The University of Louisville’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute has received a pledge of $1 million from the Trager family to establish the Trager Micro-Forest Project, a scientific inquiry into the impact of intense urban greening on human health, economic vitality and the natural environment.

The Envirome Institute has secured a 30-year lease with Louisville Metro Government to use Founders Square as an outdoor laboratory to research innovative ideas in urban greening. Patrick Piuma, director of the Envirome Institute’s Urban Design Studio, will oversee a project to intensely plant Founders Square with native plant and tree species while creating an accessible, inviting and functional public space for anyone to enjoy. The project at Founders Square will build on the Envirome Institute’s groundbreaking work with the Green Heart Project, which is examining the scientific link between nature and human health.

“The Trager Micro-Forest Project is a transformative project connecting people with nature, starting in the heart of our city,” said Michael Trager-Kusman. “The members of our family are honored to support learning about the impact of scientifically planned and planted green spaces in the city we love.”

The project will provide an opportunity for UofL researchers in multiple disciplines to work with members of the community and other organizations to track and measure changes in human health and well-being and to study the project’s impact of biodiversity, micro-climates, economic development and public safety. The learning from this project can be used to inform the way city planners integrate nature into urban environments everywhere.

“This is an exceptional project for UofL’s Envirome Institute at the New Vision of Health Campus, and we are delighted to have the Trager family’s generous support as we embark on new fields of inquiry into the impact of the built environment on human health,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, interim president of UofL.

“The Envirome Institute is committed to the health and vitality of downtown Louisville, which is why we’re establishing our New Vision of Health Campus downtown at Fifth Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard,” said Aruni Bhatnagar, director of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute. “The Trager Micro-Forest Project is not simply a beautification project. It is a scientific project, which will be the first of its kind in our region of the country.”

“The Trager Micro-Forest Project and the Envirome Institute’s New Vision of Health campus are catalysts for positive momentum during this pivotal time for downtown Louisville. These initiatives complement our commitment to a sustainable future, a commitment that requires vision and action. We expect these initiatives will spur additional economic development in the area while adding well-planned and maintained green spaces that make our downtown area more attractive for those who live, work and visit there. Thank you to the Trager family for their support of the Envirome Institute’s innovative and forward-thinking project,” said Mayor Greg Fischer.

In the past, Louisville’s downtown was a vibrant hub of activity, from shopping and industry to entertainment and culture. The Trager Micro-Forest Project is intended to excite and engage the community while changing perceptions of downtown and promoting a greener and healthier city.

Initial work on the Trager Micro-Forest Project is already underway. Researchers are analyzing current park usage and taking air and surface temperature measurements in Founders Square and surrounding properties, and they have completed an inventory of the existing trees. This past summer, they used ground-penetrating radar to peer beneath the surface of Founders Square to identify any possible underground obstacles. Community members will be invited to participate in activities on site and provide input into the project over the next few months, with plantings to follow.

During the last week of July, extraordinarily intense rainfall led to flash floods across 13 counties in Eastern Kentucky, resulting in 39 deaths and massive property damage to homes, businesses and infrastructure. Chelsea Miceli, a program coordinator for the UofL Trager Institute and the Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic, alumna of the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science and resident of Whitley County, quickly found ways to help flood victims in Breathitt, Knott and Perry Counties, providing hot meals to residents, securing oxygen for displaced individuals, assisting national disaster relief organizations and more.

Now she is creating a sponsorship program to assist area children with clothing and supplies once they can go back to school.

UofL News talked to Miceli about her efforts, the support she has received and what needs still exist in the flooded communities.

UofL News: How have you been able to help those affected by the July flooding?

Chelsea Miceli: My work has varied greatly from day to day. I have assisted in coordinating hot meals to remote communities. I have prepared meals and delivered them door to door. I have taken up donations and delivered them to homes throughout Knott, Breathitt and Perry Counties. I helped find individuals to sponsor a Perry County High School football player who lost all his sports equipment. I worked with national disaster relief food organizations to create hubs for food pickup for those that still do not have access to roadways. I connected the shelters to resources to get oxygen for those staying in the shelters. I assisted in finding a location for a birthday party for a young girl that lost everything. I assisted in connecting affected individuals with showering and laundry services. The Trager Institute and Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic staff and I worked to coordinate services for the Deaf and Blind community that is being sheltered at Hindman Settlement School.

UofL News: What makes the work personal for you? 

Miceli: As a resident of Whitley County who has family members across Eastern Kentucky, I understand the value of Appalachia and the history surrounding the culture which makes these individuals and their families so strong. When the recent flooding disaster hit in Eastern Kentucky, I knew I could not sit idly and watch those that I have an obligation to serve suffer alone.

When a disaster of this magnitude takes place, it is an immediate call to help your neighbor. Given my connection to this region and these communities, this work is very personal to me as I understand the geographic remoteness of this area of our state. These communities already face structural and systemic inequities such as generational poverty and trauma, oppression and a lack of resources in rural areas, and this disaster will only exacerbate these challenges.

These are my people, the people that I want to serve, the people that I feel could most benefit from additional services, the people that I know need advocacy and the people I know that are appreciative of the simplest act of kindness.  

Living and working in this region, I know that the communities of Eastern Kentucky are tough and resilient people, yet we all need help from time to time. I have delivered supplies and food to homes where people have said, ‘I hate to take it if someone else could use it more than us.’ The culture of wanting to work for what you have and always lending a helping hand is something that is instilled in our communities from birth.  

UofL News: What specific skills and experiences have helped you in this work?

Miceli: As a recent graduate from the Kent School and now a Trager Institute and Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic employee, my educational and professional background has instilled in me the value of taking action. During my time in the MSSW program and as an intern, I learned the importance of trauma-informed care and the long-term implications that you can have on someone’s life through acknowledging what they endured.

Throughout my time helping in Eastern Kentucky, my main goal has been to offer dignity and worth to individuals who have lost everything. Taking the time to stop and hear their stories and let them know that someone is there for them and is working with them is the best service anyone can offer.  

UofL News: How has your position at UofL and hat connection been helpful?

Miceli: As a program coordinator with the Trager Institute and Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic, I develop and facilitate services, provide education, training and supervision to our student interns and facilitate collaboration and services with partnering sites across Eastern Kentucky for our projects funded by Health Resources & Services Administration grants. One of the core missions of these projects is to provide workforce development and services to rural communities across the state.  

The team has been instrumental to my flood relief work. I have reached out numerous times needing assistance in identifying contacts and resources to provide services to these individuals. Without hesitation, they connected me to individuals and organizations that could assist with high priority needs of the communities including oxygen, hearing aids and sign language interpreters.

The staff has gone above and beyond to help me serve these individuals, most of whom they will never see nor meet. Without their help I don’t know if my work in Eastern Kentucky would have been as fruitful.

Our partner sites across Eastern Kentucky have faced many challenges during this time as well, primarily Mountain Comprehensive Health Corporation. However, any time I picked up the phone and explained a need they were quick to act and put me in contact with individuals and resources to resolve the issue.  

UofL News: Tell us about your project to gather supplies for students as they go back to school.

Miceli: I am working to create an ‘Adopt-a-Student’ sponsorship program. We will ask sponsors to purchase a backpack, clothing essentials (e.g., socks, shoes, underwear and two outfits), along with basic school supplies to be distributed to students in Knott County when they are able to return to school. With so much uncertainty surrounding when school will begin, this gives us time to begin gathering items in hopes that as students return, they will not have to worry about having school clothes and supplies. Given the financial hardship the parents are already facing, between clean-up costs and restarting their lives, the goal is to relieve some of the burden on them as well. This program’s goal is to let the students and parents start this school year without additional stressors during this trying and difficult time.

An Amazon wish list has been created for school supplies for the students. To contribute to the Adopt-a-Student program, contact Miceli.

 “If you don’t have a home, if you don’t have a safe place to live, it impacts every single other aspect of your world.”  – Lauren Heberle, PhD, University of Louisville 

In November, voters in the city of Louisville will elect a new mayor and Metro Council. University of Louisville social scientist Lauren Heberle and the Metropolitan Housing Coalition, Louisville’s affordable housing advocacy group, are ready. 

MHC’s 2022 State of Metropolitan Housing Report, titled “Toward a Just Future in Uncertain Times,” was released in June. It is the latest annual MHC report written by Heberle, director of the University of Louisville Center for Environmental Policy & Management in the College of Arts & Sciences, along with graduate student researchers. 

Heberle has contributed to the report since 2006 and written it for more than a decade. Kelly Kinahan, a former UofL assistant professor in the Department of Urban and Public Affairs, was co-author since 2017. (Kinahan has since left the university.) 

The report, at 90 pages, is the longest and most comprehensive ever, designed to be the go-to document for newly elected Louisville leaders who need current information on housing.  

The MHC report is normally published in November, but its schedule was thrown off by the Covid-19 pandemic. That gave MHC and Heberle’s team the chance to “do a real deep dive” before the November election, she said. 

“If you don’t have it documented, it makes it harder to hold folks accountable or keep moving it forward, especially in something as complicated as housing,” Heberle said.  

The current report will serve as a road map for the new administration. It is jam-packed with tables, charts, maps and graphics used to help MHC and others advocate for housing changes in Louisville.  

UofL students also contribute mightily to the report, with several taking a lead on data analysis every year. Some are undergraduate students, some are graduate students. Some are sociology majors, while others are from urban and public affairs.  

This applied research is a “way of teaching them how to make sense and talk about the importance of research for policy change, for social change, for social justice,” Heberle said. 

 “Figuring out how to understand this complicated structure of funding and policy that comes down from the federal government and shapes how Louisville is able to function is a really important learning opportunity for our students,” she added. Students have used their experience working on the report to help them apply for jobs, she said. 

Tony Curtis, executive director of MHC, noted the many years Heberle has worked on the report. 

“Producing this report is not only important to drive the fair, accessible and affordable housing conversation in Louisville and making the best housing data and analysis available for policymakers, advocates, and the community, it is a research and educational tool that Lauren uses to teach her UofL students and give those students the opportunity to engage in research that has real community impact,” Curtis said. “This is the beauty of the State of Metropolitan Housing Report collaboration between MHC, Lauren and her team.” 

There have been some years that the report focused on research topics suggested by Heberle or her students, while other years the report is in response to a specific need or request that MHC has, such as preparing for upcoming legislation. 

“They’ve understood the value of working with students and have seen that work to their benefit over the years,” Heberle said of MHC, “and have been really supportive of our students in that work.” 

As director of the Center for Environmental Policy & Management in A&S, Heberle might have two or three graduate students working with her on the MHC report or another project each semester.  

Students bring different interests and talents to the project. “I’ve had folks come to the table saying, ‘I want to learn how to make better maps,’” she said, and they produced maps for the report. Additionally, she and her students often work closely with UofL’s Center for Geographic Information Sciences (GIS) and the Kentucky State Data Center. 

Learning how to obtain and report federal census data is a big part of compiling the report. Students learn how to put the information that is available — which fluctuates — into a form that MHC can use for its needs — which also fluctuates.  

“That’s a learning experience for students,” she said.  

Heberle also leads community engagement for the Superfund Research Center created at UofL about five years ago to support research on the cardiometabolic effects of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). As a social scientist, her focus is community engagement, or working with the public affected by the sites. UofL is one of several universities that conduct research or outreach on the sites across the United States. 

Our families, friends and neighbors in eastern Kentucky need our help. The recent devastating floods have caused significant loss of life and have left many people without homes and without food, water, clothing and other basic necessities.

UofL is coordinating several efforts to aid the residents of eastern Kentucky, and we’re asking our Cardinal family to help. The efforts include:

• UofL Health is providing $25,000 to the Red Cross for disaster relief and is sending supplies and support to the Mountain Comprehensive Health Corp., which operates nine primary care centers in Appalachia.
• The School of Dentistry is assisting the Mountain Comprehensive Care Clinic with treating patients with acute dental emergencies. The Dental School also is working with Delta Dental to send its mobile dental clinic to the area.
• The Kent School of Social Work and Family Science’s Center for Family and Community Wellbeing is collaborating with Volunteers of America to assemble donations through VOAmid.org/EasternKYFloodRelief and the Recovery Community Center in Manchester.
• The School of Medicine’s student body is asking for supplies (bottled water, hygiene products, household products, etc.) to be dropped off in the SOM Office of Student Affairs. Additionally, they are working closely with the KY Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) to assist with their “boots on the ground” activities to provide any support that they need.
• The Athletic Department is collecting water to be shipped to eastern Kentucky. Gallon jugs are particularly needed. Drop-off will be Thursday, Aug. 4, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium. The Admissions Office already has contributed 200 cases of bottled water.
• The men’s basketball team will participate in a Red Cross telethon Wednesday evening on WLKY-TV to raise funds for needed supplies. The telethon runs Tuesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
• Various schools and colleges also are sponsoring smaller drives and offering support to their students. Contact the individual schools for more information.

Monetary donations can be sent to the Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund. Donations also can be made to the Student Emergency Fund to aid UofL students who are affected by the flooding.

More than 170 UofL students hail from counties severely impacted by the flooding. UofL is making counseling services, emergency housing and other assistance available to these students and their families. Students should contact the Dean of Students Office at (502) 852-5787 or dos@louisville.edu for support. Students who call over the weekend or after hours should call the UofL Police Department at 502-852-6111, and you will be connected to an on-call staff member.

Decades ago, Vicki Hines-Martin pioneered an organization to bring together African American nurses in the local region. As a founder of the KYANNA Black Nurses Association of Louisville, Hines-Martin has dedicated her life to support other nurses of color and address health disparities in minority populations. UofL News reached out to Hines-Martin, the School of Nursing’s associate dean for the Office of Community Engagement and Diversity Inclusion, to talk about the history and importance of such organizations for both current and future nurses.

UofL News: When did the local National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) chapter begin?

Vicki Hines-Martin: The original KYANNA Black Nurses Association of Louisville started in 1986 as a local organization whose membership were interested black nurses in Jefferson County or southern Indiana. I was a faculty member at Jefferson Community College when we began. The current KYANNA Black Nurses Association of Louisville became an affiliate chapter of the National Black Nurses Association (NBNA) in 1994.

UofL News: Describe the climate at the time and the impetus for starting this organization.

Vicki Hines-Martin: As with many community settings and among health care, there was little focus on minority populations’ needs or an understanding of the importance of diversity within the health care industry. I frequently brought attention to these absences and the impact on health care outcomes. I was one of very few African Americans throughout college and during my early career as a clinician or educator. I felt isolated and wanted to know if others also felt that, so I invited AA nurses I knew to a meeting at my house and discussed their experiences and explored their interest in forming an organization to educate other nurses and provide mutual support. It grew from there over the years. I was the first president and other committed nurses followed.

UofL News: How has the KYANNA Black Nurses Association of Louisville supported nurses of color throughout the years?

Vicki Hines-Martin: We have always provided support through our annual conferences in the past and later through the more recent gala events. During those events, we provided professional development, recognized excellence among our membership and provided scholarships for nursing students who applied for funding to continue their education in nursing (from LPN through PhD). Over the years KYANNA has provide almost 50 scholarships.

UofL News: The National Black Nurses Association this year celebrates 50 years at the upcoming annual conference in Chicago, July 26 – 31. Several UofL nursing faculty and students will be in attendance. What does it mean for our students to be a part of this historic celebration?

Vicki Hines-Martin: I am certain that students will be excited to see and hear the history of black nurses and their contributions to the advancement of healthcare in the United States. Many nurses they have read about will be present and NBNA is noted for its welcoming and inclusive activities for all attendees, especially the students. This attitude lays a foundation for students to be attracted to membership in a professional organization that reflects their experiences and their future goals. They will have the opportunity to network and meet other students who will later become colleagues. Although they might not fully understand the historic nature of this year’s conference, over time it will be an experience they will reflect on and have greater appreciation for their involvement this event.

UofL News: What do you hope will be the future of the local NBNA chapter?

Vicki Hines-Martin: I am hopeful that the organization will continue to be active in the community, provide mutual support and recognition for nurses of color and to increase its ability to provide financial and mentoring support for future nurses and those who are advancing their educations. Through all these activities, KYANNA will continue to build a solid reputation as a professional organization that is one exemplar of the best in nursing.

UofL News: Anything else you’d like to share?

Vicki Hines-Martin: I’m very proud of the organization and although I won’t be able to attend the convention, it gives me great joy to know that UofL nursing faculty and our students will be a part of this historic event and will represent UofL, KYANNA, and myself as well as other nurses in our community very well.

A new event at the University of Louisville centered on building and strengthening relationships with local businesses.

UofL’s inaugural Black Business Summit was held April 28 in the Main Ballroom of the Student Activities Center. Hosted by UofL Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez, along with Louisville ambassadors and business leaders Alice Houston, Ira Salls, Junior Bridgeman, Darrell Griffith and new UofL men’s basketball coach Kenny Payne, the evening included cocktails and a dinner presentation on how locally-owned companies can build mutually beneficial relationships with the university. 

The Black Business Summit showcased how collaboration can support student success and build a talent pipeline to all Louisville businesses. Over 300 guests attended representing 120 businesses from all sectors and areas of the community.

During the evening, guests heard from the university’s top leadership including Gonzalez, Interim Senior Vice Provost Gail DePuy, Interim Athletic Director Josh Heird and Payne.

“One of our Cardinal Principles is diversity and inclusion and, as we add more events like the Black Business Summit, we continue to provide opportunities to exemplify that Cardinal Principle,” Gonzalez said. “The Black Business Summit was an opportunity for business owners, but it was an even bigger opportunity for us to see how we can partner and grow with our local community.”

In addition to the speakers, video messages were played throughout the evening from Houston, Salls and Bridgeman, who each shared stories about their personal connection with UofL and the importance of empowering students to become the next generation of business leaders.

The Black Business Summit also was an opportunity for the university to share the mission and vision of the new Center for Engaged Learnin, a resource designed to improve students’ educational experience while creating opportunities with our community businesses. These opportunities include internships, apprenticeships, research projects, community service and more.

“The success of this event proves how the community wants to grow its ties to UofL,” Griffith said. “I’m grateful to be involved in creating such a great event, and I’m excited to see how we can continue creating partnerships locally.”

UofL and the Department of Procurement Services are committed to engaging with the local community to increase awareness of potential opportunities for supplier diversity and develop mutually beneficial relationships with all businesses.

View additional photos. 

When Amy Sherald painted the cover portrait of Breonna Taylor for Vanity Fair magazine, she knew it was a work that needed to live beyond its September 2020 issue date – and she also knew she wanted it to contribute to causes of social justice.

The purchase of the painting by the Speed Art Museum and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture enabled her to do both.

On April 10, the University of Louisville announced that Sherald is donating $1 million to the university to fund the Brandeis Law School’s Breonna Taylor Legacy Fellowship and the Breonna Taylor Legacy Scholarship for undergraduates. The gift is the result of distributions from the trust Sherald established through the sale of the painting.

The announcement highlighted an impactful day of events that also included delivery of the law school’s first Breonna Taylor Lecture on Structural Inequality; the presentation to Sherald of the law school’s first-ever Darryl T. Owens Community Service Award; and the announcement that the Sherald portrait of Taylor is expected to “come home” to Louisville in 2023.

“Nothing can take away the injustice of Breonna Taylor’s death,” said UofL Interim Vice President for Community Engagement Douglas Craddock Jr., in announcing the gift. “But what we must do is create spaces where Breonna Taylor is remembered and where her legacy can inspire us to carry on the hard work of erasing inequality and divisiveness. Amy Sherald’s gift will have transformative power for the law school fellows and scholarship recipients who will benefit from her decision to use her artistic gift to help heal the corrosiveness of hatred and animosity.”

Members of Breonna Taylor’s family, including Taylor’s mother Tamika Palmer, were in attendance for the lecture and reception. The Taylor family attorney, Lonita Baker, also attended the day’s activities. An alumna of the Law School, Baker discussed the establishment of the lecture series and introduced Law School professor Laura McNeal, who presented the first Breonna Taylor Lecture in Structural Inequality.

To conclude the day’s activities, Sherald was recognized as the first recipient of the Brandeis Law School’s Darryl T. Owens Community Service Award, presented to someone who embraces and actively engages the principles of selfless advocacy and engagement with transformative social issues. Owens served as a Kentucky state representative for the district that includes Louisville from 2005 to 2018. He died in January at age 84. His longtime friend and colleague, Kentucky State Senator Gerald Neal presented the award to Sherald.

The Breonna Taylor Legacy Fellowship is open to law school students with 60 or more credit hours who secure a legal volunteer position over the summer with a social justice nonprofit organization or agency. Three fellowships supporting stipends of $9,000 will be awarded. Applicants also must demonstrate a commitment to social justice as evidenced by an application essay. The first fellowships will be awarded in summer 2023.

The Breonna Taylor Legacy Scholarship is open to undergraduate students at UofL who demonstrate a commitment to social justice as evidenced by an application essay, also. Up to four students will receive funding beginning with one student in fall 2023, two in 2024, three in 2025 and four in subsequent years. Each scholarship is $7,000.

The portrait – depicting Taylor in a flowing turquoise gown and projecting serenity, strength and regal beauty – is currently featured in the exhibition Reckoning: Protest. Defiance. Resilience at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington. The Speed Art Museum’s purchase was made possible by a grant from the Ford Foundation, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s purchase was made possible by a gift from Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg/The Hearthland Foundation.

The two foundations granted funding that allowed the two museums to each purchase 50% interest in the painting and enter into a co-ownership agreement. It was Sherald’s desire that the painting be co-owned by the two institutions.

The portrait is expected to return to Louisville for display at the Speed Art Museum in the spring of 2023.

Statement from Amy Sherald

“Rep. Owens was a lifelong public servant advocating on behalf of the Louisville community. It is in recognition of that same community that I seek to honor the memory of Breonna Taylor through my work.

“I have long held the belief of the transformative power of education and its ability to foster new conversations and accelerate societal growth. With support from the Hearthland Foundation and the Ford Foundation it has become possible for me to realize those beliefs. 

“I have created this trust to help unblock the challenges historically faced by students pursuing the work of social justice and public service while attending the University of Louisville.

“I am proud to partner with the university as we continue to increase the rate of access and advocacy within the Louisville community and across this country with the Brandeis Law School’s Breonna Taylor Legacy Fellowship and the Breonna Taylor Legacy Scholarship for undergraduates.”

Sherald, who was born in Columbus, Georgia, and now based in the New York City area, documents contemporary African American experience in the United States through arresting, otherworldly figurative paintings. Sherald engages with the history of photography and portraiture, inviting viewers to participate in a more complex debate about accepted notions of race and representation, and to situate Black heritage centrally in American art.

Sherald received her MFA in painting from Maryland Institute College of Art and BA in painting from Clark-Atlanta University. Sherald was the first woman and first African American to receive the grand prize in the 2016 Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition from the National Portrait Gallery in Washington; she also received the 2017 Anonymous Was A Woman award and the 2019 Smithsonian Ingenuity Award. In 2018, Sherald was selected by First Lady Michelle Obama to paint her portrait as an official commission for the National Portrait Gallery.

Sherald’s work is held in public collections such as the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Boston; the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Embassy of the United States, Dakar, Senegal; Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington; and Nasher Museum of Art, Durham, North Carolina.

A program aimed at addressing teacher shortages is the result of a partnership with UofL’s College of Education and Human Development and the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC), a consortium of 15 school districts in north central Kentucky. 

The OVEC Teacher Residency Program (OVEC-TRP) offers college graduates with a degree other than education the opportunity to earn a master’s degree and teaching certification in one year, in exchange for their commitment to teach in schools within participating districts. Reaching minority candidates to help diversify classrooms is a focus of the program.  

The initiative follows the success of the Louisville Teacher Residency program in partnership with Jefferson County Public School’s Division of Diversity, Equity, and Poverty, now in its second year. OVEC-TRP hopes to build the impact on schools in districts throughout the Ohio Valley Region.

“We are thankful for our partnership with Jefferson County and OVEC districts,” said Stefanie Wooten-Burnett, clinical assistant professor and Director of Multiple Pathways for Teacher Certification in the College of Education and Human Development. “We know our teacher residency model is effective in recruiting diverse teachers, and now we have the opportunity to implement the model in more schools throughout the region.”

Beginning this summer, 18 candidates will begin the OVEC-TRP program, funded in part through a grant from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. The grant will pay for half of a student’s graduate tuition, stipends for mentor teachers in OVEC schools, test preparation materials and payment for books and other materials. Districts determine salaries and additional support for program participants during their year of residency.

“Creating an inclusive environment in Kentucky classrooms is critical to building a diverse and culturally-competent workforce, and that starts with our educators,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson. “Increasing the number of teachers from underrepresented groups, as part of our work to eliminate disparities in education, will strengthen our communities and economy.”

The program is unique in its emphasis on the codesign of coursework to meet the needs of districts.

“We call them District Supported Learning classes,” said Wooten-Burnett. “We partner with district personnel to design content for coursework, so the curriculum is tailored specifically to their respective needs.”

Matching teacher-to-student demographics in rural schools is a task of increased focus and attention for administrators, particularly as teacher shortages are increasing nationally.

“Our goal from the beginning has been to remove barriers,” Wooten-Burnett said. “This is about recruiting and retaining minority candidates who want to work in schools with the goal of removing barriers to help them be successful as teachers.”

Aspiring engineers from underrepresented communities have a new path to a UofL degree.

Last fall, the J.B. Speed School of Engineering partnered with GE Appliances to develop a scholarship for pre-engineering students to pursue their studies in STEM. The GEA Scholars Program is designed for students whose dreams and aspirations centered on becoming an engineer, but who struggled to make that dream a reality because of a lack of opportunity. The program also strengthens the pipeline of minority engineering professionals.

“We know what a Speed School student looks like. You see the 75%, but what about the other 25%?” said Jonathan Hughes, director of admissions and community engagement. “If you look at engineering, that’s a lot when it comes to diversity.”

The GEA Scholars Program aims to redefine student success at the Speed School and what a scholarship means. The scholarship provides pre-engineering students who are taking pre-requisites in the College of Arts & Sciences with tuition assistance as well as tutoring and mentoring opportunities.

“GE is providing other capital that contributes to student success like mentorship, networking, and future career opportunities,” said Hughes. “There’s one thing giving people money, but what about that additional opportunity? There is talent everywhere, but few opportunities.”

With the strenuous workload that comes with following their academic endeavors to the fullest potential, both in the classrooms and through co-ops, GEA and UofL hope the Scholars Program will alleviate some of the hardship of having to work more hours to receive an education.

“This scholarship is not about equality but about equity,” said Hughes. “The scholarship combats the negative connotation of pre-engineering students and better prepares them for all the skills needed to succeed in their career path.”

The first recipient of the scholarship was Sarah Bogan, who received $10,000 – $5,000 per semester – to pursue her degree in civil engineering. As a first-year Speed School student and second-year UofL student, Bogan found a home in Speed School and plans to pursue a master’s degree in hopes of improving infrastructure after graduation. 

To apply for the GEA scholarship, click here.

A new clinical site in Shelbyville, Kentucky, makes it possible for the UofL School of Dentistry to further fulfill its mission of improving the oral health of Kentuckians. The dental practice, located in a business office park just south of U.S. 60 East/Midland Trail, provides close-to-home access for underserved populations in the area.    

The new site also gives dental students a community site near Louisville to learn alongside a full-time licensed dentist. School of Dentistry Interim Dean Margaret Hill says it is important for these future health care providers to grow their skills in a variety of settings outside the school.   

“As our students travel to other parts of Kentucky, they are maturing into culturally competent dental practitioners,” Hill said. “We build service into the educational experience, not just on a volunteer level but as a part of the curriculum,” Hill said.   

In recent years, the school opened a clinical rotation site in Paducah through a collaboration with West Kentucky Community and Technical College. UofL also sends students to Beverly, Kentucky, located in the eastern part of the state, to learn with a dentist at the Red Bird Dental Clinic.    

Pallavi Patil is an alumna of the School of Dentistry and the full-time dentist at UofL’s Shelbyville dental office. Patil says she looks forward to mentoring students and building relationships with patients.    

“I think it’s important to establish a good rapport and trust between doctor and patient. This helps patients feel comfortable and motivated throughout their comprehensive dental care,” she said.    

The new dental practice offers affordable dental care, and financial assistance may be available to those in need, thanks to the dental school’s Compassionate Care fund. This fund has helped numerous patients of the school pay for treatment. Donors to Compassionate Care include individuals and several organizations, including the Delta Dental of Kentucky Foundation. The foundation also has committed to help pay operating costs at the Shelbyville site over the next three years, making dental care even more economical for people in the region.    

The dental practice located at 77 Mack Walters Road is in close proximity to UofL Health – Shelbyville Hospital and other health care providers.   

Hill says in addition to serving new patients, the practice hopes to attract those who currently or previously traveled to the School of Dentistry for care.    

“For some of these folks, it’s very difficult to make a trip to downtown Louisville – so this will save them time and money,” she said. “It’s all about improving access to care.”  

View the Flickr photo gallery from the ribbon cutting event.