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...