Writer

Kenneth Best

Ken Best served as editor of UCONN Magazine for 10 years. He is a co-host of the UConn 360 Podcast. He previously covered news and sports in Connecticut for The New York Times, edited the Weekend section for the Stamford Advocate and Greenwich Time, wrote arts and culture stories syndicated by the Los Angeles Times-Washington Post News Service and was the media coordinator for Yale-New Haven Hospital. During the summer of 2015 he hosted “Walking a Blues Road,” a weekly program on WHUS in Storrs based on the holdings of the Samuel and Ann Charters Archives of Blues and Vernacular African-American Musical Culture at UConn’s Thomas J. Dodd Research Center. He is the author of Eight Days a Week: An Illustrated Record of Rock ‘n’ Roll (Pomegranate Books).

Author Archive

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is celebrating Puppet Arts program director Bart Roccoberton’s career as puppeteer and educator with an exhibition of nearly 100 puppets he and his collaborators and students created. Shown here are Captain Kidd (back) and Dougie Hutchins from 'Tales of the Leatherman'. (Sean Flynn/UConn Photo)

From Building Puppets to Building Puppeteers

The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry is celebrating Puppet Arts program director Bart Roccoberton’s career as puppeteer and educator with an exhibition of nearly 100 puppets he and his collaborators and students created.

May 8, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Aaliyah Habeeb (King Henry) and Sebastian Nagpal (Hal) in Shakesepeare’s HENRY IV onstage at Connecticut Repertory Theatre through May 5. (Gerry Goodstein for UConn)

‘When a Woman Can Be King’: CRT’s Production of Henry IV

Aaliyah Habeeb plays King Henry and Michele Tauber Falstaff in Shakespeare's epic coming-of-age story of privilege, politics, and power, at the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre April 25-May 5.

April 26, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Three African-American women stand in front of east side tenements on Pearl Street in Hartford, circa 1900-1920. (Courtesy of the Hartford History Center, Hartford Public Library)

The Struggle to Find Affordable Housing in Hartford

A new exhibit at the Dodd Center, opening April 17, documents the racism and discrimination that many Hartford residents have experienced over the years, leaving them with little access to affordable housing.

April 17, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Research & Discovery UConn Voices
A fifth-grader works at a computer during an after-school learning program. (Farah Nosh/Getty Images)

Study: After-school Programs Improve Academic Outcomes

A study of study over 9,000 students attending more than 100 after-school programs in Connecticut found those who participated had higher school attendance and higher academic performance.

April 11, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Research & Discovery
Janet Pritchard in the field in northern England, working on a project about Hadrian's Wall, which was built by the Romans as the northwest frontier of their empire. (Judith Thorpe Photo)

Photography Professor Janet Pritchard Wins Prestigious Guggenheim Award

Pritchard, a landscape photographer, will pursue a project on the Connecticut River Watershed during the period of her fellowship.

April 10, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

A visiting fellow at the Humanities Institute is writing a book about America's earliest known serial – or 'spree' – killers, the Harpe brothers.

‘The Frontier Killers’: Violence in Early America

A visiting fellow at the Humanities Institute is writing a book about America's earliest known serial – or 'spree' – killers, the Harpe brothers.

April 4, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Research & Discovery
From left, Eilis Garcia (The Pregnant One), Elizabeth Jebran (The Bleeding One), Adrianna Simmons (The One with Dwindling Dignity), Pearl Matteson (The Young One), and Willow Giannotti-Garlinghouse (The Pious One) in Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s production of ‘If We Were Birds’ by Erin Shields, onstage in the Studio Theatre through April 7. (Gerry Goodstein for UConn)

‘If We Were Birds’ Reflects Long History of Sexual Violence

The Connecticut Repertory Theatre’s modern adaptation of a story from Greek mythology shows that sexual violence has been chronicled for centuries.

April 3, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Community Impact
'Armchair Gardener,' by Mitch Ryerson (2000), one of the works on display at the Benton Museum in an exhibit inspired by this year's UConn Reads book selection, Game of Thrones. (Courtesy of the artist)

Exploring Furniture as Art

Inspired by this year's UConn Reads book, 'A Game of Thrones,' an exhibition at the Benton Museum presents chairs as sculpture.

April 2, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

From left, Kelly Dennis, professor of art and art history; Megan Scholtz, ’19 (SFA), a photography major; and Deanna LaVoie ’20 (SFA), graphic design major, reviewing an updated biography in preparation for this year’s Art + Feminism Edit-a-thon during a History of Photography class in Oak Hall. (Kenneth Best/UConn Photo)

Women in the Arts: Setting the Record Straight

During a day-long event at two UConn campuses on April 1, students, faculty, and staff edited Wikipedia to ensure the inclusion of female artists.

April 1, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications

Research & Discovery

In Honor of St. Patrick’s Day: A Bit About Irish Fashion

English professor Mary Burke discusses the success of Irish fashion exports to post-World War II America.

March 15, 2019 | Kenneth Best - UConn Communications