WKU Opportunity Fund

Caboni shared progress on the WKU Opportunity Fund which, according to him, “established a critical pathway to ensure every student at WKU could have the full college experience.”

The fund has increased since it was established in 2018, starting with a goal of $50 million. After it was reached, the goal was raised to $100 million in 2021. Caboni announced in his address that the fund has surpassed the goal again, with more than $102 million, establishing 267 new endowed scholarships. 

“We more than doubled the initial vision we established for the fund, and it changes lives,” Caboni said.

According to Caboni, the fund has provided 20,205 students with private scholarship support since its implementation. 

The Mahurin Honors College

Caboni detailed plans to appoint a task force to consider revisions regarding curriculum and programming within the Honors College. 

“Since its creation, the Mahurin Honors College has provided outstanding opportunities for students seeking to challenge themselves academically,” Caboni said. “It has been instrumental in attracting high-potential and high-achieving students to WKU, and it differentiates us from other universities through the community and support it provides honors scholars. However, 17 years after its establishment, the College remains very much the same as when it was founded.”

He said the task force will consider ideas such as how to embed the honors curriculum in each college, expand the honors self-designed studies process, look into replacement options for the Honors College LLC and more. 

Caboni also paid tribute to Craig Cobane, former executive director of the Mahurin Honors College who died in May, calling Cobane a “respected colleague, mentor, advocate, teacher, and, most importantly, a cherished friend.”

Caboni noted the Board of Regents’ decision to honor Cobane by renaming the office suites in the Honors College and International Center after Cobane. 

R2 institution status

In efforts to become Kentucky’s first Carnegie-classified high research institution, R2 for short, Caboni said he has asked academic leadership to “think critically” about the PhD programs WKU may begin to offer.

“PhDs in programs like Disaster Sciences, Rural Leadership Policy Studies, AI/Data Analytics, all for example, could build upon our existing resources and successes and position us to be an innovative leader nationally and among Kentucky’s research institutions,” Caboni said.

Caboni said WKU is “well on our way” to increase research expenditures to $40 million. He said last year, WKU received $28,690,920 in total external funding. 

He also said he plans to convene a task force to explore creating an interdisciplinary school focused on AI, computational studies and data analytics. 

“The foundation for this school exists, but we must do more to differentiate ourselves regionally, be more competitive nationally and capitalize on the booming fields of artificial intelligence and big data,” Caboni said.

Enrollment and retention

Caboni described the class of 2028 as one of WKU’s “most talented first-year classes,” with an average GPA of 3.45. He also noted that total enrollment for the fall semester is up 1.2% from last year.

Caboni said over the last six years, overall student retention increased by 8.1%, which makes the total rate 79%, one percentage point below his 80% goal. 

Within the overall increase, Caboni said retention among minority students and low-income students in the past six years increased by 16.9% and 7.9%, respectively. 

Caboni additionally shared retention statistics of those involved in Living Learning Communities and said students “best succeed” when they engage in LLCs. 

“Our fall 2023 LLC students returned this spring at 4.5 percentage points higher than non-LLC participants, and preliminary data for this fall indicates a retention rate 8.1 percentage points higher during the past three years,” Carboni said. 

According to Caboni, 782 incoming first-time, first-year students are participating in an LLC this semester. 

“Our collective efforts to ensure the success of every one of our students are truly remarkable,” Caboni said. 

Campus changes

Caboni said “the restoration of our Hilltop” was completed this summer, which he said enhances accessibility, improves pedestrian circulation and generates new greenspace. 

“Now, The Commons at Helm Library, the Colonnade, Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center, Potter Hall, Van Meter Hall, Gordon Wilson Hall and Cherry Hall create an oval academical village, returning the top of our Hill to the original design envisioned by President Cherry and our founding architects,” Caboni said.

Caboni noted the opening of the Soccer/Softball complex last September. He additionally mentioned ongoing facility projects such as the new Gordon Ford College of Business building, the remodeled press box, which is set to open this fall, and the Hilltopper Fieldhouse, planned to open next fall. 

WKU received $160 million for the replacement of the Academic Complex, where the College of Health and Human Services is located. Caboni said the planning and design phase for the project began this summer, and construction is scheduled to begin next summer.

Caboni also said renovation on Cherry Hall is scheduled to begin next fall.

“As guardians of this space, we have a responsibility to both maintain our picturesque campus and to constantly reimagine how it might support the needs of tomorrow, ensuring that it serves our students, our faculty, our staff and our broader community for generations to come,” Caboni said.

Campus achievement

Caboni noted achievements made by WKU Forensics, the Big Red Marching Band and students who competed in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program. 

“Our Hilltoppers continue to excel both inside and outside of the classroom,” Caboni said. 

He said WKU Forensics won the National Forensics Association national title and was named the state champion at the Kentucky Forensics Association state championship for the 32nd consecutive year. 

“Not only is WKU Forensics unmatched statewide, but we are also without equal anywhere in the nation,” Caboni said.

Next, Caboni mentioned the Big Red Marching Band’s opportunity to perform in the London New Year’s Day Parade. According to Caboni, the band is the largest in Kentucky, with over 300 members. 

Caboni also mentioned WKU’s sixth-place finish in the Hearst’s overall intercollegiate national competition. This win marked the 31st consecutive top-eight finish.

Several awards the institution received last year were additionally highlighted by Caboni, including $5.8 million awarded to the WKU Lifeskills Center for Child Welfare Education and Research, over $3 million to the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, more than $1.3 million to WKU to support K-12 principal apprenticeships through Project ELEVATE and $2.1 million as one of eight institutions participating in CLIMBS, an effort funded by the National Science Foundation.

During the 2023-24 academic year, WKU invested over $860,000 in institutionally awarded scholarships for more than 400 students to study abroad, according to Caboni.

“WKU consistently leads the commonwealth in nationally competitive study abroad scholarships,” Caboni said. “With $355,000 earned in study abroad scholarships this year, the Office of Scholar Development continues to open doors and expand horizons for all WKU students.”

Caboni said WKU was recognized as a top producer nationally by the Gilman Scholarship and Boren Awards programs.

First-generation students

Caboni said during the 2023-24 academic year, over 700 first-generation students were involved in university-appointed programming. He said this year, this will develop through First to the Hill Academy, an initiative modeled after ISEC Academy. 

“Targeted resources, mentorship and community-building initiatives remain essential to ensuring these students not only persist, but graduate, setting them on a path to long-term success,” Caboni said.

Spirit of WKU

Marko Dumančić, assistant provost, director for the Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning and associate professor of history was announced by Caboni as the Spirit of WKU Award Winner. 

Caboni said Dumančić has made the History Department more inclusive, was awarded the 2017 Faculty Award for Teaching, published several research articles, authored an award-winning book, played a major role in developing LLCs, is a founding member of the committee behind WKU’s annual Lavender Recognition Ceremony and provides active leadership for WKU’s F1rst Gen initiatives.

“He works to ensure that all students know they belong at WKU, and he has an unwavering commitment to student success,” Caboni said.

Caboni concluded the address by thanking the audience for their attendance.

“We have many successes to celebrate as an institution and many more to celebrate in the future,” Caboni said.

Content Editor Ali Costellow can be reached at ali.costellow453@topper.wku.edu 

The Hall’s Class of 2024 will include:

• Al Cross (‘75)
• Joy Hamilton Marini (‘83)
• David C. Wilson (‘93)

The title “distinguished alumni” is the highest recognition WKU offers its former Hilltoppers. The award is given to those who have made outstanding achievements after their time on the Hill, having made significant contributions to their area of expertise and possessing high integrity and character.

“Western Kentucky University is proud to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our newest HODA inductees,” university spokesperson Jace Lux said. “These three individuals exemplify the spirit of innovation, leadership and dedication that define our Hilltopper community. Their remarkable contributions to their professions and society inspire current and future generations to pursue excellence and make a meaningful mark on the world.”

Al Cross

Cross, who is also celebrating his first day of retirement, has worked in the field of journalism since his time at WKU, fighting for truth in a democratic society.

Cross said that he initially chose to come to WKU because of its broadcasting program and to be on campus with friends. Cross took a radio and television-speaking course, where he looked to enhance his voice in news reading. However, he never received callbacks from Bowling Green radio or television stations for weekend job opportunities, which left him discouraged.

So, the next semester Cross took an introduction to journalism course, where he was assigned a beat covering alumni affairs, where he got to meet the director of alumni, Lee Robertson, and his, Gary Ransdell. During this time, he was commuting to a job in Albany, Kentucky, which left him with little time to find stories in Bowling Green for his class.

“So I came up with a gimmick,” Cross said. “My gimmick was to aggregate.”

Cross compiled reports from multiple news sources to be used in his column called “This Week at Western” for Clinton County news. One source he regularly pulled from was the College Heights Herald.

Bob Adams, who was an advisor at the Herald at the time, noticed Cross had been sourcing from the Herald’s stories without attributing them with their authors.

“Instead of objecting to my plagiarism, they offered me a job as a copy editor because they could see, in some cases, I was improving what I’d read in the Herald,” Cross said.

And so began a career in journalism that encompassed various jobs and focuses.

After graduating from WKU, Cross went on to work at several small newspapers in Kentucky before joining the Louisville Courier-Journal, where he worked for 26 years. About 15 years of his time at the Courier-Journal was as a political writer (1989-2004). It was in this position, he said, that he became a sort of public figure himself as he covered prominent public officials.

“I think there are a lot of other people who are more distinguished than I am,” Cross said in reference to being inducted into the Hall. “I have the advantage of being a public person.”

In 1989, Cross shared a Pulitzer Prize with the Courier-Journal staff for its coverage of the 1988 Carrollton bus crash. In 2001-02, he served as president of the Society of Professional Journalists — the only Kentuckian to date to hold that position. Then, in 2010, he was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame.

Following his time with the Courier-Journal, Cross found new ground at the University of Kentucky, where he served as both a professor in its School of Journalism and Media and as the director of its Institute for Rural Journalism.

Cross attributes his long career and work ethic to his father, who worked until just a few weeks before his death. Cross, now 70 years old, said that he could have retired long ago, but he has enjoyed what he was doing.

“I expect I will always be pursuing some sort of knowledge or service as long as I’m on this planet,” Cross said.

Every challenge in life is an opportunity, Cross said, and the trick to finding success is being attuned to when opportunities arise.

“You have to be able to sense an opportunity, and when you sense it, you need to be ready to take it, and don’t be afraid of it,” Cross said. “Even if you wind up not pursuing that thread, or you fail at it, you have learned something.

“Always let your reach exceed your grasp.”

Joy Hamilton Marini

Marini is Senior Direct

or of Maternal Health for the Office of the Chief Medical Officer for Johnson & Johnson, a multinational corporation that makes pharmaceuticals, over the counter products, and medical devices. Marini is responsible for Johnson & Johnson’s international programs on infant and maternal health, child health and women and girls empowerment.

Marini’s work seeks to reduce maternal mortality both domestically and abroad by leading partnerships with different governments and with national and community-based organizations.

One such public-private partnership she developed was “Born on Time” with Global Affairs Canada and Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Mali. The initiative, implemented in 2016, sought to combat the risk factors that can lead to newborn deaths by training healthcare providers, strengthening referral systems and improving healthcare facilities.

Before joining Johnson & Johnson, Marini was a physician assistant in family medicine and geriatrics. She held various roles at Bristol-Myers Squibb and was a part of the public relations divisions of Omnicom and Grey Advertising, WKU said.

During her time on the Hill in the early 80s, Marini received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and Animal Science. In her free time, she was a member of Alpha Delta Pi, the Panhellenic Association, the Equestrian Team, and she served as a Spirit Master.

After receiving her undergraduate degree from WKU, Marini went on to obtain her MBA in Business from Rider University and her Physician Assistant degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, where she received Alumni of the Year in 2012.

David C. Wilson

Wilson is the dean and a professor of the Goldman School of Public Policy at the University of California Berkeley. Wilson is a career political psychologist whose research examines how people make their political preferences and how polling questions can affect voter responses.

Wilson is a co-author of the 2022 book Racial Resentment in the Political Mind, which examines how racial resentment, not just racial prejudice, continues to lead to greater resistances among white Americans to improve circumstances faced by racial minorities.

He holds life memberships in several organizations including the American Political Science Association, the International Society for Political Psychology and the National Conference for Black Political Scientists.

Along with his long list of academic achievements, WKU said, Wilson served in the U.S. Army Reserves for 19 years, having combat tours for Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom.

During his time on the Hill in the early 90s, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government and he was a sports columnist for the Herald. Wilson also received his Masters in Political Science, Public Administration and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Michigan State University.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Even though he graduated from the University of Oregon, King’s time on the Hill was marked by success.

King was a member of the 4×100 relay team that finished fifth at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships. That same team won the 2016 C-USA Outdoor Championship, and King himself won the C-USA 100 meter dash event.

That same year King placed 14th in the 200 meter dash, earning him the title of “All-American.”

King transferred to the University of Oregon for the 2016-17 season where he was the Pac-12 100 meter dash champion, 200 meter dash champion, 4×100 meter relay champion and he was named Pac-12 Men’s Track Athlete of the Year.

According to WKU Athletics, King was also a member of Team USA for the 2024 World Athletics Relays, he was a silver medalist at the 2022 NACAC Championships and he was a semifinalist at the 2023 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

The Team USA 4×100 relay team is set to compete on Aug. 8 in Paris. The opening ceremony begins Friday, July 25, and the events can be viewed on NBC, Peacock, USA and the NBC Olympics App.

The full Track and Field Olympic schedule can be viewed on the Olympics’ website.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Robertson passed away on July 3, at the age of 102, leaving a legacy of commitment and passion on the Hill. He is survived by his wife Joyce Robertson, his children Melenda R. Bower and Steve B. Robertson, his three granddaughters and four great grandchildren.

The Alumni Association said that a celebratory gathering will be held after the memorial service at 3:30 p.m. at the Eva and Jim Martens Alumni Center in the Lee Robertson Ballroom.

Memorial gifts may be made out to State Street United Methodist Church or to the Lee Robertson Scholarship Fund, a scholarship that assists a WKU junior who reflects outstanding characteristics of a Hilltopper.

The Alumni Association has invited those that knew Robertson to share special memories and condolences here.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Robertson’s 77-year involvement at WKU left lasting impacts on many that climbed the Hill. His time as both a student and staff member reflected his commitment and passion for the institution, those who knew him said.

“Definitely a huge legacy he leaves, and a significant chapter in our history comes to a close with Lee’s passing,” Gary Ransdell, a friend of Robertson and the former WKU president, told the Herald on Wednesday.

In a statement Wednesday morning, President Timothy Caboni said that Robertson touched and transformed the lives of countless individuals during his time serving WKU.

“He demonstrated profound affection for his beloved alma mater, embodying our motto, ‘The Spirit Makes the Master,’ like no one else,” Caboni said.

Robertson first attended WKU in 1946, following his military service in World War II. Back when WKU was called Western Kentucky State Teachers College, Robertson studied physical education and said that he knew that one day he wanted to become a coach after meeting former WKU athletic director and basketball coach E.A. Diddle.

After he graduated from WKU, Robertson worked in several Kentucky cities as a coach and teacher, even serving as a principal and interim superintendent. During this time after college, Robertson met his wife, Joyce, to whom he had been married for over 60 years.

Robertson’s whole family, WKU Parent & Family Engagement Coordinator Ginny Hensley said, was his core.

“When he talks about his own family, he swells with pride, especially about his wife, Mama Joyce, as we all fondly call her,” Hensley said.

Robertson came back to WKU in 1960, this time as the director of alumni affairs, a position he held for 25 years.

He left the university again, but was pulled back by Ransdell, who was originally Robertson’s assistant while he was director of alumni affairs.

“I graduated in 1973 and that’s about the time that I became acquainted with Lee,” Ransdell said. “So for the last 51 years of his life, we became very close, not only as colleagues, but as dear friends as well.”

Robertson helped serve in fundraising after his official retirement.

“Since 1960, Lee has traveled extensively for WKU and helped pioneer the WKU Alumni Association to the connection point it is today for generations of Hilltopper Alumni totaling more than 125,000,” John Paul Blair, special assistant to the president of the College Heights Foundation, said in an email to the Herald. “While he would never take credit, Lee was a key figure in many of the significant philanthropic investments alumni and friends of WKU have made through the years. I cannot imagine WKU without him.”

Hensley first met Robertson while she was a student at WKU and working in special events, but when she came back to WKU to begin her career, she found Robertson again.

“He was my mentor,” Hensley said. “I wanted to shadow him.”

Hensley said that Robertson had a different approach when it came to fundraising. He could sell the university better than anybody because, she said, he believed everything he promoted to his core.

“It is such a loss to all of us,” Hensley said. “He had such a passion for his own family that extended well beyond those people that he lived with, and he called us all family.”

Ransdell recalled the moment Robertson earned the title of “Mr. Western.”

Robertson was selected in 2002 to receive the first Spirit of Western Award, an award that’s given out at the opening convocation each year to a single individual in the WKU family whose loyalty and spirit rose above all others.

“When I called Lee forward, it seemed like a right thing to call him,” Ransdell said. “I said, ‘And this has to be Mr. Western.’ Well, that stuck.

“From that day forward, he kind of carried that moniker of ‘Mr. Western.’”

Robertson was 102 years old and still working part-time at the College Heights Foundation before he sustained injuries from an accident a few months back that led to his health decline, Ransdell said.

“I was pleased to have spent a lot of time with him at the end of last week,” Ransdell said. “[I’m] so glad that I did.”

Speaking on Robertson’s work ethic, Donald Smith, president of the College Heights Foundation, said that Robertson came from a family that grew up in the Great Depression. Raised in Calhoun, Kentucky, he grew up in a house with an outhouse, no running water, no central air and no heat. Families at the time worked on the farm and then went on to serve in the military during the Second World War, Smith said.

“He was never afraid of work,” Smith said. “He did whatever it took to put his bootstraps on that day, and he was going to go work to earn an honest day’s living.”

Smith said that he thinks once Robertson started working at WKU, he realized he could do something that he loved day-in and day-out.

“So he never had to convince himself, ‘Oh, it’s tough to come into work every day,” Smith said. “He looked forward to it.”

After learning about his passing earlier Wednesday, Hensley attended a WKU Preview Day for potential incoming freshmen where she said she didn’t even want to talk to anybody.

“But I thought it’s what he would want us all to do, more than anything else, is to recruit these kids to come, and he could sell it better than anybody under the sun,” Hensley said. “Yeah, he would, because he believed it.”

Blair said the term “one of a kind” is used too loosely nowadays. Robertson, he said, was truly one of a kind.

“[He was] a farm kid from western Kentucky who was called to drive a tank for his country to win the second World War then came to WKU on the G.I. Bill and forever made his mark on his beloved Hill,” Blair said. “A shining example of the ‘greatest generation’ who will be missed by all who knew him.”

In an interview for the Herald in 2018, Robertson said he takes the WKU motto, “The Spirit Makes the Master,” to heart.

“It means if you’ve got a passionate feeling about a person or an institution and you love it,” he said, “your spirit for that institution makes your life meaningful and makes you proud and makes you want to do good.”

Mr. Western had said there was “no question about it;” that passion was Western Kentucky University.

“He was passionate about making this place greater, and it was,” Hensley said. “It was greater because of him, and it will forever be greater because of his legacy.”

WKU Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement said in an email to the WKU community this morning that a memorial service is being planned, and they will communicate more information once it is available.

Philanthropy asks those that wish to share memories of Robertson and condolences to the family at this link.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Mr. Western reigned at WKU for almost 80 years, leaving behind a legacy of commitment and passion for WKU and its community.

Robertson came to the Hill in 1946 after serving in World War II. In June of that same year, one of Robertson’s friends approached him and suggested attending college together. Luckily for Robertson, the GI Bill passed in 1944 provided education benefits to World War II veterans.

While he was a student, Robertson studied physical education and played baseball after being approached by E.A. Diddle with the offer. 

After graduation, Robertson went on to work in different Kentucky school systems, but eventually came back to the Hill and worked a number of positions including as director of alumni affairs and recently as special assistant to the vice president of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement.

In an interview with the Herald in 2010, Robertson said the most rewarding aspect of his job was the people and students he saw.

“Going to football games, going to the plays, the concerts, the lectures … it’s all just high life to me,” he said. “And it’s pretty much my wife and I’s complete social life. We do some things out in town and our church is important to us, but Western has been our social life for all those years.

“It’s part of me. It can’t keep from being that after that long of time.”

Robertson turned 102 on Father’s Day, according to a Facebook post by Sally Tisdale last week. Tisdale said his birthday was appropriate given that he was a “father figure” to many hilltoppers over the years.

“There was never a finer ambassador, friend or ‘family’ member as Silver Lee,” Tisdale wrote. “He loved EVERYBODY and he knew and remembered everything about you. He cared.”

Memorial services will follow later this month.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

House, 79, had been associated with WKU for over 30 years, being both a student and faculty member.

House earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree from WKU and was a charter member of Lambda Chi Alpha. He earned his doctoral degree from Indiana University and completed the executive program in negotiation at Harvard Law School.

During his tenure at WKU, House held many positions. He was director of admissions, university registrar, executive assistant to presidents Kern Alexander and Tom Meredith, and executive director of the Knicely Institute for Economic Development.

“We are saddened to learn of Dr. House’s passing,” Jace Lux, WKU spokesperson, said on Monday. “On behalf of the entire WKU community, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at J.C. Kirby & Son on Lovers Lane with a burial to follow at Fairview Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday from 3-7 p.m. and Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. at the funeral home.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that expressions of sympathy would take the form of donations made to Hosparus of Barren River and to Eastwood Baptist Church. Envelopes will be provided at the funeral home.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

Hays graduated in May with a master’s in social work. She originally came to WKU and completed her undergraduate degree in psychology in 2006, but it wasn’t until 2020 that she came back to the Hill for her master’s.

For three years, she was enrolled part-time but ultimately decided to transition to being a full-time student.

“I didn’t want to overwhelm myself,” Hays said, “And then I was like, ‘ Oh my gosh, I’m tired of being in school.’”

Hays originally enrolled at the University of Louisville after she had graduated from high school in 2000. Not long after she started college, her family home burned down. Then, her sister died in a car wreck. Hays said she spiraled into a depression.

Hays left Louisville and moved back home to Monroe County, which she said was one of the biggest mistakes she’s ever made because it was there where she started running with the wrong crowd and — trying to escape the pains of loss — started to use hard drugs.

“It’s like I lost the will to live,” Hays said. “My body was slowly shutting down on me, like I was dying from a broken heart.

After a time, Hays said she felt the need to make a change in her life. Her dad told her she needed to go back to college to finish her degree, so she enrolled at WKU.

Hays finished her degree in the summer of 2006, and then she got pregnant and gave birth to Sadie in 2007.

However, everything fell apart in 2008 with the recession, Hays said. She said she didn’t have faith to provide financially as a single mother.

“Nobody could get a job,” she said. “I should have went back to work, but I really just felt like, as a single parent, that I didn’t think I could do it.”

Hays started a new relationship in 2009. But when that relationship started to deteriorate, and the pressures of the recession continued to press down on her, she started using again, she said. She had been clean from hard drugs for about six years.

Hays ended up getting into trouble with the law and built up a criminal record, which made it hard for her to get jobs and housing.

“I even had the ability to get some jobs, and they said ‘We can’t because this is on your record,’” Hays said.

In 2013 Hays gave birth to her second daughter, Riley, and found a job with Magna, a production and manufacturing factory. But she said no matter how much effort she put into work, she could never break through financially. So, she went back to hard substances, and everything fell apart for a couple of years, she said.

Hays had gotten three separate DUIs in 2007, 2016 and 2018. Once she got the final one in 2018, she knew her life had to change for good.

“I knew at that point that I wasn’t going to live like that anymore,” Hays said. “I was just going to keep trying as hard as I could until something broke through.”

Hays spent about 12 days in jail and wrote herself a letter, which she still has, examining her life and all of her relationships.

Hays said that she believes in a higher power and in somebody that loves her and wants what’s best for her. But as far as a specific religious view, she said she believes in what works for her. She had tried religion throughout her life as a way to cope with her depression but did not find any results. But, she said that while she was in jail she decided to pray and her urge to use was gone.

After her time in jail, Hays graduated from drug court and went on to apply for WKU’s master’s of social work program.

When she wrote her application letter, Hays had to display all of her past struggles.

“I had so much shame and embarrassment,” she said. “It made me, for the first time, look at all my stuff, and it made me sick.”

Hays has now graduated from the program and has reflected on all it offered her.

“I really didn’t know if I could do it,” she said. “I had all this fear.”

The social work program became a place of community for Hays and one of the first places she said she felt accepted.

“I was encouraged and valued, and my input was valued,” she said.

Hays said that she felt respected validated when she voiced her opinions on policies that were taught in classes.

“Tracey was passionate about any policy that impacted vulnerable populations,” April Murphy, an associate professor of social work, said in an email. “She embodies characteristics of a true social worker and understands how systemic issues can negatively impact marginalized individuals, especially those with limited resources and (little) knowledge about how the system works.”

Hays said that Murphy supported her a lot.

“When I had to write about those things (policies), I would get pretty emotional, you know, kind of feeling a little bit of anger at some of the policies that exist,” Hays said. “She helped me recognize that those feelings were there.”

Hays is concerned about how policies affect people with addictions.

“I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be consequences for people’s actions, but it shouldn’t be so hard to get back on your feet,” she said.

Someone could be clean from drugs for a while, but because a record may hang over them, they can’t find a job, Hays said.

Hays said she wishes there were more policies that could push people toward treatment rather than punishment.

“Punishment does not work,” she said.

According to a study written by three researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, punishment alone is both futile and ineffective in responding to drug abuse.

“The increase in the number of drug-abusing offenders highlights the urgency to institute treatments for populations involved in the criminal justice system,” their report said.

“I think there is a balance between ‘punishment’ and rehabilitation,” Murphy said in an email, “There has to be accountability for actions, but yet rehabilitation efforts work. I have to believe in the power of rehabilitation as a human and as a social worker – we are not the sum of our mistakes but deserve an opportunity to do better.”

Hays said that she hopes to make changes in how communities help and accept people with addiction, and she said that she wishes there were more ways for people charged with crimes to go straight into treatment.

“I know it seems like a lot of money that people are having to pay in taxes, but if it could create this ripple effect and make our communities and stuff safer, I mean, wouldn’t it all be worth it?” Hays said. “Things need to change.”

Hays said she wants people to know that it’s never too late to turn their life around.

“If you don’t want to continue to live the same experience, you have to change,” Hays said. “The results of change cannot be seen overnight, so it takes time and patience.”

Present actions, Hays said, are the results of past decisions, and it can take time for the results of positive choices to catch up.

“I hope that anyone who struggles with addiction has the chance to experience recovery and all the blessings it has to offer,” Hays said.

Sitting beside her at Spencer’s, Sadie listened to Hays dive deep into her past, retrieving difficult memories.

For some of Sadie’s life, her mother hadn’t been present.

“Life was really hard,” Sadie said.

However, Sadie said that Hays has worked hard to bring their family to a better life.

News reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu.

The Under 40 at the Top inaugural class includes:

• Abby Blandford (‘18, ‘20) of Louisville.
• Telia Butler (‘12) of Bowling Green.
• Alan Keck (‘07) of Somerset.
• Elvis Meskovic (‘16, ‘18) of Bowling Green.
• Justavian Tillman (‘18) of St. Louis, Missouri.

“It’s an honor to be recognized by my alma mater for making a difference in our community and exemplifying ‘The Spirit Makes the Master’,” Telia Butler, Bowling Green’s downtown development coordinator, said. “As a Bowling Green native who is amazed to watch the city and WKU campus transform over the past few decades, it’s humbling to be just one piece of the puzzle that helps the community grow.”

Since taking on the role of downtown development coordinator in December 2021, Butler has been a pivotal piece in establishing the city’s inaugural Downtown Development Division which is dedicated to investing in the downtown area by helping businesses thrive and engaging the community.

Butler and her team at the city have worked directly with WKU, the WKU Alumni Association, and several other campus departments on several downtown projects, including spearheading the inaugural Duncan Hines Days, reviving the Fountain Square experience for Big Red’s Roar and launching Tops Takeover BG with a downtown night for students.

“I am appreciative and have fond memories of my time at WKU,” Butler said, “and am grateful for the opportunities the university gave me to both engage with the community and further my career path options.”

Under 40 at the Top is part of the Alumni Association’s efforts to engage and recognize young graduates, according to a press release. The program seeks to highlight accomplishments and contributions alumni have made in their professions, communities and for the university.

Nominees for the program must have graduated from WKU and be 40 years old or younger at the time of their nomination, the Alumni Association said.

“We are thrilled to launch Under 40 at the Top and shine a spotlight on the remarkable accomplishments of our young alumni,” Douglas Stratton, president-elect of the WKU Young Alumni Council and chair of the council’s recognition workgroup, said in the press release. “This initiative not only celebrates their individual success but also serves as inspiration for current students and recent graduates as they pursue their own career goals.”

The Young Alumni Council provides opportunities for young alumni to maintain ties to WKU and seeks to provide feedback to the Alumni Association on programming. The Council consists of members who have graduated within the last 10 years.

Criteria that Under 40 at the Top nominees will be evaluated on include professional achievements, leadership roles, community involvement, and contributions to WKU.

More information on all of the honorees can be found at www.alumni.wku.edu

Nominations for Under 40 at the Top are currently open to the public.

Reporter Cameron Shaw can be reached at cameron.shaw555@topper.wku.edu

Olmsted started her career at WKU in 1996 and worked there for 25 years before retiring in 2021. During her time at WKU, she focused her work on English literature and the Gender & Women’s Studies field.

The novel, which Olmsted began writing in 2001, is a collection of shorter stories and perspectives. Each story compliments the details of others creating a much larger narrative that connects across the collection.

The overarching story occurs in Bowling Green and features characters who work and attend WKU. Some tales take place at different times and are narrated by secondary characters. Each story follows a similar theme of exploring Bowling Green’s landscape and local history, which interconnects the characters and plot as a whole.

To Olmsted, the novel reflects moments within her own life as well as others around her. She mentioned how her characters encounter the same things that she and those close to her experienced such as death, substance abuse, and mental health issues.

“The story of the Collins family is one of healing from devastating loss, betrayal, and abuses,” Olsmsted said, “Awful things happen and I don’t gloss over them, but what I want readers to remember is the inner light, the courage and graciousness these characters and we all possess.”

With the initial idea of exploring a different cave in each story, Olmsted found there was a parallel between the way her characters interacted and the physical geography of the town her fiction takes place in. 

“Like a karst system, human relations weave, grow intense, then cool, and sometimes are intentional and intimate, but others are not. At the center of the book is the Collins family.” Olmsted said.

In the book, Olmsted features characters that are based on her past students who attended WKU, and feels that the inclusion of these characters makes great use for appealing to the young adult audience. “Most of the students I’ve known over the years are tremendously caring. Some have endured tragedies or horrible trauma and are still showing up to classes. I could hold up any one of those wonderful people as a model for the characters in ‘Letters from the Karst’,” Olmsted said.

Olmsted’s book can be found and purchased on Amazon. Her blogs and other works can be found on her website, janeolmstedauthor.com. 

News Reporter Larkin Ivory can be reached at larkin.ivory045@topper.wku.edu.