WKU Student From Glasgow Wins Design Contest

December 10, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Ashton Biggers, a Western Kentucky University student from Glasgow, won the WKU REAL (Reaching Each Adult Learner) design contest for his graphic of a figure reaching for the future.
           
Biggers, a senior advertising major and the son of Mark and Debbie Biggers, received a $300 award for his entry.

He is a student in a graphic design class taught by Matt Tullis.
           
Biggers said that in studying the goals of the adult learner initiative, the idea of reaching seemed most important. He also thought a less corporate and more personal design would be appropriate.
           
“I wanted to use the A and decided to make it a person,” he said. “The initial sketches made the A look like an X, so I had the figure reaching to the left, and that helped pull the idea together, giving it a sense of movement. I wanted to avoid giving the figure a specific gender, so I focused on movement. I also found out that the color green, which is the official color of the University College, which runs project REAL, can signify intelligence.”
           
WKU is actively addressing the needs of adult learners through a variety of strategies and services. “WKU REAL” (Reaching Each Adult Learner) is a physical location, a process, and a philosophy. WKU REAL, currently located in Cherry Hall 301, is an entry portal for adult learners, a “one-stop-shop” where they can have questions answered, get connected to the proper services and receive personalized support. Adult counselors will assist non-traditional students as they work to achieve their goals for education. As a philosophy, WKU REAL will help to raise awareness about the needs of adult learners, working with other units to help revise policies and procedures and to increase the number of courses and programs designed to meet the needs of adults.
           
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/.

Contact Jane Olmsted, University College interim dean, (270) 745-5787.