The collage portrait of Lyman T. Johnson, titled “I Lived Half of my Life in the Darkness, and Half in the Light,” created by Imar Lyman Hutchins, a Washington, D.C.-based artist and grandson of Johnson.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 28, 2026) — The University of Kentucky College of Social Work (CoSW) will honor members of its community during the 35th annual Lyman T. Johnson Awards Luncheon.
Tierra Hereford, DSW, LCSW, LICSW, CAIMHP, a 2012 graduate of CoSW, has been named the College’s 2026 Torch of Excellence Award recipient. Makari Murphy, a senior in the CoSW’s undergraduate social work program, has been named the 2026 Torch Bearer Award recipient.
The recipients will be recognized during the Lyman T. Johnson Awards Luncheon on Friday, Oct. 9, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Gatton Student Center Grand Ballroom.
The Torch of Excellence Award honors alumni whose values, faith, hard work and determination have positively impacted the lives of people on UK’s campus, in Lexington, across the Commonwealth and/or throughout the nation. The Torch Bearer Award recognizes students whose academic achievement and ability have positively impacted the lives of others.
Both honors carry forward the legacy of Lyman T. Johnson, the civil rights pioneer who became the first African American to enroll at the University of Kentucky in 1949, opening doors for generations of students and scholars who followed.
Hereford, a 2012 College of Social Work graduate, began her career in Kentucky’s public child welfare system after participating in UK’s Public Child Welfare Certification Program. Her career has since spanned child welfare, behavioral health, substance use treatment, trauma therapy and clinical supervision. Today, she owns T H & Associates, where she provides trauma-informed mental health services, while continuing to mentor emerging social workers and support the College through continuing education. Her nomination recognized a career defined by service, mentorship and a commitment to expanding access to care.
Murphy, a senior social work student, has distinguished herself through leadership, service and advocacy across UK. She currently serves as a College of Social Work ambassador, public relations chair for the Black Student Union and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, and has held leadership roles with the Social Work Association and Black Student Union. Her nomination highlighted her commitment to building community, elevating student voices and creating opportunities for others.
Murphy has also gained experience working with youth and young adults through several community and court-based programs. After graduation, she plans to pursue a Master of Social Work and a career in health care social work.
The College will share additional stories highlighting Hereford and Murphy, their accomplishments and the impact of their work at the commencement of the October celebration.