February 12, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s current endowment continues to grow and has now topped the $92 million mark. According to Tom Hiles, WKU’s vice president for Institutional Advancement, WKU’s combined total endowment has grown by 379 percent—from a total of $19.3 million—since President Gary Ransdell took the helm in September of 1997.
The results of an annual survey by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) outlined the following points about WKU:
- WKU’s combined endowment grew by 13.7 percent last year—28 percent higher than the national average of 10.7 percent;
- WKU’s endowment of $92.5 million is also third largest among the Commonwealth’s state universities—third only to the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville; and
- WKU’s endowment ranks sixth among its 20 benchmark institutions, as established by Kentucky’s Council on Postsecondary Education.
“The exciting growth of WKU’s endowment is an important part of Gary Ransdell’s legacy,” Hiles explained. “Much more than numbers, the endowment translates into real change. It helps students access higher education, attracts quality faculty, and assists in upgrading facilities. These are just a few examples of how endowment has a lasting impact.”
Dr. Ransdell said WKU is closing in on its vision of a university transformation. “Our commitment to grow our endowment will guarantee distinction well beyond this transformation,” he said. “A significant endowment will increase our capacity for competitive compensation for nationally competitive faculty and financial support for students, and it will support our efforts to be a leading American university with international reach.”
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 more information, contact Tom Hiles, (270) 745-6208.
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