By Jenny Wells, Sue Scheff

(Dec. 17, 2015) — The University of Kentucky Honors Program recognized 10 first-year students as recipients of the T.W. Lewis Scholarship beginning fall 2015. These scholars, representing Fayette County and a select number of Appalachian counties in Kentucky, joined the current cohort, who were admitted to the program in 2014. The Lewis Scholars in the new cohort are off to a great start as they begin their spring semester.

The new 2015-16 Lewis Scholars are:

• Sarah Anders, a graduate of Corbin High School in Whitley County, majoring in biology 
• Ryan Booth, a graduate of Lafayette High School in Fayette County, majoring in university studies
• Zach Byrd, a graduate of Henry Clay High School in Fayette County, majoring in agricultural biotechnology
• Zachary Cassidy, a graduate of South Laurel High School in Laurel County, majoring in mechanical engineering
• Katy Estes, a graduate of Henry Clay High School in Fayette County, majoring in management, business and economics
• Rebeckah Fairchild, a graduate of Johnson Central High School in Johnson County, majoring in chemical engineering
• Benjamin Ward Jones, a graduate of Harlan County High School in Leslie County, majoring is writing, rhetoric and digital studies
• Jordan Nicoulin, a graduate of Tates Creek High School in Fayette County, majoring in mechanical engineering
• Kathryn Price, a graduate of Carol Martin Gatton Academy, but a resident of McCreary County, majoring in mathematics
• Erin Reed, a graduate of Tates Creek High School in Fayette County, majoring in arts administration

This scholarship program, named for Thomas W. Lewis and his mother, Ruth Jones Lewis, is now accepting applications for the 2016-17 academic year.  The application deadline is Jan. 15, 2016. Interviews will follow in February.

Recipients are selected on the basis of their academic achievement, demonstrated leadership potential, entrepreneurial potential, strong personal character, intellectual ability and financial need. They each receive $5,000 toward the cost of tuition, room and board, with a maximum of $20,000 awardable per student.

T.W. Lewis is a former member of the UK Capital Campaign Steering Committee, serving during the "Dream, Challenge, Succeed" campaign. He received a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the university in 1971. This past October, Lewis and his wife Jan gave the single largest gift in UK’s history — $23 million to establish an Honors College at UK. The establishment of a new college will be subject to faculty review and endorsement through the University Senate next year.

For more information on the T. W. Lewis Scholarship Fund, visit www.uky.edu/academy/honors-incoming-scholarships or contact the Honors Program at 859-257-3111 or honprog@uky.edu . 

The UK Honors Program is part of the Academy of Undergraduate Excellence within the Division of Undergraduate Education at UK.