The Society of Porter Scholars is the largest African American scholarship organization at the University of Louisville. This scholarship was named after the former trustee, the late Woodford R. Porter. Mr. Porter was known for his dedication and strong advocacy for education in Jefferson County. Through its foundational four pillars: heritage, scholarship, leadership and service, the Society of Porter Scholars provides academic and social support to Porter Scholarship recipients.  It promotes interaction, enhances leadership opportunities and development, and encourages professional and/or graduate education for outstanding student residents of Kentucky.

WHO IS WOODFORD R. PORTER?

As a young man, Porter grew up in the west end of downtown Louisville where he experienced racial segregation firsthand. But he overcame adversity to become a leader in the city's civic, business and education communities. He owned A.D. Porter and Sons Funeral Home, one of the area's longest operating, privately held African American funeral homes.

As a young man, Porter grew up in the west end of downtown Louisville where he experienced racial segregation firsthand. But he overcame adversity to become a leader in the city's civic, business and education communities. He owned A.D. Porter and Sons Funeral Home, one of the area's longest operating, privately held African American funeral homes.

 HOW DID IT GET STARTED?

In 1980 the courts required HEW (now the Education Department) to obtain desegregation plans from eight additional states deemed to maintain vestiges of segregation in their states’ systems of higher education. Thus the Commonwealth of Kentucky became one of the Adams states, being found in violation of the law by maintaining vestiges of a segregated system of higher education.

On March 24, 1984, as a response to the Adams litigation and in compliance with Kentucky’s desegregation plan, the Assistant Vice President for Student Development wrote a memorandum containing a Minority Retention Plan and sent it to the Vice President of Student Affairs. The University of Louisville created a Minority Retention Plan to retain minority students at the University. As part of that plan, within its Trustee scholarship program, the Woodford R. Porter scholarship program was established to address the court’s mandate to ameliorate remnants of segregation throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s system of higher education.

To administer the "Minority Retention Plan" the University established the Retention Services Program. The Retention Services Program was renamed the Center for Academic Achievement lessening the marginalization of the students whom the plan was designed to retain. The Center for Academic Achievement (CAA) efforts were instituted in the Spring semester 1985.

The Woodford R. Porter Scholarship program and Society of Porter Scholars were developed in 1985. The Society of Porter Scholars was established as a support mechanism for the multi-racial scholarship which named for Woodford R. Porter who was the first African American President of the UofL Board of Trustees. The scholarship program began with 50 students who were selected by a selection committee.

Society of Porter Scholar Brochure (PDF)

The Society of Porter Scholars introduces PORTERPERKS!