The Governor’s Scholar Program strives to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. The service-learning component of the experience, which takes place the summer after the junior year, will help students further develop their leadership potential. 

There were eight students accepted into GSP from Central Hardin for the summer of 2022 session. Five of the eight scholars recently spoke to The Central Times about their experiences:  Chip Collins, Shiloh Dunaway, Anna Hinkle, Patrick Lally, and Annie Yates. 

Chip’s Experience

Chip Collins was at Morehead’s campus from June 25 to July 29. 

He was able to reminisce about good times during his five weeks. 

“Sleepover, with the boys, on the last day, we threw a watermelon out of the window,” Collins said. “So that was probably my best memory.” 

While at Morehead, Collins focus area was Astronomy. 

“I feel like I made the right choice,” Collins said. “Twice a week we’d like go out at like 12 at night and stargaze until like 2 am, so you really got close with the people in that focus area with you.” 

Although he spent five weeks away from his home, he did not get homesick at all. 

“It is so nice to get away from home, and get out of school. It kind of gives you a glimpse into college,” Collins said.  

He noted how beneficial it is to apply, even if you don’t get accepted into the program. 

“If you don’t get in, you already have the application, which will really help for college applications,” Collins stated.

Shiloh’s Experience

Shiloh Dunaway was on Centre’s campus from June 19 to July 23. 

Dunaway explained how difficult it was to get into the program in the first place, going in depth about her personal application process. 

“I started at the end of November writing an essay, which took super long,” Shiloh explained, “and then submitting your ACT scores and your GPA.” She added that part of the process was recommendations, both from the community as well as from her teachers. 

Shiloh’s focus area was political and legal issues, and she spoke about how glad she is that she got into that focus area. 

She went on to share her favorite memory from her weeks on campus. 

“Every Friday night we would have swing dancing class, which was in a parking lot and basically everyone went which was a lot of fun,” Dunaway described. 

Unlike Collins, Shiloh remembers being fairly homesick. 

“I was so homesick at first. I made my parents send me photos of my dog everyday because I missed him so much.” Shiloh laughed, “but the longer you’re there, the less you start to miss it. The kids at GSP become like your replacement family in a way.” 

Anna’s Experience

Anna Hinkle was at Bellarmine’s campus from June 26 to July 30. 

Like Chip, Anna was in the astronomy focus area. She was very happy with this choice, and recalled her favorite memory being in her focus class.

“We were outside stargazing and waiting to see Saturn.” Hinkle explained. “It was so late and we all were so tired and then finally we spotted it at like 2 in the morning, it was so exciting and worth it to finally see.” 

When asked about whether or not she would consider GSP a life changing experience, she went on to explain how it was completely life changing and hard to explain. “It was a total eye opener. Everyone on campus was so diverse and had a range of backgrounds, we were all so different but it just also showed how similar we were at the end of the day,” Anna stated. 

She said that she formed lots of good relationships with the fellow GSP students. 

“I still keep in touch with a lot of people from there. A lot.” 

Patrick’s experience

Patrick Lally was at Bellarmine’s campus from June 26 to July 30. 

“I’d say that my best memory was the final sleep over, we stayed up late and played games.” Patrick said when asked about his favorite memory. 

He went on to tell how he got into the program to begin with. “The application was hard. I’m not a very good writer, so the essay was, well, miserable.” He laughs.

Lally explained how he went through waves of being homesick, but loved the sort of family he had there. “I only really missed my dog Milo, but I did like to call home when I got the chance. It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting.” 

Annie’s Experience

Annie Yates was on Centre’s campus from June 19 to July 23. 

Yates dove right into how she viewed gsp as a whole. 

“The best way I can describe it , and this is very cliche, but community. Cause that’s a big part of what it is.” Yates continued. “Not only do you get to focus on academics, but you get to form great relationships.” 

Yates’s chosen focus area was forensic science. 

“A lot of what we did was like a blood splatter analysis lab, and we did a murder mystery kind of thing.” 

Similar to Collins, Yates actually enjoyed being away from home most of the summer. “It was just fantastic. It gives you a little taste of college, and it’s hard coming back home because you aren’t used to all of that.” 

She did explain, however, how she was at first apprehensive about being away from home and what she would miss out on over her last summer before college. 

“The good thing about GSP though, is that it really gives you a chance to grow up and if you want to call home, great, but if you don’t want to that’s fine too!”

Kendall Ashlock and Zoe Graham could not be reached for comment, but their outstanding accomplishment has not gone unrecognized. 

If you are interested in applying for GSP for the upcoming summer, click here for more dates and information.