2012-2013 Achievement Profile WKU is home to the only Honors College in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Created in 2007, the Honors College at WKU provides an intimate, highly selective learning environment where college-age gifted and high-achieving students may develop the skills to prepare them for success in the nation’s top academic and career opportunities.
National Recognition This year, the Honors College at WKU was recognized by Public University Press, publishers of A Review of Fifty Public University Honors Programs. The editor highlighted the Honors College at WKU “for its extensive curricular offerings, along with the association of the college with the Chinese Flagship Pilot Program.” In addition, the Honors College was recognized for scholar success in prestigious nationally/internationally competitive scholarships such as the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Fulbright awards.
Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship
U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship
Boren Award for International Study
Three Honors College scholars were recognized by the Barry M. Goldwater Foundation. The Goldwater is a highly competitive undergraduate award for future scientists.
Four Honors College scholars in the Chinese Flagship Program were selected to participate in fully-funded intense language programs in China.
One Honors College scholar in the Chinese Flagship Program was awarded this prestigious scholarship for a year study in China.
A Record Year
1 15 29 44 154 208 236
Class of 2013 Future Plans
Boren Award for International Study Awarded nationally competitive scholarships Average ACT Score for the Class of 2017 Top 6% nationwide Completed Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects Graduates of the Honors College at WKU (2012-2013)
■ Bellarmine University ■ University of Mississippi ■ Eastern Illinois University ■ Xavier University ■ Liberty University ■ Georgetown Law ■ Old Dominion University ■ University of Kentucky ■ University of Georgia ■ Yale University ■ University of Kentucky - Medical School ■ University of Louisville - Law School ■ Georgia Institute of Technology ■ Southern College of Optometry ■ University of California, Davis ■ Western Kentucky University ■ George Mason University ■ Texas A & M - Kingsville ■ Washington University
Scholars studied abroad during the 2012-2013 academic year
Scholars received Honors College grants for research or study abroad purposes
The Spirit of Engaged Excellence Honors Abroad Achievements ■ Over 300 scholars have studied at Harlaxton College in Grantham, England through the “WKU in England” program, a partnership with the University of Evansville. ■ Becky Thieman (2014), a Harlaxton alum, was published in the Susquehanna Review, a undergraduate nonfiction journal. ■ Sarah Schrader (2014), a member of the Chinese Flagship Program, completed her capstone year for the program in Nanjing and Shenghai, China. ■ 16 Honors scholars studied in Cuba over the 2013 Winter Term. This ground-breaking course was the first study abroad to Cuba offered by WKU.
Hillary Asberry
Cory Dodds
Class of 2014
Class of 2013
Cody Hutchins Class of 2014
Hillary recieved the nationally competitive Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship. She completed research in Taiwan and participated in the American Chemical Society Summer School in Nuclear and Radiochemistry.
Cory was named a finalist for the George Mitchell Scholarship, a first for WKU. He also served as Student Government Association President and is continuing his studies at Georgetown Law.
Natalie Koppel
Kelsey Mattingly
Meghan McGuirk
Class of 2016
Class of 2013
Class of 2014
Natalie studied abroad at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa through funding recieved from a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
As a recipient of the competitive Fulbright Student Grant to the United Kingdom, Kelsey will pursue an MA in Art History at the University of East Anglia.
Katie Meek
JP Stovall
Class of 2014
Class of 2014
Katie was awarded the nationally competitive Scripps Howard Internship Grant. The grant helped support a summer internship with the San Francisco Chronicle.
JP was awarded the competitive Boren Award for International Study. He will use the award to complete his Chinese Flagship Program Capstone Year in Nanjing, China.
A member of the Chinese Flagship Program, Cody participated in the Semester at Sea® program and was awarded the highly competitive C.Y. Tung Scholarship. He studied in China after being awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship.
Meghan was selected to be a Fulbright United Kingdom Summer Institute Participant. This prestigious honor allowed Meghan to study abroad in England.
Class of 2017 Snapshot First-Time, First-Year Freshmen 352 Full Tuition or Higher 237 Academic Scholarships Graduates of the Gatton Academy 19 of Mathematics and Science Average ACT Score 29 Average High School G.P.A. 3.86 Acceptance Rate 75%