He and his spouse Shelby live in the Los Angeles area where he is the Operations Officer for the Maritime Safety and Security Team, Los Angeles Long Beach. Ross oversees all training, deployments, and operations for a unit whose primary missions include Maritime Law Enforcement, Drug/Migrant Interdiction, Search and Rescue, and Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security.

Originally from San Diego, Ross joined the Coast Guard in 2015 and was stationed in Seattle for one year where he worked in base security and port operations. After attending Boatswain’s Mate “A” School, his next assignment took him to San Diego, where he served as a Non-compliant Vessel Pursuit Coxswain and Search and Rescue Coxswain. During this period, he was the small boat operator and person in charge during law enforcement, search and rescue, and migrant/drug interdiction cases on the maritime border of the United States and Mexico.

Following this assignment, Ross attended Officer Candidate School in 2018, and was assigned to New Orleans as the Deputy Enforcement Division Chief and Command Duty Officer, responsible for coordinating all law enforcement and search and rescue cases in Louisiana. From Louisiana, Ross moved to his current position in Los Angeles.

During his time in the Coast Guard, Ross has qualified as a Deployable Team Leader, Flood Response Team Leader, Counter Drug Boarding Officer, Command Duty Officer, Fisheries Boarding Officer, and Non-Compliant Vessel Pursuit Coxswain. He has traveled across the country for operations from Alaska to Puerto, as well as deploying 10 times in support of hurricane responses across the Gulf of Mexico.

His favorite Coast Guard memories come from periods when deployed for hurricane responses and mass rescue operations. He said hurricane deployments are especially rewarding because you are often, “on your own with minimal resources and you must find a way to rescue people with often no means of communication.”

During hurricane response in 2018, Ross and his team located an elderly care facility which had been without power for over 24 hours, had no communication, and their generators were about to kick off. The team was able to procure school busses and the team loaded 127 senior citizens and their life-sustaining equipment onto the busses and took them to safety.

Ross’Ěý awards and decorations include One Coast Guard Commendation Medal, Three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, Three Letters of Commendation, One Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, One Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Advanced Boat Forces Insignia, and various other team/unit awards.

­He started UofL’s Online Master of Science in Criminal Justice program in spring 2020 and is in his final semester. He said he chose UofL due to the university’s great reputation, and because a friend highly recommended UofL Online to him. As a UofL Online student, he has been able to continue his education while taking classes from five different states over the past three years.

He hopes to use his Master of Science in Criminal Justice degree to help compete for promotion to Lieutenant Commander, and then to use the skills he learned as he continues his career as a law enforcement supervisor.

Not only has UofL challenged him as a student, but he has become “a better leader and thinker.” Ross said he has enjoyed taking courses which pushed him outside of his comfort zone and challenged him to be a critical thinker, adding that the entire Criminal Justice Department is “tremendous.”

On Aug 4, 2022, UofL recognizes and celebrates the 232nd birthday of the U.S. Coast Guard and its precursors, the Revenue Marine, the Revenue Cutter Service, and the U.S. Life Saving Service.

Hopper’s nine-year Air Force career reads like an action-adventure movie.

He has deployed twice in support of Operation Inherent Resolve and once in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Resolute Support. He also has multiple deployments in the Pacific region, supporting U.S Special Operations Command training exchanges and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff exercises.

While stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Hopper was part of the team who conducted the Thailand Cave Rescue operation, successfully extracting 13 members of the Thai soccer team who had been trapped in the cave complex for 17 days.

During the Trump presidency, he was deployed on a mission detailed to a Counter-Terrorism Crisis Response Force for an operation supporting the Trump/Kim Jong Un summit in Hanoi.

Hopper’s most recent deployment was to Afghanistan in support of Operation Allies Refuge, where he was helping to evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghan nationals. Ěý

During his Air Force career, Hopper has earned several awards. He was named Air Combat Command’s Pararescue Airman of the Year in 2017 and the Air Force Special Warfare Pararescue Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year in 2019. For his role in the Thai Cave Rescue, he was awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

Hopper, a Louisville native, graduated from Trinity High School in 2003. As a long-time Cards fan, he enrolled at UofL as a Business Management major. He even walked on to UofL’s Track and Field team as a pole-vaulter. Hopper attributes his success as a special operator to his then-assistant coach on the Track and Field team, Doug Sharp.Ěý

Unfortunately having to depart before completing his degree, Hopper knew he always wanted to finish his degree with UofL. In 2020, when he heard about UofL’s B.S. OLL program, with its unique aspects for military members and that he could accomplish it fully online, he “knew he found the perfect program to accommodate his frequent moves with the Air Force.”

Hopper acknowledges CEHD staff members Amber Roberts, director of Undergraduate Student Success, and Chelsea Wicks, senior academic counselor, for providing him with support throughout the program.

“Their support will have been a big factor when I graduate with a degree,” he said.Ěý

Hopper plans to use his UofL degree to further his career in the military, or eventually even in his own business.

Hopper who is married with two children, said he can’t wait to get home from Afghanistan to “practice gymnastics and baseball with his kids, and Ěýto watch Louisville Cardinal Football … Go Cards!”

UofL honors Hopper’s service in the Air Force and is proud to recognize the 74^th birthday of the U.S. Air Force on September 18, 2021.

Story written by Kyle Hurwitz, UofL’s director of Military and Online Initiatives.

Cushing, who is assigned as the assistant professor of Military Science at Jackson State University’s Reserve Officer Training Corp program, came upon the scene of a three-car accident on January 14.ĚýHe directed two bystanders to help him free a man who was trapped in one of the vehicles. When they were initially unable to get the man free, Cushing used a fire extinguisher to bend the broken window so they could extract the man.

Once the man was free of the vehicle, Cushing used his Army medical training to assess the man’s injuries and determined the man had a significant head wound. Cushing directed one of the two men who helped him to keep pressure on the man’s head as Cushing went to check on drivers and passengers in the other vehicles involved in the accident.

At the second car, he found a woman whose arm and shoulder appeared to be hurt, though there no signs of major bleeding. Once he determined the woman’s injuries weren’t life threatening, Cushing went to check on the third vehicle, but the driver had apparently fled the scene.

When the Emergency Medical Technicians arrived, Cushing helped load the seriously injured driver into the ambulance. With the assistance of a police officer who had arrived on the scene, Cushing then searched the man’s car for his phone. He used the phone to call the injured man’s girlfriend to let her know what happened and what hospital the man was being taken to.

Cushing started in UofL’s Master of Arts in Higher łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Administration program as part of U.S. Army Cadet Command’s Master Educator Course. The course, a collaboration between UofL and U.S. Army Cadet Command’s, is a two semester experience, including a four-week instructor boot camp, focused on the knowledge and skills Army officers and senior non-commissioned officers need to be effective senior Reserve Office Training Corps (ROTC) instructors.Ěý

Upon completion of the Master Educator Course, soldiers earn 18 semester credit hours toward UofL’s Master of Arts in Higher łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Administration degree. The soldiers then have the opportunity to complete the remaining 18 semester credit hours in the program to earn their Master of Arts in Higher łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Administration degree.

Cushing is scheduled to graduate from UofL’s Master of Arts in Higher łÉČËÖ±˛Ą Administration program in May 2021.

Story written by Kyle Hurwitz, director of UofL’s Military and Online Initiatives.

Charlie Mitchell, a senior communications major from Florence, Kentucky, is one of UofL’s many U.S. Navy veteran students. Mitchell served as a personnel specialist in the Navy from January 2009 to November 2016. That service included three deployments aboard the USS George Washington (CVN73), which brought him to Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Guam, Australia and Malaysia.Ěý

In March 2011 when Japan was hit by an earthquake and subsequent tsunami, Mitchell was deployed to Japan to assist in the rescue and recovery efforts. For his efforts, he received the Humanitarian Service Medal. He would subsequently go on to be awarded three United States Navy Achievement medals while serving at the Navy Operational Support Center, Louisville. In 2016, Mitchell ended his Navy career due to ongoing health issues.Ěý

Mitchell, who grew up in Northern Kentucky, has always thought of UofL as a “great school,” and adds the family he married into are “huge supporters of UofL”. When he separated from the Navy, attending UofL was a natural fit.

Currently, Mitchell is employed at Kenway Distributors in Louisville, a business owned by his wife and father in-law. When he graduates, he plans on using his communications degree to help Kenway Distributors, which has been in business for almost 70 years.

The U.S. Navy traces its roots back to the early days of the American Revolution. On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established a naval force, hoping that a small fleet of privateers could attack British commerceĚýand offset British sea power.

Story written by Kyle Hurwitz, director of Military Initiatives and associate director of Online Military Student Programs.Ěý

Tarun worked with Dr. Jaimin Trivedi, an instructor of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery at the UofL School of Medicine, to figure outĚýhow to protect healthcare workers against COVID-19 in a clinical setting.

Williams spent his co-op in Owensboro with Kentucky BioProcessing (KBP), a U.S. subsidiary of British American Tobacco, working on a coronavirus vaccine.Ěý

Shah Tarun

Tarun, a Bangladesh native who first came to the U.S. in 2015, said he is using his co-op experience to further his professional development.Ěý

“I believe this experience will overall showcase my skillset within the HTM/biomedical profession and continue to show my determination on doing what is right for the community,” he said.Ěý

He found his work with Dr. Trivedi to be especially rewarding because of that community piece.Ěý

“It feels amazing to know that such a project can benefit PCP, ED, nurses, etc. It is even more amazing if you think that this project could help the common person too, making it commercialize-able for the community and providing the need for everyone if they so wish to,” Tarun said.

Tarun, who is scheduled to graduate in December, said he chose to attend UofL because of its diversity and friendliness toward international students.

“I felt very welcomed when I first came. Most of my peers and mentors were helpful and kind, and I learned a lot of new things in Louisville, specifically being part of the Cardinal family,” he said. “I just hope that I can benefit UofL in some way in the future.”Ěý

Tarun plans to stick around for now, with plans to enroll in UofL’s MEng program for Biomedical Engineering. He then hopes to go into the research field and “in the far future” apply for medical school. This co-op, he says, has well prepared him for whatever comes next.Ěý

“I feel like this experience made me better prepare for the worst outcome that could happen in the near future,” he said. “Overall, it made me hopeful that my mentor and I can provide the hope that our healthcare providers need in these dire circumstances.”

Dustin WilliamsĚý

Williams’ co-op work has helped lead to pre-clinical testing that is underway on the potential vaccine, using fast-growing tobacco plant technology.ĚýAccording to KBP, tobacco plants offer the potential for faster and safer vaccine development compared to conventional methods.ĚýIf testing goes well, the company is hopeful that between 1 and 3 million doses of the vaccine could be manufactured per week. KBP remains a commercial operation but its work around the COVID-19 vaccine project is carried out on a not-for-profit basis.

While Williams can’t talk about the specifics of his confidential work, he says he realizes the COVID-19 outbreak has created a unique opportunity for his professional growth.

“The cooperative education program is meant to give students some engineering work experience while they’re still in school, but this experience has also given me the opportunity to work on something truly important and impactful early in my career,” he said. “I’m sure that’s something many students worry about; struggling to find a meaningful path forward using their education.”

That’s a big part of the reason Williams decided to attend UofL. He wasn’t happy with his former career path and wanted to go back for a “difficult, useful major.”Ěý

“I’d heard that chemical engineering was pretty difficult, and UofL just so happened to have a good engineering school that was close to my hometown,” said Williams, a Bardstown native.Ěý

Williams has learned a great deal during his co-op, beyond chemistry, biology and chemical engineering curriculum.

“I’ve learned many skills and concepts that I wouldn’t have imagined learning. So my trajectory is a lot different than I expected, but I’m thankful to be here, and to be doing important work. I would also love to keep growing my skillset in this sector,” he said. “For me, this experience has helped me compartmentalize; to draw the line between free time and crunch time, to tell the difference between an opportunity to learn or innovate and something that just needs to get done.”

Williams credits his KBP colleagues for making him a part of the team and for the important work they are doing to find a COVID-19 vaccine.

“I’ve developed a deep appreciation for my relationships with my coworkers. During a time when many of us are struggling to fulfill those social needs in our lives, I cherish being able to come in and work alongside some of the brightest, most hardworking people I’ve ever known,” he said.Ěý

As for his post-graduate plans? He’d like to “stick around in the biopharmaceuticals industry.”Ěý

Stories written by Stuart Esrock, associate professor in the Department of Communications. Contributions from Alicia Kelso, OCM.Ěý

KRM is a nonprofit organization in Louisville dedicated to providing resettlement services to refugees through faith-and agency-based co-sponsorship in order to promote self-sufficiency and successful integration into the community.

As part of that internship, Werner worked as a Spanish ESL instructor for Cuban refugees and also did some interpretation work for her students. In the spring, when the pandemic accelerated, Werner had to leave the classroom and the face-to-face work she was doing with students, switching to other tasks that do not require direct contact.ĚýĚý

“I primarily conducted practice interviews for the citizenship test with refugees via telephone. I also utilized Spanish interpreting skills during the interviews. I worked remotely from my back porch. It was definitely an adjustment. I am grateful, however, that I was able to continue my work remotely, despite the crisis,” Werner said.

Werner, who is an honors student studying communication with a minor in Spanish, says the internship with Kentucky Refugee Ministries has greatly benefited her as she prepares for life after her May 2021 graduation.

“My Spanish speaking skills have improved and my interpersonal communication skills have been refined. As a Communications major and Spanish minor, I believe this internship has also aided me in seriously considering my career path,” she said. “I plan on entering the public relations and sales field, while also utilizing my Spanish speaking abilities. I am hoping medical interpreting, alongside medical sales will provide me with both aspects.”

It was UofL’s strong communication and foreign language departments that drew Werner to campus in the first place. As for this internship, beyond helping her developing a stronger professional skillset, it has also helped Werner develop soft skills and find a purpose.

“Every day I entered my ESL classroom or picked up the telephone to conduct an interview, I have been overwhelmed with joy. It has been a fulfilling opportunity to contribute to the needs of refugees,” she said. “My cultural awareness and overall perspective have been enhanced by my hardworking, humorous and resilient students.”

Story written by Stuart Esrock, associate professor in the Department of Communications. Contributions from Alicia Kelso, OCM.Ěý

Shortly after much of the nation began staying at home in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Minrath would see her mother, a doctor, return home exhausted after working long hours at the hospital. With the cancellation of the spring season, Minrath found herself with extra time on her hands, so she decided to put her talent to work.

“My mom said never has any of my artwork to hang, because I always do some sort of specialty thing,” said Minrath. “So, I thought I would make something for her to hang up in her office.” After drawing a picture of her mom, Sam shared it on social media and it took off from there.

Former UofL field hockey teammate, Maria Gomez,Ěýreached out from Madrid, Spain with a photo of her father, a pulmonologist.Ěý

“And then I did the hands, which a lot of people liked,” Minrath said. “It was my mom’s and my hands and I felt like this represented a lot and people could connect with this piece. After that I got a ton of feedback with people asking if I could draw something for them – from all over the world, which was really cool.”

What began as a way to, perhaps work through some of her own feelings of uncertainty, and create something special for her mom, turned into an avenue to connect with other people on a broader level. Minrath has continued to honor everyday heroes, many of whom represent her own UofL field hockey teammates’ families. The artwork, which can take up to four days to complete, has brought a sense of fulfillment.Ěý

“Through this, I’ve realized that it’s not just therapy for the person who is making it, but also for so other many people around,” said Minrath. “My mom put the hand piece on her Facebook page and she got so much feedback and a lot of people reposted it. So many people said that’s exactly how they feel. One person in particular related because she had COVID and couldn’t be with her daughter.ĚýIt’s just been really, really cool. Especially during this time when we can’t always connect face-to-face, so through art, people can connect.”

Some of her artwork was showcased on the Frazier Museum website page featuring Coronavirus Capsule Photos and Artwork. Visit that pageĚý.

During the 2019 season, GoCards.com featured the Louisville native and her plans to pursue a career in art therapy. Check out the featureĚý
Ěý

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 łÉČËÖ±˛Ą and Human Development (CEHD) this spring. Ěý

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.” Ěý

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.”

Graduating senior Emilie Cornett is one such student reflecting upon her own memories from the last five years.

“The relationships I am leaving with are priceless, and the experiences and opportunities have been too many to count,” said Cornett, who will be receiving her degree in both Spanish and Chemistry. “I have loved my experience at UofL, and I would do it over again if I could.”

Engineering students from Community Park’s third floor might recognize Cornett as their Resident Assistant, one of the highlights from her time at UofL.

“My desire to become an RA was due in part to how important it is to me that students have a safe, welcoming and healthy place to live and learn,” said Cornett. “What a privilege it was for me that UofL and Campus Housing trusted me to be living among these students and actively helping them make the best choices.

“RAs are some of campus’ first responders when it comes to assisting students in distress, directing them to available resources, and supporting them in the transition to college.”

Cornett has valued her role as one of these first responders; however, what’s most gratifying for her is the sense of community developed within Campus Housing.

“Campus Housing is one of the largest employers of students on campus at UofL. This means that when you start working for Campus Housing, you are no longer asked to do anything alone,” said Cornett. “As a student who was not just looking for a job, but a community of peers, this has been by far the most rewarding part.”

Outside of Campus Housing, Cornett has found a network of helpers at UofL.

“Since my freshman year, I have felt an overwhelming amount of support from my professors and advisors as they have helped me make sure I could accomplish all I had hoped to, challenged me to be a leader, encouraged me to take risks and written my letters of recommendation for medical school,” said Cornett.

While Cornett officially earns her degree and crosses the virtual finish line next week, she feels torn about leaving her time at UofL behind.Ěý

“One the one hand, I have great things to look forward to. On the other, I am leaving behind a very special place and many important people,” said Cornett. “I feel like I have been running a five-year marathon, and I am just now getting to catch my breath.”

As Cornett enters her future, her memories and achievements will only multiply. She is moving to Lexington in June and attending the University of Kentucky’s College of Medicine, hoping to eventually work with Spanish-speaking migrant workers and holding social justice at the core of her work.

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Russell and her fellow Louisville Law classmates returned from spring break to a drastically different landscape than the one they had left. All School of Law classes are being delivered remotely. Exams have been delivered virtually. The faculty voted to move to a pass/fail grading system. Graduation has been postponed.

And for Russell, the pandemic has meant something else: as a member of the Kentucky National Guard, she has been called to state active duty.

She explains that this means a unit is “called to do whatever the Commonwealth or the governor needs you to do.”

Russell, whose role with the National Guard has been as a paralegal specialist working with JAG attorneys, was called to pack and load boxes for the Dare to Care Food Bank. Some of her fellow soldiers worked the loading docks and sorted donations.

The nature of these tasks made the call for social distancing difficult, Russell acknowledges.

“I kind of just accepted that there was going to be an increased risk for myself and others,” she says, noting that supervisors took soldiers’ temperatures and checked for symptoms of COVID-19 twice a day and placed tape on the floor to encourage safe distancing.

And she acknowledges that other essential workers — including soldiers who are helping at hospitals or transporting patients —Ěýhave even more exposure.

During this mission, Russell didn’t attend her law school classes. She says her professors have been very supportive and flexible, as they have been about her role with the National Guard all during law school.Ěý

That support has been invaluable during a mentally and emotionally draining time, Russell says.

“This time is very stressful and there’s a lot of anxiety. Soldiers are not exempt from that,” she says.

And as a 3L during this pandemic, “there is always something to be worried about and grieving,” she says, noting the sadness over missing the end of the semester with classmates and uncertainty about the bar exam.Ěý

Russell, president of the School of Law’s American Constitution Society, had to return to the building to turn in her office key. While there in the empty building, she reflected on her law school experience. Law school wasn’t ending as she had planned, she realized, but in the midst of sadness, she was still confident her future would be bright.Ěý

“This has been a lesson in resilience and flexibility,” she says. “I’m optimistic for the future. That optimism just looks different now.”