WKU Events

It's time to celebrate a new year in the College of Health and Human Services! Join us on Tuesday, September 1st from 12PM-2PM for a welcome back event with free pizza and popsicles! Let's kick off the new school year in style – you won't want to miss it! 

Rachel (Turner) Roberts graduated from WKU in 2018 with a BA in Mathematics and a minor in Applied Statistics. She then earned a MS in Analytics from the Institute of Advanced Analytics at North Carolina State University in 2019 where she had the opportunity to work with Deloitte on a real-world data practicum project analyzing the opium epidemic. From there she’s held positions at Lowe’s, analyzing customer data and leading the Pro Paint Rebate program, and Mars Petcare, helping establish the Enterprise Analytics team and developing a suite of reports supporting the Innovation team. She now works at Humana as a Senior Business Intelligence Engineer designing and building dashboards to support the Marketing Department.

Join the Department of Society, Culture, Crime, and Justice Studies for their annual Doughnuts with the Department!

Students will learn about different clubs/organizations, university departments, campus partners and community organizations that make student life and involvement possible at WKU.

This is a free event!

Join the Department of Society, Culture, Crime, and Justice Studies for their annual Doughnuts with the Department!

Military Student Services (MSS) is hosting a welcome to WKU and MSS event for new and current military connected students.  The event will feature a presentation from members of the Louisville Slugger Warriors. 

Interested students can contact military@wku.edu for more information.

 Join us for WKU night at Bowling Green Ballpark as the BG Hot Rods take on the Greenville Drive. All WKU students get a special discount by purchasing tickets online with their university email- http://bit.ly/WKUnight

Military connected students can reach out to military@wku.edu for information on tickets sponsored by WKU Military Student Services.

The WKU Student Chapter of Alpha Psi Omega Presents

Plays in a Day (Fall 2026)

A festival that celebrates and initiates ultimate creativity. Plays in a Day produces several 10-minute plays that are written, directed, and performed by students, all within a 24-hour time span.

Admission is free, but donations are appreciated! No advance reservations, tickets at the door, general admission seating.

Creation process begins Friday, September 4th, at 6 PM in GWH.

Recommended for mature audiences.

WKU offices closed in observance of the Labor Day Holiday.

View the WKU Academic Calendar  

WKU Military Student Services would like to invite faculty, staff, and students to visit our open house to meet the MSS team and learn more about our services and facilities. Light refreshments will be provided.

Join us at the annual Back to Business event hosted by the Gordon Ford College of Business! 

It's your opportunity to connect with student organizations and academic departments within GFCB and discover all the resources we have to offer. 

Let’s get back to business and make this year the best one yet! 

For more about WKU Volleyball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball

Each year, high school students from across Kentucky and the surrounding region come together at Western Kentucky University for a one day retreat to further develop their leadership skills. 

Participants attend sessions presented by Western Kentucky University staff and student leaders.

• Date: Friday, September 11, 2026
• Check In: 8:00 am - 8:45 am CST in Downing Student Union
• Conference Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm CST
• Sessions may let out closer to 1:45 P.M. to allow time for travel back to respective school districts

*Reminder that Bowling Green, KY is on Central Standard Time.*

Registration Fee: $35 per student (includes breakfast, lunch, conference materials and gift).

Learn more. 

You may have been told that your mindset can turn something that feels like a defeat (fixed mindset) into an opportunity to learn and fine-tune your approach (growth mindset), but it can still be hard to apply that knowledge in real life. In this conversation, we will talk about how to recognize opportunities to apply a growth mindset, and we will share real-world experiences to help you not just "know" but be able to apply this perspective shift.

It takes practice, but a growth mindset can help you persist and succeed, not just as a student but also throughout your life!

If you are unable to attend in person, RSVP in Suitable by the day before this event to receive a Zoom link one hour before the event begins.

https://www.wku.edu/firstgen/get-involved/

Join us at the Rock Garden between Hardin Plantarium and EBS for the Ogden College Ice Cream Social!

Our student groups and organizations will be set-up for you to meet and chat with to find the right fit for you.

Grab a sticker card on your way in to the social, collect a sticker from at least four different student organizations, and redeem for a FREE scoop of ice cream! 

Join the Mahurin Honors College community for our inaugural Convocation, bringing together students, faculty, and staff, to celebrate the beginning of a new academic year. This year’s gathering will welcome our newest Honors Scholars, recognize the MHC community, and reflect on the values, curiosity, and shared purpose that define the Honors experience.

You're invited to the 2026 Department of English Convocation! This event is open to all students.

Meet and greet with English faculty, programs, classes, and clubs. Snacks/refreshments will be offered and four attendees will win $25 gift cards to the WKU Bookstore!

For more about WKU Volleyball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball

For more information: SKTPA

For more about WKU Volleyball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball

Ready to make your next adventure the headliner? Join us at Globechella, WKU's Fall Global Learning Fair, to discover study abroad and away opportunities + learn about scholarship & funding options. Meet program representatives, explore destinations around the world, enjoy the festival atmosphere, and learn how you can make global learning part of your WKU experience.

Wednesday, September 16 | 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Honors College & International Center (HCIC) First Floor

For more about WKU Volleyball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball

Join The Center for Gifted Studies for a three-part virtual professional learning cohort designed to help educators intentionally differentiate instruction for advanced learners in grades 4-8. Grounded in Strategies for Differentiating Instruction: Best Practices for the Classroom by Julia Link Roberts and Tracy Ford Inman, this cohort combines current research, practical classroom strategies, and collaborative discussion to help participants make differentiation a sustainable part of everyday instruction. The series is designed for educators who are new to differentiation as well as those looking to strengthen their instructional practice.
https://www.wku.edu/gifted/differentiation/index.php

For more about WKU Volleyball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball

For more about WKU Soccer, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-soccer

This is a free event. Please contact sarah.berry@wku.edu for more information

The F1rstGen Initiative has multiple opportunities for you to join a group of other first-gen students for an extended development program.  Examples include Career Launch; F1rstGen Student Fellow Candidate program; the F1rstGen Student Fellowship; First-Gen Student Career and Leadership Society; our Ambassador program; and more.

The majority of these programs are no cost to you. Some of these programs allow you to earn completion rewards. All of them help you develop the transferable skills that employers want no matter your future profession!

Attend this session to learn about these various opportunities, discover which is right for you, and **be sure you don't miss your opportunity to sign up! **

The Career Studio is on the second floor above Fresh near the ACDC 2001 suite.

If you are unable to attend in person, RSVP by the day before this event to receive a Zoom link one hour before the event begins.

For more information, go to https://www.wku.edu/firstgen/get-involved/

Mathematics Department Meeting

The WKU Army ROTC program will host its 16th Eric D. Yates Memorial Run/Walk on Sept. 19.

The 5K Run and 2-Mile Walk will begin at 9 a.m. at Chaney’s Dairy Barn, 9191 Nashville Road. In-person registration begins at 8 a.m.

Yates, a 2008 WKU graduate from Rineyville, was killed in action Sept. 17, 2010, after an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol in Afghanistan. Yates served in the Army’s 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell.

Proceeds from the event benefit the 1LT Eric Yates Scholarship Fund. Registration for the run/walk is $20 in advance at https://www.raceentry.com/races/2026-16th-annual-eric-yates-memorial-5k-run-and-2-mile-walk/2026/register or $25 at the event. Advance registration includes an event T-shirt.

For information, contact WKU ROTC at (270) 745-4293 or visit www.wku.edu/rotc.

We highly encourage families that are considering The Gatton Academy to attend one of our Preview Days held on the WKU campus. The Gatton Academy is a program for gifted and talented juniors and seniors in high school who apply during their sophomore year. Preview Days are a wonderful opportunity for prospective applicants and their families to meet with current Gatton Academy students and their families, visit our campus, and gain a better understanding of student life at The Gatton Academy. 

Join us for an On-Campus Preview Day on September 19, 2026. Registration is required via the link below by September 17. If the registration deadline has passed, but you would still like to attend, email us at academy@wku.edu or call 270-745-6565. 

https://apply.wku.edu/register/gattonpreviewdaysep26

For more about WKU Volleyball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-volleyball

For more about WKU Soccer, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-soccer

This is a free event.

On Tuesday, September 22 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., in DSU Room 2025 The Advising & Career Development Center is hosting their Career Conversations Workshop!

This is a great opportunity for students to learn how to introduce themselves, start conversations with employers, and make a strong first impression.

Register on Handshake on the Events tab!  

Annual college fair for over 15 area high schools and over 50 post-secondary insitutions. Students are able to make connections during their college search process with a wide variety of admissions and departmental representatives.

https://www.wku.edu/sustainability/market_on_the_avenue.php

Market on the Avenue is an outdoor pop-up market hosted by the WKU Restaurant Group and WKU Office of Sustainability. Shop fresh produce, baked goods, local handmade goods, food trucks, and more from local vendors!

Are you a nursing student looking to network with employers in healthcare industries? Are you hoping to gain experience in your desired career field before graduating college? Then this opportunity is just for you!

The Nursing Recruitment Fair will take place on Wednesday, September 23rd at the Medical Center WKU Health Sciences Complex from 2:00pm – 4:00pm CST. 

30 employers will be coming to the Medical Center - WKU Health Sciences Complex, and they want to meet YOU! These employers will be expressing opportunities within their companies. Why not take advantage of this free opportunity to showcase yourself in a positive light! So come on out and show them what you have to offer!

Want to know how you can stand out from others? Register for the fair and find out! 

More info to come for repertoire and tickets.

WKU Next Stage Series Presents: Two Short Plays

big blue by: Marissa Alaniz

Two women-- Alicia, a naval officer and Viv, an oceanographer-- are on a mission from the US military to find the source of a mysterious deep sea humming. But when their tiny submersible gets knocked loose, they must contend with their respective land-bound griefs, tension with each other, and the fear of the inevitable bottom of the ocean.

The Thomas Paine Panther by: T.J. Walsh

Every year, The Thomas Paine Panther publishes its infamous "Best of/Worst of" issue, but this year, it's been banned. Determined to publish it anyway, the rebellious student staff uncover a shocking secret about their paper's sponsor that forces them to confront their values, their ethics, and the true responsibility that comes with journalism.

Adults $8 / All Students $5

Purchase tickets at wku.showare.com or by contacting the WKU Fine Arts Box Office at 270-745-3121 or boxoffice@wku.edu.

Recommended for mature audiences.

Western Kentucky University's Parent & Family Weekend is an exciting event for Hilltopper families! Join us for a weekend full of events for the whole family.

View all events. 

Western Kentucky University's Parent & Family Weekend is an exciting event for Hilltopper families! Join us for a weekend full of events for the whole family.

View all events. 

WKU Preview Day is a free open house event that offers a comprehensive look at Western Kentucky University's outstanding academic offerings, student activities, and beautiful campus in Bowling Green, KY.  

Sessions are offered to provide valuable information about life on The Hill, and an information expo allows students and their families the opportunity to personally connect with representatives from different academic departments, student services, housing, financial aid, and more!

Check-in and a campus information fair will begin at 8:30am Central Time at Diddle Arena Entrance 2. Parking will be available in Parking Structure 3 at 1793 Creason Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101. The program welcome will begin at 9:30am Central Time.

Register and learn more at wku.edu/preview

For more information: West KY Flat Shod Horse Sale

In The Big Bad Bullysaurus, a palentologist digs deep into their imagination to tell a dino-tastic fable about a not-so-terrifying T-Rex. Using lessons about empathy and a little Jurassic-sized humor, a story is crafted about how we all need to find ways to get along and how there's more than what meets the eye to both dinosaurs and humans! The Big Bad Bullysaurus by Tommy Jamerson is a prehistoric comedy appropriate and meaningful for all ages of warm-blooded and cold-blooded creatures!

Tickets: Ages 12 & under just $3, everyone else $5

Purchase tickets at wku.showare.com or by contacting the WKU Fine Arts Box Office at 270-745-3121 or boxoffice@wku.edu.

For more about WKU Football, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/football

WKU Next Stage Series Presents: Two Short Plays

big blue by: Marissa Alaniz

Two women-- Alicia, a naval officer and Viv, an oceanographer-- are on a mission from the US military to find the source of a mysterious deep sea humming. But when their tiny submersible gets knocked loose, they must contend with their respective land-bound griefs, tension with each other, and the fear of the inevitable bottom of the ocean.

The Thomas Paine Panther by: T.J. Walsh

Every year, The Thomas Paine Panther publishes its infamous "Best of/Worst of" issue, but this year, it's been banned. Determined to publish it anyway, the rebellious student staff uncover a shocking secret about their paper's sponsor that forces them to confront their values, their ethics, and the true responsibility that comes with journalism.

Adults $8 / All Students $5

Purchase tickets at wku.showare.com or by contacting the WKU Fine Arts Box Office at 270-745-3121 or boxoffice@wku.edu.

Recommended for mature audiences.

In The Big Bad Bullysaurus, a palentologist digs deep into their imagination to tell a dino-tastic fable about a not-so-terrifying T-Rex. Using lessons about empathy and a little Jurassic-sized humor, a story is crafted about how we all need to find ways to get along and how there's more than what meets the eye to both dinosaurs and humans! The Big Bad Bullysaurus by Tommy Jamerson is a prehistoric comedy appropriate and meaningful for all ages of warm-blooded and cold-blooded creatures!

Tickets: Ages 12 & under just $3, everyone else $5

Purchase tickets at wku.showare.com or by contacting the WKU Fine Arts Box Office at 270-745-3121 or boxoffice@wku.edu.

This is a free event.

This is a free event.

Seguridad Contra Incendios Y Preparación Para Desastres

Join us for a presentation for the Hispanic community at WKU! This event will be presented completely in Spanish by the American Red Cross and is free to the public.

This event is hosted by the WKU Spanish Club and HOLAS (Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students).

For more information, please contact Yertty Vandermolen at yertty.vandermolen@wku.edu.

SAVE THE DATE: On Tuesday, September 29 at 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., 3rd Floor of DSU students can put their networking skills into practice at The Advising & Career Development Center's Employer Networking Event.

Unlike a career fair, this event is designed to give students a comfortable environment to practice networking with professionals. Students can strengthen their communication skills, gain confidence, learn about different industries, and begin building professional relationships that may lead to future internships or employment opportunities.

Register on Handshake under the Events tab!