WKU News

Welcome to Today@WKU, the daily newsletter from WKU Public Affairs, for May 3, 2018.

WKU student Dana Biechele-Speziale has been awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.

WKU News

• 183rd Commencement: WKU to confer nearly 3,300 degrees at May 11 ceremony: WKU will reimagine an old tradition with some new additions for its 183rd Commencement on May 11. For the first time since May 2006, WKU’s spring ceremony will be conducted outdoors at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. Two new events will bookend the ceremony – the Topper Walk as WKU faculty and the Class of 2018 make their way from the Kentucky Museum into the stadium and the Big Red Bash on the WKU South Lawn as graduates celebrate with family and friends.
• WKU student, alumnae recognized by National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship: WKU student Dana Biechele-Speziale has been awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.  She will pursue a graduate degree in chemistry and receive an annual stipend of $34,000 for up to three years and a cost-of-education allowance to offset tuition and fees. Alumnae Audrey Brown and Haleh Jeddi were recognized as honorable mentions.
• Ninth annual WKU storm chase class begins May 14: When spring semester classes end, most students look forward to sunny days of rest and relaxation. But the eight students in WKU’s annual May Term storm chase class look forward to stormy days of travel and tornadoes. For the ninth year, students in Dr. Josh Durkee’s Field Methods in Weather Analysis and Forecasting course will become a mobile forecast team in their journey across the Great Plains to forecast, analyze, document and study severe convective storms.
• Finals Week Transit & Parking Changes: Check out a reminder from Parking & Transportation about transit and parking changes during finals week. More: PS2 reserved for Admissions event on Friday morning
• Attention WKU students: It's time to complete course evaluations: Attention WKU students: Please visit wku.evaluationkit.com to complete your Spring 2018 course evaluations. Students completing all course evaluations by May 3 will receive early access to grades on TopNet.
• WKU Public Radio Weekday Newscast Schedule: Tune into WKU Public Radio for national and international news from NPR, and local newscasts every half hour during Morning Edition (4-9 a.m. Central), and All Things Considered (3-6 p.m. Central), as well as local news features and interviews produced by the WKU news staff. WKU's Public Radio can be heard on WKYU-FM (88.9) in Bowling Green/Glasgow; WDCL-FM (89.7) in Somerset/Campbellsville; WKPB-FM (88.9) in Henderson/Owensboro; WKUE-FM (90.9) in Elizabethtown/Bardstown; and online at http://www.wkyufm.org/

Follow WKU News: Subscribe to our daily email newsletter; follow WKU News on Twitter @wkunews or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/WKUNews.

WKU Sports

• Men’s golf: Sargent Earns Tops' First NCAA Regional Berth Since 2008: WKU men's golfer Billy Tom Sargent was selected Wednesday to compete in the NCAA Regionals as an individual, making him the first Hilltopper to participate in the NCAAs in 10 seasons. Sargent, a redshirt junior from Georgetown, Ky., was one of five individuals selected to compete in the Kissimmee (Fla.) Regional, hosted by Central Florida. Play will take place May 14-16 at the Reunion Resort Watson Course. More: Sargent Named Tops' First All-Conference Selection Since 2010
• Football: Sanford Recaps Another Successful NFL Draft Weekend for Hilltoppers: Another successful NFL Draft weekend has passed for the WKU Hilltoppers as two former student-athletes heard their names called in the draft, Joel Iyiegbuniwe (4th, Chicago Bears) and Mike White (5th, Dallas Cowboys) and a third, tight end Deon Yelder, received the highest reported value for an undrafted free agent.
• Softball: Tops Close Non-Conference Slate as Lipscomb Visits The Hill: WKU Softball will take the field for its final non-conference tilt today as Lipscomb visits The Hill for a 6 p.m. CT contest. The Hilltoppers will look to get back on track before heading into its final Conference USA series this upcoming weekend.
• Baseball: Butkiewicz Named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List: WKU Baseball junior Colin Butkiewicz has been named to the 2018 Johnny Bench Award Watch List, it was announced Wednesday afternoon. The Greendale, Wis., native is 1-of-124 catchers in the nation to earn the recognition, and the list will be narrowed down to a group of semifinalists on May 16.

More: For updates on WKU Athletics, follow @WKUSports on Twitter or WKU Athletics on Facebook.

WKU in the News

• ECTC partners with WKU to offer ROTC classes: Next school year, students at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College will be able to participate in ROTC through a partnership with WKU.
• WKU and Bowling Green Special Olympics hold unified flag football game: Wednesday was game day at Houchens-Smith Stadium, with a twist. The WKU football team welcomed the Bowling Green Special Olympics team to campus for a unified flag football game.

More: Check out WKU in the News page.

WKU Alumni

• Upcoming WKU Alumni events: Homecoming 2018 has been set for Oct. 27; game time and additional details TBA. For a listing of events, visit the Alumni website and click on the Events Calendar. Or contact the WKU Alumni Association at 888-958-2586. For a list of Alumni news, visit the Alumni News page. More: WKU SpiritFunder; Topper Travelers Program 2018

More: Visit the WKU Alumni website.

WKU Admissions

• #ClimbWithUs: The WKU Office of Admissions helps future Hilltoppers as they start their journey on The Hill. You can reach us by calling 270-745-2551, emailing admission@wku.edu or connecting with us on social media. Upcoming Important Dates/Deadlines: Admitted Student Nights; Spring TOP Dates: May 4. Students can reserve their TOP date and take their placement exams at www.wku.edu/top
• Useful links for prospective/admitted students: Campus tours; Let’s Talk, Topper; Admissions Timeline; Topper Orientation Program; Scholarships; Housing; MASTER Plan
• Admitted Student Nights: The WKU Office of Admissions is hosting several admitted student nights in various communities. These events are for high school seniors that have been admitted to WKU and their families. The Admissions Counselor for your area will be there to discuss your next steps and answer any questions you may have. Visit https://www.wku.edu/admissions/counselors/ or call 270-745-2551 to get in touch with your WKU Admissions Counselor.

More: Visit the WKU Admissions website; Information for Prospective Students

What’s Happening At-WKU

Ongoing/continuing events

• Exhibits at Kentucky Museum: Instruments of American Excellence; A Culture Carried: Bosnians in Bowling Green (through June 30); Kaleidoscope: Kentucky Museum Quilts (through Dec. 18); 2018 Side by Side (through June 30); plus other gallery and on-campus exhibits. (Museum hours/visitor information) Contact Kentucky Museum, (270) 745-2592.
• Exhibits at Downing Museum: The Story of Joe Downing: Select Works From the Collection. Downing Museum, 4801 Morgantown Road. Contact Jack LeSieur, (270) 842-7415.
• International Year of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Various events and locations during 2017-18 academic year. Contact International Programs, (270) 745-5334.
• Arts at WKU 2017-2018. Various events and locations. Contact Potter College of Arts & Letters, (270) 745-2344.
• WKU Summer Office Hours. May 14-Aug. 10. 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday.

Thursday, May 3

• 6 p.m.: WKU Softball vs. Lipscomb. WKU Softball Complex. Contact Athletic Communications, (270) 745-4298.
• 7 p.m.: Hardin Planetarium Show: MoonBeings. Hardin Planetarium. Contact Planetarium, (270) 745-4044.

Friday, May 4

• 7:30 a.m.: Topper Orientation Program. Downing Student Union. Contact TOP, (270) 745-2551.

Saturday, May 5

• Zen Dog Sports Agility. L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center. Through May 6. Contact Zen Dog Sports, (615) 491-3919.
• 1 p.m.: WKU Softball vs. FIU, doubleheader. WKU Softball Complex. Contact Athletic Communications, (270) 745-4298.
• 5:30 p.m.: Recital: Aliza & Claire. Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Recital Hall. Contact Music, (270) 745-3751.

For upcoming events: Visit the What's Happening at WKU page, Events@WKU page or WKU’s online events calendar

About Today@WKU

• Today@WKU is a service of WKU Public Affairs. For more from WKU News, become a WKU Facebook fan, follow us on Twitter, visit the WKU News page, or check out What's Happening @WKU, “View from the Hill” segments, more News from Around Campus, WKU on You Tube or WKU webcams. Email us at wkunews@wku.edu