McConnell Center

09/30/2026

Victory under the lights! 🌟 The McConnell Scholars flag football team kicked off the season with a big win. Proud of our team’s energy, teamwork and Cardinal spirit! 🏈❤️

09/30/2026

Hey everyone! My name is Chelsea Gachagua, and I am a sophomore McConnell and Porter Scholar studying nursing with a minor in political science. Since graduating from the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, I have found a home in many corners of UofL. I serve as Academic Director for the Kentucky Alpha chapter of Pi Beta Phi, conduct research with the Envirome Institute, serve on Student Orientation Staff, and recently joined College Mentors for Kids. While each has shaped my time at Louisville, many of the opportunities and relationships I value most have grown from being a McConnell Scholar.

Coming from a STEM-focused high school, I entered college with a strong scientific foundation but felt I had lost touch with the liberal arts. I missed engaging with questions about politics and philosophy, so the McConnell Scholars Program felt like the perfect way to reconnect with that part of myself while continuing my passion for science and healthcare.

Since joining the program, McConnell has challenged me to think beyond my major, introduced me to books and ideas I may never have explored on my own, and connected me to opportunities across the university, including my research with the Envirome Institute. It has shown me that my interests in science, healthcare, and politics can complement one another rather than exist separately.

The McConnell center has also filled my college experience with unexpected memories, from learning to curl and ending up on the nightly news, to kayaking and exploring local coffee shops in Frankfort. More importantly, the scholars I entered the program with have become some of my best friends, and even my roommates! They challenge my thinking one moment and have me laughing the next.
I joined McConnell hoping for an education that extended beyond my major. I found that, but I also found research, mentors, unforgettable experiences, and friendships that have transformed my time at UofL.

If you are eligible to apply and have questions about my experience or the Center, please reach out to me at [email protected].

09/29/2026

The McConnell Center is proud to share that our 23 incredible U.S. Army soldiers and civilian employees have completed the Strategic Broadening Seminar (SBS). It has been a pleasure to host these outstanding individuals, and we hope they have enjoyed their experience! As they continue their professional careers, we look forward to seeing how they further apply the lessons of leadership, scholarship and service we hope to have instilled in them.

09/29/2026

In this week's "America's Autobiography" series, Dr. Nicholas Buccola examines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Letter from a Birmingham Jail, unpacking the letter's impact and legacy. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast platform: https://ow.ly/Q4lf50ZBYqW

09/28/2026

Next up on our Freshman Spotlight is Luke D'Alessandro! 📚

Luke is from Campbell County Kentucky, and a graduate of Bishop Brossart High School. There he was involved as the Student Council President, a Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Committee member, the National English Honors Society Vice President, a National Beta Club Officer, a National Honors Society Officer, a member of the Northern Kentucky Teen Court, and the National History Club. He was also the captain of the school’s soccer team. At UofL he is majoring in political science and minoring in finance.

09/25/2026

Hello everyone! My name is Jillian, and I am a senior McConnell Scholar studying political science and military science. I graduated from Elizabethtown High School in 2023.

As an undergraduate, I have been involved in Army ROTC and Delta Zeta. I have been an ROTC cadet since my freshman year and am on track to commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army after graduation. I have also had the opportunity to intern with the FBI as an Honors Intern in the Louisville Field Office and with the Indiana State Police. These experiences have helped me grow into a well-rounded professional, but nothing has shaped me more than my time as a McConnell Scholar.

The McConnell Center has given me a place where I can be myself, grow, and be as nerdy as my heart desires. I have always loved civic education and discussing philosophical ideas. As a kid, I had posters of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution hanging in my room, but I had never met people who shared those same passions until I came to the Center. The scholars and staff have embraced every part of who I am—even the weird parts—and have made me feel truly at home.
My favorite memories are the countless hours spent with the scholars who have become my best friends. The Center has given me roommates, lifelong friends, irreplaceable memories, and a “McFamily” that continually supports and loves me. I am also incredibly grateful for the Center’s staff, whose kindness, grace, and support have meant more to me than I can express.

From exploring Washington, D.C., with my class, to cozying up in pajamas in Mecosta, Michigan, writing poetry with older scholars, and laughing until I cried in Europe, these experiences have changed me for the better. I would not be who I am today—or have experienced so many incredible moments—without the McConnell Center.

That is where a McConnell Scholarship can take you.

If you are a high school junior or senior with questions about the program or application, please feel free to reach out to me! [email protected]

09/24/2026

This week in McConnell Center history, we're looking back at 2003 when U.S. Senator Elizabeth Dole joined the McConnell Center’s Distinguished Speakers Series. From private conversations to public lectures, McConnell Scholars have long had the unique opportunity to learn directly from some of the nation's most prominent leaders.

09/22/2026

This week in our "America's Autobiography" series, Dr. Susan Laehn delves into James Madison's "A Memorial and Remonstrance," a foundational text to American democracy. Watch on YouTube or listen on your preferred podcast platform: https://ow.ly/s1nB50ZBWnk

09/21/2026

We are pleased to co-sponsor this upcoming event with the Bluegrass Institute!

Freedom-forward Ideas for the Commonwealth of Kentucky

09/21/2026

Next up in our Freshman Spotlight series, we are introducing Cate Brown!🌟

Cate is from LaGrange, KY, where she attended South Oldham High School. Throughout high school, she served as Senior Class Historian, participated in Varsity Cheerleading, and was a member of Link Crew, Quill & Scroll Society, Kentucky Student Technology Leadership Program, and the Interscholastic Equestrian Association. Cate is also an alumna of the Governor’s Scholars Program and spent this past summer as a Field Organizer for a Kentucky General Assembly campaign. At UofL, Cate is a member of Delta Zeta and is studying political science.