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China Riddle YPEK

China Riddle accepts YPEK’s Rising Star Award. The award was sponsored this year by Lexington patent attorney James Francis. Pictured are, l-r: China Riddle, Terry Forcht and Kevin Smith of YPEK.

by Adele Williams, Student Contributor

Alice Lloyd College senior China Riddle was recently awarded the Young Professionals of East Kentucky/Francis Law Office, PLLC Rising Star Award.

Young Professionals of East Kentucky (YPEK) began in the spring of 2009 and works to bring the young leaders of eastern Kentucky together. Each year, YPEK recognizes one college student between the ages of 21 and 40 residing in thirty-two different counties across eastern Kentucky who has shown exquisite talent and leadership skills through the Rising Star Award.

Riddle was nominated and chosen for this award due to her excellent leadership history and great contributions to the community surrounding her. Some of those achievements include being awarded the Kentucky Society of Washington’s prestigious Henry Clay Internship in Public Policy, working as an aide to Pike County senator Ray Jones, and studying abroad in Costa Rica where she worked for the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation as a micro-business intern and helped to develop a socially responsible business plan to launch an eco-tourism industry.

Riddle was presented with the Rising Star Award on Saturday, November 9th, in Somerset, KY at YPEK’s fourth Annual Awards Dinner.

About her experience, Riddle said, “It is such an honor to be recognized by YPEK as the Rising Star recipient. This is a wonderful organization that is working hard to improve our region. Through the experience I have gained through my internships, and the knowledge and leadership skills I have acquired as a student at Alice Lloyd College, I also hope to have a positive impact on eastern Kentucky.”

*Photo courtesy of the Young Professionals of East Kentucky.