The 2020 Pavilion with a blanket of snow.
The 2020 Pavilion on Belknap Campus with a blanket of snow.

UofL continues to soar to new heights with its groundbreaking research and record-breaking achievements. Take a look back at top highlights and accomplishments that propelled our university forward this year.

  • Helping paralyzed children take steps

Children with complete paralysis due to spinal cord injuries gained the ability to take steps through an innovative external electrical stimulation technique at UofL’s Kosair for Kids Center for Pediatric NeuroRecovery. Through the clinical study, UofL researchers provided combination therapy to five children, ages 7-12, which led to all five of the children taking steps on their own and experiencing improvements in their quality of life. The research is changing the way the medical community understands spinal cord injuries and paving the way for more groundbreaking research. 

  • Developing the next generation of clinical researchers

UofL secured $24 million to train clinical researchers and propel work that can save and improve lives. The funding helped launch the Louisville Clinical and Translational Research Center, a statewide effort dedicated to accelerating research to improve the health of the community by finding meaningful solutions to chronic conditions like cardiac disease, stroke and cancer. 

  • Building the future

Students gained a new state-of-the-art building with classrooms, labs, conference rooms and a makerspace to learn in with the opening of the J.B. Speed School of Engineering’s Student Success and Research Building. The building will prepare engineering students with hands-on instruction and industry experience, providing infrastructure that prepares the next generation of engineering leaders across the increasingly technology-focused workforce. 

  • Puppy love 

One of the most beloved additions to UofL in 2025 is Lily, University of Louisville Police Department’s new certified Crisis Response/Therapy K9, or as we call her – a comfort dog. With fluffy ears and a wagging tail, Lily was brought on board with ULPD to help boost students’ mental health.

  • Giving back

A total of 1,931 donors helped raise $2.9 million on UofL’s annual day of giving, Raise Some L, marking another powerful demonstration of the Cardinal spirit and a fifth consecutive year of record-breaking engagement across all 50 states.

  • The power of trees

UofL unveiled the Trager MicroForest at Founder’s Square, a 0.65-acre green space and park in the heart of downtown Louisville. The park not only offers a revamped and inviting space for the community to enjoy; it also expands research into understanding the impact of intense urban greening on human health and the wider urban environment. UofL’s Green Heart Project found that trees can reduce inflammation, which is a risk indicator for heart disease and other chronic diseases. 

  • Cardinals lead on the court and the classroom

536 Cardinal student-athletes achieved the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll status in the spring semester, marking Cardinals’ elite talent not only in athletics, but also in the classroom. 

  • Making impacts across the globe

Nine UofL students earned 2025 Fulbright Awards securing opportunities for research and English teaching assistantships across the world. Since 2001, UofL has been a Fulbright powerhouse, producing over 180 scholars (the most in Kentucky) and earning national recognition seven times.

  • Welcoming a Supreme Court legend

UofL presented the Brandeis Medal to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor for her devotion to advancing public service in the legal profession. Sotomayor met with Brandeis School of Law students while she was in Louisville, inspiring the next generation of attorneys to dream big.

  • Redefining ranking success

The Carnegie Foundation once again named UofL a Research 1 (R1) institution for its elite status as a top research university and named UofL an Opportunity College and University (OCU) for its work fostering student success. UofL is one of only 11 universities nationwide to earn R1, OCU and Community Engaged designations from Carnegie and is the only ACC school to receive the OCU title. 

Other notables UofL earned this year include:

  • Celebrating student enrollment wins

UofL fall enrollment surpassed 25,000 students for the first time and reached a record high fall-to-fall retention rate of 84.1%, showcasing student satisfaction and success. UofL’s record enrollment and retention helped drive Kentucky to lead the nation in one-year gains in undergraduate persistence and retention from 2023 to 2024.

  • Moving forward together with new leadership

UofL is pushing for progress in our community, state and beyond under the leadership of Gerry Bradley, who was inaugurated as the school’s 20th president this year. With a new vision under the 2026-2030 strategic plan, UofL will continue to push the needle forward in research, student success, community engagement and more to help build a better world. At Bradley’s side will be newly named executive vice president and university provost, Katie Cardarelli.  

UofL also welcomed in a number of other new key leaders this year, including Rick Graycarek as executive vice president for finance and administration, Jason Smith as CEO of UofL Health and Jon Klein as executive vice president for research and innovation. With new leadership across the university, UofL is poised to have an even more successful 2026. 

 

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Caitlin Brooks
Caitlin Brooks
Caitlin Brooks is a communications and marketing coordinator in the Office of Communications and Marketing. Brooks joined OCM after earning her Bachelor of Science and Master of Art degrees in Communication from UofL. Brooks previously worked as a graduate assistant and public speaking instructor at UofL and is an avid Disney fan.

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