“The Parents Association hosted a record 1,500 family members and students for Family Weekend 2019 and saw another record number of submissions for Parent of the Year,” said Glenn Gittings, director of the��.��

New to this year, thanks to a sponsorship from , the 2019 Parent of the Year winner will be provided free tickets and hotel accommodations to enjoy 2020 Family Weekend.

Students nominate their parents/guardians or family members by writing a letter and then submitting it to a committee of UofL staff for consideration. Each nominee received a small plaque and a rolled scroll that included the student’s nomination letter. Assistant Vice Provost for Student Affairs, Dr. Angela Taylor read excerpts from some of the letters that highlighted family member’s �貹����Գٲ�’ accomplishments.

In her letter,��Abdow wrote that her mother, Abasheikh, was always strong for her children through countless hardships.

Also thanks to a collaboration formed with UPS last year, UofL awarded a UofL UPS Metropolitan College Parent of the Year to Marco Hernandez and Gloria Gutierrez, parents of Cassandra Hernandez Gutierrez.��

��to see more photos from the evening.��

Read��Abdow’s winning essay:

My biggest role model is not Rosa Parks nor Bill Gates, but my mother. A brave, unemployed, immigrant raising nine children. My mother was born and raised in Mogadishu, Somalia, a place now known as an endless warzone by the media. Once the Civil War broke out, in our native country of Somalia my mother and my grandmother sought refuge in a Kenyan refugee camp. There they lived in a tent for six years and were provided with rations,��then they were granted the opportunity to immigrate to the United States of America.��

My mother and grandmother came to a foreign country with nothing, but the hope of the “American Dream.” My mother and grandmother settled in Atlanta, Georgia. My mother then met my father and got married. My �貹����Գٲ�’ marriage wasn’t as authentic as those I saw in movies of perfect families. Their marriage simply reflected their desire to start a family, where they could raise their children with their shared Somali culture and Islamic beliefs. As tension arose in my �貹����Գٲ�’ marriage, my mother did all she could to protect my siblings and I from hearing their arguments. My mother distracted us by playing a cartoon on the television while my parents settled their disputes. As children we still had questions, but my mother just reassured us that it was a subtle disagreement. These arguments progressed over months, my mother’s protection could only save us from so much. A marriage without love isn’t realistic nor will it last. This led to my �貹����Գٲ�’ divorce. Our home felt officially broken. The divorce papers were signed. My father was gone. But my mother, she was still there. She always was.��

My mother was a stay at home mom and has never worked a day in her life, but without my father she had to step up to support us. She struggled in her morning courses of English as a Second Language she attended while my siblings and I were at school. My mother was dreaming for a job to turn up. After weeks of waiting my mother had to turn to government aid to get assistance. Given our living circumstances, we were accepted into SNAP, Medicaid, 3Cs and WIC. This lifted a burden off of my mother’s shoulders, but she still had to pay rent, water and electric bills. Eventually a job turned up for my mother, she worked at a nursing home from 3:30 to 9:30, seven days a week with every other weekend off. With the help of 3Cs she did not have to worry about paying for daycare expenses, only a copay of twenty dollars a week.��

Given all the hours my mom worked we cherished every moment we spent together; whether it is getting ready for school or eating a meal together. On the weekends we spent seven hours at daycare. I was constantly jealous of the other kids who spent less time in daycare, resulting in more time with their families. I expressed this feeling to my mother, who reassured me by stating to appreciate all I had in life, because there is someone who has it much worse.��

During my mother’s weekends off work my siblings and I enjoyed watching our VCR copy of “The Parent Trap.” It was the only film that portrayed a happy ending for divorced parents. As stubborn children we desperately waited for our family’s happy ending.��

As we were adapting to our new lifestyle with our mother working and going to daycare, but there were more changes occurring. My mother met her significant other four years after my �貹����Գٲ�’ divorce; a year later she was pregnant with a baby girl. My mother was a high-risk patient due to my baby sister having a congenital heart defect. During my mother’s pregnancy she became diabetic leading to preeclampsia. My mother had to quit her job in order to be on bed rest, but again, my mother hid her pain. She kept it together for her seven children. After my sister was born she was immediately rushed into open heart surgery. My sister spent the first three months of her life in the hospital going through surgery after surgery, having a total of three open heart surgeries in a one-year span. Sun up to sundown, my mother was focused on my sister’s wellbeing from giving her daily feeds through her gastrostomy tube to making sure her heart rate was monitored with a post oximeter. The birth of my sister stripped my mother of naivety as she was faced with daily struggles, but ignoring the negatives my mother kept moving forward.��

“We had over 70 nominations this year, which is a new record,” said Glenn Gittings, director of the .��

Students nominate their parents by writing a letter and then submitting it to a committee of UofL staff for consideration. Each nominee received a small plaque and a rolled scroll that included his or her child’s nomination letter. Dean of Students Michael Mardis read excerpts from some of the letters that highlighted �貹����Գٲ�’ accomplishments.

In his letter,��DeMarcus George writes that his parents defy stereotypes, work hard and provide unconditional love.��

The couple took home a large plaque and a framed copy of DeMarcus’ nomination letter.

Thanks to a new partnership with UPS, the Parents Association added a new award to this year’s event: the UofL UPS Metropolitan College Parent of the Year Award. Kelly Stohr, father of Anna Stohr, won this new award.����

to see more photos from the evening.��

Read��DeMarcus George’s winning essay:

Parents are amazing to have. Without parents, a lot of us would not be heading in the right directions. At a young age, parents lay down rules and instill life lessons amongst us, so when we grow into adulthood, we can take these same things we have learned and use them as a gateway to stay on the right path. This a lot easier said than done. I would be lying if I said I truly believed in my minor years, that anything my parents taught me would pay off once I got older. Now that I am an adult, I appreciate everything they have taught me, and I do not think I would have experienced any of my previous successful moments without them.

My father has been a huge influence in my life. He has shown on a day to day basis, how a man can go to work and support his family, show unconditional love for his family, and stay in the life of his children even when times may seem hard. As an African-American man, it is a commonly assumed stereotype that if our fathers are present in our lives, they will eventually leave at some point or they may never have been a part of our lives to begin with. I can say my father does not fall anywhere close to those categories. As a young man growing up in the projects, very poor and forced to pretty much be the man of the household for his brothers and sisters, my father had a rough time growing up. Not knowing where meals would come from and how he could afford to support his family at young age, he learned how to survive and make the best of what he had. Though the circumstances at a young age were not in his control, he did not let that stop him from being a better man or let that force him to return to the environment he once grew up in when he got older. As a young man, he was able to earn his associate degree, which would later lead him into moving forward into a job position a DHL (then Airborne Express). While making his mark at DHL, he eventually rose to district manager and was responsible for managing an entire region of employees. After working there for many years, he later got into the medical field and still holds his position as a Neurophysiological Tech, where he works with giving patients brain scans and helping figure out what may be the cause of their injuries and diseases. My father has also been in my life continuously for the 22 years I have been born, and he has served as a role model that I can say (for a long time) I did not know I had. When I was struggling with life, trials, and growth as an African-American man, I constantly thought to myself and prayed to God asking who I could go and talk to about my life and how I truly felt. His answer was my father. I had to get over the fact that my father was older and his knowledge of the things happening in today’s world be way out of style. His answers and knowledge changed my life for the better. Now I stand as a young man that believes in himself, destined to grow, and feeling as if I can be whatever I want to be in life. Not because I saw it on a reality show on T.V., but I saw it in front of my own eyes by the man that raised me.

My mother has ultimately been a huge influence in my life as well. My older twin, because I mean we do not look alike or anything right? The strong person I seen come into a house after working a 12-hour shift, still making dinner, and taking time to enjoy her family because she loved us so much. The person that would come straight from work and go to all my games and still take the time to critique how I played because she saw more potential in me than I seen in myself. The person that rejected and did not belong to the stereotype of being an “angry black woman” because she constantly had a heart filled with love and care for everyone around her. My mother has shown me my whole life that there is no love like a mother’s love and that women can have a very positive effect on a man’s life. While growing up, I was always able to spend a lot of time with my mom just like I did with my dad. Moms tend to nurture you more, though, because they are a lot better at recognizing things then men, such as those pre-symptoms that show a sickness and those gestures we make when something is wrong or not going our way. So, no matter what, anything that did not seem right, my mother always knew, or she had an answer as to why something did not seem right. The same exact love and concern she had for me, she would give to my father as well. This helped me to learn at a young age that men should respect women and we should appreciate all the things that women in our lives truly do for us. My mother also grew up poor and at a young age, being thrown in positions to make ends meet. One thing she always had that she never let get away from her was the dedication and strong work ethic she had. When my mother was a little bit younger, she started working for Toyota. She started off as a regular employee and then worked her way up to a team leader. Since I was young, as I stated earlier, she would work long shifts and do whatever she had to do to make sure her family was taking care of. Not a lot of women can say they stayed in manufacturing for a long time nor can they say they’ve been able to stay in a male dominated field for multiple years. But she should be extremely proud because she’s been doing it ongoing now for 26 years. If there’s three things she’s taught me while being a role model in my life time, it is working hard, showing love for your family , and never counting a woman out because she can be tougher than anyone that is in front of her. My mother has been one of the best blessings I’ve received and seeing her being strong day in and day out is why I have such a profound respect for all women, especially our African-American women.

My parents are a huge blessing and I think they deserved the “Parent of the Year” award, not only for all their contributions, but for their greatness as people. From my Dad teaching me how to be strong and how a man should treat his wife. To my mother teaching me how to work hard and provide my family with unconditional love. There’s so much more that I could say, but there wouldn’t be enough time in the day to even put everything down on paper. My parents deserve the world and I hope one day everyone will get to hear their stories.

Family Weekend, sponsored by the , is a Cardinal tradition designed for the entire family that includes numerous campus and Metro Louisville events.

“It’s meant to provide families the option of coming back to campus after the fall semester has started to get a taste of student life,” said , director of Special Programs and the Parents Association. ��

Events this year included: Free Outdoor Movie Night, Noches De Familia Y Amigos, Raise Red Zumba-thon, Career Development workshop on choosing your career path, a pregame meal and tailgate, cheering on the Cardinal football team, visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum, Sunday Brunch at The Ville Grill, Family Sunday at the Speed Art Museum and cheering on other Cardinal sports such as Volleyball, Soccer and Field Hockey, among others.

to check out more photos from the weekend.

But Student Affairs might be hosting the biggest weekend ever.

In addition to its annual slate of homecoming activities with RSOs and Cardinal Family Weekend, Student Affairs will be commemorating its 40^th��anniversary. ��

The milestone��anniversary celebration honors the dedication of current and past staff and students to the University of Louisville.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity to invite back former student leaders and celebrate our collective success and the positive impact on people’s lives,” said Michael Mardis, dean of students and chief Student Affairs officer.

Combined with events that celebrate campus life, such as Homecoming and Cardinal Family Weekend, “it creates the atmosphere of a big family reunion,” Mardis said.

Check out a sampling of the weekend’s��big��events below.������

Student Affairs 40^th��Anniversary Weekend


Forty years ago, campus life at UofL changed��as��the Division of Student Affairs was created, unifying departments across campus to better the student experience.��Since its inception, the division has grown and thrived to allow students to reach their fullest academic and personal potential.

During the weekend of Oct. 20-23, the division will host a series of events commemorating the 40 years of success of the Division of Student Affairs. The central event is an awards��ceremony celebrating past vice presidents of student affairs. Each will speak on their experience at UofL. More information is .��

Oct. 20

Student Affairs 40th Anniversary Campus Celebration Cookout,��11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Red Barn;��Free.��

Staff, faculty and students are invited to come to a “Traditional Red Barn Cookout” and mingle/connect and share stories about the 40 years of engaging students across campus.

October 21

UofL Student Affairs Legacy Award Ceremony and Distinguished Panel,��2:30 to��4:30 p.m., Multipurpose Room, Student Activities Center; Free.��Former vice presidents will be awarded the inaugural Legacy Award.

UofL Student Affairs Legacy Award Networking Reception,��4:30 to 6 p.m., George J. Howe Red Barn; Free.��Mingle with the former vice presidents and student affairs staff.

October 22

UofL Student Affairs 40th Anniversary Football Tailgate,��9 a.m. to noon, Papa John’s Cardinal��Stadium in between Gate 9 and Gate 1 behind the Schnellenberger Complex on the North end zone side of the stadium;��$20 per person.��Celebrate at the Student Affairs tented tailgate prior to the football game.

Cardinal Family Weekend

Each year, Student affairs host Cardinal Family Weekend. Families from around the country arrive on campus to see how students are acclimating to college life, and explore campus and the city. .

Oct. 22

UofL Parents Association Tailgate/Meal,��9 a.m. to noon, Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, in between Gate 9 and Gate 1 behind the Schnellenberger Complex on the North end zone side of the stadium;��$20.��Join families for a tailgate before football game.

Oct. 23

UofL Parents Association Family Brunch,��10 a.m. to noon, The Ville Grille;��Pay upon entry.��Enjoy a meal with family��and sign up for a raffle to win a flatscreen TV.

Homecoming Week

This year’s Homecoming Week takes place Oct. 17-22 and includes festivities such as a concert hosted by the Student Activities Board, the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s homecoming step show, the homecoming parade, and the homecoming football game. ��

Oct. 20

Student Activities Board Concert: Waka Flocka Flame,��5:30 to��9 p.m., Cardinal Blvd., in front of Cardinal Towne;��Free.��Join UofL SAB as Waka Flocka Flame performs.

Oct. 21

National Pan-Hellenic Homecoming Step Show,��7:30 p.m., Louisville Memorial Auditorium;��$15 advance tickets, $20 at the door.��UofL NPHC will be performing in the 23^rd��annual homecoming step show.

Homecoming Parade,��6 p.m., starts at Cardinal Boulevard and 3rd Street intersection by Cardinal Towne; Free.

It was part of the first ACC Parent Family Symposium, which was attended by staff members at a majority of the ACC schools who work in parent and family programming. They attended workshops on UofL’s campus as well as downtown Louisville that covered topics such as programming funding, family events best practices, parent publications, parent affinity groups, parent involvement, family weekend innovative ideas, parent communication strategies, and how to maximize impact with limited staffing.

Glenn Gittings, director of special programs and the Parents Association, explained to UofL News the significance of parents groups and what he hopes attendees took away from the symposium.

UofL News: What is the UofL Parents Association?

Gittings: The UofL Parents Association is free to join for all parents and family members of UofL students. The UofL Parents Association offers programs, events and services, regular communication, and outreach to parents and families to assist students in continuing their academic success throughout their college experience.

UofL News: What is the benefit of having this type of group?

Gittings: Parents associations are designed to promote student success through informed parent and family engagement.�� As AHEPPP (Association of Higher ����ֱ�� Parent/Family Program Professionals) states: ��“Because of the important role that parents and families play in their students’ lives, colleges and universities must work to constructively involve parents and families in the higher education experience and promote those interested in helping accomplish this mission.”

UofL News: How did the idea for the ACC Symposium come about?

Gittings: First and foremost, the UofL Division of Student Affairs strives to utilize our campus and the city of Louisville to help attract professional development workshops, symposiums, regional meetings, and national conferences. Many of the large athletic conferences strive to have member institutions connect beyond athletics in order build better academic and student service practices among the institutions. Many other conferences have such a symposium focused on Parent & Family best practices, including the Big 12 and the Big 10. The ACC hosts similar professional development opportunities for student government leaders, as well as meetings for student service areas such as��Career Development, Intramurals, Housing and��Residence Life, etc. ��With that in mind, this idea was created among ACC colleagues who work in parent and family programs.

UofL News: Why do you think it’s important to discuss these issues with other universities in the ACC?

Gittings: The symposium is designed to provide a forum to share best practices, new ideas, putting shared ideas to use, challenges, and to promote conference collegiality (and learn fun and interesting things about the schools and the cities we visit).

UofL News: What do you hope attendees took away from the conference?

Gittings: The goal was for those that attend to connect with other ACC colleagues and to be able to bring back tangible ideas that staff can implement, or modify on their campuses and improve the resources, events, and services they provide to parents and families to help improve student success.

UofL News: Anything else you’d like to add?

Gittings: We as a division of Student Affairs have a strong relationship with the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau and want to extend thanks to the Louisville CVB for helping organize this event and highlight our wonderful city.