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/705015
1 2 | L O U I S V I L L E . E D U News & Impact UofL to lease, renovate Portland warehouse space for fi ne arts Students in UofL's master of f ne arts program soon will be creating their masterpieces in off-campus studios within a renovated warehouse near a growing community of arts-related businesses and groups. The University of Louisville Foundation leased part of a vacant two-story 1880s brick building at 1606 Rowan St. in the downtown Portland neighborhood from Rowan Downstream LLC. Renovations underway will revamp the f rst f oor and second-f oor mezzanine, with completion planned by spring 2017. "We are proud to be a university tied closely to its larger community, and this expansion into western Louisville's revitalization is another example of how we all benef t from working together," President James Ramsey said. UofL's M.F.A. degree in studio arts and design, launched in 2014, is selective, rigorous and professional with small classes to ensure students have substantial access to studios and faculty members. "The location in the historic Portland neighborhood will not only provide M.F.A. students and our studio art faculty members with a 'home' but it also will extend our university's presence in west Louisville," said Kimberly Kempf- Leonard, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "So this is not just about a new space for us. It's about giving our faculty and students a way to infuse community into their art, and art into the community." Neighborhood developer Gill Holland is one of the Rowan Downstream partners. "Adding the University of Louisville program to the neighborhood is key to enhancing the cultural vitality and economic revitalization of Portland," he said. A former warehouse in Portland will become studio space for UofL's master of fi ne arts students after renovation. College of Business boosts spirits at neighborhood school Tablet PCs, warm clothing and snacks, along with music, dancing and high f ves from faculty and staff at the College of Business, are encouraging students at one of the city's poorest elementary schools. COB faculty and staff started the Elevate Portland Elementary Initiative to help plant the seeds of academic success for students at the school, one of the university's Signature Partnership Initiative schools. It began with a November event to hand out new sweatshirts to more than 300 students. The sweatshirts not only gave the students something warm to wear in winter, but also gave them motivation — students' anticipated high school graduation dates were printed on the back of each sweatshirt. Next came a delivery of hats, mittens and socks and, later, boxes of snacks. "What's really striking is how little individual effort it takes to make a collectively signif cant impact for this school," said business professor Beth Davis-Sramek, founder of the Elevate Portland Elementary Initiative. "The college has embraced it." The college also delivered tablet PCs to f fth graders at the school. Those same f fth graders visited UofL's Belknap Campus March 25 on a f eld trip led by COB students in an interdisciplinary leadership class. "This is a great program with excellent potential and a wonderful way for us to give back," said Rohan Christie-David, interim dean of the business school. Portland Principal Angela Hosch said the UofL effort was a morale booster for staff as well as students. Rohan Christie-David, interim dean of the College of Business, high-fi ves with a student from Portland Elementary School.