Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s Centennial class of 2006 is carrying Henry Hardin Cherry’s legacy of academic excellence and service to the commonwealth into a new century, President Gary Ransdell said Saturday night.

“President Cherry envisioned an institution that would make higher education a reality for more Kentucky citizens,” Dr. Ransdell said of the school’s first president. “And he wanted the reputation of this new school to be sustained by what he called ‘real merit.’

“That fledgling institution with a few hundred students has become a major international university with thousands of students from across the globe. Despite 100 years of change, however, the core values of WKU remain much as President Cherry articulated them.”

Teaching and learning remain the school’s focus, Dr. Ransdell said, but WKU is transforming and redefining itself as a leading American university with international reach by applying the knowledge from classrooms and laboratories to solve social, cultural, scientific and business problems and drive the region’s economy, improve schools and foster citizenship and service.

“Our strength today, as it has been for 100 years, is the marvelous teaching which occurs in our classrooms and on our websites,” he said. “This human exchange of ideas and ideals does, and will continue for the next 100 years, to be the hallmark of the WKU experience.”

During the undergraduate ceremony of WKU’s 159th Commencement, the University conferred 1,797 degrees -- 161 associate and 1,636 baccalaureate. During Friday night’s graduate ceremony, WKU conferred 457 degrees, bringing the total of May and August graduates to a record 2,254.

WKU also recognized 18 honor graduates, commissioned 12 Army ROTC graduates and recognized four faculty award winners and seven faculty retirees.

WKYU-PBS, WKU’s Public Television, will replay the undergraduate ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday (May 14).

Honor graduates
WKU recognized 18 honor graduates. The winners of the Ogden Trustees’ Award had a 4.0 grade-point average with all coursework completed at Western. Scholars of the College had the highest GPAs in their colleges while completing at least 64 credit hours at Western.

Shiloh Pendley, an economics major from Rochester, was named scholar of the Gordon Ford College of Business and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Angela and Stan Pendley and the fiancé of Michael Harr.

Kirk Davidson, a chemistry major from Dalton Gardens, Idaho, was named scholar of the Ogden College of Science and Engineering. He is the son of Daniel and Julia Davidson.

Gabrielle Hunt, a biology major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the Ogden College of Science and Engineering and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the wife of Matthew Hunt and the daughter of Martin and Rhonda Cohron.

Seth Parmley, a chemistry major from Monticello, was named scholar of the Ogden College of Science and Engineering. He is the son of Keith Parmley and Patty Abbott.

Courtney Taylor, a biology major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the Ogden College of Science and Engineering and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Kurt and Charlotte Taylor.

Dana Eastman, a psychology major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Linda Sowders.

Brittney Hamilton, an elementary education major from Owensboro, was named scholar of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. She is the daughter of Mike and Cindy Hamilton.

Coral Porch, a general studies major from Rineyville, was named scholar of University College. She is the wife of Lewis Porch and the daughter of Larry and Cyndy Shaw.

Tamara Dotson, a communication disorders major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the College of Health and Human Services and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the wife of James Dotson and the daughter of the late Doran and Mable Fleenor.

Elizabeth Price, a nursing major from Woodburn, was named scholar of the College of Health and Human Services and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the wife of Marc Price and the daughter of Vince and Shirley Vaught.

Katie Burcham, a broadcasting and Spanish major from Florence, was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Ed and Susan Burcham.

Jessica Carmichael Cunningham, a music major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the wife of David Cunningham and the daughter of John and Alisa Carmichael.

Richard Porter, a religious studies major from Russellville, was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. He is the husband of Cyndal Porter and the son of Richard Porter Sr. and Sherry Gragg.

Lisa Ross, a news/editorial and advertising major from Highland, Ind., was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Robert and Judy Ross.

Emily St. Clair, a sociology major from Scottsburg, Ind., was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters. She is the daughter of Roger and Carol St. Clair.

Jennifer Stone, a corporate and organizational communication major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the wife of Justin Stone and the daughter of Larry and Sharon Bolton.

Abby Wells, a performing arts and communication studies major from Glasgow, was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Danny and Terri Wells.
Ashley Long, a mass communications major from Bowling Green, was named scholar of the Potter College of Arts and Letters and received the Ogden Trustees’ Award. She is the daughter of Curtiss and Andi Long.

U.S. Army commissioning
Twelve members of the Hilltopper Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program were commissioned as second lieutenants. They are: Matthew Barnes of Bowling Green, James Collard of Louisville, Andrew Crowell of Robards, David Doggette of Bowling Green, Kathleen Feeley of Crestwood, Benjamin Foster of Alexandria, Va., Thomas Givens of Olive Branch, Miss., Wesley Lewis of Bowling Green, William Lynch of Elizabethtown, Jonathan Smithson of Madison, Tenn., Kristina Theole of Louisville and Daniel Thomas of Williamstown.


Faculty award winners
Provost Barbara Burch recognized the following faculty award winners, who will be formally honored at the fall faculty convocation: Dr. Mark Cambron, Department of Engineering, excellence in teaching; Dr. Rezaul Mahmood, Department of Geography and Geology, excellence in research/creativity; Chad Stevens, School of Journalism and Broadcasting, excellence in public service; and Dr. Vernon Sheeley, Department of Counseling and Student Affairs, excellence in student advising.

Retiring faculty
Dr. Burch also recognized the following faculty members who are retiring or taking optional retirement: Jim Brown, Department of Theatre and Dance; Dr. Jim Flynn, Department of English; Sylvia Kersenbaum, Department of Music; Dr. Linda Pickle, Department of Modern Languages; Craig Taylor, Department of Sociology; Dr. James Becker, Department of Curriculum and Instruction; Dr. Richard Roberts, Department of Curriculum and Instruction; and Dr. Elmer Gray, dean of Graduate Studies and Research.

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) 745-5432.

-WKU-
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