Dear Colleagues,
This past weekend we welcomed thousands of important members of our Hilltopper Family to the Hill for Parent and Family Weekend. Hosting our students’ friends and family members on campus provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to care for their students. Additionally, engaging families in their Hilltoppers’ WKU experience remains key to retention. I appreciate the efforts across our university to build relationships with families through effective communication and strategic involvement.
Similarly, families play an integral role in the college selection process. If they do not understand all our institution offers, it diminishes significantly the likelihood of their student choosing to continue their educational journey with us. We must include families in the recruitment process early on to ensure that all decision makers understand the value of a college degree and, more specifically, the unparalleled experience at WKU. As we continue our work to recruit the class of 2027, we must incorporate families into every conversation we have around our hands-on, applied research opportunities, our aggressive scholarship program and attractive financial aid packages and the many additional qualities that make our university so special.
By winter break, just 11 weeks away, we will have admitted most of the students who will enroll at WKU next fall. To meet our enrollment goals, we must all work to attract students throughout this prime recruitment period and beyond. Recruiting happens at a frenetic pace, and I thank you for your efforts to recruit prospective students to our Hill and, once here, to ensure their success.
Finally, I hope that you have made plans to relax and recharge as our campus closes for Fall Break next Thursday and Friday, October 13 and 14. Additional paid time off remains a critical part of our overall compensation strategy and it allows each of us to step away from our daily routines and come back refreshed and best prepared to help our Hilltoppers succeed.
Go Tops!
Best,
Timothy C. Caboni
