Western Kentucky University

{{Short description|Public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, US}}

{{Infobox university

| name = Western Kentucky University

| former_names = Western Kentucky State Normal School (1906–1922)
Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College (1922–1930)
Western Kentucky State Teachers College (1930–1948)
Western Kentucky State College (1948–1966)

| image = Western Kentucky University seal.svg

| image_upright = 0.7

| motto = The Spirit makes the Master
Life more life

| established = {{start date and age|1906}}

| type = Public university

| academic_affiliations = {{hlist|ORAU|Space-grant}}

| president = Timothy C. Caboni

| coor = {{coord|36|59|10|N|86|27|20|W|region:US-KY_type:edu|display=inline,title}}

| endowment = $209.5 million (2022)As of June 30, 2022. {{cite report |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Nacubo/Documents/research/2022-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL.ashx |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY21 to FY22 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and TIAA |date=June 30, 2022 |access-date=June 20, 2023}}

| undergrad = 14,593 (Fall 2024)2024 WKU Fact Book

| faculty = 932 (658 full-time) (Fall 2020){{cite web |url=https://www.wku.edu/instres/fact_book.php |title=Employees by Type and Status: WKU Factbook (2020) |publisher=Western Kentucky University | access-date=April 10, 2022 }}

| administrative_staff = 1,691 (1,101 full-time) (Fall 2020)

| students = 16,762 (Fall 2024){{Cite web|title=2024 Fact Book |url=https://www.wku.edu/instres/documents/2024_fact_book.pdf}}

| postgrad = 2,169 (Fall 2024)

| city = Bowling Green

| state = Kentucky

| country = United States

| campus = {{convert|200|acre|km2}}

| colors = Red and White{{cite book |title=WKU Communication & Branding Manual |url=https://www.wku.edu/marketingandcommunications/documents/communication_branding_manual.pdf |access-date=March 25, 2016 |archive-date=November 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211120045447/https://www.wku.edu/marketingandcommunications/documents/communication_branding_manual.pdf |url-status=dead }}
{{color box|#B01E24}} {{color box|white}}

| nickname = Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers

| sporting_affiliations = NCAA Division I FBS – CUSA

| mascot = Big Red

| website = {{URL|www.wku.edu}}

| logo = WKU logo.svg

| logo_upright = 0.8

}}

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a few decades earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, and Owensboro. The main campus sits atop a hill overlooking the Barren River valley.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bgdailynews.com/news/wku-officials-dedicate-newly-renovated-preston-center/article_4c56ed3e-4151-59fd-864a-2ac93567fd65.html|title=WKU officials dedicate newly renovated Preston Center|first=Liz|last=Switzer, The Daily News|website=Bowling Green Daily News|date=May 4, 2010 |language=en|access-date=January 16, 2019}}

History

File:Cherryfall.jpg]]

The roots of Western Kentucky University go back to 1876 with the founding by A. W. Mell of the privately owned Glasgow Normal School and Business College in Glasgow, Kentucky. This moved to Bowling Green in 1884 and became the Southern Normal School and Business College.{{sfn|Ellis|2011|p=137}} In 1890, Potter College was opened as a private women's college by Pleasant J. Potter.{{sfn|Ellis|2011|p=363}} In 1906, Henry Hardin Cherry sold the Southern Normal School and became president of the Western Kentucky State Normal School,{{sfn|Ellis|2011|p=363}} which had just been created by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly. Southern's student body and its building became the new school, with classes beginning on January 22, 1907.{{cite web|title=The History of WKU|url=http://www.wku.edu/wkuhistory/|publisher=Western Kentucky University|access-date=August 14, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611051914/http://www.wku.edu/wkuhistory/|archive-date=June 11, 2011|location=Bowling Green, Kentucky|date=2011}} In 1909 Potter College closed and Western bought the buildings and property of the school.{{sfn|Ellis|2011|p=365}} In 1911, Western relocated to its present site on the property that had been Potter College.

In 1922, the school was authorized by the state to grant four-year degrees and was renamed Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College.{{Cite web|url=http://www.wku.edu/library/dlsc/ua/wkuhist.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080511221026/http://www.wku.edu/library/dlsc/ua/wkuhist.htm|url-status=dead|title=History of Western Kentucky University|archive-date=May 11, 2008}} The first four-year degrees were awarded in 1924. In 1927, the school merged with Ogden College, which occupied an adjacent campus. The name changed again in 1930 to Western Kentucky State Teachers College. The school was authorized to offer the Master of Arts degree in 1931. Another name change took place in 1948 when the school became simply Western Kentucky State College.

WKSC merged with the Bowling Green College of Commerce, which had formerly been the Bowling Green Business University, in 1963. Bowling Green Business University had originally been a part of the Southern Normal School and had been sold off by Henry Hardin Cherry when Southern Normal School was transferred to the state. The structure of the institution changed at this time, divided into separate colleges. Bowling Green College of Commerce maintained its identity in this way. The Graduate School also became a constituent college. In 1965, three additional colleges were created. In 1966, Western Kentucky State College became Western Kentucky University.

For many years, the college was popularly known as "Western", as indicated in its fight song, "Stand Up and Cheer".[http://www.wkusports.com/ot/traditions.html Tradition page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170614113034/http://www.wkusports.com/ot/traditions.html |date=June 14, 2017 }} at WKU athletic site However, administrators in recent years have preferred to call it "WKU."{{Cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wky/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013-mg.pdf|title=2012–13 men's basketball media guide|access-date=July 20, 2013|archive-date=November 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211115072024/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/wky/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013-mg.pdf|url-status=dead}}

On July 1, 2017, Timothy C. Caboni became the university's 10th president. Dr. Caboni earned a Master of Arts in Organizational and Corporate Communication from WKU in 1994. Prior to his time at WKU, Dr. Caboni spent time in leadership positions at The University of Kansas and Vanderbilt University.{{cite web | url=https://www.wku.edu/caboni/about.php | title=About President Timothy C. Caboni }}

=Presidents =

Western Kentucky University officially lists ten presidents since the formation of the Office of the President.{{cite web|url=https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/wku_timeline/|title=WKU Timeline|access-date=October 15, 2023}}

class="wikitable sortable"
No. ! Name ! Years served ! Time as president
1 \|Henry Hardin Cherry \|1906–1937 \|31 years
2 \|Paul L. Garrett \|1937–1955 \|18 years
3 \|Kelly Thompson \|1955–1969 \|14 years
4 \|Dero Downing \|1969–1979 \|10 years
5 \|John Minton \|1979 \|.5 years
6 \|Donald Zacharias \|1979–1985 \|6 years
7 \|Kern Alexander \|1986–1988 \|2 years
8 \|Thomas Meredith \|1988–1997 \|9 years
9 \|Gary Ransdell \|1997–2017 \|20 years
10 \|Timothy Caboni \|2017–present \|6 years

class="wikitable sortable"

No.

! Name

! Years served

! Time as president

|Henry Hardin Cherry

|1906–1937

|31 years

|Paul L. Garrett

|1937–1955

|18 years

|Kelly Thompson

|1955–1969

|14 years

|Dero Downing

|1969–1979

|10 years

|John Minton

|1979

|.5 years

|Donald Zacharias

|1979–1985

|6 years

|Kern Alexander

|1986–1988

|2 years

|Thomas Meredith

|1988–1997

|9 years

|Gary Ransdell

|1997–2017

|20 years

|Timothy Caboni

|2017–present

|6 years

Note: Paul Cook served as interim president from 1985 to 1986

Academics

Western Kentucky University houses five academic colleges, an honors college, and a graduate school.{{cite web |url=https://www.wku.edu/academics/ |title=Academics {{!}} Western Kentucky University |website=wku.edu |access-date=October 28, 2023}}

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Ogden College of Science & Engineering
Potter College of Arts & Letters
Gordon Ford College of Business
College of Health and Human Services
Mahurin Honors College
The Graduate School

=Reputation and rankings=

{{Infobox US university ranking

| Wamo_NU = 338

| USNWR_NU = 377 (tie)

}}

File:WKU Pylon.jpg at the entrance to the university.]]

File:Pearce Ford Tower (Bowling Green, Kentucky).jpg

File:WKU School of Journalism.JPG

{{as of|2007}}, twenty-seven alumni of WKU's photo and print journalism programs have been awarded thirteen Pulitzer Prizes, including eleven alumni recognized for their coverage of the Carrollton bus crash.{{cite web |url=http://www.wku.edu/news/releases04/october/pulitzer.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305170257/http://www.wku.edu/news/releases04/october/pulitzer.html|title=WKU News & Events|archive-date=March 5, 2012|work=wku.edu}} The school publishes a twice-weekly newspaper, the College Heights Herald.{{Cite web|url=https://wkuherald.com/|title=wkuherald.com | Campus News, Sports & Breaking News from Western Kentucky University | WKU Herald|first=College Heights|last=Herald|website=College Heights Herald}}

File:WKU Center Campas.jpg

=Mahurin Honors College=

The WKU Honors College became the first Honors College in the Commonwealth of Kentucky on July 1, 2007. The Honors College serves over 1,300 active Honors students with the 2016 incoming freshman class ACT/SAT average ranking among the top 6% in the nation.{{cite web|author=klk62361 |url=http://www.wku.edu/honors |title=Honors College Home |publisher=Western Kentucky University |access-date=March 8, 2012}}

=Center for Gifted Studies=

WKU's Center for Gifted Studies conducts research and provides opportunities for gifted and talented students, educators, and parents.{{Cite book |title=Profiles of influence in gifted education: historical perspectives and future directions |publisher=Prufrock Press |year=2004 |location=Waco, Texas}}

=The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky=

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky opened in the Fall of 2007. The project is based on the University of North Texas's Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. The school accepts roughly 100 high school juniors each year. As incoming juniors, students can earn at least 60 college credit hours during their time at the school. The Gatton Academy was named "America's Best High School" by Newsweek in 2012{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2012/05/20/america-s-best-high-schools.html |title=America's Best High Schools 2012 |work=Newsweek |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123162605/http://www.newsweek.com/2012/05/20/america-s-best-high-schools.html |archive-date=November 23, 2013|access-date=October 28, 2023}} and 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.newsweek.com/2013/05/06/america-s-best-high-schools.html |title=2013 America's Best High Schools |work=Newsweek |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131123162621/http://www.newsweek.com/2013/05/06/america-s-best-high-schools.html |archive-date=November 23, 2013}} The building, originally designed in 1929, was renovated and expanded by RossTarrant Architects{{Cite web|url=https://www.rosstarrant.com/test2/|title=RossTarrant Architects – Enhancing Education Through Great Design|date=September 7, 2023|publisher=RossTarrant Architects}} to transform it into the Gatton Academy.

Athletics

The Western Kentucky (WKU) athletic teams are called the Hilltoppers (men's) and Lady Toppers (women's). Their mascot is known as Big Red. The mascot has appeared in a series of ESPN promotions.{{cite web | url=https://wkuherald.com/31096/special-sections/homecoming/a-history-of-wkus-iconic-mascot/ | title=A history of WKU's iconic mascot }} The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the Conference USA (C-USA) since the 2014–15 academic year.{{cite web |url=http://www.wkusports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=5400&ATCLID=207019336 |title=WKU Enters Athletic Membership Agreement with Conference USA Beginning July 1, 2014 – Western Kentucky University Official Athletics Site |publisher=Wkusports.com |access-date=May 31, 2013 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308153355/https://wkusports.com/404-1.aspx?url=%2Fviewarticle.dbml%3Fdb_lang%3Dc&db_oem_id=5400&atclid=207019336 |url-status=dead }} The Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers previously competed in the Sun Belt Conference from 1982–83 to 2013–14; and in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 1981–82.

WKU competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.

=Swimming=

The WKU swim team, before its suspension after the 2014–15 season, consistently placed in the top 5 in the Mid-Major National Rankings. In 2006 their men were undefeated in dual meets and were Sun Belt Conference Champions. The women won five consecutive championships from 2001 to 2005. In 2005, after 37 years as head coach, coach Bill Powell became an assistant coach, and holds the record for being the second-winningest coach in men's swimming in NCAA dual meet history.

Following the Western Kentucky University swim team hazing scandal in 2015, which revealed incidents of hazing dating back to at least 2012, the university placed the entire program on a five-year suspension. However, as of 2024, the program has not been revived.

=Baseball=

The baseball team has enjoyed some success, winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship in 2009. In April 2010, the WKU baseball team defeated the University of Kentucky 24–8 in a game at Bowling Green Ballpark. The crowd of 6,183 was the largest crowd to ever attend a WKU home baseball game.{{cite web | url=https://wkusports.com/news/2010/4/21/Record_Crowd_of_6_183_Sees_26_WKU_Wax_Kentucky_24_8 | title=Record Crowd of 6,183 Sees #26 WKU Wax Kentucky, 24-8 }}

=Basketball=

{{Main|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball|WKU Lady Toppers basketball}}

File:DiddleArena.JPG, home to the Men's and Women's Basketball teams at WKU]]

The men's basketball program claims to have the 14th most victories in the history of the NCAA.

The men's basketball team defeated Middle Tennessee in the 2008 Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game to get a bid into the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Hilltoppers won their first-round contest against Drake on a last-second three-pointer by Ty Rogers, and won their second-round game against San Diego, before losing to UCLA 88–78 in the Sweet 16. It was the Toppers' eighth all-time appearance in the Sweet 16 but their first since 1993. In 2009, the men's basketball team defeated Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament 76–72 to advance to the second-round game against Gonzaga. The Toppers were beaten 83–81 on a last-second shot, failing to advance to their second straight Sweet 16. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2012, the Toppers pulled off a stunning win against Mississippi Valley State, erasing a 16-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining, pulling off a 59–58 win as U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron looked on.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

=Football=

The Hilltopper football team belonged to what was then the Gateway Football Conference until 2006. In 2002, WKU won the NCAA Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) National Championship, under coach Jack Harbaugh. In 2006, the school's board of regents voted to move the team to the Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A). After two years of provisional status, they began to compete in 2009 as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. An extensive rivalry with Eastern Kentucky University, known as the Battle of the Bluegrass, ended in 2008 as WKU moved into FBS football. Starting with the 2014 season, WKU football has been a member of Conference USA, following cross-state rivals, Middle Tennessee State University, who joined C-USA a year prior.{{cite web | url=https://fbschedules.com/western-kentucky-join-conference-usa-2014/ | title=Western Kentucky to join Conference USA in 2014 | date=April 2013 }}

Greek organizations

class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;" \|+ style="font-size:90%" \|Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity{{cite web \|title=College Scorecard: Western Kentucky University\|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?157951-Western-Kentucky-University \|publisher=United States Department of Education \|access-date=May 8, 2022}} ! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number \|Total
White \|align=right\| {{bartable\|78\|%\|2	background:gray}}
Black \|align=right\| {{bartable\|10\|%\|2	background:mediumblue}}
Hispanic \|align=right\| {{bartable\|4\|%\|2	background:green}}
Other{{efn\|Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.}} \|align=right\| {{bartable\|4\|%\|2	background:brown}}
Asian \|align=right\| {{bartable\|2\|%\|2	background:purple}}
Foreign national \|align=right\| {{bartable\|2\|%\|2	background:orange}}
colspan="4" data-sort-type=number \|Economic diversity
Low-income{{efn\|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.}} \|align=right\| {{bartable\|39\|%\|2	background:red}}
Affluent{{efn\|The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.}} \|align=right\| {{bartable\|61\|%\|2	background:black}}

class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"

|+ style="font-size:90%" |Student body composition as of May 2, 2022

Race and ethnicity{{cite web |title=College Scorecard: Western Kentucky University|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?157951-Western-Kentucky-University |publisher=United States Department of Education |access-date=May 8, 2022}}

! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total

White

|align=right| {{bartable|78|%|2

background:gray}}

Black

|align=right| {{bartable|10|%|2

background:mediumblue}}

Hispanic

|align=right| {{bartable|4|%|2

background:green}}

Other{{efn|Other consists of Multiracial Americans & those who prefer to not say.}}

|align=right| {{bartable|4|%|2

background:brown}}

Asian

|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2

background:purple}}

Foreign national

|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2

background:orange}}

colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |Economic diversity

Low-income{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.}}

|align=right| {{bartable|39|%|2

background:red}}

Affluent{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.}}

|align=right| {{bartable|61|%|2

background:black}}

In 1965 the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents allowed national fraternities and sororities to form local chapters. Currently, there are some 33 active organizations with approximately 1,500 active undergraduates.{{cite web|url=http://www.wkugreeks.com/about|title=Western Kentucky University Greek Affairs – About|access-date=August 28, 2011|archive-date=July 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180717013003/http://www.wkugreeks.com/about|url-status=dead}}

Media and publications

File:Adams Whitaker 2008.jpg

College Heights Herald, WKU's student-run newspaper since 1924
Talisman,{{Cite web|url=https://www.wku.edu/talisman/|title=WKU Talisman|website=www.wku.edu|language=en-US|access-date=March 16, 2017|archive-date=March 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210309061021/https://www.wku.edu/talisman/|url-status=dead}} WKU's yearbook
Rise Over Run Magazine, WKU's online magazine for independent culture
WKU SPIRIT, WKU's alumni magazine
WWHR, Revolution 91.7 – WKU's college radio station
WKU NewsChannel 12 – Student-run television newscast.
The Extra Point – Student-run television sportscast.

Agreement with the University of Akureyri

In 2015, Western Kentucky University (WKU), the University of Akureyri (UNAK) and the Icelandic Arctic Cooperation Network (IACN) signed an academic and research agreement that solidifies the North Atlantic Climate Change Collaboration (NAC3) project.

The NAC3 project focuses on academic exchange, course development, and collaborative research in climate change, climate literacy, health and wellness, ocean dynamics, sustainability, informal public education, economic development, technology exchange, and water resources, among others.{{Cite web|url=https://wkunews.wordpress.com/2015/03/23/iceland-agreement/|title=WKU extends international reach with partnership in Iceland|date=March 23, 2015|website=WKU News Blog|language=en|access-date=January 16, 2019}}

Notable people

Notes

References

Bibliography

{{cite book|last=Ellis|first=William E.|title=A History of Education in Kentucky|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NigFCeHbpvIC&pg=PT137|year=2011|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|location=Lexington, Kentucky|isbn=978-0-8131-4023-0}}

External links

{{Official website}}
[http://wkusports.com Official athletics website]

{{Navboxes

|titlestyle = {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Western Kentucky Hilltoppers|color=white}}

|list =

}}

Category:Universities and colleges established in 1906

Category:1906 establishments in Kentucky

Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Category:Education in Warren County, Kentucky

Category:Buildings and structures in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Category:Tourist attractions in Bowling Green, Kentucky

Category:Public universities and colleges in Kentucky