In memoriam: Dr. Paul J. Weber

Dr. Paul J. Weber joined the University of Louisville faculty in 1976 and was the founding director of the McConnell Center, a position he held from 1991 to 2000. The McConnell Center's Weber Lounge, a study space for McConnell Scholars, is named in his honor.

Dr. Weber taught undergraduate and graduate courses in judicial process, constitutional and administrative law, religion and politics, political leadership and US government at UofL for more than 30 years. He also mentored hundreds of pre-law students and dozens of McConnell Scholars during his tenure.

He was known for his breadth of leadership roles while at UofL, where he served as political science chair as well as the executive director of the Grawemeyer Awards. In addition, he was also the first McConnell Center Senior Fellow.

Dr. Weber published six books in his lifetime, alongside dozens of academic manuscripts. He was well-known for co-authoring articles and books with his undergraduate and graduate students.

He was the winner of many prestigious awards, including the Grawemeyer Instructional Development Award (1984) and the Trustees Award (1990). In December 2005, Dr. Weber was awarded the Minerva Award, UofL's highest honor. 

His legacy lives on at the university in the form of the Paul Weber Award for Departmental Excellence in Teaching, which recognizes outstanding departmental teaching or curriculum design at UofL. There is also an award in his name, the Paul J. Weber Fellowship for Mentoring Excellence, which provides graduate scholarships in law or public policy for students who demonstrate a strong commitment to mentoring. Dr. David Buckley holds the Paul Weber Endowed Chair in Politics, Science & Religion at the University of Louisville.