McConnell Center welcomes the class of 2030

Louisville, Ky. —The McConnell Center welcomes ten new freshman students to the McConnell Scholars Program, one of the state's most prestigious undergraduate scholarship programs. 

The Class of 2030 is special, as we have spent the year celebrating the 35th anniversary of the McConnell Center and its history. 

The new McConnell Scholars are: 

• Vlad Bagdasarian (Lafayette High School, Fayette County)
• Kaden Bauman (duPont Manual High School, Jefferson County)
• Cate Brown (South Oldham High School, Oldham County)
• Luke D'Alessandro (Bishop Brossart High School, Campbell County)
• Ryan Emery (Louisville Collegiate School, Jefferson County) 
• Ethan Holtsclaw (Atherton High School, Jefferson County)
• Elle Jones (South Oldham High School, Oldham County)
• Evan Parhad (St. Henry District High School, Boone County)
• Ava Russell (Paducah Tilghman High School, McCracken County)
• Juliana Von Wahlde Mendez (Notre Dame Academy, Kenton County)

"We are excited to work with these outstanding young Scholars," said McConnell Center Director Dr. Gary Gregg. "They are already proving to be talented, engaged, and dedicated students and leaders.” 

Since 1991, the McConnell Center has awarded $5.6 million in scholarships and awards to over 250 McConnell Scholars. Since 2014, we have partnered with and provided professional military education to hundreds of U.S. Army leaders. The Center has also conducted civic education programs for countless K-12 teachers and students across Kentucky. The Center's Distinguished Speaker Series, publications, conferences, and podcasts have garnered international attention, earning an "oasis of excellence" designation in higher education from the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. 

The application for the McConnell Scholar Class of 2031 opened on August 1, 2026, and will be due on December 1, 2026, via your UofL student portal. Visit our website for more information about the McConnell Scholars Program and to access the application.