Get to know the four new WKU Alumni Association Alumni Leadership Scholars
By Rose Rementer
The Alumni Leadership Scholars (ALS) program was established in 1983 and awards incoming freshman students a four-year renewable scholarship totaling $8,000, with $2,000 awarded per year. The funds come through endowments housed in the College Heights Foundation—the Calvin M. and Rosella Spivey Isbell Scholars and the Bob and Norma Jean Kirby Scholars. Of the 330 qualified applicants, Grace Clark, Gabriel Feinn, Jordyn Secrest and Jessica Wellum were selected to receive the 2018-2019 scholarships.
The four students will join 13 other students who are already a part of the ALS group. The scholarship requires the students to remain in good standing with WKU, and grades are reviewed at the end of each semester. In addition, the students must also complete one academic or philanthropic project each semester. The group meets monthly and works on group volunteer projects each semester. Let’s learn more about these four outstanding students.
Grace Clark
Hometown: Mount Sterling, Ky.
Area of study: Agriculture
Fun fact: “Throughout high school, I learned, and am now continuing to learn, how to play the banjo.”
Hobbies: “In my free time, I love to volunteer at the Montgomery County Senior Citizens Center where I serve hot meals to elderly community members. I also enjoy spending time at the local nursing home, riding horses, farming with my parents and reading.”
Dream job: “My career goal is to become an Agricultural Educator. This will allow me to teach students the importance of our nation’s largest industry while igniting in them the same or even greater passion for agriculture that my past ag teachers ignited in me.”
What are you most looking forward to at WKU? “I am looking forward to the new friendships and connections that I will make with people from all different backgrounds. I am very eager to meet new people and have new opportunities throughout these next four years on campus that could end up lasting a lifetime. As an ALS member, I am excited for the new leadership experiences that I will gain by serving others. I will not only learn more about the community and the Alumni Leadership Scholars group, but I will also gain knowledge about leadership that I will carry with me throughout my career as an agricultural educator.”
Gabriel Feinn
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Area of study: Biology
Fun fact: “As an avid Disney lover in a world full of avid Disney lovers, it may be easy to dismiss me as one of many. However, as you get to know me, you may find that my love for Disney, specifically Pixar, crosses more into hysteria. I have developed the skill of being able to listen to the first few seconds of almost any song from a Pixar soundtrack and reciting not only which movie it is from, but sometimes even the name and scene it can be found in.”
Hobbies: “I genuinely adore being with my friends. When I am not driving them around or eating with them at Denny’s at 1:00 a.m., I also enjoy outfitting my room with my collections of strangely flavored soda, peculiar candy, and good-looking books that I will never read. And, I enjoy running my nonprofit organization, The Number One Team, with my younger sister and mom.”
Dream job: “I have always loved languages and teaching. I want to live in China for a while teaching English and come back to America to begin the journey of becoming a Professor of either Chinese or Linguistics.”
What are you most looking forward to at WKU? “I remember with fondness, at the age of 8 or so, staying with my oldest sister for a few days as she showed me around her college campus, WKU. Though I was incredibly young, I shadowed some of her friends in their classes and participated in a few every day college activities. That night, I stood on her flat apartment roof, called my best friend and told him that we had to be roommates at WKU. Fast forward a decade later where those dreams are finally coming to fruition. I am excited to make a place I have dreamt about for over 10 years my home, to be roommates with my best friend and to live the life of a college student with all its unique experiences.”
Jordyn Secrest
Hometown: Columbia, Tenn.
Area of study: Exercise Science
Fun fact: “Most people don’t know that my family owns 55 acres of farm property. My father along with his six siblings grew up on that property assisting my grandfather, grandmother and great-grandmother in the tobacco farming business. They also raised cows, chickens and pigs, and every year they planted a garden that provided all of their vegetables.”
Hobbies: “I mostly volunteer at my church where I often work with the younger kids. In the past, I have also been a mentor to underclassmen at my high school, and I have worked with several volleyball and basketball camps. In my free time, I enjoy online shopping, watching Netflix shows and movies, and going to sporting events.”
Dream job: “My dream job is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist because I would love to work with special needs children.”
What are you most looking forward to at WKU? “I’m looking forward to meeting new people who have the same goals as me as well as taking on the new challenges I will have to face while getting my degree. I look forward to being a part of the ALS group full of like-minded students, because I believe if we all put our minds together we can accomplish great things at WKU.”
Jessica Wellum
Hometown: Louisville, Ky.
Area of study: Nursing
Fun fact: “In High School, I was President of my Chaco Club.”
Hobbies: “In my free time I run, hike, read, hang out with friends and make flower bouquets.”
Dream job: “My dream job is to be a Nurse Anesthetist.”
What are you most looking forward to at WKU? “I am looking forward to new opportunities, whether it will be new faces, new places or simply just the newness of this next chapter in my life. Being a part of the ALS scholarship team, I am most looking forward to the opportunities to help lead on campus and to meet others throughout this experience.”