The University of Louisville Alumni Magazine: for alumni, faculty, staff, students and anyone that is a UofL Cardinal fan.
Issue link: https://louisville.epubxp.com/i/643329
W I N T E R / S P R I N G U O F L M A G A Z I N E | 11 H A P P E N I N G H E R E News & Impact Kathleen McDaniel Smith, chief of staff for President James Ramsey, received the 2015 Women's Empowerment Award from UofL's Women's Center. The award, established in 2012 to honor the center's 20th anniversary, recognizes women who empower other women. "Kathleen has been an ardent supporter of the Women's Center's mission and programs, especially the Kentucky Women's Book Festival and the Kentucky College Women's Leadership Conference. She's a role model and relates well to everyone," said Valerie Casey, the center's director. During Smith's distinguished career at the University of Louisville she has served as a UofL board member, senior administrator and top presidential aide. She has worked with three presidents and been a key f gure in the success of important and diverse university initiatives such as campus beautif cation, fundraising, strategic planning and development of research parks. The center also recognized English professor Mary Sheridan for her work in promoting gender equity. Sheridan received the Dr. Mary K. Bonsteel Tachau Award for her commitment as a mentor and for creation of the UofL Digital Media Academy, a community engagement project that helps girls from under- privileged backgrounds build self-conf dence and other skills through the use of technology. The prize is jointly awarded by the Women's Center and the Commission on the Status of Women. Freedom Park renamed after fi rst African-American faculty member The University of Louisville renamed its Freedom Park to honor the school's f rst African- American faculty mem- ber. The park, located along Cardinal Boule- vard between Second and Third streets, will now be known as the Charles H. Parrish, Jr. Freedom Park. Louisville native Parrish was UofL's f rst African-American educa- tor and became known for his participation in the civil rights movement and in public service. He taught at Simmons College in the 1920s before joining UofL's segregated Louisville Municipal College where he taught for 20 years. When Louisville Municipal College was absorbed into UofL's Arts and Sciences Department in 1951, Parrish was the only faculty member retained. There, he became chairman of the sociology department and helped found the Southern Police Institute. Charles H. Parrish, Jr. Freedom Park commemorates the history of African- Americans in Louisville and the commonwealth in the context of the universal struggle for freedom and explores Louisville's history in the movement for civil rights for all its citizens. Smith wins Women's Empowerment Award School of Medicine pilots program to ensure quality care for LGBT patients The UofL School of Medicine is committed to training physicians who are skilled in the care of all patients, and to eliminating health disparities in all popula- tions. Beginning with the 2015-16 academic year, the school is serving as the nation's pilot site for adopting competen- cies developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) designed to reduce health disparities for individu- als who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) or who experience differences of sex develop- ment (DSD). Members of an inter- disciplinary team known as UofL's eQuality Proj- ect adapted lectures and problem-based learning units for f rst- and second- year medical students to provide a more complete understanding of medical needs and barriers to care facing LGBT and DSD patients. The team incorporated this infor- mation in small incre- ments throughout the curriculum, in addition to designing specif c units to educate the students about needs and health disparities facing LGBT and DSD patients. One such unit, held November 12, offered students the opportunity to talk with LGBT patients about their experiences in health care. Within the next two years, the competencies also will be incorporated into training of third- and fourth-year medical students. Smith Ursula Parrish, daughter of Charles Parrish Jr., speaks during the rededication of Charles H. Parrish Jr. Freedom Park and the unveiling of the memorial to former College of Arts & Sciences dean Blaine Hudson (background).