WKU News

A dedication will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday (September 5) for Garrett Plaza, the oval greenspace now at the heart of the academical village at the top of the Hill. Garrett Plaza is named in honor of Dr. Paul L. Garrett and his wife, Virginia Garrett. Dr. Paul L. Garrett served as the second President of Western Kentucky State Teacher’s College, now Western Kentucky University, from 1937 to 1955. A passionate gardener and horticulture enthusiast, Virginia Garrett also made significant contributions to campus beautification projects.

Completed this summer, the Hilltop Restoration Project makes the top of the Hill more accessible and provides unique outdoor space for the community to gather while also returning the top of the Hill to the original design envisioned by WKU’s first President, Dr. Henry Hardin Cherry, and founding architects.

• What: Dedication of recently renovated space on WKU’s campus
• Who: WKU faculty, staff, students, alumni and community; WKU President Timothy C. Caboni and Pete Garrett, grandson of Dr. Paul and Virginia Garrett, will speak at the event.
• When: Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. CT
• Where: Garrett Plaza, near The Commons at Helm Library, the Colonnade, and the former site of the Garrett Conference Center on WKU’s main campus. Parking will be available in the Hilltop Lot, which is accessible from State Street.

Contact: Jace Lux, (270) 745-4295

- WKU – 

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.