WKU News

Welcome to Today@WKU, the daily newsletter from WKU Public Affairs, for February 19, 2019.

Overcast start to the morning at WKU with rain expected to return later today. For updates, follow @WKUweather

WKU News

• WKU announces more than $12.4 million in gift receipts in first half of fiscal year, second-highest in WKU history: WKU has received more than $12.4 million in gift receipts through the first six months of Fiscal Year 2019 (July 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 2018), marking the second-highest first six-month total in WKU history. “We are grateful for all of our alumni and friends who demonstrate their belief in WKU by making personal contributions,” said WKU President Timothy C. Caboni. “Their gifts shape our future and provide opportunity and access to the WKU Experience for the next generation of Hilltoppers.”
• WKU Forensics Team wins in Alabama and Illinois: The WKU Forensics Team traveled to both Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Normal, Illinois, to take part in three tournaments the weekend of Feb. 16-17. At the American Forensic Association District-Six National Qualifying Tournament, hosted on the campus of the University of Alabama, WKU earned the team sweepstakes championships at both of the tournaments. In Illinois, WKU closed out the final round of debate, sharing the three top placings.
• Economics to Host Gilligan for BB&T Center for the Study of Capitalism Lecture: Providing an idea of what think tanks do and how they work is the subject of an upcoming lecture by Thomas Gilligan of the Hoover Institute to be held on Thursday (Feb. 21) at 3:30 p.m. in Grise Hall’s Guillaume Auditorium. Gilligan’s lecture is sponsored by the BB&T Center of the Study of Capitalism and the public is invited.
• WKU to host annual Physics Olympics on Feb. 23: The WKU Department of Physics & Astronomy is holding its annual Physics Olympics competition on Saturday (Feb. 23) at Snell Hall, room 1108.
• 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.

Campus Announcements

• President’s Message: End of Year Fundraising Success: As we work to further elevate WKU, we continue to produce key achievements in philanthropy and alumni giving. We just reported our calendar-year ending results to the boards of the College Heights Foundation and the WKU Foundation. We are on course for another record-setting year of fundraising. During the first six months of FY19, we raised more than $12.4 million in private gifts, marking the second-highest first six-month total in the University’s history. We expect to continue that pace into the second half of the year. You will recall that last year we celebrated the largest dollar totals raised in the history of WKU. Read more

WKU Sports

• Men’s basketball: Bassey Wins Fourth Straight, Eighth Overall C-USA Freshman Weekly Honor: WKU center Charles Bassey continued his dominant run in conference play last week, earning his eighth Conference USA Men's Basketball Freshman of the Week award Monday. It's also the fourth straight weekly freshman honor for the 6-foot-11, 245-pound native of Lagos, Nigeria. Next: WKU at Old Dominion at noon Saturday.
• Women’s golf: Clarke Leads Lady Tops on First Day of Amelia Island Collegiate: After earning WKU Lady Topper Golf's No. 1 spot in qualifying, Megan Clarke continued that momentum by leading her squad Monday through the first two rounds of Jacksonville's Amelia Island Collegiate. The sophomore Clarke is tied for 11th individually with a 148 (73-75) total. She's just five strokes behind the individual leader, Georgia State's Harmanprit Kaur. The final round begins this morning.
• Baseball: Toppers Face Lipscomb in First Midweek Action of 2019: Following a three-game sweep to begin the 2019 season, WKU Baseball hits the road early today as the Hilltoppers travel to Lipscomb for an 11 a.m. first pitch at Ken Dugan Field

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

WKU in the News

• WKU showcases Cuban culture with art exhibition, upcoming lecture: When Miwon Choe, an art education professor at WKU, set out to bring an exhibition of Cuban art to campus, she wanted to give an unvarnished look into the artists’ lives.

More: Check out WKU in the News page.

WKU Alumni

• Upcoming WKU Alumni events: 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: Share your #RedTowelsAtWork photos; WKU Alumni Connection App; 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
• #WKU2023: Attention high school seniors, WKU has opened the Fall 2019 application! Join the Hilltopper Family at http://wku.edu/apply. More: DiscoverWKU & Head for The Hill events
• 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); Highbrow;  Even Coverlets Get the Blues; Jacqui Lubbers: A Legacy in Weaving; 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 Cuba: Various events during the 2018-19 academic year. Contact International Programs, (270) 745-5334.
• Art Exhibit: The Island of My Love: The Faces and Stories of Cuba. Through April 6. Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Gallery. Part of International Year of Cuba. Contact Miwon Choe, (270) 745-7052.
• Photo Exhibit: Mount Sterling: Gateway to the Heart. Through March 1. Jody Richards Hall Gallery. Contact Tim Broekema, (270) 745-3005.
• Black History Month Exhibit at Cynthia and George Nichols III Intercultural Student Engagement Center. Through February. Downing Student Union, room 2041. Contact Angie Link, (270) 745-5066.

Tuesday, February 19

• 4 p.m.: Entrepreneur Speaker Series. Grise Hall, room 238. Contact Whitney Peake, (270) 745-4142.
• 7 p.m.: Hardin Planetarium Show: Starry Tales for a Winter Night. Hardin Planetarium. Contact Planetarium, (270) 745-4044.

Wednesday, February 20

• Noon: S.T.E.M. Career Fair. Hardin Planetarium. Contact Career Services, (270) 745-3095.
• 3 p.m.: High Impact Programs in the States National Conference. Downing Student Union. Contact Erin Holderman, (270) 745-4254.

Thursday, February 21

• 8:30 a.m.: High Impact Programs in the States National Conference. Downing Student Union. Contact Erin Holderman, (270) 745-4254.
• 3:45 p.m.: University Senate Meeting. Faculty House. Contact Academic Affairs, (270) 745-2296.
• 5 p.m.: Presentation: Cuba con Amor: Creative Bridges through Literature and the Arts by Dr. Ruth Behar, Cuban American anthropologist and author. Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center’s Russell Miller Theatre. Contact Miwon Choe, (270) 745-7052.
• 7 p.m.: Hardin Planetarium Show: Starry Tales for a Winter Night. Hardin Planetarium. Contact Planetarium, (270) 745-4044.
• 7 p.m.: Poetry Reading: Sarah McCartt-Jackson, author of Stonelight. Cherry Hall, room 125. Contact English, (270) 745-3043.
• 8 p.m.: Theatre Production: Aglaonike’s Tiger. Gordon Wilson Hall Lab Theatre. Admission is $16; $12 for students and seniors. Contact Theatre and Dance, (270) 745-5845.

For upcoming events: Visit What's Happening at WKU 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, WKU on You Tube or WKU webcams. Email us at wkunews@wku.edu