Brandeis Law administrator retires after 47 years on the job

Barbara Thompson

Barbara Thompson joined the Brandeis School of Law when it was still the University of Louisville School of Law. But the school's renaming in 1997 isn't the only change the director of student records has observed in her 47 years of service. Thompson came to the law school in 1971 and has seen changes in the law, technology, the University of Louisville and legal education. She has impacted the lives of thousands of students — and thereby thousands of lawyers — not to mention the faculty members, staff and deans she has worked with.

Thompson will retire in June 2018. Here, she shares some reflections on her decades of service.

What will you miss most about UofL?

Most of all, I will miss the people and the students. Over the years, I have worked with some great people here at the law school and across campus. They are my other family because we have been through good times and bad times together.

What is a favorite memory from your time at the law school?

I have so many favorite memories, but the one that is dearest to me is a student that struggled with an illness. Her mother and aunt died from the illness. She struggled through several personal problems, which would have stopped most people in their tracks. She kept silent for over a year and didn’t let us know what she was going through. When she walked across the stage on graduation day, I cried tears of joy because she made it with all those struggles. She was and still is a very strong person today.

How have you seen the law school and university change over the years?

I was the first person of color hired here. In the '70s, the university had just enough people of color to get federal money. The university and the law school were not a very welcoming place for people of color. After hearing what some of the students were told in class by instructors and other students, I was determined that I was going to stay here and be here for the students, and that is when my passion and love for the students began.

I want to thank Dean Donald Burnett. He saw the need for this school to have faculty members of color and he hired several faculty members. This was not a welcoming place for new faculty members of color.

Over the years, I have seen some improvement, but it seems like we make two steps forward toward diversity, then we make one step backwards. One day, I would like to see students of color have several people of color to talk to about different situations. Also, I would like the law school to have enough students of color that no one will have to be the only person of color in a class.

How has your time at the law school changed you as a person?

Coming from a very small town in Indiana and not knowing any better, I was judgmental about a lot of things and people. Over the years, I learned to be more compassionate and not as judgmental; people do not have to look like me or have the same beliefs for me to get to know them.

I have learned that people should surround themselves with all kinds of people to broaden their knowledge. Some of my best friends are completely different from me, and I love that I can accept people where they are right at that moment. It is a good feeling that I can look at someone and find something good about a person. Some people are little harder than others, but there is always something good about everyone.

What is the most common piece of advice you’ve given to students?

Do something you really love, do your best and be kind to everyone because you don’t know what kind of battles people are facing each day.