Lewis Honors College

Honors education at the University of Kentucky has provided a rigorous and collaborative student experience for decades. The Lewis Honors College was born of this rich tradition, and today, the entire University is represented in these halls. Honors continues to provide a robust and holistic education for our students, while also giving them a community of peers, mentors and invested faculty and staff to walk beside them on this path. We fully embrace our mission to better the Commonwealth and the world by helping our students explore their purpose, develop intellectually and lead with integrity.

The Kate Johnson Scholarship Fund holds a special place in the Lewis Honors College philanthropy program. This scholarship was created in 2004 to honor the work of advisor Kate Johnson upon her retirement from the University, and we are proud to celebrate its 20th anniversary – and her – by highlighting it today. 

Kate believed it was incredibly important for students to look beyond Lexington – to take advantage of these years and explore. Her impact on Honors students, the Singletary Scholars program and advising across the University cannot be overstated. Her dedication changed the lives of everyone around her, and the scholarship in her name continues this work.

Gifts to this endowment are to be used exclusively for “student skills development outside the normal curriculum, including but not limited to, non-UK summer programs, educational or conference travel or research projects,” and for 20 years, Kate Johnson Scholarship recipients have traveled across the globe to participate in unique and truly life-changing experiences. From language immersion programs in Mexico to volunteerism in Ghana, these students parlay the opportunities that this scholarship provides into impactful careers. They go on to be Chellgren and Gaines Fellows, Fulbright Scholars and leaders in the arts, medicine, engineering and academia. The 2023 recipients of this scholarship used the funding to intern at the National Air & Space Intelligence Center, study at the James Beard Foundation and participate in specialized academic programs around the country. 

On this One Day for UK, please help us make these important experiences available to more students. We ask you to join us today in honoring Kate - and all of those on your path that encouraged you to think a little bigger or gave you a helping hand along the way.