Turner Gift To Fund Endowed
WKU Journalism Professorship

September 15, 2003

Bowling Green, Ky. - A gift from Margaret and Cal Turner Jr. will fund a professorship in one of Western Kentucky University's most nationally prominent programs. The Turners recently gave $500,000 to create the "Margaret and Cal Turner Professorship in Journalism" in the Potter College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

"My education in Scottsville, Ky., was largely rendered by Western Kentucky University teachers. Thankful for that contribution to our lives, Margaret and I are honored to invest in that fine Western educational heritage for future generations," Cal Turner said.

According to Tom Hiles, WKU vice president for Institutional Advancement, the gift will be matched by $500,000 from the Commonwealth of Kentucky's Regional University Excellence Trust Fund, creating a total endowment of $1 million for the "Turner Professorship."

"It is truly fitting that the Turner family, whose name is tied to excellence, be forever connected with our nationally prominent journalism program," Hiles said.

Dr. Pam McAllister Johnson is the new director of Western's School of Journalism and Broadcasting and Center for 21st Century Media. "We have a very strong School of Journalism and Broadcasting," she said. "Our goal is to take it to the next step, to promote the school, and to obtain an endowed chair in each of our sequences: advertising, broadcasting, public relations, photography and mass communications. This gift is very significant because it is our first endowed chair. It is very special."

WKU President Gary Ransdell said this gift would mark the 27th endowed professorship established during the course of the "Investing in the Spirit" Campaign.

"This endowed professorship will, in perpetuity, attract and support quality faculty interested in working with students to bring even greater distinction to students and graduates within Western Kentucky University's nationally prominent School of Journalism and Broadcasting," he said. "We are immensely grateful to the Turners for this important gift."

For more information, contact Tom Hiles at (270) 745-6208. More WKU news is available on the World Wide Web at www.wku.edu. If you'd like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.



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