President James Ramsey talks about some of UofL's accomplishments at the Charting Our Course campaign kickoff

Raising $750 million is no small task, but that's the goal the University of Louisville has set for its comprehensive fundraising campaign, "Charting Our Course: The Campaign for Kentucky's Premier Metropolitan Research University." University alumni, administrators, supporters, benefactors, and students recently helped launch the public part of the multi-year campaign. Since 1997, the university's impact on Louisville and on communities around Kentucky has increased significantly. Along with driving the region's economy, the university is engaged in many initiatives to improve citizens' quality of life, from helping five schools in west Louisville reach students and improve their educational attainment, to helping stroke patients in Owensboro and other cities via video robot. "An investment in the University of Louisville is an investment in the welfare of our community and state," Ramsey said. Read more.

UofL plays Southern Miss Dec. 21 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

The University of Louisville has accepted an invitation to play in the third annual Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Tues., Dec. 21, against long-time rival Southern Mississippi. First-year head coach Charlie Strong has guided the Cardinals to their 15th bowl game in program history. The game is set for 8 p.m. ET, that evening at Tropicana Field and will will be televised live nationally by ESPN.

"We are thrilled to be traveling to the Beef O'Brady's Bowl," said Vice President and Athletics Director Tom Jurich. "It's a great accomplishment to reach a bowl game in Charlie's first year here. He and our team have worked hard and done a terrific job getting us to this stage. I know our fans will be excited to follow this team to St. Petersburg. We have a very active alumni group in that area and many friends there from the competition we've had over the years." Read more including information on ticket and travel sales.

Dr. Ramsey awards two presidential medals annually.

University of Louisville President James Ramsey recently honored an individual and a community organization for their support of the university. Dr. Ramsey presented the University of Louisville Presidential Medal to Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and to the James Graham Brown Foundation. Both, are "great friends" of the university, Ramsey said, and have supported UofL as it works to "meet the public agenda as mandated in the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 - a mandate to improve the quality of life and economic opportunity for the people of our community and state." Read more...

Louisville Slugger has partnered with the University of Louisville Alumni Association in offering this one of a kind Red and Black UofL Alumni personalized Louisville Slugger. Proceeds help the UofL Alumni Association to benefit student scholarships and other alumni programs. Read more...

UofL annual pottery sale.

Members of the University of Louisville ceramics studio again will offer their wares at the annual ceramics sale, Dec. 10 and 11 in Room 136 of the Studio Arts Building. Items will range in price from $5 to $100 and will include some pieces fired in the ceramics program's wood kiln. Students built the kiln beside the Studio Arts Building last year, said Todd Burns, associate professor of fine arts. "The wood ash and flame promotes flashing that develops unique colors and textures," he explained. The sale traditionally includes bowls, vases, mugs, teapots, platters and other functional items, as well as art pieces. The Studio Arts Building is at the intersection of Floyd and Warnock streets, diagonally across from McDonald's restaurant. The sale will run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Dec. 10, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 11. Read more...

UofL President James Ramsey announcing construction plans for Nucleus.

University of Louisville officials and city and state dignitaries announced the hiring of the architecture firm and construction manager to begin construction of the first building in what will be a life sciences research park at the old downtown Louisville Haymarket property. Included in the program were Joe Steier, CEO, Signature HealthCARE; Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson; and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. Nucleus, an initiative of the University of Louisville Foundation, is overseeing the park's development. "Nucleus epitomizes what we're trying to do in Kentucky in terms of attracting and incubating biotech and life science discoveries and companies," said Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear. "Today is an important milestone." Read more..

TARC has announced that it will run a shuttle service from Belknap Campus to the KFC Yum! Center for men's and women's basketball games. The shuttle is free to UofL students and employees with a valid ID. The TARC #4 shuttle will pick up passengers at the bus shelter at Fourth and Brandeis streets by Louisville Hall. It will drop off passengers near the corner of Fourth and Main streets. The buses will run on their regular schedule, picking up passengers approximately every 12 minutes through tip-off of the basketball game. The return shuttle will pick up passengers at the corner of Fifth and Market streets every 45 minutes between 7:45 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. For more information on the #4 route, Read more.

Finding quiet time will help you cut down on holiday stress.

As the calendar year comes to an end and the holiday season is upon us, we have the opportunity to reflect on the many gifts we have received and to spend time with family and friends. While these are times for celebration and good relationships, these gatherings with family and friends and even busier schedules than normal can put a strain on our physical and mental health. Many of us think that if we could just figure out how to relate better to some family member, how to better manage our schedule — or shop smarter — then we could get through the coming weeks without holiday stress. Maybe so, but we also can help ourselves by following some simple practices. Read more...

Men's Soccer earn first college cup appearance.

With a goal in the final minute of regulation, the top ranked Louisville men's soccer team defeated UCLA 5-4 on a snowy, cold Saturday evening in Cardinal Park. The Cardinals improved to 19-0-3 on the season and advance to the program's first ever NCAA College Cup. A send-off party for the team is being held Tuesday, Dec. 7, at the KFC YUM! Center from 5-6:30 p.m. Autographs and free t-shirts to the first 500 kids. Read more.
College Cup ticket information and details may be found here.

St. Louis Cardinal Adam Wainwright



Louisville Bats manager Rick Sweet

Cy Young Award runner-up Adam Wainwright of the St. Louis Cardinals and Louisville Bats manager Rick Sweet will headline the 2011 Republic Bank University of Louisville Baseball Leadoff Dinner on Jan. 28, 2011, at 7 p.m. ET in the South Wing of the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Tickets for the event can be purchased for $50 each by calling (502) 852-0706 or by completing a registration form and emailing it to specialevents@louisville.edu. The deadline to register is Jan. 21, 2011. The annual dinner is the primary fund-raising event for the U of L baseball team. Read more...

UofL swimmer Michael Haefner

The University of Louisville swimmers posted five Olympic Trial times after they stayed in Columbus, Ohio for the USA Long Course Nationals after spending a grueling three days at the USA Short Course Nationals. Team members making the grade include Michael Haefner, Kameron Chastain, Kenneth Crapse, Krissie Brandenburg, and Aileen Cole. Read more...

Kyle Gann earned a first-place finish in the pole vault

The University of Louisville men's and women's track and field teams had seven individuals capture first-place finishes to open the 2010-11 indoor season at the Southern Illinois Fast Start Invitational in Carbondale, Ill. Khadija Abdullah and D'Ana McCarty dominated the field in their respective events. A Markham, Ill., native, Abdullah took first in the shot put with a distance of 55-07.75 (16.96 meters), an NCAA qualifying mark. McCarty, the defending two-time national champion in the weight throw, picked up where she left off from the past indoor season. She took first in the event, earning a qualifying mark with a toss of 72-10.50 (22.21 meters). Read more...