TRIO offers individuals one-on-one and group academic advising, tutoring, financial counseling, cultural excursions, professional mentoring, career exploration, workshops and more. The initiative also works with pre-college students and provides summer programming, college tours and college application assistance.

This year, during Kentucky TRIO Day in February, UofL TRIO provided two days of workshops, speakers and academic competitions. TRIO Day was established in 1986 by Congress to commemorate the annual achievements of the federal TRIO programs in communities across the country.

UofL News sat down with Laila Shell, a beneficiary of the program and a sophomore in the College of 成人直播 and Human Development studying middle and secondary education.

UofL News: How did you discover TRIO’s student support services?

Shell:
I was in middle school — I think 7th grade, and I can’t really tell you how it came about or how I found out about it. But I just know a lot of my friends were like, 鈥淥h, there’s this program called TRIO,鈥� and we just all signed up together. We knew that it would allow us to visit colleges, and it was a good opportunity to explore and meet new people.

UofL News:听What was the most beneficial support that TRIO provided you?

Shell:
Definitely the tours, visiting campuses and college readiness. They helped us make sure that we were studying for tests like the ACT, really making sure that we were on track to graduate and have a future in a college or whatever else.

UofL News: What would you say to students who are curious about the support services?

Shell:
I would say try it, you could only gain from it. I feel like the dedication and the warm guidance that they give you is one-of-a-kind; they put their all into making sure that you’re on the right track to graduate and just have a good future.

It’s something you should definitely look into if you have the time for it — go to the sessions, attend the trips. Most of it is very low cost or free, so you really have nothing to lose, all to gain. You make the connections, the network and it鈥檚 a good opportunity to make sure that you get yourself out there and prepared for college.

UofL News: How has TRIO Student Support Services impacted your experience at UofL?

Shell:
The study areas that we have and the communal vibe. First-generation students and students who fewer financial resources just all getting together and sharing that space for growth. The resources are there. You can’t say, “I don’t have someone or people to confide in,” they’re all going through the same things you’re going through. It’s just a space to be yourself and get the guidance and resources you need to succeed.

UofL News: How has TRIO impacted your experience? Beyond UofL, do you see your future being impacted by the services that TRIO provided?

Shell:
I think it’s really the connections for me. I feel like we’re all individuals who want the best for ourselves. I feel like the connections that I make within this group is long-term, it’s fulfilling to see people that look like me and that want to be successful in the future. The connections and the networking that goes along within the program are probably some of the most beneficial things for me. Stepping outside of academics, social life on campus is really important to make sure that you’re motivated to keep going and have people to depend on. So, I feel like the networking aspect of it has helped me a lot. I am a better person as far as communicating and making myself known and putting myself out there to try new things and be involved with other aspects of campus.

UofL News: What obstacles would you have faced to your education without TRIO services?

Shell:
I wouldn’t be as open-minded as I am. The barriers that you face as a first-generation student can sometimes limit your beliefs and your expectations for your future. This has provided me more knowledge about the resources that I have on campus. They provide it and they give it to you and it’s just easy to grasp information and resources here. So, without them, I don’t know if I would be able to succeed in college or even be the best version of me.

UofL News: Like envisioning your potential?

Shell:
Yeah, I probably would feel the odds are set against me, you know? But here I feel seen, and I feel valued. That allows me to be the best version of me.

Honeybees have always been a part of听Robinson鈥檚听life听as she听first learned about beekeeping from family members who鈥檝e cared for beehives through generations, starting with her听grandfather,听and听then her father.听Beehives bring nostalgic scents and sounds to听Robinson, whose earliest memories include following her grandfather around their family hives in Meade County, Ky., harvesting honey for their听鈥淏ee Happy Farms鈥澨齢oney jars.

鈥淢y grandfather had this big garden and orchard with apple trees, so he had the bees to pollinate them,鈥澨齊obinson said. 鈥淚听just听remember playing around the garden and being close to the bees. They听weren’t听ever interested in me because I听wasn’t听bothering them, so that fear听kind of听got eliminated when I was pretty young.鈥�

After the death of Robinson鈥檚听grandfather, her family kept a hive on his property to support the orchard. She and her father now tend to the inherited bees. 鈥淚t鈥檚听crazy that听it’s听a family tradition that can carry听on,听beyond someone like that,鈥澨齊obinson reflected.

The UofL鈥檚 beekeeping internship, too, has brought Robinson closer to her听father who she听now asks for advice when dealing with new obstacles facing听UofL鈥檚听beehives. His insights keep a heritage of beekeeping knowledge from disappearing.

Everything about beekeeping can be done听in听a variety of听ways, from how the hive is听built and how to handle the bees to the protective clothing worn by beekeepers.听

鈥淚t’s听like听a dance to specifically move with the bees and see which frame听they’re听mostly on and which one I should touch and which one I听shouldn’t,鈥澨齊obinson said.

As a beekeeper, Robinson has developed her own style under the guidance of her father and the UofL Sustainability mentorship.听

鈥淚听read somewhere that bees can remember their听beekeeper’s听face, so I always try听to听talk to them when I get in the hive and just see how听they’re听doing,鈥澨齊obinson said.听鈥淭here are old folktales about the听鈥榯elling of the听bees,鈥� so听there’s听a strong connection between beekeepers and their bees.鈥�

A Spring Sting

Beekeeping听isn鈥檛听always comfortable,听even听for a legacy beekeeper.

鈥淚听have gotten stung a few times, but after听the second听time听it’s听no big deal,鈥澨齊obinson said.听鈥淎nd听every time I do听get stung, I never blame the bees.听It’s听not their fault that听they’re听stinging, they听just听think听I’m听like a bear trying to get their honey.鈥�

Bees often face a fear from people, much like snakes or bats, and many believe that their presence always means potential danger. However, bees are defensive, not aggressive, so their sting is a last resort. Like other animals, bees fear humans more than people fear them and prefer keeping to themselves.听

According to Robinson, even with wasps and hive beetles, honeybees defend the hive by surrounding the pests to block them from an area or to overheat them with their wing movements.听

But keeping bees also听comes with its rewards and pleasures. To extract honey from the hive, Robinson first determines how much honey needs to听be left behind听for the bees. The frames are then removed,听and听the bees听are brushed听into an empty super box/hive box. Finally, the beeswax on the frames is uncapped with a blade to release the honey and the frames are placed in a spinner to remove, filter and jar the honey. Beeswax is often collected during the filtering process and can also听be used for various products like lip balm.

鈥淥ne of my favorite things about beekeeping is just the smell of the听beehives,听it’s听this听really sweet听aroma. I think听it’s听really special听and really cool to introduce new people to that, and the sound of the buzzing from the hives,鈥澨齊obinson said.听鈥淚t can听definitely听be intimidating, but听I鈥檝e听found it to be a听little听bit more soothing because I know bees are in there and that听they’re听happy.鈥�

As听UofL鈥檚听beekeeping intern, Robinson cares for the beehives year-round. Before the winter, Robinson adds entrance reducers and hay bales around the hive to reduce wind-chill. Throughout the early spring, she visits the hives a couple of times a month to monitor the bees鈥� behavior, add pollen patties, remove any pests and add more hive frames听which听are听used听by the bees to build honeycombs.

After the bees become more active in the spring, honey can听start to听be harvested听through the summer.听Robinson dresses in a beekeeping suit that covers her legs, arms and face in one sealed garment to protect her from her buzzing friends.听She also burns natural wood shavings to calm the bees down if听she鈥檚听in the hives听for a听longer听amount of time听than听normal.听Robinson uses a brush to gently guide the bees out from any tight spots or crevices to keep听the bees听safe听as she听carefully removes frames and places them on a rack to check the听honeycomb鈥檚听structure and听honey听production.听

鈥淵ou really count on every bee to help your hive survive,鈥澨齊obinson said. 鈥淪o,听it’s听a very gentle process.鈥�

Last year, one UofL hive produced about 12-pint jars of honey and grew enough to create a second hive.听

Robinson says there鈥檚听no negative aspect in harvesting the bees鈥� honey when done听properly.

Tending to the hives functions like a symbiotic relationship where the keeper protects the hives from pests, cold, moisture and hunger while harvesting honey for consumption. Seeing the hive thrive and overcome obstacles is as rewarding for Robinson as collecting honey.

鈥淪eeing how much everybody likes the honey is really cool. Not that I made it, but it feels like I helped at least jar it,鈥澨齊obinson said.听鈥淚t’s听cool to see the different tastes of what this honey is like compared to a different听hive’s听honey.鈥�

Supporting the Hive

Caring for bees听not only听ties Robinson to her community and family, but it also听fulfills a called duty to the environment and sustainability.听

鈥淭he responsibility as UofL鈥檚 beekeeping intern to me is to show kindness and consideration toward ecology, urban agriculture and every little pollinator that comes my way,鈥� Robinson said. 鈥淭o help our bees is an honor because I’m also helping our local and community gardens, wildlife and student outreach on sustainable, eco-friendly practices.鈥�

Honeybees are听an important听keystone species as pollinators听and听their success could听be directly tied听to the success of future generations. Keeping beehives helps secure a sustainable future and protects听an important听species from eradication. In trade, beekeepers can harvest honey and beeswax from hives听to use听for various purposes.

鈥淚t’s听just important for everybody to know that you can absolutely be a beekeeper wherever as long as you have a yard and some plants nearby,鈥澨齊obinson said.听鈥淵ou just have to know some pretty basic things about bees听and听how to use the equipment.鈥�

Justin Mog, assistant to the provost for sustainability听initiatives,听created the beekeeping internship to help connect student learning with sustainable agriculture and nature stewardship.听Mog works closely with Robinson to manage听the听hives and honey harvesting听at UofL.听The two also participate in programming on-and-off campus to better connect the Louisville community with honeybee conservation.

鈥淎nyone who cares about sustainability needs an intimate understanding of how nature works, and I find听there鈥檚听no better way to do that than to crack open a beehive and observe听what鈥檚听going on,鈥澨齅og said.听鈥淚 learn so much from my bees!鈥�

After graduation, Robinson hopes to continue beekeeping听either through听volunteering or keeping her own hives.听鈥淚 would love to have some beehives of my own one day as听kind of听a family tradition, help my dad still take care of his bees and hopefully get more involved with the听听

KSBA offers resources, workshops and programs to help create new beekeepers and share knowledge.

Interested in becoming听UofL鈥檚听next beekeeping intern? Contact听.

鈥淎bout 40,000 Americans die and 85,000 others are injured each year from firearm-related causes, and the incidence of firearm-related morbidity and mortality has increased over the past decade,鈥� Safeek said. 鈥淭his is a very important public health issue. My classmates, colleagues and I believe that physicians have a role in counseling patients related to their health and we have an opportunity through those interactions to help reduce the number of firearm-related deaths and injuries.鈥�

In September, Safeek and her colleagues wrote and presented a resolution that was adopted by the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) to support training in Kentucky鈥檚 medical schools to reduce firearm-related morbidity and mortality in their curriculum. She presented a similar resolution at the American Medical Association conference in November, which was adopted by the American Medical Association Medical Student Section.

The resolution calls for all future physicians to have training to counsel patients in safe firearm use and storage, to know how to screen patients for suicide risk and to learn trauma-related first response techniques.

At UofL, Safeek presented a curriculum plan she coauthored with faculty members Suzanne McGee, MD, and Charles Kodner, MD, and Susan Sawning, MSSW, to the School of Medicine鈥檚 成人直播al Program Committee, which voted to include it in the school鈥檚 curriculum beginning with the 2020-2021 academic year.

To jump-start the training effort, Safeek and other students and faculty have partnered with to organize a week-long series of optional events to educate UofL medical students, faculty and residents on firearm violence prevention, scheduled for February.

鈥淥ur hope is that more medical schools will incorporate this type of training into their programs and doctors will be able to help make a difference in this health crisis,鈥� Safeek said.

The team took down four other teams in the 5 Across finals, each with five minutes to pitch their big idea. That earned Pascal , plus the $500 earned for winning a preliminary round in February.

Pascal Tags is led by engineering student Brandon Young, and recent grad Haley Pfeiffer. The company is based on a that can help track inventory, which Young invented with UofL鈥檚 Dr. Thad Druffel.

鈥淭his prize money will help us get our pilot programs started faster and really accelerate our growth,鈥� Pfeiffer said. 鈥淭he competition also allowed us to gain some great connections and tell more people about our innovation.鈥澨�

She said Pascal hopes to begin its first pilot programs within the next three to six months. The team also is working to better understand their customers, and continuing its research and development.

The team worked with UofL to protect and commercialize the technology, and participated in UofL鈥檚 entrepreneurship training and the听NSF 听(I-Corps) site program听for translational research.听

Since then, they鈥檝e gone on to and Young competed .听

Pfeiffer also has recently been accepted into the听听at UofL, aimed at helping women and underrepresented entrepreneurs submit more competitive applications for SBIR and STTR grant funding.

“We are so excited to see the community supporting and believing in Pascal Tags,鈥� Pfeiffer said. “We can’t wait to see what the future holds.鈥澨�

Spiller鈥檚 essay on the topic won the Physician-in-Training/Student category in the eighth annual Richard Spear, MD, Memorial Essay Contest, sponsored by the Greater Louisville Medical Society. This year鈥檚 theme was: 鈥淲hat Drives you Crazy in Health Care?鈥�

In her essay, Spiller calls attention to discrimination shown by health care professionals toward patients with mental health disorders. Spiller opens her piece by describing a situation in which a woman arrives alone in an emergency room with incoherent speech and disheveled appearance, along with a history of drug abuse and mental illness. While the physician-narrator assumes her symptoms were due to drugs or mental illness, it turns out the woman is suffering from a stroke. The patient dies.

鈥淲hile our society is making its way to de-stigmatize the diagnosis of mental health disorders, we in the medical community have a long way to go in creating comprehensive medical care for those suffering from 鈥榠nvisible illness,鈥欌�� Spiller wrote.

For the winning essay, published in the , Spiller received a plaque and $750 award at the 2017 GLMS Presidents鈥� Celebration in May.

The awards are named for Richard Spear, a respected Louisville general surgeon who also served on the faculty of the UofL School of Medicine. When he died in 2007, Spear left GLMS a bequest to fund the annual essay contest. Spear wished to support high quality writing about the practice of medicine.