Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program

The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program (GSP) was established in 1983. It is a five-week summer program for rising high school seniors. Over 1,000 Kentucky

Kentucky

The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...

students are selected yearly based on a thorough application process detailing their academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, volunteerism, and personal integrity.

Residence

The scholars selected stay for the duration of the program in the residential halls of three Kentucky college campuses. The three campuses currently hosting the program are Centre College

Centre College

Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...

, Bellarmine University

Bellarmine University

Bellarmine University is an independent, private, Catholic university in Louisville, Kentucky. The liberal arts institution opened on October 3, 1950, as Bellarmine College, established by Archbishop John A. Floersh of the Archdiocese of Louisville and named after the Cardinal Saint Robert...

, and Murray State University

Murray State University

Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...

. Past hosts have included Northern Kentucky University

Northern Kentucky University

, Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...

, Morehead State University

Morehead State University

Morehead State University is a public, co-educational university located in Morehead, Kentucky, United States in the foothills of the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rowan County, midway between Lexington, Kentucky, and Huntington, West Virginia. The 2012 edition of "America's Best Colleges" by U.S...

, Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA. It was formally founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a quarter-century earlier....

,and the University of Kentucky

University of Kentucky

The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...

. Excluding group trips, GSP requires that all scholars remain on campus at all times. This encourages the development of rich community within the group.

Program

Scholars attend a selection of three classes during the week: Focus Area, General Studies, and Seminar. Focus Area is a topic within the arts and sciences, assigned based on the scholar's preference. General Studies classes are assigned randomly and could be any topic of the teacher's choice. Seminar is a discussion class in which scholars are encouraged to share their opinions on social and political issues in a diplomatic setting.

While most teachers refrain from assigning outside work, classes challenge the scholars' modes of thinking in a variety of arenas. GSP teachers take a creative approach to most subjects, allowing the scholars to contribute with their own interactive and experimental projects. Regular field trips, ranging from the Little Sandy Correctional Complex

Little Sandy Correctional Complex

Little Sandy Correctional Complex is a minimum and medium-security prison located near Sandy Hook, Kentucky. The facility is operated by the Kentucky Department of Corrections. The prison is the newest state prison in Kentucky, having opened in 2005. The facility had a prison population of 976 as...

to the Cincinnati Opera

Cincinnati Opera

Cincinnati Opera is an American opera company based in Cincinnati, Ohio and the second oldest opera company in the United States .-History:...

enhance the GSP experience.

Special activities

GSP provides the opportunity to participate in many activities; this includes hosting guest speakers, Showcase (a student-performed talent/entertainment show), GSP Olympics, Community Arts Day, International Fair, Fourth of July Parade, and Community Service Day. Additionally, the program encourages scholars to form and publicize their own student-led events and clubs, which can meet during the free time throughout the day.

College preparation

The program attracts gifted students statewide, many of whom may be the first in their families who plan to attend college. The integrated on-campus experience prepares scholars for residential life. Numerous colleges and universities across the state of Kentucky offer special scholarship packages for students who have participated in the program. This provides an important incentive for the state's most talented students to apply for this experience. There is also a college fair during the program, allowing the scholars to survey Kentucky's colleges and universities.

Diversity

The Governor's Scholars Program emphasizes wide-ranging representation of all Kentucky regions, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds. Participating scholars are granted the opportunity to expand their horizons by forming close relationships with their peers representing all 120 counties in the commonwealth.

Notable program alumni

Christina Blust, member of the band Yearbook Committee
Yearbook Committee
Yearbook Committee is a folk/folk rock band from Terre Haute, Indiana founded in May 2009. Current band members are Christina Blust, Jon DaCosta, Travis Dillon, David Goodier, Brad Lone and Rachel Rasley, all of whom share songwriting and lead vocal performance duties. The band is known for its...
Jordan Cullen, drummer for Fools for Rowan
Jennette Fulda, author
Darlene Hunt
Darlene Hunt
Darlene Hunt is an American actress and producer of television best known for creating and executive producing the Showtime series The Big C.- Career :...

, writer, producer & actress; creator of The Big C (TV series)
The Big C (TV series)
The Big C is a Showtime original television series created by Darlene Hunt which premiered on August 16, 2010. It drew the largest audience for a Showtime original series premiere in eight years. On September 20, 2010, The Big C was renewed for a second season which premiered on June 27, 2011...
Victor Yang, 2012 Rhodes Scholar

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