The newsletter for the WKU community
April 23, 2024
President's Message: End
of the Spring Semester Approaching
Dear Colleagues,

As we prepare to conclude another vibrant academic year at WKU, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude. Our campus has thrived, and we have celebrated numerous achievements of our students, faculty and staff, all of whom contribute daily to making WKU a place of excellence, learning and growth.

Now, as we approach final exams, I encourage you to continue doing all that you can to support our students. Your personal encouragement helps alleviate the pressure they may experience through final exams and course projects.

Next week, we will celebrate approximately 3,000 graduates as we conduct our Commencement activities.
Ceremony marks construction milestone
WKU celebrated a significant milestone in the construction of the new Gordon Ford College of Business building on Thursday with a topping-off ceremony to raise the facility’s final steel beam into place.
CLIMBING HIGHER
Making Upper Division Mathematics Courses More Relevant for Future High School Teachers: The Case of Inquiry-Oriented Dynamical Systems and Modeling, a project by WKU Mathematics faculty member Nick Fortune and colleagues at San Diego State University and Colorado School of Mines, was recently awarded a National Science Foundation Improving Undergraduate STEM Education grant. Learn More
#WKUGrad: Ukrainian student earns Ogden Scholar Award
Mariia Novoselia arrived at WKU from her home in southern Ukraine in January 2022 for a one-semester international exchange program. A month later, Russia invaded her home country. She was able to remain at WKU and is completing a bachelor’s degree in Journalism with a minor in Political Science and a certificate in Organizational Leadership. At Commencement on May 2, Novoselia will be recognized as the Spring 2024 recipient of the Ogden Foundation Scholar Award, WKU’s top undergraduate academic honor. 
Spotlight: Ryan Messenger
Ryan Messenger, a double major in Exercise Science and Dietetics in the College of Health and Human Services, has been selected to attend the Gilman Foreign Policy in Focus: Global Food Security seminar in Washington, D.C., this June.
Today is WKU Day of Giving
Today is WKU Day of Giving! Take a picture wearing your favorite red outfit, share your WKU story about how you became a Hilltopper or what you love about the University, and give back however you can. Use #WKUDayofGiving and tag @wkualumni on social media.
WKU engineering students honored at regional contest
WKU’s American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) student chapter brought home an array of accolades from the 2024 ASCE Indiana-Kentucky Student Symposium. The concrete canoe and steel bridge teams qualified for national competitions.
Standard designs experience to include community
Interior Design and Fashion Merchandising student Tylia Standard came to WKU from Columbus, Ohio, to pursue a career designing residential spaces, and in the process, she designed a home on the Hill with a space to create and develop lasting connections. That design started with choosing a degree program that allowed her to explore and build her upon her creativity. “I wanted a career field where I could create a lot, be super artistic, but still be very successful,” Standard said.
WKU Week in Photos
Check out the latest WKU Week in Photos for a look back at campus events, including Tug and other Greek Week activities, Black Student Alliance cookout, Pie an RA event, Earth Day Celebration, an outdoor art class, WKU Teacher Apprenticeship Summit, and more. Photos by Clinton Lewis, Carol Coronado, Eliza Marsh and Mary Bidwell of WKU Communications & Marketing
9 WKU graduate programs listed on U.S. News rankings
Nine WKU graduate programs have been ranked among the best in the country in U.S. News and World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate Schools rankings.
Tangents to Heaven exhibit opens at Kentucky Museum
The Kentucky Museum announced the opening of Tangents to Heaven, an exhibition honoring the life and legacy of Episcopal priest, filmmaker, writer and art connoisseur Al Shands and his wife, Mary Norton Shands.
Choral concert Friday night
The Department of Music will present a Choral Masterworks Concert, featuring the WKU Symphony, WKU Chorale and Southern Kentucky Choral Society, at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Van Meter Hall. Tickets are $15. Before the concert, the Department of Music will recognize Wall of Fame inductees Dr. Sheila Johnson and Dr. Mitzi Groom.
Greek awards convocation
WKU’s Greek community hosted its annual awards convocation on Sunday at E. A. Diddle Arena.
Innovation Campus newsletter
The latest newsletter from the WKU Innovation Campus features this month’s member spotlight, upcoming events and more. More: Holley R&D team converts 1992 truck to EV
Inaugural WKUC3 Cohort
The inaugural cohort of the WKU Staff Cultural Competence Certificate (WKUC3) embarked on a four-month exploration of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. WKUC3 is an initiative of the “One WKU” campaign, a professional development opportunity offered to all WKU staff. The first graduates of the WKC3 program are Taryn Calloway, Audra Coil, Peggy Crowe, Egypt Cullom, Damien Duncan, Lindsey Houchin, Masami Matsuyuki, Trevor Polston, Charley Pride, Melanie Redden, Leah Shapiro, Jarrod Smith and Tammy Spinks.
Athletics
April
23
Tuesday
Journalism Award

Peruvian journalist Manuel Calloquispe will receive the Fleischaker/Greene Award for Courageous International Reporting at 6 tonight at Gary Ransdell Hall Auditorium. Learn More
April
24
Wednesday
Graduate School Info Fair

The WKU Graduate School will host a Virtual Info Fair from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Learn More
April
25
Thursday
Take Our Kids to Work Day

WKU Human Resources will host Take Our Kids to Work Day on Thursday. The event begins at 8 a.m. at Downing Student Union, room 3024. Learn More
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