Cope’s Hope Equine Assisted Services was established in 2021 by College of 成人直播 and Human Development (CEHD) Student Success Coach Eric Wright and his wife, Debbie. The inspiration came from their daughters, Ella and Elsie. 听

鈥淓lla was adopted from Ukraine when she was 17 months old, and she had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know if she would be able to walk so we immediately started looking into alternative therapies for her, and stumbled upon equine assisted therapy, also called hippotherapy. We embraced it. She started when she was three, and she is now 19 years old.鈥�

When the Wright family鈥檚 second daughter, Elsie, was diagnosed with Angelman Syndrome, a rare neuro-genetic disorder that is often misdiagnosed as autism or cerebral palsy, the benefits of horses as a therapeutic modality were clear.

Wright, who has been a UofL employee for nearly 30 years, began contemplating the idea of opening his own equine assisted services organization following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when he could no longer take his daughters to their weekly lessons.

鈥淲e purchased my uncle鈥檚 farm, and from there things started to naturally fall into place,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淲e had been doing this for a long time 鈥� we had been involved in Special Olympics and other therapeutic organizations, so I decided to become a licensed counselor.鈥�

Wright completed the necessary coursework through the CEHD鈥檚 Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program. He went on to receive his certification as an Equine Specialist in Mental and Health and Learning from the

Cope’s Hope was born shortly thereafter. Its name came from Wright鈥檚 grandfather, Arthur Coaplen, himself a graduate of the University of Louisville鈥檚 School of Law. In addition to equine assisted services, the farm offers a respite home for parents and families of children with disabilities 鈥� a place of peace and healing.

鈥淲e鈥檝e just had a flurry of people wrap themselves around this project and this vision,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淭o be able to offer even a small percentage of people the opportunity to work with horses, whether it be for mental health or for therapeutic services, is so rewarding.鈥�

Cope’s Hope has received its own certification as a member of the PATH organization, allowing the organization to operate formally as an equine assisted services center.

The Wright family hopes to expand their services in the future, and recently hired a part-time certified therapeutic riding instructor in training who lives on-site.

鈥淚f I wasn鈥檛 an employee of the University of Louisville, I wouldn鈥檛 be doing what I am doing now,鈥� Wright said. 鈥淢y work in counseling and my work as a student success coach overlap every day, and they both ultimately allow me to help people 鈥� to realize where they are, where they can be, and how they can make their lives better.鈥�

Learn more about the Cope’s Hope mission on

Eric Wright shares more about Cope’s Hope in this video:

A unique partnership with UofL鈥檚 College of 成人直播 and Human Development and a gift from the , allowed the P.E. program to be reinvigorated. Pepsi鈥檚 $160,000 gift allowed for the hiring of Sattar-Shamsabadi, along with a few facility updates.

鈥淚 want to instill a good relationship with the kids and help them build their own relationships with their physical, mental, emotional and social health. That鈥檚 huge in P.E., and it鈥檚 huge in the classroom,鈥� said Sattar-Shamsabadi, who holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Health and Human performance and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Health and Physical 成人直播.听

His philosophy is in line with research findings about the impact of physical health and education on mental health and attention. Students who engage in physical education courses while in school are more likely to be active outside of school and are almost twice as likely to continue to be active to a healthy level in adulthood, Students who are physically active also demonstrate better classroom behavior and a greater ability to focus.

鈥淚t鈥檚 made a huge difference in the energy levels of the students,鈥� said Sattar-Shamsabadi. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a definite shift in their mood when they know they have P.E. class that week. They’re more excited, they’re more engaged in the classroom when I walk by and check in on them.鈥�

And it鈥檚 not just about the emotional and physical benefits of activity, he adds. It鈥檚 about exposure to the world of health and wellness activities.

鈥淎 lot of the students know about football and basketball, but their knowledge sometimes stops there,鈥� Sattar-Shamsabadi said. 鈥淪o, they鈥檙e learning new skills and activities they may never have had access to otherwise. I鈥檇 like to thank Pepsi for providing this opportunity for me, the community and the students here at Atkinson.”

鈥淪ports is a male-dominated industry, and one without many women of color in leadership,鈥� Morton said.

Recognized for her aspiration to change the sports industry, Morton has received the Savannah Walker Award for Social Justice. The award recognizes a graduating senior from CEHD鈥檚 Department of Health and Sport Sciences who has demonstrated a commitment to social justice, equity and inclusion.

鈥淚 wanted to become an advocate for Black girls, so they could know this is possible for them, too鈥� said Morton, who has combined her sports affinity with a passion for mentoring and representation through the CEHD鈥檚 Sport Administration program.

Morton is a Woodford R. Porter Scholar, J. Blaine Hudson Scholar, Dean鈥檚 List Scholar,听 member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honor Society member. She graduates May 14 with Summa cum Laude honors.

She has also volunteered with the TRIO Upward Bound Secondary School Outreach Program, the Cardinal Cupboard, the Louisville Men鈥檚 Soccer team and as a tutor for participating Jefferson County Public Schools.

Matched with a mentor as part of the Porter Scholar Program during her freshman year, Morton realized she could give back to other students through a mentoring relationship. She became involved in the Caring of New Students Experiencing College Transition (CONECT) Peer Mentorship program, which seeks to help minority students feel welcomed and supported.

鈥淚鈥檝e been blessed with support at UofL, so I wanted to give back 鈥� it鈥檚 been a great journey.鈥� Morton said. 鈥淚 want to be someone who shows other people that, once you put the work in, you can do it. You鈥檒l excel in it.鈥�

Morton currently works as an intern for the Louisville Sports Commission, with hopes of continuing with the organization following graduation. She plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree or graduate certificate in the future.

The CEHD Social Justice Library hosted its opening ceremony in late February.听

鈥淚 knew there was a need for more guidance in terms of reading, as well as a space to have critical conversations,鈥� said Brigitte Burpo, the unit鈥檚 assistant dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.听听

Making the transition from faculty member to assistant dean beginning in May of 2021,听 Burpo knew the space was needed among her colleagues in the College of 成人直播 and Human Development.听听

鈥淚 had questions from college leadership regarding book recommendations and summer reading circles, so I was already finding books that could spark conversation. Those kinds of conversations confirmed to me that there was a need for more resources specific to social justice,鈥� Burpo said.听

The converted space, once a conference room located in the Dean鈥檚 Suite, has been turned into a cozy and inviting nook.听听

鈥淚 saw more of need for a communal space rather than simply a space devoted to meetings,鈥� Burpo said. 鈥淲hen you look around our building, we have a lot of spaces devoted to formal meetings. We have less opportunity to meet informally and comfortably in a space that encourages conversation around social justice and diversity.鈥澨�听

Burpo added she wants the space to be a “hub” where people can find at least one book about their own identities, or a list of resources they can seek out. The space itself includes materials about several identities groups, including听international students, those with disabilities, LGBTQIA+ students and more.

Burpo relied on expertise within the College of 成人直播 and Human Development to curate many of the resources now present in the library.听听

鈥淚 know my own area of expertise is in race and ethnicity, so I relied on others with expertise in diverse areas to offer recommendations and guidance into what resources should be offered,鈥� Burpo said.听听听

Burpo intends to expand the library鈥檚 function in the coming months, with plans for 鈥淢id-day Movies鈥� 鈥� short films hosted during lunch hour to inspire discussion, community, and comfort with difficult topics.听听

The Social Justice Library is continuing to accept donations of books and learning resources. Contact Burpo at brigitte.burpo@louisville.edu for more information about donations, starting resource circles, or making resource recommendations.听听

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The OVEC Teacher Residency Program (OVEC-TRP) offers college graduates with a degree other than education the opportunity to earn a master鈥檚 degree and teaching certification in one year, in exchange for their commitment to teach in schools within participating districts. Reaching minority candidates to help diversify classrooms is a focus of the program. 听

The initiative follows the success of the program in partnership with Jefferson County Public School鈥檚 Division of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty, now in its second year. OVEC-TRP hopes to build the impact on schools in districts throughout the Ohio Valley Region.

鈥淲e are thankful for our partnership with Jefferson County and OVEC districts,鈥� said Stefanie Wooten-Burnett, clinical assistant professor and Director of Multiple Pathways for Teacher Certification in the College of 成人直播 and Human Development. 鈥淲e know our teacher residency model is effective in recruiting diverse teachers, and now we have the opportunity to implement the model in more schools throughout the region.鈥�

Beginning this summer, 18 candidates will begin the OVEC-TRP program, funded in part . The grant will pay for half of a student鈥檚 graduate tuition, stipends for mentor teachers in OVEC schools, test preparation materials and payment for books and other materials. Districts determine salaries and additional support for program participants during their year of residency.

鈥淐reating an inclusive environment in Kentucky classrooms is critical to building a diverse and culturally-competent workforce, and that starts with our educators,鈥� said CPE President Aaron Thompson. 鈥淚ncreasing the number of teachers from underrepresented groups, as part of our work to eliminate disparities in education, will strengthen our communities and economy.鈥�

The program is unique in its emphasis on the codesign of coursework to meet the needs of districts.

鈥淲e call them District Supported Learning classes,鈥� said Wooten-Burnett. 鈥淲e partner with district personnel to design content for coursework, so the curriculum is tailored specifically to their respective needs.鈥�

Matching teacher-to-student demographics in rural schools is a task of increased focus and attention for administrators, particularly

鈥淥ur goal from the beginning has been to remove barriers,鈥� Wooten-Burnett said. 鈥淭his is about recruiting and retaining minority candidates who want to work in schools with the goal of removing barriers to help them be successful as teachers.鈥�

He took time to talk with UofL News about recent career accomplishments, Black Studies and Black 成人直播al Theory as areas of research, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of his work.

UofL News: It seems your career has expanded over the past year, including tenure, a dual-appointment, high productivity in publications 鈥� what is the force behind this success?

Washington: The dual-appointment with Pan-African Studies has allowed me to revisit both my academic work and the person I was when I entered my doctoral program. So, I tell a lot of folks that this dual appointment is really me being my most honest and congruent professional self. I went into my doctoral program deeply immersed in Black psychology and Black educational practice literature. I felt alienated because it sometimes seemed there wasn鈥檛 anyone in my department that tapped into that work and made the connection back to counseling. It feels rejuvenating to be back to where I started thinking about these issues whether they be counseling or education through the lens of Black peoples鈥� experiences. That鈥檚 what I am most excited about.

UofL News: Hip-hop doesn鈥檛 always seem like the most common area of research. Talk a bit about that passion and translating it into your academic work.

Washington: I went into my doctoral program already in love and infatuated with hip-hop studies and hip-hop culture. It never occurred to me during my matriculation that it could be an area of research. For me, part of being the researcher and academic I am today is an effort to ultimately develop a presence in counselor education that lives and breathes hip-hop and recognizes its inherent therapeutic value.

In terms of translating this work to practice 鈥� I knew hip-hop was therapeutic from the moment that I met it. It鈥檚 an epiphany to white school educators 鈥� like 鈥榳ow, hip-hop is amazing and can be therapeutic.鈥� My question is, when has Black cultural production not been therapeutic? The frustrating part of this is having to convince folks of hip-hop as a discipline. The things that Black and Brown folks have been saying for ages is meaningful to their existence 鈥� we are just coming around to treating it as a discipline? It can be frustrating. I鈥檓 not doing anything innovative, this work has been going on since the 80s. But it is still difficult to find an accredited program with references to hip-hop culture.

UofL News: While the dual appointment is relatively new, how has it informed your work in the College of 成人直播 and Human Development and vice versa? How has it informed your teaching?

Washington: Pan-African Studies has so many ethical responses to the questions that are assumed to be asked in other disciplines. Critical race theory 鈥� the conversation that folks in education seem to have only just now showed up to 鈥� constitutes the core of what Black studies has been since its inception.

Take the Socratic method, for example. It is inherently problematic to associate the ability to do this pedagogical intervention to a man named Socrates, when there were folks doing it before he even existed. You can鈥檛 talk about the Socratic method and say you don鈥檛 engage in forms of white supremacy. So, this field is about creating basic and foundational courses that raise consciousness. There are things we do as teachers that we proclaim we would not do, but we do them because they are woven into the way we are taught to be teachers.

UofL News: Talk a bit about your work in schools throughout Jefferson County.

Washington: Most of my work has occurred at Central High School and the Academy at Shawnee. At Central, my work is with the Muhammad Ali Institute and the Muhammad Ali Scholars program. That program seeks to create a pipeline to our undergraduate programs.

I also co-developed and co-taught a course there called Hip-Hop Culture in American History. That was a rigorous and intense elective course. They were working through the same textbook that we would use for college students, and the course was the last period of the day. We had students signing up for that class even after the semester had begun. So, in terms of evidence of investment and engagement, that is meaningful.听

UofL News: How do you see that developing in the future?

Washington: I have never relinquished the aspiration and the desire to contribute to the creation of a school counseling program that has hip-hop culture and pop culture as a core foundational ingredient. I think that鈥檚 meaningful and important, and it doesn鈥檛 exist in school counseling. There are programs and certificates that are related to hip-hop studies that show promise, so there are examples to prove that it鈥檚 viable.

UofL News: What makes the work we do at UofL distinct or unique from other schools across the country?

Washington: UofL鈥檚 Department of Pan-African Studies is one of the first in the region and the only degree-granting department in Kentucky. That鈥檚 impactful. Thinking about that and the possibility of contributing to that revitalization and history is something that makes our work unique.

Washington recently published a co-authored chapter in the book by Cheryl Holcomb McCoy, released November 2021. His chapter entitled, 鈥淒ecolonizing the Counseling Canon鈥� was written alongside Janice A. Byrd, Pennsylvania State University and Joseph M. Williams, University of Virginia.听

The opportunity arose through an established relationship with SP+ GAMEDAY, a transportation management company that also partners with the Kentucky Derby.

Students enrolled in the Sport Administration special topics course 鈥淜entucky Derby Logistics鈥� volunteered at the event in the Spring of 2021, transporting those with mobility needs to and from Churchill Downs. Doctoral student Michael Clemons taught the course and has seen the partnership flourish.

鈥淚n the class, more than 20 students worked with the Mobility Assistance Program outside of Churchill Downs,鈥� Clemons said. 鈥淪ince SP+ GAMEDAY partners with multiple mega sporting events, they contracted our students from the class to assist with the same Mobility Assistance Program at this year鈥檚 Super Bowl.鈥�

Student volunteers will serve as contractors, stationed outside of Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles to assist those with mobility needs.

鈥淭he Sport Administration program at UofL is nationally known as a top program providing opportunities for its students, including experiences like this,鈥� Clemons said. 鈥淎s I teach both during my PhD program and after I graduate, I plan to incorporate examples and real-life lessons learned from my time at the Super Bowl. It鈥檚 nice to be able to talk about mega-sporting events, but being at an event and experiencing it firsthand adds another unique element to class discussion.鈥�

Junior Emily Bridges anticipates the opportunity will advance her understanding of the field of sport administration.

鈥淚鈥檓 interested in seeing the elaborate, precise preparation and coordination that goes into major sporting event planning,鈥� Bridges said. 鈥淚 am most familiar with collegiate sporting events, so working at a professional sporting event, especially one of this magnitude, will broaden my experience.鈥�

She also thinks the opportunity will increase her confidence in her future career.

鈥淸The opportunity] will also encourage me to look at other unique sport opportunities to diversify my skill set, which will directly impact my future career endeavors in terms of confidence, knowledge and experience in the sport industry,鈥� she said.

The rare opportunity is one that the students are not taking for granted.

鈥淲hile I鈥檝e worked a lot of major sporting events, the Super Bowl is at a whole new level. It is the most-watched, most-anticipated annual sporting event in the United States,鈥� Clemons said.听鈥淭o be on site and playing a part in event operations is truly special, and something that very few sport administration students and faculty receive.鈥澨�

The recognition was given for P枚ssel鈥檚 dedication to the field of psychology and demonstrating extraordinary care toward clients and students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

鈥淭he award means a lot to me,鈥� P枚ssel said. 鈥淚t is not something I could have accomplished alone, and my team at the Cardinal Success Program has gotten us here.鈥�

As the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March 2020, P枚ssel and the Cardinal Success Program, including post-doctoral associate Brooke Rappaport, moved the operation entirely to telehealth services within just one month.

This shift, and the massive effort on behalf of the program to provide counseling services through a telehealth format, allowed counseling services to continue when the community needed them most.

鈥淧atrick managed teaching, administrative tasks, mentorship and the other rigors of academics, and found a way to continue care for a client population that needed stability,鈥� said KPA President Steve Katsikas. 鈥淒uring these wildly unpredictable months, the Cardinal Success Program has found a way to get care to individuals who face multiple barriers to health.鈥�

P枚ssel, who has been with the University of Louisville for 14 years, accepted the award from the Cardinal Success Program鈥檚 location in the Nia Center 鈥� a multi-service center located in West Louisville.

鈥淚 would like to thank KPA, which has been my professional home since the day I came to Kentucky almost 15 years ago,鈥� P枚ssel said. 鈥淚 would also like to thank all of the masters and doctoral level psychologists in Kentucky who do their jobs day in and day out despite difficult conditions. Thank you for getting up every day and doing this work with and for our clients.鈥�

Prior to joining the ranks at UofL in 2007, P枚ssel served as a visiting assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, an assistant professor at the University of T眉bingen in Germany, and an associate lecturer at Frankfurt am Main, also in Germany.

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Ginevra Courtade, chair of the Department of Special 成人直播, Early Childhood, and Prevention Science in the College of 成人直播 and Human Development, received the grant, along with colleagues from the University of North Florida and the University of Oklahoma. While the entire grant totals $3.5 million, UofL will support six scholars with $1.25 million.

鈥淭he part-time program is meant to allow administrators to stay within their respective districts, while building their skills to advance the field,鈥� Courtade explained. 鈥淭his could be individuals who are already working in administration, or those who are currently special education teachers who show potential to move into leadership roles.鈥� 听听

Doctoral students will be supported through three existing degree programs at the University of Louisville, University of North Florida and University of Oklahoma that prepare special education personnel for rural school systems. These schools will work together to accomplish the project objectives of recruitment of diverse students, implementation of high-quality programming, preparation of scholars and support for communities through an enhanced network of special education leadership. 听

The project will leverage the combined strengths of the faculties at all three schools to prepare and increase the number of personnel needed to address shortages of leadership personnel in high-need, rural areas.

鈥淓ach school presents unique strengths,鈥� Courtade explained. 鈥淭he University of North Florida is strong in special education policy, the University of Oklahoma is strong in research, and we here at UofL bring strength with our community partnerships.鈥�

The curriculum of Project SPIDERS scholars will be enhanced through shared access and mentorship across faculty; joint seminars and coursework; and collaborative applied and disseminated scholar projects.

The need for increased leadership and support for special educators in rural districts is high.

鈥淭he SPIDERS grant affords the opportunity to address the personnel deficit in rural districts,鈥� sad Larry Taylor, executive director of the Kentucky Autism Training Center.听鈥淗aving worked in the rural areas of the Commonwealth, I know firsthand of the challenges for the recruitment and retention of qualified personnel, and it is critical that efforts are made to increase the availability of qualified personnel.听SPIDERS is a great step toward addressing this personnel challenge.鈥�

鈥淟eadership skills afforded by an earned doctorate make a difference for those working in rural areas,鈥� Taylor said.听

To learn more about the College of 成人直播 and Human Development and the Department of Special 成人直播, Early Childhood, and Prevention Science,

Rowlett is pursuing her doctoral degree in special education through the College of 成人直播 and Human Development and says it is the only path she could have imagined pursuing.

鈥淎fter I graduated with my bachelor鈥檚 degree, I went right into teaching and taught in a self-contained classroom for eight years,鈥� Rowlett said. 鈥淚 switched to special education because I have a son who was diagnosed with autism, so it became my life. I wanted to help other moms like me.鈥�

Initially inspired to improve the curriculum and instruction for students in her own classroom, Rowlett returned to UofL to receive her master鈥檚 degree in special education with a focus in autism studies.

鈥淚 pursued that degree just to make myself a better classroom teacher because I felt like there was more I could be doing for my students,鈥� she said.

Rowlett鈥檚 focus narrowed as her own child progressed through the traditional school system.

鈥淢y son attempted college but was not successful on his first try. He is working now, and it took time to find a job that was supportive of him,鈥� Rowlett said. 鈥淎nd it was hard watching him feel like he was failing. A lot of times, I had to remind him, 鈥楾he world is not ready for people like you.鈥� So, I’m back in school to help prepare the world to be ready for people like him.鈥�

In her seventh year of teaching, Rowlett began to consider the opportunity of returning to pursue her doctoral degree.

鈥淚 ran into one of my son’s teachers, and she said, 鈥榃ell, now that your son has graduated, what are you going to do for yourself?鈥� Moms don’t really think like that,” she said. “Like, what? For myself?鈥�

But the seed had been planted. So, when she learned of a grant through the College of 成人直播 and Human Development鈥檚 Department of Special 成人直播, Early Childhood, and Prevention Science called Project P.U.R.P.L.E, she knew she had found an opportunity she couldn鈥檛 pass up.

Project P.U.R.P.L.E. (Preparing Urban and Rural Personnel as Leaders in 成人直播) is a cooperative partnership between the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky that provides full tuition and other benefits for students pursuing doctoral degrees in education.

Rowlett has also been recognized as an a program housed within the . This program provides mentorship, peer support and professional development to education doctoral students from historically underrepresented backgrounds.

Through her studies, Rowlett has narrowed her focus to transition planning and the creation of engaging and supportive environments for students with autism. The impact of her education has begun to extend through both her personal and professional lives.

鈥淢y son鈥檚 employers often draw off my experiences and ask for my professional advice. I just had a phone call from my cousin, who is also a special educator and wanted me to come talk to his neighbor who has a son on the autism spectrum who needs help with transition services,” she said.

Rowlett鈥檚 eyes are on the future and the many ways she sees herself making an impact in education.

鈥淢y dream is to help create policies and procedures that streamline the transition process for students and their families,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s never going to be perfect because the world is ever changing, but I really want to streamline these processes so that parents aren’t frustrated and left in the dark, and so that these individuals with unique needs can be successful.鈥�