WKU News

WKU’s five academic colleges -- College of Health and Human Services, Potter College of Arts & Letters, Ogden College of Science and Engineering, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and Gordon Ford College of Business -- recognized their fall 2021 and spring and summer 2022 graduating classes during ceremonies on Friday at Diddle Arena. 

WKU’s colleges also recognized undergraduate and graduate award winners, doctoral degree recipients and spring 2022 Scholars of the College during Friday’s ceremonies. The Scholar of the College is the baccalaureate degree student in each undergraduate college with the highest cumulative overall grade-point average and a minimum of 60 semester hours earned in residence. (More: Commencement program; photo albums on WKU Facebook; Fall 2021 Scholars of the College)

College of Health and Human Services

Special degree presentation: Dean Tania Basta and President Timothy C. Caboni presented a Bachelor of Social Work degree to the family of Meghan Leigh Nelson. Nelson, who minored in Clinical and Community Behavioral Health, passed away last week.      

Scholars of the College: Madison Boothe of Central City, a Communication Sciences and Disorders major; Bailey Buckner of Franklin, a Nursing major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Rachel Douthitt of Bowling Green, a Dental Hygiene major; Becca Eltzroth of Lexington, an Exercise Science major and a graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Haley Helmes of Scottsville, a Social Work major; Gracie Humphrey of Bowling Green, a Communication Sciences and Disorders major; Savana King of Lebanon, Tennessee, a Dental Hygiene major; Sydney Reisinger of Lebanon, a Communication Sciences and Disorders major; and Kammie Yates of Lafayette, Tennessee, a Health Information Management major.

Outstanding Graduate Student: Adam W. Ogle of Lexington, Nursing Practice, MSN to DNP

Doctor of Nursing Practice: Amy P. Bashaw, Courtney P. Bratcher, Kamala M. Brooks, Hope E. Brown, Jamie E. Cannon, Katelyn M. Chandler, Atira B. Constant, Dana F. Emberton-Tinius, Bryce Flatt, Jessica B. Houchins, Dustin Khoshreza, Leslie S. Noisworthy, Adam W. Ogle, Rebecca C. Phelps, Makayla D. Smith, Tara N. Smith, Kylee Stroud, Morgan H. Walden (Note: Dissertation/project titles in Commencement program)

Doctor of Physical Therapy: Kaitlin Brandon, Rachel Elizabeth Bunner, Cody G. Burch, Angela Campbell, Taylor Rashelle Claborn, Alexandria E. Clemons, Autumn Copeland, Jonathan Ryan Criswell, Parker Dye, Paige N. Harris, Peyton Hinson, Chelsea Elizabeth Lantrip, Kaleb Maguet, Lauren Renee Miller, Tyler Miracle, Rick Mraz, Ryan H. P'Pool, Cayle Grace Reese, Evan J. Sexton, Kinsy H. Shofner, Nicholas M. Smith, Brett Sorrels, Daniel G. Spalding, Destiny T. Stearman, Allison VandenBerg, Rebecca Mae VanGelderen, Trenton B. Watson, Alexander T. West, Tanner Bryce Wilson (Note: Dissertation/project titles in Commencement program)

Potter College of Arts & Letters

Scholars of the College: Bailey Alexander of Danville, an English for Secondary Teachers major and a graduate of the Mahurin Honors College;  Nicholas Barth of Alvaton, a German major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Robyn Baute of Florence, a Criminology major; Bailey Buckner of Franklin, a Spanish major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Kaylee Coleman of Louisville, an English for Secondary Teachers major and a graduate of the Mahurin Honors College;  Kerby Gilstrap of Bowling Green, an International Affairs and Arabic major and a graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Hannah Hudson of Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee, an Anthropology major; Sam Mallon of Silver Spring, Maryland, a Photojournalism major; Erika Maria Manning of Seaside, California, a Political Science and International Affairs major and a graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Mallory Mayo of Medina, Tennessee, a Performing Arts major; Emra Mehmedovic of Bowling Green, a Film and English major; Abbey Norvell of Corbin, a Journalism major; Nikki Ogorek of Heyworth, Illinois, a Visual Arts major; Elizabeth Sandlin of Walton, a Criminology major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Kayla Spears of Shelbyville, an English major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Kelsie Steber of Lancaster, a Broadcasting and Public Relations major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; and Carley Stone of Corbin, a Broadcasting and Advertising major.

Outstanding Graduate Student: Julie J. Sisler of Des Moines, Iowa, Master of Arts, Organizational Communication

Ogden College of Science & Engineering

Scholars of the College: Riley Crawford of Science Hill, a Biology and Chemistry major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Isaac Essa of Louisville, a Computer Science major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Leslie Frady of Centertown, a Chemistry major; Hunter Groves of Smiths Grove, an Agriculture major; Grace Herrmann of Erlanger, a Geography/Environmental Studies major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Cora Hurt of Bowling Green, a Psychological Sciences major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Mardan Khashimov of Bowling Green, a Biochemistry major; Annclaire McGee of Gallatin, Tennessee, a Biology major; Denis Mujanovic of Bowling Green, a Chemistry major; Kerragan Mulzer of Santa Claus, Indiana, an Architectural Science major; Scott Nelson of Vine Grove, a Biology major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Tyler Ohler of Elizabethtown, an Agriculture major; Dev Patel of Bowling Green, a Biology major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Lydia Lyon Proffitt of Tompkinsville, a Mathematics, Middle Grades Mathematics, and Science and Math Education major; Cayden Ross of Scottsville, a Biology major; Brent Smith of Scottsville, an Electrical Engineering major; Mia Sword of Winchester, a Mathematics major; and Leon Trinh of Bowling Green, a Biology major.

John D. Minton Award: Ahmet Kaan Aydin of Istanbul, Turkey, Master of Science, Applied Mathematics

Outstanding Graduate Student: Athanasios Apostolopoulos of Weaverville, North Carolina, Master of Science, Biology

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences

Scholars of the College: Logan Barber of New Albany, Indiana, an Elementary Education major; Nicholas Barth of Alvaton, a Psychology major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Robyn Baute of Florence, a Psychology major; Kylie Bray of Bowling Green, a Special Education major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Kayleigh Carper of Bowling Green, an Elementary Education major; Tori Hampton of Morgantown, a Psychology major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Brooke Hatfield of Mount Washington, an Elementary Education major; Gretchen Hines of Somerset, an Elementary Education major; Abby McGinnis of Louisville, a Psychology major; McKenzie Morris of Portland, Tennessee, an Elementary Education major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Elizabeth Sandlin of Walton, a Psychology major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; and Tess Welch of Houston, Texas, an Interdisciplinary Studies major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College.

Outstanding Graduate Student: Candace M. Bone of Cecilia, Specialist in Education, School Psychology

Ogden Foundation Scholar: Nicholas Barth of Alvaton, Psychology and German major (spring 2022)

Doctor of Education Educational Leadership: Marisa Duarte, Mengting Gong, Sara Greene, Denise Hardesty, Brittney Hernandez-Stevenson, Sara Jennings, LaTiya Kirby-Curlin, Cres'Sena Manning-Thomas, Justin Matthews, Rita Meredith, Samuel Northern, Keely P'Pool, Elizabeth Palmer, Nellie Poe, Cody Rich, Denozy Sharma, Danielle Sims-Brooks, Aleda Thomas, Carlous Yates (Note: Dissertation/project titles in Commencement program)

Doctor of Psychology: Jay Ingram, Lauren Lamar, Elizabeth Cravero (Note: Dissertation/project titles in Commencement program)

Gordon Ford College of Business

Scholars of the College: Andy (K.H.) Cheng of Madison, Alabama, an Accounting major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Ty Dean of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, an Accounting major; Isaac Essa of Louisville, a Mathematical Economics major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Megan Fiessinger of Benton, a Marketing major; Jonah Gelhaus of Louisville, a Finance major; Meg Haynes of Radcliff, a Management major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Erika Maria Manning of Seaside, California, an Economics major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College; Jacob Dalton McCurry of Harlan, a Management and Finance major; Mia Sword of Winchester, a Business Data Analytics major; and John Thornhill of Hardinsburg, a Mathematical Economics major and graduate of the Mahurin Honors College.

Ogden Foundation Scholar: Zena Pare of Alvaton, International Business, Economics, and Corporate and Organizational Communication major (fall 2021)

Outstanding Graduate Student: Kaleb J. Morgan of Bowling Green, Master of Accountancy

-WKU-

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.