WKU News

The Gordon Ford College of Business at Western Kentucky University has received a $100,000 gift from Mr. William C. Ragland to establish the William C. Ragland Endowment for Business Ethics that will support ethics education and research in the College.

The $100,000 endowment will support faculty research, hosting guest speakers, and other methods for providing hands-on educational experiences in this important area.

“I created this speaker series to create awareness for the importance of ethics in business education today,” Mr. Ragland said. “As a veteran of federal civil service, I encountered many opportunities to witness the importance of making the right decision in difficult situations. I trust that the Gordon Ford College of Business will benefit from an enhanced focus on ethical practices within the profession.”

 “As an applied college of business, it is critically important that we expose our students to the full range of ethical issues facing today’s business decision-makers.  Conducting business on a global scale requires our students to be prepared for ethical issues that have cultural implications and range from very basic to the extremely complex,” said Dr. Jeff Katz, Dean of the College. “We are honored to have Mr. Ragland’s generous gift to support faculty programs and speakers that will expose our students to key business decision-makers and real world situations.”

Mr. Ragland grew up in Bowling Green, Ky., and graduated from College High in 1946.

The Gordon Ford College of Business is one of 180 collegiate schools of business, from more than 13,000 worldwide, accredited in business and accounting programs by AACSB International.  The College offers 10 undergraduate majors and three graduate programs.