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By: Amy Charles | March 1, 2022
The University of Pikeville (UPIKE) recently hosted back-to-back alumni engagement events in Florida. Alumni and friends in Naples and Tampa gathered at venues in their respective cities to reminisce about their time on “the hill” and make new connections with fellow graduates and university leaders.
With numerous UPIKE and Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) alumni in the sunshine state, Florida was a natural choice to visit. The Grill at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples was the site of the first event.
William T. Betz, D.O., former Senior Associate Dean of Osteopathic Education, attended both Florida events. In Naples, he got the chance to catch up with KYCOM graduates as well as Judi Perry, a friend of UPIKE, who, along with her late husband Chad, was instrumental in starting KYCOM.
Others in Naples were James and Kate Kintz, whose son Nole is a UPIKE freshman basketball player. It was their first time meeting President Burton Webb, and they were excited to hear about the university’s growth. The Kintzes enjoyed interacting with other members of the UPIKE family and hope attend more events in the future.
“The event was fantastic. You can’t beat the Ritz-Carlton in Naples,” said Kate. “The food was amazing, but it was the people we met that made the evening special.”
The gathering in Tampa was held at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, where attendees reflected on their college experiences and learned about the university’s trajectory.
UPIKE alum Gary Humberson (‘96) attended the Tampa event for a second year and noted that traveling with the inaugural tennis team at UPIKE was among his favorite memories as an undergraduate student. He is now a graduate student at the university who will earn his MBA this spring.
“Going back to UPIKE for my MBA was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” said Humberson. “The curriculum has made me smarter, better at writing and I’ve learned so much.”
Like the other attendees, Humberson was pleased with the experience and grateful for the opportunity to speak with university leadership about UPIKE’s future.
UPIKE’s alumni network includes more than 12,000 active members who continue to show their Bear pride and commitment to support the UPIKE community at memorable alumni events and activities hosted throughout the United States. For an updated list of future alumni events, email alumni@upike.edu or call (606) 218-5276.