<p>Just for the record… My daughter is a Brown Fellow at Centre College, and I am deeply impressed by the program, the other Fellows, and the school. She has not yet completed her sophomore year, and she has already had the chance to travel in Asia, mix–in a private party–with the members of the Vienna Philharmonic, do historical research with a professor at Cambridge, meet with James Watson (the Nobel laureate), spend a week at a remarkably creative and well-planned leadership workshop, and make the most extraordinary friends. </p>
<p>These friends come from overseas, from Iowa, Illinois, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Arkansas, and, yes, from Kentucky. But I haven’t been able to detect any deficiencies in intelligence, curiosity, originality, spirit, humor, creativity, and imagination among the Kentuckians. They appear to be just as interesting, fun, remarkable, fascinating, and delightful as the students from other states and other countries.</p>
<p>How about the faculty, though? Are they held accountable to the highest standards for teaching and for research? As far as I can tell, yes! Emphatically yes! </p>
<p>I am a faculty member at a state university, and my wife is a faculty member at a private liberal arts college. Both of us know a bit about assessing academic programs and evaluating faculty members, and we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the teachers our daughter has encountered at Centre. </p>
<p>The college has earned our highest respect and deepest admiration. It may not be for everybody, but it has been “spot on” for our child. It is welcoming and affirming on the one hand, and enormously demanding and challenging on the other. </p>
<p>To the president, the faculty, and the Brown Fellows program, we say, “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”</p>