News from The Mahurin Honors College

For Grayce Basham, a vocal music education major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, music has always been more than a talent—it’s been a language for connection, healing, and belonging.

“I was singing before I could talk,” she recalls. But it wasn’t just the melodies that pulled her in—it was the way music helped her express emotions when words fell short. “I love the way music can communicate things I can’t say.”

Her journey to WKU was sparked by a chance encounter at a college fair, followed by a transformative experience in her senior year of high school when Dr. Paul Hondorp, professor and director of choral activities in the department of music, conducted her all-county chorus. “It was the best job I’d ever seen a clinician do,” Grayce says. “He picked repertoire that had meaning, and his teaching style was something I wanted to model.”

That encounter, along with the warm welcome she received during her student-for-a-day visit, convinced her that WKU was where she belonged. “Even on a cold, rainy day, I felt so much love from everyone I met on campus,” she says. “No one seemed upset to be here—it didn’t feel like a place full of pressure; it felt like home.”

Now a sophomore at the time of the interview in late spring 2025, Grayce’s calendar is packed with music theory, choral rehearsals, and performances, along with deep dives into music history through her Honors coursework. One of her favorite recent projects was designing a recital program based around the theme of space—an intersection of two of her passions.

Outside the classroom, Grayce embraces leadership in multiple areas of campus life. She serves as Director of Risk and Harm Prevention for her sorority, Phi Mu, where she’s worked to shift the role from disciplinarian to supporter. “I want people to feel like they have someone in their corner,” she says. “Especially with everything happening around mental health in Greek life, that kind of care matters.”

She’s also a newly selected Spirit Master, a role she calls “one of the most meaningful honors I’ve ever received.” Running uphill to meet the selection team with minutes to spare was symbolic of her commitment. “I was sprinting—literally and figuratively—toward something I care about deeply,” she laughs.

Grayce’s Mahurin Honors College journey began with encouragement from a high school teacher who challenged her to pursue a deeper kind of learning. “She created an environment where we could fail and grow from it,” Grayce says. That mindset resonated with the values she saw in WKU’s Mahurin Honors College. “Honors isn’t about checking boxes. It’s about learning how to learn, how to think deeper, and how to ask better questions.”

She’s taken that same spirit into her work life. Through her role at 7Brew Coffee, Grayce discovered a unique space to apply her skills outside the classroom. While she’s advanced to help open new stores and train staff, it’s the people that make it matter most. “Working there has been about connection, not just coffee,” she says. “It’s helped me practice teaching in informal, interactive ways—which I know will make me a better educator.”

Whether she’s mentoring new students, singing alongside community members, or creating order out of chaos at a coffee stand, Grayce’s goal remains the same: to build spaces where people feel seen, supported, and part of something greater. “In choir, there’s always a place for your voice,” she says. “And I want my students to feel that too—wherever they are.”