By Briana Williams– 

The annual event, Amplify U of L, celebrated its fifth year on March 9. Hosted by the communication department, each year a select number of students speak about what they’re passionate about.

The evening included speeches with topics ranging from social security and fiscal responsibility to veteran appreciation and on-campus military awareness. The students spoke to Amplify U of L’s largest audience ever.

The speeches did not disappoint. The Chao Auditorium was packed with other students and family members. When asked which speech was her favorite, senior Mia Lane said, “I enjoyed hearing about the many opportunities on campus for appreciating our ROTC. I also didn’t know we had so many students involved in ROTC.”

Speaker Mattie Cook focused on her campus initiatives to show support for U of L’s military-affiliated students. Her speech triggered emotional responses from many in the audience, and junior Ellen Shaw admits she was in tears.

“Being very close to the military, I love hearing about others who are also. So the more she spoke, the more emotional I got. Seeing another student so passionate about the same thing as me was really cool,” Shaw said.

Junior Mitchell Jacobs favored Katrina Boone’s speech on fiscal responsibility. “I just thought it was really important because a lot of college students don’t know how to save money or do anything responsible with the money they do save.”

Other students, like Kari Smith, agreed on the importance of the speech. “I know I usually don’t think about things like social security. The fact that she spoke about it was interesting because not many people our age do.”

One speech focused on the arts and its impact in Louisville. Freshman Rachel McDonald believes the arts on the U of L campus aren’t always fully appreciated. “We have a lot of talented students and people in general in Louisville and we need more people to see that.”

Speeches were made from four students on campus, one being SGA President, Victoria Allen. Allen’s speech was the final one of the night. She commented on social contracts among women and the use of the word “sorry.”

Her passions garnered many laughs from the audiences and also ended the night on a positive, yet thoughtful note. Many students appreciated Allen’s honestly and candidness on being unapologetic in her school and personal life.

 

Photos by Emma Goble / The Louisville Cardinal