WKU News

The Why Knot Us Black Male Initiative will induct 15 WKU students in a ceremony on Sunday (October 13), hosted by the Cynthia and George Nichols III Intercultural Student Engagement Center.

This is the fifth year of Why Knot Us, a program designed to establish a sense of community and connectedness through social bonding activities, academic and professional workshops, and engagement in cultural travel experiences. This program assists in the students’ retention and persistence in graduation from Western Kentucky University. They have also been recognized as Organization of the Year in 2023 and the President's Award in 2024 by the Black Student Alliance. 

Each inductee will be coated and pinned during the ceremony at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Downing Student Union Auditorium.

This year’s class is named after Tyreon Clark, Transition and Student Coordinator at Bowling Green Independent Schools. Clark also serves as the Executive Director of Boys To Men Leadership Group, Co-founder of Jonesville Academy, and President of Bowling Green Youth Flag Football League. Born and raised in Bowling Green, he found it a mission to empower youth in his hometown. Clark was a student-athlete at Austin Peay State University where he played football for four years. He earned his Bachelor in Social Work at Austin Peay State University and Master of Science in Sports Administration at Western Kentucky University.

Upon induction of the Tyreon Clark Class of Why Knot Us, the group will consist of 41 students. During the year, they serve throughout the campus and community, including with Bowling Green Junior High School’s Black Male Initiative and this fall with Jonesville Academy. The new class will open the weekend hosting a field day for youth in Jonesville Academy on Saturday (October 12). 

You can learn more about Why Knot Us at www.wku.edu/isec/whyknotus. 

Contact: Lamario Moore, (270) 745-4926 or lamario.moore@wku.edu