The generosity of Augusta Shepherd (BSB '44 Business Administration) and her late husband, R. Hershel Shepherd, continues with Emporia State's newest Shepherd Scholars. With annual and major gifts from Augusta, son Jim Shepherd, daughter Joyce and Craig French, daughter Judy and David Hawkins, and the family businesses, the initial $150,000 gift in 1994 has grown.
Each year since 1995, the Shepherd Scholars Program has honored Emporia State's most outstanding students, as determined through a robust and competitive application process. Normally, the new Scholars meet the Shepherd family during a luncheon at the Sauder Alumni Center. This year, with campus closed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting came via Zoom.
The 12 newest ESU Shepherd Scholars, their hometowns and majors are:
- Kalliope Craft, Lane, elementary education;
- Kirstan DeVore, Inman, mathematics education;
- Emily Goodrow, Penokee, biochemistry and molecular biology;
- Madeline Griem, Lawrence, history;
- Kathryn Kienholz, Emporia, modern language and health and human performance;
- Tayler Loudermill, Olathe, social science education;
- Kara Mason, Shawnee, music education;
- Calandra Matoushaya, Harare, Zimbabwe, biochemistry and molecular biology;
- Salman Mostafa, Emporia, business data analytics;
- Bobbi Rookstool, Clay Center, English education and journalism;
- Marisleysis Velazquez, Emporia, psychology and modern language; and
- Rose Wahlmeier, Burlington, nursing.
Eligible students have maintained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, meet, at a minimum, the traditional definition of "Junior" classification by having completed at least 60 credit hours at the time of application, and have at least two semesters' worth of coursework remaining before graduation.