July 13, 2001

Astronaut, Education Commissioner To Visit Western

Bowling Green, Ky. - Astronaut Terry Wilcutt and Kentucky Education Commissioner Gene Wilhoit will be visiting workshops at Western Kentucky University next week.

Wilhoit is scheduled to deliver the keynote address for the sixth annual Kentucky Coordinated School Health Institute at 11 a.m. Monday in the Downing University Center's auxiliary dining room.

Wilcutt, a 1974 Western graduate and Logan County native, will be speaking to gifted students and science teachers on Monday and Tuesday.

At 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Grise Hall auditorium, Wilcutt will visit students participating in the Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY). Wilcutt, a Marine Corps colonel, was commander of a September 2000 space shuttle mission to the International Space Station and has participated in four space shuttle missions.

On Tuesday, Wilcutt will speak to teachers participating in a Raising Achievement in Middle School Science workshop. He will meet with teachers from approximately 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the WKU South Campus auditorium.

For information on Wilcutt's visit, contact Dr. Julia Roberts, director of the Center for Gifted Studies, at (270) 745-6323.

For information on Wilhoit's visit and the Coordinated School Health Institute, contact Dr. Michael D. Ballard at (270) 745-5862.