Governor Andy Beshear congratulated the 1,050 outstanding high school seniors from 117 counties across the commonwealth who recently completed the 43rd Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program (GSP), including a dozen students from Whitley, Knox and Laurel counties.
For more than four decades, the residential summer program has focused on enhancing Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders through educational and career opportunities at college campuses across the state.
Beshear, a GSP alumnus from 1995, commended the scholars on their achievements.
“The Governor’s Scholars Program helps Kentucky students build confidence, find joy and grow personally and academically,” Beshear said. “It made a tremendous difference for me as a young man and helped me follow my dreams, and I know it will do the same for these students and those to come. Building our new Kentucky home starts with our youth and I can’t wait to see the great things they accomplish in the years ahead.”
GSP is a five-week residential summer program with staggered starting dates at three Kentucky college campuses. The 2025 program at Morehead State University ran from June 14-July 18, Centre College ran from June 15-July 19, and Murray State University was June 22-July 26. Including the Class of 2025, more than 38,000 students have completed the program, which is administratively attached to the Kentucky Education and Labor Cabinet.
The 2025 Governor’s Scholars took classes in 25 subjects areas including biological and environmental issues; the healthcare industry; journalism and mass media; music theory and performance; political and legal issues; and agribusiness and biotechnology. They also attended general studies classes to balance the scientific and humanistic fields of study, as well as a leadership seminar on themes related to their age group as they continue their path to personal and professional success.
To participate in the highly competitive program, a statewide selection committee chose well-rounded participants based upon nominations submitted by each Kentucky school district and home school. Selection criteria are based upon academic records and test scores; teacher and community recommendations; extracurricular and service activities; honors and awards; and a writing entry. There is no cost to students selected to participate in the program.
When GSP began in 1983, Kentucky leaders wanted to encourage high-achieving Kentucky seniors to attend a Kentucky college or university to reduce the “brain drain,” as a growing number of students were choosing to go out of state to attend college. According to the most recent data, nearly 75 percent of 2022 scholars chose to pursue higher education in Kentucky in the fall of 2023.
Local students include:
- Corbin High School – Audrey Mahan
- Williamsburg High School – Zyler Housekeeper
- Whitley County High School – Myleigh Farmer and Miles Leskiw
- Barbourville High School – Rilyn Gray
- Knox Central High School – Amelia Lord
- South Laurel High School – Jacob Culler
- North Laurel High School – Tucker Hamilton, Addison Metcalf, Kara Smallwood, Austin Van and Raymond Wang
To learn more about the Governor’s Scholars Program, visit gsp.ky.gov
