Joan & Melvin Kahn Native American Indian Scholarship Fund

Dr. Melvin Kahn was a popular professor of political science at Wichita State University. Hewass well known for dressing up and portraying Alexander Hamilton, Plato and John Locke to bring history alive to his students. Kahn said “My real model is the quote from Aristotle, ´the mind is a fire to be lit and not a vessel to be filled.’ You want to stretch students’ minds and inspire them to go out and see on their own.” Dr. Kahn established the WSU Washington and Topeka student-intern programs. He also received WSU’s Regents Award for Excellence in Teaching, the John M. Barrier Award for distinguished teaching in the humanities and social sciences, and the Academy for Effective Teaching Award. In 1989, he was named Kansas Professor of the Year. Mrs. Joan Kahn began her long relationship with WSU in 1958 in the Office of Student Services and retired in 1994. James Rhatigan, former dean of students, said, ‘Joan remains a woman of integrity, a caring person, one who understands the meaning of university as community.’ In 1988, Mrs. Kahn received the Laura Cross Distinguished Service Award. She also was a member of the WSU Women’s Association, Women in Philanthropy and Benders of Twigs. Additionally, former SGA presidents inscribed a Plaza of Heroines paver honoring Mrs. Kahn that reads, ‘A Good Friend to Students.’ Mrs. Kahn died in 2017. The Joan & Melvin Kahn Native American Indian Scholarship is given to a native American student who exhibits a successful high school performance, college potential, leadership qualities and financial need.