On March 21, 1906, the Kentucky General Assembly approved legislation to establish two teacher training institutions, or "normal schools," in the state. A locating commission chose Bowling Green to be the site of one, and the Western Kentucky State Normal School was created.
The new state-supported school took over the building and student body of the privately owned Southern Normal School. The owner of the Southern Normal School, Henry Hardin Cherry, had been actively involved in the campaign to establish teacher training schools and became WKU's first president. His diligence led to the start of classes on January 22, 1907. Western Kentucky State Normal School continued operations in its location for four years.
On February 4, 1911, the school moved to its present site on "the Hill," approximately 125 feet above downtown Bowling Green and the former home of The Pleasant J. Potter College. Over the next decade, the curriculum focused on teacher training and certification. Students received practical experience at the Training School, and a model one-room Rural School was opened on campus in 1924. In 1922, the state renamed the institution Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College and authorized it to grant four-year degrees. The first such degrees were awarded in 1924.
The Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College campus expanded in 1927 when it merged with Ogden College, a private young men's school located on the east side of the Hill. The name was shortened to Western Kentucky State Teachers College in 1930, and the following year the master of arts degree was first offered. President Cherry died in 1937 and was succeeded by Paul Garrett.
As Western Kentucky State Teachers College's mission broadened, its name was shortened in 1948 to Western Kentucky State College. Dr. Garrett died in 1955 and Kelly Thompson became WKU's third president.
Under Dr. Thompson, both Western's curriculum and its campus underwent major reorganization and expansion. In June 1963, Western merged with the Bowling Green College of Commerce, formerly the Bowling Green Business University. Along with the Graduate School, the Bowling Green College of Commerce became a separate college within the structure. In 1965, the Board of Regents approved the formation of three more colleges: the Potter College of Liberal Arts, the College of Education, and the Ogden College of Science and Technology.
Welcome to Western Kentucky University (WKU), home of the Hilltoppers. Their hilltop campus is a place of beauty and friendliness. WKU is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a city with a population of more than 60,000 approximately 110 miles south of Louisville and 65 miles north of Nashville. WKU's Regional Campuses are located in Glasgow, Owensboro, and Elizabethtown-Fort Knox. Schedule a tour or visit their virtural tour to view their distinctive landmark on a hill overlooking the city.
WKU’s undergraduate division offers one hundred one academic majors that lead to the baccalaureate degree and 111 academic minors are available. Nine associate degree programs are offered along with thirty-seven undergraduate certificate programs. The Graduate School at WKU offers education in 104 degree and certificate programs. The University confers a wide range of Master degrees along with a Doctor of Education, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Psychology. WKU also offers non-degree Rank I and II and certification-only teacher education programs.
The WKU Mission
Western Kentucky University (WKU) prepares students of all backgrounds to be productive, engaged, and socially responsible citizen-leaders of a global society. The University provides research, service and lifelong learning opportunities for its students, faculty, and other constituents. WKU enriches the quality of life for those within its reach.