May 06, 2001

WKU Honors Top Students During Commencement

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University recognized 17 top scholars today at its 149th Commencement.

Ten of the 17 received the Ogden Trustees' Award that goes to graduating seniors with perfect 4.0 GPAs and all coursework completed at Western. The college scholars have the highest grade-point average within their undergraduate colleges with at least 64 semester hours earned at Western.

From the Potter College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, the honor graduates are:
*Leandra Y. Celaya of Mayfield, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Celaya, a corporate communication major, is the daughter of David and Jill Celaya.
*Elizabeth G. Cunningham of Shelbyville, scholar of the college. Cunningham, a Spanish major, is the daughter of Charles and Sarah Cunningham.
*Julie Goodwin of Louisville, scholar of the college. Goodwin, a broadcasting major, is the daughter of Mitchell and Jean Goodwin.
*Kris Keeton of Russellville, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Keeton, a music performance major, is the son of Richard and Phyllis Keeton.
*Mark T. Smith of Bowling Green, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Smith, a government major, is the son of George and Charlotte Smith.
*Christina Vessels of Elizabethtown, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Vessels, a sociology major, is the daughter of Gail Vessels.

From the Gordon Ford College of Business, the honor graduates are:
*John Kevin Hughes of Paris, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Hughes, a finance and economics major, is the son of Frank and Sheila Hughes.
*Callan F. Yeoman of Bowling Green, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Yeoman, a finance major, is the son of Stuart and Linda Yeoman.
From the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences the honor graduates are:
*Jamie C. Edwards of Smiths Grove, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Edwards, a psychology major, is the son of Bruce and Debbie Edwards.
*Daphne Phillips Mitchell of Franklin, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Mitchell, an elementary education major, is the wife of John Mitchell and the daughter of David and Linda Phillips.
*David Robbins of Center, scholar of the college. Robbins, a middle grades education major, is the husband of Jennifer Robbins and the son of Connie Branstetter and Darryl Robbins.
*Julie Zoglmann of Elizabethtown, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Zoglmann, an exceptional children/speech and communications disorders major, is the daughter of Debra and Robert Zoglmann.
From the Ogden College of Science, Technology and Health the honor graduates are:
*Jessica Douthitt of Springfield, Tenn., scholar of the college. Douthitt, a mathematics major, is the daughter of Paul and Kathy Douthitt.
*Jeremy Hagedorn of Tell City, Ind., scholar of the college. Hagedorn, an agriculture and mathematics major, is the son of Joseph and Marilyn Hagedorn.
*Christina Piercy of Jamestown, scholar of the college. Piercy, a mathematics major, is the daughter of Danny and Diana Piercy.
*Andy Turner of Glasgow, Ogden Trustees' Award and scholar of the college. Turner, a chemistry major, is the son of Terry and Pat Turner.

From the program of Interdisciplinary Studies the honor graduate is Michael Blackstone of Hot Springs, Ark., a general studies major and the son of Lavern Donham.

The University conferred 145 associate degrees, 1,116 baccalaureate degrees and 205 master's/specialist degrees for a total of 1,466.

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