July 16, 2001

12 WKU Academic Departments Have New Leaders

Bowling Green, Ky. - As the fall 2001 semester approaches, 12 academic departments at Western Kentucky University have new leadership.

Eight programs have new department heads while four have interim department heads.

Theatre and Dance: Scott Stroot replaces Dr. William Leonard, who had been at WKU since 1969. Stroot received his bachelor's degree from St. Cloud (Minn.) State and master's from Minnesota. He had been at Bradford (Mass.) College since 1986 where he was a theatre professor, chair of the creative arts division, associate dean of academic affairs and theatre program director.

Biology: Dr. Richard Bowker takes over for interim department head Dr. Gary Dillard. Dr. Bowker, who had been a faculty member at Alma College in Michigan, received a bachelor's degree from Cornell and master's and doctorate from Northern Arizona.

Psychology: Dr. Steven Haggbloom replaces Dr. John O'Connor, who had been at Western since 1975. Dr. Haggbloom had been at Arkansas State since 1976. He received bachelor's and master's degrees from Indiana and doctorate from Purdue.

Music: Dr. Mitzi Groom, who had been at Tennessee Tech since 1989, takes over for interim department head Joe Stites. Dr. Groom received bachelor's degree from Florence State, master's from North Alabama and doctorate from Florida State.

Geography and Geology: Dr. David Keeling, who has been at Western since 1993, takes over for interim department head Dr. Conrad Moore. Dr. Keeling received his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Oregon.

Special Instructional Programs: Dr. Stanley Cooke, who has been at Western since 1975, is the new department head. Dr. Cooke received bachelor and master's degrees at Southern Mississippi and doctorate at Virginia.

Elementary and Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education: Dr. Stanley Cooke has been named interim department head.

Physical Education and Recreation: Dr. Thad Crews, who has been at WKU since 1974, is the new department head. Dr. Crews, who had been interim department head, received his bachelor's and doctorate at Missouri and his master's at Arizona.

Consumer and Family Sciences: Dr. Louella Fong, who has been at WKU since 1970, is the new department head. Dr. Fong, who had been interim department head, received her bachelor's degree at UCLA, master's at Southern California and doctorate at Purdue.

Educational Administration, Leadership and Research: Dr. Gayle Ecton, who received his bachelor's, master's and doctorate at Kentucky, is the interim department head. Dr. Ecton is a former superintendent of Henderson County schools.

Middle Grades/Secondary Education: Dr. John Moore, who has been at WKU since 1990, is the interim department head. Dr. Moore received his bachelor's degree at WKU and his master's and doctorate at Kentucky.

Counseling Programs: Dr. Donald Nims, who has been an associate professor of counseling since 1993, is the interim department head. Dr. Nims received his bachelor's degree at Wright State, master's at WKU and doctorate at Vanderbilt and completed additional studies at WKU, Central Michigan and Brigham Young.

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