Golfer Kaycie Bandura made an A in every class except one at Union College and is the 2021 valedictorian
Golf was the primary reason that Kaycie Bandura decided to go to Union College in Barbourville.
“They offered me a scholarship, so I thought why not try it and see if I like it,” said Bandura, a Lincoln County High School graduate. “I really had no clue what I wanted to do but it has worked out great.”
How great?
Not only was she a contributing member of the Union College golf team, but she is graduating as the Class of 2021 valedictorian and earned the following awards:
— Dr. Mahlon A. Miller President Emeritus Award given to the senior with the highest cumulative average based on total hours earned at Union College. Dr. Miller served as Union College President from 1959-1982.
— Governor James D. Black Senior Award given to the senior with the highest scholastic average for the year based on total hours earned at Union College. Governor Black was one of Union College’s founding fathers and President from 1910-1912.
— President’s Award given to the senior who has the highest cumulative record in grades earned at Union College.
— Ronald and Mary Alice Marley Mass Communication Award given to the student with the highest-grade point average majoring in media communications at Union College.
Bandura did not know she was going to be valedictorian. She was on her way home from a golf tournament when she got an email from the college explaining graduation procedures this year.
“The email said to keep your eyes open about the time (for the graduation) and then I did get another email. I just thought it was about graduation but it was like, ‘Congratulations you are the 2021 valedictorian.’ I really thought it was going to be one of my friends. Last year she had a higher GPA than I did, so I never thought about it,” Bandura said.
It’s hard to have a much higher GPA than Bandura. She has a 3.97 on a 4.0-point scale. Her only B came her freshman year in the History of Ancient Greece.
“It’s so hard to play golf and keep up your grades. You are gone three or four days when you travel to a tournament. It’s so unmotivating to try and do homework in a hotel room,” she said. “Then our sport is not done in a couple of hours. It can be a six-hour round at tournaments and it’s super hard to do homework but I learned quickly that you have to do that.”
Bandura is majoring in marketing and media communications. She said that can be TV/broadcasting but she is “more into the design part” and that’s why she also decided to major in marketing as well.
“I still don’t know what I am going to do (after graduation). I have been working in admissions at the school and doing social media. They have openings but I have also applied to other places,” she said.
Bandura says “selling the school” would fit into her marketing major and would also give her a chance to travel to college fairs and high schools.
Bandura admitted college golf was “much harder” than any high school golf but she enjoyed classes in college a lot more than she did in high school.
“I got into my majors more. I really liked the professors I had,” she said. “In high school, it was more just trying to get through the day. But it is a big deal to say you played college sports. I loved my teammates but sometimes with golf it was like, ‘Do I have to go play again?’ It was not like that with my classes.”
