By Josh Shepherd

Two doctoral scholars enrolled in the Educational Policy Studies and Evaluation (EPE) department of the UK College of Education have been named recipients of a highly competitive national academic fellowship.

The Southern Region Education Board (SREB) awarded a 2003 Dissertation Year Fellowship to Althea Webb, a College of Education doctoral student from Owensboro, Kentucky. Katrina Hutchison, a first year doctoral student in higher education, was admitted to the SREB Minority Doctoral Scholars program, which provides a five-year support package to its participants. Webb and Hutchison received notice of these awards in June 2003.

Webb, who is seeking her doctorate in higher education, earned her bachelor’s degree in 1987 from Brescia College (now Brescia University) in Owensboro. She completed her master’s degree in social work from the University of Louisville.

After serving several years as an assistant professor and director of field education in the social work program at Murray State University, Webb moved to Lexington to become a full time student and dedicate herself solely to the task of earning her doctorate. The fellowship award has given her the means of fulfilling this task.

“This fellowship will make it possible for me to remain a full time student and devote myself to the completion of my dissertation. I owe a great deal of thanks to Dr. Karen Tice, my committee chair," Webb said.

The SREB dissertation, in addition to covering her tuition and fees, provides a personal stipend and support for research expenses.

Webb’s dissertation will chronicle the history of social welfare work among African Americans in Louisville, Kentucky in the first half of the twentieth century.

Katrina Hutchison, in contrast to Webb, is just beginning her doctoral work this fall. She also plans her doctorate in higher education with an emphasis on a study of urban education policy. A native of Russellville, Kentucky, Hutchison is an academic advisor with the UK College of Arts and Sciences.

The SREB Minority Doctoral Scholars Program provides a five-year package of support for its recipients, which includes a full tuition scholarship for three years, a personal stipend, as well as support for research, books and material. The scholars program is intended to support minority students who plan to become full time faculty at the end of their doctoral program.

Hutchison, who earned her bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University and a master’s degree from Temple University, said she owes a great deal of thanks to the UK Graduate School for their help in securing this fellowship. The Graduate School staff, and particularly the work of Dr. Kwaku Addo, associate dean, was extremely helpful in finding financial assistance that would allow her to complete her doctoral program at UK.