UC's first Marian Spencer Scholar set to graduate

The senior majoring in political science at the University of Cincinnati is always looking for ways to sharpen her critical thinking and reasoning skills to make the best choice with whatever information is available.

“I just loved the political sciences classes at UC,” says Cotton. “You get to see so much of the world and how it operates. The classes are full of people who love to talk, which is great. We get into lots of debates. I don’t necessarily agree with everyone, but we talk. I love how open UC is and lets you chart your own path.”

Cotton hopes her path will someday lead to a practice in law.

The Cincinnati native will graduate this spring from UC with a bachelor’s degree, which gives her the distinction of being the very first Marian Spencer Scholar to do so. Spencer Scholarships are for high-achieving Cincinnati Public School graduates.

“I didn't have to stress about how I was going to pay for the college experience,” Cotton said.

And she entered UC with a head start. Cotton took early college classes while still in high school through UC’s College Credit Plus program, which enables middle school and high school students who qualify for college admission to take college-level courses for which they earn both high school and college credit. When Cotton arrived on campus in fall 2023 as an undergrad, she had amassed 93 college credit hours.

After graduation, Cotton will return to continue to earn a master’s degree in political science as part of UC’s 4+1 program, in which students begin graduate coursework during their college senior year and can earn a master’s degree upon completion of one additional year.

Cotton intends to go on to law school at some point.

“I want to go into law because the thing I love most about political science is figuring out the puzzles. There are few things more complex than the legal system,” Cotton explains. “I also think that law is a very tangible way to impact society. I love trying to figure out why a policy emerged or how a culture changed its norms, but I also want to be able to have a tangible effect in that process of change.”

Cotton is pretty excited to be the first in the Marian Spencer Scholarship program to graduate from UC.

The program was first announced in fall 2021 and made possible by an alumni donation and university investment. The scholarship not only includes full tuition and room and board but also offers a service trip and many more opportunities.

During their first year, Spencer Scholars form a living-learning community, housed together in Marian Spencer Hall on campus.

Marian Spencer, a Cincinnati civil rights icon, is a UC alumna who was instrumental in desegregating Cincinnati’s Coney Island as well as Cincinnati Public Schools. She went on to become the first African American woman elected to Cincinnati City Council in 1983.

“This is an incredible achievement, not just for Katelyn, but for all of the Marian Spencer Scholars,” says Jack Miner, vice provost for enrollment management.  “This scholarship has been an investment in these students and it has paid off with 100% retention and every single recipient on their way to a degree. Kate is an absolute marvel and an inspiration to her fellow students.”

Being a Spencer Scholar has been a highlight of Cotton’s UC experience.

“I had a community and a great roommate,” says Cotton. “The most valuable part of the Spencer Scholars experience has been the opportunities I have been able to take part in. All of the events that I have gone to in the last two years have gone a long way toward helping me build a network, become better at public speaking and learn about what a professional environment is like.”

Cindy Jones, director of the Marian Spencer Scholarship program, says Cotton has served as a great mentor for new Spencer scholars. She has conducted presentations in business and professional etiquette for the scholars, ensuring that every scholar has the information to thrive in building and showcasing their personal brands, adds Jones.

“Kate is a trusted member of the Spencer Scholar leadership program contributing to the important initiatives such as planning team-building opportunities and being a crucial part of the interview team selecting graduate assistants. Kate is an amazing young lady who represents the Marian Spencer Scholarship and the University of Cincinnati with excellence.”

Cotton has been an intern with the Cincinnati Ethics Center, which focuses on developing ethics education and leadership development initiatives. The center is housed in UC’s Digital Futures building.

Venus Kent, program manager of the center, says Cotton has been an intern for two years helping to further its mission of fostering reasoning, dialogue and decision-making skills essential for navigating the ethical, political and social challenges the community faces.

Center officials first met Cotton when she was a high school student participating in a regional Ethics Bowl competition designed to help students strengthen their moral reasoning and build skills to tackle complex ethical dilemmas. Cotton’s team won the competition.

“It was immediately clear that Katelyn was a leader — thoughtful, composed and articulate,” says Kent. “When we learned she would be attending the University of Cincinnati, we knew we wanted her to join our team of undergraduate interns.”

Since then, Cotton has helped facilitate workshops with high school students through the center and worked with youth in the Cincinnati Police Department’s Police Cadet Program. She has created “Cincy Dialogue” — concise, engaging ethics resources written by interns to introduce real-world ethical issues to students.

Serving as an intern at the center offered Cotton direction and an important life goal.

“To me, leading an ethical life and making ethical decisions is less about perfection and more about peace,” explains Cotton. “All of my plans and decisions don't need to work out perfectly, but when I look back at those choices, I need to be able to be at peace with them.”

That means acting with kindness and in good faith to achieve a desired outcome, says Cotton. “I need to be able to look back and believe that I made the right choice with the ability and knowledge I had at the time, even if something still went wrong,” she adds.

Cotton says UC has provided her with a wealth of experiences.

“There are so many programs and possibilities at UC. Even if you can't find one that perfectly aligns with your goals, with a couple of conversations with professors, it can be tweaked and changed to make things fit for you,” explains Cotton.

“The point of UC as I’ve experienced is not to just get in and out with your degree, but to actually give you experiences that you can fall back on after graduation.”

Featured image at top: UC student Katelyn Cotton shown in the Digital Futures Building on campus. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand.