View From The Hill
(5/14/09)

Graduation Preview - Emily Turner

A record number of degrees will be conferred at Western Kentucky University this weekend.

In this week’s “View from the Hill”,  Amy Bingham profiles a top scholar who has definitely made the most of her time at WKU.

Emily Turner of Greenville is this year’s Ogden Foundation Scholar…and will deliver a speech at Sunday’s five o’clock commencement ceremony.

She says her goal for the future is to give back to the university that has given her so much.
Emily Turner is relishing her final days on WKU’S campus.
 
She remembers the WKU recruitment event she attended while in high school that convinced her to become a Hilltopper.
 
“Before I left, I left in about an hour, I was a name and a face, I wasn’t just a number.”

Dean Kahler, the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management, was at that event and was immediately impressed.
 
“I thought gosh she is really the kind of student we need at WKU.”

Since that early commitment to Western, Emily has gone on to all sorts of opportunities as a Spirit Master and a member of the Honors College.

“Since then I’ve traveled to Europe…been across the nation to conferences in Philadelphia and Indianapolis, a recruiting trip to Las Vegas…it’s opened up my view of the world.”

In 2006, Emily spent two weeks studying the Holocaust in Poland and Israel…it’s these types of opportunities that make her passionate about WKU.
 
“The thing I look back and think about with Emily is Emily always is giving to WKU and always giving herself in recruiting students.”

Emily is humbled by her selection as the Ogden Foundation Scholar…the top academic honor presented to one graduating senior.

She’s even more humbled by the personal connection she’s felt at Western since day one.
 
“Knowing those people are keeping up with you,…you want to maintain the view that they have of you.”
Emily plans to begin dental school at U.K. this fall.

For a complete list of this weekend’s commencement festivities, log onto www.wku.edu.
With this week’s View from the Hill, I’m Amy Bingham.