Carlie LaughlinLEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 25, 2025) — This summer, five University of Kentucky students brought fresh energy and creative vision to Trimble County, working to revitalize the town of Bedford, Kentucky, as the community’s vibrant center. The effort was part of the Blueprint Kentucky (formerly CEDIK) Summer Fellows program, a multidisciplinary initiative that places students in rural Kentucky communities to develop strategies for economic development, tourism and improved quality of life.
The program is a nine-week, multidisciplinary internship administered by the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment, uniting students from various majors across the university, such as landscape architecture, product design, geography and environmental science. The goal is to work together to create development plans for rural Kentucky communities. The summer fellowship program is funded by a nearly $400,000 grant, “Building Prosperity in Rural Communities,” from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
