WKU News

Cyn’Clara Cofer (MHC ‘22) has embraced her time in the Mahurin Honors College (MHC) at Western Kentucky University (WKU) as a chance to use her talents and voice to better the lives of those around her. 

Among the many organizations Cyn’Clara is involved in, she is a dedicated and founding member of the MHC’s Scholars of Color, a program committed to providing a supportive social and academic community for multicultural scholars and allies.

“The MHC really does make me feel heard. I'm glad we have an organization like Scholars of Color, because it's a way for anyone to come together, support one another, and bring awareness to everything that's going on in our society. I want to make it clear that this organization is so welcoming. It is for the benefit of students, and we desperately want to aid all of us at WKU!”

Cyn’Clara cites the beginning of the impact that the MHC had on her all the way back to the Honors First Year Orientation Retreat (H4). During H4, newly enrolled scholars gain important insights from the MHC team while building community among their peers and their counselors.  (Add in activities from rock climbing and performing skits to a massive bonfire at the end of H4, and who wouldn’t want to join!)  

“For me, I attended H4 back in 2019. It was there that I met some of my lifelong friends and some incredible role models who I still see on campus doing amazing things. I feel like every component of the MHC prepared me for success, especially in the classroom. I loved Honors 251. That class blew my mind and put everything into perspective. It encouraged me to play a more active and productive role in our society. The MHC also prepared me for practical things like crushing interviews or training me to look people in the eye when conversing.”

Outside of the MHC, Cyn’Clara has pursued leadership opportunities as an ambassador for the Gordon Ford College of Business and as Co-President of Women in Business. She was recognized for her incredible investment of energy and time in Women in Business by representing the organization as their Homecoming Queen Nominee.

“Being a part of Homecoming was something I had always dreamed of doing. I knew and respected many women who had done it before me, and this experience was truly a privilege. With my brother as my escort, stepping out on that field was incredibly personal for me. It represented the culmination of many of my goals and hard work, but even more than that, it was my desire to break out of my comfort zone and make an impact at WKU.”

Cyn’Clara is not letting the city lines of Bowling Green limit her during her undergraduate career. For her noble advocacy, active involvement on campus, and admirable pursuits in accounting, Cyn’Clara was honored with the Brown Forman Scholarship. Additionally, Cyn’Clara has been awarded the highly competitive Gilman Scholarship, which will fund her efforts to use her study abroad experience as a large service project when she returns home. 

“I'm really looking forward to meeting new people from different cultures. I want to use the confidence Western has given me to try new things by embracing a new culture and community.”

Cyn’Clara plans to take advantage of her final opportunities to safely study abroad and is organizing a summer in Greece to study management.

While she dreams of starting a career as a financial analyst/advisor or in sales, she is using the rest of her time in the MHC to find her “where.” She looks forward to continuing to pursue opportunities out of her comfort zone and supporting her peers.