John Hurley’s sense of belonging did not come from feeling at home, but instead the challenges, connections and moments he experienced.

Originally from Pikeville, Kentucky, Hurley said he grew up in a “homey” and comforting environment, describing his hometown as a “typical Appalachian town” and a place where everybody knows one another.

“It was very community-centric, and I think that’s kind of the biggest memories that I have from back there,” Hurley said.

According to Hurley, the COVID-19 pandemic was at its height when he stepped onto UK’s campus. For him, living in Kentucky his entire life, along with being raised by his grandmother made living far from home difficult.

“The pandemic made it really hard to justify being far from home,” Hurley said.

Ultimately, when it came to making a decision about college, Hurley said he was reassured in his choice to stay close to family, and has zero regrets about the past six years.

“I love the school, I love the community that I’ve built here,” Hurley said.

Hurley studied community and leadership development as an undergraduate student at UK, where he said he then honed in on policy during his postgraduate years.

Hurley’s college pathway not only helped him grow academically, but also prepared him for future responsibilities he would later take on, he said.

Once junior year hit, Hurley said his responsibilities became “abundant,” with his student leadership roles including student senator, Academic and Student Affairs Committee chair and first senate speaker.

However, Hurley said his roles with the Student Government Association do not define his entire journey at UK. Now pursuing a master’s degree in public administration, Hurley plans to focus on his future career after graduation, whatever it may be.

“I know I want to stay in higher education,” Hurley said. “I’m just not entirely sure where that’s going to land yet.”

According to Hurley, treating people fairly and with kindness are qualities he carries with him throughout life, saying he wants to be remembered as someone who supported everyone, no matter their viewpoints.

“I hope that people end up reading this (and) walk away from it knowing that things don’t have to be perfect,” Hurley said. “They got to keep fighting. I pride myself in my work ethic, pride myself in being fair. If you do both of those things- work hard, be fair- it’ll get you real far in life.”