Colby Birkes

Luke Birkes had been told his whole life that he wasn’t good enough and that he would never
succeed in a higher education environment due to his epilepsy. However, with every “you can’t,”
Luke responded with “watch me.” After transferring to Morehead State in the second year of his
undergraduate career, Luke immediately excelled, not only in the classroom by making the
Dean’s List each semester, but also outside academics, serving on the Campus Activities Board,
the Student Government Association, and making Morehead State the first Seizure Smart
University in the country.

When asked about his success by his friends and acquaintances, Luke always attributes his
successes not only to his hard work, but also to the support system that he was afforded. This
scholarship is meant to be more than a monetary award. In addition, it is meant to be a message
to the recipient that Luke is with you, supports you, and that you can do anything you set your
mind to, Luke being the example.