Grace Naylor, senior at Prairie View High School, is the winner of the 2025 Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship at Wichita State University.

The Lenora N. McGregor Endowed Scholarship awards up to $26,000 over four years to an incoming freshman student who has demonstrated academic excellence, has an academic vision for the future and who expresses an interest in advancing knowledge through individual learning. The McGregor Scholar agrees to maintain active membership in WSU’s Dorothy and Bill Cohen Honors College.

Grace Naylor is the daughter of Patricia Loftis and George Naylor. She is a member of Prairie View High School’s National Honors Society. In addition, Grace is president of Prairie View’s student council and president of her school’s Future Business Leaders of America. Her most meaningful involvement in her community is through a local program Grace co-founded called “Herd Hygiene.” This program provides hygiene products to high school students in need. In her leisure time, Grace enjoys working on her overall well-being whether that is reading a new book or training for an upcoming half-marathon.

Grace plans to study political science with ambitions to attend law school. She values the impact the Prairie View community has had on her personal journey. Her long-term goal is to advocate and support her future community and pay it forward.

“In 10 to 15 years, I hope to be doing work for the public good, focusing on those in domestic violence situations,” Grace said.

Grace cannot wait to attend Wichita State University.

“Wichita State’s diversity brings together students from various backgrounds, creating an inclusive environment,” Grace said. “The hands-on learning approach prepares students for real-world careers and impactful contributions to their communities.”

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Wichita State University is Kansas' only urban public research university, enrolling more than 23,000 students between its main campus and WSU Tech, including students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.

Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students. The National Science Foundation ranked WSU No. 1 in the nation for aerospace engineering R&D, No. 2 for industry-funded engineering R&D and No. 8 overall for engineering R&D.

The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.

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