Exhibit captures student life through the ages

A new Archives and Special Collections exhibition, “The UofL Student Experience,” showcases photographs and memorabilia that capture campus life through the ages.  

Artifacts range from a t-shirt that jokingly asks “Who the hall is Tilda Threkald?” to a flag from Louisville Municipal College, a separate UofL campus for African American students until integration, to a typewriter pulled from the wreckage of the Student Union Building when it burned in 1951.

[caption id="attachment_47844" align="alignleft" width="300"] International Fashion Show, 2019; Tom Fougerousse, UofL photographer[/caption]

The show’s photographs range from black and white images from the 1930s to photos from last year’s Crawfish Boil.

There is also a digital carousel with 250 images of UofL athletics.

“It is a broad look at 90 years of student life at UofL that includes three exhibit areas,” said Tom Owen, archivist.

The show was a group effort from staff and faculty within ASC and was largely inspired by Welcome Week.

“We asked, what do we want students to see? And, the answer was, themselves! We wanted them to see student life here,” said Jennifer Oberhausen, libraries assistant.

Viewers will notice commonalities and traditions that carry through the ages and also the unique spin each generation puts on their UofL experience.

[caption id="attachment_47845" align="alignright" width="300"] 34th annual Crawfish Boil, 2019; Tom Fougerousse[/caption]

New students are encourage to see the show and also check out the library during its annual Kick Back in the Stacks event.

“Your undergraduate years can be a time of exploration, of learning from people who are different from you – and finding and connecting with folks who share your interests,” said Carrie Daniels, director of ASC. “It’s a time of building your skills and practicing ways to change the world for the better. It’s a time of pushing yourself intellectually, spending time in – of all places – that temple of learning, the library.”

[caption id="attachment_47843" align="aligncenter" width="3600"] Homecoming step show, 2011; Tom Fougerousse, campus photographer[/caption]