A Blog on McConnell Center Life

Joel Thomas By Joel Ben Thomas , Class of 2015 If you’re a student like myself, the stress of midterm exams and those not-so-far-off finals are enough to weigh just about anyone down. The stress can lead to some negativity, depending on whom you ask, but even in points of relaxation it’s difficult to find positivity. This is especially evident in our media today: negative presidential campaign adds plague commercial slots in between our favorite television shows, the devastation of Hurricane Sandy is still the main headline on almost every newspaper, and yes, we know, the Cincinnati Reds didn’t make it to the World Series. Clearly amidst all of the negativity floating around in the media today, sometimes it’s difficult to find the goodness of simple truths in life. Just because they’re rare doesn’t mean they’re not worth searching for, however. A good friend of mine shared this blog with me, and I think it’s worth sharing:  http://1000awesomethings.com This blog is dedi...

By Danielle Robinette , Class of 2015 "America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You've gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say, 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.' You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms.  Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free."* (Watch President Andrew Shepherd's Press Conference on Bob Rumson and the Crime Bill here.) What can you learn about the First Amendment?   That free speech is one of the most crucial aspects of freedom. Without the ...

By Sam Whittaker , Class of 2015 Many of the seminars this semester at the McConnell Center have focused on a “reTHINK” theme including “reTHINK Gender,” “reTHINK the Trail of Tears,” and “reTHINK the Two Party System.” As this will be my first year to be eligible to vote in a presidential election, I found myself particularly interested in the seminar on "re-thinking" the two party system led by University of Louisville Political Science Professor Dr. Laurie Rhodebeck . I had already been seriously questioning the candidates that the American two-party system selected for the nation to vote on this fall prior to Dr. Rhodebeck's seminar. As a Republican who had supported Ron Paul in the primary, I found myself alienated by the big military spending and social policy touted by Mitt Romney and the Republican mainstream, as well as the large government programs such as the Affordable Care Act (popularly known as ObamaCare) and the costly economic stimulus pac...

Meghan Waters with her VP Debate 2012 press credentials By Meghan Waters , Class of 2014 Last Thursday I had the privilege to travel to Centre College in Danville, KY, and witness firsthand the one and only Vice Presidential debate of the 2012 election. I attended the event as part of the press corps thanks to my internship with WAVE 3 TV this semester. Needless to say, I think that is the most traffic Danville has ever seen, not counting the Vice Presidential debate held there in 2000. As I was shuffling through the crowds and taking in the whole scene, I came upon an enormous statue of Abraham Lincoln that was recently erected in front of Centre’s library. The base of the statue bears this inscription: “I will study and be ready, then maybe the chance will come. –Abraham Lincoln.” First of all, let me just point out the obvious: what a great inspirational quotation to have right in front of the library–it’s like a mini pep talk from Mr. Lincoln himself every time you walk ...

Meeting CIA Director David Petraeus By Jaymar Bonet , Class of 2014 The McConnell Center has honestly changed my life. This may sounds cliché but I mean it with all that is in me. The McConnell Center has helped me personally grow and, consequently, altered me for the better. A 'Liberal Education'…When I first came to the Center I was worried about this. I felt like it was so broad and I did not know what to expect. Were we just going to read a bunch of books? Were we just going to listen to people speak? I was so unsure. What I am getting from the McConnell Center is magnificent. I have learned that a liberal education is a method to learning that empowers and inspires me. It has prepared me to deal with intricacy, diversity, and most importantly, change. I have changed, but for the better. I get a broad knowledge of things like culture and society, as well as in-depth knowledge in specific areas. One of the best things about the Center is that what we learn about ...

Scholars help organized donations at KRM. By Janna Imel , Class of 2014 Ten McConnell Scholars spent the evening of Sept. 20, 2012, volunteering for Kentucky Refugee Ministries' donation center. Scholars sorted and organized thousands of donations from the community, ultimately creating "pack-outs" for the refugees, which contain necessities for living (e.g. dishes, linens, toiletries). KRM receives massive amounts of donations each month, necessitating groups like the Scholars to come help organize. The group also built a series of shelves for KRM. The Scholars have now volunteered with KRM for three semesters. The Scholars truly enjoy the volunteer experience offered by KRM and look forward to volunteering more with them in the future. Danielle and Adam during at their comedic best. About KRM “ KRM is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing resettlement services to  refugees through faith- and agency-based co-sponsorship in order to promote s...