Centre is a proud partner and host of the Governor's Scholars Program
Welcome to the Governor’s Scholars Program at Centre College 2026. We are committed to the academic and personal growth of Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. GSP at Centre provides the ideal balance of a strong liberal arts program with a full co-curricular and residential life experience.
The faculty and staff of GSP-Centre 2026 looks forward to welcoming scholars to campus for Opening Day on Sunday, June 14th. We request that all visitors review the following schedule and important reminders carefully prior to Opening Day.
Check-in times for Opening Day, Sunday, June 14th, are as follows:
(All times are in Eastern Time; letters refer to the beginning letters of last names)
| 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. | Arrival, Registration, and Move into Residence Halls Registration at Champions Hall by last names: E - K 8:30 a.m. L - R 9:15 a.m. S - Z 10:00 a.m. A - D 10:45 a.m. Parking is available in a large lot next to Champions Hall. Signs and GSP staff will direct you to parking. Lunch will not be available on campus for scholars and their families. There are numerous dining and shopping options close to the Centre College campus. Directions will be available. Check-in will take place in Champions Hall (see campus map). |
| 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. | Free time for lunch on your own. Enjoy time with your scholar while visiting beautiful downtown Danville. |
| 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. | (Optional) Dining Services Open House in Cowan Dining Hall in the Roush Campus Center. The manager of Centre’s dining services will be available to address any dietary questions/concerns (i.e. allergies). |
| 2:00 p.m. | Scholars return to residence halls by 2:00 p.m. for hall meetings. This meeting is for scholars only and family members should be making their way to the Alumni Gymnasium in Sutcliffe Hall and have left the dormitory areas. |
| 2:15 - 2:30 p.m. | Family/Faculty Meet and Greet (Optional) in Sutcliffe Hall. This is a chance for families to meet and ask any questions directly to their scholar's faculty member. No 2026 Scholars should be at this meeting. This will take place in various locations within Sutcliffe Hall. |
| 2:45 - 3:30 p.m. | Family Meeting (without scholars) in the Alumni Gymnasium. Family members will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the Family meeting. |
| 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. | Opening Day Ceremonies in the Alumni Gymnasium. Scholars will join their families for this Ceremony. After the Opening Day Ceremonies, scholars process out and families depart. |
| 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. | Mandatory Community Meeting for 2026 scholars in Alumni Gymnasium |
| 5:00 p.m. | Dinner by Focus Area followed by Residence Hall Meetings. |
Family Day:
Sunday, June 28th is the day we set aside for family members to visit the campus, see their scholar, and take their scholar off campus. Scholars may leave campus with their families from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. that day if they wish. Requests to keep scholars overnight (either Saturday or Sunday evening) will not be honored. More information about Family Day will be available as we get closer to the day.
Closing Day:
We will update the information about Closing Day (Saturday, July 18th) as we get closer to the date. Please continue to follow the GSP-Centre website for updates.
The Governor’s Scholars Program began in the summer of 1983 as an academic enrichment program to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s 230 highest-achieving rising seniors. A year after its founding, The New York Times called it “an educational utopia.” Since that time, it has grown in both numbers and prestige. This summer, approximately 1050 scholars will spend five weeks on one of three GSP host campuses: Centre College in Danville, Morehead State University in Morehead, and Murray State University in Murray.
The mission of the Governor’s Scholars Program is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. This is accomplished by providing intellectual and personal growth in a challenging, non-traditional program whose curriculum and philosophy is rooted in the rich tradition of the liberal arts. The Program empowers students to think more creatively than they are able to do in a regular classroom setting, to collaborate with each other and their teachers, and to take an integrative, rather than a narrowly disciplined, approach to problems and issues.
| Day of the week | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday – Friday | 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. |
| Saturday-Sunday | 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. | 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. |
One of the most important aspects of the Program is the opportunity for the student to become an active member in a living/learning environment – an opportunity that offers the freedom to grow and develop as an individual and that will demand the exercise of responsibilities that accompany and ensure that freedom. The student will be expected to contribute to the community and to interact with fellow students, faculty, and staff in building a cooperative, stimulating, and productive “community of scholars.”
The curriculum will be supplemented and enriched by community experiences, residential life programming, and other opportunities to engage with the community outside of the classroom.
Learning Environment Residence Life Danville Community
Mailing Address:
[Scholar Name]
Governor’s Scholars Program
Centre College
600 West Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422
For package drop offs at the GSP office, put the following address into GPS:
507 W Main St., Danville, KY 40422
Office & Telephone Numbers:
Telephone: 859.238.5955
Email: gsp@centre.edu
Emergency Telephone: (859) 236-4357 (HELP) on evenings & weekends
Hours:
Monday – Friday
8:30 a.m. – Noon
1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
(Eastern Standard Time)
All telephone calls to scholars should go to their personal phones. Cell phones can be used in residence hall dorm rooms. In case of emergency, please contact the Governor’s Scholars Program campus office during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, and the College Department of Public Safety (859) 236-4357 (HELP) after hours and on weekends.
The curriculum provides opportunities to develop both general and specific intellectual skills and talents through student participation in the following:
Focus Area-Courses that will allow a student to pursue a topic in-depth as a member of a small group stressing the development of ideas in the chosen discipline, with the option of additional independent study. Focus Areas meet daily for one and a half to two hours. For a complete listing of Focus Areas offered, see the GSP website.
General Studies- Classes the emphasize inquiry, service-learning, community leadership, and resolution development.
Leadership Seminar- This leadership seminar, co-led by a Resident Advisor and by a faculty member, meets daily for one and a half to two hours. It stresses issues of personal development faced by scholars, including values, interpersonal relationships, career choices, and maximizing the value of their senior year in high school.
GSP-Centre photos will be linked in a google drive which all scholars and families will have access to. Photos will be uploaded daily by 5:00 p.m. on Monday-Friday.
Click the link below to go to the state GSP site where you can order GSP merchandise from our online store!
There will be a blood drive for scholars who are interested during the Governor's Scholars Program. Scholars who are 16 must have parent/guardian permission to donate and the permission form will need to be brought with you to your appointment. This form is only required for scholars who are 16.
Scholars must bring their own medications and doctors’ instructions. Scholars may want to bring some basic medicines (e.g., ibuprofen or an antihistamine) with them in order to treat very minor illnesses. Scholars may keep medications in their own rooms.
Routine medical concerns may be treated by nursing services provided by Fast Pace Health Urgent Care Clinic (co-pay or a small fee may be applicable). As appropriate, scholars will be treated for major injuries and illnesses at Ephraim McDowell Hospital, located near the Centre College Campus.
Scholars who need allergy shots will inform their Resident Advisor to have arrangements made.
The library will be open for use during the summer.
Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
*The library will be closed on Friday, June 19th and Friday, July 3rd
All meals will be served in Cowan Dining Hall, located in the Campus Center.
Monday – Friday
Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Saturday – Sunday
Breakfast: 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Lunch: 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Dinner: 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
The fitness center, including the Buck Fitness Center and Hazelrigg Gym, the Johnson Pool in Champions Hall, and tennis courts, are available to scholars during the program. Other indoor spaces may be available with reservations made through the GSP Office.
The hours for the Buck Fitness Center and Hazelrigg Gym are:
Monday - Friday 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
The hours for the Johnson Pool are:
Monday - Friday 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
*Sutcliffe will be closed June 19th - 21st and July 3rd - 5th.
There will be no visitors on campus unless for Family Day. Sunday, June 28th is the day we set aside for parents and family members to visit the campus, see their children, and take their scholar off campus. Scholars may leave campus with their families from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. that day if they wish. Requests to keep scholars overnight (either Saturday or Sunday evening) will not be honored. No other visitors are allowed without permission of the Campus Director.
Opportunities for scholars to continue their faith traditions are coordinated by a team of GSP staff members. These options are within walking distance or local to Danville so that staff or the church itself can shuttle them to and from the service.
Postal services will be available at Centre College.
Your campus address is:
[Scholar Name]
c/o Governor’s Scholars Program
Centre College
600 West Walnut Street
Danville, KY 40422
If a package is going to be hand delivered to the office, please bring the package to the Ruby Cheek House between 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. The address to put into a GPS for this location is 507 W Main St., Danville, KY 40422.
There is banking available on campus. There is one ATM on campus in the Campus Center. In addition, scholars may cash checks at the Business Office (Horky House) up to $75.00 per individual per day. No two-party checks will be cashed.
Scholars will be charged $50.00 for losing a room key during the program or not returning the room key at the end of the program. For security reasons, each time a key is lost, the key core on the door must be changed. The charge of $50.00 helps defray this replacement cost. If a Scholars loses their ID card, they will be charged $25.00 to create a new card.
Students who completed Kentucky’s Governor’s Scholars Program will be recognized with an automatic GSP Scholarship worth $140,000 ($35,000 annually for each of your four years of study) upon admission to Centre. The GSP Scholarship cannot be stacked on top of other general merit scholarships, but we encourage Scholars to explore our premier and special scholarship options for more specialized offerings. These separate scholarship deadlines range from November 15th to January 15th.
The Governor’s Scholar Program matches Centre’s brand promise: to provide a supportive community and a flexible, personal academic path to a meaningful life and career.