College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

From Topper Walk to the Big Red Bash, the WKU Spirit was on full display Thursday evening as Western Kentucky University celebrated the Class of 2024.

Joined by faculty from each academic college, the 2024 graduates waved red towels and greeted family and friends as they made their way down the Hill into Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium for WKU’s 195^th Commencement.

WKU conferred 3,112 degrees and certificates to spring and summer 2024 graduates -- 86 associate, 2,039 bachelor’s, 533 master’s, 55 doctoral and 15 specialist degrees, and 288 undergraduate certificates and 96 graduate certificates. (More: Photo gallery)

“Our rich and storied traditions make our Hill a special place,” President Timothy C. Caboni told graduates. “They bond us to the institution and bind us to one another, across generations, for a lifetime. They become a part of who we are as individuals and who we are as a community.”

WKU traditions like the red towel and the fight song “forever stir in us a sense of belonging to something larger than ourselves. To something extraordinary,” President Caboni said, adding that WKU’s beloved mascot Big Red represents the Spirit of WKU.

“This notion of the WKU Spirit is important to our institution, tracing its roots all the way back to President Cherry, who coined our university's motto, the Spirit Makes the Master,” he said.

President Caboni encouraged graduates to reflect on what the motto means to them and offered his own interpretations. To him, The Spirit Makes the Master includes mastering a particular field, mastering one’s self, and investing in your life and knowing your purpose and path.

“We live in challenging times, fraught with distractions and, unfortunately, often enveloped by darkness,” President Caboni said. “So, as I finish today, I challenge you with this: be a light in a sometimes-dark world. Choose good over evil, right over wrong, selflessness over selfishness. And make sure that you're not just focused on making a good living, but that you make a good life for yourself, for your families, for your communities and for our world.”

In his remarks to graduates, Student Government Association President Sam Kurtz, a junior from Bowling Green, said he reflected on his achievements, roles and contributions and realized that  “society conditions us to compete in a relentless pursuit of doing, striving for titles in hopes of building a resume that will define us.”

“Use these next few weeks of your life to realize that you are not defined by what you do, what you have done or what you plan to do,” Kurtz said. “Instead, be defined by the human being that you are. Be defined by the kindness you show to others, the spirit that you hold within you, and let your work as a human being far outweigh your work as a human doer.”

Minton Award

Matthew Bowers of Kenhorst, Pennsylvania, who received a master’s degree in Biology, was recognized as the John D. Minton Award recipient. The Graduate School’s top award is named for Dr. John D. Minton, who was a history professor and WKU’s first graduate dean and served as vice president for Administrative Affairs and as WKU’s fifth president. The award was presented by John D. Minton Jr., retired Chief Justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court. (Read more about the Minton Award recipient at https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=article&articleid=11956)

Ogden Foundation Scholar

Mariia Novoselia of Odesa, Ukraine, was recognized as the Ogden Foundation Scholar. Novoselia earned a bachelor of arts with a major in Journalism and a minor in Political Science with a certificate in Organizational Leadership. The Ogden Foundation Award, WKU’s top undergraduate graduation honor, is presented to one graduating baccalaureate degree senior who has demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and outstanding university and civic engagement. The award was presented by Dr. David Hartman, a member of the Ogden Foundation Board of Trustees. (Read more about the Ogden Foundation Scholar at https://www.wku.edu/news/articles/index.php?view=article&articleid=11933)

ROTC Commissioning

The Hilltopper Army ROTC Program commissioned 14 graduates as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army to serve in the active Army, National Guard or Army Reserve.

Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Struzik, Professor of Military Science, administered the oath of office to the following cadets (name, hometown, first duty assignment): Cadet Michael Ashley of Owensboro, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Novosel, Alabama; Cadet Levi Bowman of Bowling Green, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia; Cadet Swade Constant of Glasgow, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Cadet Romie Craig of Fort Knox, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Moore, Georgia; Cadet Samuel Feldman of Frankfort, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Cadet Hunter Hadden of Russellville, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Cadet Connor Helms of Matthews, North Carolina, assigned to Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia; Cadet Elijah Hinton of Prospect, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Novosel, Alabama; Cadet Tramarkis Johnson of Loris, South Carolina, assigned to Fort Sam Houston, Texas; Cadet Joseph Pohlman of Bardstown, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Gregg-Adams, Virginia; Cadet Kieran Reilly of Denver, Colorado, assigned to Fort Moore, Georgia; Cadet Gunner Robinson of Wilmore, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Moore, Georgia; Cadet Ethan Underhill of White House, Tennessee, assigned to Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and Cadet Daniel Vuleta of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, assigned to Fort Novosel, Alabama.

WKU recognized graduates and those in attendance who are serving in the U.S. military or are military veterans.

Commencement notes

• Commencement activities began with Topper Walk along the Avenue of Champions and concluded with the Big Red Bash on the South Lawn.
• Dr. Julia Link Roberts, the Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies and The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science, carried the Mace to lead the procession of platform guests. The honor of carrying the mace is given to the faculty member in attendance who has served the longest tenure. Dr. Roberts, the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies, has taught at WKU for over 40 years.
• Graduating senior Anna Gaddie, a Vocal Performance major from Hebron, led the National Anthem with sign language provided by graduating senior Kirsten Butler, a Broadcasting major and American Sign Language minor from Louisville.
• Georgena Brackett, President of the WKU Alumni Association Board of Directors, welcomed graduates to the WKU Alumni family.
• The spring/summer 2024 graduates included 81 WKU student-athletes with an average GPA of 3.32.

More: Commencement information; Commencement program

College Recognition Ceremonies

On Friday at Diddle Arena, WKU’s five academic colleges will host recognition ceremonies to celebrate the accomplishments of their graduates who will walk the line and shake hands with President Caboni.

The ceremony schedule is: Gordon Ford College of Business, 8 a.m.; Potter College of Arts & Letters, 10:30 a.m.; Ogden College of Science and Engineering, 1 p.m.; College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, 3:30 p.m.; and College of Health and Human Services, 6:30 p.m.

WKU is expecting heavy traffic throughout the day. To accommodate traffic flow for graduates and guests, WKU Parking & Transportation is providing parking recommendations for each ceremony, including shuttle service to Diddle Arena, at https://www.wku.edu/commencement/directions.php as well as live updates at https://www.wku.edu/eventparking. More: Event parking information; parking map

Gatton Academy graduation

The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science will recognize 89 students from 42 counties in the Class of 2024, its 17th graduating class. The ceremony will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday at Van Meter Hall.

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Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, WKU helps students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.