Hector Gomez, an all-source intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army, is originally from Key West, Florida. Gomez comes from a UofL family—his mom, aunt, uncle and two of his cousins are UofL graduates.

Growing up a big-time fan, Gomez knew that he wanted to attend UofL from an early age. He remembers watching UofL win the 2013 National Basketball championship with his dad and telling his friends in Florida that he was going to attend UofL.

Soon after starting at UofL, Gomez said he made the best decision he’s ever made by joining the Cardinal Marching Band, where he got to watch football games up-close.

Following his sophomore year, he withdrew from UofL for a year and attended a community and technical college.

During his first semester back at UofL in the spring of 2020, he was sent home due to the COVID pandemic. Instead of taking classes remotely, he decided to finish his classes early and enlist in the United States Army to help support his family.

After enlisting, Gomez completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri, followed by training at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence in Arizona. He was then assigned to Fort Eisenhower, Georgia, where he served with the 116th Military Intelligence Brigade in military intelligence analysis and open-source intelligence collection.

Gomez’s work supported numerous geographic combatant commands including United States Central Command, United States European Command and United States Indo-Pacific Command. During his service, he received several decorations and awards, including an Army Achievement Medal (AAM).

He is currently being relocated to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he will be closer to home.

After graduating, he plans to become commissioned as an Army Officer and either work in civil affairs or to go to law school to become an Army Judge Advocate General.

Gomez, who attends classes online, said without the support of academic advisor Sophia Draper, who always made him feel he was a priority, he would not be graduating next year.

UofL is proud to recognize and celebrate Gomez and all members and veterans of the U.S. Army on the U.S. Army’s 249th birthday, June 14.

Britt was the 66^th world figure to come to the as part of its��. Since 1993, the series has hosted prominent guests including U.S. presidents, cabinet members, Supreme Court justices and congressional and international leaders.

Throughout the one-hour program held at Chao Auditorium and , Britt emphasized the importance of respect and trust, despite party lines. Upon her introduction to the U.S. Senate, Britt became friends with Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. Britt expressed that they could collaborate on matters crucial to the public despite any differences.

“We’ve got to have a lot of tough conversations in this county and if ever we want those tough conversations to actually yield results, they are going to have to be honest,” Britt said. “If you are going to be honest, you are going to have to trust and respect the person sitting across from you.”

Britt met with the university’s�� before the public presentation and praised the scholars for their thoughtful questions.

“I was soaking up every bit of hope that these young people gave me,” she said.

Britt also praised McConnell’s leadership and credited him with inviting her on an international trip to engage with foreign leaders on security matters. Reflecting on the experience, she highlighted its lasting impact to encourage her to empower others as well.

“When you march through that door, look back, grab somebody else’s hand and take them with you, because that is exactly what we are going to need to do to have success in this nation,” she said.

In moments of doubt, advice Britt’s grandfather told her continues to guide her. He said she only has control over four things: her character, her integrity, her work ethic and how she treats others. He advised her not to let anything beyond these factors dictate how she viewed herself.

“The world will place limitations on you, but it is the ones you place on yourself that will do the most damage,” Britt said.

In 2023, Britt was sworn in as Alabama’s first elected female senator and is the youngest Republican woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate.

In his remarks before Britt’s talk, McConnell said Britt was his “favorite freshman” and “there was no better choice” to give the Republican response to the State of the Union address in March.

The program concluded with a gift — a bottle of Old Forester Single Barrel bourbon from UofL to Britt.

“This is my first trip to Kentucky but I’m hopeful I will be back,” Britt said.

, a double major in physics and political science who graduated in May,�� gave careful consideration to both majors when entering UofL as a freshman and was prepared to switch to engineering if ever he felt drawn to more applicable science.

But Hulse never wavered from his decision to major in physics.

“As I continued with the physics major, I really came to appreciate just how beautiful and surprising the natural world is,” he said. “While I still want to use physics to make a practical impact, my interests would never let me completely abandon the pure, theoretical side.”��

Hulse was fortunate to find important mentors along the way in the physics department, especially Sergio Mendes and Timothy Dowling.

“I went to these two professors for guidance on deciding a field, picking universities to apply to, and just generally gaining their insights,” Hulse said. “They are both hidden gems at UofL, being deeply passionate about physics and sparking excitement in their students.”

A National Merit Finalist and Governor’s Scholar, Hulse had a lot of options for where to attend college. A full-ride McConnell scholarship tipped the scales in UofL’s favor, but it was also a priority for Hulse to gain a well-rounded liberal arts education.

He did so by earning a double major in physics and political science, as well as minors in mathematics and German. He maintained a 4.0 GPA and was an undergraduate teaching assistant in PHYS 350. He showed his talents as a natural mentor and collaborator by working extensively with a student with unique learning challenges, playing a key role in the student passing the class. Hulse also served on the McConnell Center Moot Court Team, as vice president of the Campus Lions Club, and as a member of the Society for Physics Students.

In addition to studying abroad in Germany, Thomas was active with physics research with professors at UofL and other universities. Remarkably, he has presented his undergraduate research in five separate presentations. His many accomplishments earned him the prestigious Woodcock Medal, which is awarded to an outstanding senior in recognition of both superior scholarship and personal characteristics. He was chosen as a student speaker for the May 2023 Commencement.

With such a strong undergraduate career behind him, Hulse will begin doctoral studies at Rice University this fall in Applied Physics.

“Applied physics is all about striking that balance between lofty theories and actual real-world application, which is the perfect fit for me,” he said. “I hope that I can find that balance to make a real, meaningful difference somewhere.”��

By Julie Wrinn,

The summa cum laude graduate became a second lieutenant with the Army ROTC commissioning ceremony in May that preceded commencement. He was an honors scholar who wrote a timely thesis in addition to the several other research papers that admittedly left him “typed out” by semester’s end. But what really got to him was the commencement moment recognizing first-generation college students.

“This matters to me,” he said. “You don’t need to be a legacy to pull off some great things.”

But tenacity helps, as does the willingness to seek answers from good advisers. Not to mention time management.

While studying to earn his UofL undergraduate degree in four years in political science with a minor in Russian, Payne also served in the Army National Guard, having joined in 2019.

“We made it work. It was a struggle,” Payne said. “Doing ROTC and the National Guard and academics is difficult.”

But the balancing act paid off and he plans to further his educational journey with a graduate or law degree, having an interest in immigration law or even a “dream” of working for the State Department.

Before that, however, he will spend four months working in recruitment at Fort Knox and later will report to Fort Huachuca in southern Arizona to train as a military intelligence officer.

Payne credits some critical internships in political science as good preparation for that intelligence officer role. While working with government officials on Louisville Metro Council and in the Kentucky General Assembly through the Legislative Research Commission, he learned to gather and distill critical information, research issues and present facts and even recommendations to decision-makers to use.

The Louisville native was always intrigued by watching the news and learning about current events, which ultimately led him to the political science department and its faculty members who opened his eyes to career opportunities.

His choice of Russian studies also became “very timely,” he admits.

“I always wanted to choose a language that was critical and impactful,” Payne said. Russian, he decided, was “more relevant in the world and underused in the west.”

The combination of major and minor led him to the also timely honors thesis topic about the Russian diaspora, although the swiftly shifting current conflict in Ukraine made it more stressful to write.

He cannot believe the changes in world affairs that have occurred in his time at UofL, especially this last year, and within his National Guard service. “It’s been a heck of a ride.”

A week before his classes started last year, he was in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, when the capital city of Kabul fell and he suddenly was helping a unit prepare to deploy to Afghanistan.

As a Guardsman stateside, he has worked with an engineering battalion and spent the past year supporting the 101^st Airborne Division. “I had a blast doing that,” he said. Other assignments have included helping to run COVID-testing centers and polling places.

And Payne’s face is familiar around the American Legion Jeffersontown GI Joe Post 244, where he has volunteered and became a district officer, believing he may be the youngest member in Kentucky. Bolstering such civic organizations is important to society, in his estimation, and he says they need new blood to support them.

Whether it be drawing attention to military service through the veterans work or continuing his Guard tenure, Payne said he hopes to continue building the force.

“I take the most pride in recruiting,” Payne said.

The award, in its 32nd year, is UofL’s most prestigious faculty award, recognizing faculty members who have made significant contributions to student life. The UofL Board of Trustees made the announcement at its meeting April 22.

“Thank you so much,” Gainous said. “I couldn’t be more honored. I really do owe this so much to my students. I can’t believe what I get to do.”

Gainous, who has been at UofL since 2006, is a comparative political behavioralist whose research focuses on the intersection of information technology and public opinion. He is frequently interviewed by members of local, national and international media in television, print and radio for his political science expertise. He is director UofL’s , where he has placed almost 500 students in the House and Senate in Frankfort. He also works with the Personnel Cabinet of the Kentucky Executive Branch placing students in paid summer positions.

“For most students, their dreams are bigger than one class. They want to take on the challenges of the world and the workplace. To help students, experiential learning outside the classroom is critical,” Gainous said in his teaching and learning statement. “I have seen the importance of experiential learning as the director of the Kentucky General Assembly Internship Program for 14 years. … This program has shaped lives by teaching students that they can use what they have learned to affect change.”

In letters reinforcing his nomination for the award, students and colleagues praised — over and over again — the unconditional support and infectious enthusiasm he offers students.

“Despite my dyslexia, Professor Gainous saw in me a student worth teaching,” wrote Bryce Kleinsteuber. “As a direct result, I went from someone unsure about what I wanted to do with my future when I first sat in his class on the Internet and Politics in 2013 to a PhD student in political science now.”

Gainous is a frequent conference presenter and his most recent book is “Tweeting to Power: The Social Media Revolution in American Politics,” with co-author Kevin M. Wagner. He is also co-editor of Journal of Information Technology & Politics, the American Political Science Association’s flagship journal in political communications.

In partnership with the Kentucky Commission on Military Affairs and Jeffrey Sun of UofL’s College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development, Gainous has recently been helping to develop training programs in the cybersecurity industry for service members, veterans and their dependents.

Gainous will receive the award, which includes $5,000 in prize money, during commencement exercises at Cardinal Stadium the weekend of May 7-9.��

That decision sparked��an even bigger��passion for travel that would��take��Berry��beyond UofL’s campus and��shape her academic career. It led her to��study abroad twice��(first in San Sebastián, Spain and again in��Puntarenas, Costa Rica),��and��graduate��in 2018��with��two bachelor’s degrees��and��a��minor��–��all during her undergraduate career.��

Now,��Berry��has earned��a��master of arts��in political science��and plans to��continue��her��journey��as a Cardinal this fall at the Brandeis School of Law on an almost��full–tuition scholarship.��

All of her travel opportunities and��academic��experiences stemmed from a decision to attend��the��School of Music.��

“I knew in high school that I wanted part of my college education to involve music, and UofL’s��School of��Music is the best in the state,”��Berry said.��“I attended the Governor’s School for the Arts in high school, so UofL offered me the Trustee’s Scholarship.��And when I toured UofL, I fell in love with the close-knit feeling of campus and I could see myself growing as a student and community member here.”��

Berry��did indeed grow as a student at UofL and��earned��a��bachelor of��arts��in��music,��a��bachelor of��arts��in��psychology��and��a��minor in Spanish,��in addition to��her participation in two study abroad programs.��She decided to first study abroad in San Sebastián, Spain during her sophomore year in 2016 to immerse herself in a Spanish-speaking country and help her earn her degree’s language requirement.����

“Because that specific program in Spain offered an intensive Spanish language track that allowed me to take 14 credit hours of Spanish in one semester, I thought that would be the best way for me to effectively learn the language and finish my language requirement for my BA in psychology all at once,” Berry said.��

While in Spain, Berry also took a Psychology of Religion and Spirituality class and taught English in two local schools. Her experience in Spain helped her fall in love with the Spanish language and encouraged her to continue��honing her Spanish skills��when she returned home,��eventually��leading to her second study abroad adventure, this time as a senior in 2018.��

“I studied abroad in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, because I wanted to continue my Spanish language education, but I wanted a different cultural experience from what I had in Spain,” Berry said. “This program had a really interesting Central American Literature class that was taught entirely in Spanish. I wanted a Spanish class that would challenge my language abilities and wasn’t just focused on grammar.”��

When she returned��to UofL��from��her first study abroad in��Spain, Berry decided she wanted to work as a peer ambassador within the Office of Study Abroad and International Travel to help others achieve their study abroad goals and continued her work with the office as a graduate assistant while earning her master’s degree.��

“Working for the study abroad office as a��peer ambassador��and graduate assistant gave me the chance to share my story and helped to grow my leadership, presentation and communication skills,” Berry said.��“The staff at the office became more like mentors to me, and I’ll always be grateful for my time there.”��

Berry credits early planning and the help of the study abroad office and��her��advisors for helping her achieve her academic goals.����

“It definitely was difficult to fit everything��in, but��studying abroad as a sophomore allowed me to have the time to study abroad one more time,” Berry said.��“I expressed interest in studying abroad to all of my academic advisors and kept them in the loop with all my plans. It takes effort and careful planning, but UofL has tons of resources to make it easier for you.”��

While fitting in two degrees��and��a minor, along with two study abroad semesters, earning a master’s degree and��gaining��entrance into law school are all��great��feats��to accomplish, Berry��is��proudest of the connections she��made across the globe and the resiliency she learned through her travels.��

“I am��so��proud of the relationships I have built and grown throughout everything I have experienced,” Berry said.��“My family has been nothing but supportive, and I now have people from all over the country and the world that I can call my friends.

“Studying abroad changes your life in so many ways. It helps you learn how to navigate difficult situations where you might not know what to do and improves your resilience.��You learn about cultures unlike your own and you honestly just learn that this world is a much smaller place than we think it is.” ��

Welcomed in 2018 on the condition he would keep up his grades, Kridos graduates this month with his bachelor’s in political science. He credits his parents and UofL’s dedication to every student’s success for giving him the second chance he needed to make his dreams come true.

“The only place that even gave me an opportunity to show that I had matured and learned from my mistakes was UofL by admitting me on a GPA-restricted basis,” said Kridos, who transferred from Methodist University in North Carolina. “Granting me this opportunity was a blessing, as I was able to make use of all the programs they have in place to make students successful, such as (Resources for Academic Achievement) and other tutoring services and now will be graduating with a 3.8 GPA. I’m so thankful UofL took a chance on me and I was able to obtain my degree.”

The former Army corporal and Coral Springs, Florida, native served at Fort Campbell as a field artillery operator. He graduated from at the top of his class and earned four Army commendation medals. He worked part-time at The Cheesecake Factory while taking his UofL classes and plans to go to law school in the fall.

In the spring, with a busy schedule of 21 credit hours, the sudden change to online classes due to the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions “threw me for a loop at first,” he said.��

“Taking 21 credit hours a semester already presents its own challenges, but then to abruptly move all of that online … was very tough. But I was able to overcome and finish that semester with all As,” he said. “This fall semester has been much smoother and my professors are very accommodating.”

Among his favorite professors was Tami Harbolt of women’s, gender and sexuality studies.��

“She cares about her students and it shows,” he said. “The amount of times she had one-on-one conversations with me after class just to gauge how I was doing or check on my mental health is something I will forever be grateful for.”

Kridos said he is also thankful for his parents, who “worked tirelessly my entire life to make sure I always had a roof over my head and a meal to eat. … My graduation is because of them. They believed in me when no one else did and I can’t explain what it means to have that type of support and inspiration in your life every day.”��

We think you just did, corporal.

The 2018 political science graduate plans to go to Hungary in January to begin a prestigious Fulbright research award though the U.S. Department of State to explore international relations.��

It’s just the latest chance to pursue her interests abroad, and she credits most of them to the continuing aid, interest and support from UofL mentors.

“I think the big thing I learned at UofL was to try things — to put your name out there and try options,” Golding said. The Florida native arrived in Louisville with her political science major in mind and a legal career as a goal, following in the footsteps of her father, 1986 law alum John Golding. However, her path to complete the undergraduate major led her in a different direction, thanks to the encouragement of faculty and staff and to other options explored during her time on campus.

“I was open to other opportunities,” she said. “My mentors at UofL were able to see in me something I couldn’t see in myself.”

Her UofL selection was cinched when she visited Belknap Campus for the Accolade admissions event for high school academic achievers “and fell in love.” Once enrolled, she ended up spending loads of time in the building where her major classes were.

“I was political science to the core,” Golding said. “I lived in Ford Hall and the Ford Hall basement (study area). I recommend UofL’s political science department to anyone I meet. They helped foster that passion I already had for political science.”

She zeroed in on one of those professors, Julie Bunck, her first year at UofL. Golding remembers sitting in Bunck’s class thinking, “somehow, someway, she’s going to be my mentor.” And she was – and remains so.

“Dr. Bunck, in particular, likes for people to check in and tell how we’re doing,” Golding said. “She’s a friend and also a mentor, too.”

Not all the nurturing folks taught in Ford Hall, however, Golding was in the Honors Program, where Luke Buckman and Kirsten Armstrong – “people who always encouraged my crazy ideas” – enriched her college experience. Golding served on the Honors Student Council and as an Honors peer adviser for incoming students for two summers, as well as participating in other related programs.

Plunging into the Honors charitable fundraiser – a huge week-long, biennial book and media sale – she helped run it the year it benefited Camp Quality Kentuckiana for children diagnosed with cancer. About the same time she also worked heavily on raiseRED, the largest UofL student-run philanthropy effort, to raise funds to fight pediatric cancer.

“It is a lot of work,” she said. “It’s always worth it in the end when you see the checks (for the charities’ donations).”

Speaking of hard work, Golding commended everyone in another UofL office, the Office of National and International Scholarship Opportunities, for shepherding her efforts to gain the Fulbright award she ultimately won.��

“I think that’s something that sets UofL apart, that office,” Golding said.

“Fulbright is a very intensive process, but it’s one of the most prestigious scholarships that someone can win,” she said.

The first thing she and fellow applicants realized is to prepare to discard the first application draft, no matter how hard they labored on it, and to keep revising.

“The big thing is to go to people for advice, having people help you,” Golding said. “Everybody at UofL is trying to help you make it better. There’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

That light first shone when she qualified as a Fulbright alternate, although she didn’t get the call to go that year. As an English Speaking Union scholar, Golding also spent time at Oxford University focusing on European Union politics.

After graduating from UofL, she opted to study abroad again, earning a master’s degree in European studies at Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium. “It ended up being a phenomenal experience,” Golding said.

Her second try for a Fulbright paid off, and that’s why she plans to be in Hungary next year researching the role of central Europe in trans-Atlantic energy cooperation.

Golding hopes her Fulbright term next year could also enable her to remain in Europe to help with a Budapest summer school opportunity that she enjoyed last year, when she was the only American participating at Antall Jozsef Knowledge Center, where she studied regional security politics.

Since summer 2019 she has been stateside in Florida, applying that political acumen to work on a congressional campaign as well as serving as volunteer coordinator with the Blessings in a Backpack nonprofit organization.

So where might all this lead?

Although she admits her dream job would be U.S. secretary of state, Golding does foresee herself “working in D.C. in some capacity with the State Department.” All the building blocks so far are adding up to work in foreign policy or diplomacy.

“I’m excited to see how everything falls together,” she said.

That was in 1998.

Since then, the internship program has grown to a record-high number of UofL students participating – 51 during the spring 2019 semester. Its growth can be attributed to a few factors, including amplified support from the current administration at UofL.

“UofL actually promotes and gets behind the program and provides us the resources to do it, including connecting us with government relations,” said Jason Gainous, professor of Political Science who has led the FLIP since 2006.

The program exists at other institutions in the state. The difference at UofL, however, is that it includes an actual cohort of people.

“Other internships from other universities stem from students making a connection. We have a structure and an organization, as well as an academic component,” Gainous said. “Our program organizes speakers and has an on-site coordinator (in Frankfort).”

Through this cohort, our students are provided an abundance of opportunities to work – and learn – in a hands-on legislative environment, assisting in functions at varying levels in legislators’ offices. They’re also aided and mentored by Shannon Rickett, UofL’s assistant vice president for government relations (and a UofL alum).

Another point of differentiation for UofL’s program is that it now offers a stipend to participants. This, according to Jasmine Farrier, department chair and Political Science professor, allows for even more opportunities for students.

“It’s not a barrier; the travel, the time, getting lunch in Frankfort,” Farrier said. “We want all students to have this opportunity. Our motto in Political Science is that students build their resumes as they earn their degrees.”

The internship takes place during Kentucky’s legislative session, which is typically January through March. As part of the experience, some students have helped draft legislation, while others have participated in bill research. All of them have had the ability to forge relationships with constituents.

This experience has proven its effectiveness, as numerous former interns are now respected members of the state’s legislative system, including Senate President Pro Tempore David Givens, Senator Gerald Neal and Representative McKenzie Cantrell.

For Tialisha Lumpkin, a 2018 spring participant, the opportunity to intern in Frankfort at the State Capitol led to post-graduate opportunities. Lumpkin currently is an advocacy community organizer for the Catholic Charities of Louisville.

“As an intern, I was able to pull back the curtain on Kentucky politics and, in doing so, I gained immeasurable experience and insight on how Kentucky operates. It was hard work and also fun, from scouting support for legislation to enjoying free legislative lunches,” Lumpkin said.

The encourages students to pursue academic careers in political science and features an intensive five-week program at Duke University during the summer. Students from the U.S. and its territories are eligible for the award.

For Martinez, the scholarship means she can focus on something very near and dear to her own heart: helping immigrant and refugee populations.

“I am an immigrant myself and seeing the hardship immigrants can experience was something that I could connect to and wanted to change or at least be part of the process,” said the political science and Latin American and Latino studies major.

Born in Colombia, Martinez moved to the U.S. when she was 7 years old.

She remembers what it is like to move to a new country, learn a new language and adopt a new culture. She has spent years helping others face those same challenges by volunteering for the Americana Community Center and Kentucky Refugee Ministries. On campus, she is involved at the Cultural Center as part of the Hispanic Latino Initiative.

As a Ralph Bunche scholar, Martinez will take graduate-level courses, conduct research and take part in special lectures and events aimed at helping students from underrepresented backgrounds learn about graduate school.

During her time at UofL, Martinez says several professors helped her explore her academic possibilities. Those professors include and in the Department of Political Science,�� in the Department of History and in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages.

While Martinez has not decided what to do after graduation, she is considering the Peace Corps, PhD programs and applying for the student Fulbright award.