University College Student Doers & Deeds

Student Doers & Deeds

ALIVE Center	Aurelia Spaulding earned her Bachelor of Arts from WKU in 2006 with the intent of practicing Public Relations for a nonprofit organization. The desire started through volunteer work in her service sorority (Gamma Sigma Sigma), but widely expanded with the development of the ALIVE Center. From 2004-06, Aurelia went on to volunteer for organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Girls, Inc., Boys & Girls Club, Salvation Army, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, and planned a number of charity events on campus for nonprofits. Aurelia recorded more than 100 hours of service a semester, and went on to win the National Distinguished Service Award in her sorority for 2005. With the award recognition, a donation was made to a charity of her choice, War Memorial Boys & Girls Club. At the same time, her chapter’s expanded efforts for community service won them recognition for having the Most Outstanding Service Program among the 60 chapters in 2005.
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies	Allison Clark graduated in December 2007 with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies degree. She was the 2007 Scholar of the University College and a finalist for the Ogden Scholar Award. Clark says she had a hard time choosing just one major and was excited about the opportunity to study so many different topics. She hopes to attend medical school and believes that a background in a variety of subjects help her relate to a variety of patients. “This degree allows you tailor your educational experience to your individual interests,” she says, “and really experience the many interdisciplinary opportunities that Western has to offer.”
Leadership Studies Program	Jace Lux says, "The Leadership Certificate has played a key role in helping me become a better leader in my personal and professional life. Currently, I am the Assistant Director for Western Kentucky University's national and international speech and debate team. There are over 50 students on the team, and the information I learned in the program has helped me to better deal with general leadership needs, settling disputes between students, motivating students and staff, and rewarding them for a job well done. Since completing the graduate Leadership Program, I have helped guide the team to 2 national, 3 international, and 3 state championships in collegiate speech and debate. In June 2006 I married Brandy Trescott, a 1999 WKU graduate. She worked as a registered nurse for 7 years and is now in anesthesia school. We live in White House, TN. "
Master of Administrative Dynamics	Brentni Henderson earned the Master in Administrative Dynamics in December, 2007, as well as the Graduate Certificate in Leadership Studies. She’ll finish her MBA in December, 2008. While serving as president of the WKU SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), the club received Top 10 national recognition for their efforts in community service, serving the student body, and academic achievement. The group of 25 conducts mock interviews for students in Gordon Ford College of Business, to help prepare them for jobs after graduation. They also work locally with Salvation Army and the March of Dimes. Brentni grew up in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, and is getting ready to marry her high school sweetheart. Brentni would like to stay in the area and aspires to be a top executive in a global organization. In her words, “We all need to dream big.” Brentni especially thanks Dr. Speer and Dr. Garmon for mentoring her over the past two years.
University Experience Photo coming soon!	Rachealle Sanford, Daniel McBride, and Amanda Peterson participated in a panel at the Students in Transition Conference in Cincinnati last November. All three are Peer Mentors in the University Experience program and helped in the classrooms in the fall of 2007. Sanford mentored in a UE pilot class on career exploration, McBride mentored in a UE class focused on leadership, and Peterson mentored in a class offered for students at risk. The group, along with Jim Fulkerson who directs the program, presented their research which shows that peer mentors benefit from the mentoring program through both higher graduation rates and higher grades during the semesters they mentor. The peer mentoring program is open to students who have a 2.75 GPA in their majors and an overall GPA of 2.5. They help in both general and subject specific UE classes.
Women's Studies Program	Women’s studies minors Crystal Kaya and Sara Herndon attended the American Democracy Project (ADP) South conference, held October 25-27 at Kennesaw State University in Georgia. Their presentation on the Women & Kids Learning Together Summer Camp won first place in the category of co-curricular student engagement. Herndon and Kaya, along with Western Carolina University and North Georgia College and State University students, placed 1st runner up in a "Think Tank" competition, challenged to create a diversity education project that could be completed across the different campuses represented. Crystal Kaya was nominated to be the graduate student representative on the ADP South board of directors from fall 2008 through fall 2009.
Student Doers & Deeds from Affiliated Areas
Honors College	Ashley Belcher, an Owensboro junior and student assistant in the Honors College, is a News/Editorial Journalism and Spanish double major and an active member of the WKU Honors College. In the fall of 2007, Ashley received $5,000 through the Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship to help fund her study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain, where she studied both journalism and Spanish. While she enjoys studying in both of her fields, Ashley has found a true community in the WKU Honors College. As Coordinator of Events for HonorsToppers, the ambassadorial group to the Honors College, Ashley organizes all service hours of the members. She has also graduated from two phases of Honors Dynamic Leadership Institute and is currently in Phase III. Ashley also helped organize the first Honors Freshman Orientation Retreat (H4) last summer.

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