WKU Sisterhood

The WKU Sisterhood gathered for its annual fall meeting on Nov. 10 and celebrated a milestone 106 members and a record amount in available funding to award as grants.

In total, the group awarded $106,511 in grants to fund six University initiatives for 2023. The WKU Sisterhood members voted to allocate three Impact Grants of $10,001 or more, as well as three Small But Mighty Grants for $10,000 or less.

The following Impact Grants were awarded:

$45,648 for the WKU Digital Concert Hall. The WKU Digital Concert Hall will provide a worldwide platform for students, faculty, and guests to stream and record their performances in high-definition video and audio from the WKU Recital Hall.

$25,000 for Elevating the WKU Community and Beyond with Personal Finance Education. Support from the grant will elevate the profile of the WKU Center for Financial Success. This allows for the creation of content for 100-150 micro-learning videos and coaching. This program provides participants with the ability to make sound and educated personal finance decisions.

$20,000 for the Catalyst Cohort in the Mahurin Honors College. Support from the grant will provide scholarships for high-potential Pell-eligible, first-generation, and underrepresented minority Honors scholars with the goal of incentivizing and supporting participation in high-impact practices of study abroad and research.

Small But Mighty Grants were also awarded to the following projects:

$5,327 for New State Registered Nurse Aide Textbooks/Workbooks. This project will enable the program to continue offering an affordable, high-quality course for WKU pre-health profession students to obtain their State Registered Nurse Aide (formerly called CNA) certificate and begin gaining clinical work experience while completing their studies at WKU, thereby enhancing their professional school applications and addressing the community’s SRNA shortage.

$6,566 for Refuge Bowling Green Service-Learning Music Class. WKU faculty in the Department of Music aim to provide WKU music students with a culturally diverse service-learning classroom experience through a partnership with a local nonprofit (Refuge Bowling Green), as well as provide both classroom readiness and a long-term vision to children in the community who may not otherwise be college minded. The grant provided 114 instruments, classroom materials, technology and three scholarships to refugee children to pre-college music programs.

$3,970 for the WKU Equestrian Team Impact Fund. This fund will establish a legacy that supports WKU Equestrian Team riders as they compete at intercollegiate levels by providing show outfits and 58 class entry fees for competitions.

“When more than 100 women collaborate and combine funding, they make a positive impact on students, faculty, departments and this beloved University,” said Kathleen Overton (’95), Chair of the WKU Sisterhood. “It’s fulfilling to award these student-affiliated organizations with funding they could not get from other places. The money we donate goes directly into the grant fund, and the decisions made regarding grant distributions are a vote from the entire membership. It’s collaborative.

“The Sisterhood also makes an impact on the women who become members,” Overton added. “I have learned so much about this University and the hundreds of projects and clubs that I never knew existed before. And let’s not forget that the Sisterhood has provided another great opportunity to get together with old friends and meet new ladies who are just as passionate about WKU. It’s simple and impactful.”

The Sisterhood is an organization of women advancing University priorities through philanthropic engagement and a collective voice. Members pool their financial gifts and award funds to a limited number of University designations to maximize the impact of their philanthropy. Any alumna, friend, faculty, or staff member of WKU is invited to join this group of women.

Established in 2009, the WKU Sisterhood awarded its first grants in 2010. Since then, 45 grants totaling more than $768,130 have been awarded to the University community. The amount of money available for distribution is dependent upon the number of members and can vary each year. Although funds stay within the WKU community, benefits extend beyond the University campus.

For more information, contact Aarika Gunn at (270) 745-6490.