Western Kentucky University - Wikipedia

Public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, US "Western Kentucky" redirects here. For the westernmost region of Kentucky, see Jackson Purchase.

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Western Kentucky University

Former names	Western Kentucky State Normal School (1906–1922)Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College (1922–1930)Western Kentucky State Teachers College (1930–1948)Western Kentucky State College (1948–1966)
Motto	The Spirit makes the MasterLife more life
Type	Public university
Established	1906; 120 years ago (1906)
Academic affiliations	ORAU Space-grant
Endowment	$252.68 million (2024)[1]
President	Timothy C. Caboni
Academic staff	932 (658 full-time, fall 2020)[2]
Administrative staff	1,691 (1,101 full-time, fall 2020)[2]
Students	16,762 (fall 2024)[3]
Undergraduates	14,593 (fall 2024)[4]
Postgraduates	2,169 (fall 2024)[3]
Location	Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States36°59′10″N 86°27′20″W / 36.98611°N 86.45556°W / 36.98611; -86.45556
Campus	200 acres (0.81 km2)
Colors	Red and White[5]
Nickname	Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I FBS – CUSA
Mascot	Big Red
Website	wku.edu

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a few decades earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, and Owensboro. The main campus sits atop a hill overlooking the Barren River valley.[6]

History

[edit]

The roots of Western Kentucky University go back to 1876 with the founding by A. W. Mell of the privately owned Glasgow Normal School and Business College in Glasgow, Kentucky. This moved to Bowling Green in 1884 and became the Southern Normal School and Business College.[7] In 1890, Potter College was opened as a private women's college by Pleasant J. Potter.[8] In 1906, Henry Hardin Cherry sold the Southern Normal School and became president of the Western Kentucky State Normal School,[8] which had just been created by an act of the Kentucky General Assembly. Southern's student body and its building became the new school, with classes beginning on January 22, 1907.[9] In 1909 Potter College closed and Western bought the buildings and property of the school.[10] In 1911, Western relocated to its present site on the property that had been Potter College.[9]

In 1922, the school was authorized by the state to grant four-year degrees and was renamed Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College.[11] The first four-year degrees were awarded in 1924. In 1927, the school merged with Ogden College, which occupied an adjacent campus. The name changed again in 1930 to Western Kentucky State Teachers College. The school was authorized to offer the Master of Arts degree in 1931. Another name change took place in 1948 when the school became simply Western Kentucky State College.

WKSC merged with the Bowling Green College of Commerce, which had formerly been the Bowling Green Business University, in 1963. Bowling Green Business University had originally been a part of the Southern Normal School and had been sold off by Henry Hardin Cherry when Southern Normal School was transferred to the state. The structure of the institution changed at this time, divided into separate colleges. Bowling Green College of Commerce maintained its identity in this way. The Graduate School also became a constituent college. In 1965, three additional colleges were created. In 1966, Western Kentucky State College became Western Kentucky University.

For many years, the college was popularly known as "Western", as indicated in its fight song, "Stand Up and Cheer".[12] However, administrators in recent years have preferred to call it "WKU."[13]

On July 1, 2017, Timothy C. Caboni became the university's 10th president.[14]

Presidents

[edit]

Western Kentucky University officially lists ten presidents since the formation of the Office of the President; Paul Cook served as interim president from 1985 to 1986.[15]

No.	Name	Years served
1	Henry Hardin Cherry	1906–1937
2	Paul L. Garrett	1937–1955
3	Kelly Thompson	1955–1969
4	Dero Downing	1969–1979
5	John Minton	1979
6	Donald Zacharias	1979–1985
7	Kern Alexander	1986–1988
8	Thomas Meredith	1988–1997
9	Gary Ransdell	1997–2017
10	Timothy Caboni	2017–present

Academics

[edit]

Western Kentucky University houses five academic colleges, an honors college, and a graduate school.[16]

• College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
• Ogden College of Science & Engineering
• Potter College of Arts & Letters
• Gordon Ford College of Business
• College of Health and Human Services
• Mahurin Honors College
• The Graduate School

Reputation and rankings

[edit]

Academic rankings
National
U.S. News & World Report[17]	363 (tie)
Washington Monthly[18]	338

As of 2007[update], twenty-seven alumni of WKU's photo and print journalism programs have been awarded thirteen Pulitzer Prizes, including eleven alumni recognized for their coverage of the Carrollton bus crash.[19] The school publishes a twice-weekly newspaper, the College Heights Herald.[20]

Mahurin Honors College

[edit]

The WKU Honors College became the first Honors College in the Commonwealth of Kentucky on July 1, 2007. The Honors College serves over 1,300 active Honors students with the 2016 incoming freshman class ACT/SAT average ranking among the top 6% in the nation.[21]

Center for Gifted Studies

[edit]

WKU's Center for Gifted Studies conducts research and provides opportunities for gifted and talented students, educators, and parents.[22]

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky

[edit]

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky opened in the Fall of 2007. The project is based on the University of North Texas's Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science. The school accepts roughly 100 high school juniors each year. As incoming juniors, students can earn at least 60 college credit hours during their time at the school. The Gatton Academy was named "America's Best High School" by Newsweek in 2012[23] and 2013.[24] The building, originally designed in 1929, was renovated and expanded by RossTarrant Architects[25] to transform it into the Gatton Academy.

Athletics

[edit] Main article: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers

The Western Kentucky (WKU) athletic teams are called the Hilltoppers (men's) and Lady Toppers (women's). Their mascot is known as Big Red. The mascot has appeared in a series of ESPN promotions.[26] The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the Conference USA (C-USA) since the 2014–15 academic year.[27] The Hilltoppers and Lady Toppers previously competed in the Sun Belt Conference from 1982–83 to 2013–14; and in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 1981–82.

WKU competes in 16 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field, and volleyball.

Swimming

[edit]

The WKU swim team, before its suspension after the 2014–15 season, consistently placed in the top 5 in the Mid-Major National Rankings. In 2006 their men were undefeated in dual meets and were Sun Belt Conference Champions. The women won five consecutive championships from 2001 to 2005. In 2005, after 37 years as head coach, coach Bill Powell became an assistant coach, and holds the record for being the second-winningest coach in men's swimming in NCAA dual meet history.

Following the Western Kentucky University swim team hazing scandal in 2015, which revealed incidents of hazing dating back to at least 2012, the university placed the entire program on a five-year suspension. However, as of 2024, the program has not been revived.

Baseball

[edit]

The baseball team has enjoyed some success, winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament championship in 2009. In April 2010, the WKU baseball team defeated the University of Kentucky 24–8 in a game at Bowling Green Ballpark. The crowd of 6,183 was the largest crowd to ever attend a WKU home baseball game.[28] In 2025, WKU baseball celebrated "one of the best seasons in program history."[29] The Hilltoppers finished with a 46–14 overall record, the second most wins in a season in program history. Their 46 wins finished one shy of the 1980 WKU Baseball team. WKU Baseball won the Conference-USA Championship, their first conference championship as a member of the CUSA. The team was also invited to the NCAA Tournament regionals, where they went 0–2 and their season ended with an 8–6 loss to Ole Miss.

Basketball

[edit] Main articles: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers basketball and WKU Lady Toppers basketball

The men's basketball program claims to have the 14th most victories in the history of the NCAA.

The men's basketball team defeated Middle Tennessee in the 2008 Sun Belt Conference tournament championship game to get a bid into the 2008 NCAA Tournament. The Hilltoppers won their first-round contest against Drake on a last-second three-pointer by Ty Rogers, and won their second-round game against San Diego, before losing to UCLA 88–78 in the Sweet 16. It was the Toppers' eighth all-time appearance in the Sweet 16 but their first since 1993. In 2009, the men's basketball team defeated Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament 76–72 to advance to the second-round game against Gonzaga. The Toppers were beaten 83–81 on a last-second shot, failing to advance to their second straight Sweet 16. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2012, the Toppers pulled off a stunning win against Mississippi Valley State, erasing a 16-point deficit with less than five minutes remaining, pulling off a 59–58 win as U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron looked on.[citation needed]

Football

[edit] Main article: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football

The Hilltopper football team belonged to what was then the Gateway Football Conference until 2006. In 2002, WKU won the NCAA Division I FCS (formerly I-AA) National Championship, under coach Jack Harbaugh. In 2006, the school's board of regents voted to move the team to the Division I Bowl Subdivision (formerly I-A). After two years of provisional status, they began to compete in 2009 as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. An extensive rivalry with Eastern Kentucky University, known as the Battle of the Bluegrass, ended in 2008 as WKU moved into FBS football. Starting with the 2014 season, WKU football has been a member of Conference USA, following cross-state rivals, Middle Tennessee State University, who joined C-USA a year prior.[30]

Campus

[edit]

A defining characteristic of Western Kentucky University is its placement on top of a hill. This is a point of pride for many affiliated with the institution and its relative uniqueness is celebrated by members of the WKU community. "The Hill" is a common nickname for WKU's Bowling Green campus, especially in communication to prospective and current students. WKU's sports teams are also officially nicknamed the "Hilltoppers."

WKU's campus also features multiple buildings and sites included on the National Register of Historic Places. These include:

• Henry Hardin Cherry Hall
• Fort Lytle
• Helm Library
• The Industrial Education Annex
• Industrial Arts Building
• The Kentucky Building
• President's Home

Greek organizations

[edit] Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023[31]

Race and ethnicity	Total
White	75%
Black	9%
Hispanic	6%
Two or more races	4%
Asian	3%
Unknown	2%
International student	1%
Economic diversity
Low-income[a]	34%
Affluent[b]	66%

In 1965 the Western Kentucky University Board of Regents allowed national fraternities and sororities to form local chapters. Currently, there are some 33 active organizations with approximately 1,500 active undergraduates.[32]

Media and publications

[edit]

• College Heights Herald, WKU's student-run newspaper since 1924
• Talisman,[33] WKU's yearbook
• Rise Over Run Magazine, WKU's online magazine for independent culture
• WKU SPIRIT, WKU's alumni magazine
• WWHR, Revolution 91.7 – WKU's college radio station
• WKU NewsChannel 12 – Student-run television newscast.
• The Extra Point – Student-run television sportscast.

Notable people

[edit] Main article: List of Western Kentucky University people

Notes

[edit]

1. ^ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
2. ^ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

[edit]

1. ^ "U.S. and Canadian 2024 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2024 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY23 to FY24, and FY24 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student" (XLSX). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 12, 2025. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
2. ^ a b "Employees by Type and Status: WKU Factbook (2020)". Western Kentucky University. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
3. ^ a b "2024 Fact Book" (PDF).
4. ^ 2024 WKU Fact Book
5. ^ WKU Communication & Branding Manual (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 20, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
6. ^ Switzer, The Daily News, Liz (May 4, 2010). "WKU officials dedicate newly renovated Preston Center". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
7. ^ Ellis 2011, p. 137.
8. ^ a b Ellis 2011, p. 363.
9. ^ a b "The History of WKU". Bowling Green, Kentucky: Western Kentucky University. 2011. Archived from the original on June 11, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
10. ^ Ellis 2011, p. 365.
11. ^ "History of Western Kentucky University". Archived from the original on May 11, 2008.
12. ^ Tradition page Archived June 14, 2017, at the Wayback Machine at WKU athletic site
13. ^ "2012–13 men's basketball media guide" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 15, 2021. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
14. ^ "About President Timothy C. Caboni".
15. ^ "WKU Timeline". Retrieved October 15, 2023.
16. ^ "Academics | Western Kentucky University". wku.edu. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
17. ^ "2025-2026 Best National Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report. September 23, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
18. ^ "2025 Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars". Washington Monthly. August 25, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
19. ^ "WKU News & Events". wku.edu. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012.
20. ^ Herald, College Heights. "wkuherald.com | Campus News, Sports & Breaking News from Western Kentucky University | WKU Herald". College Heights Herald.
21. ^ klk62361. "Honors College Home". Western Kentucky University. Retrieved March 8, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
22. ^ Profiles of influence in gifted education: historical perspectives and future directions. Waco, Texas: Prufrock Press. 2004.
23. ^ "America's Best High Schools 2012". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 23, 2013. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
24. ^ "2013 America's Best High Schools". Newsweek. Archived from the original on November 23, 2013.
25. ^ "RossTarrant Architects – Enhancing Education Through Great Design". RossTarrant Architects. September 7, 2023.
26. ^ "A history of WKU's iconic mascot". October 17, 2016.
27. ^ "WKU Enters Athletic Membership Agreement with Conference USA Beginning July 1, 2014 – Western Kentucky University Official Athletics Site". Wkusports.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
28. ^ "Record Crowd of 6,183 Sees #26 WKU Wax Kentucky, 24-8".
29. ^ "WKU Baseball Selected for NCAA Oxford Regional". Western Kentucky University Athletics. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
30. ^ "Western Kentucky to join Conference USA in 2014". April 2013.
31. ^ "College Scorecard: Western Kentucky University". College Scorecard. United States Department of Education. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
32. ^ "Western Kentucky University Greek Affairs – About". Archived from the original on July 17, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
33. ^ "WKU Talisman". www.wku.edu. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2017.

Bibliography

[edit]

• Ellis, William E. (2011). A History of Education in Kentucky. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 978-0-8131-4023-0.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Western Kentucky University.

• Official website
• Official athletics website

v t e Western Kentucky University
Located in: Bowling Green, Kentucky
Academics	Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky
Athletics	Teams Baseball Men's basketball Women's basketball Football Venues Houchens E. A. Diddle Arena Nick Denes Field Related Marching band Sports Network Sports Satellite Network Swim team hazing scandal
Campus	College Heights Herald Henry Hardin Cherry Hall Kentucky Museum Van Meter Hall Western Kentucky University Heating Plant
Life	Big Red VAMPY WKU Public Radio WKYU-TV WWHR WKUE
People	List of Western Kentucky University people
Founded: 1906 Students: 21,048 Endowment: 109.9 million Category

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