WKU To Induct Three Into Hall Of Distinguished Alumni

July 23, 2007

Bowling Green, Ky. - A leader in American higher education, a top professional golfer and a longtime student media adviser will join Western Kentucky University’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni this fall.
Dr. Thomas Meredith, Kenny Perry and Bob Adams will be inducted during WKU’s “Movin’ on Up” Homecoming celebration.

The 16th class of noted alumni will be inducted during a Homecoming week luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 9 at the Sloan Convention Center. For ticket information, contact the WKU Alumni Association at 1-888-WKU-ALUM.

Robert R. Adams

Bob Adams, known as “Mr. A,” joined the staff of the College Heights Herald as a student in 1962 and hasn’t left Bowling Green since.
           
As a journalism faculty member and longtime adviser of WKU’s award-winning student newspaper, Adams has mentored hundreds of students who have gone onto careers at the nation’s top newspapers (Washington Post, USA Today, New York Times, Courier-Journal, Herald-Leader, etc.) or careers in other fields. More than 20 of his former students have been part of Pulitzer Prize winning teams.
           
Adams, a native of Danville, Ill., was Herald editor in 1964, has been an adviser to the paper since 1968 and has been director of Student Publications (Herald and Talisman) since 1990. He received his bachelor’s in 1964 and master’s in 1965.
           
Adams’ career connects him with the origins of a program that has developed into the nationally prominent School of Journalism and Broadcasting. His first journalism class at WKU was taught by Miss Frances Richards, who was the Herald’s first editor in 1925 and was the paper’s adviser until 1964.
           
Adams worked for David B. “Boss” Whitaker who was director of Student Publications from 1970 to 1987 and was the first head of the Department of Journalism from 1977 to 1987.
           
During Adams’ tenure as Herald adviser, the paper has maintained a consistent level of national success. The paper has won 11 national Pacemaker awards from the Associated Collegiate Press (1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005) and won Gold Crown awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association from 1999 to 2004.
           
The paper also has achieved a tradition of success in competitions sponsored by the Kentucky Press Association, the Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Society of Professional Journalists.
           
The Talisman, WKU’s yearbook, has won 10 national Pacemakers including three consecutive awards since resuming publication in 2003. Adams has served as Talisman adviser from 1990-1996 and 2002-present.
           
Adams was named Journalism Educator of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists in 2007, was inducted into the College Media Advisers Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 2005 and received the Distinguished Newspaper Adviser Award from the National Council of College Publications Advisers (now CMA) in 1978.
           
Adams has directed high school journalism workshops, has participated in student recruitment and scholarship programs, has judged national, regional and state journalism competitions and has served on various state and national organizations.
           
He received the WKU student advisement award in 2005 and the President’s Award for Diversity in 2004. In the past four decades, Adams has helped hundreds of students obtain summer internships and full-time employment.
           
Adams’ journalism career hasn’t been limited to the Hill. He was publisher of the Cumberland Times in Crossville, Tenn., in 1988-89; publisher and general manager of the North Warren Observer in Smiths Grove, Ky., in 1985-86; co-publisher of the Citizen-Statesman in Celina, Tenn., in 1983-87; co-publisher of the Herald-News in Edmonton, Ky., in 1982-87; and co-publisher of the Cumberland County News in Burkesville, Ky., in 1980-87. Adams also worked for the Daily News in Bowling Green from 1965-69.
           
He has produced publications for several groups including the Girls’ Sweet Sixteen, the Kentucky High School Music Educators and Kentucky High School Marching Band Championships.
           
Adams and his wife, Sandy, have six children, Andy, Chad, Justin, Nicole, Tara and Clint.

Thomas C. Meredith

Dr. Thomas C. Meredith, WKU’s eighth president, has served in higher education leadership roles in four states – Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.

The Owensboro native received his master’s degree in education and administration from WKU in 1966. Throughout his career, Dr. Meredith has worked to find practical solutions to long-standing problems in education systems, to improve economic development and to ensure that students have access to higher education.

At WKU, his leadership and innovative programs set a course for growth and success that continues today. Dr. Meredith built the budget reserve from $250,000 to $4 million, created the school’s first strategic plan, revamped fund-raising efforts, oversaw construction of two residence halls (including one that bears his name), increased academic standards and programs, established the Distinguished Professor program, created the Institute of Economic Development, enhanced the community college, expanded information technology infrastructure and implemented the Athletic Hall of Fame and the Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

In June 1997, Dr. Meredith left WKU to become chancellor of the University of Alabama System. He served as the chief executive officer for three doctoral research institutions (University of Alabama, University of Alabama-Birmingham and University of Alabama-Huntsville) with an enrollment of more than 40,000, a $2.8 billion budget and about 17,000 employees.

In January 2002, Dr. Meredith became chancellor of the University System of Georgia. He was responsible for Georgia’s 34 public colleges and universities with nearly 250,000 students, 35,000 faculty and staff, and a budget of $4.5 billion.

Since July 2005, Dr. Meredith has been the commissioner of higher education for the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi. He is responsible for administering the board’s policies at the state’s eight public universities, which have an enrollment of nearly 70,000 and a budget of more than $2.6 billion.

Dr. Meredith, a 1963 graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan College, began his education career as a political science teacher and coach at Owensboro High School from 1963-69. He was principal at LaHarpe (Ill.) High School from 1971-73 and director of pupil personnel services at Jeffersonville (Ind.) High School from 1973-74.

From 1974-84, Dr. Meredith worked for the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning in Mississippi as academic programs officer and associate director for programs and planning. Then he served as vice chancellor for Executive Affairs and executive assistant to the chancellor of University of Mississippi from 1984-88.

Dr. Meredith earned his doctor of education in administration and supervision with an emphasis in secondary and higher education from the University of Mississippi. He also completed the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard University and was a participant in the Higher Education Roundtable at Oxford University.

He has served on numerous educational and corporate boards, including the National Association of System Heads, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the Southern Regional Educational Board. His numerous awards include 100 Most Influential Georgians (2002 and 2003); 100 Most Influential Atlantans (2002); Alabama Academy of Honor (2001); Owensboro High School Hall of Fame (2001); Kentucky Wesleyan College Distinguished Alumni Award (1999); and Distinguished Educator Alumnus of the Year Award from the University of Mississippi (1997).

Dr. Meredith and his wife, Susan, have two sons, Mark and Matt.

Kenny Perry

Kenny Perry, a 1982 WKU alumnus and nine-time winner on the PGA Tour, has become one of the world’s top golfers but hasn’t forgotten his local ties.

Perry, who was born in Elizabethtown, lives in Franklin where he built Country Creek as an affordable public golf course designed for mid-to-high handicappers. In 1995, Perry bought 142 acres of land to design and build the course.

He also was named the winner of the Golf Writers Association of America’s 2002 Charles Bartlett Award, given to a professional golfer for his unselfish contributions to the betterment of society. Perry donates 5 percent of his winnings to Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., to provide scholarships for Simpson County students.

Perry turned pro in 1982 and ranks 10th on the PGA Tour’s all-time money list with more than $20 million in winnings. Perry seems to have gotten better with age as six of his PGA Tour wins have come since he turned 40 in 2000.

In 2003, Perry enjoyed his most prolific season with three wins and 10 top-10 finishes in 26 starts. He won a career-best $4.4 million and was one of three players to finish in the top 10 in three majors. Perry’s wins included back-to-back victories at the Bank of America Colonial and the Memorial. He also won the Greater Milwaukee Open.

Perry was a member of the U.S. Ryder Cup in 2004 and posted seven top-10 finishes that year.

He continued his hot play in 2005 with a win at the Bay Hill Invitational and a second Bank of America Colonial title. His four-round total of 261 (19 under par) at the Colonial matched the 72-hole record he set when he won the tournament in 2003.

Perry had seven top 10 finishes in 2005 and was sixth on the PGA money list, matching his career best in 2003. He also won the 2005 Franklin Templeton Shootout with partner John Huston.

Perry is a three-time member of the U.S. Presidents Cup team (1996, 2003, 2005) and was inducted into WKU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame in 2004.

His first PGA Tour win came in the 1991 Memorial Tournament followed by the 1994 New England Classic, the 1995 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and 2001 Buick Open. In his career, Perry has posted eight second-place finishes, 10 third-place finishes and 85 top 10s.

In 1996, Perry nearly won the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville, losing in a playoff to Mark Brooks.
Perry, who played golf at WKU from 1979-82, had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in 2006 and missed several weeks of action. During his recovery, Perry, who took up golf at age 7 with encouragement from his father, got to spend extra time with his son, Justin, a member of WKU’s golf team. The 2006 WKU men’s golf team won its first-ever Sun Belt Conference title and qualified for the NCAA Regionals.

In 2007, Perry finished third in the Memorial Tournament, his first top 10 finish since 2005, and has added a 10th place finish in the Buick Open, 11th at the John Deere Classic and fifth at the U.S. Bank Championship. His longevity in the PGA has been remarkable and has allowed him to be associated with the greats of the game from more than two decades.

Perry and his wife, Sandy, also have two daughters, Lesslye and Lindsey.
               
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 Tracy Morrison at (270) 745-4395.