WKU News

Apr 5th, 2021

On April 8th at 5:30pm, the Potter College Alumni Speaker Series will host alumnus Dr. Jon Kay for a virtual keynote talk titled, "Folklore, Art, and Aging: The Power of Creative Practice in Later Life."

Mar 4th, 2021

Folk Studies graduate student Ellie Dassler was recently featured in the WKU News for her research associated with the capstone project she is completing as part of her program.

Nov 9th, 2020

On Friday November 6th, the Kentucky Historical Society awarded WKU Folk Studies MA alumnus Tommy Hines ('86) with the Frank R. Levstik Award for Professional Service.

Nov 3rd, 2020

WKU Folk Studies MA alumnus Andrea Kitta (?03) is a 2020 recipient of the American Folklore Society?s Chicago Folklore Prize for her 2019 book The Kiss of Death: Contamination, Contagion, and Folklore (Utah State University Press).

Oct 27th, 2020

Folk Studies MA alumna (2005) Emily Hudson Mitchell is associate producer on the new documentary "Hank Locklin: Country Music's Timeless Tenor," premiering on WRSE (a PBS member station) on October 29th.

Oct 14th, 2020

This week, October 13th through October 17th, students, faculty, and staff in the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology will be attending, presenting, and receiving awards at the American Folklore Society’s 2020 Annual Meeting.

Oct 8th, 2020

Folk Studies MA student Taylor Burden is interning with the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage on the project, "American Ginseng: Local Knowledge, Global Roots."

Sep 29th, 2020

Join the Kentucky Folklife Program for virtual Folkstreams Documentary Watch Parties!

Aug 17th, 2020

The Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology is happy to announce the establishment of a new Museum Studies Concentration in the MA Program in Folk Studies, formalizing a longstanding strength of the program in preparing students for museum careers.

Jul 1st, 2020

Samuel Kendrick, a 2020 graduate of WKU's Folk Studies MA program, has been awarded a 2020 Archie Green Fellowship from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.

Jun 23rd, 2020

We are delighted to announce the awarding of a 2020 National Heritage Fellowship to Mino-giizhig (Wayne Valliere), a longterm collaborator of WKU Folk Studies’ own Tim Frandy.

Jun 16th, 2020

In accordance with Western Kentucky University’s dedication to social justice, as outlined recently in We Are One WKU, the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology stands in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

May 26th, 2020

On Saturday May 23rd, the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology held a virtual Graduation Reception, Awards, and Hooding Ceremony to celebrate the accomplishments of our 2019-2020 graduates and award winners.

Apr 16th, 2020

The Kentucky Folklife Program, in partnership with WKU Folk Studies Program and the Kentucky Oral History Commission, is launching a new project, Connecting Across the Commonwealth in the Time of the Coronavirus.

Apr 14th, 2020

Congratulations to Folk Studies MA student Zahra AbedinezhadMehrabadi, who has just been named the 2019-2020 Outstanding Graduate Student for Potter College of Arts and Letters! The Graduate School announced the winner for each college on Friday.

Feb 20th, 2020

On Saturday, February 22nd, WKU Folk Studies MA student Camille Acosta will present her original research at "20/20 (Re)Vision," the 13th annual OSU/IU Student Research Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

Nov 11th, 2019

Folk Studies graduate student Camille Acosta prepared a Dia de los Muertos altar in her Speech and Debate office to celebrate her Mexican heritage.

Nov 5th, 2019

Zahra AbedinezhadMehrabadi was awarded with the Elaine J. Lawless Graduate Student Travel Award by the American Folklore Society, for her research paper on vernacular shrines in Iran, presented in Baltimore, MD, at the annual meeting of the Society.

Oct 24th, 2019

The Kentucky Folklife Program, Kentucky Museum and The Basket Maker’s Catalog recently presented, “A Conversation with Jackie Abrams: An Artist’s Weaving Life,” featuring highly-respected fiber artist Jackie Abrams.

Oct 21st, 2019

On Thursday, October 17th, Dr. Michael Ann Williams, University Distinguished Professor of Folk Studies, Emeritus, was awarded the Kenneth Goldstein Award for Lifetime Academic Leadership at the 2019 American Folklore Society Annual Meeting in Baltimore.