UofL is one of only 27 Carnegie research 1 institutions in the nation to earn a designated status, and the only one in Kentucky to earn a “Gold” designation from ¼, a veteran-owned company that ranks universities for how well they support military students.

With almost 2,600 enrolled, military students account for more than 10% of UofL’s total enrollment.

Each year, Military FriendlyÂź evaluates universities based on graduation outcomes, culture, military support and financial aid, among other areas.

The list highlights universities that “strive toward and succeed in the areas that matter most in helping veterans make the transition from the military to school and, ultimately, satisfying careers in the civilian world,” according to Military Friendly¼.

“We are very proud to have earned these designations for a fourth consecutive year,” University of Louisville President Gerry Bradley said. “Designations like this validate the institution’s committed efforts to improving student success. I want to recognize and thank the Center for Military-Connected Students, and all units whose efforts enabled us to earn these designations.”

The Center for Military-Connected Students has been housed in the renovated Brodschi Hall since fall 2023. In fall 2024, Brodschi’s basement renovation was completed.

The final phase modernized two restrooms, added a study room, a meeting room, a ping-pong table, foosball table, a television and comfortable seating options.

Tony Duran, an Army veteran and second-year law student at , said the center is a place he’s had some of the best conversations on campus, with people who “get what it means to serve.”

In a typical week, the facility sees 100 students come through its doors for coffee, tea and snacks, while others use the space to study, hang out, or learn about their educational benefits through the Department of Veteran Affairs.

Brodschi Hall continues to be identified as a benchmark in the state, region and nation.

The Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs encourages institutions in Kentucky to visit Brodschi Hall. The center has hosted visitors from as far away as California.

In May, the center will celebrate the graduation of more than 200 military-connected students, representing all 12 of UofL’s schools and colleges.

Serving on the Department of the Air Force Women’s Initiative Team, Nichols has made significant contributions to efforts that improve quality of life, include advocating for more inclusive female hair regulations.

Nichols also assisted in updating the U.S. Air Force’s breastfeeding policy. Under this new policy, every unit is responsible for creating a safe and clean space for mothers to pump while at work. The policy also mandates breaks to allow time to pump and protects the mother’s right to continue to do so while deployed or on temporary duty. Ìę

Nichols’ efforts also contributed to the Air Force revising its parental leave policy. The policy now incorporates more inclusive language and doesn’t exclude fathers as primary caregivers. It allows 126 days off for the birthing parent, and 42 days for the non-birthing parent. Ìę

Originally from Minden, Louisiana, Nichols has served in the Air Force since 2015 as a diagnostic imaging instructor. She now serves at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, where she instructs all Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard x-ray technicians. She has also served at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, and Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.Ìę

During her service, she has graduated from Airman Leadership School, enlisted joint professional military education 1, instructor evaluator seminar, and the Air Force Foundations Facilitator Seminar.

At UofL, Nichols credits professor Lori Paris for boosting her confidence in becoming a social worker by incorporating interactive peer-work and assignments.

“UofL has done a great job at incorporating group work into classes and other opportunities to connect with my peers,” Nichols said. “The professors also have been extremely accommodating and helpful in providing timely feedback.”

Nichols and her husband have a 5-year-old son and are expecting a second child. After earning her master’s of social work and post graduate licenses, she plans to pursue a commission in the Air Force as a social worker.

For the third consecutive year, UofL has been recognized for serving these students by earning the Military FriendlyÂź Gold Designation for 2024-2025. This designation is given to institutions who lead practices, outcomes and programs for military service members. UofL also earned the 2024-2025 Military FriendlyÂź Spouse School designation.

“We are honored by these designations and remain committed to improving how we support this population of students who serve our country,” said Kyle Hurwitz, director of the Center for Military-Connected Students.Ìę

Among the factors that contributed to UofL’s gold status:

• In October 2023, the Center for Military-Connected Students moved into its new home in Brodschi Hall. The renovated, three-story, nearly 5,000 square foot facility quickly become a home away from home for the hundreds of military-connected students who go through its doors each week. Phase two of the renovation was completed in September 2024. This new space in the lower level of the building includes a lounge and game room, a meeting and study room, a Student Veterans of America chapter room, and two additional restrooms.

• The center’s dedicated building has become a benchmark in the state, providing space for the Kentucky Department of Veterans Affairs to host their spring 2024 student success summit, along with a meeting area for military-related delegations from institutions in California and Ohio. The center also has collaborated with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to bring VA resources and personnel to campus for veteran students.

• In spring 2024, the center certified the enrollment of more than 1,000 students using VA education benefits in a single semester. Additionally, in collaboration with UofL’s Office of the Bursar, the team processed almost 800 military tuition assistance enrollments, up from more than 600 in 2023-2024.

• From a policy advocacy perspective, staff in the center were successful in collaborating with other campus partners to advocate for elimination of the student recreation fee for online students.

• By fall 2024, almost 200 faculty and staff members had completed Red Bird training. This program is designed to help faculty and staff become more knowledgeable about the military-connected student experience. Upon completion of the training, staff are equipped to understand the issues, concerns, unique perspectives, strengths and challenges of military-connected students. These allies become resources for students and other faculty and staff members in their units.Ìę

• Members of the center also have served as panelists on a podcast of the National Association of Student Affairs Professionals and Symposium for Military-Connected Students. Additionally, center staff also led the effort to create the first Atlantic Coast Conference Veteran and Military Support Network. The effort brought together the military-connected and veteran offices/centers from the 18 member institutions, providing a forum to share best-practices in programming, processes and policy. The new group met for the first time in fall 2024 and is planning a conference in 2025.

UofL is one of only 27 Carnegie Designated Tier 1 Research institutions in the nation, and one of only three in the Atlantic Coast Conference to earn a Military Friendly¼ Gold designation. The almost 2,400 military-connected students enrolled at UofL account for more than 10% of UofL’s total enrollment. In spring 2024, more than 230 military-connected students graduated, representing all 12 UofL colleges and schools.

The Military FriendlyÂź organization awards designations based on public data and proprietary data gathered through an annual data-driven survey process. Institutions are evaluated in six weighted areas: academic policies & compliance; graduation & career outcomes; culture & commitment; military student support & retention; admissions and orientation; and financial aid & loan repayment.

The award recognizes the efforts of one SBA organization annually that strives to create a better environment for law students and a more positive image of the legal profession.Ìę

Taylor Reese and Elma Jasarevic, both May 2024 law school graduates, served as ABA representative and president of the student bar association, respectively, and were instrumental in securing the award for the law school.

The two cited their involvement in the SBA as a way to give back to fellow students.

“One reason I ran to be ABA rep and wanted to join the SBA is because you can make a change there, especially for our peers,” Jasarevic said. “I wanted to see everyone succeed.”

Jasarevic nominated the student bar association for the ABA award and believes a combination of factors helped them capture the honor, including a marked increase in student engagement over the past year, as well as better connecting the student body with the administration and making an impact within the legal and nonlegal community.

Reese and Jasarevic planned and held a series of three successful town halls to encourage open dialogue and offer a voice to underrepresented groups of law students who may not have felt heard.

“When Elma and I came into school, there was a little bit of a disconnect between students and administration,” ReeseÌęsaid. “This was the first year ever that we had a channel for people to leave us complaints, comments or suggestions. We set up a Microsoft form that any student could access and tell us anything.”

After receiving feedback, Reese met with the law school leadership to communicate comments and concerns and figure out solutions. The town halls also prompted greater participation in social events.

“I think the most that had previously attended any event was about 25-30 people but this year we had 125,” Reese said. “The students knew that all of us at SBA were very much an open ear, and we would go above and beyond to find someone who could fix problems. I think that’s a big part of why we had such a great year.”

Reese and Jasarevic are both pursuing law careers focused on public service, something they attribute to their time at UofL’s law school.

Reese will be working as a military lawyer, commissioning as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army JAG Corps in January 2025.

“I always had an interest in special victims counsel, and the Army has that position,” she said. “I will be representing the survivors of domestic violence or sex crimes.”

Jasarevic’s journey will be closer to home. She will be sworn in this fall as the Jefferson County’s Assistant Commonwealth Attorney.

“Since I was in middle school, I’veÌę had a passion to serve the public,” she said. “That’s one of the things that really attracted me to Brandeis was that great mission. I just love seeing how the school is thriving and how we’re furthering the public interest.”

The University of Louisville online student is a lieutenant in the United States Coast Guard. Serving at Sector Ohio Valley in Louisville as chief of the investigations division, she is responsible for overseeing the response to marine casualties in an area covering over 3,000 miles of navigable waterways on 12 major rivers.

Originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Queary has served in the Coast Guard since 2014. She began her career in the Prevention Field at Marine Safety Unit Texas City as an apprentice marine inspector. Queary also served in Marine Safety Unit Chicago where she was the assistant chief of the inspections division, and at Hampton Roads Recruiting Office in Chesapeake, Virginia, as an officer trainee.

Queary says her career highlight was serving in the Houston area in 2017 during Hurricane Harvey relief and recovery operations. She was directly responsible for ensuring that ports reopened safely and timely with minimal impact to commerce. Despite the long hours and complex operations, she also dedicated off-duty personal time to help rebuild homes and restore damaged communities.

She started at UofL in spring 2022. Although there were many factors in her choosing UofL, she said the school’s academic reputation and variety of majors/programs were at the top of her list. She also appreciated that UofL is military friendly.Ìę

With an expected graduation in December 2023, Sasha intends to use her degree continuing to serve as part of the Coast Guard’s recruiting mission. After retirement from the Coast Guard, she plans to use the knowledge, skills and qualifications learned in the program as a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advocate in the private sector or academia.

Aug 4, 2023, is the 233rd birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard and its precursors, the Revenue Marine, the Revenue Cutter Service and the U.S. Life Saving Service.

Retired Capt. Martha Kotite will present “Telling Their Stories: A Celebration of Women Veterans” at 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 22, at Chao Auditorium in UofL’s Ekstrom Library. Veterans advocate Heather French Henry will emcee.

Admission is free but RSVPs are needed by email at women.veterans@ky.gov. The Kentucky veterans affairs department also will furnish parking for the first 100 people who RSVP.

Kotite will discuss the importance of the female veteran experience and its significance in relating military history, drawing upon the stories she collected in writing five books: “Changing the Rules of Engagement: Inspiring Stories of Courage and Leadership from Women in the Miltary,” “My Name is Old Glory: A Celebration of the Star-Spangled Banner,” “Legacy: A History of the Coast Guard Foundation,” “So Others May Live: Coast Guard’s Rescue Swimmers” and “Innovators: Rock Stars of STEM”. The program will conclude with a book-signing event with Kotite.

For more information, visit the .

About Martha Kotite

Kotite’s leadership style empowered her to be one of the first female officers to serve aboard two Coast Guard cutters with all male crews.ÌęPatrolling the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as well as the Caribbean Sea, she remained true to herself while changing the rules of engagement.

A graduate of theÌęU.S. Coast Guard AcademyÌęwith a masters from Harvard University, Kotite rose to the senior rank of captain and is an award-winning author of five books. Her presentations are influenced by her 29-year career serving at sea and ashore and the courageous trailblazers she has profiled in her books.

Kotite earned numerous personal and team awards for her mobilizations during national disasters, missions saving lives at sea and work as a public relations spokesperson for the Service, the Commandant’s Press Secretary and as a New York City public relations firm’s account director for IBM.

Kotite lead the Coast Guard’s development of emergency crisis management liaisons across the FEMA regions and nation. She deployed on scene for significant national events like the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and numerous catastrophic hurricanes including Sandy and Maria. Hand-picked by the Commandant, she worked in Washington as the Commandant’s Press Secretary and served at sea on a cutter sailing the Pacific Ocean and as executive officer of a patrol boat patrolling the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Today, she lives in Florida with her family.

A passion to help others is central to her own life, demonstrated in part through a willingness a few years ago to donate a kidney to her father who had end-stage renal disease, a condition in which the kidneys function below 10 percent of normal ability.

In June 2004, Fernandez stepped up to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps, leaving for boot camp just 10 days after graduating high school. After this and follow-up training, she arrived at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay. During her assignment, Fernandez deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Enduring Freedom with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362 (HMH-362), providing transport of combat troops, supplies and equipment during day and night operations.

During a later assignment in Montgomery, Ala., she was a part of an infantry company and oversaw training evolutions in preparation for combat operations, contingency operations, and humanitarian/peacekeeping operations, including national emergencies.

In 2012, Fernandez arrived at Parris Island, S.C., to support recruiting missions, and was selected to attend the University of South Carolina through the Marine Corps Degree Completion Program, receiving a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

Upon graduation, she was transferred to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif., where she worked at the Professional and Personal Development Branch assisting Marines on educational program opportunities and offering transitional counseling services.

Her next assignment was in New Orleans, La., supporting the Marine Corps Reserve Forces administratively. Following that three-year assignment, she moved to her current role, as a Course Chief for the Marine Corps Center for Learning and Faculty Development, where she teaches Marines to become curriculum developers for their formal schoolhouses.

Fernandez enrolled in UofL’s Online Master of Science in Social Work in fall 2022 after an extensive college search process. When looking for an institution, she said UofL’s reputation was a major influencer in her decision.

Not only did UofL offer the degree she wanted to pursue but, “the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science ranks in the top 17 percent in the nation,” Fernandez said. “UofL also is one of the few universities that matches the DoD Tuition Assistance cap per semester hour for a master’s program.”

Fernandez says she is impressed with the assistance from staff and faculty at UofL, pointing to Kent School program coordinators Holly Eckert and Connie Cox as being extremely helpful, saying “they carefully explained the process and requirements of practicum and the expectations as a graduate student.”

UofL honors and celebrates Fernandez for her military service and is proud to recognize the 247th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps on Nov. 10.

The inaugural 5K Louisville H.E.R.O. – Honor Earned. Remembrance Owed. – Run/Walk/Ruck will honor military personnel who have died while serving and those who died because they have borne the battle, said Jason Beare, race organizer and research manager with the University of Louisville’s Cardiovascular Innovation Institute.

The family-friendly event welcomes participants of all fitness levels, ages and abilities and will be held at UofL’s Track and Field Stadium, 2125 S. Floyd St.

Proceeds will benefit the newly established UofL Veteran and Dependent Scholarship Fund, as well as Veterans Club Inc. The 5K route will leave the track and field stadium,Ìętake participants through the University of Louisville campus and finish on the track. There also are options for participants to take part in virtual runs on the

All races begin at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, June 4. Advance registration is available on the race website. Packet pick-up will be held Friday, June 3, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Mission BBQ, 4607 Shelbyville Road, and from 7:30-8:30 a.m. on race day at Cardinal Park, located adjacent to the track stadium.

Cost is $20 for all active military and veteran personnel and $25 for all others. Children 12 and under can race free of charge in the 100-meter Kids Run.

All finishers will receive a commemorative coin. The top male and female age-group finisher also will receive an award. The age categories are 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, and 70 and over.Ìę

The networks were created by the DoD’s (USCYBERCOM) and (USSTRATCOM) to further military research and build a talent pipeline through education. UofL was the only school selected from Kentucky for both networks and one of only a handful to hold the competitive Carnegie Research-1 classification.

“UofL is honored to have been selected for these academic networks,” said UofL Interim President Lori Gonzalez. “Through these new memberships, we will work hand-in-hand with the DoD to redefine student success through technology-driven curriculum, leverage our strength as a research powerhouse to advance defense innovation and provide the human and other resources necessary to defend and advance cybersecurity in the national interest.”

As one of 84 colleges and universities in the USCYBERCOM Academic Engagement Network, UofL will help further four main thrusts: applied cyber research, applied analytics, strategic issues and building a future workforce. UofL has significant strength in cybersecurity, including via its innovative , focused certifications and a $6.3 million research and curriculum partnership with the National Security Agency.

As one of 60 colleges and universities in , UofL will help further research and analysis of deterrence, assurance and associate strategic-level national security themes in a rapidly changing, multi-domain global threat environment.

“This research addresses some of the grand challenges of our time and could have a huge impact on our world,” said Kevin Gardner, UofL’s executive vice president for research and innovation. “UofL is proud to partner with the DoD, leveraging our research strengths to further defense innovation and engineer a future made possible by cutting-edge technology and ideas.”

The will coordinate students and researchers seeking to engage with the USSTRATCOM network through internships and opportunities to present work through DoD’s annual conferences and publications. The McConnell Center also will work with USSTRATCOM to develop on-campus programming featuring top national security thinkers and war gaming opportunities for students and soldiers.

“Our goal at the McConnell Center is to identify, recruit and nurture the next generation of great civic and military leaders,” said Director Gary Gregg. “The future of Kentucky, and our nation, depends on a strong pipeline of talented, motivated leaders, and we’re proud to partner with the DoD to ensure that pipeline is full.”

This work builds on UofL’s existing work with DoD, including via a recent partnership with the department’s . NSIN is focused on solving national security problems by connecting defense, academic and entrepreneurial innovators in artificial intelligence, bioengineering, autonomous systems and cybersecurity. The agreement also provides students access to DoD internships and employment opportunities.

“UofL has a deep pool of brilliant innovators and students who can help solve these military challenges,” said Will Fortune, who leads the NSIN program at UofL. “Participating in these two new networks is one more way UofL can help these important national security challenges.”