Last fall, the J.B. Speed School of Engineering partnered with GE Appliances to develop a scholarship for pre-engineering students to pursue their studies in STEM. The GEA Scholars Program is designed for students whose dreams and aspirations centered on becoming an engineer, but who struggled to make that dream a reality because of a lack of opportunity. The program also strengthens the pipeline of minority engineering professionals.

“We know what a Speed School student looks like. You see the 75%, but what about the other 25%?” said Jonathan Hughes, director of admissions and community engagement. “If you look at engineering, that’s a lot when it comes to diversity.”

The GEA Scholars Program aims to redefine student success at the Speed School and what a scholarship means. The scholarship provides pre-engineering students who are taking pre-requisites in the College of Arts & Sciences with tuition assistance as well as tutoring and mentoring opportunities.

“GE is providing other capital that contributes to student success like mentorship, networking, and future career opportunities,” said Hughes. “There’s one thing giving people money, but what about that additional opportunity? There is talent everywhere, but few opportunities.”

With the strenuous workload that comes with following their academic endeavors to the fullest potential, both in the classrooms and through co-ops, GEA and UofL hope the Scholars Program will alleviate some of the hardship of having to work more hours to receive an education.

“This scholarship is not about equality but about equity,” said Hughes. “The scholarship combats the negative connotation of pre-engineering students and better prepares them for all the skills needed to succeed in their career path.”

The first recipient of the scholarship was Sarah Bogan, who received $10,000 – $5,000 per semester – to pursue her degree in civil engineering. As a first-year Speed School student and second-year UofL student, Bogan found a home in Speed School and plans to pursue a master’s degree in hopes of improving infrastructure after graduation. 

To apply for the GEA scholarship, click .

UofL’s fully online programs were recognized as some of the top online education for students in the following categories:

• Online bachelor’s
• Online graduate education (specialty ranking of 22 for veterans)
• Online criminal justice (specialty ranking of 12 for veterans)
• Online bachelor’s psychology
• Online engineering
• Online computer information technology

Since 2000, UofL has been offering online degrees and has grown to over 50 online programs and certificates.

“Our students are attracted to our online programs because the online delivery mode allows students access to education in a way that on-campus programs cannot for adults who are often working and raising families,” said Kristen Brown, interim associate provost for Online Learning and Technology. “Our online programs allow part-time enrollment and most are fully asynchronous.”

With fully asynchronous programs available, online students are granted the flexibility to successfully achieve their degree on their own time. UofL’s online programs build a community of care when it comes to adult learners, working professionals, active military, and veterans seeking and succeeding in higher education.

This year, UofL adds two new rankings:

• Online MBA programs (specialty ranking of 29 for veterans)
• Online bachelor’s business (specialty ranking of 38 for veterans)

The Paducah, Kentucky, native earned her BA in Communications from UofL, MA in International Communications from American University, JD from Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, and she is currently pursuing her MBA from the University of Michigan.

She credits UofL, and namely her former professors/mentors Dr. LunDeana Thomas and Dr. Yvonne Jones, with helping her think beyond what she could see and pursue her dreams.

Realizing that dreaming big was the goal, Harden served as a 2003-04 J. William Fulbright Scholar, where she incorporated her love for the arts as a means of teaching English in South Korea. Additionally, after receiving the David L. Boren Fellowship, Harden used this prodigious accomplishment to fund her Korean language immersion program at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.

Along with South Korea, her love of arts and academic/professional endeavors led Harden to various projects in Poland, Amsterdam, Kenya, Greece, England, France, South Africa, Brazil, Morocco, Spain, China, Japan, Italy and Tanzania.

Ultimately Harden attended law school, and completed clerkships for both federal trial and appellate judges. Subsequently, Harden served as a senior associate at the law firm of WilmerHale, where she focused on white-collar investigations. Later, she became a federal criminal prosecutor and managed a robust docket that included narcotics, public corruption, white-collar and firearms offenses. However, Harden specialized in prosecuting child exploitation crimes. 

Harden has greatly enjoyed her journey to and through lawyerhood, and she credited much of that guidance to her mentors – several of whom she found at UofL.

“When I grew up, I did not really know a lot of lawyers who looked like me,” Harden said. “Going to the University of Louisville was the first time, as a young adult, I had an academic environment where the professors and professional mentors looked like me (for example, Dr. Mordean Taylor-Archer, Dr. Yvonne Jones, and Dr. LunDeana Thomas), believed in me, and encouraged me.”

Given the role of mentorship in Harden’s life, and in her efforts to “widen the shutters” for others, Harden mentors and motivates other future lawyers of color.  Specifically, she was a founding member of the James M. Nabrit Clerkship Scholarship, which aimed to promote diversity for law school students applying for clerkships. Harden wants other diverse law school students to have the same feeling of community, support and encouragement that she received at UofL.

Regarding Harden’s current selection as a 2021-22 White House Fellow, she said she feels blessed beyond measure, calling the opportunity, “catching lightning in a bottle.”

“[The Fellowship] is one of those opportunities where you apply, but you never really know if you will be selected because it is such an arduous process. Everyone who applies to the White House Fellowship is incredibly talented, capable and accomplished in their own way,” Harden said. “It’s one of those things where you just apply and hope and pray for the best.” 

President Lyndon B. Johnson created the prestigious White House Fellowship through Executive Order, which authorizes a class of 11 to 19 Fellows each year. This year, there are 19 Fellows, which is one of the largest classes.

“In fact, we are acknowledged as being the most diverse class in the history of the program,” Harden said. “When you consider those factors, it is very humbling to have been selected.”

“The idea is exposure,” Tolson said. “Exposing the audience and students to music that they might not ordinarily experience. Also, fulfilling the mission of diversity within the School of Music and the university.”

Since 1996, the African American Music Heritage Institute has given the community an opportunity to learn about and experience the notable contributions that African Americans have made to culture and history through music.

Typically held during Black History Month, the event was postponed to November due to COVID. It includes clinics, lectures, workshops and concerts for Kentuckiana students and the Louisville community.

Tolson, chair of academic and professional studies at the School of Music, is the director and coordinator for the institute. His team of graduate assistants, students and fellow colleagues, along with the generous support of community and university organizations, make the AAMHI possible.

The 2021 theme is “The Spiritual Side of Jazz,” with renowned saxophonist Kirk Whalum and his band taking center stage. Whalum has worked with many musical greats including Barbara Streisand, Al Jarreau, Luther Vandross, Quincy Jones, Larry Carlton and most notably, Whitney Houston in her mega-hit “I Will Always Love You.” A Memphis, Tennessee, with gospel roots and a background forged in the 1980s Houston nightclub scene, Whalum’s stirring, soulful and passionate tenor sound is unmistakably his own.

The AAMHI will take place Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 1 and 2. On Monday, there will be a masterclass and workshop on improvisation that is free and open to the public. Whalum and his ensemble will perform at 8 p.m., that evening in Comstock Concert Hall. Concert admission is $20 for adults and $10 general admission for non-UofL students. University students are free with valid student ID. Due to COVID tickets are limited and will need to be reserved through Eventbrite, available on the . There also is a mandatory mask policy in place and proof of vaccination will be required for the concert.

On Nov. 2, Whalum will lead a lecture presentation at 1 p.m. at Comstock Concert Hall that is free to attend.

The School of Music is planning additional events in February.

“The Golden Key,” an adaptation of a 19th century Scottish fairytale, is the result of a multifaceted collaboration between the School of Music and The College of Arts and Sciences. The world premiere is an all University of Louisville production. The entire cast hails from the School of Music, including faculty Emily Albrink and Chad Sloan, and students Olivia Andrew, Cameron Carnes and Emma Pinkly. The music is by Gabriel Evens, professor, pianist and composer in the School of Music, and the book and lyrics are by Jeffrey Skinner, professor in the creative arts program in the English department.

“The Golden Key” is a story for adults and children that explores what’s in our hearts and our innermost desires.

“It is something that anybody can identify with. It’s about getting what you truly want in this life,” Skinner said. “What does it mean to want something? Am I wanting the right things? All of those questions come into this play.”

Skinner and Evens have been working on the project for over a year, but the pair solidified their creative partnership with an earlier project about bugs. Evens wanted to compose an album that was all about insects.

“Instead of about house pets, I wanted to write about bugs. Just all different types of bugs,” Evens said. “The hard part, for me, I am not a natural lyricist. I sent an email to the English department and stated that I was looking for someone to collaborate with, to help me clear up my language and make the lyrics better.”

Skinner replied to the request and their partnership would set the foundation for the musical fairytale project. Following a successful collaboration about creepy crawlies, “The Golden Key” came to be when Skinner shared with Evens his desire to write a full musical rather than just lyrics.

“When we collaborated on the bug project, I discovered that I can write lyrics. It’s a different art than poetry,” Skinner said. “I looked for a project and found one, from a 19th century Scottish writer named George Macdonald, that was a favorite of C.S. Lewis.”

The music for the production has a modern feel on the nostalgia of past musicals.

“It’s not going to be the musical that you would expect from ‘Frozen’ or something like that,” Evens said. “It harkens back more to Julie Andrews like the ‘Sound of Music.’ The music is kind of a little bit of a throwback, although it feels modern.”

The premiere, at 7 p.m., Oct. 28 in Comstock Hall, is a non-choreographed read and sing through. It is free and open to the public, however there is limited seating due to COVID and registration is required.

Additionally, second-year students are invited to join in on the activities to make up for their Welcome Week celebration being held virtually last year.

“Welcome Week is extremely important to our new Cardinal students because it helps them get familiar with their new home,” said Kaitlyn Robinson, assistant director of Welcome Week and Parents Association. “By participating in Welcome Week, they learn about campus resources available to them and make important connections that are going to help carry them during their first year here at UofL.”

With the continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Welcome Week staff are making sure student health and safety is a priority during the events. UofL will follow CDC guidelines, including mask mandates, regardless of vaccination status at any indoor event, surface sanitization and hand sanitizer stations at every Welcome Week event.

Welcome Week this year includes events like Late Night Ice Cream Floats, SOUL, Sunrise Yoga and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity’s Annual Icebreaker. The coordinators have also developed new events for first- and second-year Cards to look forward to, such as the Cardinal Frenzy, Prom and the first-ever Welcome Back Concert.

“I think students are most excited about the Welcome Back concert and Prom this year,” Robinson said. 

Prom is for first and second-year students who did not get to experience their high school prom because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event is about having fun with friends and coming as you are. After five years of trying to get a concert added to the list of events, SHAED will be taking over Cardinal Stadium for the Welcome Back Concert. Students will be able to be on the field for this inaugural event.

With hybrid events offering both in-person and virtual options to join, students can feel safe and included in making those new memories this year. Along with a hybrid event model, Welcome Week staff are introducing a new event that will let Cards experience various cultures from around the world. WorldFest is an opportunity for students to see how their differences are what make them special in this world and UofL.

“There’s never been a Welcome Week like this one before,” Robinson said.

To stay up to date about the events, download the UofL New Cards app from or the . Welcome Week questions can also be emailed to f�ڲ⾱���ٳܱ������dzܾ�������������.����.��

“I am grateful that I did attend UofL and earned my undergraduate degree,” Brown said “I had the opportunity to go somewhere else to earn my master’s degree, but I ended up staying here and working for the intramural department to earn my MBA and that was a great pleasure.”

A support system and determination to achieve a daunting – but possible – goal was key in Brown, a first-generation college student, furthering his career in higher education. Being a college student can be a difficult adjustment for many people, but there is often an added struggle for those who are the first in their family to complete their degrees.

“I think what really pushed me was my mom being a force, ensuring I was doing what I needed to do to get myself into college,” Brown said. “My mom and my grandparents really pushed me and emphasized that education was something that I really needed to align myself with because you always hear that one saying of  ‘if there’s one thing they can never take away from you, it’s your education and the knowledge that you gain.’”

Brown had to find a way to meet his financial needs so that he could pursue his educational dreams. As an undergraduate, he received an athletic scholarship and had the opportunity to be one of the football managers during former Cardinal quarterback Lamar Jackson’s time at the university.

“It was an absolutely incredible experience. That 2016 season, when he won his Heisman trophy, was actually my first season. That atmosphere in that year was absolutely insane, especially for being a manager for the first time,” Brown said. “It was just incredible to see how the team was, how Lamar was, up close. 2016 was an incredible year for football and for being a manager.”

Brown held five jobs throughout his time at the university, including two jobs that focused in sales, two jobs in university athletics and a job opportunity as an assistant athletic director for his high school. This work experience was an intricate part of helping Brown achieve his educational goals, but was also important to him because he was able to give back to his high school, to whom he also credits as a critical part of his educational achievements: Central High School.

Brown will accept a position at Amazon upon graduation. Along with his family and friends as a support system, he also found strength in a higher power.

“I can’t take all the credit. I’ve learned to walk in the plan that God has for me and just to trust in him. I think that’s the person who gets all my credit on me completing this [degree] and me handling what’s possible and allowing him to do what’s impossible because it has been a huge impact in my life.”

Brown recalls his time at UofL as an enjoyable experience and a necessary education. He formed connections that helped guide him to graduation and a career.

His advice for others pursuing their degree at the university?

“I would say to push themselves. Even when it looks like it’s getting hard, it gets better,” Brown said. “I’m grateful for the people that I’ve met and that I’ve had in my corner. I’m grateful for what the university has done for me, personally, and it has been a great experience for me.”

The Crawfish Boil has been a signature campus event, with a consistently strong turnout, since 1986. The event marks a spring rite of passage on campus, connecting the Cardinal Family to amazing food and a chance to give back.

“The Student Activities Board hosts this event where we bring the alumni, current Cardinals, future Cardinals together and we all get together to celebrate what it means to be at the University of Louisville while also supporting academic endeavors through scholarship funding,” said Ashley Triplett, coordinator of Student Activities Board.

Proceeds from the dinner go to Red Barn scholarships and the Red Barn Alumni Association.

Throughout the past year, COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of campus life from classes to commencement. Accordingly, the Crawfish Boil planning committee had to adapt to new safety protocols and institute a virtual aspect for people to take part in this tradition while keeping health top of mind.

“Normally you would experience having a buffet style, but this year, we are incorporating a dine-in reservation system where people will come in, be able to social distance and to sit down with their party and eat within a 45-minute window. Then we will move on to our next reservation,” Triplett said.

Additionally, the group decide to make the boil free for UofL students. Community tickets are $10.

The dine-in experience will follow social distancing protocols that allows a reservation for up to five individuals. Though dine-in reservations are limited, student carry-out is an option the board made possible this year. A carry-out walk up will be available for free for UofL students only.

The original idea for the Crawfish Boil came from Student Activities Board Adults on Campus committee member Charlotte Hardin, formally Bowen, in 1986. She asked her father, Bill Bowen, a surgeon in Columbia, South Carolina, who raised crawfish, to fly several hundred pounds of crawfish to Louisville. He agreed. Dave Baugh, director of financial systems for the university, cooked the crawfish that year and has been the chef behind the boil every year since. 

Graw was a talented player who won several awards, including the 1958 Women’s Falls City Championship as a teenager. In 1960, Don Kaiser, UofL’s men’s tennis coach, needed more athletes to compete, so he invited Graw, a then-18-year-old freshman, to tryouts. Two other women, Liz Crady and Nancy Butler, also tried out for the team. All three made it.  

According to Graw’s husband, Paul, also a former UofL athlete, Kaiser wanted to harness Graw’s championship energy for the team. In fact, Kaiser offered her a partial athletic scholarship for joining the team, making Graw the first woman at UofL to receive such an honor.

“Coach Kaiser thinks so highly of (Graw’s) potential that she was given a partial scholarship,” wrote Marvin N. Gay, Jr. in a 1960 sports column in the Courier Journal. “Athletic director Peck Hickman said (Graw) is the first girl in the school’s history to receive aid because of athletic ability.”

At the time of Graw’s scholarship, most financial aid was based on academics or need rather than athletic ability, said Nancy Worley, associate sports information director for the Cardinal tennis teams.

It would take many years before other women had the opportunity to follow in the shoes of Graw, Crady and Butler.

“Officially, we did not have women’s athletics until 1975 when Title IX was interpreted to include sports for women,” Worley said. “The NCAA did not offer women’s sports until 1982.”

Tennis led to love off the court for Graw, too. She met Paul, a former track athlete, in the summer of 1962. Paul loved Martha’s exceptional talent for the sport and how happy tennis made her no matter where she was. The pair became engaged their senior year, in 1963. That year, both also lettered in varsity sports.

When Paul left for Texas to attend Officer Training School, Martha taught tennis in the Louisville Public Parks program. The couple married upon his return and Martha took a step away from tennis to have two children. After moving to Wright Patterson Air Force Base during Paul’s service, Martha found there was an incredible tennis program, and she even got Paul to share in her passion. 

“Marty (Martha) and I played singles together a lot. It was an awful long time before I won a set from her, but eventually I could win a set every now and then,” Paul said. “We liked to play mixed doubles. Over the years, that became really important. We, through her, got to be a part of the local tennis scene.”

Graw was a natural athlete who took pride in her athletic victories and shared her love for the sport that helped pay her way through college with anyone who was willing to learn. She died in 2014 after a battle with cancer, but her legacy lives on in the hundreds of women who have taken the courts, fields, tracks and pools for UofL since Graw’s first serve

UofL alumna Savannah Foster (’07) is part of the trailblazing women who are making a name for themselves in professional sports. Foster is vice president of client relations for Athletes First, a sports agency that specializes in NFL representation.

Foster, who helps negotiate player contracts, about her experiences as an NFL agent and the evolution of the NFL to include more women.

Foster said attending a seminar with a nearly all-male audience at the NFL Combine a few years ago illustrated the lack of women in the field.

“There were maybe four or five women peppered around the room, but that’s when it hit me in the face that were not a lot of women doing in this,” . “But I think we’re gaining a ton of momentum. For example, in 2020 at the NFL Draft, there were four women agents representing a first round pick. The NFL is definitely becoming a more friendly environment for women. There are women refs and some coaches, I hope it will continue to go up from here.”

While she’s now completely engrossed in the game, the passion for her career began with collegiate athletics. While an undergrad at UofL, Foster worked for the president’s office where she got to travel to the College World Series, NCAA Tournament and the Orange Bowl.

“And after those great opportunities, decided I wanted to be somewhere where I could be a successful sports agent,” Foster said.

Prior to working with Athletes First, Foster worked for the San Diego Padres and the Upper Deck Company while completing her education at California Western School of Law.