Georgetown College Opens New Campus Headquarters for Equine Scholars Program
Thursday, April 6, 2006
Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director John Nicholson
and Georgetown College President Bill Crouch
cut the ceremonial ribbon to open the Equine Scholars Center
as former director Larry Smith looked on.
Georgetown, KY - Georgetown College President William H. Crouch, Jr. and Kentucky Horse Park Executive Director John Nicholson cut the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the Equine Scholars Center on Wednesday, March 29. The center serves as the central offices for Georgetown College’s Equine Scholars Program (ESP).
The ceremony also honored Larry Smith, the recently retired volunteer ESP executive director, for all of the time and hard work he contributed to make the program a success.
The program, which pairs students’ academic pursuits with their individual interests in the horse industry, was started in 2004 by Larry Smith and, since then, has been attracting equine enthusiasts from around the country to Georgetown College to pursue their education in the heart of horse country.
“When President Crouch approached me about the vision he had for the program, I thought it was the perfect fit for a first-class liberal arts college in Central Kentucky,” said Smith. “The opportunity to pair a superior education with real-life professional experiences in the Horse Capital of the World is something that many students around the country dream about.”
The Equine Scholars Program takes a unique approach to educating students about the equine industry by offering experiences that directly relate to both their educational focus and their individual interests in horses without requiring that they have an equine-related major or minor. Students in the program are eligible for a scholarship and an Equine Distinction on their transcripts. They take part in internships, outings, lectures, educational projects, volunteer opportunities, and leadership exercises.
"The Equine Scholars Program is bringing a new breed of students to Georgetown College,” said Senator Damon Thayer, one of the program’s supporters. “These scholars are coming to Kentucky from across the country and are passionate about joining our horse industry and taking a proactive role in making it bigger and better."
“We are attracting students from as far away as California and Hawaii and as close as right here in Georgetown,” said executive director Jen Budge. “When you get that kind of response that quickly, you know you’re doing the right thing for the college and for the industry.”
The Equine Scholars Program is offered in The Horse Capital of the World by Georgetown College in partnership with the Kentucky Horse Park. Students in the program can pursue any major Georgetown College offers and, through their experiences in the ESP, can learn about the different careers paths and opportunities that pair their major and interest in horses.
The program is open to students interested in any and all breeds and disciplines and to riders/non-riders alike. Currently there are 14 students enrolled in the program, with plans for at least 30 students by the fall 2006 semester. The students range from nationally competitive Saddlebred, reining and eventing riders to those who had never been on a horse until this year.
The college is holding a Visit in Person Day on April 28 for any college-bound student who is interested in the ESP program. Dinner will be served and all attendees will receive an annually renewable scholarship to Georgetown College. The Visit in Person Day is during the Rolex Three-Day Event, an international equestrian event, so horse enthusiasts can definitely make a “horsey weekend” out of coming.
For additional information about Georgetown College’s Equine Scholars Program or the Visit in Person Day contact:
Jen Budge, Executive Director
Equine Scholars Program
Office: 502-863-8426
Cell: 859-494-4712
Jen_Budge@Georgetowncollege.edu
Director of Scholars Randa Remer, junior Communications major Noel Davis aboard
Shack, Executive Director Jen Budge and recently retired executive director Larry Smith.
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