WKU News

Welcome to Today@WKU, the daily newsletter from WKU Public Affairs, for July 19, 2018.

Summer Start is giving a group of freshmen a head start on their studies at WKU. Read more about the program.

WKU News

• 3 to join WKU's Hall of Distinguished Alumni during Homecoming 2018: An award-winning actress of the stage and screen, a pioneer in Kentucky education reform and a nationally and internationally recognized pediatric surgeon will join WKU’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni this fall. Becky Ann Gelke Baker, Nettie Bayless Courts Depp and Dr. Richard C. Rink will be inducted during WKU’s 2018 Homecoming Celebration. The 27th class of noted alumni will be recognized during a luncheon at 11 a.m. Oct. 26 at Sloan Convention Center.
• WKU Foundation celebrates 25 years of support for University: For the past quarter century, the WKU Foundation has supported philanthropic initiatives to benefit WKU. On July 23, 2018, the Foundation, the official repository for gifts to WKU, will hit the 25-year mark, having supported more than $133 million for students, programs and facility improvements.
• Summer Start provides a unique opportunity for freshmen students: A group of freshmen are getting a head start on their studies at WKU this summer. Nearly 50 students are participating in Summer Start, a five-week program that allows first-year students to become acclimated to college before the fall semester begins. Students receive a well-rounded introduction to academic and social life by living on campus, taking college courses, engaging with professors, meeting other first-year students, and learning effective ways to utilize student resources.
• Society for Lifelong Learning to Host Open House, Annual Meeting in August: The Society for Lifelong Learning at WKU (SLL) will host its annual fall Open House on August 26 from 2-4 p.m. “This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the wide variety of classes we have planned during the fall term and to meet some of the instructors who will teach them,” said Cindy Ehresman, lifelong learning program manager. The fall term takes place September 18-November 8.
• WKU Student Priority Registration for Stickwork Project: Attention WKU students, if you’re interested in volunteering to assist with Stickwork at WKU, featuring artist Patrick Dougherty, priority registration is open through Aug. 1. Volunteer slots are limited; students can call (270) 745-2594 to reserve a volunteer slot but must confirm their reservation in person at the Kentucky Museum by Aug. 30. The Stickwork Project will be conducted Oct. 1-19. For details, visit www.wku.edu/grow/stickwork
• Follow the Bike4Alz riders: WKU students are scheduled to complete the sixth Bike4Alz cross country ride to raise money for Alzheimer’s research on Monday (July 23) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. For updates on social media, follow Bike4Alz on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. More: Bike4Alz Support Vehicle Fundraiser
• Study Away summer programs: For updates on WKU Study Away summer programs, follow Study Away on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• Faculty-Led Study Abroad summer programs: For updates on WKU Faculty-Led Study Abroad summer programs, follow Faculty-Led Study Abroad on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• Study Abroad summer programs: For updates on WKU Study Abroad summer programs, follow Study Abroad on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
• 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

• Football: WKU Trio in Irving for Conference USA Football Kickoff: A WKU Football trio is in Irving, Texas, to represent the Hilltoppers for the 2018 Conference USA Media Kickoff. Head coach Mike Sanford will be joined by junior wide receiver Lucky Jackson and senior defensive back DeAndre Farris to meet with media this morning at The Star, which is the Dallas Cowboys' World Headquarters and just down the road from C-USA's main offices. More: 2018 Media Guide
• Men’s basketball: Mendez-Valdez Makes Long-Awaited Return to Diddle Arena: It had been eight years since former Hilltopper Basketball star Orlando Mendez-Valdez returned to WKU. But on Tuesday, OMV came home. WKU received a special summer visit from Mendez-Valdez, along with his wife, former WKU volleyball standout Aquila Orr, and their two daughters.
• Football: Countdown to Kickoff – 100 Days of Hilltopper History: WKU Football will kick off its 100th season on August 31, and each day this summer, WKU Athletics is treating fans to unique and interesting history of Hilltopper Football, from never-before-seen photos to game tickets and programs and everything in between.

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

WKU in the News

• Nobel Prize winner speaks at WKU: When physicist John Michael Kosterlitz got a phone call naming him a winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in his field, the news left him in stunned silence for about 30 seconds before he could muster his reply – “Jesus!” “At this point I was absolutely astonished,” said Kosterlitz, speaking during a lecture Tuesday at WKU.
• Students bike across the country to raise awareness for Alzheimer's: A group of college students from WKU stopped in Blacksburg, Va., on Wednesday as part of their coast-to-coast biking trip to raise awareness and money for the Alzheimer's Association. The students have been biking for two months. They started their trip in San Francisco and their last stop will be Virginia Beach.

More: Check out WKU in the News page.

WKU Alumni

• Upcoming WKU Alumni events: Homecoming 2018 has been set for Oct. 27 with kickoff at 6:30 p.m.; additional details TBA. For a listing of Alumni 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 – Castles of the Rhine 2019

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. Schedule a tour. Visit https://www.wku.edu/admissions/counselors/ or call 270-745-2551 to get in touch with your WKU Admissions Counselor. 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

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

What’s Happening At-WKU

Ongoing/continuing events

• Exhibits at Kentucky Museum: A Culture Carried: Bosnians in Bowling Green (through May 11, 2019); Kaleidoscope: Kentucky Museum Quilts (through Dec. 15); Summer Camp Exhibit (through Aug. 25); 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.
• 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.
• Summer Start. Through Aug. 9. Contact Summer Start, (270) 745-4254.

Thursday, July 19

• 7:30 a.m.: Topper Orientation Program. Downing Student Union. Contact TOP, (270) 745-2551.
• 8 a.m.: 32^nd Summer Conference on Topology and its Applications. Snell Hall and Ogden College Hall. Through July 20. Contact Paige Spear, (270) 745-4695.
• 9 a.m.: WKU Baseball Youth Camp 2. Nick Denes Field. Contact Tommy Winterstein, (270) 745-2493.
• 7 p.m.: Hardin Planetarium Show: Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter. Hardin Planetarium. Contact Planetarium, (270) 745-4044.

Friday, July 20

• Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo. L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center. Contact Ag Expo Center, (270) 745-3976.
• 8 a.m.: 32^nd Summer Conference on Topology and its Applications. Snell Hall and Ogden College Hall. Contact Paige Spear, (270) 745-4695.

Saturday, July 21

• Kentucky Junior Livestock Expo. L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center. Contact Ag Expo Center, (270) 745-3976.

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