Watson, who works in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, School of Medicine, focuses on comparative genomics and immunology, also known as immunogenomics. This expertise earned a place on a multidisciplinary team led by Penn State, Washington University and the who recently generated the first : chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, Bornean orangutan, Sumatran orangutan and siamang. Watson, and members of his lab team assisted in undertaking the large project, utilizing their niche expertise to help identify and analyze the ape genes related to immunity.��

The ape genome findings published in help scientists better understand species-specific genes that may have played a role in the species’ survival and development. Geneticists like Watson are discovering the narrative of evolution by studying and translating genomes into actionable information. Genomic differences between humans and our close genetic relatives may direct future advancements in understanding human health and clinical research.

“I like to think that when you understand more about the biology of these regions, you understand more about how they can be useful to humans in the health setting,” Watson said.

Piecing together the ape genome puzzle

The complete sequencing of the six ape genomes revealed novel genes and variants related to diet, immunity and cellular activity.��

“The regions that harbor antibody genes are very complex parts of the genome, and we still actually don’t understand them that well, even in humans,” Watson said. “We don’t know much about their evolutionary histories. While we now understand they are places in our genome that have very particular characteristics, we lack a clear understanding of how quickly they can diversify and take on new functions within and between species.”

The complete genomes of the six ape species have been sequenced thanks to technological advancements that have made genomic sequencing cheaper and more efficient. However, the process for sequencing a genome is not as simple as running it through a single computer program, as seen in sci-fi movies like “Jurassic Park.” Watson describes the sequencing process as similar to completing a jigsaw puzzle. Laboratory researchers break up chromosomes into small pieces of DNA, analyze them and put them back together to understand the whole.��

“We’re now to the point where — with a lot of effort through the input of a lot of people — we can fully reconstruct genomes, and it doesn’t cost you a billion dollars to do it,” Watson said, referring to the rough cost of the original of the early 2000’s.��

Technological developments have allowed today’s researchers to analyze much larger DNA pieces, so the change in sequencing difficulty is like having fewer pieces of a puzzle to put together.

Despite the progress, this work remains an intense process requiring experts like Watson, who helped identify and describe the ape genes that contribute to immune responses. For the Watson Lab and other immunogenomic researchers, future advancement in our genetic understanding of immunity will require sequencing of many more individual apes and humans to better identify gene variations across these species.

Students are critical to the research

Watson and his team were just one branch of a large team of scientists piecing together and organizing the jigsaw of the six ape genomes. The amount of work needed in genetics to sequence, annotate and store genetic information is great, which leaves space for rising biology students.��

“Students are critical to our research enterprise. All of us were once students; it’s where you start,” Watson said, regarding the future of genetic studies. “The future of the system we have built in this country wholly depends on our ability to continue to recruit and effectively train students who are interested in scientific research.”

For Watson and his team of UofL researchers, the work to understand the genetic story of humans’ adaptive immune system continues with more of our close relatives. The Watson Lab recently completed . The study included a curated public database of more than 1,000 previously unidentified alleles and is available with the team’s January 2026 article published in .

The Gray Street Farmers Market, Knob Hill Farms CSA subscriptions and UofL’s Community Gardens, all in collaboration with UofL’s Sustainability Council, can help campus neighbors and Cardinals supplement grocery store produce. These options can provide healthy alternatives, reduced costs and decreased individual environmental impact.

“Nothing is more indicative of unsustainable living than our widespread disconnection from the most fundamental thing that sustains us, where and how our food is grown,” said UofL’s Assistant to the Provost for Sustainability Initiatives��Justin Mog. “These initiatives represent the university’s best efforts to reconnect us to the land, the ecology, the local economies and the people that we cannot live without.”

Each program below is open to the public:

• 
  Thursdays, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
  June – September

• 
  Pickups Tuesday at UofL 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
  CSA Subscriptions

• 
  Alternating Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• 
  Summer Garden Gatherings:��Urban & Public Affairs Garden 7 p.m., Mondays;
  Garden Commons 12 p.m., Thursdays

Knob Hill Farms and Community Supported Agriculture

Since 2004, Keith McKenzie and his family have managed Knob Hill Farm’s 26 acres, including two acres of USDA-certified organic farmland, to share healthy and locally grown produce with Louisville’s residents. When McKenzie moved with his wife to Louisville to work on his master’s degree in social work, the pair rented plots to garden while living in the city. The community they found in Louisville and their love of gardening were the beginning sprout of Knob Hill Farms. The connections made through gardening encouraged McKenzie to expand his gift for gardening and community building to Knob Hill Farms and, ultimately, community-supported agriculture (CSA).

“What we want to do is share what it’s like to grow produce, what it’s like to farm, what it’s like to encounter nature on multiple fronts,” McKenzie said.

Knob Hill Farms is able to operate thanks to their CSA subscriptions, which allow customers to buy a share in the farm for the season by supporting the work and reaping the harvest through weekly in-season provisions. Each week, McKenzie meets subscribers at one of his pickup locations, including a stop at UofL’s Belknap Campus. At these pickups, McKenzie hears directly from customers about their upcoming needs from Knob Hill Farms which allows him to adapt crop choices. Farmers Markets and CSA create mutually beneficial relationships between farmers and their customers without additional cost or damage from a third-party grocery store.

“There’s been a move to modernize and to embrace technology. At what cost and at what expense? I believe in the exchange for convenience and in pursuit of, ultimately, the American Dream. We gave up power. We gave up control of how we prepare food and what is in the food that’s prepared for us,” McKenzie said. “And for my wife and me, this – I believe – is an opportunity for us to gain some control, some power, some sense of liberation.”

Gray Street Farmers Market�� �� ��

Begun in 2009, the Gray Street Farmers Market (GSFM) is a project of in partnership with the Louisville Metro Dept. of Public Health and Wellness and Catholic Charities Common Earth Gardens. Their goal is to increase access to fresh food in downtown Louisville. In addition to providing access to affordable, locally grown produce, the market welcomes craft vendors, food trucks and partners like the Louisville Free Public Library. The market is open every Thursday, 10:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. from June through September, rain or shine.

The GSFM offers several food access programs to provide support to customers enrolled in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) and seniors. SNAP dollars can be tripled at the Gray Street Farmers Market through the Triple Dollar Program.

UofL Community Gardens

Seeking out local produce may not take you much further than your own backyard, neighborhood or campus. Gardening is another way to shorten your grocery store list while decreasing environmental damage. UofL’s two community gardens, Garden Commons and Urban & Public Affairs Garden, are cared for and harvested by students, staff, faculty and public volunteers. Each week, volunteers meet to care for the garden, learn and enjoy a share of the produce.

TRIO offers individuals one-on-one and group academic advising, tutoring, financial counseling, cultural excursions, professional mentoring, career exploration, workshops and more. The initiative also works with pre-college students and provides summer programming, college tours and college application assistance.

This year, during Kentucky TRIO Day in February, UofL TRIO provided two days of workshops, speakers and academic competitions. TRIO Day was established in 1986 by Congress to commemorate the annual achievements of the federal TRIO programs in communities across the country.

UofL News sat down with Laila Shell, a beneficiary of the program and a sophomore in the College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development studying middle and secondary education.

UofL News: How did you discover TRIO’s student support services?

Shell:
I was in middle school — I think 7th grade, and I can’t really tell you how it came about or how I found out about it. But I just know a lot of my friends were like, “Oh, there’s this program called TRIO,” and we just all signed up together. We knew that it would allow us to visit colleges, and it was a good opportunity to explore and meet new people.

UofL News:��What was the most beneficial support that TRIO provided you?

Shell:
Definitely the tours, visiting campuses and college readiness. They helped us make sure that we were studying for tests like the ACT, really making sure that we were on track to graduate and have a future in a college or whatever else.

UofL News: What would you say to students who are curious about the support services?

Shell:
I would say try it, you could only gain from it. I feel like the dedication and the warm guidance that they give you is one-of-a-kind; they put their all into making sure that you’re on the right track to graduate and just have a good future.

It’s something you should definitely look into if you have the time for it — go to the sessions, attend the trips. Most of it is very low cost or free, so you really have nothing to lose, all to gain. You make the connections, the network and it’s a good opportunity to make sure that you get yourself out there and prepared for college.

UofL News: How has TRIO Student Support Services impacted your experience at UofL?

Shell:
The study areas that we have and the communal vibe. First-generation students and students who fewer financial resources just all getting together and sharing that space for growth. The resources are there. You can’t say, “I don’t have someone or people to confide in,” they’re all going through the same things you’re going through. It’s just a space to be yourself and get the guidance and resources you need to succeed.

UofL News: How has TRIO impacted your experience? Beyond UofL, do you see your future being impacted by the services that TRIO provided?

Shell:
I think it’s really the connections for me. I feel like we’re all individuals who want the best for ourselves. I feel like the connections that I make within this group is long-term, it’s fulfilling to see people that look like me and that want to be successful in the future. The connections and the networking that goes along within the program are probably some of the most beneficial things for me. Stepping outside of academics, social life on campus is really important to make sure that you’re motivated to keep going and have people to depend on. So, I feel like the networking aspect of it has helped me a lot. I am a better person as far as communicating and making myself known and putting myself out there to try new things and be involved with other aspects of campus.

UofL News: What obstacles would you have faced to your education without TRIO services?

Shell:
I wouldn’t be as open-minded as I am. The barriers that you face as a first-generation student can sometimes limit your beliefs and your expectations for your future. This has provided me more knowledge about the resources that I have on campus. They provide it and they give it to you and it’s just easy to grasp information and resources here. So, without them, I don’t know if I would be able to succeed in college or even be the best version of me.

UofL News: Like envisioning your potential?

Shell:
Yeah, I probably would feel the odds are set against me, you know? But here I feel seen, and I feel valued. That allows me to be the best version of me.

Two UofL College of Arts & Sciences winter graduates are looking to their hometowns for guidance in their professions and hope to serve the people who shaped them. Chloe Hale and Emmy Walters, studying anthropology and biology respectively, plan to continue their education in graduate school with the goal of utilizing their advanced degrees to support communities like those in which they grew up.

Documenting home

Moving to a city from a rural county can be a culture shock. Coming from Martin County, Hale quickly realized she had a different experience growing up in Kentucky than many of her classmates. Hale’s quiet anxiety around drinking tap water is something few could understand.

“It makes me sad to see on the internet when a place in my home county doesn’t have water and it’s not gonna be back on for two weeks or something like that,” Hale said. “Just the fact that I can drink the water here in Louisville from the tap makes me feel guilty, in a way, because my family members are there, and they can’t drink the water.”

Hale grew up in an Appalachian community where clean drinking water was not a guarantee or to be taken for granted. Martin County lost its regular access to safe water due to infrastructure, resource access, mining contamination and environmental destruction.

“I think when you can’t drink the water there’s this little piece of trauma in the back of your mind every time you drink from the tap,” Hale said. “It’s like, ‘Is it clean? Can I? Is this drinkable?’”

For an independent study, Hale chose to document how hairstylists back home struggled to work without guaranteed access to clean water. She asked her sister and fellow hairstylists to take pictures throughout their workday anytime they encountered the need to use water.

“I decided that it would be a good idea to examine water access through a group of women that rely on water for an income,” Hale explained. “Hairstylists need water for absolutely everything: to clean, to wash hair, to rinse hair, to make different cleaning solutions.”

The project used these pictures as a “photo voice” to document and display the obstacles the Martin County hairstylists encounter every day due to the lack of access to consistently safe tap water.

While returning home is a complicated option with the ongoing water crisis, Hale hopes to continue her education in Appalachian studies at UofL with her sights set on a future PhD to continue to document and uplift her hometown and other communities.

“I definitely love my hometown, but think I’ve been able to curate what it means to be Appalachian a little bit more just because it is its own culture and it is an identity I’m proud of,” Hale said.

A better vision for Kentucky’s future

Emmy Walters’ first connection to optometry was through her love of reading and an early vision assessment at school. She was one of the only members in her family to need glasses and this sparked a curiosity about the relationship between her vision and the biological mechanisms that supported her eyesight and her favorite hobby. As she aged, her curiosity for vision only grew as she understood the obstacles to both eye assessments and literacy in her community.

“Growing up, our access to eye care was sufficient, but then you get in surrounding counties where there won’t be an optometrist for 45 minutes,” Walters said.

Walters early childhood love for reading was protected by her access to an optometrist, and an early assessment allowed her natural curiosity toward books to go uninterrupted. Walters still reads regularly and will attend optometry school next year. After shadowing an optometrist in Campbellsville Kentucky, her hometown, she hopes to practice in a similar rural area.

“I felt like I was home, like I was talking to my own family members; the way that they approached me and talked about things is something I’m used to, and it was comforting,” Walters said.

While shadowing in the practice, Walters began to see the personal impact she could have as an optometrist practicing outside of a major city.

“At least a third of the people that came in had never been to an eye doctor or hadn’t been in a very long time, and most of the time those were people from surrounding areas,” Walters said.

Walters hopes to one day combine her interest in optometry with her love for reading by supporting literacy through eye exams and philanthropy.

Interested in pursuing a degree or certificate program with UofL? Check out the�� to find a program.

Each day, Wilson and her classmates would hike a half-mile to the cave in Mira de Aire, Portugal, where they’d dig alongside UofL researchers and graduate students, tracking and recovering artifacts from the site. Wilson is one of many UofL students of all levels and disciplines who participate in research every year — a unique opportunity that allows them to gain hands-on experience and explore potential future careers as investigators.����

��“Archaeology is an especially hands-on field, so my experience helped me to visualize my future career and see if I was truly up for the job,” Wilson said. “I think I came back to campus with a much better understanding of what I wanted to do in the discipline and what I didn’t, which is so valuable for determining your next steps in life.”��

Led by anthropologist Jonathan Haws, the team worked to find and catalog animal bones, charcoal, stone tools and soil samples that could reveal where, when and how early humans lived. The annual digs, part of a three-year project sponsored by the National Science Foundation, have led to groundbreaking discoveries about the movement of early humans.����

For example, that modern humans arrived in the westernmost part of Europe about 5,000 years earlier than previously known, at a time when most believed there were only Neanderthals. Those findings led to important ramifications for understanding the possible interaction between the two human groups — and the ultimate disappearance of the latter.��

“That discovery completely changes the way we understand early human history, where they lived and when,” said Haws, a professor and chair of the UofL anthropology department. “Now, our team is working to paint a fuller picture of what that life looked like — how they cooked, how they hunted, how they lived. Being involved in something like that is just a huge opportunity for students.”��

During the April 20 event, participants of CeLOUbrate Print engaged in printmaking by creating large, hand-carved wooden stamps, or “woodcuts” and driving over them with a steamroller. With a quick training, a driver’s license and a rental steamroller, Singel was prepared to operate this unique printing press.

“The whole premise is building community,” Singel said. “One of the many reasons I fell in love with printmaking is it’s the democratic multiple. Where would we be without printmaking in terms of it is the way that we disseminate information?”

This art process involves creating an image via a woodcut, etching or engraving and using ink to create copies on paper or canvas like a stamp. Lithography and screen-printing are also forms of printmaking. An original work can be replicated endlessly with basic supplies and processes which eliminate boundaries to sharing work or marketing art.

Printmaking is inherently collective by nature and is a simple form of mass production of artistic work. The creation, production and sharing of a print can all be completed by one operator, removing many obstacles to sharing artwork or messages to build community connections. Additionally, many prints will have small variances from shifting equipment or blotting ink so despite being a mostly mechanical process, each print will have its own unique characteristics and value from the artist’s production.

“When people pull their very first print, it’s this really magical moment because their mind is blown, but they also understand exactly how and why it’s happening,” Lewis said. “You get to watch the light bulb go off.”

In addition to UofL, several sponsors and local businesses supported Singel and Lewis in their effort to bring more people together through CeLOUbrate Print and its workshops including Fund for the Arts, Printed Zine and Portland Museum. UofL alumni William Smith served as Lewis’s collaborator from Portland Museum and assisted with grant writing, advertising and planning the event over eight months.

Ahead of CeLOUbrate Print, Lewis organized over a dozen woodblock carving workshops to help prepare participants to make prints with the steamroller press. The workshops were an addition from Singel’s steamroller press events in previous years. Lewis’s passion for the project comes out of the desire to make printmaking more accessible and this is the driving goal of their studies in printmaking and public humanities.

“Printmakers assume things have to be in a very specific way, your borders have to be clean, no smudges so it’s usually done in a shop – it’s done with a press,” Lewis said. “It’s done this way, so I really wanted to have an event that not only made people know what printmaking is, but it also made that knowledge accessible and doable in your kitchen.”

Alongside the CeLOUbrate Print event, the Portland Museum unveiled a new printmaking exhibit titled The museum invited Louisville printmakers to display their work but encouraged the featured artists to invite other printmakers from outside the region to also participate. The exhibit is a practice of building connections between Louisville’s artists and other pockets of printmakers across the nation. “Shop Talk” will be on display at the Portland Museum until the end of August.

To keep up with UofL’s art students and programming, visit .

Honeybees have always been a part of��Robinson’s��life��as she��first learned about beekeeping from family members who’ve cared for beehives through generations, starting with her��grandfather,��and��then her father.��Beehives bring nostalgic scents and sounds to��Robinson, whose earliest memories include following her grandfather around their family hives in Meade County, Ky., harvesting honey for their��“Bee Happy Farms”��honey jars.

“My grandfather had this big garden and orchard with apple trees, so he had the bees to pollinate them,”��Robinson said. “I��just��remember playing around the garden and being close to the bees. They��weren’t��ever interested in me because I��wasn’t��bothering them, so that fear��kind of��got eliminated when I was pretty young.”

After the death of Robinson’s��grandfather, her family kept a hive on his property to support the orchard. She and her father now tend to the inherited bees. “It’s��crazy that��it’s��a family tradition that can carry��on,��beyond someone like that,”��Robinson reflected.

The UofL’s beekeeping internship, too, has brought Robinson closer to her��father who she��now asks for advice when dealing with new obstacles facing��UofL’s��beehives. His insights keep a heritage of beekeeping knowledge from disappearing.

Everything about beekeeping can be done��in��a variety of��ways, from how the hive is��built and how to handle the bees to the protective clothing worn by beekeepers.��

“It’s��like��a dance to specifically move with the bees and see which frame��they’re��mostly on and which one I should touch and which one I��shouldn’t,”��Robinson said.

As a beekeeper, Robinson has developed her own style under the guidance of her father and the UofL Sustainability mentorship.��

“I��read somewhere that bees can remember their��beekeeper’s��face, so I always try��to��talk to them when I get in the hive and just see how��they’re��doing,”��Robinson said.��“There are old folktales about the��‘telling of the��bees,’ so��there’s��a strong connection between beekeepers and their bees.”

A Spring Sting

Beekeeping��isn’t��always comfortable,��even��for a legacy beekeeper.

“I��have gotten stung a few times, but after��the second��time��it’s��no big deal,”��Robinson said.��“And��every time I do��get stung, I never blame the bees.��It’s��not their fault that��they’re��stinging, they��just��think��I’m��like a bear trying to get their honey.”

Bees often face a fear from people, much like snakes or bats, and many believe that their presence always means potential danger. However, bees are defensive, not aggressive, so their sting is a last resort. Like other animals, bees fear humans more than people fear them and prefer keeping to themselves.��

According to Robinson, even with wasps and hive beetles, honeybees defend the hive by surrounding the pests to block them from an area or to overheat them with their wing movements.��

But keeping bees also��comes with its rewards and pleasures. To extract honey from the hive, Robinson first determines how much honey needs to��be left behind��for the bees. The frames are then removed,��and��the bees��are brushed��into an empty super box/hive box. Finally, the beeswax on the frames is uncapped with a blade to release the honey and the frames are placed in a spinner to remove, filter and jar the honey. Beeswax is often collected during the filtering process and can also��be used for various products like lip balm.

“One of my favorite things about beekeeping is just the smell of the��beehives,��it’s��this��really sweet��aroma. I think��it’s��really special��and really cool to introduce new people to that, and the sound of the buzzing from the hives,”��Robinson said.��“It can��definitely��be intimidating, but��I’ve��found it to be a��little��bit more soothing because I know bees are in there and that��they’re��happy.”

As��UofL’s��beekeeping intern, Robinson cares for the beehives year-round. Before the winter, Robinson adds entrance reducers and hay bales around the hive to reduce wind-chill. Throughout the early spring, she visits the hives a couple of times a month to monitor the bees’ behavior, add pollen patties, remove any pests and add more hive frames��which��are��used��by the bees to build honeycombs.

After the bees become more active in the spring, honey can��start to��be harvested��through the summer.��Robinson dresses in a beekeeping suit that covers her legs, arms and face in one sealed garment to protect her from her buzzing friends.��She also burns natural wood shavings to calm the bees down if��she’s��in the hives��for a��longer��amount of time��than��normal.��Robinson uses a brush to gently guide the bees out from any tight spots or crevices to keep��the bees��safe��as she��carefully removes frames and places them on a rack to check the��honeycomb’s��structure and��honey��production.��

“You really count on every bee to help your hive survive,”��Robinson said. “So,��it’s��a very gentle process.”

Last year, one UofL hive produced about 12-pint jars of honey and grew enough to create a second hive.��

Robinson says there’s��no negative aspect in harvesting the bees’ honey when done��properly.

Tending to the hives functions like a symbiotic relationship where the keeper protects the hives from pests, cold, moisture and hunger while harvesting honey for consumption. Seeing the hive thrive and overcome obstacles is as rewarding for Robinson as collecting honey.

“Seeing how much everybody likes the honey is really cool. Not that I made it, but it feels like I helped at least jar it,”��Robinson said.��“It’s��cool to see the different tastes of what this honey is like compared to a different��hive’s��honey.”

Supporting the Hive

Caring for bees��not only��ties Robinson to her community and family, but it also��fulfills a called duty to the environment and sustainability.��

“The responsibility as UofL’s beekeeping intern to me is to show kindness and consideration toward ecology, urban agriculture and every little pollinator that comes my way,” Robinson said. “To help our bees is an honor because I’m also helping our local and community gardens, wildlife and student outreach on sustainable, eco-friendly practices.”

Honeybees are��an important��keystone species as pollinators��and��their success could��be directly tied��to the success of future generations. Keeping beehives helps secure a sustainable future and protects��an important��species from eradication. In trade, beekeepers can harvest honey and beeswax from hives��to use��for various purposes.

“It’s��just important for everybody to know that you can absolutely be a beekeeper wherever as long as you have a yard and some plants nearby,”��Robinson said.��“You just have to know some pretty basic things about bees��and��how to use the equipment.”

Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability��initiatives,��created the beekeeping internship to help connect student learning with sustainable agriculture and nature stewardship.��Mog works closely with Robinson to manage��the��hives and honey harvesting��at UofL.��The two also participate in programming on-and-off campus to better connect the Louisville community with honeybee conservation.

“Anyone who cares about sustainability needs an intimate understanding of how nature works, and I find��there’s��no better way to do that than to crack open a beehive and observe��what’s��going on,”��Mog said.��“I learn so much from my bees!”

After graduation, Robinson hopes to continue beekeeping��either through��volunteering or keeping her own hives.��“I would love to have some beehives of my own one day as��kind of��a family tradition, help my dad still take care of his bees and hopefully get more involved with the����

KSBA offers resources, workshops and programs to help create new beekeepers and share knowledge.

Interested in becoming��UofL’s��next beekeeping intern? Contact��.

Earlier in February, community partner and UofL neighbor, Dave Barker led participants through a maple tapping workshop, installing taps on several trees in the center of campus. Barker instructed participants on the best practices for tree tapping without causing harm to the trees. He explained that sap flows are much more accessible to tap after temperatures swing from below freezing at night to above freezing during the day, creating an internal pressure that carries sap through the tree. After these conditions are met, sap may be seen leaking through natural scars. The only equipment then needed to harvest sap is a drill to make a one-inch hole, a tap to hammer in, tubing and a covered bucket. Once the sap is harvested, it’s then boiled down to remove the water and create syrup.

Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability initiatives says tree tapping is a sustainable way to create local maple syrup and sugary products while cutting personal emissions. Combining maple tapping with other gardening and farming practices can make an important impact in reducing individual environmental impacts.

“I think the most important thing we get out of this project is a better understanding of sustainability, which is all about tapping into the local resources right under our noses that we tend to ignore,” Mog said. “As we learned at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, what makes modern life so precarious and unsustainable is an over-reliance on extractive economies that pull in resources from all over the place. Rather than spending a bunch of money and burning a bunch of fossil fuels to ship in syrup from Vermont, I’d much rather see us make our own and reconnect with the abundance that nature provides for us right here in Louisville.”

To make a gallon of maple syrup about 30–60 gallons of sap is needed. Assuming weather conditions support the flow of sap, UofL Sustainability hopes to produce a few gallons of syrup from Belknap campus trees. While the workshop focused on tapping maple trees, several other tree species can be tapped for sap to make syrup. Birch, hickory, sycamore and other types of trees can be used to create unique syrups with different flavor profiles from maple syrup.

The annual maple tapping workshop is part of . The Garden Commons is a collectively managed space open to all students, staff, faculty and community members. Participants who assist in the garden’s projects are welcome to share in the harvest and take their share of organic produce.

The Garden Commons hosts several workshops and events to get volunteers engaged in recognizing the accessible abundance of gardening and foraging. Upcoming events include workshops on orchard care, berry foraging and community gardening in abandoned urban spaces. Garden Commons intern and UofL student Savannah Dowell organized this year’s maple tapping workshop.

“I want everyone who participates in the Garden Commons to walk away with the understanding and confidence that they, too, can grow, forage or learn anything their heart desires. The world of sustainable urban agriculture can be overwhelming, but don’t become debilitated by the plethora of possibilities,” Dowell said. “Whether you start with a mass-scale maple tapping project or a windowsill herb garden – just start!”

Over the coming weeks, Cardinals can help empty sap buckets into collection barrels at the North Information Center and behind Gottschalk Hall by . ��

Taste UofL’s maple syrup and honey at this year’s on Friday, April 19, from noon – 1 p.m. at the Cultural & Equity Center 176 (Belknap Village North).

View pictures on .

Whether an incoming freshman or a returning, transfer or online student, seeking advice and support is key for success. Luckily, new students don’t have to look far for guidance.

Sophomores Fatima Al Khafaji (political science), Ghadir Habeeb (psychology, pre-dental), LaShonda Masden (business) and Diamond Moore (nursing) shared their best tips for getting started at UofL and taking advantage of the first week on campus. Read on for student-centered advice on time management, the best study food and learning how to grow into college life. Also, be sure to check out the full

UofL News: Why did you choose the University of Louisville, and how has your experience been so far?

Al-Khafaji: Home is where the heart is. I wanted to stay close to my family and people I know and love within the Louisville community. On top of that, UofL has proved itself many times to be an outstanding institution, so I didn’t feel the need to go far to seek a good education and opportunities. It’s a win-win. My experience has been pleasing and any anxiety I had about starting college vanished in no time.��

Moore: When doing a college visit, Louisville just felt like home to me. The university was so welcoming. My experience here has been nothing but amazing. The bonds I have made have been lifelong friendships that I am forever grateful for.

UofL News: What are your memories from Welcome Week? Would you do anything differently?

Habeeb: I remember having fun going to every single organization’s table during Welcome Week and creating a list of the clubs and activities I wanted to take part in. Everyone was so approachable and inviting. One thing I would have done differently is to attend the social events! There were some very interesting ones that I was honestly just too timid to go alone to, but I feel like I would have made friends along the way if I went because everyone is so friendly and open to meeting new people during Welcome Week!

UofL News: What is the most difficult thing about starting college and how did you address it?

Habeeb: Starting college can be both exciting and challenging! The most difficult thing is adapting to all the changes. Rigorous courses that were nothing like high school classes, new people to meet and a large campus all at once were very intimidating and overwhelming at first for a freshman. The way I dealt with these challenges was by learning to be adaptable, embracing every new experience and keeping an open mind when approaching difficult courses.

I remember specifically struggling with time management. To tackle this, I kept all of my club meetings and course requirements in a calendar and created daily to-do lists. I saw drastic changes immediately!

Masden: The most difficult thing for me was being able to manage time! That was honestly my big concern, and my advice to students is if everything is going to fall in place the first month might be rocky, but take advantage of using a planner and asking for advice.

UofL News: What is the most fun thing about starting college?

Habeeb: The most fun thing about starting college as a freshman is meeting new people through clubs and volunteer work. I found it very enjoyable meeting new people whose interests aligned with mine. Getting lost while looking for your classes during the first week is fun as well … you get a free tour of the campus!

Al-Khafaji: Most fun thing about starting college is that you have the ability to reinvent yourself and start fresh. You can develop new habits, change your style, have a new mindset, try different approaches, meet all kinds of new people, etc. College is quite flexible, and you have the complete freedom of choice, so be smart with it and take good advantage of the freedom given because you can truly make something out of it. College presents you with the opportunity to become a better version of yourself on a silver platter.

UofL News: How would you describe the campus culture and social life at the University of Louisville?

Al-Khafaji: I would say the culture at UofL is exactly how you would want your college campus culture to be. There is a sense of community all around campus and each organization you find there is dedicated and committed to enhancing the culture. With everyone within the Cardinal community working towards the betterment of and making our environment more inclusive, students will always have the opportunity to develop a social life at UofL. Once you start to connect with people you meet here and there, it will continue, and you will notice that you’ve started to feel a stronger sense of belonging.

Moore: The University of Louisville is so diverse. I did not know how diverse it was until I got there. There are so many clubs and communities for each culture and it’s super unique.

UofL News: Are there any clubs, organizations or extracurricular activities that you would recommend joining?

Moore: If you are an African American and a nursing student I 100% recommend the Black Student Nursing Association (BSNA). This group is so encouraging and pushes us to stick together to get through nursing school. I also recommend the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Student Activities Board (SAB)! SAB hosts some of the best events on campus!

Al-Khafaji: Personally, I enjoy any organization or activity I can sign up for that has to do with planning and organizing fun events that students can come together and enjoy, which is why I signed up for a Welcome Week captain position. Those kinds of activities make me feel like an active member of the community. The SAB is known for event planning and is open to anyone. From what I’ve heard from others, Living Learning Communities (LLC) are a great way to find a group of people in your dorm building with similar interests as yours. Also, the Greek Life seems like a lively, tight-knit community.

UofL News: What is the best way you stay organized for campus?

Al-Khafaji: I’m a big fan of to-do lists. Whenever my schedule gets crowded and responsibilities start to pile up, creating a to-do list helps me visualize what I have to do, and I can get started on tackling each item with a clear mind. Coming in as a freshman, you will hear a lot about having a planner, which might work for some, but for me I just couldn’t bring myself to keep up with one, and it’s OK because there are many other ways to stay organized. Whether you use a planner or some sort of application, make sure you have a way to help you stay put together during chaotic times. I use the Notes app on my phone all the time and it’s perfect. Organization doesn’t have to be anything expensive, fancy or complicated. Speaking of technology, taking notes electronically helped me study and stay organized for classes better than handwritten notes ever could. Google Docs was my friend all throughout my freshman year and it never disappointed.

Moore: A PLANNER! I 100% say get a planner. You’re going to want to go to a ton of events, but you still have to get your work done so I say plan it out!

UofL News: Where are the best study spots on campus? Off campus?

Habeeb: One of my favorite study spots on campus is anywhere outside for group study sessions and the third-floor tables on the left side near the windows at for solo study sessions. For off-campus study spots, I like trying out new cafes in the Highlands area!

UofL News: What are the most useful campus resources you have found as a student at UofL?

Moore: The ! Everyone in there is so friendly and welcoming! They have literally all the answers to anything you might need!��

UofL News: How do you manage your schedule and graduation requirements?

Al-Khafaji: Staying in touch with my advisor helped me put together the best schedule to stay on track each semester so far. Each advising session was extremely useful and informative. My advisor helped me visualize what my future schedules could look like and how I can check off graduation requirements without wasting time. After each advising session, I had a form sent to me which contains a checklist of the requirements I’ve completed, what I still must complete and all the class choices available for me to complete each of the requirements.

Habeeb: I meet with my advisor and have a notebook with graduation requirements and goals that I check often to make sure I’m on the right track.

UofL News: Where is the best on-campus meal?

Habeeb: The best on-campus meal is boba and sushi from Zen Sushi at the Swain Student Activities Center (SAC). The staff that work there are so incredibly kind and their sushi is the best meal for a long study session!

UofL News: What role has the greater Louisville community played in your experience at UofL?

Habeeb: The Louisville community played a significant role in my experience at UofL helping me feel welcomed and always included. The community here has something for everyone whether it’s fun cultural events, endless internship opportunities for pre-health students, recreational activities near campus and more!

UofL News: What do you wish you knew when you came to UofL’s campus as a freshman?

Masden: Time management is everything for school and personal life.

Al-Khafaji: You are not missing out just because you’re not doing what everyone else is doing. There isn’t a standard college experience, it looks very different from one person to another. Do what works for you and what makes your experience what you want it to be, not what you think it should be.

UofL News: Final advice for students starting at UofL for Fall 2023?

Habeeb: For students starting at UofL for Fall 2023, my advice is to get involved and be ready to step out of your comfort zone! You will come out much more confident and with amazing friendships that you have made along the way. Academic-wise, I recommend developing strong time management skills early on to make your college life a little easier. Try out apps, planners and physical or digital calendars until you find the perfect method to keep track of your classes and commitments. And finally, know that it is OK to take a step back from everything to catch your breath and enjoy yourself. Having a nice school-life balance is very important for your overall well-being and success.