Meet the 2019 Alumni Award winners

Whether it’s breaking the race barrier for future nursing students, helping thousands of students make the decision to attend UofL, or pioneering the first affordable room air conditioner, the 2019 Louisville Alumni Awards winners are among the best and brightest UofL has to offer.

The awards ceremony recognizes high achieving graduates based on their merit and contributions to the community. Each year, one alumna or alumnus of the year is selected along with 13 Alumni Fellows from each of the schools, colleges, libraries, and student affairs. 

Alumna of the Year

• Jenny L. Sawyer '78, executive director of admissions at the University of Louisville.

Alumni Fellows

• Brandeis School of Law
  Edwin S. Hopson, Sr. '67, '69, partner at Wyatt, Tarrant and Combs.
• College of Arts and Sciences
  George Nichols, III '85, president and chief executive officer of the American College of Financial Services.
• College of Business
  Raymond E. Loyd '68, founder of Derby Industries and Derby Fabricating.
• College of Education and Human Development
  Linda F. Hargan '71, '73, '93, founder, president, and chief executive officer emeritus of CTL.
• J. B. Speed School of Engineering
  Gerald G. Hubbs '64, '76, retired vice president and director of engineering at the Brown-Forman Corporation. 
• Kent School of Social Work
  Ruby Gordon '66, '72, former social worker with JCPS and Hillebrand House.
• School of Dentistry
  Karen L. Pierce-West '77, '82, dean and professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine.
• School of Medicine
  Shawn C. Jones '82, '86, '93, founder of Purchase ENT, an ENT-otolaryngologist specialty group in Paducah, Kentucky. 
• School of Music
  John M. Hoover '63, '69, former director of bands at the University of Louisville.
• School of Nursing
  Flora Ponder '87, former head nurse at the Louisville and Jefferson County Health Department and director of nurses at the Park-Duvalle Community Health Center. 
• School of Public Health and Information Sciences
  Lewatis D. McNeal '16, assistant dean of administration of inclusive excellence and special projects at Northern Kentucky University.
• Student Affairs
  Todd A. Schmiedeler '97, Trilogy Health Service's senior vice president of Foundation & Workforce Development and founder and president of Thumbprint Consulting.
• University Libraries
  Morris M. Weiss Jr. '58, cardiologist with Medical Center Cardiologists and clinical professor of medicine in cardiology at the University of Louisville.

This year’s awardees will be honored at the 2019 Alumni Awards ceremony October 24.

Read winner bios, get ceremony details and connect with UofL alumni.