A Blog on McConnell Center Life

Travis Wilson By Travis Wilson,  Class of 2016 The McConnell Scholars’ trip to the ancestral home of conservative thinker, Russell Kirk, ranks among the highlights of my semester.  Looking back and considering all of the complex, life-changing ideas that we had the opportunity to explore, I realize that I could write a book on their application and the changes they have inspired me to consider. Unfortunately, given the opportunity to publish a blog post rather than a full-length manifesto, discussing some of the small pleasures we enjoyed will have to suffice. Over that Labor Day weekend, I forget my phone charger in Louisville.  Dr. Gregg quickly proclaimed that this was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. Of course, I disagreed, noting the constant stream of emails and messages I felt I needed to manage. As often happens, the great Dr. Gregg’s wise counsel proved to be absolutely accurate (don’t let this go to your head)...

Hannah Elizabeth Wilson By Hannah Elizabeth Wilson , Class of 2017 “Rhythm and harmony most of all insinuate themselves into the inmost part of the soul and most vigorously lay hold of it in bringing grace with them; and they make a man graceful if he is correctly reared, if not, the opposite.” Upon delving into a semester long study of Plato’s classic work, The Republic, I discovered this profound claim about something I love very much: music.   Depending on where you are, while you read this blog you can likely hear the rumble of car engines, the hum of an air unit, or the dinging of fax machines and telephones.   The drone compels many to immerse themselves in music, arguably impairing long-term motivation and intellectual prosperity.   Though I have no disdain for those who stay “plugged in,” I do fear the consequences this behavior can have. Allan Bloom, author of The Closing of the American Mind , warns of these implications.   “Nothing is more...

By Diana Lalata , Class of 2017 I believe in Santa Claus. I believe in the power of Santa Claus to promote goodness in our everyday lives. I believe he knows “if we’ve been bad or good, so we should be good for goodness’ sake. ” Although it seems almost childish to be a big believer in this folkloric figure as a college student, surprisingly, coming to college truly strengthened my belief in the idea of Santa Claus. I came to college ecstatic to move into my dorm, despite the fact that my dorm room was also the equivalent to a jail cell: 15 feet by 15 feet, cinderblock walls, and a permanently locked window. I remember watching the two attractive fraternity guys carry my mini-fridge up to the third floor of my dorm while I sat back on the bench outside just taking in my surroundings: the sound of the stereo blaring 98.9 Louisville’s Top 40 Hits, the sight of the sparkling sand volleyball court just waiting for activity, and the smell marking the end of the summer and t...

By oSha Shireman, Class of 2014 oSha Shireman My internship at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence and my Anthropology coursework this semester have aligned in an interesting way. Throughout the semester, I have taken part in a course entitled, “Food and Body Politic” taught by Professor Jeneen Wiche, and one entitled, “Food and Farm Movements in the Americas” with Dr. Lisa Markowitz. One of the topics that I have focused on in my research this semester is the ways in which food and our access to certain foods shapes the overall culture of health in a community.  The Center for Nonprofit Excellence is one of the partners of the Greater Louisville Project: a civic, nonpartisan initiative that has catalyzed action by providing data that engages the community in a shared agenda for competitive long-term progress. The Greater Louisville Project evaluates the health of Louisville in comparison to 15 peer cities in an initiative called, “Building a Healthier Louisville”. Thi...

By Aaron Vance, Class of 2017 Aaron Vance Being in my first semester in the McConnell Center, I was very unaware of the presence of Dr. Barbara Perry. Never to disparage any of our lecturers, I was quite unaware of her connection to the Center, and everything that she would bring to her lecture and seminar. Needless to say though, it nicely characterizes my first semester in the McConnell Scholars Program. Her lecture on Rose Kennedy brought much insight into the world of the Kennedys, but her commentary on her own world, is where she really hit home. When talking afterwards she had said, “My Nana had a picture of Kennedy hanging in her living room.” Although there is an age difference, I was surprised to find this commonality between us, because my Nana kept her picture of Kennedy nestled between the pictures of her family.  This may not seem very monumental in any regards, but it did give me a glimpse of insight and allow me to relate to Dr. Perry across a different spe...

By Aaron Vance, Class of 2017 Aaron Vance Although we had forgotten to place a donut in the hand of the Thinker outside of Grawemeyer (as many previous classes of Scholars had done) our trip had just taken off without a hitch. No sooner had we found ourselves on I-64 bound to Frankfort, did Dr. Kleber look back to ask us who would be playing the part of Gov. William Goebel in our dramatic reenactment of his assassination. To say we didn’t know of the thespian that was Dr. John Kleber would be correct and in line with the other facts and treasures that you can find nestled in this Commonwealth or in her history books.  We would first arrive at the Kentucky Historical Society’s Museum and engage ourselves in the exhibits and history of Kentucky until we ventured down to the Old Capitol where the aforementioned reenactment was to occur. As we came up the path and past the statue of Goebel, an old interest was reignited as I recalled him from a personal study of Kentucky’s h...

By Victoria Allen, Class of 2016 Victoria Allen This summer I had the opportunity to spend a little time in our nation’s capital. I lived in the trendy area of Foggy Bottom, and I spent two and a half months living the dream by way of a fellowship with the Library of Congress. Although my time in DC was brief, it gave me one of the most important and poignant experiences of my life.  My stint in the District of Columbia was my first time spending a considerable amount of time outside of Kentucky, and it affirmed a sneaking suspicion I have been nurturing since I began college: I cannot leave Kentucky. Of course I am physically able to leave the state, and every once in a while I like to meander out of its borders to see the rest of the country and the world, but Kentucky is my home. This was a particularly shocking revelation to me; I had never considered myself a Kentuckian with the intent to remain so. When I became old enough to be cynical, I always figured that I woul...

By Travis Wilson , Class of 2016 Travis Wilson This year has, by far, been the most rewarding of my college career, primarily as a result of being involved with Helping Hands Serving Hearts, Inc.  Helping Hands was a project I had started several years ago in Northern Kentucky.  I had been assisting my Grandpa quite frequently with various projects around his home that he could not complete as easily or as safely as he could in the past; tasks such as washing windows, changing light bulbs, trimming tall trees, etc.   Seeing that he was certainly not the only senior citizen living independently, I realized that there was a distinct need in the community for non-medical senior care in the form of help with simple everyday projects.  Small projects that can be done in minutes by a younger, more able-bodied person become major concerns for those who are more advanced in age and spend a large amount of time in their home.  We hoped to alleviate some of the st...

By oSha Shireman , Class of 2014 oSha Shireman This semester I have been interning at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in downtown Louisville. I learned about this internship last year when I looked into graduate courses in the school of Public Administration; Kevin Connelly, the Executive Director of CNPE, taught several interesting courses on grant writing and nonprofit management. This interest led me to pursue opportunities with CNPE, where over 500 nonprofits in Greater Louisville come together. Kevin currently leads a staff of five, including my internship position, and together we seek to further the mission of CNPE:  “ Co-creating a vibrant, exemplary nonprofit community in Greater Louisville through collaboration, shared learning, advocacy, and the promotion of innovation and excellence.” During the course of my internship thus far, I have really enjoyed the learning events that the Center conducts. There are learning events surrounding the topics of  financi...

By Katie Cambron , Class of 2016 Katie Cambron Hi, my name is Katie, and I’m addicted to BuzzFeed.  This addiction seems to have spawned overnight and now consumes a large majority of my free time.  After reading a few shared articles on Facebook, I soon discovered the intellectual wit that BuzzFeed publishes.  I now have the app and admit that I check for updated stories as soon as a wakeup, during class breaks, and before bed.  The up and coming media giant is revolutionizing the way I spend my free time and keep up with current politics and events. As much as I hate to admit it, I watch the news much less than I should.  With classes, studying, and extra-curricular activities, there is little time to sit down to watch the evening news cast.  Besides, TV news casts are typically lack luster, hosted by monotone old men who deliver discouraging current events.  Don’t get me wrong, we should all be informed citizens, but many of my peers, i...

By Taryn Cantrell , Class of 2016 Taryn Cantrell This past week I had the opportunity to do something I have never done before.  Through the McConnell Scholar's Adopt a Platoon initiative, I wrote ten letters to soldiers serving in Afghanistan.  While writing these letters, I had time to do something that I haven't taken the time to do in months: reflect upon my life, it's greater purpose and meaning. As I began writing these letters, I started thinking about the great service these men and women provide to America, and how we, the American citizenry, do not show enough gratitude toward them for their bravery and courage.  These thoughts stemmed to my reflection on this past year. 2013 presented more challenges than I ever remember experiencing in one year, but I know these obstacles I faced were not of half the magnitude of those that others were presented, particularly those seen by the men and women fighting overseas for our freedom and safety. I immedia...

By Natalie Smith , Class of 2016 Natalie Smith I once read an article in which an interviewer asked several renowned and famous chefs what they would eat as their last meal if they were to die that day. Their answers were not what one would immediately suspect--not the elegant and expensive meals purchased in five-star restaurants, but foods like macaroni and cheese, a burger and fries, and meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The greatest chefs in the world would choose simple comfort food for their last meals on Earth.  Although a somewhat odd example, I think these chefs evidenced in their responses that the smallest joys of life are the ones that affect us the most, however far under the radar they pass at the time of their occurrence. It is in the most ordinary that the beauty of life unfurls itself.  It’s not only the small joys we observe, but also the small actions we take, that affect us. As a Catholic, I grew up familiar with the story of St. Therese of Lis...

By Kevin Grout , Class of 2016 Kevin Grout Beginning my second year at the University of Louisville brought with it excitement and a whole new set of challenges.  Courses increased in difficulty, I took on more responsibility on campus, and the McConnell Center pushed me intellectually through whole new challenges.  The ideas are powerful and conversations among Scholars expand what I learn to bounds I couldn’t imagine. Scholars have often written about the idea of the human imagination.  Thinkers like Kirk and Zamyatin expressed the uniqueness of the imagination and its effect on humanity.  Earlier this semester, I had the opportunity to attend a conference in Mecosta, Michigan, at the home of Russell Kirk.  During lectures and seminars, I heard Professor Vigen Gurorian expound on the wonders of the human imagination.  This essence, the animating feature unique to our species, is the human soul.  The morality inherent in all people is the...

By Connor Tracy , Class of 2016 Connor Tracy When you come from a small town where the outdoors, hard work, and strong bonds are valued, the transition to a big city can be a tough step to take. Things move a lot faster, your free time is no longer filled with working outside or relaxing in the shade, and people are far too busy to really get to know you. For me, this was the culture shock  I felt when I came to college. Although I love the University of Louisville, after a while I grew to miss the small town lifestyle. This is where Helping Hands Serving Hearts came in. I was presented with the opportunity to participate in the first service date for this organization. At first, I just saw it as another chance to do community service hours, but after we arrived at the elderly gentleman’s home, it became much more.   The man had some bushes that he wanted removed, but he was no longer physically capable of completing this task. As I began the process of digging th...

By Philip Moore , Class of 2016 Philip Moore As a strong believer in spirituality, I have questioned the place of religion in society and on the world stage. I have seen both the positives and negatives of a religion.  Religion is a driving force for service, selfless actions, and demonstrations for peace.  However, it also creates a conflicting nature among states.  I have always been bewildered by the use of religious fanaticism to manipulate secular states into conflict because often the means used contradict the core tenants of the religion.  History provides various examples of when religion was used as a motive for war.  For example, the Crusades serve as a strong example of how a leader manipulated religion to wage war to solve a political problem.  While I understand that cooperation is unfeasible with most international theory, I search for a path that allows for religion to be used as a method for international peace and stabilizatio...

By Mary Elizabeth Young , Class of 2016 Mary Elizabeth Young THINKsgiving–it sounds like a pretentious meeting of young college students too big for their britches. I certainly would have thought so. However, on Nov. 7, in a small gathering on the second floor of Ekstrom library, we did not gather to celebrate our own ideas. In this play on the American holiday of thanks, we, the, so-called “pretentious young college students” actually came to celebrate the influential ideas of others. While enjoying a feast of foods you would expect to find on your grandmother’s Thanksgiving table, between bites of savory turkey and warm pumpkin pie, we shared and discussed others’ ideas that have influenced us throughout the past year: ideas that fascinated us, intrigued us or simply confused us.   We shared thoughts, speeches or poems.  Some of us shared ideas of “the greats” such as Shakespeare or Plato while others of us shared the words of little known poets. Kevin treated u...

By Victoria Allen , Class of 2016 Victoria Allen Eleanor Roosevelt is one of the most iconic figures in American political history and cultural memory. Mrs. Roosevelt was not only the traveling face of the Roosevelt administration, but through her work as an ambassador, champion of equal rights, and First Lady she has become the quintessential representation of what it means to truly be a woman. Earlier this year the McConnell Center was lucky enough to host one of Mrs. Roosevelt’s official biographers, Robin Gerber, who gave a lecture on leadership, “The Eleanor Way.” There is much that has been written and said about Eleanor Roosevelt, but perhaps her greatest legacy is the timeless example she has left for women of all ages. Roosevelt was not born for leadership, nor to be particularly outspoken; instead she was thrust into the role and rose magnificently to the challenge. Eleanor Roosevelt’s life provides a beautiful illustration of what it means to embrace the unexpec...

By Arsh Haque , Class of 2015 Arsh Haque My first memory of Dr. Gregg was when he described an upcoming McConnell Center speaker. We were at our freshman orientation, and Lt. General Josiah Bunting was coming. Dr. Gregg described him as the kind of man who made him “sit up with better posture, and choose his words more carefully.” Even while saying this, Dr. Gregg's tempo slowed, and a stern but sincere look fell across his face. The message was simple: The role-model you choose expresses the vision of man you wish to pursue. Dr. Kleber is that vision for me. When he is around I change. I am quick to laugh. I love more easily and simply. I join the antics of fellow scholars (ahem, Adam Dahmer), rather than turn away. No, Dr. Kleber did not sit me down and tell me to do these things. He didn't have to. When he walks into a room, as he did for THINKSgiving, you can see the love and joy he carries. And seeing those values so wholly and purely expressed - it makes the ...

By oSha Shireman , Class of 2014 oSha Shireman I think back to the days of my first McConnell retreat in Bell County, beginning the year with our annual retreat and ending the year with Senior Dinner. I have participated in retreats all over our beautiful Commonwealth (Pine Mountain, Natural Bridge, Land between the Lakes, Cumberland Falls), and watched many dear friends graduate as McConnell Scholars. Last spring, while I sat in my chair listening to my McConnell Scholar mentor, Adam Dahmer, give his graduation speech, it finally dawned on me that I, too, may actually have to leave and graduate from the McConnell Scholars’ Program.  Now that I find myself in November, applying for post-undergraduate opportunities and considering job options, I reflect on the incredible role that the McConnell Center has played in my life during the last four years.  I reflect on meeting and having conversations with Vice President Joe Biden, Senator Scott Brown, House Speaker John B...