Glasgow, Kentucky, native Christian Loos graduated from the University of Louisville in May 2022 as a Distinguished Military Graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning degree. He was commissioned into the Adjutant General Corps and is preparing to head to the Adjutant General Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.

During his time at UofL, Loos was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society and was a routine volunteer in the UofL and Fort Knox communities. He was recognized along with a fellow U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet after they provided first response and aid to victims in a multiple vehicle collision during their morning commute to campus. Another special memory from his time at UofL was being chosen as one of three individuals to represent the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps during a special campus-wide commemoration of the 20^th anniversary of 9/11. Christian said his favorite UofL moment was being recognized as Salute to Service honoree on-field at a football game with his wife and children.

Prior to commissioning, Loos was an active-duty Sergeant First Class. He earned his degree and commission via U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Green-to-Gold program, in which eligible active-duty enlisted soldiers earn a baccalaureate degree or a two-year graduate degree and earn a commission as an Army officer.

Loos served as a Cavalry Scout at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, Camp Casey, Republic of Korea, and Fort Lewis, Washington. He also temporarily served as an Army Recruiter at the U.S. Army’s only Special Categories Recruiting Station. While stationed in the Republic of Korea, Christian served on a forward station in close vicinity to the Demilitarized Zone and assisted in the demobilization of the 7th Cavalry regiment.

Christian served in multiple positions of leadership, including Platoon Sergeant, and was a distinguished Honor Graduate from multiple levels of Army Non-Commissioned Officer professional development. His favorite Army experiences were “training and mentoring soldiers” when operating as the Senior Scout and Vehicle Commander within a Stryker Platoon out of Fort Lewis, Washington.

Among the many awards Loos earned during his enlisted career were the prestigious title of Excellence in Armor. He also earned multiple Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals, and Army Good Conduct Medals, as well as the Korean Defense Service Medal; the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal; the Recruiter Gold Badge and the Drivers Badge.

Loos said he chose to pursue his degree at UofL to enable his family to be close to extended family for a while. He intends to use the skills and experience he gained in his degree program to help build effective teams during his Army career. He has plans to pursue a master’s degree.

��Christian lauded the support provided to military-connected students at UofL, especially the support provided from Kristen Roy and Carissa Gentry in the Office of Military and Veteran Student Services, as well as his “outstanding academic adviser” from the College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, Chelsea Wicks. He also cited two dedicated faculty from the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Leadership and Learning program, Roger Buskill, and Kristie Ennis, and the outstanding cadre of the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps unit, particularly Captain Dakota Walker.

��

Simmons-Chukalas was soon promoted from a car rental associate position to lead agent, eventually working in the corporate office. Her various roles led her across the country, where she directed training departments and airport operations in San Francisco, Atlanta and New Jersey. She stayed with the car rental company for nearly 29 years and made a name for herself in the industry.

Eventually,��Simmons-Chukalas left the car rental company for a role as vice president of learning and development at a company in Colorado.��

Though her professional career had taken off, not finishing her college degree remained a regret. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, however, her position was eliminated and��Simmons-Chukalas had the chance to rethink her course.��

“I think it was the perfect storm for me and I knew that the writing was on the wall … that it was time for me to go back to school. So I made the commitment that I was going to go back and finish. I just jumped into, once again, the deep end. I like to do that,” she said.

She searched for the best program to fit her needs and landed at UofL. Intentional and ambitious as ever, she had to get the Dean’s approval to take on the heavy course load needed to finish her B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Learning (OLL) in 1.5 years, which she did completely online. She’s graduating May 14 with a 4.0 GPA.��

“I wanted a program that was catered to adult learners. I knew that I wanted to get credit also for my life experience. So, I actually interviewed schools, just like I would if I was going to find a vendor to partner with in a corporate role,” said Simmons-Chukalas, “I spoke to��(a faculty member)��about UofL and he did a great job promoting the program and talking about the benefits of it. I really valued and appreciated that UofL is different in the sense that you can earn credits for work-life experience through your PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) and, at the same time, you don’t have to pay for those credits that you’re earning.”

The OLL department at UofL offers innovative programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. These programs educate professionals who focus on leadership, organization development, human resources, and workforce development in order to benefit individuals, organizations and society.��

Simmons-Chukalas expressed that her courses were extremely validating and affirmed the work that she’s been doing for so long. Obtaining a degree from UofL will provide the credibility and additional industry recognition needed as she continues to move forward in her career. It’s also setting a great example for her two kids��– her biggest motivation.

With her degree finally in hand, Simmons-Chukalas recently started her own consulting business and is working for a company where she builds programs to help underrepresented individuals grow professionally through mentorship and career development. Her long-term goal is to become a Chief Learning and Talent Officer.

“I love doing executive development programs, but I’m also very passionate about helping people who are underrepresented. So whether that’s people of color or women or the LGBTQ community … whomever that might be,” she said. “Those are big passions for me. I’m someone who came from very humble beginnings. I want to always be able to lift up and give a hand back to someone else going through that same experience because being successful in your career gives you the means to be able to provide for your family, and that’s probably the most rewarding thing that I’ve been able to do.”

Inspired by those who cared for her grandmother with dementia and a cousin with cystic fibrosis, the Owensboro native became a nurse, graduating in December from the .

At the senior awards ceremony prior to graduation, Wilhoite was surprised to find out she won the , which specifically honors program students for having “the courage to be a servant-leader.” Winners receive $5,000 and commit to working for one year at .

In keeping with the award, Wilhoite recently asked if she could return a portion of it for the benefit of other students.

“I want this award to reflect all of us, not just me,” she said.

Amy Higdon, assistant dean of Owensboro BSN Programs and assistant professor in the School of Nursing, said the award is named after Vicki M. Stogsdill, the retired chief nursing officer of Owensboro Health.

“She always practiced servant-style leadership,” Higdon said. “The Owensboro faculty has the privilege of selecting the recipient of this award each semester and when considering which applicants embodied servant-style leadership, Maggie was a frontrunner.”

Important components of the program are service learning projects throughout the Owensboro community and a senior project completed during the Global Public Health course. Wilhoite asked the $2,000 she returned be used to help with these projects.

“Students can allocate the funds as they see fit, whether it be to enhance their project or donate to the community organization they collaborate with,” said Wilhoite, who grew up on an Owensboro farm.

Wilhoite said she applied for the award “on a whim,” and was shocked when she won.��

“There are 14 members of my graduating cohort. Each of us brings something special to the table,” she said. “We survived nursing school during a historically adverse time in health care. We are entering the nursing profession during uncertain times. We have all exhibited resilience and compassion, which are necessary traits for nurses. Any one of us would be more than deserving of this award.”

Because she graduated debt-free, she said, “I would not feel right accepting a servant-leadership award and keeping it all for myself if I am not struggling financially.”

Wilhoite said she told her mother she wanted to become a nurse in the third grade and she hopes to someday be able to use her skills on a medical mission trip. She credits her supportive family with helping her earn her degree.

“I want to be a part of something bigger than myself,” she said.��

The North Hardin High School graduate’s exposure to UofL classrooms started about a decade prior when her aunt, Tanisha Thompson ’06, ’14, hauled her along to her courses in Strickler Hall and elsewhere.

Now Hampton’s aunt and the rest of her extended family will be celebrating with her May 7, when she graduates with an undergraduate degree in political science and English and with a long-term dream of working in Middle Eastern foreign relations for the U.S. State Department.

With faith, the support of many and with the love of other special people she lost during her four-year college journey, she has made it.

“By the grace of God, this degree – I did it for them,” Hampton said.

Hampton, born to teenagers, grew up in the military town of Radcliff, Kentucky. She was adopted by her grandparents at age 17 and watched over by many other relatives.

“My aunt took a big responsibility in my life,” she said. “When she went to college, she made an effort to make sure I was exposed to (higher) education. That influenced a lot of my decisions.”

Both Thompson, her aunt, and her husband earned UofL degrees. When it was Hampton’s turn to call Belknap Campus home, she earned full-tuition scholarships and found new circles of support in the Society of Porter Scholars and the McConnell Center as well as Zeta Phi Beta sorority.

“Definitely coming back to UofL was very familiar,” Hampton said. “I really enjoyed that.”

As she settled into college life, she became increasingly interested in political science and international relations, minoring in Middle Eastern and Islamic studies and adding Arabic language courses to broaden her skills.

Hampton earned scholarships for international study, visited Israel and Pakistan, and won a Critical Language Scholarship, sponsored by the State Department, for summer travel to Ibri, Oman, to study Arabic.

“I love the Middle East,” Hampton said. “I had a good time.”

But once she returned to the United States to start her 2019 fall semester, a series of tragedies began.

Starting with the unexpected death of her father, she lost four immediate family members over a series of months, including one relative the week before her spring finals. Then COVID-19 affected Hampton’s aunt’s mother-in-law, who had taught her to how to cook and influenced her life; at the beginning of Hampton’s senior year, she too was gone.

Under the circumstances, others might have quit on college, but Hampton felt encouragement from many fronts, including her school circles and her larger family.

Her sorority sisters have helped a lot, as have her McConnell Center leaders and fellow scholars.

“And if not for the Porter (Scholars) community, I don’t know what I would have done,” she said.

She thought it important to stick with her educational plan and not lose momentum by stepping away. “Once you get a cadence going, you need to grind it out,” she said.

“I want people to know that while the tunnel is dark, there is light on the other side. Finish if you can – do it for everyone.”

Hampton also gives credit to many faculty and staff members who supported her personally and pushed her academically. With help from several, ranging from her adviser, Luke Buckman, to her Arabic teacher, Khaldoun Almousily, to McConnell Center Director Gary Gregg, she was able to chart and stay her course at the university.

Professors David Anderson and Karen Chandler, with their expertise in African American literature, guided her also. And when she was applying for competitive travel scholarships, she received helpful guidance and editing assistance from Bethany Smith in the Office of National and International Scholarship Opportunities.

With COVID constraints derailing international travel plans, Hampton intends to work for a year before pursuing graduate studies the following year in diplomacy or international relations. But before that, she’ll be celebrating commencement with “a pretty big shebang” with the rest of her family, now that most have been fully vaccinated.

Does she have any advice for other students discouraged by personal hurdles on their way to graduation?

“I would tell them, ‘At the end of every storm, there is a sunny day’,” Hampton said. “Ultimately, you have to pick it up and keep moving.”

“I am grateful that I did attend UofL and earned my undergraduate degree,” Brown said “I had the opportunity to go somewhere else to earn my master’s degree, but I ended up staying here and working for the intramural department to earn my MBA and that was a great pleasure.”

A support system and determination to achieve a daunting – but possible – goal was key in Brown, a first-generation college student, furthering his career in higher education. Being a college student can be a difficult adjustment for many people, but there is often an added struggle for those who are the first in their family to complete their degrees.

“I think what really pushed me was my mom being a force, ensuring I was doing what I needed to do to get myself into college,” Brown said. “My mom and my grandparents really pushed me and emphasized that education was something that I really needed to align myself with because you always hear that one saying of ��‘if there’s one thing they can never take away from you, it’s your education and the knowledge that you gain.’”

Brown had to find a way to meet his financial needs so that he could pursue his educational dreams. As an undergraduate, he received an athletic scholarship and had the opportunity to be one of the football managers during former Cardinal quarterback Lamar Jackson’s time at the university.

“It was an absolutely incredible experience. That 2016 season, when he won his Heisman trophy, was actually my first season. That atmosphere in that year was absolutely insane, especially for being a manager for the first time,” Brown said. “It was just incredible to see how the team was, how Lamar was, up close. 2016 was an incredible year for football and for being a manager.”

Brown held five jobs throughout his time at the university, including two jobs that focused in sales, two jobs in university athletics and a job opportunity as an assistant athletic director for his high school. This work experience was an intricate part of helping Brown achieve his educational goals, but was also important to him because he was able to give back to his high school, to whom he also credits as a critical part of his educational achievements: Central High School.

Brown will accept a position at Amazon upon graduation. Along with his family and friends as a support system, he also found strength in a higher power.

“I can’t take all the credit. I’ve learned to walk in the plan that God has for me and just to trust in him. I think that’s the person who gets all my credit on me completing this [degree] and me handling what’s possible and allowing him to do what’s impossible because it has been a huge impact in my life.”

Brown recalls his time at UofL as an enjoyable experience and a necessary education. He formed connections that helped guide him to graduation and a career.

His advice for others pursuing their degree at the university?

“I would say to push themselves. Even when it looks like it’s getting hard, it gets better,” Brown said. “I’m grateful for the people that I’ve met and that I’ve had in my corner. I’m grateful for what the university has done for me, personally, and it has been a great experience for me.”

That decision sparked��an even bigger��passion for travel that would��take��Berry��beyond UofL’s campus and��shape her academic career. It led her to��study abroad twice��(first in San Sebastián, Spain and again in��Puntarenas, Costa Rica),��and��graduate��in 2018��with��two bachelor’s degrees��and��a��minor��–��all during her undergraduate career.��

Now,��Berry��has earned��a��master of arts��in political science��and plans to��continue��her��journey��as a Cardinal this fall at the Brandeis School of Law on an almost��full–tuition scholarship.��

All of her travel opportunities and��academic��experiences stemmed from a decision to attend��the��School of Music.��

“I knew in high school that I wanted part of my college education to involve music, and UofL’s��School of��Music is the best in the state,”��Berry said.��“I attended the Governor’s School for the Arts in high school, so UofL offered me the Trustee’s Scholarship.��And when I toured UofL, I fell in love with the close-knit feeling of campus and I could see myself growing as a student and community member here.”��

Berry��did indeed grow as a student at UofL and��earned��a��bachelor of��arts��in��music,��a��bachelor of��arts��in��psychology��and��a��minor in Spanish,��in addition to��her participation in two study abroad programs.��She decided to first study abroad in San Sebastián, Spain during her sophomore year in 2016 to immerse herself in a Spanish-speaking country and help her earn her degree’s language requirement.����

“Because that specific program in Spain offered an intensive Spanish language track that allowed me to take 14 credit hours of Spanish in one semester, I thought that would be the best way for me to effectively learn the language and finish my language requirement for my BA in psychology all at once,” Berry said.��

While in Spain, Berry also took a Psychology of Religion and Spirituality class and taught English in two local schools. Her experience in Spain helped her fall in love with the Spanish language and encouraged her to continue��honing her Spanish skills��when she returned home,��eventually��leading to her second study abroad adventure, this time as a senior in 2018.��

“I studied abroad in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, because I wanted to continue my Spanish language education, but I wanted a different cultural experience from what I had in Spain,” Berry said. “This program had a really interesting Central American Literature class that was taught entirely in Spanish. I wanted a Spanish class that would challenge my language abilities and wasn’t just focused on grammar.”��

When she returned��to UofL��from��her first study abroad in��Spain, Berry decided she wanted to work as a peer ambassador within the Office of Study Abroad and International Travel to help others achieve their study abroad goals and continued her work with the office as a graduate assistant while earning her master’s degree.��

“Working for the study abroad office as a��peer ambassador��and graduate assistant gave me the chance to share my story and helped to grow my leadership, presentation and communication skills,” Berry said.��“The staff at the office became more like mentors to me, and I’ll always be grateful for my time there.”��

Berry credits early planning and the help of the study abroad office and��her��advisors for helping her achieve her academic goals.����

“It definitely was difficult to fit everything��in, but��studying abroad as a sophomore allowed me to have the time to study abroad one more time,” Berry said.��“I expressed interest in studying abroad to all of my academic advisors and kept them in the loop with all my plans. It takes effort and careful planning, but UofL has tons of resources to make it easier for you.”��

While fitting in two degrees��and��a minor, along with two study abroad semesters, earning a master’s degree and��gaining��entrance into law school are all��great��feats��to accomplish, Berry��is��proudest of the connections she��made across the globe and the resiliency she learned through her travels.��

“I am��so��proud of the relationships I have built and grown throughout everything I have experienced,” Berry said.��“My family has been nothing but supportive, and I now have people from all over the country and the world that I can call my friends.

“Studying abroad changes your life in so many ways. It helps you learn how to navigate difficult situations where you might not know what to do and improves your resilience.��You learn about cultures unlike your own and you honestly just learn that this world is a much smaller place than we think it is.” ��

There have been many hurdles on the path to commencement for spouses Diane Endicott and Kim Clark. But this month, they both achieve their long-held dreams of graduating from UofL.

Clark received her cap and gown days before she turned 50 this month. “It’s a really big thing for me. I took it out of the box and started crying,” Clark said.

Then she posed in the regalia and sent jubilant selfies around to relatives, teachers and former UofL co-workers.

“It’s almost surreal that it’s going to happen,” Endicott said, pausing from working on her last paper in the library in late November. The registered nurse started pursuing her master’s degree in exercise physiology in 2015 after a health diagnosis made her think more strategically about wellness and aging in considering her next steps.

She took a few classes and did OK, in her words, although she felt “way in over my head,” and was set to resume in 2018 when her mother fractured her hip the day before the start of classes. So Endicott sat out a year in caring for her and then for her father, who became ill. She returned determined to stay the course.

The faculty and staff in her College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development program permitted her flexibility to deal with what life dealt along the way – “yeah, family stuff comes first” – and encouraged her success. “I appreciate it when the professors are really about you learning things,” she said.

Then when it was time to do her required clinical internship this spring, COVID-19 interfered with the most likely in-person opportunities so she had to figure out with the help of her internship adviser how to make that work. She took an extension and put together a summer project expanding on research into a motivational interviewing tool for workshops to approach mental health, exercise, alcohol addiction and disease processes.

“You can tell people what to do but if they’re not motivated, it’s just wasted air,” Endicott said.

Motivation is clearly abundant in the Endicott-Clark household. Endicott already had begun her graduate studies when they married in 2016, and Clark always intended to continue her education. But 20 years after earning her associate degree in Paducah, Clark had “major anxieties” about seeking her bachelor’s despite having worked at UofL since 2014.

However, she applied UofL’s tuition remission benefit to afford her classes – two every spring and fall semester and one last summer – that led to her new degree in organizational leadership and learning. She left her Physical Plant job as a program assistant senior and then service coordinator about three months ago to become a facilities coordinator for LG&E.

Along the way the two have encouraged each other, quizzed each other before tests and helped with technological struggles.

“It’s been challenging – just to write a paper in its proper form” when starting out,” Clark said. “My first paper – I gave it to my wife – and she said, ‘Oh, honey, this needs a lot of work.’”

But then, through determination, discipline and the support of helpful advisers and faculty members, things got easier.

“Her confidence grew so much,” Endicott said. And Endicott felt less guilty about the family time spent on studies.

“It really has been helpful because we both pushed each other,” Clark said. “It’s nice when you have a cheerleader who lives with you.”

So what’s next, now that the couple can reclaim the home study spaces and think about the future? The two will have another graduation to celebrate when Endicott’s daughter, Jordan, earns her Spalding University bachelor’s degree in 2021.

Endicott, who confesses to having too many interests, continues her nursing work but will explore various ways to help others improve their well-being. “I know I’m going to use it, but it’s also about personally achieving this goal.”

“There’s going to be a whole sea of people after the pandemic who need help with their health,” Endicott said.

“Meanwhile, I want to develop a free exercise program for my church,” she said, hoping to figure out a combination exercise program and health and wellness instruction.

Both have “it’s never too late” advice for others who are pondering whether they can pursue an academic degree.

Endicott said to not give in to fear, to not let technology hold you back, to use the Writing Center’s helpful services, take courses related to research areas and to befriend librarians.

“Just try it – one baby step after another,” she said.

“No matter how long it takes you, you can reach that goal,” Clark added. “It’s huge for me. It’s just something I’ve wanted to do. I’m smiling from one ear to the other.”

Gaunt, a Pikeville, Kentucky, native, has completed three co-op rotations at Midea America Research Center where, among other tasks, he led projects including innovative new feature design and laboratory planning, applied CAD design, FMEA analysis and data management skills, and communicated with both local and Chinese teams to ensure project needs were met. He is currently employed at Midea as a part-time consumer appliance R&D engineer.

Phil Hombroek, his co-op supervisor, called Gaunt one of the best students he has ever worked with in 30 years of engineering.

“He demonstrates all the necessary attributes that are expected of a seasoned engineer and surpasses expectations by over-delivering on projects he worked on,” Hombroek said.��

Gaunt participated in the 2018 UofL International Service Learning Program in Cusco, Peru. During the trip, the students inventoried and mapped the irrigation systems for high altitude farming communities, said Thomas Rockaway, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering.��

“Michael helped lead the assessment teams and coordinated the student work efforts,” he said. “Being fluent in Spanish, he was instrumental in integrating the students into the Peruvian community, making the trip a positive experience for all.”

Gaunt has been involved in several activities at UofL and the Louisville community including Engineers without Borders, Cardinals for the Appreciation of Musical Theatre and Singing Cardsmen.�� At Sojourn Community Church, Gaunt has been a “SojournKids” volunteer for events hosted by Student Government, Engage Lead Serve Board and Student Outreach Uniting Louisville.��

Story written by Holly Hinson.��

With the help from staff at the , Battle has accepted an elective program at Muhimbili National Hospital in Tanzania. She will spend her time in the maternity, pediatrics and emergency medicine departments for six months.

Battle knew she wanted to work as a nurse in another country after studying abroad in 2018.

Caretaking, she says, comes naturally.

“I grew up in a large family and helped my mom with my younger siblings. I love babies and wanted to be able to do something that allowed me to do the things that make me truly happy,” Battle said. “Doing my own research and getting some advice from a mentor of mine brought me to the conclusion that midwifery was exactly what I wanted. Supporting and serving women during the process of bringing life into the world is amazing.”

Battle said her goal is to become a certified nurse midwife and open her own practice in Louisville for women of the immigrant population and Black women.

“I want to be able to provide care to these women that is appropriate, accessible, and what they deserve. I eventually want to open a practice in Tanzania,” Battle said.

Battle is a Woodford R. Porter Scholar and previously served as president of the Black Student Nurses Association and as a Diversity Student Ambassador for admissions.

Adrianne Kelly contributed to this story.��

Thornsbury, from Auxier, Kentucky (), is a spring graduate and the first in her family to earn a college degree.����

“When I first came to campus I admittedly was really scared. I really tried to do my best to branch out, go to different events, join clubs, join student organizations,” she said. “I truly believe that being active on campus is the best way to really find your purpose.”

Thornsbury’s experience has inspired her brother to follow in her footsteps, with plans of his own to attend UofL.��