In the program for WKU’s 157th Commencement, Jeff Zoglmann’s name was the last one listed for graduates in the Gordon Ford College of Business, but an academic career of all A’s sent the accounting major from Elizabethtown to the front of the line.

On Friday night, he became the third member of his family to be recognized as a WKU honor graduate. Sisters Julie and Kristi were honor graduates in May 2001 and May 2002.

"I love Western," Jeff Zoglmann said. "I’ve gotten so much out of this school. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything."

All three of Bob and Debbie Zoglmann’s children had 4.0 grade-point averages at Central Hardin High School and Western, but Jeff said his parents never pressured them.

"Our parents have always been supportive with homework and always encouraged us, but there's nothing a parent can do to make you get all A’s," Jeff said.

Zoglmann's parents and sisters were on hand at L.T. Smith Stadium as Western conferred degrees to 2,167 May and August graduates. More than 1,600 students participated in the University's first outdoor evening commencement in 25 years as Western conferred 158 associate, 1,527 baccalaureate, 468 master's, 10 specialist and four cooperative doctoral degrees.

"Our children have received an outstanding education at Western," Bob Zoglmann said. "The caring and knowledgeable professors have opened up a world of knowledge and have encouraged them to apply their education to real-life situations."

After a trip to Europe this month, Jeff will enter the MBA program at the University of Kentucky and plans to become a certified public accountant.

Kristi, who also was an accounting major, is a CPA in Louisville and is married to Brent Ditto. Julie, who was a communication disorders major, works as a speech language pathologist in Louisville and is married to Joe Sloan.

"Western has a warm, friendly campus where Julie, Kristi and Jeff have been able to meet wonderful people and make friends they will have for life," Debbie Zoglmann said. "All three have thoroughly enjoyed Western and were prepared academically and professionally to be leaders in our society."

In his remarks, President Gary Ransdell congratulated the graduates for reaching this milestone and for contributing to Western’s transformation into a comprehensive university of national consequence.

"Our purpose as a community of higher learning is to improve the quality of life for all within our reach," Dr. Ransdell said. "Our emerging mission is to apply the knowledge we hold in our classrooms and laboratories to identify and solve problems that exist within our reach, to drive the economy of the region, to improve public schools and the learning process for our youth and to foster citizenship and service to our fellow humankind.

"You are among the early graduates who carry with you what we hope is a fire and a passion for service, a commitment to virtue, a capacity for success and impact, a honed talent in your chosen fields and an absolute confidence in your abilities and strengths."

The ceremony included the commissioning of 11 Army ROTC cadets as second lieutenants; recognition of 24 honor graduates, four faculty award winners, this year’s Distinguished University Professor, 11 faculty retirees; and a parade of international flags.

WKYU-PBS, Western’s public television, will rebroadcast the ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 8.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Freida Eggleton at (270) 745-3351.