WKU President recognized 3 WKU Glasgow students, touts campus success

By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1

Western Kentucky University’s President Timothy Caboni spoke to business owners and Chamber of Commerce members about the successes of the Glasgow WKU campus, and surrounding regional campuses, at the Barren River Lake State Park in Lucas, Kentucky, in the early morning of July 28.

Coffee and Commerce is “a quarterly networking event” hosted at various member’s businesses. In attendance were numerous notable local figures like Glasgow Mayor Henry Royse, County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd, Maureen Carpenter, president and CEO of Barren Inc., Scott Kerley, chairman of the board, and several officers from the police and fire department.

The gathering began with Kerley welcoming the 90 new businesses that have joined the chamber in the past year, businesses such as BRAWA, the Barren County Health Department, Aflac and BlueOval SK, the companies building the battery factory at Glendale.

“Our chamber has continued to make significant strides in supporting local businesses,” Kerley said. “This year we welcome 90 new members into our checkered family. This past year-and-a-half we’ve welcomed over 190 members, increasing local business participation rate from 19% to 31%.”

After Kerley spoke on the participation of the chamber in the community, Derick Strobe, director of WKU regional campuses and a Barren County native, introduced Caboni as the keynote speaker.

“Thanks to all of you for being here this morning to celebrate some of the work we’re doing in Barren County and WKU Glasgow,” Caboni said. “Lots of things you’re going to hear about is happening on the Hill, but more importantly we’re going to talk about what we’re growing here in the region.”

During his roughly 20 minute address Caboni mentioned many of the successes WKU as a whole has experienced this past year like the “historically high retention rates” and awarding roughly 9,795 WKU students with scholarships. Caboni also spoke about the various improvements that have occurred at the Glasgow campus.

“We refreshed the learning commons and put brand new WKU branding all throughout the hallways,” Caboni said. “We upgraded classroom technologies, upgraded the science labs and, for those of you who have not noticed it’s cooler or warmer, we replaced the air and heat system.”

During his address, Caboni asked three students of WKU, one that had graduated and two that have not, to stand and be recognized. They were Bodie Janes, Kaemyn Houchens and Cheyenne Bodkin.

Janes is a part of WKU’s “Early College Program,” a program that allows junior or senior high school student to earn up to 30 hours before graduating high school. Caboni said, Bodie was on track to become an agricultural professional.

“He’s a student from Barren County High School and he is going on the agriculture career tract,” Caboni said. “Bodie started growing and selling produce for the first time…in 2020 since that time he’s grown his small business from selling at the farmer’s market on Saturdays to selling produce from two locations in Glasgow three days a week.”

Houchens is a “rising senior” at the university studying middle grades education. She is a graduate from Glasgow High School. She said she always knew she wanted to be a teacher and that her teachers at GHS have been a great source of inspiration for her. She said she hopes to stay local and teach post graduation.

Caboni also recognized Cheyenne Bodkins, who graduated summa cum laude from WKU this past December. Caboni called her an inspiring story of success.

Caboni also mentioned Pell Grants and the assistance WKU provides for students who qualify.

“If they have one dollar in Pell support from the federal government we’re going to close the tuition gap,” Caboni said. “If you have one dollar in Pell Aid and a 3.0 [GPA] we’re going to zero out the tuition.”

He ended by saying that Glasgow campus was growing and he was “committed” to growing engagement on the regional campus and the customary “Go Tops.”

“We have much to celebrate,” Caboni said. “We are so proud of the work that’s happening here regionally, creating access to opportunities…it’s clear the Glasgow campus, and all our faculty and staff, remains crucial to WKU’s mission.”