Reasons to Join - Catalyst Cohort in the MHC

---

A Community of Belonging

Catalyst Cohort Scholars join a community of scholars where they can be curious and vulnerable in a safe, supportive, and confidence-boosting environment. Through weekly course meetings, they will build community with their Catalyst Cohort, as well as faculty and staff mentors. In subsequent years, they will join a larger Catalyst Cohort community spanning multiple years and eventually growing into a Catalyst Cohort alumni network.

 

Meaningful Mentorship

Undergraduate research and study abroad planning is interdepartmental, multi-step, and full of friction--especially for students without an experienced parent or practice advocating for themselves in spaces where they are underrepresented. Catalyst Cohort scholars benefit from centralized mentorship where campus partners come to the students instead of the other way around. Each scholar's campus network will expand tenfold; participating scholars will have contacts in the Office of Scholar Development, Mahurin Honors College, their academic department(s) and college(s), and campus offices such as WKU Global.

 

Funding for Research and Study Abroad 

Those who successfully complete the first semester Catalyst Cohort course will unlock guaranteed funding that turns the possibility of research and study abroad into a plan for their second year at WKU. Click "Eligibility and Expectations" in the left navigation menu to read more. 

 

Clarity and Confidence 

Catalyst Cohort scholars gain self-confidence and self-efficacy with an improved understanding of how to leverage campus resources to pursue their academic and professional interests. Plus, when Catalyst Cohort scholars conduct research or study abroad in their second year, their graduation rates, GPAs, and postgraduate opportunities soar--and the Office of Scholar Development helps them navigate their next steps. 

 

Credit for the Mahurin Honors College Curriculum

Through weekly meetings in their first semester enrolled at WKU, students will earn one credit hour toward the Mahurin Honors College Curriculum. This jumpstarts their progress toward curriculum completion and introduces them to the supportive atmosphere of the Mahurin Honors College.