A Blog on McConnell Center Life

 By Sawyer Depp   On October 6th, 2020, Campus Housing sent an email to all second-year students that they “adopted a second-year residential requirement,” citing that “ students who live on campus or with a nearby affiliated property achieve higher retention rates, perform better academically, and are more involved than students who live off campus.” This was a surprise to many of the students of UofL who had never been informed of this requirement. What were we to do? Amidst the battering of a pandemic, social injustice within our city, and obvious financial problems in our institution, we accepted it. But we will not consent to unsafe housing. When we chose to attend the University of Louisville, we were advertised about the safety of this institution. We were told of the “L Trail” and the “Rave Guardian” and the “Campus Escort.” We expected this level of protection when we attended this University, and undoubtedly, we expected this level of protection within our homes when...

 By Greta Noble  In 1970, 10 million people were diagnosed with smallpox. In 1978, not a single new case was diagnosed, and in 1980, the disease was eliminated. A collaborative global vaccination program led by the World Health Organization eradicated the infectious disease in less than a decade. The director of this massive initiative was a young doctor, Dr. John Noble - he was actually the director of the program. I will send you a copy of his obituary where they say his title. While Dr. Noble was my father’s father, I have trouble saying that he was my grandfather. He may have been ten years ago, but type 1 diabetes reduced the blood flow to his hippocampus, and vascular dementia erased me from his memory. A once brilliant physician would sit across the dinner table, introducing himself to his son as if for the first time.  Dr. John Noble accomplished an extraordinary amount over a career that lasted a lifetime. After academic success at Harvard and Columbia, Dr. Noble...

 By Emily Davis  I am in the process of applying for economics PhD Programs right now. This past summer, I spent a lot of time researching the schools I am applying to. I wanted to have my list finalized by the beginning of the semester so I could be ready to tackle applications as soon as possible. One night this summer, I was sitting in my apartment researching schools and writing a list of potentials. I got about fifteen schools on the list, and I had a realization that only one school on that list was less than a full day’s drive from home. I felt my stomach get cold. I think what I was feeling was genuine fear. I remember these thoughts crossing my mind: Is my ambition going to destroy me? Are my desire for knowledge and my intellectual curiosity going to lead me away from who and what I love? This fear was brought about by gratitude. I was afraid of being geographically separated from the people and places who have made my (almost) twenty-two years so wonderful, especial...

By Austin Dillon  It is no secret that the decline of the coal industry has created tumultuous economic conditions in Eastern Kentucky. Such conditions have prompted local officials to get creative in order to expand economic opportunities in the region. Unfortunately, this creativity seems to have stalled after finding the holy grail of dead-end development ideas: “adventure tourism,” or in layman’s terms, ATV trails.  Perhaps the most successful model of the ATV tourism industry is West Virginia’s over 700-mile Hatfield-McCoy Trail System.  While a 2020 economic impact report from Marshall University shows the trail system to generate a not insubstantial amount of revenue for the region, there are some other key data points from the study which place the trail system in context for broader discussions of regional economic development. The geography and economic makeup of the region encompassing the Hatfield-McCoy Trails is similar to that of Eastern Kentucky, therefore...

 By Laura Hinkle  Greg Rucka broke into the world of Wonder Woman in 2002 with his hit graphic novel, Wonder Woman: The Hiketeia , and its massive success led to his rehiring in 2003 as the regular series writer. Rucka's writing is genuine and sophisticated, with a focus on the political role Diana’s character plays both within the comic stories and in American culture.  Rucka can be understood as the definitive Wonder Woman writer because he embraced her political nature, explored the complexities of her moral philosophy, and wrote through a feminist lens that acknowledged Charles Marston’s feminist vision and empowered Diana in her role as a warrior goddess. Rucka brilliantly portrays Diana as an overtly political character through her role as Themyscira’s ambassador, where she becomes a hero and guardian for people around the world, lifting their voices and rescuing them from villains like Dr. Psycho. Although Diana is an ambassador with fame and prestige, she is still...

 By Alli Wade  22 has proved to be an interesting age. Growing up, I always imagined my 22 nd year of life to be exactly as Taylor Swift had promised me in her hit song– “happy, free, confused, and lonely in the best way.” This lyric is certainly holding its weight in many regards. As I am approach graduation and ponder where my next steps will carry me, I have been forced to engage in some deep self-reflection. I look at myself and see a girl as free as she has ever been. I see a young woman who is slowly discovering herself in her truest, most sincere form. Mostly, though, I see someone I already know. As I grow into the woman I am destined to be, I slowly see myself becoming the woman I know best– my mom. I’ve always been told I’m the spitting image of my mom. For years, I simply couldn’t see the resemblance. I emphatically urged people to notice the differences between us. I mean, we don’t even share the same eye color. There is no way we could resemble one another. The c...

 By Kieran Waigel  One of the best courses Speed School has to offer is Engineering 111. The course had a super simple premise, design and build a windmill. The entire windmill. Design and construct the blades, the stand, build an electromagnetic motor, design and 3D print a motor mount, then wire it all up to a control unit and write the code to measure the electricity. Fingers crossed at the end of it you had blades that spun and a light that turned on.  It was a course that forced you to see why you do something, even if it was on a small scale. Why do we care about accurate design drawings? Because when you only have enough time to make 2-3 reprints and you’re taking 6 other classes, you really want it to work the first time. Why do you have to learn how to write clean and legible code? Because your group partner who is up with you at midnight troubleshooting would really appreciate it if they can understand what on earth you were thinking. I vividly remember being f...

 By Will Randolph  T his summer, in preparation for our annual McConnell Scholar retreat, Dr. Gregg assigned us all Wendell Berry’s 1971 book on Red River Gorge, The Unforeseen Wilderness . Unfortunately, I could not attend the retreat this year—a sad beginning to my final year at the Center—but, because I so often find Berry’s work influential to my own way of thinking, I sat down and read the book over a couple days during the summer. As is typical when reading Berry’s work, it was a rewarding experience. In The Unforeseen Wilderness , Berry describes and defends the natural beauty of Red River Gorge in an attempt to save it from being destroyed by the construction of a dam on the Red River. In 1993, the dam project was abandoned and the Gorge remains one of Kentucky’s many prized natural treasures alongside Mammoth Cave and the Daniel Boone National Forest. Today, Berry’s testament to the Gorge endures as a moving celebration of natural beauty and a plea for mankind to bett...

 By Lauren Reuss   Special thank you to Mr. Connor Tracy (2016), for introducing me to this essay; to Mr. Eric Bush (2020), for leading insightful and heartfelt talks in MeCosta Circle all those years ago; to Mr. Sawyer Depp (2024), for your sense of humor; and for Mr. Shelby Disney (2025), for inspiring this blog. “And that is only one example out of a thousand, of the things in daily life we call dull that are not really so dull after all. And I am confident that there is no future for the modern world, unless it can understand that it has not merely to seek what is more and more exciting, but rather the yet more exciting business of discovering the excitement in things that are called dull. What we have to teach the young man of the future, is how to enjoy himself. Until he can enjoy himself, he will grow more and more tired of everything else.” (Chesterton, The Spice of Life ). It was a chilly Saturday morning as I grabbed my keys off the hook behind my door and bundled up...

 By Madelin Shelton  While Jane Austen is primarily known for her famous work Pride and Prejudice , I recently discovered, alongside some of my fellow McConnell Scholars, the treasure that is Emma . Emma is similar to Austen’s other works in that it takes place in regency England and consists of elements of romance, but romance is not the primary focus. The book is classic Jane Austen, but the story is distinct from her other novels. For one, Emma is a comedy. The beautiful and rich, yet arrogant, main character has no intention to marry (a scandalous position to hold for a woman of her time) but loves to play matchmaker. With this desire and her forceful personality, Emma Woodhouse is uniquely capable of placing herself and other characters in rather awkward situations. Indeed, it made the story entertaining and very comical. Austen herself was worried that no one else would like the main character. I even found myself being frustrated with her denial of reality and inability...

By Camryn McPherson   I came to college with the hope of finding lifelong friends, but the fear of never feeling at home. Twelve weeks into my first semester, I can confidently say that I have found a community that will support me for the rest of my life and a place that became home in moments. It all started when a friend told me Ignite campus ministry was “the most welcoming environment” she had experienced in college. This was a small moment in time that led to the next: my first worship night at the University of Louisville. Here, I met two guys who would, months later, turn out to be my best friends. I didn’t know it then, but moments were starting to add up. Ignite holds an event every Thursday called Freshman Dinner. Free food draws every college freshman in at first, but the community is what got me to stay. It was a place where I felt heard, understood, and valued. At my first freshman dinner, another moment struck. I met a girl who had a ring on her finger and began aski...

 By Logan Bibby   You know, for my first blog as a McConnell Scholar, I genuinely wanted to show all facets of my writing skills to utterly wow and amaze my peers, but after reflecting on what I originally wanted to write about—the intersection between language and upholding social institutions and how it affects Black Americans (maybe later)— I realized that I would much rather do something that reflected a different aspect of my personality. I have decided to take a break from the extreme amount of social commentary I have built up from my sociology, political science, and world religion courses and my pent up anger at the world common to those of Gen Z and talk about one of my absolute favorite people in the entire world: Gordon Ramsay.  Throughout my first few months of college, I have found myself relying on three things, excessive amounts of Mountain Dew, Twitter, and Gordon Ramsay, to get me through the day. All three have captivated me in one way or another, but ...

By Jack Moseley  Led through the mist,  By the milk-light of moon,  All that was lost, is revealed.  Our long bygone burdens, mere echoes of the spring,  But where have we come, and where shall we end?  If dreams can't come true, then why not pretend?  How the gentle wind,  Beckons through the leaves,  As autumn colors fall.  Into the Unknown, by Patrick McHale  As we return to the enigmatic realm of autumnal Kentucky, I am finding myself subconsciously drawn back to a vision of mystery; a moonlit visage of days gone by. Manning the helm of this voyage is a certain piece of media, one that has captivated my wandering mind ever since my first viewing: Over the Garden Wall . I will try my best to outline the story in a vague sense, focusing on the abstract notions of the work, while also avoiding direct spoilers for those who have yet to watch this masterpiece (and I highly recommend that you do).  At the time of writing, Over th...