“The Humana Foundation’s generous grant enables us to not only enhance our research capacity but also continue our commitment to breaking down barriers and achieving equal health outcomes,” said University of Louisville President Kim Schatzel. “This partnership will generate a lasting impact for all and allows us to further amplify our efforts to reduce health disparities and fulfill our mission of improving lives through education, research and service.”

This six-year initiative positions the university as a leader in addressing systemic health disparities through innovative solutions that can serve as national models. Led by Dean Katie Cardarelli and Ted Smith, professor of environmental medicine representing the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, the center will advance interdisciplinary research and foster collaboration across multiple fields and deepen understanding of social determinants of health. By tackling systemic barriers to health equity, the center aims to foster best-in-class community engagement and solution-oriented research that aligns with national health equity standards.��

“The Humana Foundation is proud to continue its partnership with the University of Louisville in its mission to foster health equity and drive impactful research and community engagement,” said Tiffany Benjamin, chief executive officer of the Humana Foundation. “Together, we aim to generate lasting, meaningful change by addressing the root causes of health disparities and ensuring that innovative solutions are accessible to all.”

Why this research matters

Health disparities, shaped by social determinants such as housing, education and access to health care, contribute to unequal health outcomes across communities. By addressing these systemic barriers, the Humana Health Equity Research Center will play a pivotal role in reshaping public health policy and practice at a national scale. The center’s efforts will generate data-driven insights, develop best practices for community engagement and create innovative, evidence-based interventions to advance health equity.

Building on research leadership

This grant builds upon UofL’s strong foundation of health equity research, UofL’s and the Humana Foundation’s earlier health equity work and the university’s reputation as a leader in community engagement. The funding will enhance the university’s ability to attract top-tier faculty, expand resources and retain the prestigious Carnegie Foundation’s Classification for Community Engagement. These enhancements further UofL’s capacity to tackle pressing public health issues with a national and global reach.

National and regional impact

The Humana Health Equity Research Center will develop accessible frameworks for addressing health disparities, benefiting communities throughout Kentucky and serving as a replicable model for other regions. By integrating research with actionable solutions, the center is poised to influence policy and practice across the nation, solidifying UofL’s status as a trailblazer in health equity innovation.

The commitment to the Humana Health Equity Research Center is expected to enhance faculty resources within the School of Public Health and Information Sciences and the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute, allowing faculty to undertake advanced research on the social determinants of health and other health equity issues. It will also build upon previous work with Humana and the Humana Foundation to address health equity challenges in Louisville and Kentucky more broadly.

Through this grant, UofL strengthens its commitment to building healthier communities and ensuring equitable access to health resources for all, setting a benchmark for impactful research and meaningful engagement.

These reports can help them secure grants, justify public services, raise funds or improve public opinion. If a company wants to build a new facility, for example, knowing the economic value of jobs and tax revenue the facility will produce may help them secure building permits or tax incentives.

“If you have a vision and you want to estimate what type of splash something is going to have, whether it’s building a new factory site or it’s a new gaming center, a report like this can help,” Lambert said.

As a faculty member for the College of Business’s Equine Business Program, Lambert has prepared reports on the horse racing industry, the impact of parimutuel wagering, historical horse racing machines and the Kentucky Derby and Churchill Downs for many years. Taxes on wagering help fund UofL’s Equine Business Program, the equine program at University of Kentucky and other organizations that support Kentucky’s horse industry.

“If you’re showing that the spending and attendance at the tracks are generating enough revenue, then you’re justifying the attention that the equine industry gets because it is one of the signature industries here in Kentucky,” Lambert said.

Lambert’s reports, such as the he recently prepared for Humana Inc., go beyond examining payroll and the business’s spending to document additional jobs, tax revenue, supplier earnings and spending, philanthropy and more.

Laurie Young, director of industry partnerships for the UofL Office of Research and Innovation, has tapped into Lambert’s expertise, connecting him with Humana and other organizations such as Anthem, the metals industry consortium MI2 and the Kentucky Derby Festival (KDF) to provide economic impact reports for those groups.

Lambert’s ability to ferret out less obvious areas of impact adds value to his reports. For example, Humana’s report included the value of volunteer hours and tuition reimbursement spent at local colleges and universities. For KDF, Lambert is calculating money spent by visitors at restaurants and hotels.

With these additional calculations, Lambert’s reports reveal the ripple effects of payroll and spending through the local economy, known as multipliers.

“When a company pays their employees, those employees turn around and spend that money at restaurants and pay their mortgage or rent. So, these other enterprises receive a share of that pay. Then they’re going to turn around and pay their employees, their suppliers, etcetera,” Lambert said.

Understanding this downstream impact can magnify the understanding of the organization’s value substantially.

To calculate these multipliers, Lambert uses the computer modeling program IMPLAN, which is provided to UofL with state funding. Using it in this way returns benefit to the state by helping Kentucky businesses grow and attract talent to the commonwealth.

Facilitating economic impact reports is just one way with UofL for research and other services, from business to engineering and beyond.

“I go out and listen to what the companies need and then I collaborate on campus. We’re trying to grow industry work across campus and highlight all that UofL has to offer businesses,” Young said.

One collaboration can lead to another. In preparing the economic impact study for KDF, it occurred to Young the group also may benefit from marketing consultation, leading to a project by Henrietta Pepper’s marketing class. The students’ presentation impressed KDF, as well as their consulting firm.

“We’re trying to change companies’ perception of UofL,” Young said. “In addition to providing talent, we can do so much more for our community.”

The Health Equity Innovation Hub is an integrated, multidisciplinary collaboration among The Humana Foundation, Humana and UofL that is focused on groundbreaking research, talent development, entrepreneurship and innovation, with a deliberate emphasis on health equity, social determinants of health and digital health and analytics. The Hub seeks to develop solutions for health inequities in Louisville and globally.

“Humana is pleased to donate this building in the heart of downtown Louisville to UofL, and we continue to be strong supporters of the work being done to establish the Health Equity Innovation Hub,” said Nwando Olayiwola, chief health equity officer and senior vice president at Humana. “Having the Hub in close proximity to our downtown offices will allow for better collaboration and ultimately will result in greater impact for the important work being done to solve health inequities.”

“As we considered potential new uses for the 515 building, we knew that we wanted to find an occupant that would add to the vibrancy and diversity of downtown while also aligning closely with Humana’s mission to improve the health and wellbeing of our members and communities,” said Douglas Edwards, senior vice president of enterprise associate and business solutions at Humana. “We could not think of a better neighbor for the downtown business district than UofL.”

“We appreciate Humana’s generous donation of this building to UofL, as well as the ongoing support provided by Humana and The Humana Foundation for the Health Equity Innovation Hub,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, interim president of UofL. “We are excited to share more details about the building and the Health Equity Innovation Hub in the near future.”

The Hub is funded by a potential total investment of $25 million, including $10 million from UofL, $1.5 million from Humana and up to $13.5 million from The Humana Foundation. The investment by The Humana Foundation represents one of the largest single donations in UofL’s history and is contingent upon progress against the collaboration’s objectives and achievement of established milestones.

The Health Equity Innovation Hub is an integrated, multi-disciplinary collaboration among Humana, The Humana Foundation and UofL. The Hub will focus on groundbreaking research, talent development, entrepreneurship and innovation, with a deliberate focus on health equity, social determinants of health and digital health and analytics.

“Humana is committed to improving health equity and we will be intentional about addressing the underlying societal and structural factors that impede good and fair health, especially for people in communities that have been historically marginalized and made vulnerable,” said Dr. Nwando Olayiwola, chief health equity officer and senior vice president at Humana. “This unique collaboration with the University of Louisville and The Humana Foundation to create the Health Equity Innovation Hub is an exciting opportunity for Humana to partner with a leading research institution in our founding city where so many health disparities exist, establish shared goals and drive positive change beginning in local communities.”

Enabled by Humana and The Humana Foundation’s investment and support, the Hub will seek to develop solutions for health inequities in Louisville and globally. This includes the up-skilling and re-skilling of community members who have been underserved to provide a talent pipeline for Louisville’s significant concentration of major health care companies, thereby creating a pathway for family-sustaining jobs. The Hub will also conduct dedicated outcomes-based research on population and social health issues to derive a wide range of insights on how to mitigate health inequities and the adverse impacts of health-related social needs. In addition, the Hub will support diverse creators, innovators and entrepreneurs whose ideas can positively impact populations around the world that have historically been marginalized and underserved.

“UofL is a research powerhouse dedicated to making a positive impact on our world and addressing the challenges affecting the human condition,” said UofL Interim President Lori Gonzalez. “We are proud to work with Humana and The Humana Foundation to further health equity for all through this new Hub. Together, we can have a tangible impact that benefits our shared community and far, far beyond.”

UofL is among the top U.S. research institutions, holding the ’s��“Research 1” designation for doctoral universities with��very high research activity. In addition to being a Research 1 institution, UofL also holds the Carnegie community-engaged designation, which recognizes institutions that work with community partners to exchange knowledge and resources for public benefit. UofL is one of just 79 U.S. institutions to hold both designations.��

At UofL, the Hub is led by Dr. Monica Wendel, a renowned public health researcher with significant expertise in health equity. A national search is currently underway to fill the role of executive director. The Hub’s leadership team also includes Deputy Director Ben Reno-Weber, a seasoned tech entrepreneur who previously led the Microsoft Future of Work Initiative; Director of Community Engagement Ivory Rollins Cross, a Louisville native and community champion; and Director of Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Natalia Bishop, who founded prominent Louisville co-working brand, Story Louisville.

“Everything affects our health, our health affects everything,” said Wendel,��professor��and��chair��of Health Promotion & Behavioral Sciences in the UofL School of Public Health��and��Information Sciences.��“We all want to be healthy, but��the choices people make are the choices people have. In seeking to advance health equity, then, we have to change the choices people have. And we have that opportunity.”

The Hub also will create and collaborate with advisory boards, including national thought leaders, community organizations and local community residents who are passionate about improving social and health equity in their neighborhoods, as well as local business leaders and mentors from a diverse cross-section of the health equity ecosystem.��

The launch of the Hub will further UofL’s three strategic research priorities identified and launched in 2020, which include: Empowering our Communities, Advancing our Health and Engineering our Future Economy. The investment from Humana will advance the first challenge, Empowering our Communities, with a focus on promoting equity by engaging partners and strategically integrating research, innovation and training to address complex social and structural issues driving health inequity.

“These are huge challenges that will impact our world for years to come,” said UofL’s Executive Vice President for Research and Innovation Kevin Gardner. “Through this Hub and work with our partners at Humana and The Humana Foundation, UofL research and innovation will help empower those in our community — promoting equity, eliminating disparities and strengthening the ability of all individuals to achieve well-being and prosperity.”

The Hub’s mission also is well-aligned with Humana’s of advancing the health of the communities it serves by addressing social determinants of health and the health-related social needs for its members and communities.

This idea of equitable economic recovery is critical right now, especially. The story cites data that shows from February through August 2020, the number of workers who lost their jobs permanently due to COVID-19 rose by 2.1 million to 3.4 million — an over 60% increase.

The author identified Louisville as a benchmark city for equitable recovery, looking at Humana’s role specifically, and a partnership the company has with other community organizations, including the University of Louisville. As one of the city’s largest employers, Humana and the health insurance sector at large have been less impacted by the pandemic than other industries. Conversely, the company represents a sector of the economy that is still growing and, therefore, building in-demand skills.

Technology is Louisville’s fastest-growing job sector, Humana SVP Roger Cude told the publication, which is driving local business leaders to increasingly adopt a “digital-first mindset.”

“But like other communities, Louisville-area businesses are struggling to find qualified applicants for those jobs,” he said, adding that the pandemic is “creating new and unexpected challenges and accelerating the imperative for businesses to evolve.”

Simply put, there is a greater need than ever for digital and analytical skills. This is where FutureLou comes in. The coalition entails private, public and academic leaders in the region, including the University of Louisville. These players are combining resources to “create a future-ready local workforce through training and development in high-demand data science skills and capabilities,” Cude explained.

Notably, that training is free for Louisville residents.

“The goal of the����initiative is to provide a pathway for displaced or underemployed workers to upskill into industry-aligned careers that provide stability and resilience during this period of disruption. By providing both financial support and job search guidance, we’re reducing the barriers to reskilling for digital jobs and helping Louisville residents earn credentials that will have high demand now and for the future,” Cude said.

The program is a partnership between Microsoft and Louisville Metro Government, in tandem with the General Assembly, Kentuckiana Works and a virtual “micro-campus” team.

Also as part of this effort, website became a strategic partner in Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer’s 30-day Data Upskilling Challenge Initiative earlier this year. The program encouraged residents to access free online, self-paced, data skills training through a COVID-19-related effort by the city’s Future of Work Initiative, also powered by Microsoft.

This isn’t the only “future-proofing” effort UofL is involved in to advance the city of Louisville and its equitable recovery.��

Last year, the university teamed up with The Humana Foundation and Interapt to bring a paid, immersive training program that teaches high-demand IT skills to the underemployed and unemployed in the community. The program, called “,” provided individuals with the opportunity to build the technical, business and life skills necessary to work in fast-paced, high-tech environment, preparing them to launch promising careers in the tech industry.

Interapt’s training program has been called “a national model of creating next-generation opportunity.” The Louisville Skills program marks the first time Interapt partnered with a major university.

Also last year, UofL became part of a new Artificial Intelligence Innovation Consortium, an alliance that also includes Amazon Web Services, GE Appliances, Amgen, V-Soft Consulting and other companies. This alliance is the first-of-its-kind for the city.��

, UofL received a nearly $4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to build a program that prepares students for the ever-evolving, technology-enabled “jobs of tomorrow.” ​The UofL Modern Apprenticeship Pathways to Success (MAPS) program is funded through the DoL’s “” initiative. UofL was one of just 28 public-private partnerships funded under this federal program in its most recent round, and is the only one in Kentucky.

Finally, last year, UofL and IBM announced a partnership that includes the establishment of an IBM Skills Academy focused on digital learning and technology skills. Like Interapt’s initiative, this skills academy is the first of its kind that IBM has developed with a higher education institution.

Specifically, the academy will provide curriculum and educational tools concentrated on eight fast-growing technology areas: artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, cybersecurity, cloud computing, internet of things, quantum computing, data science and design thinking.

It is estimated that over 120 million jobs will be affected within the next three years by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and upskilling through these areas is more important.

These examples are just the tip of the iceberg of what UofL is focused on, or plans to focus on in the near term. One of UofL’s identified “,” for example, is “engineering our future economy.” This means, in part, honing our research to focus on developing and harnessing technological advancements for the digital and robotic transformation of the workforce.

As President Neeli Bendapudi said when the IBM partnership was announced:��“It is important for us to be nimble with this, to be truly transformative, to say, ‘We see what’s coming, how can we be proactive?’”��

The endowment gift will support two scholarships each year beginning in the 2018-2019 academic year. The fund will provide approximately 65 percent of the tuition, room, board and other direct student fees associated with each student’s degree program.

“The University of Louisville is grateful and thrilled to announce the establishment of the Carl F. Pollard Scholarship Fund,” said UofL President Neeli Bendapudi. “Mr. Pollard’s generosity will enable students who otherwise may not have the means to pursue higher education and follow their dreams at the university.”

��“Enabling our next generation of leaders has long been an interest of mine, which is why I am creating this scholarship fund,” Pollard said. “These scholarships will assist in making the dream of a college degree become a reality. I hope first-generation Kentucky students will apply for this opportunity and thrive in the wonderful university we have at UofL.”

Carl F. Pollard scholarships will be awarded to students with a minimum high school��grade point average of 2.80 on a 4-point scale, and who have demonstrated both a financial need and a history of extracurricular and community involvement. The scholarships will apply to up to eight academic semesters for each recipient.

“The Carl F. Pollard Scholarship Fund is exactly the kind of donation the foundation was established to manage and support. We are humbled at the confidence that he’s showing in us to make this kind of commitment,” said UofL Foundation Chairman W. Earl Reed, III.�� “Carl’s donation is a testament to the promises of a new foundation and to the hard work done by the volunteers on our board and our dedicated staff.�� We thank Carl for his incredible generosity and foresight. There has never been a better time to invest in the University of Louisville and we are pleased that Mr. Pollard agrees with that sentiment.”

The article pointed out that Louisville is home to the largest cluster of aging care businesses (nursing homes, hospice, home-based health care, etc.) and boasts a number of health care and health insurance giants, such as Humana and Kindred Healthcare.

“These businesses employ more than 21,000 professionals, producing over $50 billion in revenue. City leaders want Louisville to build on that foundation to become a center of innovation for improving the quality of life for America’s growing elderly population,” the article states.

The objective to become an aging capital was first outlined in 2012 when Mayor Greg Fischer noted that Louisville is a leader in developing targeted economic development strategies around its strengths, including aging care and lifelong wellness.

The University of Louisville was recognized in the article for pitching into the cause alongside city government and business leaders. Specifically, UofL and other key institutions have “combined resources and backed several aging initiatives,” the article states.

In November, , called the Hive, which is focused on creating healthcare technology solutions for aging care. These solutions include a mobile compliance app that was developed with the help of J.B. Speed School of Engineering students.

Kindred is also working on another app that would allow nurses to assess a patient’s eligibility for hospice care.�� ��

UofL’s contributions will likely increase thanks to a new, nearly $2 million grant awarded to the Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A strategy to engage primary care practitioners in meeting behavioral health needs of older adults is at the heart of the grant.

The to students in social work, psychology and psychiatric nursing programs who will be part of the Rural Geriatric Integrated Behavioral Health and Primary Care Training Network.��

“When you look at a disease like dementia, patients deal with many behavioral disorders like paranoia or agitation, and there can be a lot of anxiety on how to problem-solve around those factors. This grant is important in not only getting behavioral health specialists into rural areas but also in opening up opportunities for physicians and nurse practitioners to coordinate with behavioral specialists to improve patient outcomes from a social support stand-point,” said��Christian Furman, MD, the Institute’s medical director and a professor of geriatric and palliative medicine.

The Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging is devoting its resources to educational efforts throughout March and April as well. As a part of Age-Friendly Louisville, the Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging joins AARP, the City of Louisville and the Kentuckiana Regional Planning and Development Agency to host a number of workshops throughout Louisville that focus on what makes the community a better place for people to “live, work and play at every stage of life.” The events will include small group discussions on social, health, economic and built environments that can support individuals in leading lives that thrive.

Workshop dates are March 7, 14, 21, 28, and April 4, 7, 17 and 24. More information, including times and locations, is .��

KIPDA and UofL’s Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging are also teaming up to host World Café this month throughout Jefferson, Bullitt, Shelby and Trimble counties. These events will include discussion about the results of the most recent regional needs assessment and how to work together to ensure support for the area’s aging population. .��

Finally, the Institute is currently seeking nominations for the Gold Standard Award for Optimal Aging. The 7^th annual award will be given in September and will celebrate older adults who embody the Institute’s vision for “a world where all older adults lead engaged and flourishing lives.” Nominations will be accepted through April 15. .

“Optimal aging is the ability to flourish throughout one’s lifespan. It is not a specific level of achievement but rather a state in which a person is able to continue living life to its fullest,” said Anna Faul, PhD, executive director of the Institute.

Thanks in part to UofL’s work, that ability to flourish is very much a reality in the city of Louisville.��