Nine New Members Welcomed into Lindsey Wilson University R.V. Bennett Honors Program

Students begin their 'journey of knowledge' with support from professors, fellow members.

by Duane Bonifer

COLUMBIA, Ky. (09/11/2025) — Lindsey Wilson University communication instructor Kaylie Butler '21 has experienced the benefits of the university's R.V. Bennett Honors Program as both a student and as a faculty member.

On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Butler was among those to welcome nine new members into the Bennett Honors Program at an afternoon tea at the Emily Hundley President's Home.

Hosted by Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. and First Lady Elise Luckey, the tea has been a Bennett Honors Program tradition, with both social and symbolic meanings, for nearly a decade.

"We are a family," Lindsey Wilson history professor Elizabeth Tapscott, who is director of the program, told the new members. "And you know that you are not alone as you embark on this journey of knowledge."

Butler -- who was a member of the Bennett Honors Program as a student and is now a member of the Honors Steering Committee -- said the program develops a strong sense of community among students and the professors who serve as project mentors.

"Having a community that supports you while you are working on a special project was nice when I was a student," said Butler. "You also get close to your professors by working in areas that you enjoy studying."

That's what appealed to McKenzie Melton '29 when she received an invitation to apply to the Bennett Honors Program.

"I've always taken classes that are honors and AP (advanced placement)," said Melton, who is an English and psychology double major from Lily, Kentucky. "I also like learning random facts -- I love to learn."

Students who are admitted into the Bennett Honors Program enroll in an honors seminar class for six of their eight semesters at the university, participate in six honors projects and are active in the university's Honors Association.

Guided by the Latin phrase sapere aude, which means "dare to know" and is associated with the Roman poet Horace, the Bennett Honors Program also adopts an annual theme. This year's theme, "What Is Home?," is especially appropriate for newcomer Kyrnan Bowman '29 of Columbia. Bowman is the second legacy to be admitted into the program, joining his sister, Alannah '27, who is a fellow business administration major.

"I've been coming to this place all my life," said Kyrnan Bowman, who is also a member of the men's wrestling program.

He said that while the honors program's special projects "might be a bit stressful" because of the extra work required, "it will look good on an application" for graduate school or a job.

Abigail Vanderheyden '29 of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has already planned her first honors project, which will be an examination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s seminal "Letter from Birmingham Jail."

"I've always liked academics, so when I was invited to apply to the program, I talked to my family about it and decided to do it," said Vanderheyden, who is a psychology major and member of the women's wrestling program. "I'm really looking forward to working on my first project."

The new members, all of whom are members of the Class of 2029, of the Lindsey Wilson R.V. Bennett Honors Program are: Keegan Benton of Summerville, South Carolina; Kyrnan Bowman of Columbia; Briana Frey of Breeding; McKenzie Melton of Lily, Kentucky; Henderson Wiggins of Bowling Green, Kentucky; Sarai Collins of Columbia; Ada Gass of Columbia; Emilee Milby of Elizabethtown, Kentucky; and Abigail Vanderheyden of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Lindsey Wilson University is a vibrant liberal arts university in Columbia, Kentucky. Founded in 1903 and affiliated with The United Methodist Church, the mission of Lindsey Wilson is to serve the educational needs of students by providing a living-learning environment within an atmosphere of active caring and Christian concern where every student, every day, learns and grows and feels like a real human being. Lindsey Wilson offers 28 undergraduate majors, five graduate programs and a doctoral program. The university's 29 intercollegiate varsity athletic teams have won more than 120 team and individual national championships.

Media Attachments

LWU Honors Tea -- 01

Lindsey Wilson University history professor and R.V. Bennet Honors Program Director Elizabeth Tapscott, left, enjoys afternoon tea with new member Abigail Vanderheyden ’29, a psychology major from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Emily Hundley President’s Home.

LWU Honors Tea -- 02

Lindsey Wilson University communication instructor Kaylie Butler ’21, right, chats with R.V. Bennet Honors Program member Katie Saylor ’26, a human services and counseling major from Louisville, Kentucky, at the honors tea on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Emily Hundley President’s Home.

LWU Honors Tea -- 03

Lindsey Wilson University business administration major Kyrnan Bowman ’29 of Columbia and sister, Alannah ’27 of Columbia, who is also a business administration major, enjoy the R.V. Bennet Honors Program tea on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at the Emily Hundley President’s Home. They are the second group of siblings to be members of the Bennet Honors Program.

Ada

Gass