WKU News & Events

May 11, 2002

WKU Confers Degrees To 1,653 In
151st Commencement

Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University conferred degrees to 1,653 graduates in its 151st Commencement on Saturday morning.

More than 1,200 students participated in the ceremony for spring and summer graduates at L.T. Smith Stadium.

The University conferred 143 associate degrees, 1,298 baccalaureate degrees and 212 master's/specialist degrees. The graduating class included 57 international students from 22 countries.

Reminding graduates that they are lifetime members of the Western family, WKU President Gary Ransdell urged them to maintain a connection with Western and a loyalty to its traditions and values.

"As you leave this Hill, you take with you the Western experience, an experience that will help shape the rest of your life," Dr. Ransdell said. "Don't forget those special moments, people and places that defined your Western experience."

Student regent Leslie Bedo agreed. "More than anything Western has made me part of its family. The last four years of my life Western has been a home to me. And though each of us is moving on to the real world, Western will always hold a very special place in our hearts and in our minds," she told fellow graduates.

"As we live the rest of our lives may we always remember the spirit that this University instills in each of its students and may we continue to foster the Spirit that Makes the Master."

The University also recognized 22 honor graduates, including a record 14 recipients of the Ogden Trustees' Award that goes to graduating seniors with perfect 4.0 GPAs and all coursework completed at Western.

Lt. Col. Carl Filip, military science professor, administered the oath of commission to 11 graduates of the Hilltopper Army Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Commissioned as second lieutenants were Neil Armstrong of Hardinsburg, Jeremy Ballard of Bowling Green, Danny Brewer of Elizabethtown, William Brown of Bowling Green, Matthew Crawford of Louisville, Christopher Fowler of Fort Pierce, Fla., Michael Hamilton of White House, Tenn., Erin McClain of Shelbyville, Brian Miles of Elizabethtown, Steven Miller of Prospect and Duane Stefaniak of Bowling Green.

Provost Barbara Burch recognized WKU faculty members honored for excellence in teaching, research and public service. Receiving the faculty awards, which will be formally presented this fall, were: James Kenney, School of Journalism and Broadcasting, excellence in teaching; Dr. Joseph Bilotta, Department of Psychology, excellence in research/creativity; Jonathan Jeffrey, Library Special Collections, excellence in public service; and Dr. Ken Crawford, Department of Biology, excellence in student advising.

The ceremony will be replayed at 2 p.m. Monday on WKYU-PBS.

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