WKU News

When WKU students were told to return to their homes two weeks ago to finish out the semester online, not everyone had a place to go.

About 50 students were relocated to Hilltopper Hall as WKU’s Amy Bingham explains in this week’s View from the Hill.

WKU’s lively campus has abruptly turned into a very small environment for the students who, for one reason or another, needed to live on campus for the remainder of the semester.

“It’s very quiet around here, very quiet. “

Junior Trevor Polston is one of 50 students now living in Hilltopper Hall, the only residence hall open on campus.

“We chose Hilltopper because there’s the Hilltopper Hub which is a dining facility and so students, instead of having to go across campus or get anything, they can get to-go options if they have a meal plan at Hilltopper Hub just downstairs.”

The students have also been placed a safe distance apart.

“They all have their own room, we wanted to provide some social distance within them so they are not placed with roommates, they are all in a room by themselves.  They are not being charged Hilltopper Hall rate, they’re being charged whatever rate they had for the spring semester.”

Ellis says there were several reasons given for needing to stay on campus from no Wifi service, to not being able to travel home and, for students like Trevor, not having any family support.

“Me and my family don’t really get along because I’m kind of like the black sheep in the family, I’m kind of like the educated one.”

“When they told me they were closing the dorm down I really didn’t have a place to stay.”

To keep them from feeling so isolated, the Alumni Association put out a call for each student to be adopted by a WKU alum.

“That went out I guess Friday afternoon and I probably came home to 50-plus emails Monday morning which was overwhelming but so wonderful to see that there was such an outpouring of support.”

It’s a welcome gesture for Trevor and the rest of the students who are adjusting to a new normal just like everyone else.

“You’ve got to adapt, adjust and overcome and Go Tops.”

Ellis says Housing and Residence Life is not only checking on the 50 students still on campus, this week Hall Directors began checking in via text message with the 4,000 students who have moved back home.