Our History - Catalyst Cohort in the MHC

With support from the Office of the Provost at WKU, the Office of Scholar Development expanded to a team of four full-time staff members, creating the capacity for new initiatives that support the institution's priorities of connecting more undergraduate students to high-impact practices such as research and study abroad.

The Office of Scholar Development and the Mahurin Honors College teams collaborate to identify student populations that could benefit from additional support and sustainable programming to deliver it.

After a grant finalist presentation sharing the vision for the Catalyst Cohort with members of the WKU Sisterhood, the Office of Scholar Development and Mahurin Honors College are awarded a $20,208 Impact Grant in the WKU Sisterhood's record-setting grant year.

Applications for the first cohort of the Catalyst Cohort in the Mahurin Honors College will be accepted from Honors-eligible students enrolling at WKU in Fall 2024. Selected scholars will be offered invitations to the program. 

Beginning in Fall 2024, participants in the Catalyst Cohort will enroll in and complete a for-credit course offering mentored processes for identifying interests, charting pathways to relevant research, and evaluating study abroad programs. Scholars who complete the program will earn guaranteed scholarship funding for research and/or study abroad in their second year.