MSU News: First scholarship recipient named, McAnally honored, festival on hold

MOREHEAD, Ky. (WTVQ/MSU Public Affairs) – The Morehead State University Foundation has announced the establishment of the Cathy Goble Gullett Memorial Scholarship, a fund to benefit Morehead State University students. The scholarship’s first recipient is McKenna Pelphrey, a graduate of Johnson Central High School (JCHS) in Paintsville, who plans to major in education.

“There are no words to describe how much this means to me because Cathy was such a positive influence in so many lives. Luckily our family has been on the receiving end of her love and support for as long as I remember,” Pelphrey said. “I am grateful and honored to receive this scholarship and hopefully, I will be able to impact many young people in the future.”

The Cathy Goble Gullett Memorial Scholarship was established earlier this year to support students from Johnson Central High School who plan to study to become teachers. This scholarship was created in memory of Cathy Goble Gullett (74). Gullett began her college career at Prestonsburg Community College before enrolling in the University of Kentucky. She earned a master’s degree from MSU in 1974. She started her teaching career at Porter Elementary School before moving on to Johnson Central High School. It was there she finished out her teaching career before officially retiring in 2004.

Gullett was involved in a variety of activities at Johnson Central. She taught freshman English, journalism and was actively involved in the school’s newspaper “Eagle’s Cry” and its radio program “The Golden Touch.” She also volunteered in numerous roles for Johnson Central athletics for sports, including football, swimming, basketball and cheerleading. Most notably, she became the girl’s golf coach and had several runners up and regional golf championship winners. In addition to coaching JCHS Eagle golfers, Gullett also worked with local youth at summer golf camps at the Paintsville Golf Course and was on the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Golf Board.

Gullett, along with her husband Nelson, spent over 20 years volunteering with the MSU Dr. Rex Chaney Golf Academy and was a faithful supporter of the program. Cathy passed away in March 2019.

Scholarship criteria include being a graduate of Johnson Central High School majoring in an education program with aspirations to become a teacher and a minimum 3.0 GPA.

McAnally named a National Merit Commended Student

Sam McAnally of Elizabethtown, a senior at the Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, has been named a Commended Student in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Though he will not continue in the National Merit Scholarship competition, McAnally joins approximately 34,000 other seniors across the nation who were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation for their academic excellence. McAnally and other Commended Students placed in the top 50,000 scorers of the more than 1.5 million students who took the 2019 PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

The Craft Academy for Excellence in Science and Mathematics is a dual-credit residential high school for academically exceptional Kentucky students. The Craft Academy’s purpose is to meet the unique educational needs of academically gifted and talented high school juniors and seniors in the Commonwealth. The academic rigor of the Craft Academy challenges students to excel at their highest level through project-based STEM+X courses and hands-on learning experiences, with emphasis on innovation, design and creativity, and civic and regional engagement.

Browning Orchard Festival on hold

Morehead State’s Browning Orchard Festival has been placed on hold as students and faculty from the Department of Agricultural Sciences work to improve the health and wellness of the orchard.

“We’re working specifically on the health of the trees and the land at the orchard,” said MSU Farm Manager Joe Fraley. “A late frost in May killed out all the apples for this year. We plan on having the festival again as soon as we are confident in the health and longevity of the trees.”

The annual festival is a staple in the MSU and Fleming County communities. Held each September by the MSU Department of Agricultural Sciences and Office of Alumni Relations and Development, the event features live music, apple picking, hayrides around the orchard, pony rides by the MSU Equestrian Team, a variety of kid activities and more. The event draws nearly 2,000 community members who enjoy reminiscing about old times, when the Browning family hosted events to celebrate the start of fall. The festival is a unique nod to the tradition that the Browning Family started as early as 1926.

Fraley said new trees are being planted to replace those damaged by the frost and that it could take a few years for the orchard to be back to the condition before the frost. The department is using this time as an opportunity to focus on other improvements to the orchard property as well.