Recent notification from Phi Beta Kappa has them advancing UofL to the next phase of approval for a local chapter. For more than 90 years, UofL has waited for this invitation to host the Phi Beta Kappa (PBK) Committee on Qualifications on campus and to share with the PBK assembly crucial information. Dean Blaine Hudson and members of the Arts & Sciences faculty are preparing the second-round application and planning for a Spring 2011 site visit. While UofL has offered students scholarly admission to many prestigious honorary societies (Golden Key, Phi Kappa Phi, etc.), the oldest and most well-known society, Phi Beta Kappa, has proved elusive...

Woody and Buzz are coming to Belknap Campus. UofL kicks off the "Cards Under the Stars" outdoor film series June 11 with a screening of the 1995 animated film "Toy Story" and a large play area for kids. The event is free and open to the public. Before the film, families may enjoy a range of free activities, including inflatables, activities, and music by local musician, Heidi Howe. Concessions will be sold, but people can bring coolers with food and non-alcoholic beverages ...

CPE President Robert King talks with UofL President James Ramsey (left).

President James Ramsey said he believes Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education members were "blown away" by the breadth of UofL's research, economic development and community engagement. CPE members were on campus May 20-21 as the university played host to a CPE meeting at the new, $143 million Clinical and Translational Research building. Ramsey and others gave several presentations to CPE members and took them on a tour of the university. ...

Dr. Steve Grant (left) congratulates new president Wally Oyler.

The UofL Alumni Association held its annual meeting and quarterly board of directors meeting June 3, 2010. Dr. Steve Grant ended his tenure as association president by congratulating incoming president Wally Oyler, who will serve a two-year term. The association honored Dr. Grant's board service in presenting him with a maple UofL alumni chair. Additional information found here.

Class of 1960 presents Dr. Ramsey with the largest class gift ever.

The Golden Alumni Society celebrated their new member induction ceremony recently during the overall Spring Commencement. The Class of 1960 marked the occasion by making the largest class gift ever: $3,912,647! Presented by representatives Dr. Charlie Oberst and the Hon. Romano Mazzoli. More than 300 graduates representing almost all of UofL's academic schools and colleges celebrated 50 years of being UofL alumni. Additional photos found here.

USGBC Kentucky Chapter Board Chair Cliff Ashburner presents the certificate to UofL President James Ramsey.

The University of Louisville took time May 25 to celebrate having the first research building in Kentucky to receive Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. UofL received word earlier this year that the the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a nonprofit agency based in Washington, D.C., that promotes sustainability in building design, construction and operation, had given Gold certification to UofL's new Clinical and Translational Research building...

The Gheens Science Hall and Rauch Planetarium at UofL kicks off its "Summer Under the Stars" programs June 12 with a celebration of astronomy that will feature two shows, a telescope workshop, activities for children and a drawing for a new telescope. The "Dawne Gee Star Tour," a narrated exploration of the night sky in Louisville will be unveiled during the event...

Ron Chilton's dedication to fitness has paid off. At age 74, Chilton has won more than 250 medals in the Senior Olympics since first competing in 1997. The "50 & Over Senior Games," held May 19th at the UofL Sports Complex, contributed another 10 Gold and a Silver to his record in most of the Track & Field events. In 2009, Chilton was the subject of the documentary film "Meeting the Challenge" which was shown during the Senior Games awards banquet. The film was an entry in the recent Derby City Film Festival. More about the Senior Games program can be found here

UofL will construct a new 14,000 square feet boathouse at Louisville's Waterfront Park, located on the banks of the Ohio River near downtown Louisville. The $2.65 million facility, which will be paid for through private donations, will be built by Koetter Construction. The building features locker rooms, offices, a deck which overlooks the Ohio River and the Louisville skyline, new riverside docks, and indoor training facilities with 40 ergometers (indoor rowing machines) and two 60 x 9 feet rowing tanks, which will contain nearly 25,000 gallons of water. It will be located just west of the Brown-Forman Amphitheatre on the riverfront. "It's a great day not only for our rowing program, but for young women athletes throughout the state of Kentucky as well," said Tom Jurich, UofL's Vice-President and Director of Athletics. "With 20 full scholarships awarded annually, rowing provides more financial aid opportunities for young women than any other NCAA sport while encouraging many walk-ons and novice rowers ...

University of Louisville junior Austen Childs took his history-making run to second-place nationally in the NCAA Singles Championship with a 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 quarterfinal win over Texas' Dimitar Kutrovsky at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. The 19th ranked Childs (Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand) won the first set 6-4. Tenth-ranked Kutrovski battled back for a 7-5 second set victory before Childs closed the match with a 6-3 decision in the third set...

University of Louisville junior Matt Hughes set the tone for the Cardinals on the final day of competition at the 2010 NCAA East Regional Track and Field Meet hosted by North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. Hughes, a junior from Oshawa, Ont., broke the school-record in the men's 3,000m steeplechase with a time of 8:34.87 to place first out of 47 competitors. That time is the fastest in the NCAA this season. Hughes has been near the top of the NCAA in the event all season and will travel to Eugene, Ore. to compete for the NCAA National Championship June 9-12 ...