WKU News

What started out as a side gig in middle school blossomed into a dream career that Brett Phelps never expected.

“When I was in middle school, my older brother began a wedding videography and photography business and needed an assistant. I was cheap labor and found what he was doing interesting, so I started helping him on the weekends,” said Phelps, a Mahurin Honors College student from Bardstown who graduates next week with dual degrees in Visual Journalism & Photography and Strategic Marketing, a minor in Computer Information Systems and a certificate in Applied Data Analytics.

“I would carry his bags and watch what he was doing. After a while, I also began to help film. Our most incredible event was the wedding of country music star Chris Stapleton’s sister.”

It wasn’t long before Phelps discovered his interest in storytelling.

“In high school, I started working with my school district to develop marketing material centered around students and the places where they were completing internships and co-ops. I used the videos I created there to apply for the Kentucky Governor’s School for the Arts,” Phelps said. “That’s where I met Visual Journalism & Photography Coordinator James Kenney.”

Kenney, a professor from the WKU School of Media & Communication, noticed Phelps’ knack for creating photos and videos.

“He said if I came to WKU, he would turn my passion and skills into a career that could help others and change the world,” said Phelps.

Phelps set out to do just that, and more.

Achievements going far beyond helping at a celebrity’s sister’s wedding, Phelps is the spring 2025 recipient of the Ogden Foundation Scholar Award, WKU’s top undergraduate award.

WKU’s highest undergraduate honor is selected by a faculty committee and presented each semester to one graduating senior who has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement in addition to outstanding university and civic engagement.  

In a letter of recommendation for the Ogden Foundation Scholar Award, Sam Oldenburg, Assistant Director for WKU Student Publications, noted Phelps’ academic achievements as well as his strong leadership while serving as photo editor of the Talisman, which included encouraging younger students in the photojournalism program to get involved in WKU Student Publications.

“He did a great job guiding these new photographers, taking them under his wing, training them, and empowering them to grow. Whether it was sitting down to offer them a critique of their work, giving a hands-on demonstration for how to use lighting for portraits or pushing them to do things they didn’t realize they could do, Brett embraced the teaching aspect of his editor role to a greater extent than most editors I have advised.”

In addition to storytelling, Phelps has a passion for helping others succeed.

“I believe my life’s purpose is to help others grow and progress into the people they dream of becoming. While at WKU, I quickly rose to several leadership positions that support my goal of helping others, including serving as a visual editor at the Talisman, a participant in a National Civic Leaders Fellowship and a senator in WKU’s Student Government Association. In these roles, I led other students to success,” Phelps said.

Phelps said a standout part of his WKU experience was serving as a visual editor at the Talisman.

“The people in this program have become extended family members, giving me the space to make mistakes, teach others and become a risk-taker while telling the community’s stories,” Phelps said.

Phelps completed numerous photojournalism internships, including The Chautauquan Daily in New York and The IndyStar in Indiana. He is currently completing a 6-month co-op with The Boston Globe in Massachusetts, where he travels across New England to cover features, metro news, sports, arts, politics, lifestyle and business stories.

Phelps said each internship assignment allowed him to develop skills in creating engaging photos and documentaries on tight deadlines while also working with people from all walks of life.

“I am photographing people on their best days and their worst days. I build trusting and respectful relationships with the various subjects I meet. When editing and selecting photos, I use my consumer behavior lens to determine which photos and in what order they will appeal to the audience and will tell the story most effectively,” said Phelps.

As a senator with WKU’s Student Government Association, he collaborated with other peer representatives to have civil discourse and make decisions that directly affected the students at WKU. The experience allowed him to meet other civic-minded students from various programs at WKU and to learn from their unique perspectives.

But Phelps’ journey to the top did not come without difficulty.

“Although I am a 4.0 Mahurin Honors College student completing two majors, most of my peers don’t know that I have dyslexia,” Phelps said.

“Since childhood, I have struggled with spelling, reversing letters and recognizing familiar words. However, I have gained the grit, resilience and determination to succeed. While others are socializing in the evenings and weekends, I am often working overtime to complete my assignments.”

Phelps said dyslexia has become his superpower and is why he enjoys telling visual stories about people and their adversities in life. He hopes this insight into his life shows others that there is always a path forward.

“I understand what it’s like to struggle, but I also know the feeling of reward when overcoming adversity. I could have just let my educational experience pass by and not felt the reward of success because of how much extra time and effort I give to achieve at high levels. I would encourage others who are struggling with something similar to seek support from WKU’s SARC office and to share their challenges with their professors,” said Phelps. “We all have uphill battles in our lives, but how we choose to confront those challenges will determine what we can achieve. I choose to succeed.”

After graduation, Phelps plans to continue to build his photography and marketing background and become a leader in the photojournalism industry before attending graduate school. His goal is to become a college professor specializing in visual journalism and media.

--

For information on programs and degrees in the WKU School of Media & Communication, visit https://www.wku.edu/smc/.

For more information on a degree in Marketing, visit https://www.wku.edu/marketing/undergraduate/concentrations.php.

#WKUGrad series: As part of our #WKUGrad series, articles on graduating students are shared in the weeks leading up to Commencement. See all of their stories at https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=default&categoryid=799&multinewsid=187  

-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.