The ceremonies on May 7 and May 8 were held for the first time at Cardinal Stadium. They included not only Spring 2021 graduates but members of the class of 2020, whose commencement exercises had been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each graduate was allowed to invite eight guests, whose seats were scattered around the stadium to allow for recommended social distancing. Graduates sat on the field in chairs set 6 feet apart.

Although there was no student procession and no handshakes were allowed, graduates and their guests cheered, waved and took photographs to mark the occasion. Graduates were each individually recognized as they walked across the stage, many flashing their “Ls” and waving at the livestream camera that allowed the ceremonies to be broadcast around the world on UofL’s YouTube channel. 

UofL President Neeli Bendapudi told the audiences the period that started in March 2020 put resiliency to the test.

“To many, this has been the longest year, the longest year,” she said. “The time when time stood still. When days became indistinguishable from one another and when screen fatigue became real.”

Planning for the outdoor ceremonies began in January. The Commencement Planning Committee met weekly to ensure the ceremonies would celebrate achievements while adhering to safety standards recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All plans were approved by the governor’s office.

“You are among less than 7% of the population of the world that has at least a bachelor’s degree,” Bendapudi told the graduates. “That’s an achievement and a reason to be grateful. Your degrees are from a Research 1 university, that puts you as graduating from a college that is in the top 3% of all colleges and universities in the country. Your degree is from the United States of America. For all its flaws and shortcomings, this is still the beacon of hope around the world.”

The award, in its 32nd year, is UofL’s most prestigious faculty award, recognizing faculty members who have made significant contributions to student life. The UofL Board of Trustees made the announcement at its meeting April 22.

“Thank you so much,” Gainous said. “I couldn’t be more honored. I really do owe this so much to my students. I can’t believe what I get to do.”

Gainous, who has been at UofL since 2006, is a comparative political behavioralist whose research focuses on the intersection of information technology and public opinion. He is frequently interviewed by members of local, national and international media in television, print and radio for his political science expertise. He is director UofL’s , where he has placed almost 500 students in the House and Senate in Frankfort. He also works with the Personnel Cabinet of the Kentucky Executive Branch placing students in paid summer positions.

“For most students, their dreams are bigger than one class. They want to take on the challenges of the world and the workplace. To help students, experiential learning outside the classroom is critical,” Gainous said in his teaching and learning statement. “I have seen the importance of experiential learning as the director of the Kentucky General Assembly Internship Program for 14 years. … This program has shaped lives by teaching students that they can use what they have learned to affect change.”

In letters reinforcing his nomination for the award, students and colleagues praised — over and over again — the unconditional support and infectious enthusiasm he offers students.

“Despite my dyslexia, Professor Gainous saw in me a student worth teaching,” wrote Bryce Kleinsteuber. “As a direct result, I went from someone unsure about what I wanted to do with my future when I first sat in his class on the Internet and Politics in 2013 to a PhD student in political science now.”

Gainous is a frequent conference presenter and his most recent book is “Tweeting to Power: The Social Media Revolution in American Politics,” with co-author Kevin M. Wagner. He is also co-editor of Journal of Information Technology & Politics, the American Political Science Association’s flagship journal in political communications.

In partnership with the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs and Jeffrey Sun of UofL’s College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, Gainous has recently been helping to develop training programs in the cybersecurity industry for service members, veterans and their dependents.

Gainous will receive the award, which includes $5,000 in prize money, during commencement exercises at Cardinal Stadium the weekend of May 7-9. 

“We’re still taught to use a compass and paper maps,” said Orr, who learned his grandfather’s skill during summer ROTC training camps.

Orr and 17 fellow Cardinal Battalion cadets will be commissioned May 7 as second lieutenants in the United States Army. The in-person commissioning (the last two have been virtual due to the pandemic) is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Student Activities Center Ballroom.

He will also graduate that evening at Cardinal Stadium during a 7 p.m. ceremony with a master’s degree in political science. With that, the 25-year-old Louisville native will have achieved his goals of better positioning himself for a rewarding career and serving his country through the Army National Guard. 

“For me, ROTC provided the chance to spend two years to come out with an advanced degree from a flagship university like UofL and as a commissioned officer in the Army,” Orr said. “It presented an opportunity that no other academic and leadership program could provide.”

After Orr was laid off from an office job at the start of the pandemic in 2020, he relied heavily on his ROTC community for support.

“I think the experience of going through the pandemic with the Cardinal Battalion this past year showed me how strong and how powerful those relationships are to get you through those harder times,” he said.

Orr continued his classes as he juggled four part-time jobs: bartender, deli worker, middle school lacrosse coach and dog walker. Between morning ROTC workouts, work and class, he was often gone 15 or 16 hours a day, only to have to do it all again the next day. “Staying motivated was certainly the key for me,” he said.

A graduate of Louisville Collegiate High School, Orr went to Allegheny College in far western Pennsylvania and earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies. He attempted to join the Navy  his senior year, but was disappointed when he was medically disqualified. He then returned to Louisville where he worked as an analyst for an international law firm before joining ROTC in 2019 to help him “serve my community and do meaningful work.”

Following commissioning and commencement, Orr will remain at UofL until October as a recruiter for the Cardinal Battalion. Then he will head to Fort Lee, Virginia, for his four-month Basic Officer Leader Course. When that is completed, he plans to work in the public sector while serving in logistics and maintenance for the Kentucky Army National Guard.