC Professor of the year, following being named to the National Academy of the Sciences in 2017. In 1999, Mary Stanton was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for her book, From Selma to Sorrow: The Life and Death of Viola Liuzzo. Kenneth and Sarah Ramsey have repeatedly earned accolades as top Kentucky Thoroughbred Owners and breeders, including the award for most wins in a given year.

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