By Madelin Shelton —
Governor Andy Beshear has appointed Diane Porter and Alfonso Cornish to the University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees. Porter, a retired educator and U of L graduate, replaces Bonita Black. Cornish, a consultant for Closing the Gap Consulting, replaces Ronald Wright.
Porter has served on the Jefferson County Board of Education since June 2010 and has spent 40 years working in various capacities within education, including as a teacher, guidance counselor, assistant principal and principal.
Porter learned of her appointment when Beshear called her and told her the news. Of the phone call, Porter said, “It was the most exciting experience to have the Governor tell me [of my appointment].”
When asked about how her previous experiences will help her in her new role as a Board of Trustee member, Porter pointed toward her experience as a lifelong educator.
“I was an employee with the Jefferson County Public School system when I graduated from the University of Louisville. I started as a teacher, got a Master’s in Counseling and became a counselor,” she said, “I think I bring an academic lens and a caring lens for all that are involved in education, that’s what I bring to the table.”
Porter said she is most excited to learn about how the Board of Trustees works and how the management is done. She is also looking forward to doing everything she can to support the University of Louisville.
When asked what she most loved about the University of Louisville, she referenced the university’s commitment to providing education to students of color.
“When I went to college, not everyone thought that young people of color could go to college or should go to college,” she said, “What I love about the University of Louisville was the fact that they opened their doors for students [of color] to learn and that the opportunities were great.”
The Louisville Cardinal reached out to Alfonso Cornish but received no comment.
File Photo // The Louisville Cardinal
