A Blog on McConnell Center Life

Arsh Haque By Arsh Haque, Class of 2015 Disgruntled with the isolated reality that college can be at times, friends and I have discussed how so little of it has outer impact. A string of numbers and fleeting relationships that only materialize into real value through the narrow roads of scholarships, grad school, and the job market. Abysmal as this may be – the alumni network provides an alternative. Not just a silver lining, but an expanse of opportunity from individuals once in our position who now inhabit the “real world.” On return from an internship in Guatemala this summer, I became fixated on two US-Latin American needs: language and culture. Guatemala is interested in English and American culture. The United States is interested in Spanish and Latin American culture. The two regions share complimentary interests and needs – but no mechanism to utilize the other. The response, as all too many arrive at, was clear: a non-profit. Unfortunately, although having some experienc...

(above) A picture Evan took in London By Evan Shepherd, Class of 2014 As students of the University of Louisville, McConnell Scholars, and members of numerous other organizations, we spend our week taking care of business and school work.  Every chance I get I step away from the seriousness that has become the life of an average college student to appreciate the little things. What do I appreciate today? America. I spent the fall semester in studying in London.  My time in Europe was unquestionably the best three months of my life. I had the opportunity to visit multiple European countries and see hundreds of amazing sites; more importantly, I have an infinite amount of stories to tell my hypothetical grandchildren (yeah, I’m going to be that Granddad). While I am sure that I could give you a detailed outline of how to navigate London nightlife too, I learned a much more important lesson: I love America. Are there despicable aspects of America? Of course, but that is...

Ben Whitlock By Ben Whitlock, Class of 2015 Each semester, we McConnell Scholars retreat to state parks; however, we never fully immerse ourselves in the wild.  To remedy this, the Scholar Adventure Team has traditionally camped with the illustrious Dr. Kleber or Mr. Cox… For whatever reason, this too has slowed to a near-stop.  Along with Senior McConnell Scholar, Adam Dahmer, a few Scholars – the truly adventurous – I have decided to retreat to the forested wilds of the Commonwealth. On Friday March 29, a small, but hardy, group of Scholars gathered to discuss the finer points of rustic, traditional, low-impact camping.  We discussed the 7 principles of Leave No Trace, a program supported by the Center for Outdoor Ethics in Boulder, CO. The 7 Principles are: 1.    Plan Ahead and Prepare 2.    Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces 3.    Dispose of Waste Properly 4.    Leave What you Find 5. ...

Travis Wilson By Travis Wilson, Class of 2016 So it’s over.  The most transformative year of my life thus far is at a close.  Frankly, though I try my best to realize its impact today, I probably will not grasp the full impact until much later in my life.  Having recently attended the McConnell Center Senior Dinner, I feel that the capstone has been placed on my year.  It served to put everything into perspective and signaled the nearing end of my academic work as a freshman.  While I cannot emulate the eloquence of fellow scholar Arsh Hague’s post reflecting on this event, I will try to capture some of my current thoughts that I am considering as I take a break from attempting to move everything in my apartment into my Honda Civic (a miracle which I still have some doubt as to whether it is possible to accomplish).   The first thing that comes to mind when reflecting on this year is the people that I have met and the memories that I have made w...

Connor Tracy By Connor Tracy, Class of 2016 Throughout life, everyone is faced with decisions. In a world filled with pressure to succeed, it is easy to become consumed with questions about the future. What career should I choose? Where should I live? Will I have enough money? Should I get married? Our minds are filled with questions like these everyday, of which the answers to them seem to be essential to moving forward in life. We are cautious to answer these questions because we feel that these answers will shape our lives and who we are. However it is my belief that this is not so. When making decisions, many factors come into play. Many times, our appetites for money, approval, and acceptance fuel this process. The pressures of society to be successful and live up to the standards of others force us to make choices that conform to this model. We feel that if we choose outside of these expectations we will be ostracized and alone. The end result, more times than not, is tha...

Kevin Grout By Kevin Grout, Class of 2016 This semester, I had the pleasure of taking Dr. Gregg’s Political Leadership class. It was by far the most challenging class I have ever taken, but I feel like it was also the most rewarding. In one semester we experienced thousands of years of political philosophy and quintessential leadership. We had so much to learn and experience, but it would have been impossible to experience it all. We took a sampling from some of the greatest minds in history.   We started by reading Plato’s Republic . Although we only read the majority of the text, we discussed the Ideal City and the true definition of Justice. When we learned about the Philosopher King, we began to understand what it meant to hold absolute power but only work for the betterment of others. These ideal men and women (this City has complete gender equality) were groomed and tested to be true and honest leaders. Everyone in this society would do their one job well, and the Cit...

Evan Shepherd By Evan Shepherd, Class of 2014 I recently attended an event hosted by the Center for Asian Democracy that focused on the continued and growing heterogeneity of the Chinese state. A heterogenous China sounds like an oxymoron; yet, this lecture focused on how the continued growth of NGOs has effected the Chinese state. The lecture focused on the interaction and transformation of the state and NGOs on four different levels.  The first level is the central Chinese government. The relationship between the central government and NGOs is one that is largely symbolic. To officially operate as a NGO in China, NGOs must receive a governmental sponsorship; subsequently, causing many NGOs to operate outside of official recognition. Those NGOs who are officially recognized by the state of China maintain a largely regulatory relationship that helps to legitimize NGO actions within the state. The second level was referred to as the municipal level of interaction. This level o...

David Foster Wallace By Paige Brewer, Class of 2015 Having been friends with Mary Rose Kennedy since the beginning of my freshman year, I was pretty familiar with author David Foster Wallace coming into the “This Is Water” seminar, named after one of his most famous works. None of Mary’s friends can miss the exuberance and affection she has for DFW’s writing and the man himself. I’m sure we can all think of an author whose writing has touched our lives on a deeper level than anything else we’ve read; a figure to whom we feel as close as a good friend, whom we admire more than our greatest mentor. In Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying , the main character kisses the faces of authors on the backs of books when finished with them. This deep affection for an author is one of the beauties of reading; it is a deeply personal experience, and you feel as though the writer is pouring out the secrets of his soul to you and only you. This experience is especially present in reading a work by DF...

Paige Brewer By Paige Brewer, Class of 2015 On March 25th, Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) visited the McConnell Center. During his public lecture, he venerated S.T.E.M. degrees (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) while off-handedly dismissing Social Sciences and Humanities, Philosophy in particular. Even more disappointing, some audience members even applauded. I completely disagree with his statement, and the following is my response to Senator Rubio. During my senior year of high school, I had several conversations with my parents about what subjects I would choose to study in college. “What about Philosophy?” I proposed during one of these conversations. Despite my limited knowledge of the field, I frequently heard names like Aristotle, Plato, Descartes and Nietzsche dropped in my favorite History and English classes. The way my professors and textbooks referred to them, they sounded like societal demigods. These great men provoked and defined entire schools of th...

Andrew Stewart By Andrew Stewart, Class of 2015 Marco Rubio came to speak with us, and I enjoyed it so much. Senator Rubio is what I think our country needs, and I really believe he is what the Republican party needs. I didn't realize the amount of experience Senator Rubio had in politics. He was in his state's House of Representatives and was Speaker of the House in the State of Florida as well. He advanced through the political ranks so quickly, and I think that says something about the effectiveness of his leadership style. He easily relates to people, and not just those of his own party. He isn't too old where people will say that he is out of touch, and even though he is young in his service at the Federal government level,he is still experienced enough to understand how the political system works. Being a minority, Senator Rubio is the perfect spokesman for the Latino community and is able to bring in a more diverse vote that the Republican Party lacked i...

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) By Sam Whittaker, Class of 2015 On March 6th, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) led a filibuster to delay the confirmation of President Obama’s CIA nominee John Brennan, a move that drew much public interest in the work of the United States’ upper legislative chamber. The filibuster, which lasted 13 hours, was meant to draw attention to the potential use of drone strikes against US citizens on US soil. Ultimately, Attorney General Eric Holder would give Sen. Paul what he asked for: A declaration that the executive branch would never use a drone strike against a US citizen of American soil, a declaration they had previously been unwilling to make. What I found most interesting in this case is the widespread support from the American public Sen. Paul received. On Twitter, the hashtag “#standwithRand” was the number one trending worldwide, liberal groups such as Code Pink, celebrities like Jon Stewart and John Cusack, and even an Al Jazeera TV personality all supp...

Samantha Roney By Samantha Roney, Class of 2015 As I sit here and think about the last month, I am continually reminded about the amazing Program and University I have chosen to associate myself with. In the last 30 days I have gotten to meet thirty bright young highschoolers at McConnell Scholar Interviews, travel to NYC to watch my Cardinals battle it out to be Big East Champs, converse with Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), learn from the Commanding General at Fort Knox Kentucky, and finally end the month with getting my Outdoor Awareness Certificate from Scholar Ben Whitlock. To say this month has been a crazy adventure would be putting it mildly! The opportunities the Center, as well as the University has provided me will forever boggle my  mind. We are on the move and I invite you to come and join us! The Center hosts a public lecture series every year and these lectures give all who attend the opportunity to experience what it means to be a McConnell Scholar. My second ...

Katie Cambron By Katie Cambron, Class of 2016 I find it difficult to believe that a year ago I was singing Vitamin C’s “Friends Forever” with the same friends I had made in kindergarten. At that moment, it was impossible to imagine drifting away from the people that had surrounded me for eighteen years. As I complete my freshman year of college, I realize that the impossible has become my reality.  Always confident in my independence and ability to meet people, I prematurely thought that moving to UofL would be an easy transition.   The stark reality was that no one from my high school made the journey with me. They were all hours away, together, and I was alone, a feeling that I had never experienced before. The first few months of school were difficult, as I struggled to find my place at the University.  Fortunately, the other McConnell scholars became my support system. It was through these friends that I began to truly experience college life and all of...

Natalie Smith By Natalie Smith, Class of 2016 In the first two chapters of Robert Penn Warren’s All the King’s Men, the reader is presented with the dynamic character of Willie Stark: a humble, redneck farmer who discovers that success in politics stems not from principles or ideals, but corruption and manipulation. At first, Willie remains idealistic despite the dishonesty that surrounds him in the political climate, but eventually he learns that in order to gain power, he must master the political game instead of attack it.   Willie’s naïve, idealistic attitude about politics shines through when he decides to run for governor the first time. Despite the nepotism, bribery, and blackmail that surround him in his county and state, he fails to recognize that though crooked, these acts allow his opponents to win. He is honest and unassuming, and he doesn’t even realize that he has been manipulated into running. Later, Willie prepares speeches full of facts and statistics in hi...

Taryn Cantrell By Taryn Cantrell, Class of 2016 At the close of my freshman year, I look back at the experiences I had over the past year and am so thankful for the amazing opportunities I have been given.  Most of these extraordinary opportunities were presented to me by the McConnell Center.  The most memorable experience of this past semester was meeting Senator Marco Rubio.  Not only was he extremely well spoken and personable, but his passion also radiated through each word he spoke. Senator Rubio is a remarkable politician, and I foresee him advancing his career by running for great positions of power.  Even though the McConnell Scholars identify with different political parties, Senator Rubio presented each of us with great lessons that we could apply to our lives.  Senator Rubio was such an inspiration, and I can only imagine the remarkable leaders I will have opportunity to meet in the future through the McConnell Center.  It's truly somethin...

Janna Imel By Janna Imel, Class of 2014 So far, my experience in Shanghai has been extraordinary!  Yesterday, our group took a tour of the Jade Buddha Temple and went to Fuxing Park. We played ultimate frisbee with our Chinese student guides in the park and gathered quite the crowd of people.  My favorite part of yesterday, though was what happened when Abeer and I went for a run. We are studying at Shanghai Jiaotong University and on our way to the cafeteria, Abeer and I noticed a track.  We decided to visit the track once our planned trips ended.  When we got to the track, I immediately noticed the university team playing soccer.  I wanted so badly to join in the game, but at first, I did not.  About an hour went by and more foreigners began showing up and joining the game. I finally became courageous enough to ask the coach if I could play.  He split us up into two teams: Foreigners v. Chinese students.  My team consisted of me, a F...

Victoria Allen By Victoria Allen, Class of 2016 As a self-proclaimed literary snob and bleeding heart liberal, I am indescribably finicky when it comes to my book selections. There is no challenge in reading your own opinions mirrored back at you in a book, not to mention it is counterproductive to what you should be gaining from any sort of read: new knowledge and perspective. However, my patience does have a limit, especially when it comes to reading and digesting things that I am in vehement disagreement with, which only serves to propagate my academic frustrations. This leaves me in a literary quandary, and the occasion where I can find a book that will not only challenge my thoughts and beliefs, but does not force me to achieve martyrdom in order to complete it is a rare one indeed.  I’m not exactly sure if the autobiography of Clarence Thomas, My Grandfather’s Son, fits this criterion, but my difficulty with Justice Thomas’ policy opinions is completely outweighed by ...

Philip Moore By Philip Moore, Class of 2016 Having completed my first year as a McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville, I am now at a point where I can reflect on my college experience.  During the past semester, I have been to North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia and Louisiana.  In North Carolina, I participated in the inaugural National College Youth in Government Assembly and served as a Supreme Court Justice in the judicial section of the conference.  I have learned a lot about moot court from this experience, and I am looking forward to continuing to continue serving as a Justice.   I went to New Orleans to watch the Sugar Bowl and ended up with fifth row tickets and had an incredible time watching the Cardinals dominate the game.  I felt extremely fortunate to be able to watch my school when the Sugar Bowl my freshman year, and just that win would have marked a very successful year in Cardinal Athletics. However, our success co...

Mary Elizabeth Young By Mary Elizabeth Young, Class of 2016 Forty-seven percent of public school teachers in the United States come from the bottom third of their graduating class ( Time Magazine ).  Eighty-nine percent of American students attend public school ( Time Magazine ).  From kindergarten to the twelfth grade, it is these men and women who are the primary educators for the preponderance of our youth.  For 13 years it is they who teach, train, and prepare our youth for a successful life within the United States.  History has shown us that in all likelihood, it is from this eighty-nine percent that a great majority of our countries future leaders will come.  So, in light of these statistics, should we be satisfied knowing that a substantial number of country’s future leaders are learning from those who never proved to possess much knowledge themselves?  Socrates would argue no.  In fact, he believes “we must choose decent and steady nat...

Jaymar Bonet By Jaymar Bonet, Class of 2014 With the Junior class having an upcoming trip to China, we have had seminars to learn about this country we will be entering. We are feeling numerous emotions right now. One thing that has been mentioned is that while in China, we will be treated very well. As foreigners, the Chinese want us to see their country in the best light possible and to enjoy ourselves. Things we do will be accepted even if not agreed with. We can "get away" with saying or doing things that, if the Chinese did them, they would be punished in some way for. Now, I am not saying that we are going over to China doing reckless things, I am saying that it is very strict over there. All of this made me think back to when Harry Wu came to the University of Louisville. He shared his story with us about how he was 20 years old and incarcerated. He was in  a laogai. "Lao" means forced to labor and "gai" means brainwashing; ...

Sarah Stovall By Sarah Stovall, Class of 2014 Every couple of months, the Oxford Dictionaries Online is updated to include new words, a process of formalizing elements that have already seen widespread informal adoption. These words typically reflect recent trends in popular culture. In a way, these additions into the common vocabulary, these new words we create to describe our surroundings and situations, reflect what the culture currently recognizes as significant in a unique way. Harry Wu understands the significance of this process and knows that nominal recognition can be a major step towards real understanding. In Mr. Wu’s case, he hopes that by putting a name to the human rights violations of the forced-labor prison camps in China, he will get one step closer to putting an end to them.  The word “laogai” is an abbreviation of the slogan belonging to China’s forced labor prison system, which translated means “reform through labor.” In the laogai sys...

Jaymar Bonet By Jaymar Bonet, Class of 2014 Dr. Vincent Boudreau, Director of Colin Powell Center for Policy Studies, came to the University of Louisville and gave a seminar entitled “Legacies of Contention in Southeast Asian Transitions: Some Lessons from the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar.” What caught my attention was  the Party List System. I found this interesting. This is where voters choose between parties instead of candidates. The point of this system in the Phillipines is to increase representation and democracy. Eligible parties should be sectoral groups or other cause iriented groups.  What made me really listen was that Dr. Boudreau related the system to the "kids' table at Thanksgiving." You feel good because you are at the table with a bunch of people but you are not really "important." Some say that the party-list system is being abused and that groups aren't really representing the poor. So, is this system ven wort...