Hall Center Scholars

Each year, the Friends of the Hall Center sponsor a small number of Hall Center Scholars.  The program provides opportunities for KU undergraduates who have strong academic credentials and have demonstrated significant activity within KU, to interact with the well-known authors, scholars, and public intellectuals who speak in our Humanities Lecture Series. The program started in the Fall of 2007.

Kellen Bolt is a senior majoring in English and American Studies. He is currently the co-director of the Center for Community Outreach, and served as the Pride Week and Activities Coordinator for Queers & Allies. He has also participated in the Honors Research Development Program and University Scholars, and has been awarded an Undergraduate Research Award to do research on his senior thesis, which will explore the relationship between "Americanness" and the natural environment in 20th century Jewish-American fiction.

Luke Brinker is a senior from Topeka majoring in history with an interest in 20th century American political and intellectual history. He is a member of the Honors Program, a Summerfield Scholar, the 2011 winner of the Philip Whitcomb essay contest, and a member of the University Scholars 2011 class. Luke is also an opinion columnist for the University Daily Kansan and a member of the Student Advisory Board at the Dole Institute of Politics.

Kelly Cosby is a senior pre-law student majoring in political science and English. She is the president of Amnesty International at KU and is also the Amnesty International Student Area Coordinator for the state of Kansas. Kelly will be serving her second year as a student senator and is secretary of the student senate finance committee. She is involved with the Center for Community Outreach, the Queers & Allies Educational Outreach Task Force, and the state of Kansas Young Democrats. She has served as a mentor for the US Institute on Women's Leadership at KU for the past two summers.

Stephanie Jian is a senior majoring in Cognitive Psychology. She is Alternative Breaks co-director and President of the Service Learning Ambassadors. She volunteered with and coordinated the Music Mentors program, and is a member of the University Honors Program, serving as an Honors Ambassador and Honors Peer Mentor.

Greg Loving is a junior majoring in Chemical Engineering and Economics. He is a University Scholar, member of the SELF Engineering Fellowship program in the School of Engineering and is a Charles Oswald Fellow in Economics. In 2009, Greg founded and directed a student philanthropy that has raised over $38,000 for Lawrence Habitat for Humanity. In 2010, he served as a co-coordinator for Into the Street Week. Currently Greg is serving as founder and co-president of the KU Energy Club.

Kelsey Murrell is a senior majoring in English. She studies both literature and creative writing with a particular interest in social justice literature and playwriting. During her time at KU, Kelsey has been involved in several student organizations including the CAST, a developmental group for student playwrights, the Center for Community Outreach, and Student Senate.

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Past Hall Center Scholars

2010-2011
Chelsea Brown, English and Sociology
Loren Cressler, English Literature, Creative Writing, and Classical Languages
Sarah Shier, Political Science and History
Ryan Thornton, English and Classics
Hannah Vick, English and Social Welfare
Emylisa Warrick, English
Megan Watson, English and Chemistry

2009-2010
Julia Barnard, History
Earl Brooks, Music and American Studies
Bethany Christiansen, English and Illustration
Melissa Melling, Art History
David Wilcox, Chemistry and English

2008-2009
Zach Abramovitz, English
Joel Burnett, Philosophy and Spanish
Katherine Oberthaler, Creative Writing and Psychology
Dan Thompson, Economics and Political Science, International Studies (co-major), English (minor)

2007-2008
Brenna Daldorph, Journalism