Within the University of Louisville’s (LEARN, strategy 2, action 1) the was established to provide a resource for all undergraduate students to participate in at least one external learning experience by graduation. The center’s new specifically considers unpaid opportunities within 501(c)(3) nonprofits or government organizations, and provides an avenue for students to apply for funding in the form of a stipend received via their financial aid. This means experiential learning need not be limited to paid positions, and that students can more likely have their practical needs met while working and learning in their preferred environment.

“Research shows that students who participate in engaged learning have a better understanding of the classroom material, gaining real-world applications of what they’re learning,” said Gail DePuy, senior vice provost who oversees the program. “Research also shows these students often have higher GPAs and higher likelihoods of graduating. Not only is WINGS beneficial to the student, but also to the community, as our talented and energetic students have a lot they can now give to these non-profit organizations.”

Erica Gabbard, director of experiential learning, noted that many nonprofits might not advertise for an internship if they do not have the funds. However, if a student is able to approach them with interest and having the option to apply for financial support from WINGS, more possibilities could become available. The experience also does not need to be directly related to the student’s major; they can apply for support to investigate other areas of interests beyond their particular school.

“We will continue to develop additional programs in the future, all in line with the mission to incentivize and support students toward engaged learning,” said Gabbard. “We want to create a culture in which students are choosing to attend UofL because of the abundance of these opportunities.”

For questions, details and to apply to the WINGS program see the �ǰ���email the Center for Engaged Learning.

The��Aqlan Lab��team, in the J.B. Speed School of Engineering Department of Industrial Engineering, recently wrapped up its second summer hosting an intensive internship program��aimed at engaging undergraduate and high school students in community-focused projects. Funded by the National Science Foundation, this dynamic program involved 21 interns working on six projects over an eight-week period. The initiative, led by, associate professor of industrial engineering,��focuses on improving educational environments to bolster the regional STEM workforce and effect positive changes in the Louisville Metro community.��

“The second summer of the program went exceedingly well this year,” Aqlan said. “Moving forward, we hope to continue to grow the program, connect with even more community members and make a profound impact on the Louisville Metro.”��

Notably, this program collaborates with the University of Notre Dame, creating a synergy that goes beyond football rivalries. Together, they’ve formed a, aimed at revitalizing Midwest cities by retaining local talent and encouraging research-driven community engagement. The ultimate goal of the project is to establish an interconnected network of STEM education initiatives to benefit the regional workforce.����

The impact of the 2023 projects was profound, addressing various local challenges such as food justice, walkability improvement in Downtown Louisville, waterway cleanup, virtual reality applications and the preservation of native species. Throughout the internship, students were exposed to professional development workshops, including design thinking, networking, diversity, and time management.����

The diverse group of interns, hailing from various institutions, collected and analyzed data to develop practical solutions for their respective projects, subsequently presenting these ideas to the community. This program not only equips the next generation of STEM professionals with valuable skills but also instills a strong sense of civic responsibility and community engagement.����

“The CEEEM Internship was the best experience, and I couldn’t be more grateful for all that I learned through the program,” shares Ella Swigler, a 2023 CEEEM intern. “This opportunity allowed me to design a research project, work with very supportive team mentors, and meet some incredible community members in my field of study. Thanks to the CEEEM Internship, I have discovered my research passion for urban waterways- and even greater, I have gained the skills needed to apply scientific study to community change.”��

As UofL and Notre Dame take the field, they also stand united in their commitment to creating a brighter future for their communities. The collaboration internship program not only equips the next generation of STEM professionals with valuable skills but also instills a strong sense of civic responsibility and community engagement. Together, they aim to foster an environment that encourages participants to remain engaged in the Louisville Metro and other Midwest cities, ultimately leaving a lasting positive impact on the regions they serve. Through this program, students are gaining hands-on experience and contributing to the betterment of their communities while preparing for future careers.��

By Danielle Henson

One such student is Katie Davidson, who recently completed her second year at the Brandeis School of Law. The Louisville native is spending the summer interning with the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

Second to the Supreme Court, the Sixth Circuit is the highest federal court for Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee.

“When a case is being appealed from the federal district courts in these states, the Sixth Circuit has appellate jurisdiction. Margaret Lawrence and I, both rising third-year law students, are two of the four interns,” Davidson said. “We were told that UofL students had never worked in the Motions Unit before, which is interesting because this year there are two of us.”

Davidson said it was a shock when the pandemic spread in the U.S. and UofL classes moved online.

“Law school online was a challenge. I miss seeing my professors, friends and classmates in person. I miss the entire Brandeis community,” she said. “You would think that months into this, it would be easier, but some days are just as hard as the first.”��

Davidson’s internship initially shifted to remote work since the closing of the Sixth Circuit courthouse in late April. That resulted in at least some changes in court operations.��

“It [wasn’t] so much that the types of cases being heard are different, but the volume of litigants seeking release increased and has been complicated, especially for litigants sending materials from facilities that aren’t processing mail in a timely manner,” she said. Oral arguments were also held remotely in the early phases of the pandemic, following the lead of the Supreme Court.

Davidson’s internship has since moved to a hybrid model. She spends every other week working at the Cincinnati courthouse. The weeks she is not in Cincinnati, she works from home.��

Davidson, who earned her BA in philosophy and history at Centre College, admits to being a bit nervous about jobs that will be available when she graduates, given a post-pandemic economy. She is already in the process of applying for post-graduate clerkships with both federal and state courts for summer/fall of 2021. She hopes to eventually work in courtroom advocacy.

“I’m interested in many areas of the law, and I’ve been lucky enough to have worked in a number of areas of the law as an undergraduate student and now as a law student,” she said. “I know that, whatever field I end up in, public service needs to be part of my career…I want to work hard this summer so that I can work toward becoming the advocate this community needs and deserves.”

As Davidson completes her virtual internship with the federal court amid a global health crisis, she has realized something that extends far beyond knowledge of the law and her planned profession.

“The most important thing I’ve learned, or maybe re-learned, is to be kind to myself. This is an extraordinary time we’re living in, and the first step to having compassion for others is to have compassion for oneself,” she said. “It’s simple, but I am empowered by the idea that I can give more to others by first taking care of myself. In the context of a pandemic, this has manifested in awareness of the suffering around me while also tending to the stress and anxiety that accompanies these uncertain times.”�� ��

Davidson is grateful to the UofL School of Law for its support during the pandemic.

“The entire Brandeis community has just been exceptional throughout this entire ordeal. The administration has catered to so many concerns, and their hard work behind the curtain has allowed us students to carry on in spite of extraordinary circumstances,” she said.

In fact, Davidson attended UofL for law school because of that general sense of community and “extremely supportive alumni.”

“I fell in love with the school after my first visit and I knew it would provide me all the tools I need to have a happy, rewarding legal career,” she said. Davidson expects to graduate in May 2021.��

Story written by Stuart Esrock, associate professor in the Department of Communications. Contributions from Alicia Kelso, OCM.��

KRM is a nonprofit organization in Louisville dedicated to providing resettlement services to refugees through faith-and agency-based co-sponsorship in order to promote self-sufficiency and successful integration into the community.

As part of that internship, Werner worked as a Spanish ESL instructor for Cuban refugees and also did some interpretation work for her students. In the spring, when the pandemic accelerated, Werner had to leave the classroom and the face-to-face work she was doing with students, switching to other tasks that do not require direct contact.����

“I primarily conducted practice interviews for the citizenship test with refugees via telephone. I also utilized Spanish interpreting skills during the interviews. I worked remotely from my back porch. It was definitely an adjustment. I am grateful, however, that I was able to continue my work remotely, despite the crisis,” Werner said.

Werner, who is an honors student studying communication with a minor in Spanish, says the internship with Kentucky Refugee Ministries has greatly benefited her as she prepares for life after her May 2021 graduation.

“My Spanish speaking skills have improved and my interpersonal communication skills have been refined. As a Communications major and Spanish minor, I believe this internship has also aided me in seriously considering my career path,” she said. “I plan on entering the public relations and sales field, while also utilizing my Spanish speaking abilities. I am hoping medical interpreting, alongside medical sales will provide me with both aspects.”

It was UofL’s strong communication and foreign language departments that drew Werner to campus in the first place. As for this internship, beyond helping her developing a stronger professional skillset, it has also helped Werner develop soft skills and find a purpose.

“Every day I entered my ESL classroom or picked up the telephone to conduct an interview, I have been overwhelmed with joy. It has been a fulfilling opportunity to contribute to the needs of refugees,” she said. “My cultural awareness and overall perspective have been enhanced by my hardworking, humorous and resilient students.”

Story written by Stuart Esrock, associate professor in the Department of Communications. Contributions from Alicia Kelso, OCM.��

“I had heard about UofL’s Speed School program and thought it would be a perfect fit,” he said.

In his four years since that decision, UofL has, indeed, been the perfect fit. Crutcher will graduate next weekend with a degree in electrical engineering. He started out with an undecided discipline until his uncle – a Speed alum with a mechanical engineering degree – talked him into taking the same route.

“He convinced me because of the way the world is turning more towards computers and electric-powered machinery,” Crutcher said.

Undoubtedly the field has already offered him an abundance of opportunities. During his undergraduate studies, Crutcher completed three internships at Ford Motor Company’s Kentucky Truck Plant. There, he worked on automating the way employees keep track of inventory by implementing smart scanners and self-designed inventory tags with QR codes. He also created VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) programs to help automate the way scanned inventory is updated into Ford’s databases.

The latter project was presented to the plant manager and a cost evaluation to go plant-wide for Crutcher’s system was about $1 million.

The inventory process Crutcher put in place is still there now, but since he hasn’t officially graduated yet, there is no one to troubleshoot any user issues that may come along. However, Ford extended a verbal offer to him prior to the coronavirus lockdown.

“I am waiting for businesses to reopen so I can put pen to paper,” he said. “If the job is no longer there, I will search elsewhere.”

Crutcher is optimistic about his prospects both because of the experience he gained at Ford during his internships, and also because of his overall experience at UofL.

“It does prove difficult to start a professional career in times such as these, but I feel as though I will make it through just fine. I am sad Covid-19 put a damper on my senior year, but there are people far more affected. I still get my diploma and I still get a commencement in December, so things could have been a lot worse,” Crutcher said. “My time at UofL was the best years of my life. I met some lifelong friends. I moved out on my own and learned what it was like to be an adult, and I would not trade my time spent here or the people I met along the way for anything. Through the good times and the bad, the University of Louisville is a place I will forever call home.”