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WKU in the News Archive

Here is a selection of stories about WKU:

November 10-November 30, 2022

Daily News 

  • Growing El Mazatlan chain adds WKU location: Western Kentucky University students and staff as well as downtown Bowling Green residents won’t have as far to go now for their nachos and chimichangas. El Mazatlan, the Mexican restaurant chain that already had four locations in the city and had expanded one of those just last year, has opened a fifth store at 268 Alumni Ave. on the WKU campus. 
  • The best $1,000 I spend: WKU Sisterhood awards nearly $100,000 in grants: When Grace Stephens arrived at Western Kentucky University, she knew she wanted to be a journalist; she just didn’t know which type. She tried print, photojournalism and broadcast, but none quite fit. Then she found video. 
  • Sly as a (Lobby)Fox: Picking out the successful entrepreneur at Monday’s Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting could’ve been challenging for the business-suit types at the Western Kentucky University Innovation Campus. 
  • Russellville native takes on Netflix's "The Mole" using family lessons: Kesi Neblett doesn’t watch reality television. It wasn’t allowed in her Russellville home growing up so that she could focus on her academics and athletics, and the habit stuck. Which makes Neblett’s titular role as “the mole” in Netflix’s newest reality competition show all the more surprising. The opportunity to be cast as the mole seemed to fall right into Neblett’s lap. The day after quitting her job as a Goldman Sachs software developer, a former classmate from the selective Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science sent her a message telling her she should apply for the show. 
  • Gift to help LifeWorks continue growth: His company’s success is allowing Jeff Fields to contribute to the growth of one of Bowling Green’s newest and fastest-expanding nonprofit organizations. Fields, founder and CEO of Cheetah Clean Auto Wash, was recognized Tuesday for his $100,000 gift to the LifeWorks at WKU nonprofit that helps young adults on the autism spectrum make the transition to independence and employment. 
  • Two inducted into Hall of Fame at annual WKU Veterans Day ceremony: On Friday, Western Kentucky University honored two veterans and former WKU ROTC cadets who embodied the “gold standard of a life well-lived.” 
  • Zaczek hired to lead workforce participation: Joshua Zaczek cut his teeth on data analysis while studying political science, economics and legal studies at Western Kentucky University. Now the 2021 magna cum laude graduate will get to apply those research skills in a role that is more than academic. Zaczek was announced Tuesday as the choice to fill the new workforce participation lead position that was created as a partnership between WKU's Innovation Campus and the South Central Workforce Development Board. 

WNKY-TV 

  • Sunrise Spotlight – WKU Winter Festivities: For today’s edition of Sunrise Spotlight, brought to you by German American Bank, we met with Dr. Paul Hondorp. He spoke to us about a few upcoming holiday festivities happening over in WKU’s music department this season. 
  • Life-size Jamarion Sharp Lego sculpture built by WKU professor: 7 ‘5 Western Kentucky University basketball player Jamarion Sharp now has a life-size sculpture of him…made entirely out of Legos. WKU Civil Engineering Professor Jason Wilson used 22,000 Legos to construct a spitting image sculpture of Sharp. 
  • From Russellville to Netflix: Kesi Neblett is the youngest daughter of civil rights veteran Charles Neblett. Over the years, she attended Russellville High School, went on to Gatton Academy at Western Kentucky University, then made her way to Columbia University, playing division 1 volleyball and majoring in computer science engineering. 
  • LifeWorks Transition Academy receives $100,000 for scholarships: LifeWorks Transition Academy received $100,000 Tuesday to help fund scholarships for young adults with autism. 

  • WKU’s Angel Tree: Tonight on the campus of WKU, students in Greek life made sure to look out for some kids in the community for the second year in a row. 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • OPS teacher receives 2022 Kentucky Milken Award: Newton Parrish Elementary School third-grade teacher Charlotte Buskill thought Thursday’s assembly was going to be for student recognition, but little did she know she would be receiving $25,000 and a Milken Educator Award. Buskill received a master of arts in literacy education from Western Kentucky University in 2020. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Youravich appointed to Kentucky Infrastructure Authority: Hardin County Water District No. 2 General Manager Shaun Youravich has been appointed by the Gov. Andy Beshear for a state commission. Youravich, a Western Kentucky University graduate, has worked at HCWD2 for almost 31 years. He was named general manager in 2020. 
  • Keys make $100,000 gift to enhance WKU scholarship fund: Jeff and Mary Key recently made a gift of $100,000 to enhance the Jeff and Mary Key Scholarship and ensure Western Kentucky University students receive a substantial scholarship, according to a news release from the university. 

Kentucky Today 

  • Honoring a pioneer: Statue of Nettie Depp unveiled in ceremony at Capitol: The first statue of a woman to grace the state Capitol was unveiled during a Thursday afternoon ceremony honoring Nettie Depp, the first elected female public official in Kentucky. Born in Barren County in 1874, Depp earned her degree in education at the Western Kentucky State Normal School, now known as Western Kentucky University in 1908.

Spectrum News 1 

Forbes 

  • College In High School: How One School District Is Giving ‘College-Ready’ New Meaning: In Bowling Green, KY, school leaders have taken bold steps to more effectively bridge the gap between the high school and college experience. Western Kentucky University sits within the district’s bounds and is a major destination for Bowling Green High School grads. Bowling Green Superintendent Gary Fields said that a conversation with Western Kentucky University administrators about challenges that BGHS alumni faced once enrolled got him and his team thinking. 

WDRB-TV, Louisville 

Lane Report 

  • Asbury names Powers Provost and Chief Academic Officer: Asbury University President Dr. Kevin Brown announced Dr. Sherry Powers as the school’s new Provost and Chief Academic Officer. She was previously a professor, Associate Dean and the Director of the School of Teacher Education in the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Western Kentucky University. 

The Sentinel, Carlisle, PA 

  • 5 Questions: Boiling Springs native receives teaching award: Boiling Springs native Charlotte Searle Buskill was completely surprised by an assembly of cheering students, colleagues, state and local dignitaries and the media. A third-grade teacher with Owensboro Public Schools in Kentucky, she is one of 40 educators across the country to receive a 2022 Milken Educator Award. In 2020, Buskill earned a master’s degree in literacy education from Western Kentucky University. 

Transport Topics 

  • Senate Panel Backs FHWA Nominee Shailen Bhatt: With a voice vote, the Environment and Public Works panel advanced to the floor of the chamber Shailen Bhatt’s nomination for the top role at FHWA. Senate Democratic leaders have yet to schedule a vote in the full chamber during this lame duck session of Congress. An executive at infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, Bhatt is a graduate of Western Kentucky University. 

Berea Citizen 

Wallet Hub

October 27-November 9, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • BG Trolley test drive raises expectations: If the intent of Monday’s test drive of the new Bowling Green Trolley was to raise expectations for the red-and-green vehicle’s potential impact, then it was a success. On an abbreviated trip through downtown and the Western Kentucky University campus, the diesel-powered trolley counted local tourism leaders, city and county officials and WKU President Timothy Caboni among the passengers that taxed its 33-person capacity. 
  • Disaster Science Operation Center to strengthen WKU's emergency response program: On the second floor of Western Kentucky University’s Environmental Sciences and Technology Building, students toggle between several computer screens, maps of all kinds projected on the walls in front of them. It’s the first fully operational week of the new Disaster Science Operation Center (DSOC), which brings faculty, staff and students from the meteorology, emergency management disaster science and homeland security sciences programs to improve the university’s capacity to prepare for and respond to disasters like last year’s tornadoes. 
  • WKU business college dean earns award: Christopher Shook, dean of Western Kentucky University’s Gordon Ford College of Business, has been awarded the James G. Hunt Sustained Outstanding Service Award from the Southern Management Association. 
  • Heavy metal: Local nonprofit to spur state's metals industry: If a newly formed nonprofit organization based in Bowling Green meets its goals, the Bluegrass State will soon be associated as closely with steel and aluminum as it now is with thoroughbreds and sipping whiskey. The Metals Innovation Initiative, launched in September and housed at Western Kentucky University’s Innovation Campus at Nashville Road and Campbell Lane, has brought together industry leaders, educators and government officials who share the goal of rebranding Kentucky into the preeminent destination for metals innovation. 
  • WKU residence hall dedicated to Munday, first Black student: The legacy of Western Kentucky University’s first Black student, Margaret Munday, was enshrined Friday with the dedication of a residence hall in her name. 
  • 'Full circle:' WKU farm-to-campus program feeds, educates campus: Soon, Western Kentucky University students might notice a difference in the quality of campus food. After several years of preparation, the university has launched a farm-to-campus program, which transfers meat, produce and dairy products from the WKU Farm to students’ plates. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Spectrum News 1 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • McClure serving as next spokesperson for DCPS: Maddie McClure has been named the new public information officer for Daviess County Schools. Born and raised in Bowling Green, McClure graduated from Western Kentucky University in 2020 where she majored in public relations with a double minor in agriculture and event planning. 
  • Tichenor named to WKU's National Alumni Board: Owensboro resident Eddie Tichenor has been selected for a seat on the National Alumni Board for Western Kentucky University. 
  • Finding Fulfillment: Wilkerson finds purpose as independent artist: Owensboro native Madeline Wilkerson spent a lot of time going to Nashville with her family growing up, attending shows at The Grand Ole Opry and Bridgestone Arena. While music has taken a back seat for the time being due to her focus on starting her speech pathology program at Western Kentucky University, Wilkerson has no plans to ever stop. 

Owensboro Times 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Summit of the South returns with local guest speakers: Local entrepreneurs are invited to a Bowling Green event that could possibly help them in their business pursuits. The second annual Summit of the South will be held Nov. 17 at the WKU Small Business Accelerator at the WKU Innovation Campus.  

Lexington Herald-Leader 

Frankfort State-Journal 

Paducah Sun 

  • Pace to be inducted into Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame: The late Wilma Pace of Hardin will be inducted into the Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame at Western Kentucky University on Friday, Nov. 4. She will be honored for her career teaching within the Marshall County school system, benefitting many students with her desire to teach and passion to learn. 

Kentucky Today 

  • Church planter ‘laser-focused’ on serving Jennings Creek community: Hussung said Logsdon’s desire for the Jennings Creek community is immeasurable. He and his wife are renting a house in the community and looking to buy one. He has ties to Kentucky Baptist life, also serving with the Baptist Campus Ministry for five years at Western Kentucky University. 

US News & World Report 

  • How to Get Good Grades in College: "We really want our students to work with us to define what they think good grades are for them to be successful. At a bare minimum, it's going to be a 2.0 (grade point average)," says Chris Jensen, assistant vice president for student success at Western Kentucky University. "That's what they need to graduate, but we want our students to strive for more than that." 

Newsweek 

WYTT-FM, Weldon, NC 

  • Simpleview and Stroll work to further support technology development for DMOs: Founded in 2019 by John Mark (J.M.) Eberhardt and Dr. Charleson S. Bell, the Stroll app helps destinations engage visitors and residents with local businesses by enabling them to discover or be discovered based on interests and current location. Eberhardt serves as CEO of Stroll and is a graduate of Western Kentucky University. 
  • Rive Video Presents: Artist Johnnie Mikel Uses Music to Benefit Children and Charities: Gearing up to release his debut album, things couldn’t be better for Johnnie Mikel. He’s an accomplished singer, songwriter, musician, and performer with multiple appearances in the Billboard Charts, all while remaining a completely independent artist. Mikel is currently studying Political Science and Economics at Western Kentucky University to further merge his artistic message with his activism. 

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association 

  • Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame honors Collins: Longtime AOPA journalist and photographer Mike Collins was posthumously enshrined in Kentucky’s Aviation Hall of Fame for his contributions to aviation. He graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1984 and worked as a newspaper photographer and editor before helping to launch The Southern Aviator. 

UTSA Today 

Tennessee Department of Military 

  • Todd Wiles promoted to brigadier general: Col. Todd Wiles was promoted to the rank of brigadier general during a ceremony held at Berry Field Air National Guard Base in Nashville, Nov. 5. Tennessee’s Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Jeff Holmes, presided over the promotion ceremony. Wiles began his military career when he entered the Air Force in June 1995 as a Distinguished Graduate of Western Kentucky University’s Air Force ROTC program. 

Sidelines Equestrian Magazine 

  • No Limits of Artistic Expression With Cara Van Leuven: It was less than five years ago when Cara Van Leuven made the decision to leave the corporate world to pursue art full time. Much of her teenage years was spent at horse shows throughout the Midwest, but when it came time for college, she made the heartbreaking decision to sell her horse in order to attend Western Kentucky University. Cara earned her bachelor’s degree in photojournalism, and it took over a decade before horses once again became a part of her life. 

September 29-October 26, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • Halloween's Hometown: How director Carpenter's Bowling Green ties led to Michael Myers: If Halloween icon Michael Myers was looking to go home, he’d likely pack up his knife and head to Bowling Green. While the masked slasher terrorized the fictional small Illinois town of Haddonfield in the original 1978 “Halloween” film, director John Carpenter has made no secret of how his experiences growing up in Bowling Green influenced him, and the groundbreaking film. Carpenter was born in 1948 in Carthage, N.Y. When he was 5, his family moved to Bowling Green where his father, the late Dr. Howard R. Carpenter, started teaching music at Western Kentucky University. 
  • WKU to offer high schoolers early college experience in Glasgow: On the 20th anniversary of its Glasgow campus, WKU not only looked back at the past, but also toward the future. At the celebration, President Timothy Caboni announced the fall 2023 launch of Early College at WKU, a new program that will allow high school juniors and seniors from seven regional school districts to earn a year’s worth of WKU college credit before their high school graduations. 
  • New $100,000 WKU scholarship to further rural health equity: Health insurance company Anthem Medicaid is looking to address the hospital workforce shortage in rural Kentucky, and Western Kentucky University is its latest stop. 
  • Local hospitals, WKU get creative to fix critical nursing shortage: There is no such thing as a crazy idea anymore. That is, at least when it comes to methods to fix the critical nursing shortage facing Kentucky and the broader U.S., said Tony Bohn, vice president and chief human resources officer at Med Center Health. 
  • Kentucky Museum exhibit to honor Jonesville legacy: In a new Kentucky Museum exhibit, Western Kentucky University is reckoning with its role in the destruction of Jonesville, a thriving Black neighborhood, over a half-century after its final property was sold. “Honoring Jonesville: Our People, Our Community, Our Legacy,” opens Oct. 27 and features a “What Happened to Jonesville?” exhibit, including oral histories from Jonesville residents and descendants 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU celebrates Homecoming all week long: It’s almost Homecoming on the Hill! Western Kentucky University’s Homecoming is this Saturday. WKU is celebrating the whimsical, family-friendly “Nightmare on Normal Street” theme throughout the week. 
  • LifeSkills employees given statewide recognition: A full-time college student at WKU and only 21 years old, Princess Reed has received statewide recognition for the mental health work that she does. 
  • WKU launches farm-to-campus initiative: student-farmed food to WKU restaurants: WKU campus faculty and students have grown vegetables at the school’s farm for nearly two decades now for educational and research purposes. Now, WKU announces their all new farm-to-campus initiative, meaning Hilltoppers campus-wide can enjoy the fruits… or rather vegetables, of their peers’ labor. 
  • Anthem Medicaid awards WKU healthcare students $100K scholarship: Kentucky Hospital Association reports our Commonwealth is facing 13,000 nursing vacancies. To encourage students to fill the 22 percent of all nursing jobs that remain empty here in Kentucky, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Medicaid in Kentucky awarded $100,000 of endowment scholarships toward WKU health science majors and graduates.

Spectrum News 1 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • LaRue educator to be inducted into Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame: LaRue County High School teacher Katy Cecil is getting inducted into the Gov. Louie B. Nunn Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame. The 2022 Hall of Fame members, chosen by a statewide selection committee, will be inducted Nov. 4 on the campus of Western Kentucky University. 

WCLU-FM, Glasgow 

Kentucky Law Enforcement Magazine 

  • Building Relationships: Located in the rolling hills of Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University is teaming with students, staff and faculty members whose background are as diverse as the degree programs the school offers. Tasked with keeping the peace is the Western Kentucky University Police Department. Chief Mitch Walker said policing on a college campus is much different than in a municipality. 

People 

  • Kentucky Judge Who Once Ran for Governor Dies in House Fire After Getting Wife to Safety: Tom Emberton, a former Kentucky appeals court judge and Republican gubernatorial candidate, died in an early Thursday morning house fire after helping his wife to safety, the Associated Press reports. Emberton, who was also an alum of Western Kentucky University and was inducted into the WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2016, was recognized by many state officials as they shared tributes and extended their thoughts and prayers to his family on Twitter. 

September 17-28, 2022

Daily News 

  • Warren to lead Contractors Licensing Board: In a called meeting Monday evening, the board voted unanimously to hire current Contractors Licensing Board office manager Holly Warren for the executive director position that Bob Appling retired from in June. A Clinton County native who graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1997 with degrees in chemistry and biology, Warren came to the contractors licensing board through her role as construction supervisor at Minit Mart Foods. 
  • Downtown BGKY Harvest Festival returns Oct. 15: The WKU Student Alumni Ambassadors will decorate the Heritage Trail between the parks and Warren County Public Library will set up a Story Trail, also between the parks, Angel said. 
  • "Civic imagination incubator" launches, aims to envision change through storytelling: A diverse cohort of media creators began exploring their civic imaginations through storytelling at the official launch of WKU's first Civic Imagination Incubator on Thursday, Sept. 15, at the university's Innovation Campus. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Barren County Progress 

  • 100 years of greatness – KY Veteran and former BC Superintendent honored: The cheers and excitement became louder and more prominent as World War II, U.S. Army Veteran, Lee Robertson entered the “Homecoming Celebration” at Louisville International Airport on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 around 10:40 p.m.  His smile was vibrant and his handshake was strong as he greeted the massive crowd that was waiting to welcome him and 81 Veterans “home.” 

Dairy Agenda Today 

WTOP-FM, Washington, DC 

  • What a College Minor Is and Why It Matters: While students may want to find a minor that complements their major, they should also consider how it will help them develop skills and experiences that could be valuable in their careers, says Fabián Álvarez, assistant English professor at Western Kentucky University. WKU requires students in certain bachelor’s degree programs to complete a minor. 

August 27-September 16, 2022

Daily News 

  • Mammoth Cave celebration begins with 'mammoth' mapping project: WKU professor Chris Groves shared the sense of possibility. “It seems like everything’s already been discovered and found and used up,” Groves said. “And to some degree, it has – there’s no new mountains. But every single month, CRF has expeditions and people are going into new places that no human’s ever been before. There’s really not that many places in the world that you can still do that.” 
  • Caboni talks compensation at Senate meeting: Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni said Tuesday an 8% raise pool for faculty and staff to match the current inflation rate isn’t feasible. 
  • Service One expands again, plans new BG location: Once confined largely to the Western Kentucky University campus, Bowling Green’s Service One Credit Union is continuing to grow outside and within its home city. 
  • Four-year wait culminates in Commons at Helm Library ribbon-cutting: The main floor’s a coffee shop, the basement’s a food court and the second floor’s a library. Wide windows flood the area with natural lighting as conversations coalesce at the building’s center – the original center circle of Western Kentucky University’s old basketball court used from 1931 to 1963. 
  • Caboni addresses WKU approach to challenges: “We’re back, and we’re back big-time.” That’s Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni’s motto for the 2022-23 academic year, he said in an interview with the Daily News last week. 
  • NAACP state convention heading to Bowling Green: Kentucky NAACP members will descend on Bowling Green next month as the local chapter of the civil rights organization hosts the state convention. The state convention will be Sept. 16-17 at Western Kentucky University with most events at the Downing Student Union. 

WKU Public Radio 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Caboni advocates for changes in student loans: Timothy Caboni, president of Western Kentucky University, spoke at the Owensboro Rotary Club meeting on Wednesday, advocating for changes in higher education and student loans. 
  • 4 OPS students part of Project Launch Plus: Four Owensboro Public Schools students participated in Project Launch Plus, a program through the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program grant. The Center for Gifted Studies at Western Kentucky University announced 34 districts in Kentucky and Tennessee would be participating in this project. 
  • Tech Savvy: Coke helping farmers use data to improve yields: Kahlan Coke has gone from helping raise chickens to guiding farmers about how to use the latest agricultural technology. Coke, 24, is an integrated solutions consultant for Wright Implement who grew up on her family’s farm in West Louisville. And by the time she was a senior at AHS, Coke knew she wanted to major in agriculture in college. She earned her bachelor’s degree in ag business from Western Kentucky University. 

Owensboro Times 

McLean County News 

Metropolis (IL) Planet 

  • PSO welcomes violin professor in key role: An acclaimed violinist will take the spotlight this weekend at The Carson Center, as the Paducah Symphony Orchestra opens its 2022-23 concert season for the community and officially welcomes Dr. Ching-Yi Lin as its new concertmaster. Lin, an associate professor at Western Kentucky University, began learning violin at a young age, and has since performed around the world. 

WJRS-FM, Russell Springs 

  • RCMS participates in Project Launch Plus at WKU: Russell County Middle School was one of several schools in Kentucky and Tennessee that participated in the Center for Gifted Studies’ Project Launch Plus at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green this past school year. 

Wallet Hub

  • No-Fault Insurance: What are the advantages of no-fault insurance laws? -- Sebastian Leguizamon, Associate Professor, WKU

August 11-26, 2022

Daily News 

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU students react to Biden’s announcement on debt relief: President Biden is saying that he will be following through on his campaign promise, and relieve some student debt. News 40 took to the campus of Western Kentucky University to get students’ reactions. 
  • WCPS encourage students to be teachers at ‘Welcome Back WKU’: Welcome back Western Kentucky University students! Dozens of local businesses and organizations gathered in tents on South Lawn for ‘Welcome Back WKU’…. presenting giveaways, prizes and playing games with students. 
  • Get ready for class with Big Red Backpack: Western Kentucky University is making it a little easier for students to be prepared for the first day of class this year. Introducing the new Big Red Backpack. Students can sign up to have all the books they need for every class put together by the bookstore. They then pick everything up, all at once.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Owsley keeps history alive: Bob Owsley knows all there is to know about The Cecilian Bank. And he should. He has worked there since Sept. 2, 1958, and has done nearly every job there is to do there. After growing up in Rinevyille on a dairy farm, he attended Western Kentucky University, initially to become a pharmacist. Three semesters in, he was drafted into the U.S. Army. 

Louisville Courier Journal 

MIT Technology Review 

  • Bolstering innovation in the heart of America: When people think about Kentucky, they often picture bluegrass, horses, and bourbon—not necessarily a vibrant ecosystem of entrepreneurs and startups. As executive director of the nonprofit AccelerateKY, WKU graduate Sam Ford is aiming to change that. “Everyone’s always excited to talk about bourbon, but Kentucky’s also a major leader in electric batteries,” says Ford, a graduate of MIT’s Comparative Media Studies (CMS) program. “We have advanced manufacturing, metals, software development, ag tech.” 

Owensboro Times 

  • Ward receives award for contributions to field of engineering and community: Owensboro’s Dylan Ward was recently named the co-recipient of the 2022 New Professional of the Year Award sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Ward received his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering in 2013 from Western Kentucky University where he also received the Ogden Foundation Scholar Award. He went on to obtain a Master of Public Administration Degree from WKU in 2018 while working full-time. 

Spectrum News 1 

  • Online, hybrid learning still prevalent for Kentucky college students: The University of Louisville, Western Kentucky University and University of Kentucky on Monday welcomed students back on campus for the first day of classes. However, campuses might not see as many students walking around as enrolled because recent data show more and more people are opting to take online classes. 

Macon County (TN) Times 

  • PHS grad, WKU student Colovos begins NASA internship: Portland High School graduate Zachary Colovos, the 2020 valedictorian at the school, is in the beginning of a unique opportunity as an intern at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Colovos is among a crew of about 20 interns at the space center. He began his paid internship Monday, and he said if all goes well, at the conclusion of his time there with a degree in mechanical engineering in hand from Western Kentucky University, he will have a full-time job. 

July 28-August 10, 2022

Daily News 

  • Planetarium's Science Fun Day to showcase Webb Telescope: NASA launched the James Webb Telescope into space on Dec. 25. To educate the public about it, Western Kentucky University’s Hardin Planetarium will host a Science Fun Day with activities for all ages. 
  • County COVID-19 cases rise as school returns: David Oliver, director of environmental health and safety at Western Kentucky University, announced in a universitywide email Wednesday that WKU does not anticipate starting the year with a mask requirement or by limiting indoor capacities. 
  • More players getting involved in Lost River Cave suds investigation: Since last week, a testing team comprised of the Department of Water, the city of Bowling Green environmental office and Western Kentucky University has “been working nonstop on this,” Lansden said. 
  • WKU Regents decline to dismiss professor: Western Kentucky University’s Board of Regents voted 8-0 on Friday to not dismiss Dr. Jeanine Huss, a tenured professor in the School of Teacher Education, after an all-day hearing to decide if she was to be dismissed. 
  • First responders take part in active shooter training: Emergency personnel and members of several law enforcement agencies have converged on Western Kentucky University’s campus this week to take part in training exercises to aid in their response to a potential active shooter. 

WNKY-TV 

  • TVA contributes Recovery Funds to African American Museum of Bowling Green: The Tennessee Valley Authority contributed recovery funds to the African American Museum of Bowling Green during the Shake Rag Festival, on Saturday. John Hardin, a member of the Board of Trustees for the African American Museum, says they plan to use the money to restore many artifacts that are currently being held at Western Kentucky University. 
  • WKU offers early housing to students affected by eastern Kentucky flooding: Western Kentucky University has open arms for students affected from the flooding in eastern Kentucky. 
  • WKU active shooter training: Today began active shooter training at WKU for the week. Local agencies came together this morning to coordinate search and rescue procedures along with strategic communication in order to prepare for a situation in which an active shooter enters a dorm. 
  • Are we in a recession? What you should worry about: “We may already be in a recession,” said WKU Assistant Professor of Economics Jon Handy. Many people are worried about what’s coming next for the economy. Is a recession looming? 

WBKO-TV 

Fast Company 

  • Kyla Scanlon explains the economy, inflation, and the stock market so you can actually understand it: Scanlon, like many of her Robinhood generation peers, started trading stocks as a teenager. But instead of taking her cues from Reddit forums like WallStreetBets, she went to Western Kentucky University (on a full scholarship) to study finance, economics, and data analytics, and then joined a West Coast investment manager after graduating. She envisioned a future as an economics professor. Then the pandemic intervened. Out of boredom, she started posting TikTok videos in 2021 and soon found her niche: A rapid-fire daily synthesis of market trends and economic news, delivered with the authority of a central banker and the absurdist humor of a Gen Z native, all in less than 60 seconds. There is no one doing anything like it.

Portland (TN) Sun 

  • Portland native doing internship at NASA: Western Kentucky University junior and 2020 Portland High School graduate Zac Colovos has been accepted in the NASA Pathways Internship program at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. 

Owensboro Times 

  • Ball named CEO of Advanced Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine: Ginny Ball, with over 18 years of experience in health care administration and over 12 years as a managing executive in the Owensboro community, recently took over as the new CEO of Advanced Center for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. Ball earned her bachelor’s degree in health care administration at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. 

Barren County Progress 

  • Muhlenkamp chosen as Glasgow’s Superintendent: Dr. Chad Muhlenkamp has been named superintendent for Glasgow Independent Schools. He attended the University of the Cumberlands, earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education, and obtained a master’s degree in Elementary Education Curriculum and Instruction and School Administration along with other certifications from Western Kentucky University. 

July 15-27, 2022

Daily News 

  • WKU summer strings camp back after COVID break: Rhythmic applause can be heard this week down the hallway at the Ivan Wilson Center For Fine Arts at Western Kentucky University as 4-year-old children take their first steps in learning how to play the violin as part of the WKU Summer String Institute weeklong program. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • North Hardin grad back in home state for TV news gig: Building a career in TV journalism, Paxton Boyd has had multi-station opportunities that led him back home to Kentucky. Boyd, a 2004 graduate of North Hardin High School, went to Western Kentucky University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in broadcasting and had a minor in psychology. 
  • Strength and conditioning coach mentors athletes: After serving in the U.S. Army and working with college athletes, Dominique Adams began working with youth in Hardin County to help prepare them for the next level in athletics and whatever they do in life. Originally from Indianapolis, Adams, 35, came to Hardin County in 2006 when he was stationed at Fort Knox. He was there until 2008. He served eight years in the Army. After that he went to college at Western Kentucky University and, as he was getting his master’s degree, Adams became a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach for WKU Athletics. After graduation, was hired as assistant strength and conditioning coach. 

WBKO-TV 

  • Teacher incentives provided by the state and WKU amid teacher shortage: WKU is aiming to pave the way in tackling the nationwide teacher shortage. “Western is poised to be the national model for enrollment in educator preparation,” said Dr. Corinne Murphy, the Dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at Western Kentucky University. 

WNKY-TV 

  • Voices of Honor – Lee Robertson: Last month Lee Robertson, known to many as Mr. Western, celebrated his 100th birthday. On this week’s Voices of Honor, Robertson tells us about his service with the 44th Tank Battalion in World War 2. 

Lane Report 

  • New collaborative aims to address healthcare workforce shortage: The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education announced its Healthcare Workforce Collaborative, a new partnership with colleges and universities, state agencies, the healthcare industry and the K-12 education system to address Kentucky’s critical healthcare workforce shortage. Healthcare Workforce Collaborative Advisory Group members include: Tania Basta, College of Health and Human Services dean, Western Kentucky University 
  • KYNETIC funds 9 proof-of-concept projects across Kentucky: The Kentucky Network for Innovation and Commercialization (KYNETIC) funded nine proof-of-concept projects in the Cycle 5 round of early-stage commercialization grants. KYNETIC distributed $325,000 in Cycle 5 and awardees included: Daniel Boamah (Western Kentucky University), Development of a Multitenant Mixed/Virtual Reality Platform for Increasing Awareness of Implicit Bias in Child Welfare Decision-Making: A Public Health Crisis 

WYMT-TV, Hazard 

WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA 

  • Fundraising Alzheimer’s disease research: Bike4Alz cyclists pedal through Richmond: Cyclists pedaling for a purpose zipped through Richmond Tuesday afternoon. The Bike4Alz Riders and support vehicles will stop at the University of Richmond’s Phi Gamma Delta clubhouse on Old Fraternity Row to connect with their fellow fraternity brothers and then have a celebratory meal. The cyclists are students at Western Kentucky University at Bowling Green. 

Homeland Security Today 

July 7-14, 2022

Daily News 

  • United Way awards $585,000 to Warren County nonprofits: United Way of Southern Kentucky awarded $585,000 to Warren County nonprofits Wednesday. The list of grant recipients includes: WKU, Suzanne Vitale CED, Building Bridges to Kindergarten: $9,000; Lifeworks E-Learning Lab, Electronic Access to Employment Training Services for Young Adults with Autism at WKU: $3,450. 
  • Bell book talk benefits tornado relief: A spacious auditorium at the Warren County Public Library’s main branch was bursting with lively discussions Tuesday as local author David Bell discussed his latest book. 
  • WKU welcomes pair of new regents: Western Kentucky University’s Board of Regents will feature two new faces after Gov. Andy Beshear appointed a pair of members. 

Spectrum News 1 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Bland joins extension office in dual role: Kelly Bland is the new extension agent for family and consumer sciences and 4-H youth development for the McLean County Cooperative Extension Office in Calhoun. After graduating Owensboro High School, Bland attended Western Kentucky University with intentions to become a teacher, but she switched gears and graduated with a degree in therapeutic recreation and tourism in 1996. 
  • Local artist holds exhibit of historical pictures: On the walls of the Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County hangs the many charcoal, acrylic and watercolor pictures drawn by a local Owensboro artist. Frederica Diane Huff has been a Daviess County resident since she first arrived here in 1975. She graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree of fine arts before pursuing a master’s degree in art education in 2001. 
  • Owensboro Health names new CFO: Owensboro Health announced Russ Ranallo as its new chief financial officer on Thursday, effective immediately. He earned a master’s degree in health administration from Western Kentucky University in 1994. 
  • Bike4Alz riders host silent auction fundraiser: Pens were clicking as bidders lined up to participate in the Bike4Alz silent auction fundraiser Wednesday evening at Feta Pizza in Owensboro. The event was in conjunction with a group of 13 students from Western Kentucky University passing through the city while bicycling from San Francisco to Virginia Beach, Virginia, to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s Disease research. 

Owensboro Times 

  • Emma Goetz joins Retirement & Financial Strategies as advisor: Emma Goetz has joined Retirement & Financial Strategies as a Financial Advisor. Emma graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2021 from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance with a concentration in Personal Financial Planning. 

Lane Report 

  • Marketing: Influential Partnerships: A key Ale-8 influencer is blogger and influencer JC Phelps of “JCP Eats,” who has been a strategic partner and marketing consultant. He holds a bachelor’s in economics and finance from Centre College and an MBA from the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University. 

WEHT-TV, Evansville, IN 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • HCS employee named social worker of the year: A Hardin County Schools student support specialist was recognized recently for his work with students in the school system. According to a news release from HCS, Rudy Garcia was selected as the 2022 Kentucky School Social Worker of the Year by the Kentucky Association for School Social Work. Garcia is an adjunct social work professor for the University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University. 

June 25-July 6, 2022

Daily News 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Bike4Alz cycling through city next week: Thirteen students from Western Kentucky University currently bicycling from San Francisco to Virginia Beach, Virginia, will be passing through Owensboro next week. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • New principal named for James T. Alton Middle School: A new principal will be at the helm for James T. Alton Middle School this coming academic year. Danielle Cassady, an assistant principal at West Hardin Middle School, has been named the lead educator for the middle school in Vine Grove, according to news release from Hardin County Schools. She earned her master’s degree from Western Kentucky University. 
  • WKU names new academic advisor for its E’town site: Western Kentucky University in Elizabethtown has a new academic advisor. Julie Hoisington was named to the role following the retirement of long-time WKU academic advisor Gail Smallwood, who held the position for 22 years, according to a news release from the university. 

Lane Report 

  • Paxton Boyd will be ABC 36 new main anchor: ABC 36 News Director Miranda Combs announced a new main anchor for WTVQ ABC 36. TV journalist and Elizabethtown, Kentucky, native Paxton Boyd will take the desk. Boyd graduated from Western Kentucky with a degree in broadcast journalism. 

WKYT-TV, Lexington 

Princeton Times-Leader 

  • Englebright selected as WKU Alumni Ambassador: Emerson Englebright, of Princeton, was selected as one of 30 new Western Kentucky University’s Student Alumni Ambassadors. The Alumni Ambassadors recently welcomed 30 new members, bringing the membership total to 41 for fall 2022. 

Kentucky Ag Connection 

  • EPA Awards Grant to WKU Team's Radon Mitigation Project: A team of students in Western Kentucky University's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has been awarded a $24,971 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for a research project on radon mitigation in homes. 
  • Coding Academy Graduate Finds Purpose on Fort Knox: Lesley Downs, originally from Bardstown, is a graduate of the Spring 2020 and first Greater Knox Coding Academy class, whose higher educational journey began at Western Kentucky University with a bachelor's degree in entrepreneurship and a certificate in distilling arts and sciences. 

Think Advisor 

  • Ron Rhoades Makes 5 Predictions for the Future of Fiduciary Advice: “You can’t serve two masters: Under the SEC, you can be a fiduciary for part of the [client] relationship … and then have another account that’s a brokerage account. [But] you can do some really bad stuff because a different standard applies,” fiduciary expert Ron A. Rhoades argues in an interview with ThinkAdvisor. Rhoades, associate professor of finance and director of the Personal Financial Planning Program at Western Kentucky University, is also a financial advisor and education content specialist at ARG Investment Services, an RIA. 

June 14-24, 2022

Daily News 

  • Cumberland Trace Elementary picks Darnell as new principal: The Cumberland Trace Elementary School site-based decision-making council named curriculum coordinator Lori Darnell as the school’s new principal Monday. Darnell is a product of Western Kentucky University, earning her Bachelor of Science in elementary education, Master of Arts in teacher leadership and Rank 1 in administration all on the Hill. She has nine years of experience in education. 
  • Startup Compost BG turning scraps into cash: Charlie O’Connell is definitely getting his hands dirty as he grows his startup small business. In fact, he’s taking that truism to the extreme, with the potential to have an extreme impact on the local environment. Owner of Bitsy Farm in Rockfield, O’Connell started in March his Compost Bowling Green business that collects food scraps from homes and businesses for composting at the Western Kentucky University Farm. 
  • 'Proud to be among 'em': Vietnam vets among 12 aviators honored at Hangar Party: Charlie Browning’s journey to being honored for his service in the Vietnam War has taken more twists and turns than one of the UH-1 (Huey) helicopters he once flew. Browning, a graduate of both Bowling Green High School and Western Kentucky University, was joined by highly decorated veterans of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars in being recognized Saturday. 
  • New exhibition focused on Latino art: A spacious room in the Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University was filled Wednesday with laughter and lively chatter in Spanish at the opening of a new art exhibition called Nuestro Hogar Kentucky – Our Kentucky Home. 
  • ‘I’m beginning my second one hundred’: Mr. Western turns 100: Lee Robertson, affectionately known as “Mr. Western” for his strong ties to Western Kentucky University, celebrated his 100th birthday Thursday with a huge crowd of friends, co-workers, family and acquaintances at a packed Eva and Jim Martens Alumni Center. 
  • Learning Festival coming to WKU Innovation Campus: A group of seven Massachusetts Institute of Technology students is bicycling 3,000 miles across the United States to host workshops for middle school students, with Bowling Green as one of their stops. The MIT Spokes Learning Festival, a free one-day STEM workshop, will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 22 at the Western Kentucky University Innovation Campus at 2413 Nashville Road. 
  • WKU's 2023 budget kicks major projects into gear: Western Kentucky University’s Board of Regents approved the university’s budget for the 2023 fiscal year on Friday, paving the way for a handful of major construction projects and overhauls to its ever-changing campus. 

WNKY-TV 

  • MIT students bike to BG to teach STEM on 3,800 mile trip: A group of six MIT students, called the MIT Spokes, are on a 3,800 mile cross country bike trip. They stop in cities, like Bowling Green, to give stem workshops to middle school students. 
  • Cumberland Trace Elementary School announces new principal: The Cumberland Trace Elementary Site-Based Decision Making Council announced Lori Darnell as the next principal of Cumberland Trace Elementary School. Darnell received her rank 1 in administration, a master of arts degree in teacher leadership with an endorsement in gifted and talented, and a bachelor of science degree in elementary education, all from Western Kentucky University. 
  • Lee Robertson, ‘Mr. Western,’ celebrates turning 100: Mr. Western, a well-known feature of Western Kentucky University, celebrated a milestone today. On Thursday, June 16, Lee Robertson, also known as Mr. Western, turned 100 years old. 

WBKO-TV 

Lane Report 

  • Grant helps Kentucky colleges improve online courses: New grant funding from the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education is helping public colleges and universities ensure their online course offerings are high-quality and prepare students for success. CPE provided $10,000 in funding for institutions to seek Quality Matters (QM) certification for online classes. The following WKU courses were certified through the grant award: LEAD 530 Organizational Change, MATH 136 Calculus I 

Gallatin (TN) News 

Jackson County Sun 

  • Annville Resident Interns for Senator McConnell in Washington, D.C.: Autumn Jones of Annville, Kentucky interned for U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) this summer in his Washington, D.C. office. She is a junior at Western Kentucky University pursuing a major in Professional Writing and a minor in Business Administration. 

May 25-June 13, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • Gatton Academy students take first at Kentucky Envirothon: Five students from the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science took first place at the Kentucky Envirothon Competition on May 18-19 at North Central 4-H Camp in Carlisle. 
  • WKU ties for first place in diversity report: Both Western Kentucky University and University of Kentucky got 30 out of 36 points on the recent diversity, equity and inclusion report, produced by the Council on Postsecondary Education, resulting in a draw for the highest score among public universities and community colleges in Kentucky.
  • WKU to host 'Imagination Incubator': Western Kentucky University’s Potter College of Arts and Letters and the university’s Innovation Campus will team up with the University of Southern California for a “Civic Imagination Incubator.” 
  • WKU Upward Bound receives $2.1 million federal grant: The U.S. Department of Education awarded Western Kentucky University’s Upward Bound, a program that seeks to improve the rate at which students complete high school and enroll in postsecondary institutions, a five-year grant totaling $2.1 million.

WNKY-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • EIS announces three hires: Elizabethtown Independent Schools this week announced three new hires. Chase Goff, a Warren County High School graduate, has been hired as the assistant superintendent for student learning starting the 2022 -2023 school year. Goff earned his Bachelor’s Degree in economics at Western Kentucky University. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Melton selected as new Livermore principal: On June 1, Kelly Melton was named the new principal of Livermore Elementary. Melton received both her bachelors and masters degrees in elementary education from Western Kentucky University. 

Education Week 

  • What Happens When Districts, States, and Universities Collaborate on Principal-Prep?:The nearly $50 million Wallace Foundation effort aimed to spur states, universities, and districts to redesign programs and supports for principals to be more in line with emerging research on what school leaders need to know and the realities of the job. The universities in the program were Albany State University in Albany, Ga.; the University of Connecticut, Storrs, Conn.; Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fla.; North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.; San Diego State University; Virginia State University, Petersburg, Va.; and Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Ky. 

April 29-May 24, 2022

Daily News 

  • Sensory garden provides patch of peace: A cozy, tranquil garden can be found adjacent to the College Heights Foundation’s Cliff Todd Center, complete with gravel pathways, stone benches and more than 80 plant species. 
  • Late Bowling Green artist's works live on at gallery: Bowling Green artist and retired Western Kentucky University art professor Ivan Schieferdecker had been planning to show some of his works at an exhibit in a local gallery this month. He passed away March 26 at age 86, but before his death he was able to complete his pieces for the exhibit at Ellis Walker Gallery in Thoroughbred Square.
  • Hardcastles honored as SC Kentuckians of the Year: A 1951 graduate of Alvaton High School and 1956 graduate of Western Kentucky University, Charles Hardcastle achieved success with BG Chemical and its successor Consolidated Paper Group as well as with Citizens First Bank. 
  • Bell’s new book tackles higher education: David Bell has written more than a dozen books, but his latest story set to release this summer will take aim at the lengths both students and colleges will go to survive in a resource-starved academic world. “The Finalists” is the 14th book that Bell, a professor of English at Western Kentucky University, has written. 

WKU Public Radio 

  • Kentucky Mesonet adds new station in Ballard County: A statewide source for weather and climate data has added a new station in Ballard County. The new Kentucky Mesonet station in Ballard County is in what’s been an underserved area with regard to weather data. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Paducah Sun 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Kelly Miller to take helm at Lincoln Trail Elementary: Lincoln Trail Elementary School Assistant Principal Kelly Miller has been selected by site-based decision-making council to serve as the school’s next principal. She is a graduate of Central Hardin High School and Western Kentucky University. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • WKU-O grad went from homeless to master's degree: Amanda Brothers made her dream come true Monday night when she walked across the stage in Blandford Hall at Owensboro Community & Technical College. Western Kentucky University-Owensboro was recognizing its 2022 graduates including Brothers, who was the student speaker at the ceremony. 

Madisonville Messenger 

  • Clark named new principal of Pride Elementary: Amy Clark was selected as the new principal of Pride Elementary School. Clark earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education, English and allied language arts, from Western Kentucky University. 
  • Zimmer named new HCCHS principal: Michael Zimmer was selected as the new principal at Hopkins County Central High School. Zimmer earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University. 

Lancaster (PA) Online 

  • Bingocize blends bingo and exercise for a healthy dose of fun: That somebody was Jason Crandall, an associate professor of exercise science and co-director of the Center for Applied Science in Health & Aging at Western Kentucky University. Crandall calls the creation of Bingocize serendipitous more than anything else. 

News Virginian, Waynesboro, VA 

Lane Report 

  • KCV IMPACT Competition awards six innovative projects: Kentucky Commercialization Ventures is pleased to announce the winners of the inaugural KCV IMPACT (Innovative Mobile, Public Health, And Community-Oriented Technologies) Competition. 1st place – $25,000 each: Dr. Rachel Tinius – WKU, BumptUp: an evidence-based digital technology to improve physical activity and health outcomes among pregnant and postpartum women; and Dr. Daniel Boamah – WKU, Development of a Multitenant Mixed/Virtual Reality Platform for Increasing Awareness of Implicit Bias in Child Welfare Decision-Making: A Public Health Crisis 
  • CPE 2022 Academic Leadership Development Institute members named: The Council on Postsecondary Education named the fourth cadre of its Academic Leadership Development Institute (ALDI) program, which aims to prepare minority faculty and staff members for leadership roles in Kentucky higher education. 2022 Academic Leadership Development Institute participants from WKU: Lester “Les” Archer, Daniel Boahmah, Denise Hardesty. 

Lafayette (IN) Journal & Courier 

  • Greater Lafayette young professionals honored for manufacturing, logistics talent: Conexus Indiana provided the following snapshots of Greater Lafayette honorees: Matthew Cooper, Supplier Quality Engineering group leader, Subaru of Indiana Automotive -- Internships and a hands-on college engineering program allowed Cooper to graduate from Western Kentucky University and immediately hit the ground running in his manufacturing career. 

Portland (TN) Sun 

  • DeGeorge retires after 38 years of teaching in Sumner County: Beverly DeGeorge, a first-grade teacher at Portland Gateview Elementary School, is retiring after 38 years teaching in Sumner County. She will be remembered for her quiet and calm demeanor with her children and colleagues. She began her career at Hendersonville Elementary (now Gene Brown Elementary) in 1982 shortly after graduating from Western Kentucky University. 

April 13-28, 2022

Daily News 

  • WKU celebrates historic donation: Western Kentucky University on Friday commemorated Eva and Jim Martens’ philanthropic work after the school recently rededicated the alumni center in the couple’s honor. 
  • Philanthropist, businessman Bill Gatton dies: Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, an academic philanthropist, businessman and longtime donor to Western Kentucky University and other institutions, died Monday. 
  • Duvall wins JA's Gold Leadership Award: Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky longtime volunteer Monica Duvall is one of 10 recipients of the JA national organization’s Gold Leadership Award this year. Allie Sharp, president of the local JA office, said Duvall, director of student success at the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University, “helps southcentral Kentucky’s JA students get the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices.” 
  • WKU Commons at Helm Library opens to students, public: In April 2018, Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni announced a plan to renovate Helm Library and create an innovative, state-of-the-art meeting space. Nearly four years later, that plan is now a reality. 

WKU Public Radio 

WNKY-TV 

  • Throwback Thursday – The Bell Observatory: When the Space Race came to Bowling Green: Last summer, Western Kentucky University’s Bell Observatory received a National Science Foundation grant to replace its telescope and control system. The space race age had its impact on WKU and Warren County over 50 years ago. Did you know WKU has had an off-site radio observatory since the late 1960s? This is the story of the Bell Observatory. 
  • Locals spend a morning with law enforcement at Coffee with the Cops: While you were out getting your morning coffee, you may have seen Bowling Green Police, the Warren County Sheriff and the Kentucky State Police troopers at Starbucks on Campbell Lane. No, there was not an emergency. It was just the Coffee with the Cops! The event, organized by WKU Police, brought together the law enforcement agencies to meet and talk with residents. 
  • WKU Forensics Team wins NFA national championship: The Western Kentucky University Forensics Team has won the National Forensics Association National Tournament sweepstakes championship. 
  • Bill Gatton, namesake of WKU’s Gatton Academy, dies at 89: Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, the businessman and philanthropist the Gatton program is named after, died on April 18, 2022, at 89 years old. 
  • WKU alum/employee races Boston Marathon: Bowling Green’s very own Western Kentucky University alumni and employee just finished up running the Boston Marathon today. 41-year-old Shanda Blair finished  her second ever Marathon today – the Boston Marathon and its extremely uphill trek. 
  • Local Parks and Rec leader writes book after late grandfather: Cameron Levis is known for being a leader in the Parks and Rec community for years and years. Now he’s taking that one step further by releasing his first ever children’s book about parks, called ‘Home Is Where Your Park Is’. His grandpa, Dr. Alton Little, passed away in September.  He was a professor at Western Kentucky University for 36 years, teaching recreation administration. 

WBKO-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • MCHS sophomore chosen for Gatton Academy: Jack Smith, a sophomore at McLean County High School, is among three regional students who have been accepted into the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, which is on Western Kentucky University’s campus in Bowling Green. 
  • Two OHS students accepted to Gatton Academy: Two Owensboro High School students have been accepted to the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science Class of 2024. 

Lane Report 

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz 

London Sentinel-Echo 

Trimble Banner 

  • Giving back to his roots: Congleton selected for grant opportunity, chooses to benefit park: Trimble County’s Keegan Congleton has received one of ten microgrants worth $500 as part of Dr. Mody’s Make a Difference Microgrants Competition for students from the Summer Camp for Academically Talented Middle School Students (SCATS), the Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY) and the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Sciences in Kentucky. All of the programs are housed by Western Kentucky University. 

Wilson (TN) Post 

  • Mark Wooten of Lebanon High School named Wilson County Teacher of the Year: Lebanon High School teacher Mark Wooten was named the 2022 Wilson County Teacher of the Year at a banquet with the county’s other 32 top teachers at Cumberland University’s Baird Chapel last Friday. Wooten graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in education and a minor in industrial technology. 

Defense Visual Information Distribution Service 

  • History is made during change of command: The unit guidon representing an historic exchange of command was handed off to Army Capt. Taylor Davies as she assumed command of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1st Battalion, 623rd Field Artillery Brigade in a ceremony Mar. 27. She studied biology and went through ROTC program at Western Kentucky University and after she graduated was commissioned as a Field Artillery Officer in December 2016.  

April 1-12, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

  • Bowling Green woman will run in Boston Marathon April 18: A woman from Bowling Green, Kentucky will run in the Boston Marathon on April 18. Shanda Blair is a graduate of Western Kentucky University, where she is currently director of operations for Aramark, the campus restaurant group. 

Daily News 

  • SKy Science Festival returns on April 23: The SKy Science Festival Expo Day will return to Bowling Green’s Circus Square Park after being postponed in 2020 and 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hilltoppers Astronomy Club will have special telescopes available to look at the sun, which work much like solar eclipse glasses, and an exhibit by WKU’s Hardin Planetarium will demonstrate light and reflections. 
  • WKU to receive $74 million for new business building: Grise Hall has long been where business students at Western Kentucky University called home, but another major shake-up for the ever-changing campus is now on the horizon. As part of the 2022-24 budget approved in the Kentucky General Assembly last week, WKU was allotted $74.4 million from the state to fund a new building for the university’s Gordon Ford College of Business. 
  • Inspired by late grandfather, local man writes children’s book: Cameron Levis tells everyone he is a “parks and rec kid.” In fact, he wears the title proudly as a badge of honor. So much so that the current Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department special populations instructor followed in the footsteps of his mother and grandfather and is now a parks and recreation professional. That family passion is centered on the work and life of his grandfather Dr. Alton Little. Little was a professor at Western Kentucky University for more than 36 years in the Recreation Administration Department.
  • Journalists discuss experiences with December tornadoes: Local, regional and national journalists gathered Thursday night as part of Western Kentucky University School of Media’s 2022 John B. Gaines Family Lecture Series to publicly discuss their coverage of December’s deadly tornadoes. 

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU Alum prepares for Boston Marathon: Shanda Blair got into running when she was in middle school when she spent the night with a friend who had cross country practice the next morning. She deceased to come along, and from there on, there were no stops on her track. Shanda ran in middle school, high school, and ran at Western Kentucky University with a scholarship. 
  • WKU’s Helm Library opens next Monday with all new renovations: Monday morning, Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni announced that the Commons library facility will finally open next Monday with huge new renovations.
  • WKU’s PCAL hosts spring festival in downtown BG: Downtown Bowling Green was alive with the sounds of music and laughter this weekend. On Saturday afternoon, WKU’s Potter College of Arts and Letters held the Spring Forward Festival in Fountain Square Park. 
  • WKU’s Dance Big Red raises over $83,000: Western Kentucky University’s Dance Big Red raised over $83,000 for Norton Children’s Hospital on Friday. 

WBKO-TV 

  • Funding approved for new WKU business building: Western Kentucky University has been approved to receive 74-million dollars from the Kentucky General Assembly. These funds will go towards relocating the Gordon Ford College of Business. 
  • Dance Big Red exceeds fundraising goal: On Friday, Dance Big Red was held in person, for the first time in two years. The 8th Annual Dance Big Red was held at Houchens Industries – L.T. Smith Stadium out of an abundance of caution. 

Lane Report 

  • $417,000 grant sustains research into phone-based substance use intervention: Dr. Jenni Teeters, assistant professor in Western Kentucky University’s Department of Psychological Sciences, has received a $417,056 grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse for her project on the evaluation of a mobile-phone based intervention aimed at reducing substance-impaired driving among young adults. 
  • 4 Years in, UK College of Medicine impacting Bowling Green Community: Creating a full-fledged regional campus was a process that took intensive planning and collaboration long before it opened. Dr. Cheever, UK Acting Provost Robert DiPaola, M.D., Acting Dean Charles Griffith, M.D., and many others played instrumental roles in building connections with community partners in western Kentucky, Med Center Health and Western Kentucky University, institutions that helped move the process forward. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Pippin named Sorgho Elementary principal: Marjie Pippin, assistant principal of Meadow Lands Elementary School since 2017, is moving across the county to become principal of Sorgho Elementary School on July 1. Pippin graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education and a master of science degree in elementary school counseling. She earned educational administration certifications in principalship from WKU in 2012. 
  • Wedding named new OPS director of special education: Carrie Wedding has been named the new Owensboro Public Schools director of special education, effective July 1. She also has two master’s degrees, one in special education and one in public administration, both from Western Kentucky University. 

WEHT-TV, Evansville, IN 

  • Sorgho Elementary has a new Princi-PAL: Children at Sorgho Elementary School will have a new pal in their new principal. Marjie Pippin was announced as the new principal at Sorgho at a special meeting of the SES School-based Decision Making Council. Pippin graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education and a master of science degree in elementary school counseling. She earned educational administration certifications in principalship at levels 1 and 2 from WKU in 2012. 

March 17-31, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • Gaines lecture panel to focus on December tornadoes: In its return from a two-year COVID-19 hiatus, the Western Kentucky University School of Media’s 2022 John B. Gaines Family Lecture Series will feature local and national journalists for a discussion centered on the December tornadoes. 
  • SOKY Book Fest's return welcomed: Charley’s enthusiasm was shared by many at the book fest that started with a children’s day Friday and concluded with a main event Saturday that featured more than 60 authors and illustrators meeting and greeting book lovers at the Knicely Conference Center. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

March 2-16, 2022

The Parking Podcast 

EdSurge 

  • What It Takes to Recruit Future Teachers During the Pandemic: In the communities surrounding Western Kentucky University, rumors were circulating that teaching was just too tough a profession to enter. “It’s not necessarily actual data or actual information,” says Corinne Murphy, dean of the university’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Instead, people were hearing stories that getting a teaching credential required “so many tests, so many rules, and too many barriers that it’s not worth it,” she adds. “We knew it is worth it.” 

Daily News 

  • Former WKU, Colts star Doyle distributes free shoes to students: After recently retiring from the NFL, former Western Kentucky University and Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle decided to visit and give back to students from Warren County Public Schools who were impacted by the Dec. 11 tornadoes. 
  • New poll shows majority of Kentuckians support sports betting: While some state legislators try for the fourth straight year to legalize sports betting in Kentucky, a new poll from Western Kentucky University showed a majority of Kentuckians support wagering on sports. 
  • Popular SoKy Book Fest returns: It’s been three years since the Southern Kentucky Book Fest brought dozens of acclaimed authors to Bowling Green, but to the joy of local literature lovers, the celebration is scheduled to return March 25-26. The festival is presented by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Warren County Public Library and WKU Libraries and is free to the public. 
  • WKU Regents approve Alumni Center name change: The Western Kentucky University Augenstein Alumni Center will be renamed The Eva and Jim Martens Alumni Center in recognition of the couple’s $5 million commitment to benefit the center and WKU Athletics.

WKU Public Radio 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • School systems partnering to create principal cohort: Five area school districts are participating in a school leadership cohort that will enable each to help current employees earn administration certifications through Western Kentucky University. 
  • Thurman named next DCPS spokesperson: Hannah Thurman has been named the next public information officer for Daviess County Public Schools. Thurman has a bachelor of arts degree in advertising from Western Kentucky University, where she also earned a master’s degree in recreation and sport administration, with an emphasis in media and branding. She is currently working toward a doctor of education degree in educational leadership from WKU. 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU Police Department hiring dispatch and more: The WKU Police Department is looking for people to fill their communication officer positions. There are three of these open positions in dispatch right now. 
  • Throwback Thursday – Exploring the birthplace of modern civilization: Throwback Thursday this week takes us across the globe to the birthplace of human society. This new Kentucky Museum exhibit opened earlier this year and was curated with help from the Western Kentucky University History department. Titled “The Ancient Near East in Kentucky,” this exhibit focuses on the importance of writing in two ancient early civilizations, Egypt and Mesopotamia. 
  • Sunrise Spotlight – Women’s History Month at the Kentucky Museum: On Today’s Sunrise Spotlight brought to you by German American Bank, Dr. Christy Spurlock joins us in-studio to talk about the significance of Women’s History Month and some of the exhibits honoring women at the Kentucky Museum. 

WHAS-TV, Louisville 

  • Rick Guillaume, longtime BB&T CEO dies, family says: The family of Rick Guillaume told WHAS11 News he passed away peacefully on Friday at the age of 78, after battling multiple health issues for nearly a decade. Rick was a graduate of Shawnee High School class of 1961 and continued his education at Western Kentucky University graduating in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Hardin County gains a new 4-H Youth Development Agent: Hardin County Cooperative Extension Services has gained a new 4-H Youth Development Agent. Sue Ann McCandless, 42, will begin Monday as a 4-H agent after serving as a staff assistant at the extension service in LaRue County for 17 years. “I decided to try to lead by example and enrolled at Western Kentucky University to work towards my Bachelor’s,” she said. “I thought if I could show them mom can do it, then they‘d see that they could do it, too.” 
  • Group looking to pop top on COKE: It’s the model that’s been successful for 15 years in Bowling Green as KY Innovation Programs Directory Buddy Steen told the council. In his presentation, Steen said in the early years of operation for the WKU Innovation Campus, 16 companies returned $975,671 in tax revenue to the city of Bowling Green, who initially invested $50,000. 
  • A Kentucky Bard’s Tale: Robert Villanueva knew from an early age that he was meant to be a writer. He said he can remember writing everything from poems to short stories, even starting a novel his junior year of high school. He started submitting works for publication when he was 16 years old. Villanueva kept that passion as he grew and graduated from Western Kentucky University with a journalism degree. 

Somerset Commonwealth-Journal 

Midland (TX) Reporter-Telegram 

  • One man’s vision turned into major produced water conference: Originally interested in geology, Woodcock switched to economics in his junior year at Western Kentucky University. After graduating in 1964, he went to work for Xerox Corporation, holding various positions, including worldwide director of training for the office products division. He left Xerox in 1979 to purchase Hy-Bon Engineering, an engineering and compressor manufacturing firm that was purchased by Cimmaron Energy in 2019. 

MoneyGeek

  • Expert Advice: Finding Affordable Health Insurance: What are the pros and cons of buying health insurance plans with cheaper premiums? In the insurance world, insurance companies scrutinize all costs. They provide nothing for free so if one's premium is lower, then one is almost certainly receiving less of something. – Jonathan Handy, WKU Assistant Professor of Finance
  • Expert Advice: Finding Affordable Life Insurance: What factors affect the cost of life insurance? What does it mean to have cheap life insurance? Life insurance cost is primarily impacted by how likely the plan is to pay a death benefit and how large the death benefit is. – Jonathan Handy, WKU Assistant Professor of Finance

Feb. 15-March 1, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • Program honors Trailblazers in the making: The 25th annual Trailblazer Awards program, which was Sunday at State Street Baptist Church, went in a different direction by recognizing organizations that are mentoring local youths and young adults. The organizations that were honored included: WKU Young Male Leadership Academy, which was started in 2007 as a partnership between the state Department of Education and Western Kentucky University. 
  • WKU dedicates First Year Village with ribbon-cutting: Western Kentucky University leaders dreamed of the day when they could provide a transformative experience for first-year students. On Wednesday, they celebrated the realization of that dream.
  • WKU sees record retention from fall semester: Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Western Kentucky University announced a record retention rate among first-time, first-year students. 

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU’s Cherry Hall lights up to support Ukraine: Landmarks around the world are showing support for Ukraine amid Russia’s invasions. Western Kentucky University is showing their support by having one of its historical buildings lit up in Ukraine’s blue and yellow colors. 
  • Sunrise Spotlight – Dance Little Red: On today’s Sunrise Spotlight brought to you by German American Bank, Avery Yates and the Paynter family join us in-studio to discuss this year’s Dance Little Red and online auction benefitting Norton Children’s Hospital. 
  • Monday Motivator – WKU’s Living Learning Communities: There’s a new way to live as a freshman on the campus of WKU through the First Year Village. Students and faculty describe why it’s aiding student success and retention in this week’s Monday Motivator. 
  • WKU lifts mask mandate: Western Kentucky University lifted its mask mandate Friday. 
  • WKU dedicates First Year Village with ribbon cutting: An exciting day for the Western Kentucky University community! WKU celebrated its two newest residence halls and First Year Village with a ribbon cutting ceremony. 
  • WKU Mourns the Loss of the Star on Campus: WKU lost a vital helper over the weekend. Star, WKU’s Animal Assisted Therapy dog, lost her life on Saturday due to a sudden autoimmune crisis. 

WBKO-TV 

WFPL-FM, Louisville 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Spectrum News 1 

Kentucky Today 

Jan. 28-Feb. 14, 2022

Daily News 

  • Gatton Academy students included in $5 million gift to UK: The University of Kentucky announced Thursday that philanthropist Bill Gatton gifted the school $5 million in scholarship funding for current UK students and undergraduate students from his namesake Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University. 
  • Editorial: Yates' memory lives on with lounge, scholarships: First Lt. Eric D. Yates dedicated his life to this country he loved so much, and in the end he gave his life for it. 
  • Capps remembered for 'wide-ranging influence' at WKU: Western Kentucky University has lost a trailblazing former faculty member and administrator whose influence on countless business and education leaders is still being felt. 
  • Shifts could bring more severe weather to area: Megan Schargorodski watched the Dec. 11 tornadoes that slammed Warren County and other parts of Kentucky with a bit more interest than most. As interim state climatologist and interim director of the Kentucky Climate Center and Kentucky Mesonet, Schargorodski perhaps wasn’t as surprised by the deadly tornadoes as many local residents were. 
  • Bowling Green's 'Running Man' remembered: To the people who spotted him jogging around town, dressed in his signature gym shorts to complete errands in every kind of weather – even in the snow – Jean-Claude Evard was the “Running Man of Bowling Green.” But Evard’s friends and colleagues at Western Kentucky University, where he taught math courses in a thick Swiss accent, knew him as the guy who didn’t drive or even have a license. 
  • WKU ROTC honors alumnus killed in Afghanistan: Every day, Kathy Yates does something to honor the memory of her late son, 1st Lt. Eric D. Yates, a 2008 Western Kentucky University graduate who was killed in action while in Afghanistan. 

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU students to work Special Olympics at Disney: A couple of lucky Western Kentucky University students are gearing up for Disney World and getting ready to cover the Special Olympic games. One WKU professor is already in Florida now. 
  • Throwback Thursday – Civil rights and education pioneer: the story of Frank O. Moxley: In observance of Black History Month, Throwback Thursday is sharing the inspirational story of Frank Otha Moxley, namesake of the F.O. Moxley Center. The first African American to earn a Master’s degree at WKU, former teacher, coach, and mentor, Moxley paved the way for African Americans in the Bowling Green community. 
  • WKU celebrates Black History Month; more events ahead: February first marks the start of Black History Month, and Western Kentucky University has plans to celebrate the month-long holiday. 
  • Monday Motivator – WKU Cheer Team: Last month, the Western Kentucky University cheer team went to the National Championship in Orlando, Florida. The Coed team took home first and the All-Girl team was runner up. We take a look at their wins in this week’s Monday Motivator. 
  • Sunrise Spotlight – US Bank Celebration of the Arts: On today’s Sunrise Spotlight brought to you by German American Bank, Brent Bjorkman with the Kentucky Museum joins us live in-studio to talk about this year’s Celebration of the Arts show presented by US Bank. 

WBKO-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Editorial: WKU establishes key tool for schools: The employment shortfall shows few signs of going away. The nation’s schoolhouses are not immune. Western Kentucky University, which has trained generations of skilled educators, is trying to offer a solution. 
  • Partnership could lead to more certified teachers: Classified staff at Hardin County Schools might be given the opportunity soon to earn their teacher certification through Western Kentucky University. A partnership between WKU and the WKU College of Education and Behavioral Sciences with HCS is in the works to implement the “WKU Grow Your Own” program. 
  • Lucas named high school music teacher of the year: With about two years of experience as choir director and teacher at North Hardin High School, Cassie Lucas recently was honored for her work, and overcoming COVID-19 pandemic challenges. Lucas has been named the Kentucky Music Educators’ Association fourth district high school music teacher of the year. A graduate of Central Hardin high School, she attended Western Kentucky University where she received her bachelor’s in music education, and is currently finishing her master’s in music at WKU.  
  • First 'Gamechanger' award announced: The Legacy Foundation awarded the first Tanya Seabrooks Gamechanger Award to Donielle Heron-Lovell. Heron-Lovell, associate professor of sociology at Western Kentucky University, said she worked with Seabrooks for years in Hardin County on various committees and projects, and then became friends. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Southard fulfilling childhood aspiration: Growing up, Seth Southard always had his sights set on becoming the superintendent for Ohio County Schools. The Ohio County native began his career after graduating from Western Kentucky University in 1997 with degrees in chemistry and teaching. 
  • Working with students is the highlight for an educator: When Tommy Burrough graduated from Western Kentucky University, he wanted to teach and coach, and never imagined he would go into school administration, and eventually become the superintendent of McLean County Public Schools. 

Wallet Hub

  • Cities that Overspend on Cars: What are the most common mistakes people make when shopping for a car? --Ron A. Rhoades, Associate Professor, WKU

Jan. 11-27, 2022

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

WNKY-TV 

  • Emerging Leader – JT Troxell: JT Troxell has played a huge part in disaster recovery after the tornado. We hear about his efforts and personal journey in this week’s Emerging Leader. 
  • Hidden Heroes – Randy Lee: In this week’s Hidden Heroes, we head over to the campus of Western Kentucky University to feature a voice you probably know very well in the world of sports. 

Williamson (TN) Herald 

  • Famous local jazz musician ‘Beegie’ Adair dies at 84: World-renowned jazz pianist Bobbe Long “Beggie” Adair, a fixture of the local music scene who performed with music greats such as Dolly Parton and Vince Gill, passed away Sunday at her home in Franklin. She was 84. After graduating from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in music, she spent three years as a music teacher before she moved to Nashville. 

NPR 

  • Bobbe 'Beegie' Long Adair, a formative center of Nashville's jazz scene, dies at 84: Pianist and bandleader Bobbe “Beegie” Long Adair’s impact and influence extended across the entire Nashville music community, but it particularly resonated among jazz fans and players there. Adair, who died in her Franklin, Tenn. home on Sunday at 84, was a master of melodic interpretation and embellishment, a superb soloist and tremendous accompanist who could fit smoothly into any situation and still deliver a distinctive sound. A Kentucky native and Western Kentucky University graduate with a B.S. in Music Education, Adair came to Nashville in 1961. As a session musician, she recorded with everyone from Dinah Shore and Peggy Lee to Ray Stevens, Steve Allen, Chet Atkins, Mama Cass Elliott, Vince Gill and Dolly Parton. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Health inspectors critical to community health: Ryan Christian, environmental health program manager for the Green River District Health Department, wears many hats as a health inspector. Christian has been in his position with GRDHD for about 14 years, having graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health with a focus in public health. 

WHAS-TV, Louisville 

Dec, 9, 2021-Jan. 10, 2022

Daily News 

WKU Public Radio 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

  • African American Museum hit by tornado then catches fire, items being salvaged: The African American Museum caught fire just one and a half weeks after having been hit by the December 11th tornado and is suffering the loss of several one-of-a-kind documents and other items. The recovered items were brought to WKU Supply Services Building by WKU facilities staff but they were laid out and saved by staff from the WKU KY Museum and Library. 
  • Course designed to prevent farmer suicides and depression: A Farmer’s job is never easy, but with factors like the pandemic and recent tornado, our farming community is susceptible to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide. This is according to The Kentucky Department of Agriculture. To fight this, Western Kentucky University has developed a free course for healthcare professionals designed to prevent farmer suicides. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Colleges, universities largely maintaining COVID protocols: Colleges and universities in the county area are largely maintaining their COVID-19 protocols from last year for the spring 2022 semester, which is beginning for most of them. Officials from Western Kentucky University-Owensboro, Kentucky Wesleyan College, Brescia University and the Owensboro Community & Technical College say classes will all be in-person, but there are virtual and remote learning opportunities available should students need them. Their protocols for handling the omicron variant include masking in buildings and in crowds.
  • From Farm to Foodliner: Knott credits farm background for grocery business success: While studying business management at Western Kentucky University, Knott initially had intentions of owning his own restaurant and bar but found himself changing his path after graduation. 
  • Ag communities lacking in mental health services: Michele Mitchell, a family nurse practitioner in Hancock County, hopes to provide mental health services that specifically focus on the mental health needs of farmers and agricultural communities. Mitchell, a family nurse practitioner for around 10 years, is studying at Western Kentucky University to receive a certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, with a special focus on mental health in agricultural communities. 

Qatar Foundation 

WHAS-TV, Louisville 

WRBL-TV, Columbus, GA 

WALB-TV, Albany, GA 

Kentucky Ag Connection 

  • Free Farmer Mental Stress Course Available for Kentuckians: A free one-hour course, developed by Western Kentucky University, designed to aid healthcare professionals in acknowledging and lessening farmer suicides is now available, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Ryan Quarles announced. 

Nov. 24-Dec. 8, 2021

Daily News 

WKU Public Radio 

WNKY-TV 

  • Emerging Leader – Austin Bonebrake: Austin Bonebrake is a senior at Western Kentucky University who was just awarded a scholarship for geoscience students with disabilities. 
  • WKU Greek Life sponsors presents for 34 Christmas Angel kids: Members of Western Kentucky University Greek Life are working hard to give kids a special Christmas. Tuesday evening, many of the school’s fraternities and sororities wrapped gifts for 34 elementary school kids at Parker-Bennett-Curry Elementary. 
  • WKU hosts international students for a Thanksgiving meal: Western Kentucky University faculty and students spent a portion of their holiday week preparing a meal for international students to enjoy. 
  • Hidden Heroes – Corie Martin: Corie Martin went to Western Kentucky University and has always loved the Bowling Green community. Now she works to keep the community safe by providing health information to the public and working at Med Center Health. She’s this week’s Hidden Hero. 

WBKO-TV 

WTVQ-TV, Lexington 

Columbia Magazine 

Somerset Commonwealth Journal 

  • WKU, SCC team up for elementary ed. Program: Those in the Pulaski area looking to become an elementary school teacher have a brand new opportunity to earn their degree without having to travel too far from home. On Thursday, Somerset Community College (SCC) and Western Kentucky University (WKU) announced a new program through SCC’s University Center of Southern Kentucky (UCSK) to offer four-year bachelor degrees in elementary education. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

Portland (TN) Leader 

  • Portland resident awarded scholarship: Western Kentucky University senior Austin Bonebrake of Portland has been awarded an internationally-competitive scholarship for geoscience students with disabilities. 

London Sentinel-Echo 

WAVE-TV, Louisville 

  • WKU Geologist awarded Chinese Government Friendship Award: Western Kentucky University announced that a Geologist at the school has been awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award, which is considered one of China’s highest awards for foreign experts doing work in the country. 

Nov. 12-23, 2021

Daily News 

WKU Public Radio 

Spectrum News 1 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

  • Emerging Leader – Tribhuwan Singh: This week’s Emerging Leader is Tribhuwan Singh, a Finance and Business Analytics double-major at Western Kentucky University. 
  • WKU geologist wins China’s highest award given to foreign experts: China’s Ministry of Science and Technology has announced that University Distinguished Professor of Hydrogeology Chris Groves of Western Kentucky University’s Department of Earth, Environmental, and Atmospheric Sciences has won the Chinese Government Friendship Award, which is the People’s Republic of China’s highest award for “foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to the country’s economic and social progress.” 
  • Glasgow teacher inducted into the Kentucky Teacher’s Hall of Fame: Western Kentucky University is the home of the Kentucky Teachers Hall of Fame. Friday, four new members were added to that distinguished list. 
  • Feel Good Friday – Olivia Miller: WKU sophomore Olivia Miller battled a life threatening medical condition in her early years. Now, she’s living her best life, and has been inspired to study healthcare so she can save others as well. 
  • Gov. Beshear visits WKU SmartHolstein Lab: Thursday evening Gov. Andy Beshear was at Western Kentucky University visiting the SmartHolstein Lab. 
  • Pets impact emotional and physical health: WKU psychology professor Rick Grieve said pets can help people struggling with mental health issues. 
  • Emerging Leader – Abi Canter: Abi Canter is a senior at Western Kentucky University, the Chapter President of Alpha Delta Pi, and serves with a variety of other organizations on the Hill. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Crawford provides analysis, mentorship: Although he is only 22, Brady Crawford of Elizabethtown already is making great strides in professional development and is serving as a mentor to those on similar paths. An Elizabethtown native and 2017 graduate of Elizabethtown High School, Crawford went on to earn an associate’s degree from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and earned a bachelor’s degree in business data analytics from Western Kentucky University in 2020. 
  • Burba looks forward to a career in helping others: Maddy Burba is studying nursing in high school to help in her future career. A Central Hardin High School, Burba, 18, is in the health science pathway at the Early College and Career Center currently in a phlebotomy class and she received her CNA certification last year. She’s planning to go to Western Kentucky University for nursing school. 

Lexington Herald-Leader 

Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association 

Oct. 26-Nov. 11, 2021

WKU Public Radio 

Spectrum News 1 

  • Longtime artists prepare for the return of the World’s Greatest Studio Tour: Longtime artist like Terry Wilson are preparing for the return of the The World's Greatest Studio tour after a year off. Wilson now retired, previously worked for Western Kentucky University as a professor. He now is in his seventh year painting and after a year off due to COVID-19 is excited about the return. 

Daily News 

  • Kentucky Museum’s ‘Christmas in Kentucky’ set to return: After last year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, Western Kentucky University’s Kentucky Museum will host its 15th Christmas in Kentucky celebration free for the public next month. 
  • WKU's enrollment dips again this fall amid pandemic: Western Kentucky University’s enrollment for full-time equivalent students is down again this year, signaling that – despite the university’s best efforts to recruit students – it isn’t exempt from a national decline in college enrollment that’s been turbocharged by the pandemic. 
  • WKU making strides with LGBTQ inclusion: Through a campuswide effort, Western Kentucky University has gone up on the national Campus Pride Index with a new official rating of 4.5 stars out of 5, the university announced Wednesday. 
  • WKU marks passing of ardent donor, Pete Mahurin: Pete Mahurin – a longtime supporter of Western Kentucky University, champion of gifted education and a namesake of the university’s Honors College – died Wednesday. He was 83. 
  • WKU showcases adaptive athletics offerings: Western Kentucky University student Drew Brumfield got a fresh perspective on a classic sport Sunday as he participated in an adaptive athletics showcase at the campus’ Preston Center. 

WNKY-TV 

  • WKU is working to prepare students for careers: Western Kentucky University Gordon Ford College of Business is working with students this week to prepare them for life after graduation. 
  • Hidden Heroes – Jace Lux: Jace Lux has been at Western Kentucky University for two decades. First as a student, then as an educator and now as a leader. He’s this week’s Hidden Hero. 
  • Emerging Leader – Blake Barker: Blake Barker is a senior at Western Kentucky University who started a mentorship program with his friends to encourage bridging the gap between freshmen and upperclassmen, as the new students transition to life on the Hill. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Hartford native's cancer bout inspires nursing dreams: Olivia Miller, a Hartford native and soon-to-be nursing student at WKU, hopes to inspire hope in others with her cancer survival journey. Miller, a sophomore at WKU, said she will be starting in the school’s nursing program next semester, which has been a dream of hers for some time. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Miss Kentucky visits includes talk of goal setting: Wheeler graduated with her master’s degree in speech pathology in May from Western Kentucky University, a major that she was inspired to study because of her great-grandfather’s illness. 
  • Cubbage displays compassion for children through CASA role: Through her role with CASA of the Heartland, Natalie Cubbage of Leitchfield has made it a full-time mission to help at-risk children in the community. A 2010 graduate of Grayson County High School, Cubbage earned her bachelor’s degree in social work in 2014 from Western Kentucky University. 
  • Realtor recognized for 50 years in industry: Marilyn McLane has been in the real estate business for 50 years and was recognized for the feat Monday during the Heart of Kentucky Association of Realtors’ luncheon held at American Legion Hardin Post 113 in Elizabethtown. Marilyn and her husband, Hardin McLane, together have accrued a total of 112 years in the real estate business. The two, who have been married 62 years, met while attending Western Kentucky University. 

WBKR-FM, Owensboro 

Think Advisor 

  • Social Media Star Kyla Scanlon Is Making Finance Fun: Kyla Scanlon, 24, is determined to reshape financial education. The innovative, entertaining content creator, who began trading options at age 16, has a platform in the works she describes as “a financial playground.”. From Kentucky, she was schooled in gifted classes and at Western Kentucky University majored in finance, economics and data analytics. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2019. 

Paintsville Herald 

  • Paintsville Tourism welcomes new director: As a person with a lifelong love for Eastern Kentucky, new Paintsville Tourism Executive Director Chesi Arnett said she has spent most of her adult life following the path of education for the sake of pursuing this exact position, which she called her “dream job,” adding that she wanted to share her love of Johnson County and Paintsville with the world. “So, I went to Western Kentucky University and I double majored in Communications and Tourism, and my whole goal was to one day be Paintsville Tourism director,” Arnett said. 

WalletHub

  • What makes a good sports city?: This is a tough question, and it will really depend on the person you are talking to. For me, what makes a good sports city is having a dedicated fan base that will support the team through good and bad times. – Dr. W. Andrew Czekanski, Assistant Professor, WKU’s School of Kinesiology, Recreation & Sport

Oct. 9-25, 2021

Daily News 

Spectrum News 1 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

National Geographic 

  • Why animals developed four types of skeletons: Flying fish are known for their spectacular acrobatics, bursting through the ocean’s surface and sailing in the air as long as 3,000 feet. Why fly? To avoid predators. They’re “basically marine popcorn,” says Steve Huskey, a biologist at Western Kentucky University and author of The Skeleton Revealed. "Everybody eats them.” 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Storey fulfills dreams of entrepreneurship: Throughout her life, Lisa Storey of Vine Grove has held many different roles, including positions in the fields of health care and education. Now, she is primarily focused on entrepreneurship, a pursuit she has almost always been interested in. She  holds a bachelor’s degree in biology with an emphasis on pre-medicine from Western Kentucky University and later went on to earn a master’s degree in middle grade education from WKU. 

WEHT-TV, Evansville/Henderson 

Mountain Advocate, Barbourville 

  • Clouse to be formally inducted in to hall of fame: Wanda Carol Clouse, 2020 Kentucky Teacher Hall of Fame inductee will be formally inducted on November 19 along with this year’s honorees. Last year’s ceremony was not held due to Covid-19. The ceremony will take place on the campus of Western Kentucky University. 

WCLU-FM, Glasgow 

Wallet Hub

  • Guaranteed Approval Credit Cards: Is it possible for a credit card to truly guarantee approval? Generally speaking “Guaranteed Approval” should be interpreted as minimal requirements necessary for approval. -- Jonathan Handy, Assistant Professor, WKU

Oct. 2-8, 2021

Spectrum News 1 

WKU Public Radio 

WBKO-TV 

  • First Augmented Reality Gallery at WKU: The first Augmented Reality Gallery on Western Kentucky University’s campus is at the Fine Arts Center from October 3 through October 9. 
  • National Coffee with a Cop Day at WKU: The Western Kentucky Police Department celebrates National Coffee with a Cop Day by going to the on-campus Starbucks to share a ‘cup of joe’ with students.

WNKY-TV 

  • Local entrepreneurs share success stories in spite of pandemic: Since the start of the pandemic, the Kentucky Small Business Development Center says they’ve had many new people asking to be mentored about how to start up a business. At Western Kentucky University’s Research and Development Center, one entrepreneur’s business was turned to dust overnight during the pandemic. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Louisville Courier Journal 

  • Tour 17 Kentucky locations that inspired filmmaker John Carpenter as he wrote 'Halloween': It's been more than 40 years since one of the most iconic horror movies ever made hit movie theaters. "Halloween" scared the bejeebers out of teenage babysitters and went on to launch a pretty cool driving tour in Bowling Green, Kentucky. You can add an element of realism to your Halloween season with a day trip to Bowling Green to see the place that inspired famed filmmaker John Carpenter as he wrote his scary movie franchise. 

Louisville Business Journal 

Murfreesboro (TN) Post 

  • Olt joins farm credit office: Amy Olt has been hired as a financial officer for the Farm Credit Mid-America office in Murfreesboro. Olt, a Greenburg, Ky., native, earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education and a master’s degree in animal science and agriculture education from Western Kentucky University. 

Lewiston (ID) Tribune 

  • From field to feast: Jed Conklin, a freelance photographer, real estate entrepreneur and restaurant owner recently of Spokane, doesn’t recall a time when he wasn’t a hunter or angler. In college Conklin was known as a sort of provider who would share his deer, ducks and other game with fellow journalism students and his instructors at Western Kentucky University. 

Sept. 21-Oct. 1, 2021

Daily News 

  • $1.4M grant will support WKU's outreach to adult learners: A $1.4 million grant awarded to Western Kentucky University will support 1,000 adult learners throughout the region as they navigate their higher education journey. 
  • WKU cuts ribbon on new program for adults with autism: Former Western Kentucky University President Gary Ransdell and his wife, Julie, shared an earnest moment of gratitude Thursday when they celebrated the opening of the new Julie and Gary Ransdell Living and Learning Community at LifeWorks – a WKU program for adults with autism. 
  • WKU professor tackles alleged media bias in new book: What drives the perception among many U.S. political conservatives that the news media largely skew left? It’s a thorny question that Rich Shumate, a professor in Western Kentucky University’s School of Media, aims to unravel in his new book, “Barry Goldwater, Distrust in Media, and Conservative Identity: The Perception of Liberal Bias in the News,” published by Lexington Books. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

  • WKU Police follow leads in several bike thefts: WKU students are back on campus, but studying and getting to class are not the only things they have to worry about. WKU has also seen an increase in bike thefts. 
  • WKU students fill-in as long term substitute teachers amid pandemic: Last month, the Kentucky Educational Standards Board approved a waiver to allow education majors who are eligible to serve as long-term substitute teachers, or emergency substitute teachers in place of their student teaching requirement. Rockfield Elementary currently has three WKU students serving as long-term substitute teachers in various departments.
  • WKU and BGPR partner to start adaptive sports program: Bowling Green Parks and Recreation is teaming up with Western Kentucky University to bring an adaptive sports program to the hill. BGPR and WKU graduate student Cameron Levis came up with the idea to give students with disabilities the opportunity to play sports. 

Cherokee Phoenix, Tahlequah, OK 

  • Meyer-Thornton selected as Native American Journalists Association Fellow: After his selection as a Native American Journalists Association Fellow, a Cherokee Nation citizen is putting together his associated project and looking forward to a career that includes coverage of Native issues and subjects. Zane Meyer-Thornton, a Western Kentucky University student, was one of six chosen by NAJA for its 2021 Native American Journalism Fellowship who are working in their respective projects during the fall term under mentors. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • OPS 'growing" seven teachers from current employees: Owensboro Public Schools is moving forward with growing its own teachers from current employees. Now, thanks to two grants, it will be able to help fund all seven applicants of the first Grow Your Own class. Scholarships for two of the employees will be provided by the Hager Foundation and the Marilyn and William Young Foundation. The scholarships will fund half of the program’s total cost, and Western Kentucky University has discounted the rate for all seven participants as part of the partnership for the Grow Your Own program. 

WFIE-TV, Evansville 

  • OPS announces ‘Grow Your Own’ scholarship recipients: Owensboro Public Schools announced “Grow Your Own” scholarship winners on Tuesday. The school district was awarded a $50,000 grant from the Kentucky Department of Education that was used for students to get education classes through Western Kentucky University. 

Lane Report 

  • Louisville Bar Association welcomes Miller as new executive director: After a national search, the Louisville Bar Association (LBA) has named Louisville native Kristen Miller the organization’s next executive director, effective November 8. A graduate of Western Kentucky University and the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law, Kristen Miller brings experience from the healthcare, legal, nonprofit, and government sectors. 

Dayton (OH) Daily News 

  • Jim Gaines to lead statehouse coverage: Jim Gaines has begun work as the statehouse bureau chief for the Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News newspapers. Gaines, 52, is originally from Michigan but has lived about half his life in Kentucky. He is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in history and government, and a subsequent bachelor’s in journalism. 

Nashville (TN) Ledger 

  • Rue joins Patterson Intellectual Property Law: Patterson Intellectual Property Law has added David Rue as the firm’s chief operating officer. Rue, an attorney, entrepreneur and law firm strategist, will focus on the firm’s operations and strategic development. Rue is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and the J. David Rosenberg College of Law at the University of Kentucky. 

Campus Rec Magazine 

PRWeb 

  • HerdDogg Joins WKU SmartHolstein Project to Accelerate Data Collection and Analysis for Landmark Genetic Study: HerdDogg, the agtech innovator that creates more value for producers’ livestock, has joined the WKU SmartHolstein Lab program to equip scientists with real-time animal biometric data that is critical to understanding dairy cow health and wellbeing. The WKU SmartHolstein Lab is a strategic, synergistic partnership between Holstein Association USA and Western Kentucky University Department of Agriculture and Food Science. Its mission is to lead Holstein and dairy advancements through research, development, and outreach in technologies, analytics, and genetics. 

Sept. 4-20, 2021

WKU Public Radio 

  • Local Research Study Confirms COVID-19 Vaccine Safety: New research suggests side-effects from the COVID-19 vaccine among south central Kentucky residents mirror the results of clinical trials conducted last year. A project by Bowling Green-based Med Center Health, Western Kentucky University, and the University of Kentucky College of Medicine - Bowling Green Campus was conducted through the Western Kentucky Heart and Lung/Med Center Health Research Foundation. 
  • The African American Folklorist: Preserving Black Bowling Green Through Art: In 1956, Margaret Munday became the first African American student to enroll at Western Kentucky University. She graduated in 1960. Today, Northeast Hall on the school's campus has been renamed Munday Hall in honor of Margaret and her many achievements. 

Daily News 

  • SBDC again providing in-person counseling: Yates and Kors have offices in Western Kentucky University’s Center for Research and Development at Nashville Road and Campbell Lane. Meetings there can be important for the new businesses and potential startups that Yates said make up about 80% of their clients. 
  • Daughter finds father’s missing WWII foot locker after 77 years: Velda Alexander never met her father, Johnnie Elmore, who was killed in action during World War II. But a recent discovery finally connected her with the hero she always wanted to meet. Elmore graduated from Western Kentucky University, where he was a member of the ROTC. He later taught ROTC at Indiana University in Bloomington. He was 31 years old when he was killed in action. 
  • Local research survey: COVID vaccines are safe: A research project from Med Center Health, Western Kentucky University and the UK College of Medicine’s Bowling Green campus found COVID-19 vaccines were safe and closely mirrored results found in clinical trials. 
  • WKU names first lotto winners in vaccine incentive program: Western Kentucky University held the first of several lottery drawings for students and staff who’ve received the coronavirus vaccine, doling out scholarships and cash prizes to winners. 
  • Bowling Green residents past and present share 9/11 experiences: Elsewhere, Western Kentucky University professor James Kenney had just walked into work and was immediately met by several of his photojournalism students. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Kenney said about 20 students had no hesitation in making the decision to travel to New York City. 
  • New adaptive sports program coming to WKU: There are fewer than 30 collegiate adaptive sports programs in the country, but Western Kentucky University will join that group this fall. Thanks to a partnership between the Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department and WKU Campus Recreation and Wellness, the university will roll out its first sports program for students of all abilities Oct. 24. 
  • Nursing student urges vaccination amid delta surge: Between caring for COVID-19 patients, administering vaccinations, testing for the coronavirus and notifying the infected, local nursing student Andi Barefoot has received a master class in public health. “I’ve gotten a good grasp on what the pandemic holds,” said Barefoot, who is in her final semester at Western Kentucky University’s nursing program. 

WNKY-TV 

  • Runners raise money for scholarship in honor of fallen soldier: A 5k run took place Wednesday at Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Warren County in memorial of a soldier who was killed in the line of duty back in 2010. Eric Yates Memorial 5K is held annually to raise money for the 1st Lt. Eric Yates Memorial Scholarship Fund. 
  • Voices of Honor – Fred Alcott: After graduating from WKU in 1963 with a degree in agriculture, Fred Alcott was drafted into the army. He went to the navy instead, learned to fly helicopters, and searched for soviet submarines during the cold war. 
  • WKU awards prizes for vaccinated: Western Kentucky University has a new way of rewarding people for getting their Covid vaccines. 
  • A.G. Daniel Cameron hosts Search Warrant Task Force at WKU: Tuesday, Attorney General Daniel Cameron and the rest of the Search Warrant Task Force in the state held a meeting at Western Kentucky University to continue work on identifying ways to request, serve and carry out search warrants in the safest and most effective way possible. 
  • Flora’s Hidden Heroes – Thomas Weakley: Thomas Weakley has been a Western Kentucky University professor and campus pastor for decades, working to change the University for the better. He’s this week’s Flora’s Hidden Hero. 
  • Sunrise Spotlight – Adaptive Sports @ WKU: On Today’s Sunrise Spotlight, Cameron Levis and Maddie Duncan join us live in-studio to talk about the Adaptive sports program, a joint effort between Bowling Green Parks & Recreation and Western Kentucky University. 

WBKO-TV 

  • Gatton Academy Seniors set new record of National Merit Semifinalists: 26 seniors from The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition, breaking the 2019 record of the most students recognized in a single school year in the program’s history. 
  • Attorney General’s Search Warrant Task Force meets in Bowling Green: Back in January, Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron announced the formation of a search warrant task force. On Tuesday, the task force was able to meet on Western’s Campus, where they asked questions and also discussed moving forward. 
  • Charles Forrester art exhibition opens at Downing Museum: Charles Forrester was a gifted sculptor and artist whose artwork spanned six decades. An exhibit featuring his work opens September 14 at the Downing Museum at Baker Arboretum. Forrester taught art classes at Western Kentucky University and started the sculpture program at WKU. He passed away in 2010. 
  • Local study confirms COVID-19 vaccine safety: A research project between Med Center Health, Western Kentucky University, and the UK College of Medicine- Bowling Green Campus was conducted through the Western Kentucky Heart and Lung/Med Center Health Research Foundation. 
  • Med Center Health research project highlights vaccine safety, side effects: Dr. Doug McElroy, a biology professor at WKU says the most important step to the research was asking the correct questions. “Really critical in ensuring that we had a well crafted and reliable survey so that we could believe the results. And you know, obviously, that’s pretty critical as well,” said McElroy. 

Spectrum News 1 

  • Reclaiming the stage: Fine arts teacher hopeful for return of theater: Over the past 12 months, the theater industry has endured closed doors, empty seats and virtual shows. The profound impact of the pandemic has been felt by many, including performers and teachers like Austin Vahle who teaches at Brenda Cowan Elementary (BCE) School. Vahle is a two time Western Kentucky University alum who, after he applied for one job teaching theater at BCE, began making a realization that would change his life. 
  • Students in WKU game design program look to enter the growing industry: Western Kentucky University's game design program is giving students like Natashja Gentry the resources to jump right into the gaming world. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Two ODT alums dance professionally: Cherokee Bennett and Abby Palmiter both started dancing at Joy Johnson’s Dance Studio when they were 3 years old. Bennett graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor degree in dance in 2019. Palmiter is a 2021 graduate of WKU, also holding a dance degree. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Powell uses farm, education lessons in life: Darrin Powell has brought education and farming together to shape his career. He’s currently the interim chief academic officer at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, working in various roles at the school for 22 years. He got his teacher certification in mathematics and computer programming at Western Kentucky University. 

Owensboro Times 

  • Three local students named National Merit semifinalists: Local students Catherine Elizabeth Wright, Dylan Mather, and Hunter Wimsatt have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition. Wright attends Apollo High School, and Mather attends Owensboro High School. Wimsatt attends The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky but is still considered a student at Owensboro Catholic High School. 

Frankfort State-Journal 

  • Gatton Academy seniors set new record of National Merit Semifinalists: Twenty-six seniors from The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition, breaking the 2019 record of the most students recognized in a single school year in the program’s history. Included in the twenty-six seniors are Marcus Negron and Anish Penmecha, both of Western Hills. 

Lane Report 

  • Appointments to Kentucky Boards and Commissions: Gov. Andy Beshear has reappointed Melanie Eaton to the Kentucky Board of Licensure for Long-Term Care Administrators. Eaton of Adairville is an instructor at Western Kentucky University and shall serve for a term expiring Jan. 12, 2025. 
  • C2 Strategic Communications hires Thomas George as senior director: Thomas George, a distinguished trailblazing journalist, and Kentucky native will join C2 Strategic Communications as a senior director next month, focusing on attracting new clients and diverse talent to the regional public relations firm. George, a Western Kentucky University graduate, was inducted into WKU’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni in 2015. 
  • Appointments to Kentucky Boards and Commissions: Gov. Andy Beshear appointed the following as members of the Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Grant Steering Committee: Nancy Hulan of Bowling Green is a professor at Western Kentucky University and shall serve for a term expiring Sept. 1, 2022. 

WTVQ-TV, Lexington 

  • Five from region at Gatton are Merit Semifinalists: Twenty-six seniors from The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Bowling Green, Ky., have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Competition, breaking the 2019 record of the most students recognized in a single school year in the program’s history. The list includes five students from Eastern Kentucky. 
Aug. 28-Sept. 3, 2021

Daily News 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

Portland (TN) Sun 

  • The Right Stuff: Portland resident Zac Colovos spent his summer working at Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. It was a good fit for a young man who aspires to work with the United States Space Program. He is a sophomore at Western Kentucky University (WKU) and was co-valedictorian for the 2020 class at Portland High School. He is studying mechanical engineering and mathematics at WKU. 

Kentucky Living 

  • Financial advisors help manage money today to prepare for the future: Searching for a financial advisor can be a daunting task. With dozens of certifications that can appear as mysterious letters after advisors’ names, it’s hard to know what designation is most helpful or most important. “Some certifications are like a weekend of self-study,” says Andrew Head, director of the Center for Financial Success at Western Kentucky University. “Some advisors are like glorified salespeople, selling products with high commissions.” 

Kentucky Teacher 

  • Three finalists named for 2021 Special Education Teacher of the Year award: Three Kentucky teachers have been named finalists for the 2021 Special Education Teacher of the Year award. The three finalists for this year’s award include Stacie Hutchison, Glasgow High School (Glasgow Independent). Hutchison, who teaches grades 9-14 for students with moderate and severe disabilities, also is an adjunct professor in the Special Education department at Western Kentucky University. 

Owensboro Times 

Lane Report 

  • Brawner named new president and CEO of Corvette Museum: The National Corvette Museum Board of Directors has selected Sharon Brawner to serve as president and CEO of the National Corvette Museum. Brawner is a native of Hodgenville, Ky., and attended Western Kentucky University. 

WKMS-FM, Murray 

Kentucky Ag Connection 

  • Research Explores Mysterious Microfungi: A team led by Purdue University mycologist Catherine Aime will venture to the tropics -- where the vast majority of emerging crop diseases originate -- and sites across the globe to discover and identify thousands of kinds of parasitic microfungi. Collaborators include Carl Dick, an associate professor of biology at Western Kentucky University. 
Aug. 20-27, 2021

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • WKU to honor Shadowen among Hall of Distinguished Alumni inductees: Western Kentucky University’s Alumni Association announced Wednesday its 2021 class of Hall of Distinguished Alumni inductees. Among them is the late Dr. Rebecca Shadowen – who died from COVID-19 in 2020 and continued to advocate for public health even throughout her battle with the disease. 
  • Despite vaccine incentives, some WKU students remain hesitant: Even after Western Kentucky University announced it will roll out a new vaccine incentive program – complete with scholarship giveaways and cash prizes – some of the university’s students are still hesitant to get the vaccine, which won full regulatory approval Monday. 
  • Caboni announces new vaccination incentives, outlines quarantine rules: Calling widespread vaccination the only real solution out of the coronavirus pandemic, Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni said the university will launch a new incentive program for faculty, students and staff, complete with a lottery and a variety of enticing prizes. 
  • Rare exhibition of late WKU sculptor's work opens Sept. 14: The surreal though strikingly familiar forms of the late sculptor and longtime Western Kentucky University professor Charles H. Forrester will come to life at the Baker Arboretum’s Downing Museum with the opening of a retrospective exhibition Sept. 14. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Spectrum News 1 

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education 

  • Western Kentucky University Honors its First Black Student: The board of regents at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green has approved the renaming of Northeast Hall to Munday Hall. The change honors Margaret Munday, the first African American student to enroll at the institution. Munday Hall will be the first building on campus named after an African American. 

Spaces4Learning 

  • WKU Commons Project Adds Food to Library Experience: A new student commons is expected to open later this fall at Western Kentucky University. WKU Commons is part of Margie Helm Library and offers study and collaboration spaces alongside dining options. The project is being funded through a partnership between the university's libraries and Aramark, which provides institutional food services, among other lines of business. 

Corbin Times-Tribune 

  • Williamsburg student heading to study in Taiwan: Williamsburg native Ryan Richardson has always had an affinity for East Asian culture but he never knew that interest would eventually lead to a future career, as he works towards his goal of becoming an international lawyer. Richardson recently earned a full scholarship to study in Taiwan for the next two years, as he works towards that goal. In 2020, Richardson graduated the Mahurin Honors College at Western Kentucky University.  

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Aud named market president of German American Bank: Kyle Aud, who has more than 17 years of banking experience in Owensboro, has been named Owensboro market president of German American Bank. Aud has a bachelor of science and a master of business administration degree from Western Kentucky University. 

WLEX-TV, Lexington 

Lane Report 

Progressive Dairy 

  • Summer 2021 cow tech update: Holstein Association USA recently announced a collaboration to transform a 50-cow U.S. university herd into a top-tier genetics herd using the latest cow technologies. The effort aims to push the university herd, and overall breed advancement, forward. The herd at Western Kentucky University, which has been doing dairy cow research for more than half a century, is the selected herd for this new experiment, which is being dubbed “the SmartHolstein Lab.” 
Aug. 7-19, 2021

WKU Public Radio 

National Science Foundation 

  • Bugs find bats to bite thanks to bacteria: Humans aren't the only animals that have to worry about bug bites. Thousands of insect species have evolved to specialize in feeding on mammals and birds, but scientists are still learning how these bugs differentiate between species to track down their preferred prey. "How the flies actually locate and find their bats has been something of a mystery," adds Carl Dick, a scientist at the Field Museum and Western Kentucky University and one of the study's co-authors. "But because most bat flies live and feed on only one bat species, it is clear that they somehow find the right host." 

Daily News 

  • Caboni lauds faculty, staff's efforts in campus address: Seeking to strike an optimistic chord Monday, Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni championed faculty and staff accomplishments against the chaos of the coronavirus pandemic when he delivered his annual Convocation address. 
  • Simpson County educator named state's top history teacher: Justin Mitchell, who teaches at Franklin-Simpson Middle School, has been named the 2021 Kentucky History Teacher of the Year by the Kentucky Historical Society. A graduate of Western Kentucky University, Mitchell is currently a doctoral candidate at WKU in educational leadership. 
  • Editorial: Recognition of Margaret Munday long overdue, well-deserved: More than half a century after she attended Western Kentucky University and led the charge in integrating the institution as its first Black student and graduate, Margaret Munday was given her rightful due Aug. 6. 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Crave Nutrition seeing success in Owensboro: Sarah Cheek, a Frankfort native attending Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, was introduced to meal replacement shakes in 2016 by her fiancé, Austin Sutcliffe. 

Spectrum News 1 

  • Expert, student push back against the idea that masks harm kids: When Connor Flick returns to school next week at Gatton Academy in Bowling Green, he, like most students across the state of Kentucky, will be required to wear a mask in all indoor settings. Flick, and most of the students he knows, are fine with that. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Local woman named counselor of the year: School has yet to start for the year, but Hardin County Schools Early College and Career Center counselor Kristi Wright already has a little hardware to adorn her office. The 25-year veteran educator recently was named the Kentucky School Counselor Association High School Counselor of the Year. “I remember that when I was at WKU, I was taking one of my first education courses,” she said. “The professor said to us early on in our class that students don’t hear you unless they trust you. When he said that, I internalized it.” 
July 27-Aug. 6, 2021

Daily News 

  • Local artist, WKU students team up to commemorate Jonesville neighborhood: Stretching over a wall in the lobby of Western Kentucky University’s Kentucky Museum, a vista unfolded Wednesday that offered a glimpse into a community lost to time. 
  • WKU to add mask mandate on Monday: In an email to faculty and staff, Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni announced Wednesday that everyone on the university’s campuses will be expected to wear a mask indoors, effective Monday. 
  • WKU's Victoria Gordon honored by BRADD: Victoria Gordon, a recently retired professor of political science at Western Kentucky University, was presented with a Friend of BRADD Award at the July meeting of the Barren River Area Development District board of directors. 
  • World-class research taking place in Bowling Green: A five-year partnership between Western Kentucky University’s Center for Child Welfare Education and Research and LifeSkills has recently been announced. 

WKU Public Radio 

WNKY-TV 

  • Feel Good Friday – WKU welcome back: Despite a recent mandate to wear masks indoors, students of Western Kentucky University are looking forward to the return to college life, athletics, and lifelong memories. 
  • WKU announces new mask mandate: Western Kentucky University President, Timothy Caboni announced Wednesday that starting August 9th everyone on Western Kentucky University’s campuses will be expected to wear a mask indoors. 
  • Kentucky Museum fresco mural depicts demolition of Jonesville: Alice Waddel comes from a long line of family members with roots grounded in Jonesville, Kentucky. Her mother, grandparents, and even great grandparents built their life around the town… a town that once demolished in the 60’s to make room for Western Kentucky University’s campus became nothing more than a memory for people like Waddel. 
  • Historic Chestnut Street house on the move: An old house on Chestnut Street is getting a chance at a new life. “The person who built it was one of the first professors hired at what was then the Western Kentucky State Normal School, and his name was A.M. Stickle and he taught history and economics on the hill. And, he built this house in 1913 and his family had it until about four or five years ago.” 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Colleges amend reopening plans to include indoor masking: Several colleges in the area announced Thursday they would be amending their fall semester plans to make masking indoors a requirement. Western Kentucky University President Timothy C. Caboni issued a statement on Wednesday saying that, as the pandemic evolves, the university’s coronavirus task force, in coordination with public health officials, continues to work to protect its campus community. That task force is expected to release additional guidance for the fall semester in the upcoming days. 

Bloomberg 

  • Virus Surge Upends Plans for Getting Workers Back to Offices: The resurgent coronavirus and return of mask recommendations are hampering corporate America’s plans to get back to normalcy. “It feels like it’s getting a little crazy again,” said Katrina Burch, an assistant professor in the department of psychological sciences at Western Kentucky University and director of the school’s industrial organizational psychology master’s degree program. “It’s really challenging for any organization to manage and take in this information.” 

Washington Post 

  • How to build a child’s self-esteem. Hint: It doesn’t involve praise.: Kids with low self-esteem constantly worry Am I good enough?, but parents who regularly check in and show affection help buffer against the negative outcomes of low self-esteem, says Amy Brausch, a professor of psychology at Western Kentucky University. A 2014 study Brausch co-authored found that close parental relationships help moderate worrisome risk factors such as anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation. 

Kentucky Teacher 

  • Longtime educator Kim Hawkins receives 2021 Grissom Award from KBE: Kim Hawkins, director of preschool and special education at Allen County Schools, was presented with the 2021 Grissom Award for Innovation in Special Education at the Kentucky Board of Education’s (KBE) Aug. 5 meeting. Hawkins earned a bachelor’s in learning/behavior disorders and elementary education, a master’s in counseling, and a Rank I in educational administration and director of special education certification from Western Kentucky University. 

Robertson County (TN) Connection 

  • East Robertson grad turns idea into blooming business: While the flower business in mainly a summer-time gig that spans into early fall, Jones said she travels home frequently from Western Kentucky University, where she currently attends, to maintain her fields, design arrangements and bouquets, attend markets and to be on-site for a few other perks Jo’s Flower Co. offers. 

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz 

  • Wheeler, Miss Kentucky 2021, Pays Visit To Morningside: Residents at Morningside Assisted Living were paid a special visit on Monday afternoon, as Western Kentucky University graduate and Powell County native Haley B. Wheeler — recently crowned Miss Kentucky 2021 — began the roll-out on her social impact initiative. 

KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO 

  • Sumner Academy graduate Jaleon Brown awarded 2021 Len Dawson Scholarship: Sumner Academy graduate Jaleon Brown had her college playbook set, but this was the ultimate audible. Brown spent her senior year applying for college scholarships and was able to score the Len Dawson Scholarship. Brown will begin her freshman year at Western Kentucky University where she plans to major in English for secondary education with a minor in performing arts. Brown will also continue with her passion for competitive speech and debate. 

Phys.org 

July 16-26, 2021

Spectrum News 1 

WKU Public Radio 

Dairy Agenda Today 

Morning Ag Clips 

  • Holstein Association USA and WKU announce formation of WKU SmartHolstein Lab: Holstein Association USA, in partnership with Western Kentucky University (WKU) and the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund, is thrilled to announce the formation of the WKU SmartHolstein Lab. The lab, located at the WKU Agriculture Research and Education Center, is designed to be a research, development, and demonstration center for the dairy industry. 

Daily News 

  • WKU president won't recommend dropping names linked to slavery: Despite recommendations from the Naming and Symbols Task Force he convened nearly a year ago, Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni said he will not recommend to the university’s board of regents the removal of campus building and college names whose namesakes were historically linked to slavery. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Stephens settling in as new FSA county executive director: Since taking over the position as the new county executive director for the USDA’s Farm Service Agency, Jared Stephens has made it his mission to get to know the farmers of Hancock and Daviess counties. Stephens, 39, majored in agriculture at Western Kentucky University, and, after graduation, was hired in 2005 at Ohio County’s FSA office as a program technician. 
  • Jeff Wethington named CVMS interim principal: Jeff Wethington has been named the College View Middle School interim principal for the 2021-22 school year. He has a master of arts degree in educational administration from Western Kentucky University, as well as a Rank I in the area of director of pupil personnel from WKU. 
  • OCTC names new vet tech program director: Laura Boarman has been named the new director of the Owensboro Community & Technical College veterinary technology program. Boarman most recently worked at the Kentuckiana Animal Clinic for 11 years. She attended Western Kentucky University for her undergraduate degree and earned a doctorate in veterinary medicine from Auburn University School of Veterinary Medicine. 

Owensboro Times 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Gatton Academy students embark on summer internships: Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky students are continuing summer learning in modified internships and reimagined programs. While some are happening virtually, many are in-person at WKU, around the Commonwealth, and even global. 

Jobe Newspaper Network 

  • WKU – Higher education in a post-pandemic world: At the first in-person Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce breakfast in over a year, President of WKU, Dr. Tim Caboni, spoke about how the pandemic has changed higher education in south central Kentucky. 

Forbes 

  • Some Prep Programs Do A Better Job Of Building Teachers’ Knowledge: Still, NCTQ’s report includes case studies that shed some light on measures that seem to work. At Western Kentucky University, aspiring elementary teachers take two courses in writing and language and three courses in relevant math content as part of the requirements for their major. They’re also guided to take a general U.S. history course rather than a course in Kentucky history. 

Study International 

  • A Gilman Scholar seeks Black power in the written word: During my junior year, I would make an effort to get back on track with writing at a journalism event called Xposure Camp. This was hosted by Student Publications at Western Kentucky University (WKU) and gave me a deeper look into the world of journalism. 

WAVE-TV, Louisville 

  • Scottsburg high school counselor retires after 50 years: A southern Indiana community is celebrating a high school counselor that has helped students in the classroom for half a century. Dancie Colson retired after 50 years in education. After graduating from Western Kentucky University, Colson began her career as a teacher in the early 1970s. She continued that role in various states before settling down in Scottsburg, Indiana. 

WFXR-TV, Blacksburg, VA 

  • Bike non-profit travels over 3,000 miles for Alzheimer’s research: Ten years and eight rides later, ‘Bike4Alz’ is traveling from coast to coast to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s research. On Wednesday, July 21, they made a pit stop at Virginia Tech’s campus and were welcomed by former members of Phi Gamma Delta and supporters. The group is originally from Western Kentucky University and is a part of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. 

North River Valley News, Floyd, VA 

  • Bike4Alz Coast-to-Coast Bicycle Ride for Alzheimer’s: Since 2010, members of Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity (nicknamed “FIJI”) at Western Kentucky University (Bowling Green, KY) have organized and executed coast-to-coast bicycle rides every other summer in order to benefit Alzheimer’s Disease research. 

Rome (GA) News-Tribune 

  • Pitching in for a better world: To appreciate the altruistic endeavor that enraptures Erin Barger, you begin with her formative years. She was born with a good heart. She is as selfless as Mother Theresa. She has the giving and caring gene. When she was earning a degree in English at Western Kentucky with plans to become a schoolteacher, she became involved with a program that addressed the needs of adults with developmental disabilities. She then lent a helping hand with the resettlement of refugees in Bowling Green. 
July 9-15, 2021

Washington Post 

  • Dreading a return to your commute? These tips might make it less terrible: Employers can also take action to improve employees’ commuting experiences. Additionally, organizations can reduce logistical hassles by offering flexible hours and allowing workers to travel during nonpeak times, said Katrina Burch, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences at Western Kentucky University, who has researched commuting. This benefits employees “because it gives them a sense of ownership over their time and can positively impact the perception of the commute as well,” she said. 

WKU Public Radio 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Reynolds looks back on a life in education: Michelle Reynolds of Elizabethtown retired last year after three decades in education. Originally from Glendale, Reynolds graduated from East Hardin High School and went on to earn a middle school teaching degree from Western Kentucky University in 1991. She also earned her master’s degree and Rank 1 from WKU. 
  • Bike4Alz team makes fundraising stop in E’town: Since May, members of Western Kentucky University’s Phi Gamma Delta, or Fiji, fraternity have been bicycling throughout the country to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. The group, known as Bike4Alz, made a stop Sunday evening at the Ori­gi­nal Impellizzeri’s Pizza in Elizabethtown to raise money and awareness for their cause. 
  • Goodman secures her dream job close to home: Elizabethtown native Heather Goodman recently was hired as principal at Morningside Elementary School, a position she has dreamed of for a while. She graduated from Central Hardin High School in 2000 and then attended Western Kentucky University and earned a degree instructional supervision principalship and a superintendency certification. 

WTVQ-TV, Lexington 

WLKY-TV, Louisville 

WDRB-TV, Louisville 

Lane Report 

June 29-July 8, 2021

Spectrum News 1 

Daily News 

  • Beshear names Thomas, Bale to WKU's governing board: Western Kentucky University announced Thursday that Gov. Andy Beshear made two appointments to its governing board. 
  • Warren County students win big at national conference for aspiring educators: A group of Warren County Public Schools students represented the district well at a national conference for aspiring educators, with each student placing within the top three spots in each of their respective categories. The students also represented Western Kentucky University as participants in its Young Male Leadership Academy. The program aims to help young men of diverse backgrounds develop leadership skills by exploring the education profession. 

WNKY-TV 

  • Sunrise Spotlight – David Bell: On Today’s Sunrise Spotlight brought to you by German American Bank, local author David Bell joins us live in-studio to talk about his new book, ‘Kill All Your Darlings.’ 
  • Throwback Thursday – The Evolution of WKU Student News Media: This week Throwback Thursday visits the Student Publications media offices at Western Kentucky University, remembering the printed weekly editions of the College Heights Herald and the annual Talisman yearbook. Home of these two media outlets, plus the Cherry Creative Agency and Student Publications Advertising, the Student Pubs office functions similarly to a modern news hub. 
  • WKU successfully completes SACSCOC fifth-year interim accreditation report: Western Kentucky University has been notified by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) that it has successfully completed the Fifth-Year Interim Report process with no issues of concern raised and no additional reporting required. The Fifth-Year interim report is a critical step in the 10-year reaffirmation cycle for academic accreditation. Institutions that lose their accreditation may also lose state and federal funding as well as their ability to confer degrees. 
  • WKU affiliated company received $80,000 grant for research: One of the companies receiving that grant is Bowling Green’s Adelphi Technology, Inc. The company will receive $80,000  to help expand their research projects. The company works with WKU students and faculty to develop means to measure air quality. 
  • Emerging Leader – Ambere Barnett: This week’s Emerging Leader is Ambere Barnett, a senior at Western Kentucky University and a mid-fielder with WKU Soccer. 
  • 12 to join WKU Alumni Association Board of Directors: The Western Kentucky University Alumni Association recently elected nine new board members for 2020-2021 and recognized three members who will serve in one-year appointments. 

WBKO-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Local resident working on NBA Finals production crew: Wes Manakee, a Sonora native and current Upton resident, is working as part of the NBA Finals production crew, working directly for the NBA as a broadcast technician and as what he described as a “liaison” between the television networks airing the games. A 2005 graduate of Central Hardin High School, Manakee went on to attend Western Kentucky University from 2011-2015, where he studied film studies and marketing. 

The Peninsula, Qatar 

  • QatarDebate Council inaugurated in US: QatarDebate Centre, a member of Qatar Foundation,  has opened the QatarDebate Council in Western Kentucky University in the US   in the presence of a number of officials from both sides. 

WPSD-TV, Paducah 

KCPT-TV, Kansas City, KS 

Lane Report 

Cincinnati Enquirer 

June 16-28, 2021

Spectrum News 1 

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • WKU regents pass budget, 2% tuition hike for undergrads: Western Kentucky University’s Board of Regents approved Friday a $375 million campus operating budget, which requires about $9 million in spending cuts to become balanced over the course of the next fiscal year that begins July 1. 
  • WKU announces $2 million grant award for boosting mental health care capacity: Western Kentucky University announced Thursday that it will use nearly $2 million in federal grant funding to help boost the region’s workforce of mental health professionals, including by expanding opportunities for student internships over the next four years, along with training and professional development for faculty. 
  • Sharp picked to lead Junior Achievement: Allie R. Sharp has been named president of Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky. She comes to JA from the Western Kentucky University Alumni Association, where she was coordinator of student and young alumni engagement. 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Parsons named Joe Ford Nature Center executive director: The Joe Ford Nature Center has a new executive director — Jessie Parsons. Parsons graduated from Owensboro High School and then from Western Kentucky University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology 2015. 
  • Asberry named Hancock County Schools superintendent: Robert Asberry has been hired as the new superintendent of Hancock County Public Schools, effective July 1. Asberry, who currently serves as the principal at Ohio County High School, just completed his 24th year in education. He graduated from OCHS in 1992, and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in education from Western Kentucky University. He later earned a master’s degree in administration, a Rank 1 with endorsements in the areas of supervisor of instruction, and administration. 
  • OPS partnering with WKU for mental health services: With a $1.92 million federal grant, Western Kentucky University will be providing paid stipends to counseling interns who will work directly with students in rural communities and districts in the state, including Owensboro Public Schools. 

Owensboro Times 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • SJS hires new assistant principal: St. James Catholic Regional School has hired Mechelle Buckman as the school’s new assistant principal. Buckman received her bachelor of science in elementary education and masters in curriculum and instruction from Western Kentucky University and Indiana Wesleyan.  
  • Area students selected for Gatton Academy: The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has selected 101 Kentucky sophomores for the Class of 2023. 
  • Johnson returns to theater at The PAC: John Hardin High School graduate Paige Johnson is returning home to continue her theater dreams. Johnson, 30, will be stepping into the role of box office manager at Hardin County Schools Performing Arts Center and the role extends to working on productions at the facility. After high school, Johnson received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design and Technology at Western Kentucky University. 

Jackson Times-Breathitt County Voice 

  • Woman with extensive Breathitt ties crowned ‘Miss Kentucky’: Haley Wheeler, a woman with extensive relations all over Breathitt County, has been crowned the winner of the 2021's “Miss Kentucky” pageant this past Sunday. Ms. Wheeler is a graduate research assistant at WKU and a substitute teacher at Powell County Schools. She both has and continues to study Speech Language Pathology and Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western Kentucky University. 

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz 

The Advocate, Baton Rouge, LA 

The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education 

Frankfort State-Journal 

Steamboat (CO) Pilot & Times 

  • Bike 4 Alz group passes through Steamboat Springs: The group of 14 young men who cycled through town this week are from Western Kentucky University, and they are biking from San Francisco, California, to Virginia Beach, Virginia. Along the way, they’ll stay with hosts and hold fundraising events. They are called team nine, since they are the ninth group to ride across the United States with Bike 4 Alz. 
May 25-June 15, 2021

Daily News 

  • WKU's Week of STEM sparks inspiration for teachers: Enter The National STEM Scholar Program. The annual summer initiative has brought dozens of middle school science teachers to Western Kentucky University’s campus over the years for a week of “hands-on, minds-on” experiments and projects, insights from renowned leaders in STEM education and collaboration with other teachers from across the country. 
  • Bowling Green's Bell releasing 13th novel: Bowling Green’s David Bell will release his 13th novel, “Kill All Your Darlings,” on July 6. Bell is a professor of English at Western Kentucky University, where he co-founded and directs the Master’s in Fine Arts program in creative writing. 
  • Runner, 78, inspires others as he completes 3,000-mile trip: Stan Cottrell’s legs are taking him across America. At 78, he is running a marathon each day for 100 days to travel from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. Cottrell, a Munfordville native who graduated from Western Kentucky University with a bachelor’s degree in health, biology, psychology and sociology, will have run more than 3,000 miles once his Amazing Friendship Run concludes in August. 
  • WKU's Garrett Conference Center comes down his summer: Lisa Jessie roomed in Bemis Lawrence Hall, then Minton, but when she attended Western Kentucky University in the 1980s – a good chunk of which she spent on the production staff of the College Heights Herald – Garrett Conference Center felt most like home. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • College Heights Foundation names building after Hardin County native: The Cliff Todd Center, new home to the College Heights Foundation at Western Kentucky University, has been named in appreciation for a $1 million gift from Hardin County native J. Clifford “Cliff” Todd which led to the acquisition of the historic home and property. 

WKYT-TV, Lexington 

Wallet Hub

  • Compare Credit Cards: Do you have any good tips for comparing credit cards? Financially sound advice regarding credit cards is to always pay off your monthly balance, i.e. never maintain a running balance on which interest is charged. -- Jonathan Handy, Assistant Professor, WKU
May 14-24, 2021

Daily News 

  • Bike4Alz rides again: It’s a tradition more than a decade strong – when a group of Western Kentucky University fraternity brothers from Phi Gamma Delta set out on a cross-country bicycle journey, traveling thousands of miles to raise money and awareness for Alzheimer’s disease research. 
  • 'Monster' growth: Homegrown video production company branching out: If anything, the video production company launched in 2016 by a couple of Western Kentucky University students has picked up the pace since moving in March 2020 into the former BG OnStage offices and studio at Chestnut Street and East Seventh Avenue. 
  • WKU names new Ogden College dean: Western Kentucky University has named David N. Brown – a physics professor who holds a leadership role at the University of Louisville – as the next dean of its Ogden College of Science and Engineering, effective July 1. 
  • Stuff the Bus creates Meredith scholarships: The first two $500 scholarships will go to Western Kentucky University broadcasting students Sophia South of Alvaton and Katherine Brooks of Russellville. 

WKU Public Radio 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • Ohio County's Robby Asberry named secondary principal of the year: Ohio County High School Principal Robby Asberry has been named the secondary school principal of the year by the Kentucky Association of Secondary School Principals. He went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in education from Western Kentucky University. He later earned a master’s degree in administration, and a Rank I with endorsements in the areas of supervisor of instruction and administration. 

CBS17, Raleigh, NC 

  • Fayetteville teen honored as Junior Paratrooper of the Year by 82nd Airborne Division: The 82nd Airborne Division honored the Junior Paratrooper of the Year with a performance by the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights at 71st High School Friday. Alana Disponett was awarded the honor for showing resiliency with the many moves that come with military life, for her volunteer work with her father’s unit, and for extracurricular activities she’s involved in. The high school senior has a full scholarship to Western Kentucky University. 

Columbia Magazine 

  • KADB approves more than $4.9M for projects across Kentucky: The Kentucky Agricultural Development Board approved $4,939,773 for agricultural diversification and rural development projects across the commonwealth at its monthly board meeting. Western Kentucky University Research Foundation was approved for $227,896 in state funds to establish a SmartHolstein Lab. 

US Department of State 

  • 26 U.S. Colleges and Universities Receive IDEAS Grants to Build Study Abroad Capacity: The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, USA Study Abroad branch, and its implementing partner, World Learning are pleased to announce that 26 U.S. colleges and universities, including WKU, have been awarded 2021 IDEAS (Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students) grants under the Capacity Building Program for U.S. Study Abroad.

AgDaily 

ASCE.org 

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz 

  • Hopkinsville High Student Heading to Gatton Academy: A Hopkinsville High School sophomore is heading to Gatton Academy at Western Kentucky University. School District spokesperson John Rittenhouse said Quinn Miller had been selected to attend the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science as a member of the Class of 2023. 
April 29-May 13, 2021

Daily News 

  • Facing retirement, Potter College dean reflects on decades at WKU: It’s been a wild ride for Potter College of Arts and Letters Dean Larry Snyder, who plans to retire in June after more than 30 years at Western Kentucky University. 
  • WKU eagerly awaits state agency's decision on tuition hikes: Anticipating a budget shortfall of nearly $8 million, Western Kentucky University officials are looking ahead to a key decision the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education is expected to make about how high public universities can raise tuition. 
  • 'Hoping downtown will come alive': That’s a sentiment that would hit the right note with business owners like Courtney Murley, who opened her Hot Mess Mama Boutique on State Street just a week ago. “I knew this was where our second store needed to be,” said Murley, a Western Kentucky University graduate.  
  • Two WKU students awarded Fulbright grants: Western Kentucky University students Ariana Pedigo of Russellville and Reuben Tang of Glasgow have been awarded Fulbright U.S. Student Grants for 2021-22 by the U.S. Department of State and J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. 
  • WKU's new 'First-Year Village' opens this fall: When incoming freshmen come to Western Kentucky University this fall, campus administrators hope to give them an experience worth coming back to, namely with two new, high-end residence halls that are on track to open for students in August and showcase WKU’s new First-Year Village. 
  • WKU spokesman Bob Skipper to retire in June: He’s the face of Western Kentucky University’s media relations division and the university’s official spokesman, but most students throughout the years know him by his email moniker: “Skipper, Bob.” 
  • WKU kicks off Commencement ceremonies by recognizing over 4,000 graduates: After their final school year was ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic, 4,180 graduates were finally awarded degrees and certificates by Western Kentucky University under a clear blue sky at Houchens-Smith Stadium. 
  • WKU forensics team completes national championship sweep: The Western Kentucky University forensics team won the National Forensic Association individual events team championship and NFA Lincoln-Douglas Debate team sweepstakes national championship. The NFA events were hosted virtually April 16-19. 
  • Four WKU students awarded Critical Languages Scholarships: Four Western Kentucky University students were awarded critical language scholarships that fully fund summer study in intensive language programs.

WKU Public Radio 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Times 

Owensboro Radio 

WEHT-TV, Evansville, IN 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Area educators winners of annual Distinguished Educator Awards: Western Kentucky University has announced the winners of the second annual Distinguished Educator Awards. 
  • E’town graduate named principal of high school: Elmore’s Master of Arts in middle school education and school administration certification were earned at Western Kentucky University.  
  • Forensics Team completes national championship sweep: The Western Kentucky University Forensics Team won both the National Forensic Association Individual Events Team Championship and the National Forensic Association Lincoln-Douglas Debate Team Sweepstakes national championship, hosted virtually April 16-19. 
  • HCS names director of special education: Jessica Taylor, who has served as a special education teacher for six years in Hardin County Schools, has been named the district’s new director of special education. Taylor is a graduate of Western Kentucky University where she earned certifications in learning and behavior disorders, moderate and severe disabilities and director of special education. 
  • WKU students bike to E’town, raise money for Alzheimer’s ride: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the No. 6 cause of death in the United States is Alzheimer’s disease. At Western Kentucky University, a group of students called Bike4Alz will be biking cross country to raise money and awareness for the disease. 

Hancock Clarion 

  • Ginger Estes named high school principal: Last Thursday the Hancock County school district removed the interim tag from Ginger Estes’ name and hired her as the new principal of Hancock County High School. Estes attended Western Kentucky University for her undergrad work. She also received her master’s degree from Western as well as her principal certification. 

Murray Ledger & Times 

WYMT-TV, Hazard 

Clarksville (TN) Now 

April 21-28, 2021

Daily News 

  • WKU kicks off graduation season this weekend: Kicking off a graduation season like no other, Western Kentucky University will recognize nearly 4,200 students who graduated during the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters with commencement ceremonies Saturday at Houchens-Smith Stadium. 
  • WKU names new Potter College dean: An accomplished concert artist, recitalist and opera singer who currently leads the University of North Alabama’s School of Arts as its founding executive director will become the next dean of Western Kentucky University’s Potter College of Arts and Letters. 
  • 10 Questions with ... Terrance Brown: Current job title: Currently, the founding executive director of the School of Arts at the University of North Alabama and the incoming dean of the Potter College of Arts and Letters at Western Kentucky University, effective in July. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

WKU Public Radio 

  • Never Again? WKU Professor Discusses Why Genocide Continues to Happen, and What Can Be Done: The uneasy issue of genocide is in the news. President Joe Biden on Saturday became the first U.S. President to call the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during WWI an act of genocide. Someone with a keen interest in the subject of genocide is Marko Dumancic, an associate professor of history at Western Kentucky University, who teaches courses on the subject. 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • LaRue teachers named distinguished educators: Western Kentucky University announced winners of the second Distinguished Educator Awards, which includes a few LaRue County teachers. 
  • Merit finalist from EHS awarded Gates scholarship: Elizabethtown High School student and National Merit finalist Reid Lunsford received the National Merit Gates Industrial Corp. Foundation Scholarship. Lunsford attends the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at Western Kentucky University.  

WCLU-FM, Glasgow 

Columbia Magazine 

Jobe Newspaper Network 

April 10-20, 2021

NBC News 

Daily News 

  • Jack Glasser retiring after 41 years in medicine: As tough as it was for Jack Glasser to leave behind his catcher’s mitt and chest protector after an All-American baseball career at Western Kentucky University, his decision this month to hang up his stethoscope and tongue depressor may be harder. 
  • Bowling Green author chronicles literary clubs: After more than 25 years in the making, Western Kentucky University emeritus associate professor Jean E. Nehm is finally seeing the release of her biggest project, “Respectfully Submitted: The Remarkable Literary Clubs of Bowling Green Kentucky.” 
  • WKU won't require vaccine for returning students, will cease offering vaccine on campus: Students returning to Western Kentucky University this fall are "strongly encouraged" to get the coronavirus vaccine, but they will not be required to get it to return for classes, WKU spokesman Bob Skipper told the Daily News on Monday. 
  • WKU regents look at tuition, budget issues: As Western Kentucky University watches for the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to set the annual cap on tuition rate increases later this month, the agency has told WKU and other colleges across the state that it will aim to offer them “maximum flexibility.” 

WBKO-TV 

WNKY-TV 

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer 

  • WKU-O holds drive thru celebration for graduates: Western Kentucky University-Owensboro held a drive-thru graduation celebration for students Friday outside the L. Reid Haire Administration Building. The official graduation celebration, according to administrative assistant Judy Rouse, will be held in Bowling Green. 
  • Brackin to serve as Highland Elementary School principal: Kristy Brackin, support services coordinator, Daviess County Public Schools, has been selected to serve as the next principal of Highland Elementary School. A graduate of Daviess County High School, Brackin earned an associates degree from Owensboro Community and Technical College and a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University. 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

Columbia Magazine 

  • WKU announces finalists for Distinguished Educator Awards: Western Kentucky University today announced the 2021 finalists of the WKU College of Education and Behavioral Sciences' Distinguished Educator Awards. Finalists include Tammy Dennis, Dale Decker, Dana Soto, and Lorie Estes from Green County, Rodney Smith from Cumberland County Middle School, and Lindsay Gibson from Russell County Middle School. 

McKnight’s Senior Living 

  • Bingocise becomes internet sensation with homebound seniors: Bingocise is the brainchild of Jason Crandall, professor of exercise and kinesiology at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. He told McKnight’s Home Care Daily  Bingocise “happened serendipitously” back in 2011 when some of his students developed an exercise program for a local senior center. 
March 27-April 9, 2021

Daily News 

  • 'A new energy': First live performance in a year for WKU dance this weekend: Western Kentucky University’s dance department will host its “WKU Evening of Dance” for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began 
  • For young adults with autism, LifeWorks at WKU offers community: Back when he was attending Western Kentucky University, Andy Arnold had a home on the Hill. He made the Dean’s List, the President’s List, aced an independent study course and was president of the Religious Studies Club and the university’s Quiz Bowl team. But after he graduated in 2019, there weren’t a lot of ready-made paths for someone on the autism spectrum.
  • WKU Farm first in U.S. to install new cow beds: To maintain health and increase milk production, experts say cows need to sleep comfortably for 12 to 14 hours a day. The more comfortable a cow is while sleeping, the more milk that she can produce. That’s why Western Kentucky University’s farm recently installed new cow mattresses. WKU’s farm is the first in the country to install the Dutch Mountain Cow Mattresses. 
  • City schools students delve deep to map Mammoth Cave's waterways: Fastening on their hard hats and headlamps, a group of Bowling Green Independent School District students is delving deep to unlock the secrets of Mammoth Cave National Park’s underground waterways. The project, which was made possible by a partnership with the Crawford Hydrology Laboratory at Western Kentucky University, has students dumping water tracers like fluorescent dyes and salt solutions to map the waterways of Great Onyx Cave. 

WNKY-TV 

WBKO-TV 

Spectrum News 1 

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise 

  • Ott ‘made’ for Warm Blessings role: When Candy Ott of Clarkson took on her new role as a social worker for Warm Blessings soup kitchen late last year, she felt she was “made for the job.” Originally from Michigan, Ott moved to Kentucky in 1991 to be closer to her grandparents and moved to Elizabethtown in 1994. Going back to school when she was 35, Ott earned a master’s degree in social work from Western Kentucky University in 2012. 
  • Eastview teen earns highest Girl Scout honor: Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana have awarded an Eastview resident the highest of all Girl Scout honors. Sierra Reed, 18, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Reed graduated from Central Hardin High School and currently is studying fine arts as a freshman at Western Kentucky University. 

Lane Report 

  • Owensboro Health names new president and chief executive officer: Owensboro Health has named Mark Marsh — a healthcare executive who has led hospitals in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida — as its next president and chief executive officer. Marsh is a native of Cincinnati and played quarterback for the Western Kentucky University football team that made the NCAA playoffs in both 1987 and 1988. 
March 20-26, 2021

Daily News 

  • Connie Smith, John Kelly make Hall of Fame: Connie Smith, president and CEO of Bowling Green’s Med Center Health, and John Kelly, a former senior executive at DESA International and Pan-Oston who was instrumental in establishing the Kelly Autism Program at Western Kentucky University, were inducted into the hall of fame in a videotaped ceremony shown on the Junior Achievement Facebook page. They join 32 previous inductees whose photographs are displayed at Knicely Conference Center. 
  • Kentucky Building renamed after former Bowling Green mayor: Former Bowling Green Mayor Charles Hardcastle, a graduate of Western Kentucky University, will have the Kentucky Building renamed after him. 
  • Lewis sworn in as Warren County's first female PVA: Susan Oliver Lewis, who has worked for the past four years in the Warren County PVA office, was appointed by the governor and sworn in by county Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon to fill the post that Branstetter held for 14 years. A graduate of Greenwood High School and Western Kentucky University, Lewis worked in real estate before spending three years on the staff of the Jefferson County PVA office in Louisville. 
  • WKU task force reviewing public comments on naming issue: The Western Kentucky University task force that could recommend changing colleges and buildings on campus that bear historical slaveholders’ names is now reviewing the public’s feedback. 

WBKO-TV 

  • Woman recognized for work with Hispanic community, minority groups: Julia Rivas moved to Bowling Green when she was 16 years old. Originally from El Salvador, Rivas graduated from Warren Central High School in 2006 and continued her education at Western Kentucky University. While a student at WKU she helped establish Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students (HOLAS), which celebrates Hispanic culture and helps organize support for needy communities. 
  • Junior Achievement inducts 2021 laureates into Business Hall of Fame in virtual presentation: Two local business leaders were inducted into Junior Achievement’s Business Hall of Fame on Tuesday. Connie Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Med Center Health and Chief Executive Officer of The Medical Center, and John Kelly, former Senior Executive at DESA International and Pan-Oston, were chosen as the 2021 honorees. Kelly’s family is the namesake of the Kelly Autism Program at Western Kentucky University, which provides educational and social support for individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. 
  • WKU professor teaches one last class after a 42-year career on the hill: Forty-two years on the hill has come to an end for one professor at Western Kentucky University. Dr. Fred Stickle, taught his last class Saturday, marking the end of his teaching career. 
  • Guthrie announces $430,000 grant for WKU research: On Friday, Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) announced Western Kentucky University was the recipient of a research grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

WNKY-TV 

Montgomery (AL) Independent 

  • AUM-led project will help 1,800 Alabama nursing home residents: Developed by Dr. Jason Crandall at the Western Kentucky University Center for Applied Science in Health and Aging (CASHA), Bingocize ® strategically mixes the game of bingo with a series of exercises aimed at improving nursing home residents’ ability to perform activities of daily living and decreasing their risk of falls. 

Mississippi State University 

  • MSU kinesiology students, faculty bring increased exercise to Mississippi nursing home residents: Four Mississippi State kinesiology faculty members are helping residents in 24 Mississippi-certified nursing facilities with increasing activity and social engagement. “We are very excited to partner with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Mississippi Division of Medicaid and the Western Kentucky University Center for Applied Science in Health and Aging to introduce Bingocize to nursing home residents in Mississippi,” Pan said. 

Wallet Hub

  • Cheapest Car Insurance in Kentucky: How do you think COVID-19 has affected consumer demand for car insurance? It is hard to tell whether demand for car insurance has changed much during the pandemic. These data are privately collected and are not readily and publicly available. -- Dr. J. Sebastian Leguizamon, Director, Center for Applied Economics, Assistant Professor of Economics, WKU
March 11-19, 2021

Daily News 

  • WKU names new provost: Filling a vacancy to replace Western Kentucky University’s acting provost, who is retiring, the university named Robert “Bud” Fischer Jr. as its next provost and vice president for academic affairs. 
  • WKU students promote campus' mental health center amid pandemic: The coronavirus put a new spotlight on Western Kentucky University’s Counseling Center, but its services and staff will likely be vital long after the pandemic’s eventual conclusion.
  • Free after-school arts program offers creative outlet for students: Logan started the nonprofit in 2005 when he was 25. He has a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University in communication, a master’s degree in corporate organization and a master’s degree in organizational leadership. 
  • In the dough: 'Baked' cookie shop enjoys sweet opening: What started with a culinary arts class Jeff Townsend took as an elective while studying political science at Western Kentucky University has turned into a downtown business startup. 

Spectrum News 1 

WNKY-TV 

  • Sunrise Spotlight – The Dance Project at WKU: WKU Theatre & Dance student Kaylee Lane joined us today in the German American Bank Studio to talk about The Dance Project. 
  • WKU to Offer Public Health Program at WKU Regional Campuses: Adult learners in Elizabethtown, Glasgow and Owensboro regions will have a new degree option through WKU Public Health beginning this fall. Students at these regional campuses will be able to complete a Bachelor of Science in Public Health through a hybrid format including in-person, connected classrooms, and online. 

WBKO-TV 

  • Hughes & Coleman Hometown Hero: Stacey Forsythe: Professors at Western Kentucky University have had to overcome several challenges throughout the year. One assistant professor for sports management has had to manage to teach her kids at home and also teach her college students at the same time. 
  • BG physicians talk about impact of pandemic on kids’ mental health: Dr. Lacretia Dye is a licensed counselor and a professor at Western Kentucky University. She’s pairing with City Commissioner Dana Beasley Brown to start a weekly webinar series. The virtual series is called “Emerging Minds,” to support tweens, teens, and parents. 

The Wilson Post, Lebanon, TN 

  • Rudzinski takes reins at county's Help Center: Rudzinski, a Western Kentucky University graduate, has experience with non-profit organizations that include American Cancer Society, Leukemia Lymphoma Society and the Mt. Juliet Chamber of Commerce. She was also the first executive director of Charis Health Center in Mt. Juliet. 

Danville Advocate-Messenger 

Feb. 23-March 10, 2021

WKU Public Radio 

Daily News 

  • WKU renews Caboni's contract, offers new pay incentives: Hoping to entice Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni to stay on for another four years, the university’s Board of Regents voted Friday to approve a new employment contract featuring several fresh compensation incentives. The deal, effective July 1, cements Caboni’s second four-year term as WKU’s president. 
  • Bonaguro hired as dean at Slippery Rock University: John Bonaguro has been hired as founding dean of the College of Health Professions at Slippery Rock (Pa.) University. Bonaguro was founding dean of Western Kentucky University’s College of Health and Human Services in 2003. 
  • Dance Big Red raises nearly $50,000 for Norton Children’s Hospital: Western Kentucky University students raised $49,774 on Feb. 26 to support pediatric heart care at Norton Children’s Hospital during the annual Dance Big Red event.
  • State reboots equity in teaching academy: Students of color made up nearly 25% of Kentucky’s overall student population during the 2019-20 school year, a reality that isn’t represented by the state’s teacher workforce, which is about 95% White.
  • WKU to extend state teacher discount to border states: Western Kentucky University will extend a tuition discount it previously reserved for in-state education students to students who reside in one of Kentucky’s bordering states.
  • WKU student starts 'micro pantry' program in city: Maybe late at night or in the wee hours of the morning when no other avenues are available, a single parent or a down-on-their-luck person living on the streets will visit a bright-yellow metal box once used for selling newspapers and find what they need to make it through the day. If they do, they can thank 19-year-old Western Kentucky University sophomore Jason Lowe.

Owensboro Times 

WNKY-TV 

  • Kinesiology graduate student wins WKU’s inaugural 3MT Competition: Catie Duchette, a graduate assistant in the Kinesiology program, is the winner of the inaugural WKU 3MT Competition. 
  • WKU organizational leadership ranked as best online degree: Learn.Org has recognized Western Kentucky University’s Bachelor of Organizational Leadership as a top online degree. The program, designed to accommodate the learning needs of our working professionals by offering courses both online and in person, is now considered the best option for students seeking an online bachelor’s degree in Organizational Leadership.
  • Regents approved raise for WKU president: The Western Kentucky University Board of Regents Friday approved an addendum to President Timothy C. Caboni’s employment contract that includes retention and performance-based bonuses, a deferred compensation plan, separation payments and an increase to his base salary. 
  • Kentucky Building to be named in honor of Charles Hardcastle: For Charles Hardcastle and his wife, Carolyn Hardcastle, caring for his community is second nature. A former Mayor of Bowling Green and current President of Consolidated Paper Group, Charles Hardcastle has been a prominent member of the community for many years. Now, his dedication to the region will be permanently memorialized, as the Kentucky Building will be renamed the Charles Hardcastle Kentucky Building in honor of a $1.5 million gift made by the namesake and his wife. 
  • Sunrise Spotlight – Midnight on the Hill: Fundraising is on for Midnight on the Hill for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital! Today, we spoke with Hanna Van Winkle in the German American Bank Studio to learn more.
  • SoKY’s Choice – Kentucky Museum: The Kentucky Museum is once again reopen to the public after a months-long delay due to the pandemic!
  • Dance Big Red raises nearly $50,000 for Norton Children’s Hospital: Dance Big Red raised nearly $50,000 to support pediatric heart care at Norton Children’s Hospital. Western Kentucky University students participated in the seventh-annual student-led dancing fundraiser held on Zoom and livestreamed to Facebook over the weekend.
  • Bowling Green Fire Department introduces new spokeswoman: The Bowling Green Fire Department is excited to introduce the department’s new public information officer, Katie McKee, the first civilian to hold that title for the department. She is a Bowling Green native, Bowling Green High School alumna and Western Kentucky University alumna.

WBKO-TV 

Owensboro Radio 

  • Peveler named DCPS Director of Elementary Education and MTSS Coordinator: Leslie Peveler has been named director of elementary education and Multi-Tiered System of Support coordinator for the Daviess County Public Schools district. Peveler earned a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in school counseling and a Rank I certification in school administration from Western Kentucky University. 

Ky Forward 

Washington Post 

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists 

  • Sarah Starkey joins the Bulletin: The Bulletin is excited to welcome Sarah Starkey as our new Social Media & Analytics Coordinator, where she will be responsible for creating, implementing and measuring content strategies across social platforms as well as compiling regular analytics reports. Starkey started her career in advertising as a copywriter at Imagewest, an award-winning, student-run advertising and public relations agency at Western Kentucky University. 

Greater Milwaukee Today

General Aviation News

  • COVID claims long-time aviation journalist: Mike Collins, a veteran aviation journalist, died Feb. 25, 2021, after a weeks’ long battle with COVID-19. He was just 59 years old. Mike’s first love was photography. He learned darkroom skills on his own in junior high school and went on to earn a photojournalism degree from Western Kentucky University. From there he worked at various newspapers as a photographer, photo editor, and editor.

AOPA.org

  • Saying goodbye: AOPA loses Technical Editor Mike Collins: We lost one of our own this week with the death of Technical Editor and Director of Business Operations Mike Collins from COVID-19. After two weeks in an intensive care unit on a ventilator, Mike died on February 25. He was 59. He had a degree in photojournalism from Western Kentucky University.

Milwaukee (WI) Journal Sentinel

Feb. 5-22, 2021

Daily News

  • WKU gets chapter for builders, contractors group: At a time when construction jobs continue to grow in the Bowling Green area, a new student chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors organization could lead to more opportunities for students studying engineering and construction management and to a better pipeline for employees at local construction companies.

WBKO-TV

  • College Students: Find out which filing status is right for you: College students, you may be wondering what to file as this tax season approaches. According to the IRS, a dependent is someone under 24 who doesn’t provide more than half of their support. Some students, like WKU student Andrea Bravo, may qualify for either. Bravo says she wanted to file as an independent to claim the previous stimulus checks.
  • Black History Makers: Aurelia Spaulding, Founder of For a Real Change, Inc.: Aurelia Spaulding is Founder and Executive Director of For a Real Change, Inc., a 501(c) nonprofit whose mission is to empower young people through education, meaningful service experiences and applied learning, “so we’re essentially honing in on those leadership abilities that they already have in them so they can go out and do really important things that they want to do,” Spaulding said.
  • Black History Makers: Jared Carpenter: While getting his masters degree at WKU, Jared got the incredible opportunity to tour South Africa, and discovered a remarkable similarity between their cultural struggles and ours.

WNKY-TV

  • WKU Construction students have a new resource: Western Kentucky University students interested in the field of construction now have a new resource to help build their future. The Associated Builders and Contractors Indiana Kentucky chapter have announced the creation of a student chapter at WKU to mentor construction students.

Kentucky Living

  • Top 10 questions to choose a college: Jace Lux, director of admissions at Western Kentucky University (WKU), agrees that students who are connected from day one have a greater chance at success. So prospective students should look for more than a long list of extracurricular activities—find out how easily a student can get plugged in.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Rice Agri-Marketing celebrates 10 years in county: Rice Agri-Marketing in Livermore is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2021. Founder Jeff Rice has been in the agriculture business since he was a child and made his transition into the marketing side of farming since then. Rice said his father was a farmer, and after graduating from Western Kentucky University in 1983, he began his own journey in agriculture.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Area students recognized as candidates for U.S. Presidential Scholars: Two area students were among 10 Gatton Academy seniors who recently learned they are candidates for the 2021 United States Presidential Scholars Program.
  • Internship opportunity sparks Hall’s passion: Jeleena Hall started at Mission Hope for Kids for internship experience and stayed to help make a difference in young lives. Hall, 34, works at Human Resources Command as an assignment manager and at Communicare serving people in crisis. She became involved with Mission Hope for Kids in 2015 while searching for an internship placement through Western Kentucky University to complete her master’s degree in social work.

Bangor (ME) Daily News

  • Learning game makes improving balance more fun: Bingocize, a unique program that combines the popular board game with  exercises specifically developed to improve stability and balance for older persons, will soon be offered  in Aroostook County. This evidence-based class, developed at Western Kentucky University, mixes the excitement of a bingo like competition with moderate exercise.

WAGM-TV, Presque Isle, ME

  • Program helps seniors improve balance: The Aroostook Agency on Aging is hoping an upcoming program called Bingocize will help seniors improve their balance while having fun. Jane Hanson, Healthy Living for ME Regional Coordinator for Aroostook County, is organizing the activity. Bingocize originated at Western Kentucky University by Jason Crandall, director of the university’s Center for Applied Science and Health in Aging. It combines the familiar game with a light exercise program and education.

Wallet Hub

  • States with the Best Dental Health: What tips do you have for a person that wishes to maintain dental health without breaking the bank? – Dr. Terry Dean, Associate Professor of Dental Hygiene, WKU

Sound & Communications

  • The Future Of Education Technology: Teachers also face a conundrum as regards how to capture and distribute their lesson-plan material and how to digitize physical resources. Western Kentucky University has provided its educators with document cameras with built-in microphones to help equip them for remote learning.

SpaceNews

  • Space weather bill will fizzle without funding: Op-Ed by Ian Cohen and Gordon Emslie: On Oct. 21, 2020, the Promoting Research and Observations of Space Weather to Improve the Forecasting of Tomorrow (PROSWIFT) Act was signed into law. Dr. Gordon Emslie is Professor of Physics & Astronomy, Western Kentucky University, and Chair of the AAS Solar Physics Division Public Policy Committee
Jan. 22-Feb. 4, 2021

Daily News

  • Smith, Kelly selected for Business Hall of Fame: Connie Smith, president and CEO of Med Center Health, and John Kelly, a former senior executive at DESA International and Pan-Oston, have been selected as the 2021 inductees into the Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky Business Hall of Fame. Smith joined Med Center Health in 1981. She received her associate degree and bachelor’s degree in nursing from Western Kentucky University. Kelly was named 2019 South Central Kentuckian of the Year by the Community Foundation of South Central Kentucky. His family is the namesake of the Kelly Autism Program at WKU.
  • WKU naming task force solicits public's feedback: The Western Kentucky University task force that could recommend changing the names of colleges and buildings on campus that bear the names of historical slaveholders is asking for the public’s feedback.
  • Two descendants of Potter College founder support name change: Two descendants of the slave-owning namesake of Western Kentucky University’s Potter College of Arts and Letters – Pleasant J. Potter – wrote to a campus task force examining the issue, urging the group to recommend a name change.
  • Minter introduces student loan reform bill: State Rep. Patti Minter, D-Bowling Green, has introduced legislation called the Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights in the Kentucky General Assembly. “This will help people know what they’re getting into,” said Minter, a professor at Western Kentucky University.
  • WKU's Idea Festival moves online: Each year, Western Kentucky University’s Idea Festival draws students to its campus for a half-day event of engaging talks and activities. This year, however, the festival is moving online with a live-streamed event that will allow students to share questions, comments, photos and videos in real time.
  • WKU president gets 'outstanding' performance review; contract negotiations move ahead: Western Kentucky University’s Board of Regents gave WKU President Timothy Caboni a glowing evaluation Friday, which will likely bode well for Caboni as he nears the end of his four-year contract June 30.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

  • Kentucky Museum reopens to public on Thursday, Feb. 4: The Kentucky Museum at WKU is reopening this week under coronavirus prevention measures outlined in WKU’s Healthy on the Hill guidelines.
  • Black History Makers: Ryan Dearbone: 2020 was a rough year for a lot of people, but rough times are when our community comes together and one of those people working to do that is Ryan Dearbone. He’s a former 13 News reporter, a husband, a father, the president of the Bowling Green Warren County NAACP, the Vice Chair of the MLK Day Planning Committee, he’s part of the WKU Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, a Deacon at State Street Baptist Church, and a member of Black Leaders Advocating for the Community (BLAC).
  • WKU students to host virtual Dance Big Red for Norton Children’s Heart Institute: The Seventh Annual Dance Big Red student-led dance fundraising event at Western Kentucky University will be held virtually on February 26, 2021.
  • WKU alumnus plays in percussion group at inauguration: One WKU alumnus is representing Western Kentucky on the national level. Sergeant First Class Kristopher Keeton was the drummer at the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington.
  • New semester, same problems: WKU student documenting peers’ COVID-19 journey on the hill: Shakira Tunstill is a journalism student at WKU who is reaching out to her peers on the hill during this pandemic. Shakira is documenting how students are navigating another semester, during all the changes of COVID-19. She’s interviewing students, and he plans on making a short documentary.

WKU Public Radio

CBC Radio

  • Marketing Mysticism: How shortcuts to enlightenment shortchange spiritual traditions: Sophia Rose Arjana is a professor of religious studies at Western Kentucky University and says that while the seeking out of enchantment is a key characteristic of the loneliness of modern life, the challenge of the mystical marketplace —which includes a broad range of products and activities including festivals and experiences and wellness tourism — is that the healing journey of western consumers means the "dumbing down" of ancient traditions and beliefs.
Jan. 8-21, 2021

Daily News

  • WKU provost announces retirement: The search for Western Kentucky University’s next chief academic officer is picking up, with the first of four finalists for the position expected to visit campus next week and Acting Provost Cheryl Stevens announcing her retirement.
  • WKU offers senior employees buyouts: Hoping to cut personnel costs, Western Kentucky University is rolling out voluntary buyouts for its senior employees, with lump sums of up to $100,000, including supplemental benefits to help employees under age 65 buy health insurance.
  • WKU students return to campus Tuesday: On Tuesday, Western Kentucky University students will return for the start of classes, but once again, it won’t be a typical semester in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

The Chronicle of Higher Education

  • Teaching: Tackling Disinformation With Media Literacy: Molly Kerby understands political polarization. She sees it every day on her campus. Western Kentucky University, where she has taught for nearly three decades, draws from the bluer cities of Louisville and Nashville as well as deep red regions of Appalachia.

Gulf Times, Doha, Qatar

Construction in Focus

  • Designing for Wellness and Energy Savings: CMTA also won a first-place regional ASHRAE award for its work on Ogden College Hall, a science center at Western Kentucky University. The 82,000-square-foot building was built at a cost of $40 million and features excellent air quality – to boost the mental acuity of occupants – airflow, lighting, and internal design. Built to LEED Gold standards, Ogden Hall is also the first WELL Gold-certified university laboratory building in America.

Wallet Hub

  • Best VISA Credit Cards: Are there any good reasons for people to seek out a Visa credit card in particular? Of the four most popular credit card companies, the specific benefits offered by each are very similar. -- Jonathan Handy, WKU Assistant Professor of Finance
  • No Balance Transfer Fee Credit Cards: Do you think people pay enough attention to balance transfer fees when shopping for a balance transfer credit card? While many individuals do well shopping for credit cards when transferring their balance from another card, many others do not. – Ron Rhoades, WKU Assistant Professor of Finance

  • 2021’s Best States to Retire: What is the most common mistake that retirees make when choosing where to settle? When a person retires from the workplace, they largely remove themselves from a huge social network. And, if they move away from their area, they disconnect from other social networks and possibly lessen their ties to their family network in particular. – Ron Rhoades, WKU Assistant Professor of Finance

Dec. 17, 2020-Jan. 7, 2021

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Louisville Courier Journal

  • Coaches, friends remember the life of Western Kentucky volleyball legend Alyssa Cavanaugh: Alyssa Marie Cavanaugh was one of a kind. Her accolades on the volleyball court were seemingly endless. A four-time state volleyball champion at Assumption High School. A four-time All-American and two-time Conference USA Player of the Year at Western Kentucky University where she won four C-USA tournament titles and was part of the program’s first class to appear in the NCAA Tournament every year.

Spectrum News 1

Dec. 3-16, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • Colleagues praise Oldham's enduring legacy on WKU's hill: Gary West has 100 stories about the late, great Western Kentucky University basketball coach John Oldham – who led the team in 1971 to the Final Four for its first and only time in history and won “Coach of the Year” in the Ohio Valley Conference four times. Oldham died last month at the age of 97.
  • Caboni: WKU will restore cut salaries of university faculty, staff: Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni said Friday the university will roll back the salary cuts employees took this year that were enacted to achieve some $27 million in spending reductions as part of a round of annual budget belt-tightening spurred by the coronavirus pandemic.

Spectrum News 1

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Ky Forward

Conde Nast Traveler

  • What We Can Learn From the Sámi Tradition of Reading Snow: Growing up amid the hundreds of lakes and vast beech, maple, and birch tree forests of northern Wisconsin's Vilas County, Dr. Tim Frandy, 42, always had an affinity for the outdoors. In fact, for Frandy, an assistant professor in folk studies at Western Kentucky University, activities like hunting, foraging, and ice fishing were simply a way of life; as much a part of his Midwest upbringing as his Nordic roots. Or so he thought.

Dover (DE) Post

  • Dover hires new city manager: Dover Council's choice for the new city manager has accepted the offer, according to a press release today, Dec. 15. Randy E. Robertson will be starting the job in February. Robertson holds a bachelor’s degree in government and history from Western Kentucky University and three master’s degrees: one in urban planning from John Hopkins University, one in public administration from Western Kentucky University and one in strategic planning from the United States Army War College.
Nov. 17-Dec. 2, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • Big Lots moving to former Toys R Us location: The Bowling Green Big Lots, located next to the Western Kentucky University Center for Research and Development near Campbell Lane and Nashville Road, is part of a company that has thrived in spite of the trend toward online retailing.
  • New equipment allows for early detection of health issues: The Harold, Juanita, David, Dennis & Gary Koon Charitable Foundation provided a $100,000 gift and Dance Big Red, an annual fundraiser by Western Kentucky University students, provided additional support this past March.
  • Housing Authority spearheads loan program for minority businesses: “Research from the Federal Reserve highlights the discrimination over time that minority business owners have faced in the U.S., although minority and low-income entrepreneurs often need only a small capital injection,” said Whitney Peake, a member of the POP-UP board and an entrepreneurship professor at Western Kentucky University. “Our goal is to help change the lending landscape for minority and low-income business owners one entrepreneur at a time.”

WNKY-TV

Spectrum News 1

  • (Not) Home for the Holidays: WKU Plans to House Some Students for the Holiday Season: Some students at Western Kentucky University are staying on campus for the holidays. Due to COVID-19, many students will stay on campus for Thanksgiving to keep themselves and their families safe. The university will keep all dorms open during the Thanksgiving break and plans to keep three residence halls open during Christmas break.
  • New Equipment Helps Doctors Treat Babies with Heart Conditions: Community support to the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation helped make purchasing the equipment possible. The Harold, Juanita, David, Dennis & Gary Koon Charitable Foundation made a $100,000 gift and Dance Big Red, an annual fundraiser by Western Kentucky University students, provided additional support this past march.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Owensboro native named Rhodes Scholar finalist: Owensboro native Harsh Moolani has been named a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Moolani, who attended Daviess County High School, graduated from the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in 2016.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Kahlden serves youth with food insecurity: Charis Kahlden knows of these struggles, and through her role as coordinator for Lakewood Elementary School’s Family Resource Center, she has spent the last two decades identifying and helping families that face them. A graduate of West Hardin High School, Kahlden earned her associates degree from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College and later commuted back and forth between Stephensburg and Bowling Green to earn a bachelors degree in social work from Western Kentucky University.

Western Recorder

Oct. 30-Nov. 16, 2020

Daily News

  • Community leaders implore Warren County residents to take COVID-19 seriously: With coronavirus cases surging across Kentucky, local government, health care and education leaders on Thursday urged Warren County residents to take the virus more seriously or be prepared for consequences. Event participants included Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni.
  • Caboni honors nation's veterans with wreath-laying: Shortly before laying a memorial wreath at Western Kentucky University’s Guthrie Bell Tower on Wednesday to commemorate Veterans Day, WKU President Timothy Caboni addressed a crowd under a gray, overcast sky. Behind him, granite etchings of WKU alumni and veterans peered out like ghosts from the clock tower’s base.
  • Through new scholarship, teacher ambassadors aim to draw more diverse talent: In June, following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by police, a group of Bowling Green professionals banded together and set off on a mission to achieve equal access and workforce opportunities for the local African American community. Now, through a new scholarship program in partnership with Western Kentucky University and both local public school systems, Gamechangers is stepping into the education arena.
  • WKU students divert 5,000 pounds of food from landfills to charities: When Western Kentucky University senior Elaine Losekamp traveled to a sustainability conference in 2018 and discovered a way to cut food waste and feed people simultaneously, an idea popped into her head.

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

  • BG/WC Coronavirus Workgroup holds virtual news conference with ‘urgent’ message for citizens: The Bowling Green/Warren County Coronavirus Workgroup held a news conference Thursday to discuss the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases and the impact it is having on healthcare, education and the economy. Western Kentucky University President Dr. Timothy C. Caboni said regardless of redesigning operations to successfully work alongside the coronavirus, it will be useless unless each person makes the decision to follow simple guidelines proven to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
  • WKU Students write notes for charter senior living residents: One WKU student group is letting local senior citizens know they’re still cared for. The Hilltopper Organization for Latin American Students (HOLAS) wrote nearly 100 letters for Charter Senior Living.

Courier Journal

WTVQ-TV, Lexington

  • Area groups honored for smoke-free efforts: Western Kentucky University will receive the Tobacco-free Campus Award for their exceptional leadership and collaborative efforts in promoting a healthy campus environment by implementing a 100% tobacco-free campus policy.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Fitzgerald completes coding academy, gets ‘dream job’: Some students who completed the 17-week Greater Knox Coding Academy at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College already are reaping the rewards of their training. Caleb Fitzgerald, 20, and graduate of John Hardin High School, attended Hardin County Schools Early College and Career Center working on multiple categories of information technology including networking and cyber security. Currently, Fitzgerald is attending Western Kentucky University and studying IT, political science and organizational leadership, and plans to graduate in about a year.

Spectrum News 1

  • The Growth of Bowling Green: “We are so fortunate to have Western Kentucky University here in Bowling Green. They are an anchor in our economy. A lot of things spur from Western’s presence here, with the degrees that they’re offering,” says City Manager, Jeff Meisel.

Seymour (IN) Tribune

Oct. 24-29, 2020

Daily News

  • Scholarship honoring late BGHS grad, horn player will help 'countless' students: To honor her son’s legacy, White has set up the new Bill Haynes Scholarship Fund to support high school band students in their studies at Western Kentucky University.
  • Educator program cleared to launch in early 2021: A new program from the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative enabling educators to boost their skills and advance their careers – all without earning a master’s degree – is slated to launch next year after winning state approval.
  • WKU provost search moves forward: Western Kentucky University is planning to host candidates for its next provost hire in early 2021 and announce a decision soon afterward, according to a campus email written by the co-chairs of the search committee.
  • WKU pursues $10M line of credit, welcomes new regents: Western Kentucky University’s Board of Regents convened Friday for a slate of committee meetings, which included welcoming new regents and a review of the university’s pursuit of a $10 million line of credit, among other business items.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Ky Forward

Metropolis (IL) Planet

Money Geek

  • Expert Advice on Finding Cheap Car Insurance: Can low-cost car insurance mean drivers are sacrificing quality? The answer to this depends on the definition of quality and how one arrives at a low cost. First and foremost, you should get what you pay for. -- Jonathan Handy, Assistant Professor of Finance at Western Kentucky University
  • Expert Advice on Finding Cheap Car Insurance in Kentucky: What are the key factors drivers in Kentucky should look for when searching for the best auto insurance coverage? Coverage, coverage, coverage! Price, price, price! -- Jonathan Handy, Assistant Professor of Finance at Western Kentucky University
Oct. 16-23, 2020

Daily News

KRWG- FM, Las Cruces, NM

  • Prominent public health expert joins NMSU: Jagdish Khubchandani joined NMSU’s Department of Public Health Sciences as a professor in August – in time for the start of the fall 2020 semester. Khubchandani earned a master’s degree in public health in 2007 from Western Kentucky University.

WRDE-TV, Milton, DE

Smithsonian.com

  • What Americans Can Learn From Winter-Loving Cultures: According to Tim Frandy, assistant professor of Folk Studies at Western Kentucky University, many of those participating in this type of hydrotherapy in Finland are middle-aged and elderly women. “They will methodically step out of the sauna and then go down a ladder into freezing cold water without making a peep, swim back and forth a few times, and then climb back out of the water,” he says. “It’s so meditative, and in such contrast to the polar bear plunges we have here, where people jump clothed into the water, scream, and then quickly rush out.”

Physics Today

  • Q&A series: Black voices in physics: Charles McGruder and Chima McGruder are astrophysicists. Charles is a professor at Western Kentucky University. His son Chima is a graduate student at Harvard University.

FBI

Waste360

  • The Recycling Education and Research Foundation Awards Scholarships to 75 Students: The Recycling Education and Research Foundation (RERF), a 501 (c)(3), not-for-profit organization closely associated with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), has announced that 75 students were awarded scholarships, between $500 and $3,400, to be applied to their respective college educations. ISRI Southeast Chapter: Cole Scott - Western Kentucky University; Jackson Trumbly - Western Kentucky University
Sept. 25-Oct. 15, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • WKU tackles renaming issue in ongoing campus talks: After Western Kentucky University President Timothy Caboni announced this semester that WKU will reexamine “problematic” names on campus – particularly those tied to former slaveholders – a group of students and staff is taking up the topic through ongoing talks.
  • WKU launches scholarship programs aimed at teacher recruitment, diversity: One of the most frequent requests Corinne Murphy receives from school districts as dean of Western Kentucky University’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences is for help with addressing the state’s teacher shortage. Now, Murphy has an answer.
  • WKU will launch provost search this week: Western Kentucky University is starting a national search this week for its next provost and vice president of academic affairs, WKU President Timothy Caboni said in a campuswide message Monday.
  • Amid at-home quarantines, renewed interest in language learning: Last spring, when the coronavirus pandemic prompted governors across the country to issue stay-at-home orders, leaving millions in quarantine and searching for productive ways to spend their time, language learning apps like Duolingo reported all-time highs in use. That’s no surprise to Alex Poole, the interim head of Western Kentucky University’s Modern Languages Department who studies and teaches language acquisition.
  • WKU's new LifeWorks hires staff members: The board of directors of LifeWorks at Western Kentucky University announced the hiring of three professional staff members to launch its inaugural year of operations. LifeWorks at WKU is a two-year residential transition-to-work and independent living program for young adults with autism spectrum disorder.

Spectrum News 1

  • WKU Offers New Scholarships to Get More Teachers in Classrooms: Western Kentucky University is now offering two new scholarship opportunities through its College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. The university launched the "WKU Grow Your Own" and "WKU GameChangers Teacher Initiatives," in efforts to financially support students and community members to stay and teach in their home districts.
  • Nontraditional Teacher, Teaches in a Nontraditional Way: After decades of pursuing a degree in teaching, Karen Russell, finally got a classroom of her own, but in a virtual setting. Graduating this past May from Western Kentucky University, at 52 years old, Russell never gave up on her dream of becoming a teacher.

WBKO-TV

  • WKU student restarts “Empower Your Health” chapter on campus: A health-based group on campus is helping students make informed choices about their future. Western Kentucky University student Symone Whalin is one of the founders of “Empower Your Health” on campus. The group keeps students informed on resources for reproductive health.

WNKY-TV

WEHT-TV, Henderson

  • WKU President discusses challenges on college campus during pandemic: Western Kentucky University is one of many college around the United States to welcome students back on campus this Fall. President Dr. Timothy Caboni appeared on Eyewitness News Daybreak Wednesday morning. Sitting down with anchor Jake Boswell, Dr. Caboni discussed the challenges in running a major university during the COVID pandemic.
  • WKU to lure students from neighboring states with in-state tuition: Western Kentucky University is making higher education for prospective students in states neighboring the Commonwealth. Starting next fall, students from neighboring states may attend WKU at the same cost of Kentucky residents.

Lane Report

  • Revved Up to Grow: The Spartan Garage was first started in 2015 by Robert Bowden III in his parents’ Atlanta garage and specialized in aftermarket modifications of off-road vehicles. When Bowden enrolled at Western Kentucky University for college, he relocated his company—then called Spartan 4×4—and added two students as employees. While in WKU’s Student Business Accelerator program, Bowden and his team expanded their network in the southern Kentucky automotive community.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Ky Forward

VOA Learning English

  • In Language Learning, Mistakes Are Not Bad: English learners should not think that mistakes, or errors, are bad. One American language expert advises that language learners should instead see errors as signs of progress. Alex Poole is a professor of English and interim department head of modern languages at Western Kentucky University. Poole recently spoke with VOA Learning English about errors and language learning.

Naples Florida Weekly

  • Naples Classical Academy announces Brunner as founding principal: Naples Classical Academy, a new tuition-free classical curriculum K-12 charter school, has selected John Brunner as the school’s founding principal. He holds a master’s degree in education leadership from Florida Gulf Coast University and a bachelor’s degree from Western Kentucky University.

Agri-View

  • Young professionals share tips for students: “International travel can be impactful to what you do in the future,” said Jodi Lynch Findley, who moderated the career-opportunities panel. “I’ve traveled to Ecuador and China.” She earned in 2000 a bachelor’s degree in agriculture and animal science from Western Kentucky University. She’s a national strategic-account manager with Zoetis.

The Daily Advocate, Greenville, OH

  • Wayne HealthCare’s Flood named ‘Rising Star’: Wayne HealthCare continues to look provide the best health care for Greenville and Darke County Residents. And another example of that is Terri Flood, Vice-President of Business Development and Marketing. Flood received both her Master of Health Administration and a Bachelor of Science in family studies from Western Kentucky University. She also has a leadership studies certificate.

Think Advisor

  • Human Capital: Ron Rhoades Unpacks Reg BI Unknowns: In this episode of Human Capital, we talk with Ron Rhoades, director of the personal financial planning program and assistant professor of finance in the Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University, who was recently awarded the Tamar Frankel Fiduciary prize by the Institute for the Fiduciary Standard.

Global Investing Today

  • City National Bank Opens in Buckhead: City National Bank, America’s Premier Private and Business Bank®, announced today that it has opened its second Atlanta office, in the city’s affluent uptown district of Buckhead, to better serve the community. Antwan Floyd, vice president and branch manager, brings more than 25 years of banking experience to his role at City National, where he leads the team of seasoned financial experts to help clients meet their financial goals. Floyd earned his bachelor’s degree at Western Kentucky University, where he also played football.

Janesville (WI) Gazette

  • Janesville native promoted to brigadier general: Army Chaplain Thomas Behling, a 1980 Parker High School graduate and Distinguished Viking alumnus, has been promoted to brigadier general and named director of the Joint Chaplain Office for the National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C. He also earned master's degrees in public administration from Western Kentucky University, in strategic studies from the United States Army War College and a Master of Divinity degree from Bethel Theological Seminary.

Money Geek

  • Expert Advice on How to Get the Best Car Insurance: How does car insurance differ from other types of coverage and why is it so important for drivers? Car insurance is not that much different than some home policies when you think about it -- Dr. Doris Sikora, Optional Retirement, Associate Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences Education.
Sept. 19-24, 2020

NBC News

  • Kentucky doctor who urged mask-wearing early on dies of Covid-19: David and Rebecca Shadowen were college sweethearts at Western Kentucky University, and together they enrolled at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. Shadowen went on to specialize in infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and Lyme disease, and, this year, Covid-19.

Daily News

  • Forthcoming book commemorates career of late WKU sculptor, professor: To his friends and contemporaries, the late sculptor and longtime Western Kentucky University professor Charles H. Forrester was known for his abstract works, his world travels and even his instrumental role in designing WKU’s Fine Arts Center.
  • Event at BG Ballpark to connect youth with law enforcement: Boys to Men is teaming up with the Bowling Green Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Western Kentucky University Police Department and the Bowling Green Hot Rods to hold Boys to Law Enforcement Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Bowling Green Ballpark.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

  • WKU Students protest on campus following Breonna Taylor announcement: The Breonna Taylor case has garnered the attention of Kentucky and the nation as months went by without any updates in the investigation until Wednesday. With the indictment against former LMPD officer Brett Hankinson, and no further criminal charges filed against him or other officers in the case, WKU students protested Wednesday afternoon.
  • Date set for Wendy’s Chili & Cheese Luncheon: Celebrate Western Kentucky University’s Maskerade Homecoming 2020 week by participating in the 70th annual Chili & Cheese event on Thursday, October 8, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Montana Grille.
  • WKU students talk about what Hispanic heritage means to them: Hispanic Heritage Month began September 15th and continues until October 15th. Western Kentucky University Students and Faculty, who identify as Hispanic, have reasons why this month is so special to them.
  • WKU professor talks about the impact of RBG’s passing: Ginsburg was the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court and served for 27 years. WKU political science professor Dr. Jeff Budziak says Ginsburg’s passing and replacement will have a large impact on the nation’s policies.

Ky Forward

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Beech Tree News

  • Johnson receives BC Water District scholarship: The Butler County Water District promotes education in the water supply field by offering an annual scholarship to a graduating high school senior. Dustin Johnson of Butler County High School was presented with a $1,000 scholarship to Western Kentucky University for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Feed & Grain

Gloucester (MA) Daily Times

Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA

  • Sequim graduate, former CEO of PepsiCo, dies at 99: Born March 16, 1921, in Sequim, Donald McIntosh Kendall became a star football player in high school and earned a scholarship from Western Kentucky State College in Bowling Green, Ky., according to a memorial page posted on the PepsiCo website.

Westfair Online, White Plains, NY

  • Donald Kendall, often-controversial PepsiCo CEO, dies at 99: Donald Kendall, who served as CEO of PepsiCo from 1963 through 1986 in a tenure marked with extraordinary success and more than a few controversies, passed away on Sept. 19 at the age of 99. Born in Sequim, Washington, in 1921, the son of dairy farmers. He earned a sports scholarship to Western Kentucky State Teachers College in Bowling Green, but left school to become a U.S. Navy pilot in World War II, receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Sarasota (FL) Magazine

  • Players Centre for the Performing Arts Names New CEO: The Players Centre for Performing Arts has named William Skaggs as chief executive officer. Prior to SKyPAC, Skaggs’ career has included work in financial services and 12 years in institutional advancement at Western Kentucky University.

Fox21-TV, Dover, DE

  • Reliant Bancorp, Inc. Announces Chief Accounting Officer Change: The Company also announced that Mark C. Seaton has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of the Company and Reliant Bank to succeed Mr. Kowalski. Mr. Seaton holds a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Western Kentucky University.
Sept. 16-18, 2020

Daily News

Spectrum News 1

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Lane Report

WCLU-FM, Glasgow

Columbia Magazine

  • WKU professor's Appalachian Reckoning among winners of American Book Awards: Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy, co-edited by Western Kentucky University History Professor Anthony Harkins, is among the winners of the 41st annual American Book Awards presented by the Before Columbus Foundation.
  • WKU announces Hilltopper Guarantee: Beginning fall 2021, Western Kentucky University will be tuition free to any freshman from Kentucky who receives Pell Grant assistance and has at least a 3.0 cumulative unweighted high school grade-point average.

Business Observer, Sarasota, FL

  • Performing arts center hires new CEO: The Players Centre for Performing Arts named William Skaggs CEO. Skaggs’ most recent position was with Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center in Bowling Green, Ky., according to a press release. Prior to Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center, his career included work in financial services and 12 years in institutional advancement at Western Kentucky University.

Finger Lakes Times, Geneva, NY

  • Belhurst Wedding Contest winners announced: Taylor Milner and Christian Mullins are the winners in this year’s Belhurst Wedding Contest. Milner met her fiancé in 2015 at Western Kentucky University, where they both studied physical education.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Common Wealth duo ventures to new venues: McDougal, who lives in Elizabethtown, is originally from Bowling Green, said he began singing while in high school. He earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Western Kentucky University and has performed in a variety of theater and church settings. He currently performs with the Kentucky Opera in Louisville and has served as a worship leader for nearly two decades.

Investment News

Venture Nashville Connection

  • Venture Notes: Carson King, a 24-year-old Physics grad from Western Kentucky University, has made an initial filing for what may eventually be a series of hedge funds that he creates for himself or others, he confirmed in a brief VNC interview. His initial filing for Sistine Capital LP was for nearly $108K, with a total eight investors.

Ky Forward

Sept. 10-15, 2020

WKU Public Radio

  • WKU's 'Rock the Vote' Goes Virtual in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: On the campus of Western Kentucky University, the annual Rock the Vote Festival usually nets hundreds of newly registered voters. But the COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizers to reimagine this year's event by turning to social media.
  • Kentucky Seeing Major Increase in Number of High School Students Earning College Credit: New research shows the number of Kentucky high school students enrolling in dual credit courses has increased more than 75 percent in recent years. Higher education leaders see dual credit as an effective gateway into college. The CPE's online dashboard shows Western Kentucky University was the leader among the state's four-year, public universities and community colleges for dual credit enrollment in 2018-19.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

  • Firefighter climbs same number of floors as 9/11 first responders: Chris McCoy, a firefighter with the Smiths Grove Volunteer Fire Department, climbed the stairs of the Creason lot parking structure at Western Kentucky University 20 times to symbolize what the firefighters climbed on 9/11. The parking structure is seven stories, and McCoy says it will come out to around 110 floors after the whole journey, the same amount as the firefighters on 9/11.

Daily News

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Kudos: Praising positives: HONORING ERIC YATES. The Army ROTC program at Western Kentucky University continues to protect the memory of 1st Lt. Eric D. Yates. Not even the COVID-19 pandemic could get in the way.

Ky Forward

Lane Report

Northern Kentucky Tribune

WICZ-TV, Vestal, NY

  • Dr. Scott Harris Named President of ASRC Industrial’s EQM: ASRC Industrial (AIS), a premier provider of industrial and environmental services throughout the United States, is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Scott Harris as president of its Environmental Quality Management operating company. Harris earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science from Western Kentucky University.
Sept. 2-9, 2020

NBC Nightly News

Daily News

  • Growth in dual credit a boon for WKU: After launching a statewide dual-credit policy and scholarship program in 2016, participation among Kentucky high school students soared by more than 75 percent in recent years, a study from the state’s Council on Postsecondary Education recently found. Western Kentucky University stands as one of the biggest victors.
  • GRREC moves ahead with new pathway for educator advancement: A new program under development by the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative aimed at helping educators obtain rank changes while working toward their professional goals has just one last hurdle to clear before it can launch. In partnership with Western Kentucky University, the co-op is offering GRREC Ed – a program that will include two tracks for educators looking to get ahead and who need a rank change to do so.
  • Former teacher still going strong at 100: After earning her teaching certificate from Western Kentucky State Teachers College (now Western Kentucky University) Bush first moved to Barren County with her husband Wilton, where they lived for 15 years while both were teaching.

WNKY-TV

Financial Planning

  • DoL knocked for rushing fiduciary rule replacement: Insurance providers and consumer advocates agreed on little during the recent five-and-a-half-hour Labor Department hearing on its new fiduciary rule replacement, except this: The whole process was rushed. “[This proposal] will lead to increased betrayals of trust,” said Ron Rhoades, director of the personal financial planning program at Western Kentucky University, in his testimony. “The department should return to the drawing board, start over again and fashion a proposal that reflects the plain language of ERISA.”

Columbia Magazine

  • KY Mesonet at WKU to play key role in $5M research project: Advances in weather forecast models have enabled forecasters to improve the accuracy of forecasts, including severe weather warnings, helping to save lives and property. The Kentucky Mesonet at WKU, a division of the Kentucky Climate Center, will play a key role in a $5 million National Science Foundation project aimed at making further advances in near-term forecasts that can be critical in active and severe weather situations.

Ky Forward

  • New Butler County Schools superintendent Robert Tuck seeks to develop new generation of leaders: Robert Tuck came well-prepared into the job of Butler County Schools superintendent. He knew he was hired in June, so he had time before his July 1 start date to confer with retiring Superintendent Scott Howard. Tuck earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences teaching, followed by a master’s in educational leadership and Rank 1 certifications in Level 2 leadership, director of pupil personnel (DPP), and assistant superintendent, all from Western Kentucky University.

Scientific Reports

  • Aging and haptic shape discrimination: the effects of variations in size: Seventy-two older and younger adults haptically discriminated the solid shape of natural objects (bell peppers, Capsicum annuum). Plastic copies of the original-sized fruits were used as experimental stimuli, as well as copies that were reduced in size to 1/8th and 1/27th of the original object volumes. If haptic object shape is represented in a part-based manner, then haptic shape discrimination performance should be at least partly size invariant, since changes only in scale do not affect an object’s constituent parts. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Western Kentucky University, and each participant signed an informed consent document prior to testing.

Lane Report

  • Women Worthy of Note: Shannon Vitale has worked for the same company, The Mahurin Group, for 33 years. She started in 1987 as a receptionist and then studied and trained to be a financial adviser. She attended Western Kentucky University, and has earned the Series 7, 9, 10, 63, 65, Insurance License.

Inter News Cast

  • To Many Travelers, 2020 Was the Summer of 1965: “When you fly, you just get where you want to go and you don’t think at all about what you’re flying over,” said Anthony Harkins, a Western Kentucky University history professor who studies the cultural implications of air travel and transportation. “Driving allows the possibility of better understanding the country — its geography, its culture — and historically it has helped us understand what it means to be an American.”

Augusta (GA) Chronicle

  • Ruth Snazelle celebrates 100th birthday: Ruth Snazelle celebrated her 100th birthday on May 29, 2020. While attending Western Kentucky State Teachers College (now Western Kentucky University) in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a trip to a bowling alley led Ruth to meet the love of her life, Albert Snazelle.
Aug. 21-Sept. 1, 2020

Daily News

  • WKU will go test-optional for most admissions next spring: Starting next spring, Western Kentucky University will no longer require standardized test scores on exams, such as the ACT or SAT, for most admissions applicants, making WKU one of the first public universities in the state to go test-optional.
  • WKU extends Kentucky teacher discount: After the success it saw this summer in offering Kentucky teachers a discount for graduate coursework, Western Kentucky University is extending the discount for the entire 2020-21 academic year.
  • WKU has 86 new virus cases; will require testing of sorority, fraternity members: One week into its fall semester, Western Kentucky University reported Friday at least 86 new positive COVID-19 cases – all of which were among students – bringing the campus community’s running total to 299 cases.
  • Confederate marker at WKU removed for second time: A historical marker that notes Bowling Green was a former state capital of the Confederacy has been removed and placed into storage by the Kentucky Historical Society following a fresh wave of discussion at Western Kentucky University about history and how it should be remembered.
  • WKU will shine above this adversity: A pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you hope you never have. Yet adversity has a way of allowing people and organizations to demonstrate their best. At Western Kentucky University, that has happened several times since COVID-19 became such a major disruption to our lives.
  • 'Smile' buttons become new tool for teachers: When Beth Schaeffer is able to meet with preschool-age students at Western Kentucky University’s Renshaw Early Childhood Center, those students will be greeted with a smile.

WBKO-TV

  • Western Kentucky University COVID-19 cases on the rise: During the last reporting period, from August 21st-27th, Western Kentucky University had 86 confirmed COVID-19 cases.
  • Kentucky Museum receives $10,000 grant: One Kentucky Museum is receiving a substantial grant to preserve the state’s history. The Kentucky Museum on WKU’s campus received a $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
  • Bowling Green woman celebrates 105th birthday: A Bowling Green woman is celebrating over a century in the community. Sunday morning, Kathryn Gilbert blew out her candles and had a piece of cake to celebrate her 105th birthday. According to her daughter, Glenda White, she is the oldest living alumni of the training school, renamed College High, and the oldest living alumnus of Western Kentucky University.
  • Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex at WKU receives grants from WHAS Crusade for Children: The Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex (CEC) at WKU received two grant awards from the WHAS Crusade for Children: $21,000 for the Kelly Autism Program Prime Time and $26,000 for the Renshaw Early Childhood Center (RECC) Big Red School.
  • WKU student hosts mental health table talk on campus: Students at Western Kentucky University attended their second day of classes on the hill Tuesday and one student decided it would be important to bring attention to mental health.
  • Western Kentucky University students experience first day back: The tops are back on the hill, but things look a little different this year. “We want to make sure that every student is taking care of themselves and the community by wearing a mask, staying six feet apart and not gathering in large numbers,” said Western Kentucky University President Tim Caboni.
  • WKU “Maskerade” Homecoming set for Oct. 10: The Western Kentucky University Alumni Association, in partnership with WKU Athletics, has announced that the tradition of WKU Homecoming, originally scheduled for Oct. 31, will now be celebrated throughout the week concluding on Saturday, Oct. 10.

WNKY-TV

Spectrum News 1

WKU Public Radio

Ky Forward

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Cross to serve on WKU Alumni Board: The WKU Alumni Association recently elected nine new board members for 2020-21 and recognized three members who will serve in one-year appointments. Among new members who will serve for a three-year term is Joe Cross of Elizabethtown, a 2001, 2002 and 2019 alumnus and lifetime member of the WKU Alumni Association.
  • Osborne recognized by Gilman Scholarship for study abroad: Twenty-seven Western Kentucky University students were recognized by the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for study abroad in the March 2020 application cycle.
  • Corbin makes award-winning difference in the classroom: Dawn Corbin has demonstrated an award-winning passion for the students she serves at Morningside Elementary. A resident of Green County, Corbin holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Western Kentucky University and holds a master’s degree in special education from Campbellsville University.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Graves to lead Greater Owensboro Realtor Association: When Jaclyn Graves arrived at Western Kentucky University, she decided to major in public relations and marketing. Later, she switched to sociology and criminology.
  • WKU community working to rise above adversity: A pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you hope you never have. Yet adversity has a way of allowing people and organizations to demonstrate their best. At Western Kentucky University, that has happened several times since COVID-19 became such a major disruption to our lives.

Owensboro Times

  • WKU-O begins fall semester: Western Kentucky University-Owensboro resumed classes along with the other three WKU regional campuses on Monday.

Dairy Agenda Today

The Record, Leitchfield

  • WKU invests countless hours preparing for unprecedented fall: A pandemic is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you hope you never have. Yet adversity has a way of allowing people and organizations to demonstrate their best. At Western Kentucky University, that has happened several times since COVID-19 became such a major disruption to our lives.

Business Record

Market Screener

KPI Newspaper Group

Murfreesboro (TN) Post

  • Design firm promotes Miles: Jason Miles, P.E., CFM, of Murfreesboro has been promoted to Associate at Lose Design in Nashville. Miles earned his bachelor of science in civil engineering from Western Kentucky University in 2005.

Greenhouse Product News

  • SNA’s Sidney B. Meadows Fund Awards Scholarships: The Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Fund, created in 1989 by the Southern Nursery Association (SNA), has announced the names of 12 students from nine Southeastern universities chosen to receive academic scholarships this year. They include: William C. Tolley, Western Kentucky University.

LaRue County Herald-News

  • Working With Families in their Time of Need: This coming Monday will be a bittersweet moment for the Bennett-Bertram Funeral Home as Funeral Director Brad Turner will retire on August 31. Turner has been a licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, and the Vice President and a Co-owner of Bennet-Bertram Funeral Home since 1994. His career in the funeral home business began in college as he graduated from Western Kentucky University with a major in biology and an interest in anatomy and physiology.

Beech Tree News

  • Dr. Hammad’s office welcomes new nurse practitioner: Tara Hewitt has joined the staff at Dr. Ghayth Hammad’s office as the fifth nurse practitioner. Tara earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from Western Kentucky University in May and holds a national board certification with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
Aug. 12-20, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Kentucky New Era

Lane Report

  • Louisville’s Marketing Maven: It may be an understatement to say that Tiandra Robinson has a passion for marketing. She set her mind on pursuing a career in marketing and advertising when she was in middle school, then put herself on track to achieve that goal by earning a bachelor’s degree in advertising from Western Kentucky University and a master’s in marketing communications from Webster University in St. Louis. And when she couldn’t find a job in her field after graduating, she struck out on her own.
  • Student Support Services at WKU awarded five-year grants for two programs: The U.S. Department of Education has awarded Western Kentucky University about $3 million over five years for a federal TRiO program that serves low-income, first-generation college students.
  • Kentucky Museum receives IMLS Inspire! Grant: The Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University will receive a $49,970 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the “Inspire! Grants for Small Museums” program.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Local students receive John Dink Memorial Scholarship: Fifteen Hardin County students recently received a John Dink Memorial Scholarship from Central Kentucky Community Foundation. Recipients include several students planning to attend WKU.
  • Bridges draws on lessons learned on the farm: For Lindsey Bridges of Elizabethtown, her upbringing on the family farm proved to be a formative experience not just for her personal development and moral values, but her entire professional life. After high school, she earned a degree in business from Western Kentucky University through the university’s Elizabethtown campus.

Ky Forward

WDRB-TV, Louisville

Spectrum News 1

  • RISE Funding Supports Public-Private Partnerships and Small Businesses: Gov. Andy Beshear announced in July an additional $2.6 million in funding to six public-private partnerships focusing on key regions throughout the state as part of KY Innovation. Jeff Hook, executive director of the Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center (CRICC) in Bowling Green and director of Western Kentucky University’s Center for Research and Development and Small Business Accelerator, said he is excited to be added to the statewide RISE program.
  • How WKU Is Keeping Track of Coronavirus Cases on Campus: As part of their Healthy on the Hill initiative, Western Kentucky University now offers a COVID-19 dashboard which gives a weekly update on positive coronavirus cases. The university has worked with the Graves Gilbert Clinic at WKU along with Med Center Health to collect the data.

Beech Tree News

  • Dr. Brittany Evans Hampton Opens Maple Leaf Family Dentistry: Maple Leaf Family Dentistry is a dream come true for Dr. Brittany Evans Hampton. Brittany graduated from Butler County High School in 2010. While working on her major in biology and minor in chemistry at Western Kentucky University, she realized, "I'm going to be a Dentist," and that's what she did when she received her Doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 2017.

MPN Now, Canandaigua, NY

  • Belhurst Castle names wedding contest winners: Belhurst Castle in Geneva selected Taylor Milner and Christian Mullins as this year’s wedding contest winners. Milner, a Greece native, met Mullins in 2015 at Western Kentucky University, where they studied physical education.

National Interest

  • Yes, Americans Do Want More Domestically-Produced PPE: To evaluate support for increasing domestic manufacturing capacity, we conducted a web survey via Amazon Turk of 1,035 respondents on July 7, 2020, in conjunction with the International Public Opinion Lab (IPOL) at Western Kentucky University.

The Hill

Warrick County (IN) Standard

Hyperallergic

  • Kentucky Will Raise Its First Statue Honoring a Woman, Nettie Depp: Next year, Kentucky will raise a statue of a woman for the first time in its history. The monument will honor Nettie Depp, a Kentucky educator who died in 1932. Depp was also the first Barren County student to earn a degree in education from what is now Western Kentucky University.
Aug. 4-11, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • WKU weighs admissions without tests, projects enrollment increase: One year after announcing it would ditch standardized test scores as a factor in the award of most academic merit-based and targeted scholarships for incoming freshmen, Western Kentucky University is weighing whether to do the same for admissions.
  • WKU reexamines building names amid national racial reckoning: Spurred on by nationwide protests in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans killed by police, and the racial reckoning in their wake, Western Kentucky University is reexamining its history and exploring whether campus buildings named after potential slaveholders should be renamed.
  • WKU hosts teachers hoping to inspire budding scientists: Ahead of the start of school this fall, teachers from across the country are gathering at Western Kentucky University for a week of training and mentorship during this year’s National STEM Scholars program.

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

WCLU-FM, Glasgow

Lane Report

  • CPE names 22 members to new student advisory group: The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education has named 22 college students to a new advisory panel that will offer diverse perspectives on student concerns and policies in higher education. Members include Scott Nelson, Western Kentucky University.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Barr Bones offering online and mobile boutique: As Barr Bones, an online and mobile boutique based out of Owensboro, reaches its second anniversary, owner Carli Barr said she has had to go back to her roots with the shop in recent months and make adjustments due to COVID-19. Barr, a Western Kentucky University graduate with a major in fashion merchandising, started Barr Bones in September 2018.

Morning Ag Clips

  • Young Farmer award finalists named: Isaac and Kyla Schroeder, Perry County: The Schroeders divide their time and energy between their on-and-off the farm jobs. They own and operate a primarily registered Angus cattle farm, but when they’re not on the farm, Isaac and Kyla also work full-time jobs in the community. The Schroeders attended Western Kentucky University where they each earned bachelor’s degrees in agriculture.

Voice-Tribune, Louisville

  • Grow West Movement: It all started when the Kroger in the West End closed. Fueled by a passion to help and a bit of rage, Demi Gardner, a West End native, and Katie Lee Jones joined forces to begin collecting dry goods and donations to provide food to the neighborhoods in need of resources. Gardner is a recent graduate of Western Kentucky University.
July 23-Aug. 3, 2020

Daily News

  • WKU secures renewed federal funding for Chinese language education: Western Kentucky University’s Chinese Flagship – an education program that allows students to seamlessly pair foreign language acquisition with their undergraduate degree – has secured renewed federal funding through 2020 to 2024.
  • Amid pandemic, WKU faculty press campus leadership for reopening specifics: Ahead of campus forums meant to discuss Western Kentucky University’s reopening Aug. 24, faculty at the university contend key questions about testing, contact tracing and quarantine procedures remain unanswered.
  • GRREC works to develop new pathway for educator advancement: Whether it’s boosting student engagement or designing better classroom assessments, a new program under development by the Green River Regional Educational Cooperative is aiming to help educators obtain rank changes while working toward their professional goals. In partnership with Western Kentucky University, GRREC ED will offer two academies for educators who want to move ahead in their careers and need a rank change to do so.
  • Brothers plan to open Trinh Fish & Corals: For brothers Leon and Leonardo Trinh, their passion for all things aquatic may only be rivaled by their family’s penchant for entrepreneurship. Now they have combined the two, creating a business called Trinh Fish & Corals that they plan to open next month even as they continue to work on undergraduate degrees at Western Kentucky University and eventual careers in medicine.

Spectrum News 1

WKU Public Radio

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • WKU offers game design pathway: Western Kentucky University will launch a new certificate in game design this fall to creates a new career pathway for students.
  • West Hardin students learn financial literacy from the best: Joy Knight, family and consumer sciences teacher at West Hardin Middle School, has been named Kentucky financial literacy teacher of the year. Knight, who has taught for 15 years in Hardin County Schools, received her degree at Western Kentucky University after graduating from Central Hardin High School in 1998.

Owensboro Times

  • Local entrepreneur featured in New York Times for unique design business: At just 23 years old, Owensboro native Allison Lewis used some ingenuity to grow her creative studio Bright Eye Designs in the midst of a pandemic. Lewis graduated from Owensboro High School in 2015. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandising from Western Kentucky University in 2019.

WLKY-TV, Louisville

Building Kentucky

  • WKU Commons at Helm Library marks construction milestone: A historic building at the top of the hill at Western Kentucky University is transforming again. Originally built in 1934 as a campus basketball arena and then retrofitted in the 1960s to become a library, the structure will soon become WKU Commons at Helm Library. The new hybrid space will be a lively hub for studying, socializing and collaboration.

Wallet Hub

  • American Express 0% APR Credit Cards: Ask the Experts: Jonathan Handy, Assistant Professor, Western Kentucky University
  • 2020’s Most & Least Educated Cities in America: Gary W. Houchens, Professor of Educational Administration, School of Leadership and Professional Studies, Western Kentucky University: What steps can local governments take to ensure that learning remains uninterrupted during the current COVID-19 pandemic?
July 9-22, 2020

Lumina Foundation Focus

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • Support for small business gets boost from state: KY Innovation – the CED’s office for entrepreneurial and small business support – has authorized $2.6 million in funding to six public-private partnerships throughout the state, including one in Bowling Green. The Central Region Innovation and Commercialization Center, which is housed in Western Kentucky University’s Center for Research and Development on Nashville Road, is one of the six partnerships being funded through the Regional Innovation for Startups and Entrepreneurs program.
  • WKU Commons at Helm Library marks construction milestone with raising of support beam: Western Kentucky University marks a construction milestone on the WKU Commons at Helm Library with the raising of a 24-foot-long structural beam on Wednesday, July 15, 2020.
  • WKU adds BFA in Film Production: Western Kentucky University has added a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Production program, which will begin in the fall.
  • WKU professor honored for work in STEM education: A Western Kentucky University professor who’s shaping the next generation of Kentucky’s math and science teachers has herself been recognized for her achievements in science, technology, engineering and math education.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Doing what’s best for public health: In recent months, Sara Jo Best found herself leading in public health during a worldwide pandemic. She currently serves as the public health director at the Lincoln Trail District Health Department. A 1993 Central Hardin High School graduate, she graduated from Western Kentucky University focusing on health care administration and went back to get her masters degree in public health.
  • First RISE town hall discusses education: The meeting was the first installment of a seven­week series called RISE, sponsored by Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Western Kentucky University and Limestone Bank. Through the series, a new topic is discussed between panelists, moderators and community members.

Ky Forward

Legal News

  • A story worth repeating time and time again: Several months before the death of the eminently likeable Thomas there was another Alger-type story that rated far less media attention. It revolved around a woman who left a legacy that students at Western Kentucky University will enjoy for years to come. Her name was Mary Hutto and, according to published reports, she was “so frugal she slept in the hallway of her boarding house so each room had a tenant.”

Lane Report

Cherokee Phoenix

  • CN citizen wins NAJA scholarship: Cherokee Nation citizen Zane Gosaduisga Meyer-Thornton is one of five students to earn a Native American Journalists Association 2020-21 scholarship to help him pursue a media career. According to a NAJA press release, Meyer-Thornton is a visual journalist living in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He attends Western Kentucky University and is pursuing a degree in photojournalism with a minor in sociology, which he expects to complete by May 2022, the release states.

IndieWire

  • Sundance Institute Announces 2020 Class of Sundance Ignite x Adobe Fellows: Sundance Institute has announced its latest class of fellows, a group of 10 young filmmakers selected for the yearlong Sundance Ignite x Adobe fellowship. Jacob Anderson is a Kentucky-based writer, director, and cinematographer. He attended Western Kentucky University and graduated with a degree in filmmaking.
June 30-July 8, 2020

Daily News

  • Gatton student's research gets to the bottom of diabetic foot ulcers: It’s a mystery Gatton Academy student Gloria Huang hopes to unlock by blending science, math and computing and one that could hold treatment implications for a diabetes-related condition that about 15 percent of patients suffer from – foot ulcers.
  • With travel curtailed, WKU study abroad shifts gears: The Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning at Western Kentucky University is undergoing significant changes and challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is looking to capitalize on new opportunities when the fall semester begins Aug. 24.
  • Refugee students earn college scholarships: Four refugee students were beneficiaries Monday of the Martha Ann “Mom” Deputy Scholarship Fund, which gives $1,000 to refugees pursuing college degrees. “I am very grateful to have received this scholarship,” said Zin, a biology student at Western Kentucky University. “As a first-generation immigrant, and the first in my family to attend college, any support I can get to ease the financial stresses that come with higher education is greatly appreciated by me and my family.”

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Spectrum News 1

Louisville Courier Journal

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Town halls to discuss race, inequity, solidarity and empathy: For seven weeks, members of the community will have the opportunity to attend town halls that discuss subjects on race, inequity, solidarity and empathy. Sponsored by Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Western Kentucky University and Lime­tone Bank, RISE will discuss a new topic each week.

US AgNet

  • INFB Welcomes New Public Policy Director: Indiana Farm Bureau welcomed Andy Tauer as INFB's new director of public policy. In addition to leading the public policy team, Tauer is responsible for the overall management of policy at the local, state and national levels on behalf of Farm Bureau members. He holds a bachelor's degree in agriculture from Western Kentucky University.

Hanscom Air Force Base

  • Stephens eager to propel Hanscom, community forward: Col. Katrina Stephens, who assumed command of the 66th Air Base Group last month, is eager to continue building and fostering relationships with mission partners across the community. Stephens graduated from Western Kentucky University and was commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.
June 16-29, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • WKU regents approve budget with $27M in cuts: Bracing for financial fallout amid the coronavirus pandemic, Western Kentucky University will make more than $27 million in spending cuts in its looming fiscal year budget, including faculty and staff salary reductions.
  • Bell book release has a COVID twist: While releasing a new book is old hat for Bowling Green’s David Bell, the launch of his latest novel comes with a plot twist as it has not been spared from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. Bell is an associate professor of English at Western Kentucky University and director of the Master of Fine Arts program. He’s also the author of 10 best-selling novels, including “The Request,” published by Berkley Hardcover, slated to be released Tuesday.
  • Robertson is a legend in BG, very thankful to him: Longtime Bowling Green resident Lee Robertson has lived an extraordinary life that many of us should embody ourselves to live.
  • Daniels joins board at BGMU: Terry Daniels has been appointed to the board of directors of Bowling Green Municipal Utilities. Daniels is a native of Bowling Green and a graduate of Warren Central High School and Western Kentucky University, where he studied psychology and business administration.

WBKO-TV

  • WKU graduate creates a scholarship in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement: Juan Dozier has decided that he wants to help the future leaders on the Hill. The 2020 graduate has established the Juan H. D. Dozier II Scholarship in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement. The scholarship will support a diverse WKU freshman or sophomore who is enrolled full time, has been involved in leadership roles in high school or college and aspires to be a leader at WKU.
  • Happy Birthday to Mr. Western: The community came together on Tuesday to celebrate a very special birthday, Lee Robertson’s or Mr. Western, who is a staple in the WKU community. Loved ones and community members came out to celebrate his 98th birthday with a wave parade.

WNKY-TV

  • Alumnus establishes scholarship in honor of Black Lives Matter: Juan Dozier (’19, ’20) recently made a gift to WKU to establish the Juan H. D. Dozier II Scholarship in honor of the Black Lives Matter movement. The scholarship will support a diverse WKU freshman or sophomore who is enrolled full time, has been involved in leadership roles in high school or college and aspires to be a leader at WKU.
  • Past and present students celebrate mascot: When traveling around Bowling Green, it’s hard not to come across the mascot of Western Kentucky University, Big Red.

Glasgow Daily Times

  • WKU updates Big Red Restart plan for fall: Western Kentucky University has posted an update to the Big Red Restart plan for the fall semester. WKU President Timothy C. Caboni issued the communication to faculty, staff and students outlining the major changes and clarifications.

Owensboro Times

  • Kentucky roots drive Owensboro native to success: Born and raised in Owensboro, Jed Conklin’s works in photography has taken him to the far ends of the world. While his camera eventually landed him in Spokane, Wash., his “go-getter” attitude encouraged him to channel his inner entrepreneur. Degrees in print and photojournalism from Western Kentucky University propelled him to stints in Wyoming, New England, Colorado and eventually Washington.
  • DCPS, WKU to partner for social work program: The Daviess County Public Schools district and the Western Kentucky University social work program have developed a partnership that will allow WKU students to gain practical experience while also supporting the work of DCPS Family Resource and Youth Service Centers.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • DCPS hires McAdams for new district literacy intervention coach position: As the new Daviess County Public Schools literacy intervention coach, Shiryl McAdams said her goal is the impact students’ literacy journeys in a meaningful way. McAdams, who has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Western Kentucky University and a master’s degree in literacy from Capella University, has been teaching for 17 years.

Kentucky Living

  • Navigating Roads Together: Kentucky communities have stories—like this one—to tell. For 44 years, the Mountain Workshops have been telling them. Each year since 1976, the photojournalism program at Western Kentucky University has brought storytellers together to highlight communities throughout the state.

Lane Report

  • WKU first in Ky. to offer degree in film production: Western Kentucky University will offer Kentucky’s first bachelor of fine arts in film production starting in the fall of 2020. The new major is an immersive pre-professional degree for students pursuing a career in the film and television industry.

Russellville News Democrat & Leader

  • Holder appointed to Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services: John Holder, of Auburn, was recently appointed to the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services (KBEMS) by Governor Andy Beshear. Holder is originally from Adairville. He graduated from Logan County High School in 2002 and from Western Kentucky University in 2007.

Spectrum 1 News

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Local student awarded Boren Scholarship: A local student was among five Western Kentucky University students who were awarded $20,000 David L. Boren Scholarships to fund intensive language study in the U.S. and abroad during the 2020-21 academic year. All five are students in the Chinese Flagship Program.

Corbin Times-Tribune

June 5-15, 2020

Associated Press

  • Amid virus, US students look to colleges closer to home: As students make college plans for the fall, some U.S. universities are seeing surging interest from in-state residents who are looking to stay closer to home amid the coronavirus pandemic. At the University of Texas at Arlington, commitments from state residents are up 26% over last year. Ohio State and Western Kentucky universities are both up about 20%.

Daily News

WNKY-TV

  • Throwback Thursday – Bowling Green Business University: Bowling Green Business University was once a rival collegiate experience of Western Kentucky University. Established in 1874, the business university spent nearly 100 years being absorbed into WKU and evolving into the College of Commerce and modern College of Business.
  • Sunrise Spotlight – Diversity at WKU: We spoke with Molly Beth Kerby, Co-Chief Diversity Officer for Academic Affairs at WKU, to discuss diversity on campus.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • E’town superintendent named: Kelli Bush, 49, assistant superintendent for student learning at Elizabethtown Independent Schools, was named the new superintendent of the district. Bush thanked the board, Ballard and her family after the vote. She is married to Matt Bush, and has two children, Austin, 24, and Meredith, 21, who both study at Western Kentucky University.
  • Career, life challenges are not new for Kelli Bush: Bush transferred to Western Kentucky University and studied there for two and a half years. She did student teaching Morningside Elementary School during her senior year.

Spectrum News 1

  • Talking to Teens About the Protests: A professor at Western Kentucky University and mother, Lacretia Dye and her husband have tried to create an open and free space for their children to express themselves, but in a way that is both productive and efficient.

Lane Report

  • Automotive customization shop expands in Bowling Green: Bowden relocated Spartan 4×4 to Bowling Green when he enrolled as a student at Western Kentucky University and later added two students as employees. While in the university’s Student Business Accelerator program, Bowden and his team expanded their network in the Southern Kentucky automotive community.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Ohio County's Storm named new Newton Parrish principal: Alicia Storm has been named the new principal of Newton Parrish Elementary School, as she was unanimously approved to fill the position Tuesday by the school’s site-based decision-making council in a virtual meeting. Storm holds a bachelor’s degree in Spanish teaching from the University of Southern Indiana and her master’s in education administration and Rank I from Western Kentucky University.

Pensacola (FL) News Journal

  • How a future Blue Angel survived the Battle of Midway: A native of the Bluegrass State and graduate of Western Kentucky State Teachers College (now Western Kentucky University), Magda received his wings in Pensacola in 1941. He received assignment to fly F4F Wildcats with Fighting Squadron (VF) 8 on board USS Hornet (CV 8).

Atlanta Journal Constitution

  • Opinion: Bringing you the news in troubled times: Let me introduce you to Alyssa Pointer. She’s a visual journalist at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and you’ve likely seen her stunning photography during the past few weeks. She grew up in Clayton County – Jonesboro, to be exact. A graduate of Sandy Creek High School in Fayette County, she went on to study photojournalism at Western Kentucky University.

Johnson City (TN) Press

  • Educator was inspired by his teachers from childhood: Jamie Freeman, who graduated from David Crockett High School in 1994, is completing his 18th year as a teacher. The Army veteran earned his bachelor’s degree in history and secondary education at Western Kentucky University, where he met his future wife, Mollie.

Kiplinger

  • How to Find a Financial Planner You Trust: Planners who fail to comply with the fiduciary rule risk losing their CFP designation, which is overseen by the CFP Board of Standards. The requirement is “a very strong fiduciary standard,” says Ron Rhoades, director of the personal finance program at Western Kentucky University. “Basically, you have to make decisions without considering your own personal interests or those of your firm, and that truly means putting the best interest of the client first.”
May 12-June 4, 2020

Daily News

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Washington retires after decades in education: Washington earned a Bachelor of Science degree, a Masters of Arts and a Rank I from WKU.
  • Wyatt named to permanent role in Hardin County Schools Central Office: Debbie Wyatt, who has served as Hardin County Schools’ interim director of federal programs and leadership development, has been named to permanently fill the role. She obtained her master’s degree and Rank I from WKU.
  • Two local Gatton students earn federal scholarships: Two local students out of a total nine at The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at WKU have received nationally competitive National Security Language Initiative for Youth Scholar­ships for immersive, critical language study this summer and next academic year, according to a news release. The winners include Cat Appelman of Elizabethtown High School and Jada Hunter-Hays of LaRue County High School.
  • Workforce board pilots expungement program: Timi-Michelle Tolhurst had a background check ran last week and it came back clean for the first time in 10 years. Tolhurst, an employee at Hardin Memorial Health’s CareFirst Urgent Care Center in Radcliff, is the first participant to complete the expungement process from start to finish in Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board Workforce Crisis Task Force’s Expungement Benefit Program. “Anything we can do to make the journey to gainful employment easier benefits both employers and job seekers,” said Dr. Donielle Lovell, Removing Obstacles Subcommittee co-chairwoman and director of regional programming and associate professor of sociology at WKU.

Glasgow Daily Times

  • One Step Closer: Lynch lands job with NASA: While still a Glasgow High School student, Lynch went on to study at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at WKU. By the time she graduated from the Gatton Academy, she had more than 70 college credit hours.

WDRB-TV, Louisville

WAVE-TV, Louisville

  • Expungement Benefit Program helps former felons move on with their lives: Changing lives- one criminal record at a time. The first person to complete the Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board’s Expungement Benefit Program spoke to WAVE 3 News. Timi-Michlle Tolhurst is a mother of two, a WKU graduate and an employee at Hardin Memorial Health’s Urgent Care Center in Radcliff.

Northern Kentucky Tribune

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz

Corbin Times Tribune

  • WKU student from Williamsburg awarded $20,000 scholarship: Five WKU students, including a student from Williamsburg, have been awarded $20,000 David L. Boren Scholarships to fund intensive language study in the US and abroad during the 2020-2021 academic year. All five are students in the Chinese Flagship Program.

Ky Forward

Sidney (OH) Daily News

Portland (TN) Sun

  • Creek retiring from PHS after more than four decades: Portland High School (PHS) librarian Susan Hinton Creek retired at the end of the school year after 41 years teaching. She began her college career at WKU, where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education in 1979.

SmileyPete.com

  • A Moment In Time: The Kentucky Folklife Program began in 1989 as an interagency partnership between the Kentucky Historical Society and the Kentucky Arts Council. The program was relocated to its current home at WKU in 2012, where it’s overseen by the Department of Folk Life and Anthropology.

Syracuse.com

April 24-May 11, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • Local students selected for 2020 Governor's School for Entrepreneurs: Running a business is nothing new for Morgan Burk, one of two local high school students recently selected to participate in this year’s Governor’s School for Entrepreneurs. Burk, a junior at WKU’s Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, oversees business operations at Morgan’s Fresh Cut Tree Lot on Nashville Road, a popular Christmas-time destination for families in search of the perfect fir, spruce, pine or cedar tree for hanging ornaments at home.
  • Friends recall how Cora Jane Spiller touched many lives: For a few years, Cindy Hines had tangible evidence of how generous Cora Jane Spiller could be.
  • Perspective: WKU's President Cherry and the 1918 flu pandemic: Complying with the Board of Health directive, Western Kentucky State Normal School closed Oct. 7 and remained closed until Nov. 10. “This is the first time in the history of the Normal School that this has ever been necessary,” Henry Hardin Cherry wrote, but Bowling Green was in the midst of “the worst siege of sickness this community has ever had.”
  • Amid pandemic, WKU eyes $27 million in cuts: Amid ongoing economic uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, WKU will aim to cut $27 million from its fiscal year 2021 budget, which is projected to total $370 million.
  • WKU names inaugural Distinguished Educator winners: WKU kicked off Teacher Appreciation Week on Tuesday by revealing the inaugural winners of its College of Education and Behavioral Sciences’ Distinguished Educator Awards.
  • What ever happened to Chris Marcus?: When the world stopped trying to squeeze Chris Marcus into the box he would never fit in, the gentle giant finally wrote his own story.

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Kentucky New Era, Hopkinsville

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

DuBois County (IN) Herald

  • Jasper native patrols Big Apple as NYPD rookie: The 2 1/2-year process of joining the NYPD actually began during Caleb’s senior year at WKU (he graduated in 2017) when he took the department’s written exam. The NYPD had contacted him about the hiring process while he was doing the Ripken traveling clinics.

Hickory (NC) Daily Record

  • Frye Regional Medical Center announces CEO: Frye Regional Medical Center, a Duke LifePoint Hospital, announced that Rod Harkleroad, RN has been named its new chief executive officer, effective June 8. Harkleroad earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from WKU.

WDRB-TV, Louisville

Columbia Magazine

Maysville Ledger-Independent

  • Mason, St. Pat students headed to Gatton: The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has selected 102 Kentucky sophomores for the Class of 2022. Two Mason County residents are among them.

Morehead News

April 9-23, 2020

Daily News

  • WKU will plan September commencement for spring 2020 grads: WKU’s graduating seniors won’t have commencement ceremonies next month because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the school said it is aiming for a makeup date this fall.
  • Caboni, administrators take pay cut amid virus fallout: WKU President Timothy Caboni announced Friday that he will take a pay cut and forego his performance bonuses amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the money going to benefit WKU’s need-based Opportunity Fund for students.
  • Health workers with local ties on front lines of virus fight: For more than a week, third-year medical school student Meredith Doughty has been on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19. Doughty, a Bowling Green native who attended Greenwood High School and WKU’s Gatton Academy, is among a group of four medical student volunteers defending a Lyon County retirement community under siege by the coronavirus.
  • Dishman-McGinnis Elementary names Perkins new principal: Perkins is a graduate of WKU and the University of the Cumberlands, with certifications in elementary education, teacher leader endorsement and educational administration, according to the district’s news release.
  • Facebook group uses 3D printers to make face shields: Harmon, a WKU employee who has been working from home since the statewide social distancing mandates were put in place, was happy to join the group.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Edmonson Voice

Murray Ledger & Times

WPSD-TV, Paducah

Kentucky New Era

  • Local students picked for Gatton Academy: The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has selected 102 Kentucky sophomores for the Class of 2022, including two students from Christian and Todd counties.

WDRB-TV, Louisville

  • Kentucky universities developing plans for refunds, graduation in response to COVID-19: WKU spokesperson Bob Skipper said WKU is refunding students for housing, dining and parking that was already paid for. In terms of graduation, WKU has announced plans to have a commencement celebration during its annual Parent and Family Weekend on Sept. 19. However, Skipper said the university is allowing students to participate in December 2020 or May 2021 commencement if they so choose.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Frankfort State-Journal

  • Negron racking up honors at Gatton: Lukas Negron has had plenty of academic accomplishments, and he’s added two more in recent weeks. Negron, a senior at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at WKU, was recently named a finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Competition.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Howard named new OHS dean of instruction: Tara Howard, the current principal at McLean County High School, has been named the new Owensboro High School dean of instruction, a position she will assume July 1. Howard earned a bachelor of science in middle grades education with an emphasis in math and social studies from WKU.

Seymour (IN) Tribune

  • Seymour radio station changing hands: Life has come full circle for Becky Schepman. The Seymour native did a summer internship at 92.7 WQKC in her hometown and worked for the campus radio station while attending WKU.

WCLU-FM, Glasgow

Time

March 21-April 8, 2020

Daily News

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

  • Program pairs high-risk residents with low-risk volunteers to help them: Modeled after similar volunteer match programs in Louisville and in Elizabethtown, an online COVID-19 Community Action Center for Bowling Green and Warren County launched Thursday. Using geographic information systems (GIS) to help find and arrange matches between elder or high-risk residents requesting assistance and low-risk volunteers who can help, this project is a collaboration between WKU geography staff and students, the City of Bowling Green, Warren County government and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
  • Annual Dance Big Red generates $34,000 for Norton Children’s Hospital: The annual Dance Big Red event generated $34,000 for Norton Children’s Hospital.

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz

  • J.B. Morse Named a Presidential Scholar Candidate: A Hopkinsville High School student that attends the Gatton Academy is a candidate for the 2020 United States Presidential Scholar program. Jerry “J.B.” Morse is one of seven Gatton Academy students who are candidates for the U.S. Presidential Scholar Program, which was created in 1964 to recognize and honor the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.

Terre Haute (IN) Tribune-Star

  • New Dean of ISU's Scott College of Business: Terry Daugherty has been selected as the new dean of Indiana State University’s Scott College of Business. Daugherty earned his bachelor's degree at WKU, his master's degree at the University of Alabama and his doctorate at Michigan State University.

Washington Post

WBGO-FM, Newark, NJ

February 29-March 20, 2020

Hartselle (AL) Enquirer

Ashland Daily Independent

  • Longtime Kentucky journalist, Glasgow native Ronnie Ellis dies: Ronnie Ellis, a longtime state reporter for CNHI, LLC, died early Monday morning at T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow from complications with COPD and heart failure. Ellis began his journalism career in 1974 when he worked at The Edmonson County News while still a student at WKU.

Daily News

WKU Public Radio

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Clarksville Now

  • Trump presents Medal of Freedom to retired four-star general: Retired four-star Gen. Jack Keane received the nation’s highest civilian honor Tuesday at a White House ceremony hosted by President Donald Trump, who called the Army veteran a “visionary,” a “brilliant strategist” and a “fearless patriot.”

Franklin Favorite

Fox News

  • Gen. Jack Keane on receiving Presidential Medal of Freedom: 'This was really off the charts': Fox News senior strategic analyst Jack Keane, a retired four-star Army general, told "Bill Hemmer Reports" Wednesday that receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump was "overwhelming" and "emotionally gripping." Born in New York City, Keane graduated from Fordham University and receive a master's degree from WKU.

Spectrum News

Lane Report

Northern Kentucky Tribune

Knoxville (TN) News Sentinel

  • Friends and co-workers remember Thom Gregory, a longtime Gannett employee: Thomas "Thom" Gregory, 56, unexpectedly died of a heart attack early Sunday morning in Knoxville, where he lived with his wife, Lisa. Gregory was a USA TODAY Network regional director and general manager of the Knoxville News Sentinel's printing operation. He went to college at WKU and earned a degree in mathematics with a minor in physics.

Williamson County (TN) Herald

  • FiftyForward adds staff members in Williamson County: Lorie Owen joined FiftyForward in late February where she will serve as program coordinator supporting FiftyForward Martin Center and FiftyForward College Grove. A volunteer with FiftyForward Martin Center since August 2019, Owen has a degree in Business and Recreation Management from WKU.
February 14-28, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Daily News

  • Beamer Laser Marking Systems opens: The new office is managed by Brian Upchurch, who holds a bachelor's degree in management from WKU.
  • Gorman shares story of life with The Black Crowes: A crowd gathered Tuesday for a book signing at the Bob Kirby Branch of the Warren County Public Library to hear Gorman – who has Bowling Green connections as a WKU alumnus and through playing with bands in the area – share stories of his career with the band, including brothers Chris and Rich Robinson.
  • 10 questions with ... Kelley Coppinger: Current job title: Professional in residence (full-time faculty) in advertising program, Department of Communication, WKU.
  • WKU faculty clear way for new paid leave policy: WKU’s Faculty Senate approved a paid parental leave policy for the second time Thursday, clearing the way for WKU to become the first public university in Kentucky to offer its faculty members one semester off work when they welcome newborns or adopted children into their families.
  • WKU begins drafting new campus facilities plan: WKU is gearing up this month for development of a new campus master plan that will help shape the next decade of construction, land use, transportation, sustainability efforts and a whole lot more on the Hill.

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Davis speaks her truth: Previously a student at North Har­din High School, Davis was accepted into Gatton Academy during her sopho­more year.

Spectrum News1

  • An Unlikely Student Getting Her Degree at 51: 51-year-old  Karen Russell is currently on both sides of the classroom. Russell is currently obtaining her Teacher Education degree from WKU, while student teaching at David T. Wilson Elementary School.

Tennessean

WKDZ-FM, Cadiz

February 7-13, 2020

WKU Public Radio

Owensboro Times

  • WKU-O launches engineering tech management program: With the start of the spring semester, WKU-Owensboro launched an Engineering Tech Management Program. The four-year degree opportunity falls under the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, or SEAS, making it one of the first engineering degrees to be offered in Owensboro.

Daily News

  • WKU students gain insight into Warren County Drug Task Force: After serving in the military and earning a graduate degree from WKU, Tod Young decided that statistics were not his calling. Instead, working to change those statistics was.
  • 10 questions with Ryan Dearbone: Current job title: Assistant director of college advancement at WKU.
  • WKU shows how girls can run the world: The Kentucky Museum hosted an event Saturday that allowed girls a glimpse into a bright future. Aimed at girls in grades 1-8, Herstory@WKU was meant to empower young girls and show them a path to achieving their career goals and following their interests.
  • City eyes scooter regulations, adding mobility options: The city of Bowling Green is looking at ways it can – and can’t – regulate shared scooter services in the city. At the same time, the city is open to considering an expansion of efforts such as shared bicycle services in the city, even as it was announced Friday that WKU’s two-year-old bike sharing service is ending.
  • WKU Career Studio helps guide students’ futures: To aid students in their career planning, the Career Studio initiative that started in September at WKU has gained traction.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Glasgow Daily Times

  • Ellis to be inducted into Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame: Glasgow native Ronnie Ellis will be among those to be inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in March. Ellis began his journalism career in 1974 when he worked at The Edmonson County News while still a student at WKU.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Williams earns scholarship: Langley Williams, a 2019 graduate of Central Hardin High School, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Jeff and Mary Key Scholarship for the 2019-20 academic year.
  • Home, passion, career unite students: Eden Tharpe started volunteering at the Elizabethtown Animal Hospital when she was 16 and then began a co-op there her senior year of high school. Tharpe would continue to work there even when she was working on her pre-veterinary med­icine degree at WKU, but finished when she started at Auburn.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

January 31-February 6, 2020

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Daily News

Spectrum News1

  • WKU Awarded Grant to Help with Special Education: WKU recently received a 1.1 million dollar grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education. The grant was given in response to the national and statewide shortage of educators certified to help K-12 students with high-intensity disabilities.
  • WKU Upgrades University Restaurant to Be More Green: WKU was recently awarded Green Restaurant Certification from the Green Restaurant Association for its dining facility Fresh Food Company.

Glasgow Daily Times

  • WKU professor appointed for Dugas Community Park: Sean Ward, WKU Instructor of Communication, has been appointed as the Dugas Family Visiting Professor for 2020-21 as part of the educational partnership associated with Dugas Community Park located in Allen County.
January 25-30, 2020

WNKY-TV

  • New WKU art exhibit showcases work from alumni: From all the way back to the late 70s to today, a new exhibit called the Alumni Exhibition at the Ivan Wilson Center for Fine Arts features works of art and sculptures from previous Hilltoppers.
  • Throwback Thursday – Spaceship Earth at Hardin Planetarium: The start of a new year, especially a new decade, can sometimes prompt questions of reflection and purpose. A Bowling Green educational venue with more than 50 years of history is helping put things into perspective. The Hardin Planetarium’s current show tells more about our Earth’s place in this universe.

Daily News

WKU Public Radio

  • Beshear Calls For Ending Cuts, More Revenue In Budget Address: Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has unveiled his proposal for how the state should spend its money over the next two years, laying out a plan to provide raises to state workers and put more funding towards education by raising about $1.5 billion in new revenue.

USAgNet

January 18-24, 2020

Daily News

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Glasgow Daily Times

  • WKU receives grant: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has awarded a $246,863 grant to WKU Public Broadcasting to develop and expand its workforce development training program for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
January 8-17, 2020

Daily News

WDRB-TV Louisville

WKU Public Radio

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • MLK Day events planned around county: Davis attends Gatton Academy in Bowl­ing Green, a residential school for gifted and talented students in STEM studies at WKU. She is president of the Youth Council of the NAACP with “an ambition to serve those who are voiceless in a world sometimes deprived of justice and liberty for all,” according to the release.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Daily Nurse

City Beat

Portland (TN) Sun

MSN

  • WKU awarded $1.1 million federal grant for special education: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education has awarded Western Kentucky University a $1.1 million grant to address the ongoing national, state, and regional shortage of personnel certified to serve K-12 students with high-intensity needs.
December 14, 2019-January 7, 2020

Daily News

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

SOKY Happenings

WFIE-TV Evansville

Lane Report

Courier Journal

Kentucky New Era, Hopkinsville

Spectrum News One

KyForward

December 7-13, 2019

WKU Public Radio

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Daily News

  • New workforce grant aims to keep college grads in town: Students of WKU and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College already provide a boost to the Bowling Green economy and serve as a good source of seasonal employees. Now, local workforce development professionals aim to ensure more of those students remain part of the region’s workforce long after their final exam.
  • WKU professor’s show nominated for regional award: WKU theater professor Julie Lyn Barber’s show “Christmas Through the Ages” has been nominated for Best Original Work in the Broadway World 2019 Indianapolis Awards.

Glasgow Daily Times

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

  • Throwback Thursday – College High: Just over 100 years ago, a new type of education came to the campus of Western Kentucky Normal School. Operating for nearly 50 years, the Training School, or College High, was established for students age kindergarten thru high school who aspired to be teachers.
  • Emerging Leader – Morgan Burk: This week’s Emerging Leader is 15-year-old Morgan Burk, a student at the Gatton Academy and the face of her family’s Christmas tree business: Morgan’s Fresh Cut Trees.
  • “Career 270 initiative” gives Bowling Green college grads an edge: College grads in Bowling Green are receiving career help in the form of a grant.
  • The Kentucky Museum celebrates Christmas in Kentucky: With just a few more weeks to go before Christmas, children and their parents spent part of Saturday taking advantage of the opportunity to learn about Christmas traditions such as decorations and the all-important toys at The Kentucky Museum.

WCLU-FM Glasgow

November 27-December 6, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

KY Forward

November 16-26, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Edmonson Voice

  • McReynolds Physical Therapy Celebrates Brownsville Ribbon Cutting: Dr. Lauren McReynolds, who received both her undergraduate degree in chemistry and doctorate of physical therapy at WKU, owns and runs the facility. She is a graduate of ECHS, where she was a softball standout and was inducted into the KY Softball Hall of Fame.

KyForward

Kentucky Today

November 8-15, 2019

Lane Report

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

KyForward

Campus Technology

  • Large-Scale Esports Series Launches in Partnership with College Bookstores: The pilot tournament will take place on Nov. 23, with a large-scale tournament series to follow in spring 2020. The participating schools for the pilot are Kennesaw State University, North Carolina State University, Oklahoma State University, University of California Los Angeles, University of California San Diego, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Maine, University of Minnesota, University of Pittsburgh and WKU.

Maysville Ledger-Independent

  • Twins reflect on military service: Earl and Eddie Bush were born in Cynthiana, but were raised in Gertrude. They graduated from Bracken County High School in 1967 before attending WKU, where they both majored in engineering technology.
October 25-November 7, 2019

Daily News

  • Puppetmaster: Kemp creates career out of whole cloth: The mastermind behind this down-the-rabbit-hole world is Kemp, a 27-year-old WKU graduate who has taken his lifelong love of puppets, cartoon characters and television programs and turned it into a successful career as a puppeteer and puppet maker.
  • Experts: Karst watersheds unprotected under WOTUS rule: For people living in karst terrains, this replacement will not sufficiently protect their drinking water source, according to Jason Polk, an associate professor of geoscience at WKU and director of the HydroAnalytical Lab.
  • Kentucky Mesonet moves into WKU's Center for Research and Development: The Kentucky Mesonet, an expanding network of weather stations that spans Kentucky, has moved into a new space at WKU’s Center for Research and Development.
  • WKU touts progress with 10-year strategic plan: One year into implementation of a sweeping 10-year plan to boost diversity on campus, transform students’ experiences and raise millions for student aid, among many other goals, WKU is celebrating some early success.
  • WKU student, dean swap places for a day: Coming from out of state this summer to take a job as the new dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business at WKU, Chris Shook wanted to get to know students and walk in their shoes.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

WKU Public Radio

WCLU Radio

Courier Journal

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Even in retirement, Cox shows dedication to education: She later went on to earn a Master of Arts in Secondary Math Education in 1993 from WKU and completed her Rank I and certificate for Principalship in 2005 from WKU.
  • WKU to observe Veterans Day: WKU will observe Veterans Day at 11 a.m. Nov. 11 with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Guthrie Bell Tower followed by the ROTC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Cynthiana Democrat

  • Welcome Mountain Workshops: Cynthiana and Harrison County welcomes a veritable horde of students and other young professionals this week, as select residents and businesses of the city and county will be documented through the eyes of outsiders.

DuBois County (Ind.) Herald

  • Blessing box a lasting resource for community: Heritage Hills High School 2018 graduate Savannah McCutchan and her grandfather, Gene Silcox, built the box in the spring of 2018 as McCutchan’s final Girl Scout project before she left for college at WKU. Nearly two years later, McCutchan said she’s happy to know it’s still up and being used.

KyForward

WalletHub

  • Ask the Experts: Doris Sikora, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Family and Consumer Sciences Education and Family Studies, WKU
October 19-24, 2019

Daily News

  • WKU breaks ground on new residential program for adults with autism: Speaking at a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for a new, two-year residential program designed to help young adults with autism join the workforce, WKU President Timothy Caboni described the need it is expected to meet.
  • Slaughter joins Acme Advisors: Miller Slaughter, former director of the WKU Small Business Development Center, has joined Acme Advisors and Brokers, a team of exit planning strategists and business brokers with headquarters in Bowling Green.
  • Fast-growing Rustic Nail to get exposure on HGTV program: A 2002 Greenwood High School graduate, Cochran studied architecture and engineering at WKU and then went to work for Scotty’s Contracting in Bowling Green.
  • WKU scientist honored by Chinese Geological Survey: While attending an international gathering of geologists in China three weeks ago, Chris Groves didn’t know he would need a tie.
  • WKU grad opens Legin's seafood restaurant: Deadrick Dunlap ate more than a few meals in Bowling Green while working on a business administration degree at WKU. Now, as majority owner and manager of the new Legin’s House of Seafood in Fairview Plaza Shopping Center, he’s serving them.
  • Visiting author to WKU finds empathy through fiction: Ask award-winning author Katy Yocom what writing is for, and she’ll tell you it’s time travel, telepathy, immortality and “the world’s greatest magic trick.”
  • Victim advocate begins work at KSP: After 27 years shaping young minds as an educator, Shannon Pickett has moved into a new line of work, and she hopes the skills acquired as a teacher and administrator can transfer to her new job.

WNKY-TV

WKU Public Radio

WBKO-TV

KyForward

Lane Report

  • WKU Summit of Excellence honors volunteerism and philanthropy: Belle Lady Hunt (’73, ’77) of Bowling Green was recognized as the 2019 Philanthropist of the Year at the inaugural Summit of Excellence held Thursday, Oct. 17 at the WKU Augenstein Alumni Center to honor and recognize outstanding contributions of WKU alumni, faculty, staff, friends and students.

Bristol (VA) Herald Courier

October 12-18, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

WHNT-TV Huntsville

October 3-11, 2019

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Daily News

  • WKU scholarship program change is bold, aggressive: In September, I announced aggressive changes to WKU’s scholarship program, which will nearly double the percentage of our incoming freshman class receiving some type of institutional award.
  • Hammer-In story is Un-FORGE-ttable: Charles Hurst, president of the Kentucky Forge Council, will tell you that the craft of blacksmithing has a rich history that connects people with the distant past.

Johnson City (TN) Press

Spectrum News 1

Courier Journal

Lexington Herald-Leader

Glasgow Daily Times

Franklin Favorite

  • WKU continues to offer scholarship opportunities: In September I announced aggressive changes to WKU's scholarship program, which will nearly double the percentage of our incoming freshman class receiving some type of institutional award.
September 25-October 2, 2019

Daily News

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

WKU Public Radio

Glasgow Daily Times

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Ky Forward

Owensboro Times

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Courier Journal

Northern Kentucky Tribune

Lane Report

UTSA Today

MassLive

September 19-24, 2019

Daily News

  • FAFSA application season kicks off Oct. 1: From securing a work-study job on campus to qualifying for college-level scholarships, many students don’t realize all the ways the Free Application for Federal Student Aid can affect their lives.
  • WKU ROTC cadets depart for training in Black Hawk helicopter: As a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter hovered overhead and then landed Friday morning on WKU’s Intramural Fields, a group of 11 Army ROTC cadets loaded up for a flight to Fort Knox for training this weekend.
  • WKU students organizing climate strike Thursday: Climate activism is sweeping the world next week. Millions of people in more than 150 countries are predicted to step outdoors and demand the end of fossil fuels during the Global Climate Strike.
  • WKU hosts national drought forum during local drought: Droughts impact everything from wildfires and agricultural yields to energy bills and air pollution. Hotter, drier conditions are increasing throughout much of the planet along with the need for improved drought monitoring and mitigation efforts.

WNKY-TV

WKU Public Radio

Owensboro Times

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Kentucky Today

Columbia Magazine

  • Music Folklife Program at WKU Receives NEA Grant: The Kentucky Folklife Program, housed in the Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology at WKU, has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts to support a traveling exhibit and associated programming centered on the musical heritage and culture of south central Kentucky.

The Kennesaw Sentinel

WKDZ-FM Cadiz

September 13-18, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

WKU Public Radio

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Enrollment increases at area colleges, universities: More than 6,000 students have opted to pursue higher education at the institutions in or around Owensboro and Daviess County for the 2019-20 school year, with most of the schools reporting increases in enrollment.
September 5-12, 2019

Daily News

  • After stakeholder input, state's 5-star rating system takes shape: “Some people will want to look at these star ratings as some sort of summative or definitive evaluation of the quality of a school,” but that would be a mistake, said Gary Houchens, a WKU professor and state board of education member who served on the panel.
  • City celebrates 192 newly naturalized citizens: Michael Trivizadakis, a leadership consultant, instructor at WKU and a new citizen, grew up without electricity in a small village in Greece.
  • Bowling Green pilot to be inducted into state Aviation Hall of Fame: “He was one of the very few flying aces from Kentucky,” said Dr. Jonathan Jeffrey, department head for the Department of Library Special Collections and the Manuscripts and Folklife Archives coordinator at WKU, as well as a contributing author to “That Perfect Feeling in the Air,” a book about Strahm’s life and career.
  • Demolition begins on aging Bemis Lawrence Hall: Staring up at a towering excavator outfitted with a claw, Anthony Maldonado watched as it took bites out of Bemis Lawrence Hall, sending debris falling to the ground below.

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Spectrum News 1

  • WKU Hosts Autumn Star Exhibit: The constellations above have been around for generations and have names that vary though different cultures. However, at WKU's Hardin Planetarium you get the chance to give the constellations your own unique name.

Lane Report

Owensboro Times

  • Hayden Home opens in Owensboro: While working on his Recreation Administration degree at WKU, the Apollo High School graduate began working with the local Boys and Girls Club. When he returned to Owensboro, he continued working with children and youth.

Robertson County (TN) Connection

  • Cross Plains native receives prestigious scholarship: That leap of faith led to China studies, and a mastery of the Chinese language, while at WKU. There she also met a liaison with the U.S. State Department. He encouraged her to apply for State Department scholarships. It took several tries, a process that involved interviews, applications, and a lot of preparation. Finally, this summer, she received notice that she had been accepted.
August 30-September 4, 2019

WNKY-TV

  • Bingocize, developed here, expands to Tennessee: A program at WKU is helping to improve the health and quality of life for the elderly, and it involves Bingo. The program is called Bingocize and it was developed by a team at WKU’s Center for Applied Science in Health and Aging.
  • WKU introduces Fill it Forward to cut down on disposable plastic: We can’t live without water, and we also can’t live without our Earth. The over abundance of disposable plastic bottles and other plastics wreak havoc on the environment. That’s where Fill It Forward comes in.

WKU Public Radio

WBKO-TV

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Lexington Herald-Leader

KY Forward

Maysville Ledger Independent

  • Fort Ancient historical marker unveiled: Dr. Gwynn Henderson, the education director for Kentucky Archaeological Survey at WKU, and Dr. David Pollack, director of Kentucky Archaeological Survey, also spoke during the dedication.

Seymour (IN) Tribune

  • JCB announces new promotions: Julie Kloote has been promoted to AVP, senior commercial analyst. She began her JCB career in July 2012 as a commercial analyst and in 2016 was promoted to officer. She is a graduate of WKU and Leadership Jackson County.

North Texas e-News

August 22-29, 2019

Daily News

  • 10 Questions with ... Martha Sales: Current job title: Executive director or the George and Cynthia Nichols Intercultural Student Engagement Center & WKU TRIO programs.
  • Spartan 4x4 expands to bigger quarters: Spartan 4x4, the automotive customization shop created last year by a trio of WKU students and housed originally in WKU's Small Business Accelerator on Nashville Road, has expanded its business and its footprint in Bowling Green.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • Teachers wanted: Wedding knew she wanted to work more with kids, so she decided to take an alternative route and go back to school. She received her master's degree in special education for kindergarten through 12th grade from WKU.

Glasgow Daily Times

  • Biz expo speaker provides fan-building tips: The WKU graduate said that in the past three weeks he's been in Texas, Indiana and North Dakota and when his year ends after a trip to New Mexico, he will have spoken in 26 cities the past year.

WLKY-TV Louisville

WKDZ-FM Cadiz

  • Cumberland Hall Names New CEO: Melear holds two degrees from WKU. Hospital officials say Melear and his wife are happy to return to the area after leaving Kentucky in 2005.

University Business

  • Colleges pushing freshman orientation in new directions: Meanwhile, many incoming students of color and first-generation college students at WKU participated in the Cynthia & George Nichols III ISEC Academy, which works to guide students in personal development, academia and campus involvement, reports NBC television station WNKY.

The Kentucky 100

August 14-21, 2019

Daily News

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

The Record

  • Pioneer cathedral celebrates bicentennial: The congregation joined in singing “Built to Serve,” a new hymn composed for the occasion by Catherine Wilson, an assistant professor of music education at WKU.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Nashville Business Journal

Columbia Magazine

Owensboro Times

Houston Chronicle

International Business Times

WVXU-FM Cincinnati

KY Forward

Kentucky Today

August 7-13, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Glasgow Daily Times

August 1-6, 2019

WKU Public Radio

Kentucky Monthly

Daily News

WBKO-TV

Spectrum News 1

  • WKU to Host National Drought Forum: The National Weather Service is teaming up with WKU and the Kentucky Division of Water to host the biennial U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) forum in the Bluegrass State next month.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Leading in industry, happy to help in his hometown: Waters, 35, works as a partner at financial advice and strategy business ARGI Financial Group in Elizabethtown, serving as vice president of the Personal Planning Division. A 2002 graduate of Central Hardin High School, Waters went on to earn a degree in finance from WKU in 2006.
  • Newer teachers share motivations, experiences: Hindle, who graduated from WKU and is a 2015 graduate of Elizabethtown High School, said she originally wanted to be a high school special education teacher but decided to teach younger children while she was student teaching.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

The Horse

  • Reduced Pasture Size Can Help Your Horse Lose Weight: While pasture is vital to a horse’s gastrointestinal health, calorie intake, and ability to exercise and socialize, too much can lead to obesity. Ways to limit horses’ pasture intake include grazing muzzles and reduced time spent on grass. But for horses that live outside 24 hours a day, can reducing the amount of pasture space alone affect weight? Beverly Gartland, graduate student at WKU, aimed to find out. She presented her findings at the 2019 Equine Science Society Symposium, held June 3-6 in Asheville, North Carolina.

Courier Journal

WCLU-FM Glasgow

July 25-31, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

  • Throwback Thursday – Downing Student Union at WKU: The heart of WKU’s main campus is the student center. Built almost 50 years ago, Downing Student Union is the home of all things student life. First open in 1970, this week we’re telling its 49-year history.
  • Day of Caring brings out hundreds of volunteers: Over 1,000 volunteers in seven counties participated in the United Way Eleventh annual Day of Caring. At WKU, U.S. Bank came to create a fun environment for the kids at summer camps, where the kids learned more about airplanes and hot air balloons.

WBKO-TV

Hays (KS) Post

  • High Plains expands psychiatric services in northwest Kansas: Cheryl Gore is a nationally certified APRN specializing in psychiatry. She completed her bachelor’s of science degree in nursing from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and then earned her Master of Science in nursing at WKU.

Chillicothe (OH) Gazette

Morning Ag Clips

July 18-24, 2019

Daily News

  • Planetarium celebrates 50th anniversary of moon landing: The Apollo Lunar Module Eagle landed on the moon at 20:17 Coordinated Universal Time on July 20, 1969. At that exact time 50 years later – 3:17 p.m. CDT – a Moon Landing Celebration at WKU’s Hardin Planetarium honored the moment when Neil Armstrong said, “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.”
  • WKU basketry conference, exhibition weaves traditions together: Working with bandaged fingers, Jane Sloop spread river cane stalks across a table at WKU on Thursday, enduring a few cuts in hopes of learning about the most traditional form of Cherokee basket making.
  • WKU to begin replacement of two residence halls next month: Next month, WKU will take its first major step to transform housing on the south end of campus by developing a “first-year village,” complete with two new residence halls with recording studios and other draws.
  • City continuously monitoring rivers, karst watersheds: Just off U.S. 31-W By-Pass, two young scientists climb across jagged rocks into what has been dubbed “Bypass Cave.” Nick Lawhon, an environmental scientist for the city of Bowling Green, more or less crawls just far enough to reach a small pool of cool water. He’s followed by J.T. Troxell, a WKU graduate student and city intern, who’s lugging a bag of clear vials labeled with hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and other chemical compounds.

ESPN

  • Ex-Rays prospect pivots to Supreme Court clerk: Having experienced the culture of kangaroo court, Matt Rice is headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The former Tampa Bay Rays outfield prospect was among the clerks hired by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for the 2019-20 term. Now 30, Rice was selected by the New York Yankees with the 1,525th and final pick on the 50th round of the 2010 amateur draft but did not sign. He stayed at WKU, where he became a summa cum laude graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering.

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

London Sentinel-Echo

  • Elijah Butler prepares to release his debut album: Ahead of the release of his debut album, Elijah Butler, 20, is set on making his dreams a reality, as his eight-track long LP is proof of his proactive and dedicated work-ethic. Butler, a London-native who will be starting his senior year at WKU in the fall, has already accumulated nearly 250,000 streams from just a handful of songs on Spotify.

KY Forward

Radio INK

  • Radio Talent Institute Underway in Kentucky: The KBA WKU Radio Talent Institute is underway on the WKU campus. Taking on the opening session was Chris Lytle of Instant Sales Training and the best-selling author of The Accidental Salesperson and The Accidental Sales Manager.

Glasgow Daily Times

  • WKU Libraries unveils exhibit on photography: The Department of Library Special Collections (DLSC) opened a new exhibit on July 1 in the Kentucky Building’s Jackson Gallery titled “Picture Perfect: The Wedding Photography of Thomas W. Hughes.” The exhibit is built around 13 enlarged photographs that were taken by Bowling Green professional photographer Tommy W. Hughes.
July 9-17, 2019

Daily News

  • New high-tech microscope will enhance Gatton Academy, WKU students' research: For years, biology professor Ajay Srivastava has toiled to secure grant funding for a new, high-tech microscope that would give his students at WKU a new window into studying cancer at the molecular level.
  • Warren Elementary School names new principal: Teachers and parents rose to their feet and broke into cheers and applause Monday as they welcomed Warren Elementary School’s new principal. Jennifer Jenkins, who has served as the school’s assistant principal for three years, was selected by Warren Elementary’s site-based decision-making council with a unanimous vote. Jenkins is a graduate of WKU. She holds bachelor’s degrees in elementary and music education and a master’s degree in education, she said. She is a national board certified teacher.
  • Bosnians remember genocide with fifth annual walk: In addition to Bosnian participants, the event also featured opening remarks from Brent Björkman, director of the Kentucky Museum and Kentucky Folklife Program.
  • Minton honored by Legal Aid program: The leader of the state’s judicial branch began his legal journey at the University of Kentucky College of Law after graduating from WKU with an undergraduate degree in history.
  • WKU’s Alumni Association board welcomes 11 new members: WKU's Alumni Association announced Monday it elected nine new board members for 2019-20 and recognized two others who will serve one-year appointments.

Glasgow Daily Times

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

WDBJ-TV Roanoke, VA

WSLS-TV Blacksburg, VA

Spectrum News 1

Somerset Commonwealth-Journal

Henderson Gleaner

Murfreesboro Post

  • Scott joins SmartBank as VP: Scott is a WKU graduate and he currently serves on several non-profit and community boards of directors, including the United Way of Rutherford and Cannon Counties, American Heart Association, Discovery Center and Murfreesboro City School Foundation.

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Hotel Executive

July 2-8, 2019

Daily News

WHAS-TV Louisville

WYMT-TV Hazard

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Rest from their journeys: Members of WKU’s Phi Gamma Delta, or Fiji, fraternity on a fundraising trip stopped Friday for a meal at Impellizzeri’s in Elizabethtown. 
  • Love of dance brings Bennett home: An Elizabethtown native, Bennett graduated from Eliza­bethtown High School in 2003 and earned a degree in dance from WKU in 2007.

Georgetown News-Graphic

WNKY-TV

Spectrum News 1

Courier Journal

Glasgow Daily Times

Owensboro Times

Lane Report

Northern Kentucky Tribune

June 18-July 1, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

  • Bowling Green fire department training heads to the hill: To make sure the fire department is always prepared to save lives, the training is a constant. Tuesday, the focus was high rise training, which involved maneuvering through a multi-story building. While the fire department has experienced this before, a generous offer to use Bemis Lawrence Hall on the campus of WKU as training grounds provided a realistic experience.

WBKO-TV

WKU Public Radio

Glasgow Daily Times

  • WKU Hardin Planetarium to celebrate first moon landing: A free outdoor festival celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing will be hosted at WKU’s Hardin Planetarium from 1-10 p.m. July 20. The event features dozens of interactive exhibits, challenges and activities for all ages.
  • Colonel alum: Crain named new principal of Caverna High School: Crain graduated from Caverna and earned a bachelor’s degree in middle grades education from WKU, later adding a master’s degree in secondary school counseling and a Rank I principal certification for grades K-12.
  • Local student to study in Morocco: Abrar Rahman, of Cave City, and a rising senior at Glasgow High School, as well as the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science at WKU, will study Arabic in Morocco for the summer through a National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship. NSLI-Y is a program of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
  • Glasgow artist's work featured at Downing Museum: A life-sized replica of a locomotive, pieced together with paper mache and appearing to be surrounded by weeds and field flowers, catches the eye upon entering the latest exhibit at the Downing Museum.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Owensboro Times

  • Local pharmacy technician recognized with state award: Luke Shockley graduated from WKU in biological anthropology four years ago with the idea that he would be like a character on “Bones,” the popular television series that was based on forensic anthropology and archaeology.

WCLU-FM Glasgow

Kentucky Standard, Bardstown

Williamsburg News Journal

Kansas Ag Connection

June 12-17, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

Columbia Magazine

  • Stephens wins Dept. of Defense scholarship: Graham Stephens, a 2019 graduate of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and Monroe County High School, has been awarded the US Department of Defense's (DoD) Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship.

The Epoch Times

  • A Green Beret Shares His Story of Service and Healing: At age 17, Smith joined the National Guard in 2000. Between his junior and senior year of high school he completed his basic training. While he was in college at WKU, the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 happened.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

  • WKU rescues effort to preserve history: When staff members for Kentucky Archaeological Survey found out the University of Kentucky was cutting the program in March, they thought their jobs were lost. However, WKU announced Thursday that it will provide KAS with a new home where the agency can serve the state, according to a WKU press release.

Lexington Herald-Leader

KY Forward

Owensboro Times

Somerset Commonwealth-Journal

Spectrum News 1

June 5-11, 2019

Daily News

  • Kentucky Mesonet weather station moves to Ephram White Park: Visitors to Ephram White Park might notice a new feature – a Kentucky Mesonet weather station has been relocated to the park from its previous location near the General Motors Corvette plant.
  • BGJHS students, Leadership Bowling Green working to revamp counseling center: Each year, the program seeks out local projects to support. This year’s participants include local business and nonprofit leaders, manufacturers and WKU representatives. So far, the group has visited schools and local farms in an effort to learn more about Bowling Green and Warren County.
  • WKU receives $283K grant for composting: The Kentucky Division of Waste Management awarded the WKU Research Foundation a $283,825 grant – the second-highest grant amount this year – to improve composting efforts.
  • WKU kicks off commemoration of 19th Amendment: As she stood with fellow elected officials Tuesday commemorating the 100th anniversary of Congress’ passage of the 19th Amendment, Bowling Green City Commissioner Dana Beasley-Brown shared an experience she said she will never forget.

Madisonville Messenger

  • WKU's Caboni visits Madisonville: The man wearing the bow tie from WKU made his way through Madisonville on Wednesday as part of a tour of counties in the far-western part of the commonwealth.

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Spectrum News

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Local student awarded NSLI-Y Scholarship: JaMaur Lyons, North Hardin High School, was among 12 students at The Gatton Academy of Mathe­matics and Science in Kentucky at WKU to receive a nationally-competitive National Security Language Initiative for Youth Scholarships for immersive, critical language study this summer.
  • Bowman looks toward future in federal service: Bowman, an upcoming senior at WKU, is on the right track to reach her career goal. She now is taking part in a summer internship with the Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, Alabama, which began May 28 and continues through Aug. 3.

Glasgow Daily Times

  • Note-worthy graduates: GHS musicians to play, sing at the next level: Fudge, who plays the trumpet and will be attending WKU, said he is very excited to grow as a musician and learn how to play other instruments.
  • Gatton Academy students engage in summer learning: Students from The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky are beginning summer learning at WKU, around the Commonwealth, and around the globe.

Beech Tree News

The Horse

  • ESS Symposium: Horse Management Take-Homes: Hoof boots effectively help reduce concussion and prevent hoof damage in barefoot trail riding horses. Gabriella Lynn, of WKU, measured pressure distribution as horses walked over Fujifilm Low Prescale Film barefoot and when wearing Cavallo Trek boots, on asphalt and over crushed stone. The boots reduced average pressure on the feet when horses walked over both surfaces.
May 22-June 4, 2019

Daily News

Beech Tree Network

Owensboro Times

Surf KY News

Middlesboro Daily News

  • Lockhart named new principal at JFWA: Lockhart earned his Master of Arts in English Language and Literature from WKU in 1999 and his EdS in Educational Leadership from LMU in 2017.

Williamson Source

  • WCS Names New Executive Directors: Oakley earned his Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from WKU and his Master’s in Educational Leadership and Administration from Middle Tennessee State University.

Tennessean

Brookings (SD) Register

  • Doerner named dean at Alaska Fairbanks: Before arriving at South Dakota State, Doerner spent 16 years at WKU, initially as an assistant professor of biology before working his way to the rank of full professor in 2010. He was also the associate dean of graduate studies and research from 2010-12.
May 11-21, 2019

Daily News

WBKO-TV

WNKY-TV

Spectrum News

  • Riding the Storm Out: It started ten years ago and Dr. Josh Durkee never thought it would blow up. We're talking about WKU's Field Methods in Weather Analysis and Forecasting course, also called the Storm Chase class.

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Glasgow Daily Times

Courier Journal

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Nelson County Gazette

Bluegrass Today

  • Sam Bush accepts honorary doctorate at WKU: Sam Bush received another of many career achievements on Saturday in Bowling Green, Kentucky, when he accepted an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from WKU during their spring commencement ceremony.

Murray Ledger and Times

May 3-10, 2019

Spectrum News

Daily News

WKU Public Radio

WNKY-TV

  • WKU Film Festival: Students in the film program at WKU get the opportunity to have their projects shown on the big screen at Jody Richards Hall in front of family, friends and peers.
  • OnlineDegrees.com: Bowling Green a top small city for new graduates: The city of Bowling Green was just ranked as one of the best small cities in America for new college graduates in 2019.
  • WKU eSports: E-sports – also known as electronic-sports – gives video gamers an opportunity to competitively show off their skills.

WBKO-TV

  • Middle School students send "marshmallow astronaut" into space: Through the National STEM Scholars Program offered in conjunction with The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU, SKyTeach, and The National Stem Cell Foundation, the Mallownaut and the suit were launched into space on a suborbital flight on Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft.

KyForward

Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

  • Purcell has heart for local youth: Though Purcell initially planned on being a stay-at-home mother, she said she felt called upon to pursue children’s ministry. She said she earned a degree in elementary education from WKU in 2007.
  • WKU marks milestone with graduand ceremony: Wearing black graduation gowns and caps, several WKU students who attend the Elizabethtown-Fort Knox branch filed into the seats Wednesday night to celebrate their years of scholarly work as part of a spring graduand ceremony.

Kentucky New Era, Hopkinsville

  • Southern Exposure celebrates 30 years: The college is actually what brought the Kirves to town in 1985. Carol, a native of Hopkinsville, landed a part-time job at HCC shortly after the couple graduated with photojournalism degrees from WKU.

Bluegrass Today

Outside

  • The Indiana Jones of Climate Science: One spring morning in 2014, before breakfast or even coffee, John All, 49, a Mount Everest climber and then a professor at WKU, was walking near his tent on a remote Himalayan peak in Nepal called Himlung when he broke through a thin layer of snow and clattered 70 feet down a crevasse.

WAVE-TV Louisville

  • Scholarship to keep John Asher’s legacy going: He was the face and the voice of the Kentucky Derby. The beloved John Asher who passed away from a heart attack in August at age 62. Countless tributes have been made for John, but one in particular will honor his legacy for decades to come.
April 26-May 2, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Glasgow Daily Times

  • GHS student awarded scholarship: Twelve students at The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU have received nationally-competitive National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) Scholarships for immersive, critical language study this summer.
  • WKU selects student ambassadors: WKU students have been selected as Spirit Masters, the official student ambassadors of WKU, for the 2019-20 year.

WHAS-TV Louisville

WDRB-TV Louisville

WFIE-TV Evansville

Lane Report

  • Mercer names new Kentucky office leader: Mercer recently appointed Kelley Bright as the Kentucky office leader, based in Mercer’s Louisville office. She is a magna cum laude graduate of WKU with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.

SCNow

  • Flannagan named distinguished professor for 2018-2019 at Francis Marion University: Rebecca Flannagan, chair of the Francis Marion University Department of English, was named FMU’s J. Lorin Mason Distinguished Professor for the 2018-19 academic year at the school’s faculty awards dinner on April 18. Flannagan holds a bachelor of arts degree in history and English education and a master of arts degree in English from WKU, along with a Ph.D. in American literature from Southern Illinois University.
April 19-25, 2019

Daily News

WNKY-TV

WBKO-TV

Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer

Glasgow Daily Times