The newsletter for the WKU community
August 18, 2022
Welcome to WKU's Class of 2026
Members of WKU’s Class of 2026 are participating in numerous activities this week as part of M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan. During Tuesday’s kickoff event, students began their Hilltopper journey with a Topper Walk from the First Year Village Lawn to Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium for their class photo. M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan continues through Saturday. Learn More
 
As WKU prepares for the start of fall semester classes on Monday, here are some reminders for the campus community:
 
WKU Housing: Residence halls will open for all students at 8 a.m. Friday. Learn More
 
Topper Fest: The WKU community will celebrate the start of the academic year with Topper Fest at 5:30 p.m. Friday on the South Lawn. The free event will include live music featuring The Downtown Band, food trucks, face painting, and interactive outdoor children's activities. Fireworks begin at dark. Learn More
 
WKU Restaurant Group: WKU dining locations will continue Move-In Week hours of operation through Sunday and will begin regular fall hours of operation on Monday. Learn More
 
Parking/Traffic: The Move-In Parking Plan is in effect until 3 p.m. Sunday; the South Lawn Lot and fifth floor of Parking Structure 2 will be reserved for Topper Fest on Friday; several parking changes will be in effect for the Rafferty’s Bowl on Saturday; and the Hilltop Construction Project will impact pedestrian walkways. Learn More
CLIMBING HIGHER
Congratulations to Dr. Bangbo Yan, Pauline Norris and their research team for receiving a three-year, $251,000 grant from the NSF RUI program. The grant will support their work in developing new materials for photocatalytic reactions. Learn More
Crawford Hydrology Lab manager completes exchange project
Crawford Hydrology Lab (CHL) manager Autumn Singer traveled to the Balkans region of eastern Europe this summer to complete a cultural and scientific exchange funded by the Trust for Mutual Understanding (TMU), an organization that offers grants to encourage and support interactions between American and eastern European scientists. CHL Assistant Director Lee Anne Bledsoe and Dr. Nenad Marić with the Department of Ecological Engineering at University of Belgrade and the Cave Research Foundation were awarded TMU funding for their proposal “Research Scholar Exchange in Groundwater Studies” in 2019. The US-based portion of the exchange took place that same year with Dr. Marić traveling to Kentucky. In June 2022, Singer traveled to Belgrade, Serbia, to meet with Dr. Marić and his Centre for Karst Hydrogeology colleagues at the University of Belgrade.
Spotlight: Kierigan McEvoy
Kierigan McEvoy, a junior from St. Charles, Missouri, used her summer break to improve her language skills at the Mandarin Training Center in Taipei, Taiwan. She says she “wanted to take part in this program to improve my language speaking and listening abilities. Being immersed in Taiwan has done just that and has been such an amazing and enriching experience.”
ROTC program to host 12th Eric D. Yates Memorial Run
The WKU Army ROTC program will host its 12th Eric D. Yates Memorial Run on Sept. 17. The 5K Run and 2-Mile Walk will begin at 10 a.m. at Chaney’s Dairy Barn, 9191 Nashville Road. Yates, a 2008 WKU graduate from Rineyville, was killed in action Sept. 17, 2010, after an improvised explosive device detonated near his patrol in Afghanistan. Yates served in the Army’s 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division from Fort Campbell.
Summer camp helps students grow as philosophers
Pre-college students from Warren County explored life’s fundamental questions by attending the 2022 Philosophy Summer Camp.
WKU Film productions chosen for Knoxville Film Festival
The following WKU Film productions have been selected for the 2022 Knoxville Film Festival: Daddy’s Girl (directed by Nailah Weller, BFA ‘22); Tell Me You’ll Miss Me (directed by James Carter, BFA ‘22); Train Of Thought (directed by Addyson Bednar, BFA ‘22); Workshop (directed by Emra Mehmedovic, BA ‘22). The films will be screened Sept. 17-18 at the festival venue at the Regal Downtown West Cinema 8 in Knoxville, Tennessee.
WKU Foundation moves
The WKU Foundation has moved to the Cliff Todd Center to be housed in the same location as the College Heights Foundation. The office is located adjacent to campus at 1703 Chestnut Street.
View from the Hill
Classes begin Monday for WKU’s fall semester and 2,100 first-year students are spending this week getting familiar with campus. WKU’s Amy Bingham has more on MASTER Plan’s kickoff event in this week’s View from the Hill.
Athletics
August
18
Thursday
Planetarium Show

Lives of the Stars will be presented at 7 tonight at the Hardin Planetarium. Showtimes are 7 p.m. Tuesday, 7 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Sunday through September 1. Learn More
August
20
Saturday
Volleyball 101

WKU Volleyball will host its free Volleyball 101 event on Saturday at Diddle Arena with an intrasquad scrimmage at 3 p.m. and a youth clinic from 4-5 p.m. with WKU players and assistant coaches. Learn More
August
22
Monday
#WKUFirstDay

Fall semester classes will begin Monday. Wear your red/WKU apparel and use #WKUFirstDay on social media.
Western Kentucky University 
1906 College Heights Blvd. 
Bowling Green, KY 42101