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Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson to Deliver Lecture at WKU on Oct. 26

October 3, 2009 | Academics, News, Student Life | No Comments

The 2009-10 Cultural Enhancement Series at WKU will begin Oct. 26 with a lecture by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson.

The event is free and open to WKU students, faculty, staff and community members. Seating is on a first-come, first-seated basis.

Neil deGrasse Tyson at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Downing University Center Theatre: Dr. Tyson is director of the Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History and host of “NOVA ScienceNow,” which explores the frontiers of scientific discoveries that are reshaping our understanding of the universe. He has hosted numerous other science documentaries, authored diverse best-selling science books, appeared on hundreds of talk shows to explain new discoveries in an accurate and approachable manner, and even named in 2000 by People magazine as “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive.” His books include “The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet” and “Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries.”

His lecture is co-sponsored by the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU.

Other events in the Series’ 13th season are American Revival: Celebrating the New Stars of American Roots Music on Nov. 17, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys on Feb. 9 and U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins on April 13.

For more details, visit the WKU News Blog.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Welcomes Prospective Students at Preview Weekend

September 28, 2009 | Admissions, News | No Comments

Preview Weekendby Elaine Flynn, Academy Avatar

On September 26, 2009, families from across the state came to visit Gatton Academy for the first of three scheduled Preview Weekends this year. Sophomores and other students from around Kentucky who are interested in the Academy’s atypical approach to high school experienced a day that would give them more information about the Academy than a brochure could give. Students were welcomed by the staff as they learned about the program in greater detail. Next, these students and parents were able to tour Schneider Hall, students home-away-from-home at Western Kentucky University. Ending the day, current seniors and parents of students in the academy welcomed questions during the question and answer panel.

One of the major concerns for students and their parents was the issue of personal safety. Academy staff members responded that the security of students is a top priority—both physically and emotionally. As these families noted, the amount of effort taken to keep students safe is worth every bit of it. Having to scan in and out of the dorm (since the doors are locked to all unless they have a card) and special precautions if signing off campus are just a few of the safety measures here. This was one of the many perks that parents felt comfortable with, allowing their children to attend the Academy; without seeing it first hand, many parents had been skeptical.

During the question and answer panel, prospect students and parents were able to ask about other issues that affect current students and may affect them.  Often times these questions deal with the distance from home, courses, the overall high school experience, and how difficult it was to adjust. The insight given from this panel helps all with decisions about the Academy.

For families who haven’t had a chance to come to a Preview Weekend, these sessions are great ways to find out if the Academy may be the right place to finish high school based on their student’s needs. For some students, this place isn’t where they are supposed to be. They may already get the chance to be challenged, or seeing what the Academy is in person may cause them to realize it isn’t the place for them.  That is why it is strongly encouraged of prospect students to visit Gatton Academy, so that they can get a sense of what it is like to be here. Just like a college visit should make a student feel that you are at the right place, so should the Academy.

Academy director Tim Gott expressed the preparation students need before coming to the Academy and the adventure that is ahead during the closing of the day: “Parents, do your students have enough roots, is it time for them to fly? Students, are you ready to fly?”  Yet, how do you know where to fly if you’ve not seen it yet?

Additional Preview Weekends have been scheduled for November 14, 2009, and January 30, 2010. you will be extremely welcomed. If these days do not fit into your schedules, check www.wku.edu/academy for dates of information sessions closer to students’ hometowns.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy to Host First Preview Weekend of the Year on Saturday, September 26

September 21, 2009 | Admissions, News | No Comments

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky will host a Preview Weekend at Western Kentucky University on Saturday, September 26, 2009, for prospective students, their parents and educators.

Events will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Schneider Hall on the WKU campus. Families will meet in the lobby of Grise Hall beginning at 9:30 a.m.  Sessions will begin at 10 a.m. Activities for the day will also include campus and hall tours as well as parent and students question-and-answer panels.

Preview Weekends present a unique opportunity for prospective applicants and their families to meet with current Academy students and their parents, visit Schneider Hall, and gain a better understanding of student life at the Gatton Academy.  Special emphasis will be given to current ninth grade students who will begin the admissions process during Fall 2009.  Topics will include the role of the ACT and SAT in the admissions process, suggested courses for sophomore year, and qualities of a strong applicant.

Parking will be available in the lot behind Schneider Hall and Parking Structure 1, which are both accessible from College Heights Blvd. For a WKU campus map, please visit http://www.wku.edu/Tour/campusmap.html.

Students are kindly asked RSVP for the preview event online at http://gattonacademy.eventbrite.com no later than Thursday before the event.

The Gatton Academy, a residential program for 120 high school juniors and seniors from Kentucky who have demonstrated talent and interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, is in its second year of operation. To date, students from 86 counties across the Commonwealth have been selected to attend the prestigious program. Students apply during their sophomore year through a competitive admissions process.

The goal of the Gatton Academy is to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky that will lead to economic growth. Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, Gatton Academy students take courses offered by WKU. At the end of two years, student earn over 60 hours of college credit in addition to completing high school.

Students live and learn with peers who share their enthusiasm and interest in learning. Room, board and tuition are funded by the Commonwealth. Kentucky is the 14th state to offer a residential program with a focus on math and science supported by the state.

Additional information is available online at www.wku.edu/academy.  For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.

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By Corey Alderdice

12 Gatton Academy Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists

September 16, 2009 | News, Student Success | No Comments

2010 National Merit SemifinalistsMore than 20% of Gatton Academy seniors have been recognized as Semifinalists in the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program, an honor which potentially opens the door college scholarship opportunities.  In all, 12 members of the Class of 2010 will go on to the next round of the competition.

Over 1.5 million students in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2010 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.  Students are testing in math, critical reasoning, and writing.  The 16,000 Semifinalists honored are the highest-scoring entrants in their state and represent less than 1 percent of each state’s high school seniors.

For these Gatton Academy seniors, it’s a great way to begin their final year of high school even as they focus on the college admissions process ahead.  According to Gatton Academy Director Tim Gott, this is just the beginning of a busy—and rewarding—year.

“With this recognition, these students have earned a key that will open tremendous educational opportunities,” Gott said. “We look forward to seeing what these students will accomplish in the days ahead.”

To be considered in the rigorous competition for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by meeting additional standard and fulfilling several requirements.  These include having a record of very high academic performance of college preparatory course work, submitting SAT scores that confirm PSAT performance, and being fully endorsed and recommended by a high school official.

For Gott, that recommendation will be easy to give.

“It is an incredible honor to be named a National Merit Semifinalist,” Gott said. “These remarkable young people have been strongly prepared by their home high schools and the Gatton Academy is privileged to be able to contribute to the ongoing education of these outstanding students.”

2010 Gatton Academy National Merit Semifinalists:

Sam Brown  (Greenwood High School, Warren County)
Thomas Choate  (Warren Central High School, Warren County)
Amy Cordero  (Pikeville High School, Pike County)
Nash Dingman  (Heath High School, McCracken County)
Cody Feldhaus  (Conner High School, Boone County)
Jacob Haven  (Bourbon County High School, Bourbon County)
Ballard Metcalfe  (Eminence High School, Henry County)
Alex Naumann  (Boyd County High School, Boyd County)
Rohith Palli  (Paul L. Dunbar High School, Fayette County)
Sarah Pritchett  (George Rogers Clark High School, Clark County)
Katherine Rush  (Franklin County High School, Franklin County)
Ryne Weiss  (Madison Central High School, Madison County)

Finalists will be named in Winter 2010.

For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.

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By Corey Alderdice

Greece is the Word! Application Now Available for January 2010 Travel Abroad

September 15, 2009 | International, News, Student Life | No Comments

Athens, GreeceThe 2009-10 school year is really just getting started, yet we’re excited to announce our January 2010 Winter Term program in Greece. From January 2-13, 2010, up to thirty Gatton Academy students will explore the cities, culture, and history of Greece. The Greece Experience marks the third consecutive travel/study program facilitated by the Gatton Academy. Students traveled to Spain and Portugal in 2009 and Italy in 2008.

Sites visited will include Athens, Meteora, Thessaloniki, Delphi, Olympia, Mycenae, and more.  For a full list of excursions, visit the Academy website at http://www.wku.edu/academy/?p=1009.

The cost for this year’s trip will be $2,200.  (The overall program cost is $3,300 with the Academy supplementing $1,100 of the total cost.) This includes roundtrip airfare from Nashville or Cincinnati, hotel accommodations in all destinations, breakfast and dinner while in Europe, admission to most historic sites and museums listed on the itinerary, and travel by chartered motor coach for excursions.

Full information and an application are available in the online brochure.

Students must submit the completed application and $500 deposit no later than Monday, October 12.  Space is limited to 30 students.  Should there be an excess of interest, priority will be given to seniors first and names randomly drawn thereafter.

The Academy will provide three full scholarships to students who require financial assistance.  Students wishing to apply to for this scholarship must submit the following items no later than Monday, September 28: a copy of their parents’ 2009 tax return, a parental statement of need, and a student statement describing his or her reasons for wanting to travel abroad as well as the impact of their overall Gatton Academy experience.   Student selection will occur on or before Monday, October 12.  Students receiving the scholarship will be required to perform community service in consultation with a staff member.

Please direct any additional questions to Tim Gott or Corey Alderdice.

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By Corey Alderdice

Audio: Many Gatton Academy Students Staying at WKU, While Others Pursue Higher Ed Elsewhere

September 10, 2009 | Academics, Alumni, Student Success | No Comments

From the WKYU-FM website:

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Math and Science in Kentucky is now in its third year on the campus of WKU. Some of the best high school juniors and seniors take classes alongside WKU undergraduates, and engage in research projects with school faculty. After they graduate from Gatton, students can attend college anywhere. Kevin Willis has this report on the decision facing Gatton graduates: should they stay on at WKU, or pursue higher education elsewhere?

Listen to the full story.

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By Corey Alderdice

Council on Postsecondary Education to Visit Academy, Meet at WKU on Sept. 10

September 8, 2009 | News | No Comments

The Council on Postsecondary Education will meet at noon Thursday (Sept. 10) at WKU’s Florence Schneider Hall. The session is being planned by WKU President Gary Ransdell and will be an opportunity for council members to learn more about WKU. No formal action will be taken.

At 3 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 10), the CPE will meet at the Kentucky Building on WKU’s campus. The agenda and directions are available on the CPE website.

An evening reception and dinner is planned for CPE members and representatives of WKU at 7 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 10) at President Ransdell’s home. No formal action will be taken.

On Friday (Sept. 11), the Governor’s Conference on Postsecondary Education Trusteeship will be held at the Sloan Convention Center in Bowling Green. The conference agenda may be here.

Contact: Sue Patrick, (502) 573-1555.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gifted Education Experts to Discuss Diversity During Sept. 25 Workshop

September 8, 2009 | News, Parents | No Comments

On Sept. 25, teachers, counselors, school leaders and parents are invited to attend Diversity and Developing Gifts and Talents, presented by The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU and board members of The Association for the Gifted of the Council for Exceptional Children.

During this daylong event, nine experts in the field of gifted education will discuss strategies for identifying gifted children of diverse populations and for developing their potential.

The keynote will be “Identification of Underrepresented Groups for Gifted Services” by Dr. Susan Johnsen of Baylor University.

Participants can attend such sessions as teaching twice exceptional students, communicating with families of diverse learners, addressing the needs of gifted students in rural schools and providing support to a diverse population of gifted students in a variety of settings.

The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Central time) at the Carroll Knicely Center, WKU South Campus. EILA credit is available. For information, click here or contact The Center at (270) 745-6323 or gifted@wku.edu.

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By Corey Alderdice