WKU News

Loud cheers from the crowd in Houchens Industries - L.T. Smith Stadium. Deep, brassy echoes from the trombones. The buzz of conversations in business classrooms. Greeting friends while walking through Chandler Hall.

The soundtrack to Aidan Stone’s Hilltopper experience reflects resonant music on the field, collaborative work in the classroom and a strong sense of community in both arenas. A sophomore from Scottsville, Stone felt an affinity for the WKU Gordon Ford College of Business (GFCB) from the start of his college journey.

“I’ve always had a business-minded mentality. When I run into a problem, I usually think about how I can solve it as efficiently and effectively as possible. My father was also a business major in college, so growing up around that mindset feels pretty natural to me,” Stone explained.

Both of his parents attended Western Kentucky University, and he noted that “coming here just felt like the right choice” after hearing about their experiences on the Hill. Building on that familiarity, Stone is shaping his own journey as a Marketing major with a concentration in Strategic Marketing and a minor in Music.

Reflecting on his favorite classes, Stone focused on the ones that provided opportunities for growth. “This semester, it’s been my entrepreneurship and my business-to-business marketing class. Both of those have been extremely valuable in terms of learning new things. That’s one thing I strive for every day – just to keep on learning,” Stone shared.

Between classes in management, business communication, entrepreneurship and more, his coursework in the GFCB provides a strong interdisciplinary foundation in business concepts. Stone also appreciates the opportunities to collaborate with other students and engage with the material beyond a textbook.

Highlighting a marketing class with Instructor Megan Ormon, Stone noted that “[Ormon] wants us to have these personal discussions with each other and with her about the class content. She makes us think, and that’s one thing I really appreciate in this day and age.”

Extending that collaborative experience, Stone described a recent group project from his entrepreneurship class that tackled a topic relevant to college students: energy drinks that contain a high content of caffeine and sugar.

“Over-caffeination is a problem within Gen Z, so we wanted to develop a drink that tastes as good as a classic energy drink, but for folks who don't want the high caffeine content,” Stone explained.

As a team, students identified an opportunity within a business sector, explored existing market research, discussed a hypothetical product tailored to fill a niche and assessed potential competitors. Each step of this process provided Stone and his classmates a unique insight into the work necessary to launch a product as an entrepreneur. For Stone in particular, it added a new perspective to his marketing experience while addressing a real-world scenario.

Stone is also familiar with collaborating outside of the classroom as a member of the Big Red Marching Band (BRMB). Just a few minutes away from Chandler Hall, Stone practices routines in the Ford Fieldhouse and performs under the lights in Houchens Industries - L.T. Smith Stadium in the fall to support WKU football games. There are also opportunities to travel for away games or to participate in campus and community events.

A trombone player, Stone serves as one of the music/visual section leaders for that part of the band. He puts lessons learned in the GFCB to use through his section leader role.

“I have been able to use a lot of skills from my various management classes within the BRMB. Being a section leader, there are times that I have to think on my toes and come to a conclusion with not only the idea of longevity behind it, but how to do it as efficiently and effectively as possible,” Stone explained.

Stone did not originally plan to participate in a college marching band.

“By the end of high school, I was pretty much done with marching band and was even starting to feel done with music altogether. My parents told me that college marching band was different, so I decided to trust them and give it a shot.”

That leap of faith transformed his college experience. As he shared, “coming to WKU and experiencing a college marching band completely changed the way I looked at it.”

“I remember coming in and thinking that I would never really fit in because everyone seemed so different from me. A few days later, though, I realized that they really weren’t that different after all. We all had different high school experiences and different things we believed in, but we shared a lot more in common than I initially thought. Joining the Big Red Marching Band ended up bringing me back to something I thought I had moved on from,” Stone explained.

After reconnecting with his passion for marching band, Stone broadened his involvement in music through Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, a national social fraternity whose members are connected by a love of music.

“I never expected to join a fraternity when I came to WKU, but Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia had always been in the back of my mind. My father talked about it a lot while I was growing up, and even in high school, I already connected with its ideals and its focus on philanthropy. A big part of Phi Mu Alpha is advancing music in America, which is something I really connect with. Even though I’m a business major, music will always have my heart,” Stone said.

WKU’s Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia chapter connects members through social events, hosts community service events and partners with other registered student organizations that also emphasize music and education. As a member, Stone participates in the financial and recruitment committees and helps organize events to welcome prospective members.

From the football field to the business classroom, Stone’s journey provided multiple opportunities for hands-on engagement and collaborative work. After graduating with his undergraduate degree, Stone plans to apply to a Master of Business Administration program to expand his knowledge and advance as a professional. Looking to the future, Stone would love to create a career that blends his business skills and his passion for music.

“My hope is that someday I can combine these two passions and turn them into something truly remarkable,” Stone concluded.

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To learn more about a degree in Marketing, visit https://www.wku.edu/marketing/