WKU News

As part of Parent and Family Weekend, the family of WKU senior Carley Givens and WKU sophomore Clayton Givens was recognized as WKU’s 2026 Family of the Year.

Carley Givens, a fourth generation Hilltopper and Marketing major from St. Louis, Missouri, nominated her family, Corey Givens (‘99), Debbie Olsofka Givens (‘97) and Clayton Givens, for the award.

In her essay, Carley Givens said, “Both of my parents were involved in Greek life. My mom was a member of Kappa Delta, and my dad was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho. They met at Kappa Delta’s Barn Dance in 1995. I have WKU to thank not only for my college experience, but for bringing my parents together. After graduating, my parents continued to support Western. Every football season, we cheered on the Hilltoppers together. In our house, it was normal to randomly sing the Fight Song, wave the Red Towel and cheer for Big Red. Being a Hilltopper has always been part of our family.”

Carley highlighted the excitement of having her younger brother, Clayton, a Construction Management major, join her on the Hill last fall.

“It has been so special to experience the same university that shaped my parents’ lives and now watch it become an important part of my brother’s and my life.”

A selection committee of alumni and staff reviewed nominations for WKU’s Family of the Year. The Givens family received a prize package including tickets to the weekend’s events and a $900 student scholarship for the 2027 spring semester. 

Contact: Julia Johnson, julia.johnson@wku.edu

-WKU-

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.