University of Kansas Honors Program

Congrats and best of luck with your internship, Rose! 👏👏🎉

The museum is excited to share that our Summer 2026 University of Kansas Honors Program Intern Rose started with us last week! Rose is a history major at KU also pursuing a Spanish minor. She will be working with Andrew this summer on all things exhibits. We are incredibly grateful to be able to continue this partnership with the KU Honors Program this summer and can't wait to see what Rose shares with the museum!

Although social media and program activities slow down during the summer, there's been a lot happening in Nunemaker Center!

In the past week, our staff held a two-day planning retreat to discuss how the program can better support students, construction crews finished replacing our lower-level doors, and Anne Kretsinger-Harries' COMS 130 summer class began meeting in the building. On Wednesday afternoon, all three happened at once!

Honors student Mina Khosh recently served as the student speaker at the University of Kansas Chancellor’s Top Scholar Reception, an opportunity she prepared for during her time in the honors program.

"The University Honors Program has supported my academic and leadership experiences at KU by providing me with mentors, peers, and endless opportunities that have challenged me to grow in and out of the classroom. The engaging coursework, leadership through my role as an ambassador, and service opportunities have helped me become a confident student and leader," Mina said.

We heard about Mina's experience through LinkedIn, where we welcome you to follow us (look for the University of Kansas Honors Program's company page). And if you're a student who'd like to include us in a post about your co-curricular experiences, tag us! https://www.linkedin.com/company/kuhonors/

This semester, two honors students had transformative experiences as interns with Kansas Action for Children (KAC):

Bridget Hawkins, a sophomore double majoring in English and global and international studies and minoring in Spanish, said one of the most inspiring parts of her KAC internship was learning how legislation can positively impact the education system. "It would be nice for me to be in a position like that, where I can help correct the issues I see in these systems," Bridget said.

Abbie Clements, who at first was pursuing political science with a history minor, added a second major in digital marketing communications after her first-year honors seminar and a series of internships revealed the ways communications influence politics. Abbie recently segued from being a KAC intern to their full-time communications specialist.

Honors nonprofit internships like those with KAC offer students a space to learn more about potential careers of impact — valuable exploration that can sometimes result in unexpected and welcome outcomes. Congrats to both students for completing these formative experiences — and to Abbie for the new role!

Read more here:

KAC internships ignite passion in honors students for change-making Abbie Clements and Bridget Hawkins joined Kansas Action for Children determined to better understand the political and legal systems that shape Kansans' lives.

Honors students Kaitlyn Carson (second from left), Youngha Rissler (left), and Aislinn Reekie (right) recently completed internships at Braden Heidner Lowe & Associates, where they finished off their experience by volunteering at a Kansas Day celebration with Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.

Youngha and Aislinn also participated in the internship last year, and Kaitlyn took Youngha's recommendation to apply after hearing that she enjoyed her experience. Kaitlyn's honors connection to her law school aspirations doesn't stop there:

“The honors program has supported me in my pursuit of a legal career by connecting me to valuable mentors, relevant activities, and peers with similar interests. As I look forward to graduating next year, I am thrilled to apply the countless experiences and skills I have gained from the honors program in law school and my following legal career!” Kaitlyn said.

Happy graduation, spring grads! 🎉🎓

We're so proud of our program's newest alumni, whom we celebrated at Friday's graduate recognition ceremony. Though we'll miss all of your vibrant energy and enthusiasm, we can't wait to see where your journeys take you next.

Rock chalk! ❤️💙

Honors students Arthur Benson and Gabrielle Bolfing will represent KU as 2026 Astronaut Scholars! The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, founded by the Mercury 7 astronauts, provides scholarships for up to 70 students per year "who exhibit motivation, imagination and exceptional performance in the fields of engineering, mathematics and natural or applied sciences." Cheers, Arthur and Gabrielle!

Read more about KU's Astronaut Scholars here: https://news.ku.edu/news/article/two-ku-juniors-to-compete-for-2026-astronaut-scholarships

Congratulations to history and Russian double major Adrianna Brady, who was recently selected for a Fulbright Award, which will provide her with funding to study, research, and teach abroad.

"It's all connected and so are we," the motto for Common Cause, inspired Adrianna as a first-year student. "For me, language has always been an important tool of connection. I studied Russian abroad in Armenia and as my Russian improved, I felt more connected to my host family and friends," she said. "Like language has provided me with a platform for connection, the honors program has helped me to connect my academic interests to global experiences. Through its support, I’ve been able to approach learning not just as an individual pursuit, but as part of an international, interconnected endeavor."

Adrianna and the program's spring 2026 graduates will be celebrated at the program's Graduate Recognition Ceremony 8:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15 at the Lied Center of Kansas. If you'd also like to celebrate our most recent honors graduates, we hope to see you there! 🎓

Two cheers to environmental engineering and English double major Wyatt Vaughn, who recently claimed both a KU Brosseau Creativity Award and, on a national level, a Udall Scholarship! Vaughn said the honors program has played a critical role in supporting both accomplishments and his entire educational journey at KU.

"The program's Honors Opportunity Awards and amazing community have not only encouraged me but tangibly assisted me in my goals to be an engineer-poet. I made the decision to come to KU after I talked to [former Honors Faculty Fellow] Mary Klayder, who encouraged me that pursuing both disciplines was not only possible, but would make an experience for me worth more than just the sum of each discipline's parts," Vaughn said.

Read more about Wyatt's Udall scholarship here: https://news.ku.edu/news/article/ku-student-wyatt-vaughn-named-udall-scholar

And his Brosseau Creativity Award here: https://spencerart.ku.edu/education-and-research/university/student-opportunities/brosseau-creativity-awards

Thank you, KU Honors community! ❤️💙 We're so heartened by all the support our program received during this year's initiative. Through 90 gifts from 82 donors, we were able to raise $45,450!

We're incredibly grateful for all of our donors — your generosity will create boundless opportunities and help shape the paths of honors students for years to come. Rock Chalk!