The newsletter for the WKU community
September 16, 2020
WKU Class of 2024 sets records for freshman class growth & quality
WKU has set a record in the growth of its freshman class and in the quality of students in that class, according to preliminary enrollment data released to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

WKU’s freshman class grew by 16.4 percent over fall 2019. The 446-student increase is the largest in more than 30 years. And the average grade-point average of that class is 3.44, the highest on record.

“These are tremendous numbers in normal times, but especially during a pandemic,” WKU President Timothy C. Caboni said. “This shows that the demand for the WKU experience is there, and the bold changes we made last year in our scholarship program is creating opportunity for more students to afford that experience.”

The class of 2024 also includes the highest number of underrepresented minority students ever at 690 and an increase of 413 students from Kentucky over fall 2019.
WKU History professor's 'Appalachian Reckoning' wins American Book Award
Appalachian Reckoning: A Region Responds to Hillbilly Elegy, co-edited by WKU History Professor Anthony Harkins, is among the winners of the 41st annual American Book Awards presented by the Before Columbus Foundation.

Appalachian Reckoning will receive the Walter & Lillian Lowenfels Criticism Award in an online ceremony Oct. 25. The American Book Awards were created to provide recognition for outstanding literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America’s diverse literary community.

Dr. Harkins, a scholar of American popular culture history, particularly its connections to rural America and Appalachia, co-edited Appalachian Reckoning with Meredith McCarroll, Director of Writing at Bowdoin College.
Check WKU's Healthy on the Hill website for COVID-19 information, including FAQs, Reported Cases Dashboard, Symptoms & Health Checks and more. New today: An update from Provost Stevens.
CLIMBING HIGHER
Congratulations to Tiffany Isselhardt, Kentucky Museum’s Development & Marketing Manager. Her book, Exploring American Girlhood in 50 Historic Treasures, co-authored with fellow scholar Ashley E. Remer, has been approved for publication with Rowman & Littlefield and is available for pre-order. Learn More
WHAS Crusade for Children grant supports WKU students
WHAS Crusade for Children this month announced a $22,000 donation to the WKU College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. The grant will support graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in careers educating children with disabilities.

“We are incredibly appreciative of WHAS Crusade for Children’s continued support of our work,” Corinne Murphy, Dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences said. “This tuition support benefits students and professionals seeking careers in supporting individuals with behavior disorders. With the exceptionally challenging year we have all experienced, these funds make a great difference in supporting the professional trajectories of our WKU students as they prepare to work in our regional school districts.”
Spotlight: MJ Mayo
“Food insecurity is a really common [issue on campus], but it’s also very hard to address because of the invisibility of the nature of it sometimes. No one wants to admit that they’re hungry.” – WKU senior MJ Mayo, who co-authored the Feed the Need: Addressing Food Insecurity at WKU grant that received $10,000 from the WKU Sisterhood
Hispanic Heritage Month
The Intercultural Student Engagement Center, Hilltopper Organization of Latin American Students (HOLAS) and all five academic colleges have planned a calendar of events as the WKU campus community celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15-Oct. 15.
Deadline Monday for One WKU book & media groups
Monday is the deadline for students, faculty and staff to register for the One WKU “From Dialogues to Doing” book & media groups. More: One WKU Book & Media Groups
Toppers Assist Scholarship
Former Hilltopper Basketball and Football student-athlete Justin Johnson is the latest to join former teammates in supporting the Toppers Assist Scholarship fund.
WKU Football Event Parking
Several parking lots will be reserved in preparation for Saturday's WKU Football home opener as the Hilltoppers host Liberty University at 11 a.m. More: Reserved Lots and Road Closings Map.
Professional Writing Club
The Professional Writing Club held its first meeting of the semester on Sept. 8. WKU English alumni who work at KirkpatrickPrice, a local security auditing firm, spoke over Zoom about the best practices in navigating the virtual job market
Athletics
September
16
Wednesday
Study Abroad Fair

The Fall 2020 Virtual Study Abroad Fair continues through Friday. Learn More
September
17
Thursday
Constitution Day

To celebrate Constitution Day, the National Constitution Center will host a virtual student town hall webinar hosted by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch at 11 a.m. Thursday. Learn More
September
19
Saturday
WKU Football

WKU will host Liberty University at 11 a.m. Saturday in the home opener of the 2020 football season. Learn More
More events: Check WKU Events calendar or follow @wkuevents on Instagram
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Bowling Green, KY 42101