(L to R: Lilian Branch, Maggie Gnann.) 

Two WKU students were awarded the Freeman Award for Study in Asia (Freeman-ASIA). Two students were awarded Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants. 

All four students have worked with the Office of Scholar Development (OSD) in their time at WKU to prepare competitive applications. 

Freeman-ASIA awards up to $7,000 to U.S.-based undergraduates with demonstrated financial need who will study in east or southeast Asia, aiming to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents with first-hand exposure to Asia and its peoples and cultures. 

The following students were recognized: 

Jesse Ferguson, whose parents are Carrie and Shannon Ferguson of Lawrenceburg, KY. A member of the Chinese Flagship Program at WKU, Jesse is a first-generation college student, a Chinese and History double major with minors in Asian Studies and Religious Studies, and is studying abroad in Taiwan in summer 2026.  

Neftali Navarro-Miranda, who is a member of the Chinese Flagship Program at WKU. He is a double major in Chinese and Anthropology and will be studying Chinese in Taiwan in summer 2026. 

Phi Kappa Phi Study Abroad Grants award $1,000 to students, both members and nonmembers from campuses with Phi Kappa Phi chapters, as they seek expanded knowledge and experience in their academic fields. Selection is based on the applicant’s academic achievement, campus and community service, and relation of travel to academic preparation. 

The following students were recognized: 

Maggie Gnann of Danville, KY is the daughter of Karen and Karl Gnann. She is a double major in Environmental Science and Geology with a minor in Outdoor Recreation. She earned the Phi Kappa Phi study abroad scholarship to study abroad in Italy in the Spring semester of 2027. 

Lilian Branch of Chattanooga, TN is the daughter of Gwen and Clint Branch. She is a double major in Biology and Chinese, and a member of the Chinese Flagship Program at WKU. She will be completing her Flagship Capstone Year in Tainan, Taiwan. 

Students interested in studying abroad are encouraged to seek scholarship funding early, as students who plan one year in advance maximize their scholarship potential. 

To explore possibilities for study abroad, students are encouraged to work with WKU Global to find the best study abroad program to fit their academic and professional goals and the WKU Office of Scholar Development to seek nationally competitive scholarships. 

About Phi Kappa Phi: Founded in 1897, Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines, aiming to recognize and promote academic excellence and engage scholars in service to others. Membership is by invitation only to the top 10 percent of seniors and graduate students and 7.5 percent of juniors. 

About WKU Global Learning and International Affairs (WKU Global): WKU Global serves the WKU community by engaging students, faculty and staff in diverse, educational and cultural experiences through faculty-led, exchange, consortia and other study abroad opportunities. 

About the Office of Scholar Development (OSD): OSD mentors students applying for national scholarships to fund “academic extras” such as study abroad, research, professional experience, and more. From first drafts to final submissions with multiple revisions in between, OSD helps students make more possible. By conceptualizing and revising the stories they tell in application essays and interviews, students better understand their strengths, interests, and purpose—and explore multiple possible pathways to that work.  

Contact: Lindy Watkins, lindy.watkins@wku.edu