A Blog on McConnell Center Life

By Luke Taylor   At 2247 South Preston Street, Louisville KY 40217 lies one of Louisville’s most impactful institutions. It is no University of Louisville satellite building or historical structure. It is no formal performing arts venue or place of worship, but rather a singular link in a chain of local Latin-American restaurants: El Tarasco. It is a common preference for UofL registered student organizations’ percentage nights, basketball game nights, and birthday celebrations. I myself have celebrated both of my birthdays here since I have started college and is often a point of interest on my longer runs. While others may disagree, I am proud to say that I believe I have gained “regular” status at El Tarasco. As ridiculous as it may seem, I have always wanted to be a “regular,” a level of involvement in which as soon as I open my mouth to speak, the listener already knows what I am going to say. It never really mattered to me where this achievement was realized, but a “Seinfeld”...

By Robel Schwarz The clock's a taunt, the sun a thief, Stealing hours meant for grief, Or joy, or rest, a quiet space, Erased by work's relentless chase. A fire burns, a driven need, To plant a flag, to sow a seed Of excellence, a shining mark, Ignoring whispers in the dark. The body aches, the mind is frayed, But onward still, the price is paid In sleepless nights and hurried meals, For greatness that the vision feels. A gilded cage, this burning quest, Where passion turns to manifest A hunger that can never cease, Demanding more, denying peace. The summit calls, a distant gleam, A tantalizing, waking dream, But what's the worth, the victory won, If self is lost when day is done? So pause a breath, release the hold, Let other stories now unfold, For greatness blooms in balanced light, Not just in shadows of the night. Robel Schwarz is a McConnell Scholar at the University of Louisville in the class of 2027. He is studying computer science and political science. 

By Jillian Sarver   Every year around Thanksgiving, the McConnell Center hosts an event called “THINKsgiving,” where the scholars are encouraged to say a few words in front of their peers. There are not any specific requirements or regulations for what we are supposed to speak about; we are simply given the opportunity to say whatever is on our mind. My freshman year I gave a pretty surface-level speech, not desiring to spill my guts and heart to people I would have to face the next day. I have always struggled with open honesty, with expressing myself in spoken words, instead choosing to hide behind a paper and pencil, a haven for someone who is to cowardice to be real. When I sat down to write my speech this year, I felt compelled to go against all my basic instincts, to speak about what is true and what is me. Here is what I had to say... November 21, 2024 As winter draws near, I can feel its icy grasp start to take hold of my brain. With each passing season, my mind change...

By Kathleen Price I want you to close your eyes for a moment. Take yourself back to the age of four, five, or even six years old. Maybe you are just starting preschool or kindergarten, transitioning from half-day to full-day learning. You've sat through lessons, conquered four-square at recess, and to top it off, today's district-provided snack was a fan favorite- Goldfish. As you finish refueling from all your diligence, hustle, and struggle, you roll out your designated mat for an afternoon nap. While you may sometimes dread lying down, unable to stop thinking about what you could be doing instead, deep down, you know all is right in the world. Flash forward to the present- now that nap is all you can think about. For myself and many college students, the day begins at 8 A.M. and doesn’t stop until 9 P.M., sometimes even later. The schedule is relentless, packed with classes, meetings, Greek Life commitments, extracurriculars, advising appointments, office hours, internships,...

By Kara Beth Poe My legal name is Kara Elizabeth Poe, but I have always gone by Kara Beth. Besides that awkward time in middle school, I claimed Kara Beth sounded childish and like a little girl, and I wanted to be called Kara. I never realized until long, alone moments allowing myself to fully unload all of the loss I had experienced that it was because of my father dying that summer, and he always called me Kara Beth. I would spend most of my nights sitting in my bedroom, trying to learn how to deal with grief while listening to the video he left me. "Hey, Kara Beth, this is your daddy speaking..." I wanted to be anyone but her. My mother told me she had decided the first part of my name would be Kara when she was pregnant at the beach with me. I cannot remember the book she said she was reading, but she said the book kept saying "my Kara," she learned that "Kara" in Italian means to be seen as beloved, dear, and a friend. I also don't know where Eli...

By Seth Pinson   Last year I was conducting research for a political science class where I was tasked to focus on my hometown. I remember being home at the time and going down a rabbit hole about Simpson County, accidentally stumbling on the story of a man named George Dinning. I found a CNN article about George and subsequently found a book titled  A Shot in the Moonlight  by Ben Montgomery. In the horrors of the Jim Crow era, Simpson County had a story with a positive outcome. A former slave was defended in a court proceeding by a confederate veteran turned lawyer, becoming one of the first African-American men in America to win damages, as well as receiving a pardon from the Governor of Kentucky. Reading this book and recognizing landmarks ties me to the book, as this is not history as distant as some think. Sometimes I wonder why I have never heard this story until conducting independent research, and I wonder how many people knew about it. I have provided a small sum...

By Emilia Perez I think of lines that stood out to me from Wendell Berry’s 2004 novel Hannah Coulter. Though Hannah herself may be imaginary, she still has a realistic and humane character that I can look up to. “Love is what carries you, for it is always there, even in the dark, or most in the dark, but shining out at times like gold stitches in a piece of embroidery. Sometimes too I could see that love is a great room with a lot of doors, where we are invited to knock and come in. Though it contains all the world, the sun, moon, and stars, it is so small as to be also in our hearts. It is in the hearts of those who choose to come in. Some come in and stay, until they die, after the war. I am there with all the others, most of them gone but some who are still here, who gave me love and called forth love from me.” - Wendell Berry,  Hannah Coulter What do the rooms of your heart look like? I’m still young but the rooms in my heart have been decorated with mementos from those come an...

By Riley Maddox  Dear Eugene, I received you on a brisk fall afternoon. A week earlier, I had submitted a poem to my  local library's annual Halloween writing contest, not thinking anything of it. My freshman English teacher was offering extra credit for any student who submitted a piece, and the overachiever in me wanted to bump my 98 in his class to a possible 99. In homeroom, I carefully crafted a spooky-sounding poem, describing the protagonist walking through a neighborhood on an autumnal night. At the end of the day, it was a juvenile piece of work, but I wanted the extra points. When my name was called on the announcements a week later, I was in shock. “We are pleased to announce the 1st place winner of the Kenton County Library Halloween Writing Competition was one of our students. Riley Maddox, will you please come to the office to claim your prize!” I felt all eyes on me. I slowly rose out of my squeaky wooden desk and grabbed my backpack. My heart felt like it would...

By Tom Kurtz Pat Kelsey, the head coach of the Louisville Cardinals Mens basketball team has a maxim that he claims defines the culture of his program: “never delay gratitude”. In that same vein, I owe a profound statement of gratitude to Coach Kelsey and the players and staff of Louisville Basketball. I was fortunate to attend a high school with a vibrant athletic culture. The bonds I forged with my classmates were strengthened on the field and in the student section. Assignments seemed a little less monotonous when I had a Friday night football or basketball game to look forward to. The honor I felt in representing Owensboro Catholic in public was reinforced by the pride in our competition. When choosing a college, I knew that a culture like this was a must. But then I decided on the University of Louisville. While I was quickly swept up in the excitement of Coach Brohm’s thrilling debut football season, I dreaded the five-alarm fire that was UofL basketball. The once towering progra...

By Jacob Crowley  Coincidentally, the implementation of the White House’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico  coincided with my spring break trip to Canada. The tariffs were implemented on March 4, and a group of six college friends and I arrived in Canada on March 8. When we planned the trip almost five months ago, we had no idea that we would be arriving in the midst of historic tensions. In the four days that we were there, it became obvious to us that the tariffs were on the forefront of everyone’s minds. We chatted with a wide range of locals during our stay in Windsor, and each had strong opinions about the current situation. Upon hearing we were Americans, each of them felt compelled to give their opinion on the current tensions between our two countries. Pulling up to the Canadian Border on March 8, my friends and I made a few jokes to ourselves about how the guards might not let us in because of the tariffs. When it was our turn to pull up to the guard, we handed over our p...

 By Megan Crowley   As even the most casual readers of the McConnell Center blog have likely realized, the class of 2025’s time at the University of Louisville is rapidly expiring. It seems impossible, at this point, to approach anything in my life without reference to this essential fact. If I’m making plans with friends, I’d better make sure to solidify them before May. If I see advertisements for upcoming events, I figure I’ll wait to decide whether to attend until I decide where I’ll be after May. If I pass a new development, I wonder if I’ll be around to see it open its doors. And so on. My opinion on graduation, as it creeps closer, has become increasingly convoluted. I won’t, here, spend too much time lamenting my free time or relative lack of responsibility, nor will I articulate the features of post-grad life that actually excite me – the real complication that afflicts my perspective on graduation is a bit more abstract (though, admittedly, no more original) than the...

 By Allie Rose Phillips As graduation is fast approaching, I have been thinking about all that I have been able to do since coming to college: from serving as Student Body President and interning in Frankfort to eating new types of food and traveling out of the country. I have been given such new and exciting opportunities that I never could have imagined when stepping on this campus for the first time 4 years ago. Though I will leave this campus in just a couple months, I will forever be grateful for every memory I was able to make on this campus. As graduation is fast approaching, I have been thinking about all that I have missed out on since coming to college: from birthdays, anniversaries, and suppers to the first day of school for my little sister. Though I have been given such new and exciting opportunities that I never could have imagined when stepping on this campus for the first time 4 years ago, I have missed out on such important moments for my family. I will leave this ...

 By Joe Wilson Inside the McConnell Center’s seminar room stands a towering bookcase, its shelves filled with works of history, philosophy, political science, and literature. Etched into the wooden paneling are the words of President John Adams: “Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.” Dr. Gary Gregg, our program director, is fond of reminding students that Adams chose these words—and their order—with care. As we approach the big political, philosophical, and moral questions of our age, Adams implores we follow this order of operations. First, we must read the great minds who came before us, understanding how they perceived the world within their historical, social, and cultural contexts. Then, we must think critically about their arguments, measuring them against our own reasoning. Next, we engage in discussion, refining our ideas through dialogue. Only after this rigorous process may we choose to share our perspectives more broadly. Adams’ words underscore the intellectual...

 By Anna Williams My parents gave me my first book to read and annotate when I was four-years-old. After being the subject of several literary evaluations in pre-school, I was told that I was gifted in the subject of reading. My parents were delighted in my apparent gift and did everything they could to progress my distinguished skill. Hence, their encouragement to annotate my children’s books at Fifteen years of schooling in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky continued to foster this intellectual gift. Middle school English curriculum introduced me to the complexities of nonfiction prose pieces and how it deserves the same analytical attention that fiction receives. High school Advanced Placement English ignited my love for classical literature and how important the literary work of others from the past is. My professional and public writing track within my English major in college allowed me to have a platform to publish my writing pieces about my most intimate thoughts. Despite my immense s...