The summa cum laude graduate became a second lieutenant with the Army ROTC commissioning ceremony in May that preceded commencement. He was an honors scholar who wrote a timely thesis in addition to the several other research papers that admittedly left him “typed out” by semester’s end. But what really got to him was the commencement moment recognizing first-generation college students.

“This matters to me,” he said. “You don’t need to be a legacy to pull off some great things.”

But tenacity helps, as does the willingness to seek answers from good advisers. Not to mention time management.

While studying to earn his UofL undergraduate degree in four years in political science with a minor in Russian, Payne also served in the Army National Guard, having joined in 2019.

“We made it work. It was a struggle,” Payne said. “Doing ROTC and the National Guard and academics is difficult.”

But the balancing act paid off and he plans to further his educational journey with a graduate or law degree, having an interest in immigration law or even a “dream” of working for the State Department.

Before that, however, he will spend four months working in recruitment at Fort Knox and later will report to Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona to train as a military intelligence officer.

Payne credits some critical internships in political science as good preparation for that intelligence officer role. While working with government officials on Louisville Metro Council and in the Kentucky General Assembly through the Legislative Research Commission, he learned to gather and distill critical information, research issues and present facts and even recommendations to decision-makers to use.

The Louisville native was always intrigued by watching the news and learning about current events, which ultimately led him to the political science department and its faculty members who opened his eyes to career opportunities.

His choice of Russian studies also became “very timely,” he admits.

“I always wanted to choose a language that was critical and impactful,” Payne said. Russian, he decided, was “more relevant in the world and underused in the west.”

The combination of major and minor led him to the also timely honors thesis topic about the Russian diaspora, although the swiftly shifting current conflict in Ukraine made it more stressful to write.

He cannot believe the changes in world affairs that have occurred in his time at UofL, especially this last year, and within his National Guard service. “It’s been a heck of a ride.”

A week before his classes started last year, he was in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, when the capital city of Kabul fell and he suddenly was helping a unit prepare to deploy to Afghanistan.

As a Guardsman stateside, he has worked with an engineering battalion and spent the past year supporting the 101^st Airborne Division. “I had a blast doing that,” he said. Other assignments have included helping to run COVID-testing centers and polling places.

And Payne’s face is familiar around the American Legion Jeffersontown GI Joe Post 244, where he has volunteered and became a district officer, believing he may be the youngest member in Kentucky. Bolstering such civic organizations is important to society, in his estimation, and he says they need new blood to support them.

Whether it be drawing attention to military service through the veterans work or continuing his Guard tenure, Payne said he hopes to continue building the force.

“I take the most pride in recruiting,” Payne said.

The team helped write claims for service members stationed at the U.S. Naval Station so that they’re better prepared for retirement. They fielded more than 200 questions and claims, a .Ěý

The group also appeared on the Radio GTMO show, participated in networking events and gave presentations to incoming high school seniors. This was the fifth trip to Guantanamo Bay for the volunteers. Dodson, who has been involved in the Kentucky Boys State program since 2014 and now serves as an assistant counselor, was asked to join the delegation in December by Executive Director Pete Trzop.

Trzop has made quite an impact on Dodson. In fact, Dodson credits him, as well as John Beach, Chris Gootee and Mark Kennedy, with inspiring him to stay in college after struggling over whether or not to drop out.

Dodson’s segment on the Radio GTMO show was focused on this specific decision.

“By coming back (to the Kentucky Boys State program) as a junior counselor and making connections with various staff members, I decided to stay in college,” he said.

Dodson’s favorite part about the trip was being able to give back to the active service members stationed there by helping them file their claims with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“I chose to pursue veterans benefits because I feel that they are not appreciated as much as they should be,” Dodson said. “They do not receive the benefits they deserve after all they do for us and our country.”

Dodson also appreciated the team-building opportunities that took place during the trip.

“I was able to get to know (the team) and connect with them on a more personal level,” Dodson said. “We were able to do a lot of positive things while we were down here.” 

Dodson’s post-graduate plans include pursuing employment in the communications field with LG&E. He believes his education at UofL has prepared him well for such a path forward.

“Thanks to Dr. Selene Phillips, I have really been able to hone in on my news writing skills. I have seen improvements in my writing both inside and outside of class,” Dodson said. “By taking video communication class with Dr. Ralph Merkel, I was able to hone my video editing skills. Thanks to these skills I learned at UofL, I was successful in obtaining an internship with the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.”

His education may have indeed prepared him for such a career, but his involvement outside of the classroom has prepared him for even bigger things.

“Whether you attend the program or do service work, Kentucky Boys State and the American Legion are organizations that change lives,” Dodson said. “They both have certainly changed mine.”