WKU News

It’s Commencement weekend at WKU with a record number of 2,677 spring graduates getting their degrees.

Kyla Scanlon is receiving the top undergraduate academic award as the Ogden Foundation Scholar. WKU’s Amy Bingham talks to her in this week’s View from the Hill.

She began trading stocks at 16. Today she has a popular financial blog and podcast and she hasn’t even graduated yet. Kyla Scanlon took advantage of every opportunity the Gordon Ford College of Business had to offer and boy has it paid off.

Honors student Kyla Scanlon began her WKU journey in the Ogden College. 

“Then I took my first economics class with Dr. Strow and I decided right away that I wanted to do economics.”

So she switched to the Gordon Ford College of Business and never looked back.

“The professors I’ve had here, the relationships, the mentorship, I can’t speak highly enough about the experience I’ve had in the college of business.”

That experience includes founding the women in business club.

“I decided to become president of women in economics and there I was able to transform it into women in business and I made it open to everybody on campus.”

Launching a financial blog in 2017 that’s growing in popularity.

“Since then the blog has evolved into a podcast, as well as I’m trying to get a Youtube channel, it’s super exciting and it’s so fun.”

And doing numerous research presentations on how terrorism impacts the stock market.

“I think I gained so much through the presentation skills just going in front of a panel of judges and being like this is my research, this is what I think and this is what we know.”

Two internships, one selling cars and the other conducting research for Hilliard Lyons, also made a huge impression.

“That’s when I realized my passion really does kind of lie in the research aspect of finance and kind of diving more into that. “

After graduation, Scanlon will move to the west coast to conduct fixed income research.

Ironic since an honors class her freshmen year took her to San Francisco.

“So I’m kind of going back to where my whole journey started as a college student and now as a young professional.”

Scanlon will be recognized Friday night at WKU’s 185^th Commencement at Houchens Industries–L.T. Smith Stadium. Festivities begin with the Topper Walk at 6 p.m.  On Saturday WKU’s five academic colleges will host special recognition ceremonies at Diddle Arena beginning at 8 a.m.