WCU junior named first Thompson Scholar
By Cam Adams
Ashlyn Hannon hasn鈥檛 been across the pond before, much less anywhere else outside of the country. But thanks to a generous gift from a pair of 甜瓜视频app donors, she鈥檒l be hopping on a flight in just a few short weeks.
The WCU junior was named the first Thompson Scholar, earning a $10,000 scholarship to study abroad in Granada, Spain this upcoming spring semester.
鈥淏eing able to have the cost fully covered is just incredible because I was planning on getting a job and trying to figure that out while I鈥檓 in Spain, but now, I don鈥檛 have to do that, so I can just enjoy my time and not have to worry about all that,鈥� Hannon said.
Ashlyn Hannon
The Thompson Scholar program is funded by Greg and Mary Thompson of Highlands and Atlanta, Georgia. Hannon, a political science and international studies double major, will live with a host family in Spain and study at the University of Granada.
鈥淎shlyn was selected for this award because her full-semester program is ideally matched to the Thompson鈥檚 vision for increased participation of honors students in these kinds of immersive programs,鈥� said Brinson Honors College dean Jill Granger.
Hannon, who is also a Spanish minor, hopes she can improve her foreign language skills in an immersive environment and use her extra scholarship money to travel around Europe.
The Kannapolis resident has aspirations to see Alhambra Palace in Granada, the Coliseum in Rome and anywhere else she can pay a visit.
She鈥檚 also excited to learn more about herself as she travels independently for the first time, and as the first Thompson Scholar, Hannon gets to be a trendsetter.
鈥淚鈥檝e been talking to (Brinson Honors College associate dean) Lori Oxford about it, and she said I get to set a standard for the scholarship and be the first person to talk about it,鈥� Hannon said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 also been great because I got to meet with the Thompsons, who are the donors, and I鈥檝e been talking to them a lot, and Greg Thompson has actually been working with me to get an internship for the summer, so it鈥檚 been really cool to make that connection.鈥�
