In politics, the old adage “having a seat at the table” is often used to refer to those in positions of power, influence and policy making. This poster exhibit highlights a few of the women who have held political office and had “a seat at the table” in decision making for the Commonwealth.

This exhibit tells the stories of freshmen year from participants in a student success intiative, WKU Freshmen Guided Pathway (FGP). This cohort of first-time, full-time students who graduated from one of five high schools in Warren County represent the typical WKU freshman in terms of academic achievement prior to admission and their demographic makeup.

FGP assists students as they negotiate the often difficult affective and academic shifts between high school and college. Learn more about the program in this exhibit, presented by the Kelly M. Burch Institute for Transformative Practices in Higher Education, Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing, the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, the WKU Center for Literacy, and the Kentucky Museum.

Gazing Deeply showcases how WKU’s backyard—the unique landscape of Mammoth Cave—is being studied, interpreted, and inspiring action on environmental change. Coinciding with the UNESCO Conservation of Fragile Karst Resources: A Workshop on Sustainability and Community and Earth Day’s 50th anniversary in 2020, this exhibition is a collaborative effort between arts and science faculty and students that highlights one of the most well-known and vital natural landscapes in the world. 

This exhibit traces the history of Kentucky women in politics and political activism, featuring artifacts from the Rather-Westerman Collection and the America United/Divided project. 

History suggests that as “big business” started to take hold in the late 1800s, women became more involved in business and working outside the home. However, few women owned companies. Those that did were in industries centered on women, such as home goods, apparel, or personal care.

Today, women own only 40% of businesses in the U.S., making Carrie Burnam Taylor’s business of the early 20th century that much more impressive. Curated with Dr. Carrie Cox, this exhibit will explore Taylor's life and work, displaying three of her dresses, two coats, two bodices, and various undergarments recently conserved thanks to our Adopt-an-Artifact program.

More Information

Feel free to visit our fall preview, as we unveil our Fall 2022 Colloquia and Special Topics Courses!

Join us for Russian Nesting Doll Painting!

For more on Lady Topper Basketball, visit https://wkusports.com/sports/womens-basketball

Featured Reader: Holly Goddard Jones

Holly Goddard Jones
is the author of several books of fiction,
most recently the novel The Salt Line (Putnam, 2017). Her
collection of short fiction, Antipodes , is forthcoming in May 2022
from University of Iowa Press. Her fiction has appeared in Tin
House Epoch Best American Mystery Stories New Stories from
the South , and elsewhere. She is a recipient of the Rona Jaffe
Foundation Writers' Award, the Kentucky Literary Award, the
Hillsdale Prize from the Fellowship of Southern Writers, and the
Judy Gaines Young Book Award for Appalachian Writers .
She lives in Greensboro, NC.