EKU’s Spin the Wheel Scholarship Sends 21 Students Abroad

Eastern Kentucky University’s (EKU) annual Spin the Wheel Scholarship event took place in January, offering students a chance to win a fully funded study-abroad experience. Interested students could submit an entry prior to the event, then on Jan. 29, winners were drawn from a box filled with the entries by the president, provost and deans from the various colleges. Each winner then got to “spin the wheel” to see where they might travel abroad.

“At EKU, we are committed to providing transformative educational experiences for our students,” said EKU President David McFaddin. “The Spin the Wheel Scholarship opens doors to global learning opportunities that might not have been opened otherwise. We are thrilled to see a record number of winners this year and look forward to the incredible experiences they will gain abroad.”

The Spin the Wheel Scholarship covers tuition, housing, travel and airfare for the study-abroad experience. Destinations are typically determined by the program offered, price range, the student’s major and geographic availability and include options in Continental Europe, Asia, Latin America and the British Isles.

With nearly 600 entries, this year’s event saw the highest number of winners to date—21 students. Some colleges had separate entry boxes, and the College of Business took the lead with six winners.

This year’s winners included traditional on-campus students, an online student and a regional campus student, highlighting EKU’s commitment to making global learning accessible to all students. One of the winners, McKayla Waters, a junior from Somerset, Kentucky, will be traveling to Argentina to pursue classes for her political science minor. For Waters, the scholarship makes a long-held dream a reality.

“I always wanted to study abroad but couldn’t afford it,” she said. “Therefore, I’m really thankful for EKU providing us with this opportunity.”

Having never traveled abroad before, Waters said, “I am excited to experience a different perspective of life while learning.”

Waters also expressed appreciation for the support EKU Education Abroad has provided in preparing her for the journey. “EKU Abroad has already scheduled an appointment and orientation for me to fully understand everything,” she explained. “They also make sure all majors have a way to pursue their study-abroad dreams.”

This year’s scholarships were sponsored by the College of Business; the College of Education and Applied Human Sciences; the College of Letters, Arts, and Social Sciences; the College of Health Sciences; the Office of the President; the Office of the Provost; EKU Education Abroad and others.

The 2025 Spin the Wheel Scholarship recipients and their study-abroad locations include:

The Spin the Wheel Scholarship is one of many initiatives at EKU aimed at supporting opportunities for students to study abroad. The university also offers the EKU Education Abroad Scholarship, the Honors Program Trailblazer Award and Foundation Scholarships, which provide financial assistance to make the study-abroad experience possible for many students.

Jennifer White, EKU senior director of Education Abroad, emphasized a commitment to helping students in their study-abroad goals. “Historically every eligible student who has applied for a scholarship through the Education Abroad office has been offered some form of assistance,” she said.

Now running for 11 years, Katie Samuel, assistant director of Education Abroad, said EKU was the first to offer the spin the wheel scholarship as a full-ride summer study abroad scholarship opportunity. The Spin the Wheel Scholarship continues to expand students’ horizons and reinforce EKU’s dedication to global education. “The goal is to continue increasing the number of students we send and grow every year,” White added.

White encourages any student interested in studying abroad to visit the EKU Education Abroad Office for options “that can make your dreams become reality.”

By A’Mya Kendrick