WKU News

Dear Colleagues,

This weekend, we welcome thousands of guests to campus for Parent and Family weekend, an important opportunity that allows parents and families to connect with our university and see firsthand where their students are studying, living and growing. Family support remains a key factor in student retention and success, and the more included and engaged families feel, the better equipped they are to support their students. Parent and Family weekend strengthens our partnership with our students’ loved ones and enables them to participate in the unique WKU Experience. 

Central to that experience is a robust academic foundation enriched by exciting, entertaining and informative opportunities beyond the classroom. As part of our commitment to providing thought-provoking engagement experiences for our campus community and beyond, last year I announced the Presidential Speaker Series and our inaugural speaker, renowned marine geologist Dr. Robert Ballard. This year, I am excited to announce the second installment of the Presidential Speaker Series featuring #1 International and New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist Dr. Lisa Genova. 

Dr. Genova holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Harvard University and is the bestselling author of the novels Left Neglected, Love Anthony, Inside the O’Briens, Every Note Played and Still Alice, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Julianne Moore and Alec Baldwin. Dr. Genova’s keynote speech will explore the intricacies of our ability to remember, why we forget and what we can all do to protect our memories. I hope you will plan to join me at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 15, in Van Meter Auditorium as we welcome Dr. Genova to WKU. I also hope that you encourage your students to participate in this remarkable opportunity. More information about Dr. Genova and our evening together can be found here. 

Also important to the WKU Experience are our athletic events. This season, again, features two mid-week home football games as we take on UTEP on October 10 and Kennesaw State on October 30. To show our appreciation for your hard work and dedication to WKU, for these two games, we are pleased to offer each faculty and staff member two free game tickets, two free drinks (bottled water or soda) and two free food items (hotdog or popcorn). You may purchase additional tickets for only $10. 

You can claim your two free tickets, and purchase additional ones, as well as drink and food coupons at the Diddle Arena ticket office (M-F, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or on game day until 4:00 p.m.). For planning purposes, tickets and coupons must be picked up in advance and will not be available at the Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium Ticket Office. Faculty and staff attendance at football games cultivates a sense of community on campus and demonstrates support for students both inside and outside the classroom. I hope you plan to join me in cheering for our Tops at each of our home games this season. 

In addition to enriching our campus community, events such as the Presidential Speaker Series and our athletic contests help strengthen our connection to our geographic region. WKU is an integral part of the Bowling Green area, and our influence on our region and our state remains significant. We recently commissioned a study to determine the economic impact of WKU, and the results are impressive. A few highlights: 

• In fiscal year 2022-2023, WKU’s operations, research, visitor and student spending, volunteerism and the productivity of its alumni added $528.4 million in income to the Bowling Green region. The activities of WKU and its students support one out of every 17 jobs in Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Simpson and Warren counties.
• WKU added $134 million in income to our regional campus service areas, equivalent to supporting 2,167 jobs in the communities served by our campuses in Glasgow, Owensboro, Elizabethtown/Ft. Knox and Somerset.
• WKU added $1.6 billion in income to the Kentucky economy, equivalent to supporting 23,996 jobs. 

More results from this study can be found here.

Thank you for all you have done to get the semester off to a great start and for ensuring that WKU is leading in our region and beyond. 

Go Tops! 

Best,

Timothy C. Caboni