For both employees, the recent government shutdown and reduction of benefits provided through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was a unique opportunity to call attention to the need. According to Dare to Care, one in eight Americans rely on SNAP benefits, including co-workers, friends and neighbors. In Jefferson County alone, SNAP has supported more than 96,000 people and 45,000+ households per month.

One food drive in November that was organized by Lawson delivered four truckloads of donations to the La Casita Center and the Chestnut Street YMCA.Ìę

In addition, just in the month of November, various holiday initiatives were organized by athletics, the Cardinal Commuter Community, Bluegrass Student Collective, Graduate School, School of Music, School of Dentistry, College of łÉÈËֱȄ and Human Development, Department of Theatre Arts, Early Learning Center, Visitor Information Centers, parking and many more.

plays a pivotal role in all these efforts bringing departments together and setting the tone for collaboration. From hosting initial planning meetings to creating outreach materials and coordinating logistics, the team’s leadership amplifies the impact and demonstrates UofL’s commitment to supporting both internal and external community members.

“Our goal was to unite the Cardinal family in a way that showed the power of working together,” said Vice President for Community Engagement Douglas Craddock. “This drive was about more than donations—it was about building connections and supporting our neighbors during a challenging time.”

Lawson said she sees how UofL lives the community of care principle. “In the current environment, people in the world are just going their separate ways, but the Cardinal community has never worked like that. We know it takes a village, we need to stay a village and continue pulling together for one another and the broader community.” 

Amanda Schweinzger, who grew up in a low-income household in Northern Kentucky, was inspired to start a drive and online fundraising campaign because she knew of people dealing with difficulty from the shutdown. “I could not just sit idly by,” she said. “I know what it’s like to struggle, what it’s like to get help from food pantries.”

Schweinzger, who started with her own department, grew the outreach from there. She decided to partner with Dare to Care, who supplies the , extending to the broader community and giving back to an organization that gives to UofL students year-round.

While physical donations are always appreciated, Dare to Care encourages monetary donations because they can fill in the gaps in what is needed most and can supply perishables such as fresh meat and produce. Every dollar donated to Dare to Care means two meals for needy families.

For her campaign, Schweinzger set up a and has already raised more than $500. Her goal is to bring in $1,000 by end of January 2026.

Schweinzger said in her experience as a student and now as an employee at UofL, she sees empathy and generosity as a common core value of the campus community. “They care about people, and the community around them, and they’re always willing to rise to the occasion.”

Maybe you already have a degree (or two) but are looking for a change in your career trajectory. Perhaps you need to upskill to secure the promotion you’ve been eyeing. Whatever the scenario, there is never a bad reason to come back to school and advance your education. And even if you missed the deadline to enroll in the current semester, a new semester – with on-campus, online and hybrid course options – is always just around the corner at the University of Louisville.

So, what are the routes of study for UofL’s returning learners? Let’s explore a few.

Advanced degrees to advance your career

If you’ve looked at job postings in recent years, you aren’t imagining it – more and more companies are listing a master’s degree as a desired qualification. And according to the , this trend will only continue over the next decade. Advanced degrees are commonplace in medical, law and even academic fields. But today, marketers, business leaders, nonprofit professionals and more can all benefit from the knowledge and skills gained through pursing a master’s degree. This pursuit can be especially beneficial to mid-career employees seeking to level up from their mid-level roles.

Whatever your industry, to help you take your next step. From or to and , the university provides a diverse selection of standard-to-niche graduate studies to help you craft the future your career and academic curiosity deserves. Even better, over two-dozen programs are – a bonus for the busy professional.

Professional certificates to boost your skillset

In the world of work, things are not often static. Roles and requirements change as technology and industry culture evolve. Is artificial intelligence changing the way your professional processes work? Has your role adopted new responsibilities that would benefit from – or require – new credentials or training? If so, .

The university currently offers 32 cutting-edge certificates that cover a wide range of industries and professional goals. Most require only 12 credit hours to complete with several that can be completed in tandem with (or in preparation for) a corresponding master’s program. Additionally, all certificate courses can be taken 100% online and asynchronously to accommodate your schedule.

With certificates ranging from areas such as to , UofL has you covered when you’re ready to upskill.

Continuing studies for the lifelong learner

Sometimes, going back to school is less about professional goals and more about personal growth. Maybe you’re an art lover who’s always wanted to learn about the old masters of art history. Or you’re a Francophile who’s dreamed of speaking fluent French on your next trip abroad. If you’re interested in it, there’s a likely chance that UofL offers a class to scratch the itch for its students.

Continuing Studies is a non-degree program for learners 22-years-old and older to take up to 24 credit hours in any discipline they are interested in. For those Kentucky residents who are a little bit older than 22 – 65 to be exact – the university proudly participates in the program, which allows older adults to take a select number of courses at UofL tuition-free.

Whether you’re looking to pursue a master’s degree, obtain a professional certificate or satisfy your academic interests through casual study, UofL has a pathway to help take you there.

UofL has a long history of preparing physicians for practice in rural and smaller communities through the , which began in 1998 with the goal of increasing the number of physicians practicing in rural areas, and in existing UofL family medicine residencies in Glasgow and Owensboro.

Supporting this mission, UofL was awarded a $16 million Health Resources and Services Administration grant in 2023 to expand the training of primary care physicians and encourage their practice in underserved areas.

UofL is also a part of the a collaborative effort of the UofL Health Sciences Center, the University of Kentucky Medical Center and eight regional centers. The AHECs work to improve the recruitment, distribution and retention of health care professionals in medically under-served areas throughout the state commonwealth.

“These national rankings affirm the University of Louisville School of Medicine’s deep commitment to improving access to care in communities that need it most,” said Kelli Bullard Dunn, MD, vice dean for community engagement. “Our longstanding efforts, alongside new investments like the HRSA grant and ongoing support from the Kentucky General Assembly, are strengthening the pipeline of primary care providers and creating real change for families across Kentucky and beyond.”

Other key highlights in the U.S. News & World Report graduate and professional schools ranking include:

• No. 29 in criminology 
• No. 36 in audiology 
• No. 43 in social work 
• No. 46 in healthcare management

All graduate school rankings can be found on the U.S. News & World report .Ìę

Graduate education at UofL provides over 130 graduate programs to approximately 5,800 graduate students. Learn more on the .

Previously, U.S. News & World Report had ranked the university in the top 100 public universities in the nation. Additionally, UofL Online Learning received a five-star rating and came in it at No. 53 in America’s Top Online Colleges 2025 listing.

The award was presented during the University of Louisville Graduate School’s 11^th Annual Dean’s Reception in April in recognition of her three years of outstanding performance as a graduate teaching assistant. The Graduate School also commended runner-up Lauren Fusilier, an English doctoral student, with an honorable mention.

The new award recognizes graduate teaching assistants who have distinguished themselves by the care they have given and the excellence they have shown in meeting their instructional responsibilities.

Beth Boehm, dean of the Graduate School, led the charge for establishing the university-wide teaching award to provide students with the opportunity to be acknowledged for their excellent teaching – not just at graduation but throughout their career as instructors. While students were invited to self-nominate, nominations were submitted in partnership from academic units.

“We need to acknowledge the very important role graduate students play as instructors,” said Boehm. “Graduate teaching assistants are central to the experience of our undergraduates, as graders, as lab assistants, as course assistants, and even as instructors of record. We need to let them know how much they are appreciated.”

This award will be given each spring semester to one UofL graduate student with at least two semesters of experience as a graduate teaching assistant.

For Kelly-Taylor, the most valuable part of her experience as a graduate teaching assistant has been the ability to make a positive impact.

“Receiving this award means my hard work and passion for teaching has been transformative, not only for myself, but for the many students I have had an opportunity to encounter,” she said.

Kelly-Taylor, who graduated in May 2023, plans to use her doctorate degree to teach the next generation of public health scholars.

“For me, this fuels my passion to continue to provide them with the tools and knowledge that I hope elevates their academic experience.”

By Ashley Striegel

“For the past four years each May, the Graduate School has held the Celebration of Excellence in Diversity recognition ceremony on campus, a space where we can recognize the triumphs and accomplishments of students of color, while also acknowledging the perseverance, willpower and hard work it takes to obtain an advanced degree,” said Tamekka Cornelius, director of graduate recruitment and diversity retention.Ìę

Cornelius noted in her remarks to the audience of students, administrators, mentors, family members and friends that the groups’ accomplishments were especially meaningful on a campus where graduate students of color are just 22% of the student body, 12% of faculty and 16% of staff.

“The saying ‘If you can see it, you can achieve it’, is even more impactful here. And for that we celebrate you,” she said.

The following graduates and students were celebrated:

Masters Graduates

Tiffany Adams, MSSW

Karima Badouan, MEd

Khadija Boukhrys, MS

Jeremy Randall Boyd, MEng

Jericho Curry, MBA

Sami Dada, MBA

Taylor E Garrison, MSSW

Jessica J. Hampton, MBA

Porsha Hodges, MSSW

Ricco Hughes, MBA

Danielle Little, MS

Danial Malik, MPH

Patrick F. McKinney, MEd

Sydney L. Miller, MEd

Janae Mitchell, MPH

Erica Denise Neal, MEd

Oluwatomisin Abisola Ogungbenle, MA

Brooke Raglin, MSSW

CeCe Railey, MPH

Maurice Nicholson Rodgers, MPA

Kulwant Singh, MBA

Cydni Sloan, MA

Demondrea Starnes, MAT

Brittany Lashae Tillman, MSSW

Chanel Watkins, MSSW

Jordan White, MPA

Kinithi M K Wickramaratne, MS

Aggie Williams, MS

Doctoral Graduates

Shamsudeen Abubakar, Engineering

Nana Ama Aya Erzuah Bullock, Public Health Sciences: Specialization in Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences

Raymond Green, łÉÈËֱȄ & Human Development

Trinidad Jackson, Public Health & Information Sciences

Victory Osezua, Public Health & Information Sciences

Hazel Ozuna, Medicine

W. Denae Powell, Pan-African Studies

Tytianna Nikia Maria Ringstaff, Curriculum and Instruction

Doctoral Candidates

Olalekan Adepoju, Bernard Louis Adjei, Taylor Garrison and J. E. Young.