WKU News

WKU is gearing up for Commencement one week from tonight at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. That will be followed by individual college recognition ceremonies at E.A. Diddle Arena  throughout the day on Friday, May 6.

WKU’s Amy Bingham breaks down the schedule as well as parking and traffic information in this week’s View from the Hill.

“Two thousand students on a football field just has a feel to it.”

Traditional Commencement activities are returning to the Hill for the first time in three years.

“It’s almost like you dust off your play book from 2019 and then add the things you learned from 2021 when we celebrated last year.”

Topper Walk kicks off the festivities on Thursday, May 5, at 6:30.

After the December tornadoes, this year’s events have an added layer of significance.

“Not only are we recognizing our spring and summer ’22 graduates but this will also be an opportunity to appropriately recognize those fall ’21 graduates whose recognition ceremonies were unfortunately disrupted.”

While Thursday is the official conferring of degrees for the Class of ‘22, Friday begins a full day of college recognition ceremonies…marking the first time those have been held on a weekday.

“There’s going to be a significant uptick in traffic which is great for us but for folks going to work on a Friday morning, our first ceremony starts at 8 a.m.”

Goodman says a lot of planning has gone into how best to use the university’s parking structures to ease traffic flow.

“The idea is that the exit doesn’t interfere with the entrance into the structures.”

The Commencement website contains detailed parking plans specific to each ceremony. It will even be updated throughout the day next Friday.

“If a parking lot you were planning on going to is being used for another ceremony it will direct you to the right spot. I mean those live updates are going to be huge but it’s all housed on the Commencement website.”

Thursday night’s activities will go on rain and shine and will also include a return to the Big Red Bash following Commencement.

“We will have food trucks and other vendors, music by a group called Music City Sound and kind of  culminate with a fireworks celebration.”

Up to six shuttles will be running on campus all day on May 6.

The full Commencement schedule and up-to-date parking information can be found at www.wku.edu/commencement; click on the Directions and Parking tab.

• More: Commencement preview; traffic/parking information