The writing on the wall: NCAA national champion weight thrower Makenli Forrest is determined to use her win to bring attention to the sport.Ìę

Classes in action: A 20-year partnership between the Brandeis School of Law and the Central High School Law and Government Magnet Program is broadening horizons for local high school students interested in the field.Ìę

A century of belonging: Students and alumni reflect on how joining a fraternity or sorority changed their lives during the 100th anniversary of Greek life on campus.Ìę

Well, no. Their new friends down the hall are in their 70s, 80s and 90s.

The senior music therapy students live for free this year in the Rose Anna Hughes Home with more than three dozen “grand-neighbors” who lovingly keep watch on the 21-year-olds’ comings and goings and who savor their everyday interactions in the Louisville personal care home. Residents in the adjacent Westminster Terrace, another part of Presbyterian Homes and Services of Kentucky, also benefit from the students’ musical gifts and camaraderie.

This unexpected coupling of talents and treasure, youthfulness and longevity is the vision of UofL music therapy program director Lorna Segall, who piloted the alliance last year, even during a pandemic, with pioneers Kaitlyn Beard ’21 and Paige Nagle ’21.

Beard, now a music therapy graduate student at Florida State University, remembers being in class when Segall first broached the idea. “I kind of looked over at Paige, and she gave me a nod. Do you want to do this? I want to do this,” Beard said.

Beard channeled her passion for working with older adults into a living arrangement that laid the foundation for her continuing study and for a future she intends to have in hospice care. As student residents, she and Nagle were able to devote time to slowing down and talking with their older neighbors.

“A lot of the residents, they don’t get a lot of people interested in what they have to share,” Beard said. “They have all this life experience to give.”

And although some were initially puzzled that college students were interested in living among them, they “were excited about it. Everything that we do is intriguing to them,” Beard said, adding that topics could range from homework to boyfriends.

“I think it gave me a definitely deeper understanding of who older adults are,” Beard said.

SEEKING HARMONY

The familiar strains of “Amazing Grace” fill the home’s sunny lobby on a Sunday afternoon. Rushing’s soft soprano is joined by several residents who chime in, growing stronger on the chorus. She strums her guitar and sways a little to the music. Nine residents have settled in, some with their walkers, as she set up her music stand and instruments, this time introducing her ukulele into the mix. She and Aldridge, who met as freshmen in the Cardinal Marching Band, also play clarinet but they haven’t yet worked that into the weekly concerts.

“Somebody tell me what that song makes you think of,” Rushing asked.

The students say the residents are partial to hymns, so “In the Garden” and “Precious Memories” are woven into that afternoon’s playlist. After “Precious Memories,” Rushing asks them to share a memory of their mother or father, and several do.

The country songs “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and “Don’t Fence Me In” spark other recollections about performers, with Rushing recalling that her grandfather enjoyed singer Roy Rogers. Several people suggested verses to “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”

“I’m going around all the genres today,” Rushing said.

Her ukulele accompanied “All You Have to Do Is Dream,” and that tune sparked discussion from Frieda Winkler, who hailed from Central City where the Everly Brothers Boulevard was named in tribute to songwriting performers Don and Phil Everly to honor their Muhlenberg County ties.

Tom Speed sometimes drums along with his fingertips like the 97-year-old used to on the real thing. Others enjoy the tunes silently while their neighbors croon with the young women.

“We just make a joyful noise; we can’t sing,” Winkler said.

Winkler and Nancy Allen enjoy chatting with the younger women about everyday stuff and cooking together sometimes. “I love it when we get to do banana bread,” Winkler volunteered.

The two residents were happy when UofL started this arrangement last year and also pleased that it continued this year with Aldridge and Rushing. “They just don’t run out of energy,” one remarked.

“I think they have a lot of grandparents,” Allen said. “We appreciate everything they do. They come see us every day to see how we are and what we’re doing.”

After the concert the residents adjourn to the spacious dining room, where Rushing and Aldridge can join them if they choose. Beth Branson and Zena Shine share a round table in the middle, where “Mackenzie and I have been let into the club,” Rushing joked.

“They keep tabs on where we’re going and when we’re going to be back,” she said. “They keep me straight.”

“They have to check in with their mamas,” Shine, 89, said.

Branson, “84 and proud of it,” said the two students “do so much for me. My oxygen (tank), they bring it down for me and they take it back up. I love their company. I love to hear about their life.”

“They just kind of adopted us, I think,” Rushing added.

Making connections, not just music

“I think music is a conduit for building relationships, but people just want to talk about their lives,” Rushing said. She is no stranger to performing at nursing homes as she grew up in Gamaliel, Kentucky, as the daughter of a music minister. And she thinks she’d like to ultimately work in hospice and end-of-life care.

Aldridge acknowledged having more of an initial learning curve. “I think it’s made me so much more patient with them,” the Waynesville, North Carolina, student said. “I’m going beyond that therapeutic experience.”

“Music therapy is very music-based but it’s not the end goal. It’s about ‘Am I hearing your needs and am I meeting your goals?’”

“They just want to talk – and to be heard,” Aldridge said. “I think it surprised me how close we’ve gotten so quickly.”

The students arranged their Belknap Campus classes so they have the alternate days at the facility. Aldridge and Rushing had an apartment last year and have transplanted their large collection of houseplants, about 55, to their current room and various other spots around the facility.

They share their space with leopard gecko Kalypso and rescue cat Louie, who often perches in their second-floor windowsill just above the main entrance. “He loves watching all the people, and everybody loves him,” Aldridge said.

Some residents’ families have confirmed to the staff that they like the partnership and were relieved that it wasn’t a one-time offering.

“The residents love them. They still talk about Kaitlyn and Paige (from last year),” said Janeil Peterson, the community life director. “They like the young energy; it reminds them of their youth.”

The students meet weekly with Peterson and Segall to discuss programming goals, plans for more community involvement and ways to tweak the arrangement to everyone’s benefit. “I think one of our biggest goals is to keep this really fluid,” Peterson said. Playing to their strengths, last year Beard tended to do more individual music therapy, especially in the Westminster facility, and Nagle handled more group activities. This year the students are talking about adding some evening activities for the residents. And the residents are likely to enjoy performances by other UofL musicians.

“It’s such a great way for UofL to have a unique interaction with the community,” Segall said, praising executive Ben Durham’s commitment to the partnership. Segall also admired the students’ willingness to try something new with such positivity.

The experience “is a crash course in learning how to deal with a bunch of different people,” Segall said. “And maybe debunking some aging myths on both sides.”

And although there’s an obvious transfer of skills for future music therapists, Segall envisions the program someday involving students from art or other fields of study. “Just learning how to meaningfully be with people on a genuine level that’s authentic and sincere 
 I can’t imagine a major where having that experience wouldn’t be advantageous to their future practice.”

“Who are those people?” she asked the head coach, Dale Cowper, who explained that they were the program’s national champions.

In that moment, the eager prospect knew she would one day join the likes of D’Ana McCarty ’11, Edwin Kibichy, Tone Belt and Andre Black ’10 on the side of Cardinal Park.

Shortly after, in 2017, Forrest, a weight thrower, became a Cardinal and began making her mark. By the end of her 2019 sophomore campaign, she was an NCAA runner-up in the weight throw and had made appearances in each indoor and outdoor NCAA championship since she became a Cardinal.

On March 12, 2020, she was in Albuquerque, New Mexico, preparing to improve on her runner-up finish at her third NCAA Indoor Championship, but the meet never began. Just two days before she was set to compete, Forrest received word that all winter and spring NCAA championships were canceled.

Heartbroken but driven, Forrest was quick to get back to work.

“I knew I would have been a contender for national champion,” Forrest said. “It made me work harder to become one my senior year. I wanted to make sure I did, especially for Coach Cowper.”

On March 11, 2021, that drive earned Forrest a spot on the Cardinal Park wall. The moment she dreamed of since she was a junior in high school had finally come. With a school record heave of 23.26 meters (76 feet, 3.75 inches) on her sixth and final attempt, the redshirt junior became a national champion.

But that drive was not limited to the throwing ring. Athletic achievements are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the student-athlete’s accomplishments.

Not only did she become a national champion in 2021, she also graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science, earned ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors and was nominated for the NCAA’s Woman of the Year Award among many other accolades.

“Obviously, we broadcast our athletic achievements, but to have my academic achievements highlighted on top of everything was amazing because I go to practice and weights every day but I still have to get my work done,” Forrest said of her ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award. “That’s why I’m here. I’m a student-athlete.”

The real prize, though second to her degree, was her Woman of the Year nomination.

“That felt really good to know that they see the work that I’m doing and see what I’ll ultimately be able to accomplish,” Forrest said.

One of Forrest’s biggest goals is to empower others. Her Woman of the Year nomination stemmed not only from her athletic and academic achievements but also her leadership role among student-athletes. In the 2020-2021 academic year, Forrest served as an ACC representative on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and took on the role of co-president of Student-Athletes of Color Combining Opportunity and Responsibility for Excellence (SCORE).

Forrest, who decided not to return for a fifth year of eligibility after graduation, now has her photo on the side of Cardinal Park, but she wants her impact to be bigger than that. The 2021-22 indoor track and field season began in December. Six Cardinal women and 10 Cardinal men are vying to follow in Forrest’s throws.

“I want what I’ve accomplished to create more opportunities for throwers here,” Forrest said. “When I talk about my national title, sometimes I minimize it because people don’t understand, but I shouldn’t do that. I want people to see the success our program can have.”

“I didn’t know then that I’d be at this place in life — always respect ‘God’s plan,’ ” said Rudolph, an alumnus of the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law.

A unique opportunity while a student at Louisville’s Central High School helped lay the foundation for his success. Rudolph said a partnership between Central’s Law and Government Magnet program and UofL provided him an educational road map to his career.

Now 20 years strong, the partnership has encouraged dozens of Central High School students to explore the field of law, with many, like Rudolph, going on to work on their juris doctorates and enter the profession. The relationship between the two schools also illuminates the value UofL places on community engagement. The Cardinal influence through Central’s Law and Government Magnet represents a cornerstone of UofL’s Signature Partnership Initiative in west Louisville.

A PROGRAM WITH PUBLIC APPEAL

It all began in fall 2001. Law professor Laura Rothstein was serving as dean of the Brandeis School of Law when Harold Fenderson, then principal of Central High, asked if UofL would be interested in collaborating to enhance the school’s law magnet. Rothstein and a handful of other key leaders, including then associate dean Cedric Merlin Powell and assistant dean for admissions Connie Shumake, quickly agreed to the partnership.

“I had gone to law school because of my interest in social justice, race and gender issues, so this program was a priority for me,” Rothstein said. “The goal of the program was not just to create a pipeline of students to become lawyers but to encourage these high school students to become civically engaged, active citizens and leaders in other ways.”

Initially, the program involved an essay contest for the high schoolers, along with UofL campus visits and special events. Longtime Jefferson County prosecutor Joe Gutmann became an instrumental part of Central’s law magnet program in 2005 and worked with UofL’s School of Law to develop curriculum for the youth.

Thanks to the collaboration, Central High law magnet courses now include: Street Law for sophomores, Writing Skills for juniors and Marshall-Brennan Civil Liberties for seniors. In 2007, UofL students began helping teach these courses and earning public service and academic credit for their work.

Third-year law student Jesten Slaw said he teaches to positively impact the lives of African American and other minority youth and is honored to pay back the time other educators have invested in him.

“Although most don’t know, I was once expelled from school and headed down the wrong path. I cherish and appreciate the teachers who took interest in my potential and helped me change my life. I understand firsthand the huge impact they have on influencing the next generation,” Slaw said.

A few more than 30 Central High School graduates have earned a law degree since 1955, with 15 pursuing their degrees since the partnership with Brandeis School of Law began.

A LAW FAMILY

Gisselle Sierra is in her final year of law school at UofL. She was part of the magnet while at Central High School and said knowing people truly cared was the best part of the program.

“The teachers encouraged us, constantly gave us feedback on our work and communicated with us individually,” Sierra said. “I remembered what our teachers taught us while I was a high schooler and applied that to my lawyering skills class during my f irst semester of law school.”

She’ll graduate this May with a goal of practicing family and personal injury law, and one day opening her own law firm.

It takes a village, as Rothstein points out, giving credit to many for the program’s success, including the Louisville Bar Association (LBA) which has facilitated summer internships in legal offices for Central students since 1992. These internships, she said, allow Central students to learn about working in a law setting and help them make important lifetime connections. Others have given financial support to sustain basic activities of the partnership with UofL, such as paying for expenses related to on-campus visits, along with teaching materials and prizes for the McAnulty essay contest.

In honor of her own contributions to the program, Rothstein received UofL’s 2020 Distinguished Service Award in the category of service to the community, the commonwealth and/ or the region. This year, the LBA and its Diversity Committee is recognizing Rothstein as the LBA Diversity Trailblazer. Past recipients include Powell and Gutmann.

Multiple areas throughout the UofL community, too, have given a boost to the partnership. The College of łÉÈËֱȄ and Human Development provides a one-day training for law students who help teach the high school courses. The session is focused on pedagogy, classroom management and lesson planning. The College of Business over the years has included Central High students in the annual Thrivals IdeaFest and the Office of Community Engagement has helped facilitate a spring semester dual credit course for the students.

Rudolph fondly recalls his high school days and the enormous opportunity for those in the law magnet.

“UofL and Mr. Gutmann put students in a good starting place. He treated us like college students … but he has high standards, expecting students to get their work done. There were also so many positive things outside of class like moot court, mock trials and internships with larger firms,” he said.

His message to those who follow him on a similar path from high school to a career in law: “Getting here might be one of the most difficult achievements, but it’s not impossible.”

This year, there was extra reason to be nostalgic. UofL is celebrating 100 years since the first fraternities were officially recognized, introducing Greek life to campus. Alumni and current students honored the date at a Fraternity and Sorority Life Centennial Celebration during Homecoming week.

Since the first fraternities were recognized by campus in 1921, UofL added sororities in 1922 and in 1959 the first Black Greek organizations moved to UofL after being chartered originally at Louisville Municipal College. Organizations throughout the years have included social, honor, service and professional groups.

Today, 33 fraternities and sororities make up Greek life at UofL. Joining more than just social clubs, students who are members of fraternities and sororities gain experience in leadership, community service and academic excellence, while helping the university make strides toward inclusivity.

“Greek life definitely influenced who I became and helped to shape the work I do,” said Tomarra Adams ’96, ’97, now the dean of undergraduate education at Spalding University. “The ability to lead did not solely begin in my membership in Alpha Kappa Alpha and our work through the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), but it was nurtured, challenged and elevated.”

SHAPING UNDERGRADUATE YEARS

Students who are part of the Greek community often cite cultivating identity, leadership opportunities, networking and academic achievements as being valuable for their future endeavors on and off campus.

“My undergraduate Greek experience gave me an education that I couldn’t get in the classroom,” said William “Bill” Brasch ’71, a Phi Kappa Tau member who went on to be a national president of the fraternity. “It enabled me to really learn how to learn. It enabled me to expand my understanding of networking and, most importantly, my sphere of friendships.”

It also helps students uncover who they are. “Greek life at UofL gives women and men the opportunity to rediscover the identity that high school drained us of,” said Emily Kuhlman, a Sigma Kappa Sorority member and College Panhellenic Council vice president. “I lacked self-awareness, motivation and confidence in my own identity. I quickly learned when becoming immersed into Greek life that it’s cool to be unconditionally authentic.”

Like Adams, many current and former Greek organiza-tion members point to leadership skills as a main benefit of their involvement.

“Greek life has benefited me in several ways but the most prominent way has been through leadership,” said Seryn Bentley, a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and NPHC president. “I’ve also gained connections with campus officials through events, meetings and correspondence.”

While many may think of Greek life as a social endeav-or, participation has been proven to boost academics. Ac-cording to statistics provided by Kate Roessler, assistant director for fraternity and sorority life, students involved in Greek life are 15.3% more likely to persist after the first year of college than non-Greek students. Fraternity and sorority members are also 25.5% more likely to graduate within six years.

“Greek life has a direct correlation with first-year re-tention rates, four-year graduation rates, GPA and a better overall experience at UofL,” said Brendan Kolbinsky, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and Interfraternity Council president. “It gives access to a network of support academical-ly, personally, socially and professionally.”

EXPANDING TO INCORPORATE ALL

While current and former members tout the personal benefits of being a fraternity or sorority member, Greek life is also an example of how the university is striving for inclusivity among its student groups.

The first fraternities at UofL were limited to white men; sororities and Black Greek organizations came later. UofL’s Black fraternities and sororities initially char-tered at other schools such as Louisville Municipal College and Simmons College. After Louisville Municipal College closed, due to UofL desegregating the university, the student organizations followed. Today, inclusion and diversity are as vital to Greek life as they are to UofL as a whole.

“[Black] Greek life is important to cam-pus life because it shows more African American history,” said Ansle “CJ” Combs, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and NPHC vice president. “[Greek life] shows our involvement in the world and highlights how unseen, but seen, we are.”

In 2019, UofL recognized NPHC with its own organizational plots that display the name of each organization and the history behind its founding. In addition, NPHC’s Belknap Campus suite was renovated this year. Expanding Greek life opportunities to all groups continues at UofL – interest meetings are underway to establish the first multicultural sorority founded by Latinx women.

Creating an environment that feels like home for all students is important, according to Roessler.

“The biggest benefit for our students is having that sense of belonging and knowing that you have a space at UofL,” Roessler said.

For 100 years, hundreds of students have found that space in Greek life.Ìę

Want to share your story of Greek life at UofL? Tell UofL Magazine your favorite memory at editor@louisville.edu and your submission could be published in an upcoming issue.

Janet Cappiello contributed to this story.Ìę