Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University senior Lindsey Thurman has received the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) Honors Student of the Year Award.

Thurman, an English major from Russell Springs, received the prestigious award Nov. 18 at the NCHC national conference in Philadelphia.

Thurman is an Honors student and Spirit Master at WKU and the coordinator for the Honors section of the Dynamic Leadership Institute.

Dr. Craig T. Cobane, director of the University Honors Program, nominated Thurman for the NCHC Honors Student of the Year Award, which is presented to a student who has made a significant impact on his or her honors program.

In her award application, Thurman said: “My driving inspiration for all my Honors involvement has been two-fold: Not only have I finally found my niche in a thriving Honors community where students like me can interact through fun, engaging programming, but I am able to help create that niche for other Honors students looking for a place to belong. I continually strive to make imprints on my Honors involvement so that the special programs I have given life to can become a vital part of the WKU Honors culture.”

As a student assistant at WKU’s Honors Center, Thurman has created several new programs and events, such as “BBQ with the Prof” (an event for incoming Honors freshmen to network with Honors faculty at their homes), Picnic with the President (nearly 200 Honors freshmen and faculty attended a picnic at President Gary Ransdell’s home), BioBlurbs (an online profile directory of all incoming Honors freshmen), and HonorsToppers (an ambassadorial program for Honors students to represent the Honors Program at open house and Focus on Western events, as well as giving tours to prospective Honors students).

“Each of these projects has played an important role in developing community among the students, developing collegial associations between faculty and students, and most of all, increasing the visibility of the Honors Program across campus,” Dr. Cobane said in his nomination letter. “Quite simply, Lindsey’s passion for Honors, her dynamic personality and tireless work ethic has led her to be an inspirational agent of positive change for the WKU Honors Program.”

Thurman also is co-authoring an essay with Dr. Cobane to be submitted for publication to the NCHC journal “Honors In Practice” and was elected as the senior representative to the Honors Development Board.

All of the nearly 800 NCHC member schools with Honors Programs and Colleges are eligible to nominate a student for this prestigious award.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Craig Cobane at (270) 745-3569.

-WKU-
"A leading American university with international reach"

Office of Media Relations
Western Kentucky University
1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-3576
Phone: (270)745-4295 - Fax: (270)7455387 - E-Mail: western@wku.edu