The newsletter for the WKU community
April 26, 2021
WKU to celebrate Fall 2020/Spring 2021 graduates at Commencement on May 1
WKU will celebrate nearly 4,200 graduates during Fall 2020/Spring 2021 Commencement ceremonies Saturday (May 1) at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

Graduates of Gordon Ford College of Business and College of Health and Human Services will participate in the 10 a.m. ceremony, while graduates of Potter College of Arts & Letters, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences and Ogden College of Science & Engineering will participate in the 6 p.m. ceremony.

WKU will confer degrees and certificates to 4,180 graduates from fall 2020, spring 2021 and summer 2021 semesters -- 139 associate, 2,836 bachelor’s, 725 master’s, 85 doctoral and six specialist degrees, and 271 undergraduate certificates and 118 graduate certificates.

This year’s Topper Walk and Commencement will follow Healthy on the Hill guidelines and will look different from past ceremonies. Commencement information is available online at https://www.wku.edu/commencement/
WKU Sisterhood expanding reach with new 'Small But Mighty' Grant awards
Established in 2009, the WKU Sisterhood is an organization of women advancing University priorities through engagement and a collective voice.

For their 2021 grant cycle, the group is introducing a second tier of grant award. This year, the WKU Sisterhood will award one or more Impact Grants for larger undertakings and up to four Small But Mighty Grants for more modest projects. Applications for Impact Grants must request a minimum of $20,000 in funding. Applicants for a Small But Mighty Grant may request up to a maximum of $10,000. 

“The new tier was inspired by a desire to expand the reach of the Sisterhood,” said Julie Hinson, Chair of the WKU Sisterhood. “We have always awarded grants to projects of various sizes and we generally support multiple projects each year. This change will help the group evaluate applications of similar scope and allow us to maximize the grant funds we have available to support as many projects as possible.”
Check WKU's Healthy on the Hill website for COVID-19 information, including Vaccine Information, FAQs, Reported Cases Dashboard, Symptoms & Health Checks and more. 
CLIMBING HIGHER
WKU student Isabel Eliassen will use a $50,000 Rotary Foundation Global Grant Scholarship to pursue a master’s degree in Taipei, Taiwan. Learn More
#WKUGrad Series
As part of our #WKUGrad series, articles on graduating students are shared in the weeks leading up to Commencement.
Shelby King
Shelby King is the 2020-21 recipient of WKU’s John D. Minton Graduate Student Award. “I feel incredibly honored and thankful for the opportunities I’ve been able to experience through WKU and the Psychological Sciences department."
Haleigh Harris
Ever since attending high school, Haleigh Harris aspired to serve others as a dental hygienist. "I've always wanted to go into the health field - it's a service-oriented career where I can help people in a tangible way," Harris said.
Malyra Bendson
Psychology major Malyra Bendson demonstrated pride and dedication throughout her time at WKU, no matter the activity. She first fell in love with WKU after experiencing the welcoming faculty and staff and the beauty of the campus.
Spotlight: Kelsey Woodward
“I found this community that I realized I really belonged in,” said Psychological Sciences graduate student Kelsey Woodward of Bowling Green. By “community,” Woodward meant the group of people who bring awareness to sexual assault, advocate for survivors and create spaces of support for those impacted by it.
WKU announces winners of Distinguished Educator Awards
WKU’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences has announced the winners of the second annual Distinguished Educator Awards.
Greek awards presented
WKU’s Greek community hosted its annual awards convocation on April 23 at the Downing Student Union Auditorium.
Mechanical Engineering teams participate in competition
Two teams of WKU Mechanical Engineering seniors participated in the annual Student Design Competition held virtually by American Society of Mechanical Engineers International.
Finals Week Parking & Transit
Check out a reminder from WKU Parking & Transportation about the finals week parking changes and transit schedule.
WKU Week in Photos
Check out this week’s installment of WKU Week in Photos by Clinton Lewis, Bryan Lemon and Aurelia Spaulding of WKU's Division of Communications and Marketing.
Athletics
April
26
Monday
Final Exams

Finals Week for the spring 2021 semester began today and will continue through Friday.
April
27
Tuesday
Lavender Recognition

The annual Lavender Recognition Ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Downing Student Union Auditorium. Learn More
April
29
Thursday
ISEC Celebration

The ISEC Graduation Celebration will begin at 6 p.m. Thursday at Diddle Arena. Learn More
More events: Check WKU Events calendar or follow @wkuevents on Instagram
Western Kentucky University 
1906 College Heights Blvd. 
Bowling Green, KY 42101