Area news in the field of education.

U.N. group gives high rank to WKU project

Officials of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization have given a review panel’s excellent rating to the 2007 efforts of the “Global Study of Karst Aquifers and Water Resources” project led by Western Kentucky University, the organization recently announced from its headquarters in Paris.

The major focus of the U.N. funding is to support communication between scientists from countries around the world working on various earth science and environmental issues.

Dr. Chris Groves, director of WKU’s Hoffman Environmental Research Institute within the University’s Applied Research and Technology Program, serves as the program’s project leader within UNESCO’s International Geoscience Program.

In its comments, the UNESCO review panel cited the project’s “high scientific production in the most important international journals,” support of education and participation of project members in relevant international conferences.

“A key benefit for WKU is that the project provides outstanding opportunities for geoscience students to participate in research projects and to interact with scientists from around the globe,” Groves said.

During the past eight years, Hoffman Institute graduate students have made more than 20 trips to China to work on U.N.-affiliated projects. Numerous geoscience students have also participated in, and given presentations at, related U.N.-sponsored conferences. Two related conferences in Bowling Green have brought some 200 scientists from more than 20 countries to the WKU campus.

“This recognition by the U.N. review panel is gratifying as faculty and students in the Hoffman Institute have worked very hard in recent years to build collaborative research relationships around the globe,” said David Keeling, head of the Geography and Geology Department.

Husic gets scholarship to study design in Italy

Sabina Husic, a Western Kentucky University freshman from Bowling Green, received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for the fall 2008 semester.

Husic, a design, merchandising and textiles major, will receive a $3,500 scholarship to participate in a Fairfield University study abroad program in Italy.

The award is the family’s second Gilman Scholarship. In 2007, Husic’s older sister, Senida, received a Gilman to study in the United Arab Emirates. Senida Husic is a senior at WKU and a student in the Honors College.

“Sabina’s success demonstrates once more the quality of students attending WKU,” said Dr. Craig Cobane, director of the Honors College. “Our institution is filled with students who are competitive for this and other national scholarships; they only need to take the opportunity to come visit the Office of Scholar Development (housed in the Honors College) to begin the process.”

The Gilman Scholarship is a nationally competitive award sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Institute of International Education.

Area students put on Georgetown dean’s list

The following area students have been named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Georgetown College:

Ashley N. Johnson, daughter of Michael and Myra Johnson of Auburn; Andrea Neal Meredith, daughter of Lance and Marsha Meredith of Bowling Green; and Randa Leigh Stovall, daughter of Randy Stovall and Rita Stovall of Scottsville.

The dean’s list honors undergraduate students who completed the semester with at least 12 hours and a 3.7 GPA.

Butts picked to take part in state CPA camp

Hardin Butts, a 2008 Greenwood High School graduate and the son of Vanessa and Selvin Butts of Bowling Green, was one of 50 students chosen from Kentucky high schools to participate in the Kentucky Society of CPAs Business and Accounting Summer Education Camp June 1-5 at Bellarmine University in Louisville.

The camp is a career and professional development program designed for junior or senior year students to explore careers in accounting and business, learn about accounting, finance, economics, technology, entrepreneurship and management career paths as well as sharing with successful business leaders their experiences and tips for success.

WKU geoscience grad students visit Slovenia

Western Kentucky University geoscience graduate students Brian Ham, Julie Schenck-Brown and Mark Tracy were in the Central European country of Slovenia recently presenting research at the 16th International Karstological School Workshop on Karst Sediments.

Ham, of Nashville, Schenck-Brown of Gurley, Ala., and Tracy of Cobleskill, N.Y., are working on master’s degrees in geoscience at WKU. Their master’s theses involve research on karst landscapes like those in southcentral Kentucky, where caves and underground rivers are common, and within which water-related environmental problems are common.

The international conference is sponsored each year by the Slovenia Karst Research Institute in Postojna, one of the world’s premier locations for such research.

“Scientists around the world consider Slovenia to be the classic home of karst landscapes, and some of the earliest major scientific research about them took place there,” said Chris Groves, director of WKU’s Hoffman Environmental Research Institute and Tracy’s research adviser. “Even the term karst itself has roots in the Slovenian language.”

The three students gave presentations on current research during the week during a schedule of lectures from an international collection of scientists and several field excursions.

WKU students part of democracy project

Four Western Kentucky University students, along with 12 faculty and administrators, recently participated in the annual meeting of the American Democracy Project in Snowbird, Utah.

The American Democracy Project is a multi-campus initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens for our democracy. The conference allowed participants to highlight WKU’s initiatives to engage students, faculty and staff with complex societal issues in ways that promote open inquiry and deeper understanding.

Sara Ferguson, a junior geography major from Springfield, Tenn., and Hannah George, a senior communications major from Alvaton, represented WKU in the Student Think Tank competition. Teams from different campuses worked together to develop a cross-campus financial awareness program for students. Ferguson and George also presented a poster describing the efforts of the GreenToppers student organization to promote environmental awareness and sustainability at WKU.

Sara Herndon and Crystal Kaya, recent graduates from Bowling Green, along with Molly Kerby of the Women’s Studies Program, presented “Women and Kids Learning Together Camp.” WKLT is a two-week experience that focuses on education, the arts and physical and emotional wellness in order to help improve the lives of low-income and under-educated women and their children.

Saundra Ardrey, head of the Department of Political Science and coordinator of the WKU Political Engagement Project, presented “Beyond Civic Engagement to Political Engagement.”

Nathan Phelps, instructor in the University Experience Program and coordinator of the WKU 7 Revolutions Initiative, presented “PEP and the 7 Revolutions: The Political Dimensions of Building a Preferable Future.”

John Bruni of the Department of Psychology and Lisa Durham, director of the Institute for Rural Health Development and Research, along with Provost Barbara Burch, presented the results of their study, “WKU Student Civic Engagement” as part of the Deliberative Polling Initiative.

Doug McElroy, coordinator of the WKU American Democracy Project; Alecea Davis, Office of Academic Affairs and graduate student in the Department of Communication; Jenifer Lewis, Department of Communication and Carnegie Political Engagement Scholar; and Burch presented “Endemism and Inertia vs. Innovation: Cautionary Tales in Civic Engagement.” Bruni, McElroy and Burch also presented “Addressing the Learning and Scholarly Dimensions of Civic Engagement.”

Soleiman Kiasatpour of the Department of Political Science presented “Implementing Politics and in Action: Wolves, Bison and Snowmobiles in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.”

Carl Kell of the Department of Communication presented “The Spirit of Civic Skills: Communication Training, Civic Training, and Community Success.”

Kay Gandy of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction moderated a session entitled “The Use of Community Partnerships to Further Civic Engagement.”

WKU is one of 229 participating state colleges and universities and has been a part of ADP since its inception in 2003.

Speer gets scholarship at Nossi College of Art

Stefanie Speer of Bowling Green has been awarded the Presidential Scholarship at Nossi College of Art in Goodlettsville, Tenn.

Speer is the daughter of Lonnie and Tina Speer. She began the associate of occupational studies degree program in commercial digital photography in May.

The scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate an exceptional ability in photography and a promising future as a commercial digital photographer.

Rich Pond’s Paynter gets new position

Stephanie Paynter, a teacher at Rich Pond Elementary School since 1998, has been hired as Rich Pond’s curriculum coordinator. She replaces Karen Alford, who retired at the end of the 2007-08 school year.

Paynter, a Hardin County native and a graduate of North Hardin High School, earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees and Rank I certification at Western Kentucky University.

Hepner named to Samford dean’s list

Bowling Green’s Kelli Rae Hepner, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Hepner, was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Samford University in Alabama.

To qualify for the honor, a student must have earned a minimum 3.5 grade-point average out of a possible 4.0 while attempting at least 12 credit hours of coursework.

Blum, Patterson get high school diplomas

Geoffrey Blum and Alexandra Patterson recently graduated from Pope John Paul II High School in Hendersonville, Tenn.

Blum, a National Merit Commended Scholar, will attend Centre College, where he was awarded a Presidential Scholarship. He is the son of Judy Brown of Bowling Green and Tom Blum of Kenner, La.

Patterson, an Advanced Placement Scholar with Distinction, will attend Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and received a Military Officers Association scholarship award. She is the daughter of Rich and Jeanne Marie Patterson of Bowling Green.