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

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

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

Several other UofL graduate and professional programs also ranked among the nation鈥檚 top 50. These include听听at No. 29,听听at No. 39 and听at No. 43. Additionally, two programs saw notable rises in this year鈥檚 rankings. The听programs increased 22 spots to No. 124, while the听听in the College of Business rose 23 places to No. 114.

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

The community is invited to this year鈥檚 free 2026 Grawemeyer Awards Lecture Series:

• Psychology听鈥撎�Sir Simon Baron-Cohen Stanford, founder and director of the听Autism Research Centre听at the University of Cambridge, will speak on Tuesday, April 14, 12 p.m., Middleton Auditorium – Room 101, Strickler Hall, about his pioneering scientific research into the prenatal sex steroid theory of autism. In 2021, he received a knighthood for his services to autism, and in 2023 he was awarded the Medical Research Council鈥檚 (MRC) Millennium Medal, for his work on the prenatal sex steroid theory of autism and his contributions to autism research and the public understanding of neurodiversity.
• World Order听鈥� Joshua W. Busby, a professor of public affairs at The University of Texas at Austin, will speak on Tuesday, April 14, 1 p.m., Chao Auditorium, Ekstrom Library. In his book, 鈥淪tates and Nature: The Effects of Climate Change on Security,鈥� Busby explains how the combination of state capacity, political exclusion and international assistance determine the degree to which the impacts of climate change affect security for a country鈥檚 citizens.
• Music Composition听鈥撎�Liza Lim, an Australian composer will give a lecture on听Thursday, April 16, 3 p.m., Bird Hall, School of Music. Lim is recognized for her visionary work,听鈥淎 Sutured World.鈥� The piece was commissioned by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO)/Musica Viva, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Amsterdam Cello Biennale, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Casa da M煤sica Porto for the world-renowned cellist Nicolas Altstaedt.
• Religion听鈥撎�Candida Moss, a biblical scholar at the University of Birmingham, UK, will speak on听Thursday, April 16, 7 p.m., Caldwell Chapel, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. Throughout the history of Christianity, the authorship of the New Testament was credited mostly to Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Paul. But hidden behind these men are unnamed coauthors and collaborators. Their work is at the center of Moss鈥� influential book, 鈥淕od鈥檚 Ghostwriters: Enslaved Christians and the Making of the Bible.鈥�

There was no education award given in 2026.听

Charles Grawemeyer, a UofL alumnus and philanthropist, created the Grawemeyer Awards in 1984. An initial endowment of $9 million funded the awards, which have drawn nominations from around the world. Grawemeyer distinguished the awards by honoring ideas rather than life-long or publicized personal achievement, advocating that great ideas should be understandable to someone with general knowledge and not be the private treasure of academics.

Learn more about the lectures on the .

Watch segment on UofL鈥檚 and .

The funding, approved at the committee鈥檚 March 19 meeting, will support the creation of a new Student Wellness Center, which will be located in the Miller Information Technology Center on the university鈥檚 Belknap Campus. The measure goes before the full board for a final vote at its April 23 regular meeting.

Currently, Campus Health and the Counseling Center are housed in separate facilities on opposite ends of Belknap Campus. According to Michael Mardis, vice president for student affairs and dean of students, the renovated space in Miller will allow for additional therapy rooms, additional exam rooms, a dedicated group therapy room and psychological assessment room, procedure rooms and more.

鈥淭his new space will foster real-time collaboration and seamless care coordination between medical and mental health providers,鈥� Mardis said. 鈥淚t also will provide a modern, welcoming environment that normalizes help-seeking behavior and educates students about their health as they prepare for the larger world.鈥�

Mardis added that such a space is necessary to meet the increasing needs for mental and physical care at UofL, which are consistent with national trends.

Pending full board approval, Student Affairs will provide $6.5 million, with an additional $3.5 million generated through philanthropic efforts. The project is expected to be completed in about two years.

Academic and Student Affairs Committee action

The Academic and Student Affairs Committee approved the establishment of the Ray E. Murphy and Ann P. Murphy Endowed Chair in Nutrition and Health in the School of Medicine. The $2 million endowment will be funded by the Ann P. Murphy Trust ($1 million) with an additional $1 million match requested from the Council on Postsecondary 成人直播 Endowment Match Program (Bucks for Brains) pending approval of the UofL Board of Trustees. Named after Ray Murphy 鈥�59 and his spouse, Ann, the endowed chair provides needed resources to educate the next generation of physicians, dieticians, nutritionists and nurses.

The Academic and Student Affairs Committee also approved the creation of a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) in Global Supply Chain Management, effective for the summer 2026 semester, pending full board approval. The program will prepare students to manage international supply chains by addressing logistics, distribution systems, procurement, supplier relations, inventory/quality/project management, analytics, IT and artificial intelligence as well as the impact of customs, regulations and cultural differences. Applied learning will be developed in partnership with supply chain leaders from UPS, Brown-Forman, Amazon, PPL, GXO and DHL.

Additionally, the Academic and Student Affairs Committee approved the creation of a Graduate Certificate in 成人直播al Administrative Leadership. Pending full board approval, the program will be offered in the fall 2026 semester and will provide a pathway for educators to earn Level 1 Principalship certification in Kentucky 鈥� the required entry-level credential for those seeking administrative roles in P-12 setting.

The next meeting of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees will take place Thursday, April 23, at 1 p.m. in the Jefferson Room of Grawemeyer Hall on Belknap Campus. Meeting agendas, minutes, schedules and other information is available on the .听

鈥淭his initiative establishes UofL as a national leader in educating its students about intimate partner violence,鈥� said President Gerry Bradley. 鈥淥ur hope is that the project helps to curb instances of abuse and violence in our community and across the nation.鈥�

Dean and Professor of Law Melanie B. Jacobs said the new Mary Byron Endowed Chair 鈥渨ill not only lead IPV law and policy education but also engage in unprecedented transdisciplinary collaboration to provide opportunities for UofL students to help those impacted by IPV and, just as importantly, to learn how to prevent IPV.鈥�

The 1993 murder of 21-year-old Louisville resident Mary Byron by her estranged ex-boyfriend who was unknowingly released from jail led to the creation of 鈥� Victim Information and Notification Everyday. First used in Louisville, VINE from Equifax is a national automated notification service that provides crime victims, survivors and other concerned citizens with near real-time, anonymous alerts regarding changes to an offender鈥檚 custody status. VINE is available in more than 45 states, and according to Equifax, delivered nearly 21.5 million notifications in 2025.

The Mary Byron Project鈥檚 mission since 2000 is to foster innovations and programs to prevent intimate partner violence. It accomplishes this through public advocacy, funding groundbreaking IPV initiatives throughout the United States and becoming a national thought leader.听

The project鈥檚 board wanted to preserve and institutionalize this legacy and selected the Brandeis School of Law to extend the work through the Mary Byron Endowed Chair.

鈥淭his chair will advance legal education and policy related to intimate partner violence and help integrate IPV-focused learning throughout the law school and university curriculum to train professionals to better understand and ultimately prevent, IPV,鈥� said Mary Byron Project Founding Executive Director and Board Chair Marcia Roth.

鈥淭here is no more fitting partner than the Brandeis School of Law at UofL to carry forward this legacy of thought leadership as we work to break the cycle of intimate partner violence for generations to come,鈥� said Mike Davis, developer of VINE in collaboration with Yung Nguyen.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said this work will impact residents throughout the city.

鈥淭he top priority of my administration is public safety 鈥� ensuring that all our residents are safe and feel safe in their neighborhoods. We know that all too often, this begins with making sure people are safe in their own homes.听I applaud the Mary Byron Project, Equifax and many others for supporting this center and endowed position at UofL. It will help end domestic violence not just here in Louisville but across the country, and it will continue the powerful legacy of the Byron family,鈥� he said.

鈥淢ary Byron鈥檚 story inspired a new era of safety and support for victims of crime, starting with the notifications provided by VINE,鈥� said Equifax Senior Vice President and General Manager of Public Safety, Jarrod Carnahan. 鈥淲e are proud to support the Brandeis School of Law and the Mary Byron Endowed Chair to extend our mission beyond notification technology and help empower a new generation of leaders to identify early warning signs and intervene before intimate partner violence leads to tragedy.鈥�

Building upon the existing Robert and Sue Ellen Ackerson Law Clinic, which was created in 2009 and represents clients who have suffered from IPV in Jefferson County, the new Mary Byron Center鈥檚 collaborative partners will include:

• College of Business
• College of 成人直播 and Human Development
• Department of Classical and Modern Languages
• Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science
• School of Dentistry
• School of Medicine and the Department of Psychiatry
• UofL Health鈥擴ofL Hospital

The center will grow into an interdisciplinary entity designed to make systemic changes, provide wrap-around services for clients and teach those providing services their role in combatting IPV, a learned behavior passed on from generation to generation. By teaching about its breadth and impact in all areas of academia, students will learn how to disrupt the pathways that have historically triggered IPV.

The Mary Byron Center will also facilitate an annual conference designed to bring together aspiring and practicing law professionals from across the globe. This conference will provide opportunities for other universities to learn about UofL鈥檚 unique approach to teaching and addressing IPV so that they, too, can integrate IPV studies into their core curriculum.

鈥淢y daughter Mary鈥檚 name lives on,鈥� said Pat Byron. 鈥淭he important work begun by the Mary Byron Project will continue, helping train the next generation of advocates 鈥� lawyers and lay people, alike. With each of these important steps we get closer to making 鈥榥o more鈥� a reality.鈥澨�

.

This was celebrated in a big way during the 20th anniversary of the听. The weeklong conference held in February 2026 brought together faculty and staff to share ideas, explore new teaching strategies and learn from one another. Hosted by the听, attendees participated in more than 40 peer-led professional development sessions offered in multiple formats, including in-person workshops, virtual sessions and on-demand videos.

During a reception and award ceremony, President Gerry Bradley reflected on the transformative power of education and the importance of the university鈥檚 teaching community.

鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to continue to make the impact on our students –听on how they discover, how they can contribute and how they will engage with this ever鈥慶hanging world beyond our campus, the skills learned here really important,鈥� he said. “Teaching matters, learning听matters. All of you deserve our greatest thanks and my thanks.鈥�听

Provost Katie Cardarelli emphasized that human connection is at the heart of learning and the university鈥檚 mission. 听

鈥淩etention and graduation do not only improve through policy. They improve because educators are committed to creating learning experiences that are rigorous,听supportive听and deeply human – something unique in this ever-evolving, AI听technology鈥慸riven culture. This ceremony recognizes that commitment and the sustained effort that faculty invest in students often quietly and consistently, semester after semester,鈥� she said.听

During the reception,听Senior Vice Provost听Gail DePuy announced the听听This award听honors educators who have听demonstrated听a commitment to students with one or more innovative teaching practices.

The honorees include:听

• Devin Burke, School of Music, for his work reimagining music history through the use of multimedia timelines that encourage both chronological and geographical understanding.听
• Sarah听Fauque, College of Arts & Sciences, for her work to make quantitative, ecological models more engaging for students听through the use of听active, multimodal workshop series.听
• Karen Turner, School of Nursing, for developing Student Centered Interactive Learning Stations (SCILS) for graduate students building advanced clinical decision-making skills.听

In addition,听the ceremony recognized the 2025 Faculty Favorites and educators who听engaged in the Delphi Center鈥檚 professional development听cohorts. These opportunities include听Teaching Onboarding, FIT听Program听and Ascend Champions.听听

Educators can keep the momentum going by joining upcoming听听events or scheduling a consultation to further support student success.听

See the听听from the 2026听.

By听Vanessa Karem,听

During this year’s Feb. 26 Cardinals at the Capitol day, President Gerry Bradley explained priorities of UofL鈥檚 . Advances in student success and workforce preparation, research and innovation, health care and community service were a focus of conversations with Kentucky鈥檚 lawmakers.

At least 40 UofL students participating in the Frankfort internship program were part of the vital cadre of student leadership represented at Cardinals at the Capitol. These students represent more than a dozen different majors and 15 counties across the Commonwealth. Interns are assigned to both political parties and members of the House of Representative and Senate within the Kentucky General Assembly. Students learn from legislators ranging from freshmen to party leaders and committee chairs.

Two interns part of this year鈥檚 dynamic and energetic cohort are Gabriel Reed and Reese Cameron.

Gabriel Reed is a Northern Kentucky native following in his mother鈥檚 footsteps interning in Frankfort while attending UofL. The sophomore political science major is assigned to UofL alumnus Rep. Matt Lehman 鈥�99, (D-67) where he serves in a district just 15 minutes from where Reed grew up.

Reed said his legislative tasks have given him a greater appreciation of the collaboration and communication that goes into decision making, as well as a greater sense of empathy for those whose issues he may not fully understand.

鈥淣o matter how small, I feel like my impact is ensuring that somebody out there is better represented than they may be without me,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have met so many intelligent, gifted and passionate legislators, staff and fellow interns and their dedication inspires me daily. I have not just learned about the legislative process, but about myself in terms of new ways to think, analyze and express my views.鈥�

Reese Cameron, assigned to Sen. Julie Raque Adams (R-36), hails from Flatlands, Ky. and is a sophomore double major in political science and business economics. Cameron said being able to experience the legislative process from the inside has enhanced her understanding of and passion for the work. 鈥淭he environment I鈥檝e experienced at the Kentucky Capitol is the epitome of professional, and everyone is so passionate about what they do and works so hard to make a difference. In the future, I hope to use this experience as a guideline that I can carry forward with me forever.鈥�

View the Cardinals at the Capitol photo album on .听

It is the first Power 50 recognition for all three men.

Two members of the , Christopher Dischinger and John Hollenbach, also are among those recognized.

For the sixth consecutive year, Business First has published the list of 50 most influential business and civic leaders in the region. Louisville Business First selected honorees from individuals nominated by the public and those covered in the publication鈥檚 own reporting and sourcing. It does not include elected officials. The 5 on the Rise class recognizes emerging influential leaders.

Bradley assumed leadership of UofL in March after serving as executive vice president and university provost and dean of the UofL School of Dentistry. Since taking the helm at UofL, Bradley has overseen the completion of the , the opening of the Engineering Student Success and Research Building and surpassing 25,000 enrolled students for the first time in the university鈥檚 history.

In his State of the University address on Feb. 12, Bradley highlighted goals for UofL, including a focus on further improvements in enrollment, six-year retention rates, degrees offered and experiential learning opportunities. He intends to prioritize new residence halls and academic research facilities.

鈥淚 am grateful to lead this great university and amplify its positive impact on the city of Louisville,鈥� Bradley said. 鈥淚t is an honor to be recognized by Business First in the Power 50 2026, particularly after less than a year in my role as president of UofL.鈥�

Since being named director of athletics in 2022, Heird also has had some significant wins. He hired Jeff Brohm to lead the football program and Pat Kelsey to take the reins of men’s basketball. In the 2024-25 season, ten UofL teams earned a top-25 ranking and 11 programs earned trips to the postseason.听

Under Heird鈥檚 leadership, student-athlete academic success has been a priority. Last semester closed with an overall department GPA of 3.431听鈥� with 18 of 19 sports above 3.2. UofL athletes are also winning with a 96% graduation success rate.听

Jason Smith, chief executive officer of UofL Health, was named CEO of the health system in October after serving most recently as its interim CEO and chief medical officer. In December, he oversaw the opening of the $186 million, seven-story .

The honorees will be profiled in the March 27, 2026, print edition of Louisville Business First, and online around that time.

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

A strategic plan for 2026-2030

Central to that vision is UofL鈥檚 , which outlines efforts to make the university a great place to learn, work, discover and connect. Along with each of the strategic plan areas, Bradley noted that the university intends to sharpen its focus on key student鈥慶entered metrics including enrollment, six鈥憏ear retention rates, degrees awarded and experiential鈥憀earning opportunities.

Bradley outlined several long鈥憈erm priorities that will shape the university鈥檚 growth, including:

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

He also underscored the university鈥檚 critical role in improving health outcomes in Kentucky through , calling attention to the training of physicians and UofL鈥檚 place as part of the state鈥檚 medical safety net.

To Bradley, the plan reflects a collective vision and 鈥渞oadmap,鈥� noting that 鈥渋t鈥檚 not my strategic plan; it鈥檚 our strategic plan.鈥�

Commitment to the vision

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

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

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

鈥淚 am really optimistic for the future,鈥� Bradley said. 鈥淲e are on the road. It鈥檚 going to require us to be disciplined and have a laser focus.鈥�

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

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

鈥淚t鈥檚 been an honor and privilege to be your president,鈥� he said.

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

Watch the complete .听

Drafts of the plan were shared with the trustees in May and June 2025. Each draft reflected suggestions submitted by students, faculty, staff and other constituencies. The campus community was also invited to strategic plan update Town Halls throughout the process.

鈥淭his plan belongs to all of us,鈥� said President Gerry Bradley. 鈥淭he decisions we make, how each unit operates, the allocation of financial, human and other resources will all apply directly to our strategic goals.鈥�

The university鈥檚 academic programs and operating units will have until May 2026 to begin incorporating the plan鈥檚 goals and action items into their own strategic initiatives. Additionally, recommendations from the President鈥檚 Commission on Climate, Culture and Well-being will be applied to the plan as appropriate.

Approval of the strategic plan was accompanied by the affirmation of the revised . These revisions also reflect input from the university community.

Bradley will further discuss the strategic plan in his Feb. 12 State of the University Address, which will take place at 4 p.m. in the School of Music’s Comstock Hall. The event will also be livestreamed on

Value of shared governance

The Board of Trustees constituency representatives 鈥� Andrew Winters (Faculty Senate), Kevin Ledford (Staff Senate) and Macy Waddle (Student Government) 鈥� presented a to the board. The statement emphasizes the value of shared governance, open dialogue, belonging and well-being, faculty and staff stability and investment in American innovation and global competitiveness among UofL students, faculty, staff, administration, strategic partners and state government.

Though not an actionable measure for the trustees, the board鈥檚 constituency representatives felt the statement was appropriate and necessary given the complex challenges that face higher education in Kentucky.

鈥淲e certainly welcome this statement as it properly reflects the collaborative nature between the Board of Trustees and the university鈥檚 constituencies,鈥� Bradley said. 鈥淚 think it is important to point out that not all university boards of trustees include or involve constituency groups in their decision-making. At UofL, all voices are heard. All voices matter.鈥�

The UofL Board of Trustees regular committee meetings will take place Thursday, March 19, 2026. Meeting minutes, schedules and other information are available on the .听

UofL鈥檚 online psychology program is rated No. 7 in the nation according to the latest results. Two other programs made the top 50. UofL also received several honors for Best Online Programs for U.S. veterans.听

UofL鈥檚 fully 听have consistently appeared in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for more than a decade, earning recognition as some of the best-ranked education opportunities for online students.听

In 2026, the following degrees received Best Online Program honors:听听

• Undergraduate Psychology – No. 7
• Undergraduate Business – No. 24
• Graduate 成人直播 (Best Online Programs for Veterans) – No. 43
• MBA (Best Online Programs for Veterans) – No. 54
• Graduate Business – No. 82
• Bachelor’s Degree (Best Online Programs for Veterans) – No. 83
• MBA – No. 93
• Bachelor’s Degree – No. 141 听
• Graduate 成人直播 – No. 145听

Kelvin Thompson, UofL鈥檚 vice provost for online strategy and teaching innovation, highlighted the importance of quality online education in advancing lives and careers while offering the flexibility to balance life鈥檚 responsibilities.听

鈥淧roviding accessible, high-quality online higher education is crucial for American social mobility,鈥� Thompson said. 鈥淎t UofL, our students come from all听walks of life听and in all manner of circumstances, including first generation, post-traditional and under-resourced students, and recognition from organizations like U.S. News & World Report reaffirms our commitment to excellence in everything we do.鈥澨�

UofL recently introduced several new online programs, including its first fully online PhD program, the online听.听

UofL鈥檚 online programs are designed for both traditional and non-traditional students, including adult learners, working professionals,听military听and degree-completer听students, as well as anyone looking to earn a college credential through flexible, high-quality online education.听

For more information about UofL鈥檚 online programs, visit听.