Coming in at No. 31, the 11-semester, full-timeĀ Ā provides students with a strong foundation in the science and clinical practice of audiology, progressing from core coursework to advanced clinical specialties. Faculty emphasize evidence-based training through hands-on clinical experiences, interdisciplinary collaboration and research opportunities.

ā€œWe are so proud of our innovative curriculum that prepares students like no other program does. It’s rewarding to see those innovations being recognized and emulated by others,ā€ said Shae Morgan, an associate professor and program director of the audiology program. ā€œOur students get clinical and academic preparation at the top of the profession, and we’re thrilled to see that reflected in our increasing rank.”

Community engagement is a central part of the programā€™s training. Students lead initiatives such as an annual ā€˜Hear Campā€™ for children with hearing loss, conduct community hearing screenings and participate regularly in events like MedFest Special Olympics and Walk4Hearing to promote healthy hearing in the Louisville community. Students also take part in regional and international service trips, including outreach in eastern Kentucky and collaborative clinical work with University of Kentucky students to Belize to perform hearing, speech and language evaluations.

Several other UofL graduate and professional programs also ranked among the nationā€™s top 50. These includeĀ Ā at No. 29,Ā Ā at No. 39 andĀ at No. 43. Additionally, two programs saw notable rises in this yearā€™s rankings. TheĀ programs increased 22 spots to No. 124, while theĀ Ā in the College of Business rose 23 places to No. 114.

All graduate school rankings are published in the 2026 edition of U.S. News & World Report. Graduate education at UofL provides over 130 graduate programs to approximately 5,800 graduate students. More information is available on theĀ 

These historical markers are part of a program started in 1949 by the in partnership with community members. The program has installed over 2,400 markers throughout the commonwealth to share the state’s rich and complex history. Several of them can be found across UofLā€™s campuses, each commemorating influential people, pivotal events and the evolving identity of the university.

Learn more about the significance of six of them:

Louis D. Brandeis

• Location: Near the steps to the right of the east front entrance of the .
• Significance: This marker honors Louis D. Brandeis, a prominent lawyer and Supreme Court justice, who graduated from the UofL School of Law in 1875. He actively supported the rights of speech and assembly, consumer protection and women’s rights. The law school was renamed the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law in 1997.

Brandeis Burial Site

• Location: In front of the law school
• Significance: This marker commemorates the burial site of Louis D. Brandeis and his wife Alice Brandeis, a social activist who supported health care and education.

Founding of Jefferson Seminary

• Location: Off 3rd St. near Grawemeyer HallĀ 
• Significance: This marks the site of the original Jefferson Seminary, which evolved into the University of Louisville. April 3, 1798, is the university’s symbolic founding date. On this date, eight Louisvillians pledged financial support for a new school. The Louisville Medical Institute opened in 1837 and merged in 1846 with Louisville College, an outgrowth of Jefferson Seminary. A law school was added, and the new entity was named the University of Louisville in 1846.

Charles H. Parrish Jr.

• Location: In the courtyard between Gardiner and Gottschalk Halls.
• Significance: This marker honors Charles H. Parrish Jr., a noted sociologist and a lifelong civil rights activist, who became the first black professor at UofL when it became integrated. His work as an activist yielded friendships with many Civil Rights era luminaries.

Belknap Campus

• Location: On Third Street in front of Oppenheimer Hall.
• Significance: The University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus was originally the site of the Industrial School of Reform and House of Refuge, founded in 1860. During the Civil War, Union troops used the institution as barracks and parade ground. In 1923, the University of Louisville took over the property, including its original buildings, and named it the University campus. It was renamed the Belknap Campus in 1927 to honor its benefactor, William R. Belknap.

Gottschalk Hall

• Location: In front of the building.
• ³§¾±²µ²Ō¾±“Ś¾±³¦²¹²Ō³¦±š:ĢżThe most recent addition to the historical markers at UofL. From its completion in 1894 until 1923, the building served as a dormitory for African American girls at the Louisville Industrial School of Reform. UofL acquired the building in 1923 for the chemistry department, then social sciences. Today, it is fittingly the home of the history department. The hall is named in honor of Louis Gottschalk, a distinguished historian of the French Revolution who was a valued member of the UofL history faculty from 1923 to 1927. Learn more

Her mom and younger brother, Carson, a fifth grader, had left for what she thought was a normal doctorā€™s appointment. Carson had recently joined his first tackle football team and kept telling his family, ā€œIt hurts when I get hit.ā€ They teased him at first, but his insistence that ā€œit hurts on the insideā€ sent him to a doctor and, later that day, the hospital.

Lasher didnā€™t know any of this. What she did know was that her grandmother picked her up from school – strange. Then her dad was already home – stranger. When she walked in the door, her family sat silently on the couch.

It would take three years and ultimately Carsonā€™s passing before she fully understood the scope of his diagnosis. Carson had a rare germ cell tumor that fewer than 10 people had ever had worldwide.

Lasher holds tightly to her memories of Carson, the way a big sister does. She remembers his thick Southern accent, even though they were from Indiana, and how kind he was to his classmates. She even hopes parts of his personality live on in her, especially his sense of humor.

ā€œI would never admit this to him, but he was really funny in a very sarcastic way,ā€ she said. ā€œSometimes people pick up on my humor and say, ā€˜Oh, thatā€™s really funny,ā€™ but itā€™s not truly mine. I picked it up from him.ā€

The day Carson died, Lasher remembers when it was finally time to leave the hospital, her dad looked at her, lost.

ā€œWe had to start making our way out, and Dad was just standing there looking like, ā€˜What do we do now?ā€™ā€ Lasher said. ā€œIā€™m like, ā€˜Well, what else can we do but do good?ā€™ā€

That commitment led to the creation of the Carson E. Lasher Foundation, which supports families facing pediatric cancer and other childhood illnesses. It also led Carly to raiseRED.

raiseRED is UofLā€™s largest student-run philanthropic organization, supporting the Norton Childrenā€™s Cancer Institute and the UofL School of Medicine. As part of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon, raiseRED connects students to a national movement dedicated to fighting pediatric illness.

The groupā€™s yearlong fundraising culminated in a 12-hour dance marathon on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Swain Student Activities Center. This year, the Cardinal community raised more than $470,000 inĀ support of the Norton Childrenā€™s Cancer Institute and the UofL School of Medicine.Ģż.Ģż

For her, the organization’s purpose is simple.

ā€œWe get a group of over 500 college kids together to fight for something thatā€™s bigger than themselves,ā€ said Lasher, who leads UofLā€™s raiseRED as its programming director. ā€œWe bring everyone together for this common goal of making good in our world.ā€

Lasher believes Carson would be proud of her work and her college career as a criminal justice major in the . Set to attend law school in the fall, she imagines he would have joined her at UofL. Today, she continues to honor him through raiseRED, the foundation and the bracelet he once wore that she now keeps with her every day.

ā€œWe just try to keep doing good in his name,ā€ Lasher said.

And she does.

Watch the video:

Want to participate in raiseRED? or .

Updated Feb. 23, 2026

That sense of momentum took center stage Feb. 12 when President Gerry Bradley delivered the at Comstock Hall in the School of Music. He emphasized a shared institutional roadmap focused on strategic goals, academic excellence, expanded research impact and deeper community partnerships.

A strategic plan for 2026-2030

Central to that vision is UofLā€™s , which outlines efforts to make the university a great place to learn, work, discover and connect. Along with each of the strategic plan areas, Bradley noted that the university intends to sharpen its focus on key studentā€‘centered metrics including enrollment, sixā€‘year retention rates, degrees awarded and experientialā€‘learning opportunities.

Bradley outlined several longā€‘term priorities that will shape the universityā€™s growth, including:

• New residence halls
• New academic and research facilities (including STEMā€‘H and Honors)
• A comprehensive campaign for scholarships, buildings and research
• Development of an innovation park
• Intentional workforce and leadership development
• Continued accountability to core values

He also underscored the universityā€™s critical role in improving health outcomes in Kentucky through , calling attention to the training of physicians and UofLā€™s place as part of the stateā€™s medical safety net.

To Bradley, the plan reflects a collective vision and ā€œroadmap,ā€ noting that ā€œitā€™s not my strategic plan; itā€™s our strategic plan.ā€

Commitment to the vision

Even as higher education institutions across the state and nation face significant challenges, Bradley emphasized that UofL continues to perform well, is financially stable and offers a strong value proposition for Kentucky students and those beyond the Commonwealth.

As part of the strategic plan, Bradley said the leadership team is committed to:

• Funding initiatives outlined in the strategic plan
• Incubating new academic programs
• Advocating for and securing external funding
• Minimizing the impact of financial mitigation on the campus community
• Supporting and continuing student success initiatives
• Holding the team accountable for outcomes in strategic plan

ā€œI am really optimistic for the future,ā€ Bradley said. ā€œWe are on the road. Itā€™s going to require us to be disciplined and have a laser focus.ā€

Bradley also celebrated 2025 as a year of Cardinal success, pointing to record enrollment, retention, housing and accomplishments across colleges, schools and research, along with advancement of critical capital projects.

In closing, Bradley expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve the university.

ā€œItā€™s been an honor and privilege to be your president,ā€ he said.

With a clear strategic direction and a commitment to student and community impact, he said UofL enters its next chapter positioned for continued growth and excellence.

Watch the complete .Ģż

Those are the moments when the University of Louisvilleā€™s ā€œā€ steps in.

The university opened the permanent, on-campus resource earlier this year to ensure no studentā€™s career path is blocked by a lack of access to professional clothing. Managed by the Ā (SSC) and located in the , the no-cost shop offers suits, shirts, pants, dresses, skirts, ties, shoes, belts and bags in a variety of styles and sizes – all completely free to any current UofL student.

An official ribbon cutting was held Feb. 5. said the university has a ā€œshared responsibility to remove barriers so every student regardless of background or circumstances can fully pursue their goals.ā€

ā€œThis space exists because our students were honest with us about what they needed to be confident,ā€ she said. ā€œThe university believes success is more than course work. Itā€™s about success. Itā€™s about confidence. Itā€™s about access.ā€

As students prepare for spring career fairs, the SSC aims to ensure they walk into interviews focused on their skills, not their clothes. The clothing resource is open Tuesday through Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. and is staffed by SSC student workers.

How it began

The closet represents an expansion of student support that grew out of a series of ā€œpop-upā€ events. Charice Patterson in the said she saw the need as far back as 2020.

ā€œIā€™ve always thought it would be nice to see a professional clothing closet on campus,ā€ Patterson said. ā€œAnd then we had a student employee in the Career Center who really took on the project to turn this wish list idea into reality.ā€

Natalie Hicks, a student in the , helped plan the original pop-ups. Hicks believes the resource fills a critical need for students balancing professional expectations with financial hurdles.

ā€œGrowing up first generation and low income, we can be overlooked and outsourcing for resources,ā€ Hicks said. ā€œIn the business school, there is a lot of expectations on appearance, and it can be inaccessible for low-income students.ā€

The first pop-up event was so successful they ā€œgave away almost everything,ā€ eventually requiring three times the amount of donations to meet student demand for the second one. That response led to a collaboration between the Career Center and the SSC to establish a permanent home.

The power of partnership

Hire Attire now falls under the wider umbrella of services related to accessibility offered by the SSC. SSC Manager Josie Raymond helped lead the effort to get the resource established permanently.

ā€œItā€™s been really fun to watch students come in, try on their first-ever suit and walk out feeling really confident,ā€ Raymond said.

Other on-campus partners included the , which helped convert the previous storage space into a boutique-like atmosphere, and the which offers casual wear and gives the more professional pieces to Hire Attire.Ģż

Community partners have donated attire and hosted donation drives, including C. E.& S. Foundation, DXL Big + Tall, Dress for Success Louisville, Omni Louisville and Portland Avenue Community Trust.

Supported by campus partners, local organizations and a growing network of donors, Hire Attire reflects what can happen when a community comes together for its students. Itā€™s more than a clothing resource; itā€™s a collective investment in redefining student success.

For more information, .Ģż

The is a one-year, fully funded masterā€™s degree in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing. The curriculum focuses on leadership, China and global affairs and includes academic instruction from faculty at Tsinghua University and other global institutions.

Wilson, a two-time graduate of Ā in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering, will be based in Beijing from August 2026 through July 2027, taking part in immersive experiences focused on Chinaā€™s global role.

ā€œIā€™m excited to join a cohort of scholars from around the world to experience Chinaā€™s environment, make comparative conclusions about the differences between China and the United States, and gain tangible experience investing in Chinese startups and technologies,ā€ Wilson said. ā€œMuch of this work focuses on artificial intelligence and machine learning, which I believe will define the next iteration of the future.ā€

After graduating from UofL, Wilson began his career as a technical program manager at Facebook/Meta before transitioning into venture capital, where he sources startups and conducts due diligence for potential equity investments.

As a Schwarzman Scholar, Wilson plans to focus academically and professionally on venture capital, particularly Chinaā€™s innovation and investment ecosystem.

ā€œMy work will be particularly focused on venture capital. As a short-term goal, I look forward to learning about Chinaā€™s venture capital ecosystem and how the Chinese government supports its venture capital firms as they deploy capital into startups,ā€ he said.

Wilson also hopes to apply those insights to his long-term goal.

ā€œI want to operate a venture capital firm that allows me to invest in and back underrepresented and under-resourced founders,ā€ he said.

A key aspect of the program for Wilson is the ability to gain a deeper understanding of how government policy influences innovation and investment.

ā€œI hope to better understand how the Chinese government supports its venture capital firms and explore how the U.S. could take a similar approach in supporting emerging fund managers and investors,ā€ he said. ā€œChina operates very differently from the U.S. and understanding that difference is exciting to learn and share with others after the program.ā€

Wilson credits his time at UofL, particularly his service on the , with preparing him for this opportunity.

ā€œMy work with the Board has been core to my success with Schwarzman. It demonstrated the importance of executive communication and making decisions that impact engineering students across the university,ā€ he said.

The Schwarzman Scholars program is considered one of the most selective graduate fellowships globally. For the 2026-27 cohort, 150 scholars were chosen from more than 5,800 applicants representing 40 countries and 83 universities. The incoming class brings the Schwarzman Scholars network to more than 1,500 alumni from 107 countries and 490 institutions, many of whom work in business, technology, public service, health care and global policy.

Founded in 2013 by Stephen A. Schwarzman, the program aims to prepare future leaders to navigate and shape 21st-century geopolitical realities through deeper understanding and global collaboration.

President Gerry Bradley will preside at the event.

Non-traditional student Maria Rowland, graduating with her bachelorā€™s degree in organizational leadership and learning from the College of ³ÉČĖÖ±²„ and Human Development, will serve as the student speaker.Ģż

Over 980 degrees and certificates were conferred for Summer 2025 and an anticipated 1,526 will be conferred for Fall 2025.ĢżĀ 

The ceremony will be broadcast live atĀ .

In addition to commencement at KFC Yum! Center, the UofL Graduate School will host a doctoral hooding and graduation ceremony at 2 p.m. on the same day. Seventy-four graduates are expected at the ceremony, which will be on Belknap Campus in the Swain Student Activities Center Ballroom, second floor.

¹ó“Ē±ō±ō“Ē·ÉĢż#UofLGrads2025Ā on social media for updates. For more information, visitĀ .

ā€œYou can hear rapids before you get to them or sometimes see them,ā€ he said. ā€œYou start to think how youā€™re going to get through them, and then you turn the corner and get through them. Itā€™s sort of similar to life.ā€

Sloanā€™s journey began at Princeton University in the 1960s. After two years, he had to withdraw to help out his family business. Like the river he describes, life continued to ebb and flow. He took courses at Butler University, changed jobs, took courses at Indiana University, changed jobs again ā€“ but never finished his degree.

Now at 83, UofL is giving him that opportunity.

This December, Sloan will graduate with a bachelorā€™s degree thanks to the . In Kentucky, students 65 and older can take a select number of classes for free at any state-supported institution within the commonwealth.

The world has changed drastically since Sloan began college. He remembers the first personal computers that ran on punch cards. Now, heā€™s finishing his degree entirely .

But for Sloan, earning his degree isnā€™t just about checking a box. He spent most of his life as a crafts salesman, traveling and selling fabric, yarn and other art supplies. His education was an education built by doing. Those experiences, he said, enriched his academic work.

ā€œIf you like what you are doing, you will like it more after becoming better educated,ā€ Sloan said. ā€œItā€™s a good way to improve yourself, learn how to do a better job and become a better person.ā€

Sloan says continuing to learn ā€“ at any age ā€“ is part of what keeps him energized.

ā€œI think it makes you happier because youā€™re learning about the world,ā€ he said.

He often thinks of a quote from actress Olivia de Havilland, who lived to be 104. When asked the secret to a long life, she replied: ā€œlove, laughter, learningā€¦ and stairs.ā€

ā€œThatā€™s always stuck with me,ā€ Sloan said. ā€œ³ÉČĖÖ±²„ is important. Itā€™s a good thing to remember.ā€

Sloan will graduate from the College of Arts and Sciences with a , with interdisciplinary studies in communications, creative expression and humanities. His communications courses taught him some of the theory behind his job as a salesman.

ā€œItā€™s not just the words when we communicate,ā€ he said. ā€œItā€™s the gestures, the body language.ā€

Better yet, Sloan is just as much a part of campus and the Louisville community as any student. Heā€™s an avid Cardinals sports fan, holding courtside season tickets to womenā€™s volleyball. He also regularly attends baseball, menā€™s and womenā€™s basketball games.

Sloan is a proud member of the Rotary Club of Louisville, which has more than 400 members and is the 13th-largest club among Rotary Internationalā€™s 45,000 clubs. The club sponsors scholarships, hosts guest speakers and supports humanitarian efforts.

ā€œItā€™s a bunch of do-gooders doing good in the community,ā€ he said.

Sloan has watched more than a dozen graduations of his children and grandchildren over the years. On Dec. 12, many of them will come to watch him take his turn. And when the moment comes to cross the stage and receive his diploma, he said one emotion comes to mind: happiness.

ā€œIā€™ll be very happy,ā€ he said. ā€œAnd I think I might even continue taking courses here after.ā€

ā€œ’Godā€™s Ghostwriters’ argues that the arduous work of scribes, secretaries and copyists in ancient Roman society was the undervalued work of enslaved people. These enslaved collaborators helped produce some of the early manuscripts of the Bible, yet their work has been overlooked through the centuries,ā€ said Grawemeyer Religion Award Director and Associate Dean of the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Tyler Mayfield. ā€œ’Godā€™s Ghostwriters’ and its author are worthy additions to our revered list of Grawemeyer winners.ā€

The Edward Cadbury professor of theology at the University of Birmingham, UK, Moss brings to light the labor of unnamed individuals who are integral to the content of the New Testament. Her scholarship encourages believers and scholars alike to find new meaning by acknowledging the fingerprints of those who have been marginalized.

ā€œI am profoundly honored and deeply moved to receive the Grawemeyer Award in Religion for ‘Godā€™s Ghostwriters’,ā€ said Moss. ā€œTo be counted among such an extraordinary and visionary group of previous recipients – scholars whose work has shaped the field and broadened public understanding – is both humbling and inspiring. This honor affirms the importance of telling fuller, more honest stories about the people whose labor created the texts that have shaped our world, and I am grateful beyond words.ā€

Moss, who previously won the John Templeton Award for Theological Promise, is a frequent contributor to major media outlets like CBS News, National Geographic and The New York Times.

The Grawemeyer Award for Religion is given annually to honor significant contributions to religious and spiritual understanding. Moss will present a public lecture on her work at the Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary on Thursday, April 16, 2026, where she will formally receive the award from the seminary and the University of Louisville.

About the Grawemeyer Awards

Each year the Grawemeyer Awards honor the power of creative ideas to improve our culture via music composition, world order, education, religion and psychology. Business executive and philanthropist H. Charles Grawemeyer established the awards in 1984 at the University of Louisville.

Academics and community members choose among nominees from around the world to ensure that each winning idea is both innovative and accessible. The University of Louisville and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary announce the winners in December and present the awards at a ceremony the following April. The five award winners receive $100,000 each, which they may use, if they choose, to develop and accelerate the spread of their powerful ideas. Learn more atĀ 

Since 1993, the series has hosted prominent guests including U.S. presidents, cabinet members, Supreme Court justices and congressional and international leaders.

Capito was the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from West Virginia. She currently serves as the only female member of the Republican Party leadership as the Policy Committee Chair.

During the discussion held at Chao Auditorium andĀ , moderators and Macy Waddle and Kara Beth Poe asked Capito questions about her path to politics, her approach to bipartisanship policy solutions and the ongoing government shutdown.Ģż

When asked why she chose to pursue leadership roles, Capito said she selected committees where she could make an impact and serve her stateā€™s interests, such as the Environment and Public Works Committee. She cited the current permitting process as an example of working across the aisle for the greater good.

ā€œYou canā€™t build anything without enormous red tape,ā€ Capito said. ā€œThis is a point at which we have great bipartisanship hope, what you end up with is a peak where you are both hungry for it. If we have permitting reform solidly written, this should solve everybodyā€™s issues no matter who is in office.ā€

A point of pride for Capito is West Virginia Girls Rise Up, a program designed to inspire the next generation of female leaders. Ran out of her office, the initiative empowers middle schoolers by focusing on education, physical fitness and self-confidence. Capito hosts sessions on these topics, sometimes featuring special guests like NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson.

Capito draws motivation from her father, Arch Alfred Moore, Jr. who served in the U.S. Congress and as governor of West Virginia. She hopes to pass that legacy on to her three children.

In his remarks before Capitoā€™s talk, Sen. Mitch McConnell praised Capito for ā€œworking with other peopleā€™s point of viewā€ and her dedication to making a difference for communities.Ģż

ā€œThere has not been a better difference maker in the Senate in my years than Shelley,ā€ McConnell said.