Simmons-Chukalas was soon promoted from a car rental associate position to lead agent, eventually working in the corporate office. Her various roles led her across the country, where she directed training departments and airport operations in San Francisco, Atlanta and New Jersey. She stayed with the car rental company for nearly 29 years and made a name for herself in the industry.

������Գٳܲ�������,��Simmons-Chukalas left the car rental company for a role as vice president of learning and development at a company in Colorado.��

Though her professional career had taken off, not finishing her college degree remained a regret. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, however, her position was eliminated and��Simmons-Chukalas had the chance to rethink her course.��

“I think it was the perfect storm for me and I knew that the writing was on the wall … that it was time for me to go back to school. So I made the commitment that I was going to go back and finish. I just jumped into, once again, the deep end. I like to do that,” she said.

She searched for the best program to fit her needs and landed at UofL. Intentional and ambitious as ever, she had to get the Dean’s approval to take on the heavy course load needed to finish her B.S. in Organizational Leadership and Learning (OLL) in 1.5 years, which she did completely online. She’s graduating May 14 with a 4.0 GPA.��

“I wanted a program that was catered to adult learners. I knew that I wanted to get credit also for my life experience. So, I actually interviewed schools, just like I would if I was going to find a vendor to partner with in a corporate role,” said Simmons-Chukalas, “I spoke to��(a faculty member)��about UofL and he did a great job promoting the program and talking about the benefits of it. I really valued and appreciated that UofL is different in the sense that you can earn credits for work-life experience through your PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) and, at the same time, you don’t have to pay for those credits that you’re earning.”

The OLL department at UofL offers innovative programs at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. These programs educate professionals who focus on leadership, organization development, human resources, and workforce development in order to benefit individuals, organizations and society.��

Simmons-Chukalas expressed that her courses were extremely validating and affirmed the work that she’s been doing for so long. Obtaining a degree from UofL will provide the credibility and additional industry recognition needed as she continues to move forward in her career. It’s also setting a great example for her two kids��– her biggest motivation.

With her degree finally in hand, Simmons-Chukalas recently started her own consulting business and is working for a company where she builds programs to help underrepresented individuals grow professionally through mentorship and career development. Her long-term goal is to become a Chief Learning and Talent Officer.

“I love doing executive development programs, but I’m also very passionate about helping people who are underrepresented. So whether that’s people of color or women or the LGBTQ community … whomever that might be,” she said. “Those are big passions for me. I’m someone who came from very humble beginnings. I want to always be able to lift up and give a hand back to someone else going through that same experience because being successful in your career gives you the means to be able to provide for your family, and that’s probably the most rewarding thing that I’ve been able to do.”

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.” ��

Gaunt, a Pikeville, Kentucky, native, has completed three co-op rotations at Midea America Research Center where, among other tasks, he led projects including innovative new feature design and laboratory planning, applied CAD design, FMEA analysis and data management skills, and communicated with both local and Chinese teams to ensure project needs were met. He is currently employed at Midea as a part-time consumer appliance R&D engineer.

Phil Hombroek, his co-op supervisor, called Gaunt one of the best students he has ever worked with in 30 years of engineering.

“He demonstrates all the necessary attributes that are expected of a seasoned engineer and surpasses expectations by over-delivering on projects he worked on,” Hombroek said.��

Gaunt participated in the 2018 UofL International Service Learning Program in Cusco, Peru. During the trip, the students inventoried and mapped the irrigation systems for high altitude farming communities, said Thomas Rockaway, Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering.��

“Michael helped lead the assessment teams and coordinated the student work efforts,” he said. “Being fluent in Spanish, he was instrumental in integrating the students into the Peruvian community, making the trip a positive experience for all.”

Gaunt has been involved in several activities at UofL and the Louisville community including Engineers without Borders, Cardinals for the Appreciation of Musical Theatre and Singing Cardsmen.�� At Sojourn Community Church, Gaunt has been a “SojournKids” volunteer for events hosted by Student Government, Engage Lead Serve Board and Student Outreach Uniting Louisville.��

Story written by Holly Hinson.��

True, she is a bit disappointed to not be able to wear her commencement regalia to participate this month in a downtown commencement – “I was looking forward to throwing my hat” – but she has learned to take the long view. She just applied for what she hopes will be the next stage of her studies, a neuroscience doctorate.

Earlier in life and education, she had considered becoming a teacher but abandoned that for another passion, cooking, which led to 10 years as owner of a wholesale bakery. She sold that when she had their daughter, while her military husband, Mauricio, was stationed in Afghanistan on one of his five tours.

In 2012, a month before Isvara turned 1, Torres encountered some unexpected health issues. “Out of nowhere, I felt like someone hit me on the head with a bat.” she said. The diagnosis: bleeding in the brain (idiopathic bilateral subdural hematoma) with no apparent cause. Two surgeries later, she still couldn’t talk for months and then wrestled with stuttering. “It took a good six months to recover,” Torres said. “It was rough, really rough.”

Fast-forward a bit to her next food-related job, this time working in the lunchroom of Isvara’s school, Hawthorne Elementary. There she met another parent who was conducting a research study at the school about the relationship between learning and exercise. Intrigued, Torres volunteered to help.

The other mother, Daniela Terson de Paleville, was a faculty member in UofL’s College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development. The UofL graduate students working with her were doing “the coolest stuff,” as Torres put it. “I wanted ‘to be like them when I grew up’.” The encounter opened her eyes to the possibility of mapping out an unexpected educational path.

“I thought all exercise physiologists were coaches,” Torres said. The mind-body connection and the idea of self-empowerment resonated with her, especially in light of her own health issues and what she had learned through a long-standing yoga practice.

Terson de Paleville encouraged her to return to school and ultimately became her UofL mentor too, according to Torres. “She’s just been amazing,” Torres said. “When somebody sees that in you, you want to show it back to them.”

So, with that nudge and the help of veterans’ benefits, she enrolled as a graduate student, embarking on a tough first semester with initial trepidation, test anxiety and concerns about how she’d measure up.

“Once I started, I realized my brain was fine. My cognitive ability was not affected at all,” Torres said. Gratefully, she realized she would “need every brain cell available.”

She powered through intimidating technology and tools that hadn’t been a part of her early 1990s education. She carved out a regular study schedule that accommodated family life, arising at 3 a.m. daily to study before the rest of her household awoke.

Hers likely was a very different routine from those of the rest of her CEHD cohort, and she was a little concerned when she realized all of them were about half her age. But that worry evaporated.

“We all became really good friends. We were just people together going through the same thing,” Torres said. “It was great. They treated me with respect, and I treated them with respect. We had a wonderful, diverse group.”

The graduate hopes to continue researching ways people, even after injuries, can use aspects of their mind-body connections to improve and regulate their body functions and health conditions. “The autonomic nervous system is my jam,” Torres said.

“They are tools that have helped me,” she said. “It needs more good science behind it. I want to be a part of this.”

So, at graduation, what’s her advice for others who might be poised to shift their careers, further their education or just take whatever the next step might be? Torres herself needed to work it out by waiting until the time was right, when her daughter was a little older and her husband was stateside again. But the effort has been worth it.

“We don’t have any time to waste, so go for it,” Torres said.

One UofL graduate isn’t letting this unprecedented and nontraditional situation keep her from celebrating.

Bronwyn Garrett Hudson is no stranger to approaching life with resilience and determination.

Hudson began her journey at UofL in 1970 and, after facing struggles and successes throughout the following decades, will earn her bachelor of science in Organizational Leadership and Learning from the College of ����ֱ�� and Human Development (CEHD) this spring. ��

When Hudson began taking courses at UofL after graduating from duPont Manual High School, she strove to succeed, but found it difficult.

“When I entered college, it was like a whole new world for me,” Hudson said. “So, trying to stay focused was hard for me at the of age of 18.”

After taking college courses for almost two years, Hudson married and soon had two children, who became her primary focus. However, when she divorced her first husband, she had to steer herself in a new direction to support her family as a single mother.

Supporting others was nothing new for Hudson. When Hudson was in high school, she tutored deaf students instead of going to her own study hall, which allowed her to learn American Sign Language. This act of kindness helped her land her first job. She applied for a position with the Louisville Health Department and got it due to her experience with ASL. The job paved the way for her future, and she forged ahead.

Hudson was married and divorced a second time and gained a stepdaughter in addition to her first two children. During both of her marriages, Hudson attempted to go back to school to finish her degree, but balancing her work, family and course work remained challenging.

“Trying to finish school was very difficult because I was working a full-time job and often it would be over 40 hours a week,” Hudson said. “I had to take a break.” ��

But Hudson doesn’t seem to be the person who takes it easy. Her version of “taking a break,” meant more than two decades working at St. Joseph Children’s Home and Child Development Center, first as a teacher assistant in 1984, then as the director of the Child Development Center, where she retired in 2008. She also earned an associate’s degree in Early Childhood Development from Jefferson Community Technical College and served on Governor Beshear’s Early Childhood Advisory Council.

While serving on the governor’s council, Hudson was asked to speak in front of the education committee and the House of Representatives in Frankfort to share her classroom experiences and tell her fellow teachers’ stories from their own classrooms. Her presentation spurred the formation of Kentucky’s STARS program, which gives childcare teachers the opportunity to pursue an education and helps childcare centers provide quality childcare.

After all these accomplishments, she still wanted more – a bachelor’s degree. Hudson decided to return to UofL at the age of 65 to finally complete her college education. When she learned about , which offers free tuition to senior citizens, Hudson jumped at the opportunity.

Proving this was indeed her time, Hudson is graduating magna cum laude with a bachelor of science degree and the Resilience Award in Organizational Leadership and Learning, which is awarded to students who have faced struggles, but persevered to succeed.

Hudson is celebrating her 50-year journey to graduation with her family and a virtual ceremony with CEHD. Hudson aims to continue making a difference after earning her degree, saying she might even start a youth leadership program of her own.

While she isn’t exactly sure what her next step will be, Hudson knows one thing is for sure. “Now is my time,” she said. “It wasn’t my time back then, but now is my time.”

“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.”

Since December, Naran has been working full time as a computer systems analyst for Yum Brands, the Louisville-based global restaurant company that owns KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. He has interned for the company since his sophomore year, working on a number of projects such as the development of IT systems, financial systems and brand integrations. ��

He believes UofL has positioned him favorably for such a unique, hands-on opportunity.

“My curriculum was much tailored to today’s trends/needs in the CIS field, allowing for the skillsets learned to be immediately applied in my current role. The support and guidance of my professors and university staff really helped facilitate my steps in the corporate world,” he said. “Each of my professors went above and beyond to set me up for success.”

Not every student is so lucky to have an immediate tie to their major or a proven outcome so early in their careers. Naran believes that’s where UofL offers a bit of an advantage.

“Because of the partnerships that UofL has with major corporations like Yum, it allows for many opportunities even before you graduate. Without the chance to have an internship with Yum during my undergraduate studies, I would not be in the role I am today,” he said. “Many times companies hire talent within the company and invest in training them for the skillsets needed. In my case, this is exactly what happened. It was a right-person, right-time scenario.”

So far, he enjoys that scenario tremendously. Yum, he said, encourages a positive culture that includes a work/life balance (such as half-day Fridays), touts inclusivity and more.

“The fun company culture really sets them apart in retaining and developing strong talent,” he said.

Naran plans to stay in Louisville for now. He eventually wants to obtain a few professional certifications before completing his MBA. As he forges his career path, he will continue to pull motivation from his parents.

“My father only completed middle school and my mother only high school. They came to America to start a family with just a few dollars and no English knowledge,” Naran said. “Today, they’re well recognized within the real estate and hotel businesses and are self-made entrepreneurs. My parents’ work ethic and resilience to strive for better led them to where they are and they provided me with everything needed to go achieve something they never had the chance to do which is attend college.”

Naran’s ultimate career goal is to end up in the c-suite as a chief information officer for a Fortune 500 company.

“Stay tuned,” he said.

Of note, Yum Brands has been on the . In 2018, the company was ranked No. 472 with about $5.9 billion in revenues.��

So will her 54-year-old father, Darren Rinehart.��

“Graduating with my dad, that’s just the cherry on top of the sundae,” Julie said.��

Julie’s time on campus included a role with the UofL Marching Band. Once Darren enrolled in classes, he also joined the band.��

“We got questioned by quite a few people, but I think we both knew it was really awesome — too great of an opportunity to miss out on,” Julie said.��

Check out their story below:��

Basenge was born in Rwanda, but her parents fled to South Africa during the Rwandan genocide. They lived in South Africa under asylum and she came to the United States as a refugee in 2014.��

When Basenge enrolled at UofL, she became heavily involved in the Louisville community.��

“The University of Louisville gave me a place to belong,” Basenge said. “I’ve never felt like I’ve really belonged anywhere until I started school at the University of Louisville.”

Check out Basenge’s story in her own words below:��

When French was younger, she had to overcome her parents’ divorce, losing her house and mounting bills. By the time she was 17, French was already working a full-time job just to keep her family fed while attending school.

French’s confidence began to waver and college was the last thing on her mind. That is until she met a guidance counselor her senior year of high school. The counselor saw something in French and convinced her to apply to UofL. During her first semester at UofL, French found her calling in teaching after visiting a classroom as part of one of her courses.

“I knew that’s what I wanted to make my life to be” French said.

Now she’s student teaching at Portland Elementary School, relating to students from low-income families who are experiencing some of the same struggles Sarah did at their age.��

Check out more of her story:��