The 2024 WKU Film Festival will start on Thursday, April 25 and end on Saturday, April 27. Tickets are $5 per night and can be purchased at https://alumni.wku.edu/wkufilm24. 

According to Sara Thomason, WKU film coordinator and assistant professor, the film festival gives students the opportunity to have their films showcased in a professional setting, and lets students connect with alumni and community members who support the arts in Bowling Green. 

“These films represent the hard work of over 100 film students across our two programs and it’s a great way to celebrate their achievements,” Thomason said. 

Films made by 2nd year BFA students will be shown in the Jody Richards Hall Auditorium on April 25 at 6 p.m. Films made by 2nd and 3rd year BA and BFA students will also be shown at the JRH Auditorium on April 26 at 6 p.m.

Senior thesis films will be shown in downtown Bowling Green at The Capitol on April 27. Red carpet photos for senior film students will start at 6:30 p.m. and the film showing will begin at 7 p.m.

Senior BFA student, Christian McCormick, is looking forward to showing his senior thesis film “Lifeblood” to his friends and family at the end of the month.

For over a year, McCormick has dedicated himself to writing and directing his project, intent on telling the story in the right way. 

McCormick describes his film as a “queer thriller,” centered around a transgender boy in high school who deals with bullying as other students find out about his identity. 

McCormick, who came out as transgender in middle school, said that some of the personal tribulations he faced in his journey are presented in this film.

“A lot of the fear of the unknown and this question of safety that I go around with in my everyday life was kind of the inception of the film,” McCormick said. 

In his film, McCormick wanted to give his protagonist an “unrealistic power,” to hopefully let other transgender people feel seen and empowered in their own lives. 

“If I can give a fictional person a little more agency, then maybe other trans kids can feel agency and a little more safety,” McCormick said. 

Boston Enderle, Haley Vaughn, Ella David and Spencer Nunn worked alongside McCormick in the pre-production and post-production process. 

“This year’s film festival should have something for everyone,” Thomason said. “We have comedies, horrors, thrillers, dramas…anything you could want to see, we’ve probably got it.”

Overall, the festival is an opportunity for students to show off their hard work and gain professional experience. 

“There’s a lot of value in storytelling and in experiencing stories from other perspectives,” Thomason said. “I hope the WKU campus community and the larger Bowling Green community come out to support our filmmakers and see the films they’ve created.”

News Reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu.

FSU is collecting menstrual hygiene products, personal hygiene products, and new or gently used clothing items to be donated to Barren River Area Safe Space, an organization that provides aid to those who have experienced domestic violence.

Hygiene items include tampons, pads and menstrual related items along with personal items like shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, body wash and any individually wrapped candies or snacks. 

Ariel Powers, senior communication studies major and vice president of FSU said they have also expanded the donation list to include clothing items as a way to provide more women with comfortable clothes that they can wear daily. 

“This year we are asking for new or gently used sweatpants, hoodies, tshirts, anything that makes you feel comfortable,” Powers said. “A lot of the women at the shelters have access to interview clothes, but they don’t really have any clothes that they can just be comfortable in.”

Monetary donations can also be sent through venmo to @RENEE_REINHARDT, the FSU treasurer. 

Donations can be dropped off to the donation box inside of DSU or at upcoming FSU events, Powers said. FSU is hosting a yoga event on March 13 at 4:30 p.m., and a painting night in DSU on March 27 at 4:30 p.m. 

FSU is offering service hours in exchange for monetary or product donations if sororities are interested in participating, Powers said. For more information about hours for donations, individuals can contact Olivia Neil can at Olivia.neil085@topper.wku.edu.  

 News reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu.

Hosted by graduate student Sydney Their, the space was designated for students, faculty and others in attendance to share creative works on the topics of gender identity, sexuality and women’s experiences. 

It was also an opportunity for those who knew Garner to tell stories and share with each other the mutual love they had for her. 

Other performances at the open mic night were on the topics of equality and acceptance, experiences with violence and the struggles men face when they seek support for mental health. 

Kristi Branham, gender and women’s studies professor, described Garner as tenacious, goal-oriented and relentless in her pursuits. 

“Daishyera was unapologetically Daishyera, and college was the chance to level up the goals that she had,” Branham said. 

Garner insisted that people know her, Branham said. She was a natural leader, and people were drawn to her.

“Daishyera’s loss is a tragedy,” Branham said. “What I want students to take away from this is that you matter to us. You are more influential in our lives than you will probably ever know.”

Nia Queen Douglas, a senior from Louisville, read a poem titled “Black light, North Star, an epiphany” for Daishyera. 

“Mutual disdain for anything ordinary,” Douglas said. “Mutual love for everything spectacular. Black queer joyfulness wasn’t displayed in a white blizzard.”

One of Garner’s best friends and roommates, Iyanla Shackelford, read a journal entry to the audience about her relationship with Garner.

In her speech, Shackelford described her emotions about the loss of her friend and recognized the value and importance their friendship had on her life. 

“Daishyera challenged me to consider that good things were happening to me because I deserved them,” Shackelford said.

Vivian Carlson, who was in an anthropology class with Garner, said that while she didn’t know Garner for very long, she made a lasting impact on her. 

A nickname many used for Garner was Daisy. 

“I see Daishyera everywhere,” Carlson said. “I never really liked daisies, but I see them everywhere now.”

News Reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu

For over 35 years, this exhibit has given local artists the chance to show off their work and celebrate the extensive art scene in South Central Kentucky. 

If you are 18 years or older and live within 65 miles of Bowling Green, you are eligible to enter this year’s competitive exhibition. 

Entries due are due Feb. 9 by 11:59 p.m. online or by 4 p.m. in person at the Kentucky Museum. Eligible art categories include ceramics and glass, drawing/Illustration, fiber art, graphic design/digital art, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture and watercolor. 

Students currently enrolled at WKU or SKYCTC can register for free this year. WKU can register at this link to receive a scholarship entry for the show, and SKYCTC students can reach out to Associate Professor C. David Jones for registration. 

There is a $20 entry fee for artists who are not students, and registration can be found at this link. 

Prizes for each category are $200 for first place, $150 for second place  and $100 for third place.

Other awards include the Kentucky Museum Purchase Award for $700, WKU Student Purchase Award for $350, Best of Show for $400, ArtWorks Merit Award for $200 and the World’s Greatest Studio Tour Merit Award for $100.

The WKU Student Purchase Award is a significant change added to this year’s competition, Tiffany Isselhardt, Kentucky Museum exhibit curator, said. 

In previous exhibitions, there has only been one Kentucky Museum Purchase Award where the winning piece of art is added to the museum’s permanent collection, Isselhardt said. This new award has been added to increase student art work in the museum’s collection.

“This year we decided to do a specific student purchase award because we want to grow our collection of student produced art,” Isselhardt said.

According to Isselhardt, this change will grant more students the chance to have their art displayed and give students the professional opportunity to say their work is in a collection.

The awards ceremony will be hosted by the museum on Mar. 1 from 6-8 p.m and the exhibit will be open to the public from Mar. 2 to Apr. 12. 

“This is kind of the big show down here in South Central Kentucky,” Isselhardt said. “Bowling Green and surrounding counties don’t get as recognized for the art scene we have. It’s huge and diverse, and this show is that opportunity to show off just how awesome we are.” 

News reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu.

Light Up BGKY is a collaborative project with the City of Bowling Green and community partners to host 15 holiday and lighting events from Nov. 27 to Dec. 3. 

This inaugural event was kicked off on Nov. 27 at 4 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Bowling Green officials and President Timothy Caboni on the steps of Cherry Hall. 

“The city of Bowling Green with the help of WKU and our county and city officials are celebrating the Christmas season by ringing in the holidays with Light Up Bowling Green,” Todd Matthews, chair of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, said. 

Bowling Green Mayor Todd Alcott announced the series of events to be hosted throughout the week and gave a special thanks to Downtown Development Coordinator Telia Butler for her contributions to the event.

The schedule of events are as follows:

Monday, Nov. 27: 

Kickoff Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony 

Time/Location: 4 p.m., WKU’s Cherry Hall, 1906 College Heights Blvd.

Tuesday, Nov. 28:

Med Center Health’s Make the Season Bright

Time/Location: 6 p.m., Hospitality House, 501 High Street

Wednesday, Nov. 29: 

Christmas Marketplace at Riverview at Hobson Grove Historic House Museum

Time/Location:  10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Hobson Grove Historic House Museum, 1100 W Main Ave

Movies at the Capitol: It’s a Wonderful Toy Drive.  

Time/Location: 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m., The Capitol, 416 E Main Ave

Thursday, Nov. 30: 

Light Up the Depot at the Historic RailPark

Time/Location: 4 p.m., Historic RailPark & Train Museum, 401 Kentucky Street

Storytime in the Snow Dome at SoKY Ice Rink with Warren County Public Library.

Location: SoKY Ice Rink, 636 Center Street 

Friday, Dec. 1: 

Christmas on College Street at City Hall: 

Time/Location: 3:30-5 p.m., 1001 College Street

Warren County Courthouse Open House

Time/Location 2-4 p.m., 429 E 10th Ave.

Storytime Meet and Greet with The Grinch at The Capitol Theatre

TIme/Location: 4-6 p.m., 416 E. Main Ave.

Downtown BGKY Lights Up

Time/Location: 5-8 p.m., Fountain and Circus Squares, SoKY Ice Rink, and SKyPAC 

Reindeer Farm

Time/Location: 9a.m.-5 p.m., 2541 Old Union Church Road

Saturday, Dec. 2:

BG/WC Jaycees Christmas Parade

Time/Location: 9:30 a.m., Downtown Bowling Green on College and State Streets

Christmas in Kentucky at the Kentucky Museum

Time/Location: 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 1444 Kentucky Street

Lost River Sessions Presents A Bluegrass Holiday at The Capitol

Time/Location: 6:30 p.m., 416 E Main Ave

Mistletoe Market at SoKY Marketplace’s Historic Venue on 7th

Location: 636 Center Street

Reindeer Farm with live ice sculpting

Time/Location: 9-5 p.m., 2541 Old Union Church Road

Sunday, Dec. 3:

Historic Holiday Tour: Christmas on College Hill

Time: 1-5 p.m. 

SoKY Ice Rink

Location: 636 Center Street

Reindeer Farm with live ice sculpting

Time/Location: 11 a.m.- 5 p.m., 2541 Old Union Church Road

Before the ribbon-cutting to mark the start of these events, Caboni gave his remarks about the new tradition, saying he hopes these types of events will contribute to improving quality of life in Bowling Green. 

“When I returned to WKU in 2017 as president, one of my commitments was a renewed institutional focus on improving our area’s quality of life,” Caboni said. “What better illustration than through this new partnership with the city and organizations across our community to share not just the holiday spirit, but here on our hill, the WKU spirit.”

To learn more about Light Up BGKY and to view the schedule of events visit https://lightupbgky.org/.

The WKU Department of History hosted its 7th inter-faith dialogue “Earth Care” analyzing the shared characteristics between these topics on Thursday, Nov. 16 in the Jody Richards Hall auditorium.

Isabel Mukonyora, religion professor, organized and moderated the dialogue.

The event began with a showing of “Dirt! The Movie,” a documentary released in 2009 about the relationship humans have with the soil beneath them.

After an intermission for refreshments, a series of roundtables led by community members, students, and faculty were presented.

The first panel included City Environmental Manager Matt Powell, Hindu spokesperson Ram Pasupuleti, Michael Sellas of the Holy Apostolic Orthodox Church, Imam Sedin Agicand, and Megan Huston of First Christian Church.

Currently living on a farm and practicing regenerative agriculture, Sellas discussed how sustainability and climate responsibility is something all people can be united on.

“It is an ecological crisis that we’re all facing together, and that we’ve all caused together,” Sellas said. “I’m grateful we are all having the conversation about what we can do to fix this. As long as we have breath in our lungs, I believe we can find a solution.”

Minister of First Christian Church, Houston emphasized how the Christian faith encourages believers to care for the earth, especially for the reason that climate change disportionately impacts lower income people.

“It is a responsibility for a person of faith to care for the earth,” Houston said. “There’s no question that Jesus tells us that we are to care for the poor among us.”

The Arabic word for “Adam” means soil, and the word Hawa given to the biblical and quranic figure “Eve” means air, Agicand, Imam at the Islamic Center of Bowling Green, said.

“If we use these two things rightly as God is asking us to, I think we will not see the mess we see in these days,” Agicand said. “As long as we follow the balance that came from God, then everything will be in order.”

The second roundtable on religion and environment was led by students from the Mahurin Honors College, English Department and Student Government Association President Sam Kurtz.

Students in Mukonyora’s religions and environment class presented an analysis of the ways that religion and environment interact and how the understanding of religious texts and how beliefs have impacted the way humans have perceived and used the earth.

Katie Lindsey, an English literature major, described the influence patriarchy has on Christianity and the environment.

“I was raised in an old-time Southern Baptist church, so I saw the ways that patriarchy infiltrated the religion I grew up with,” Lindsey said.

Patriarchal understanding of biblical texts, such as of the book of Genesis, have developed gendered understandings of both God and earth, Lindsey said.

“Both the earth and God are gendered entities,” Lindsey said. “We see the earth as feminine, and God is seen as a man. Because of this, and patriarchal Christianity, there is essentially a hierarchical relationship, leaving a disconnect between the earth and Christianity. This is ultimately dangerous for the earth. We need to see God as one with creation, instead of their being such as disconnect with the creator and creation.”

For the final roundtable, faculty members Stephen McCarty, Michael Smith and Bella Mukonyora discussed their views on sustainability.

At the conclusion of the discussion, Mukonyora shared her personal connection to the topic and concluded the dialogue.

“Growing up in Africa as a little girl, I saw a lot of Christianity being abused,” Mukonyora said. “It’s the questions about religion that drive me to address the public issues that need to be addressed.”

News Reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu

The Kentucky Museum hosted the fourth stop of the tour on Nov. 4 and 5 with participants from the WKU Department of Art & Design, ArtWorks Inc. and blacksmiths from the Kentucky Forge Council. 

This year’s tour marks the 27th year of the event with around 40 artists participating at the 10 stops throughout Bowling Green and Warren County, according to the WKU Website. A variety of mediums were displayed and for sale including paintings, metalwork, jewelry, fiber, woodwork and pottery.

Tiffany Isselhardt, exhibit curator at the Kentucky Museum, said the museum has been exploring more partnerships with local arts organizations to become a center for the community to gather and get involved. 

The museum set up booths for the tour and assigned artists to their spots, but from there the artist had the freedom to design their set up how they preferred, Isselhardt said. 

“The artists will not only be selling their work, but there will be some artists who are demonstrating,” Isselhardt said. 

From the Kentucky Forge Council, Charles Hurst and his group demonstrated their blacksmithing craft and they had hand forged items for sale during the tour. 

“As local artists this is one of those opportunities where you can invite folks into your space,” Hurst said. “The studio tour is a unique opportunity to see inside everyone’s studios. With this we can show folks our tools and techniques and how we create our artwork.”

The Kentucky Museum is also currently hosting the Artworks Fall Exhibition which showcases art from 42 different members across different mediums. 

“We want to be a collaborative space for everyone to come together, so this is just one of many partnerships,” Isselhardt said. 

Lynette Hagbloom, ArtWorks Inc. treasurer, helped organize these two events with the museum. ArtWorks is a visual arts coalition that promotes visual arts and encourages artists through exhibitions and financial support. 

According to Hagbloom, the Fall Exhibition was juried by Charles Brindley who also chose the winners. 

The woodwork piece “Mary of Nazareth” by Jim Barr was selected as Best of Show, Hagbloom said. 

This exhibition is available to the public until Nov. 17 at the museum, which is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the WKU Website. 

News Reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu

Mariya Fye, staff counselor for the WKU Counseling Center, organized the event to offer military students a chance to show artistic expression and experience the benefits that art can have on stress management and mental health on Oct. 25. 

Fye, who has a bachelor in fine arts with a minor in art therapy, is passionate about helping others manage stress through art, and she hopes this type of event will be recurring in the future. 

“I believe that art making stimulates our brain to produce serotonin and dopamine, and those are the neurotransmitters that help us stay in a positive mood,” Fye said. “It is something I do for myself, and I find it very stress relieving.”

With the support of Veteran Student Success Coordinator Suzanne Thomas and Military Student Service Director Kent Johson, Fye instructed those in attendance on how to create an abstract fluid acrylic art canvas. 

According to Fye, this art style is easy for beginners to catch on to since it requires mixing and pouring paint onto canvases. 

Arts for Vets sponsored the event, and all art supplies were provided, Fye said. 

Events like these are important for military students because they allow them a break from work and are good for mental health, according to Johnson. This is the first art event held so far, but Military Student Services is looking forward to similar events. 

“We want to build a community with our veteran students,” Thomas said. “This is a new event, but we are trying to do more events like this in the future.”

News Reporter Madison Carter can be reached at Madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu

On Oct. 9 from 3:30-7:30 p.m., students in VanderMolen’s classes performed stage presentations, displayed self-made Hispanic art pieces and offered cultural Hispanic food samples to members of the WKU community in attendance. 

The showcase is important because it allows students to express themselves while learning about Hispanic culture, VanderMolen said. 

Many students expressed their talents through drawings and paintings of Hispanic themes, while other students read poetry or sang traditional songs. 

Students who didn’t want to perform or create art pieces were able to present information about important Hispanic figures, or prepare traditional cuisines to serve at the showcase. 

“I want all my students to be involved,” VanderMolen said. “The idea was for students to bring what they are passionate about and connect it to the Hispanic culture, so they can express themselves through their talents.”

Noah Norris, freshman choir student, performed the song “Quizás, Quizás, Quizás,” written by Cuban songwriter Osvaldo Farrés in 1947. 

The song has become a classic throughout the years, being sung by artists like Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Doris Day. 

“The main character is asking a girl if she loves him, and she always responds with ‘perhaps, perhaps, perhaps,’” Norris said. “The song is important because it brings attention to the Hispanic culture in general, and it is a relatable experience that globally everyone can relate to.”

Wanting to create an art piece for the showcase, freshman Alicia Jachimowicz built a llama shaped piñata to celebrate Hispanic tradition. 

The piñata, around two and a half feet tall, was made out of scrap cardboard, and covered in colorful pieces of tissue paper. 

“A piñata sounded interesting to do,” Jachimowicz said. “I used scrap pieces of cardboard, drew out the shapes, put candy inside and taped the sides together.”

Jachimowicz said she admires Hispanic Heritage Month for the way people honor and celebrate their culture. 

“I don’t know much about my own background, so I think it’s nice to see people celebrate where they come from,” Jachimowicz said. 

For VanderMolen, the showcase represents the growth and impact of Hispanic culture in Bowling Green. 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic or Latino population made up 8.3% of the total Bowling Green population in 2022. 

“I want them to be aware that the Hispanic population is growing, and that Bowling Green is an example of that migration,” VanderMolen said. “What they are studying is highly connected, and they will be using their skills here in Kentucky.”

VanderMolen, from Peru, also uses this event to bring attention to the Hispanic population on WKU’s campus. 

“For the longest time, I felt like my heritage was not recognized,” VanderMolen said. “I am one of the few Hispanic professors on campus, so I want to be visible and make connections with my students.”

News Reporter Madison Carter can be reached at madison.carter312@topper.wku.edu