Eastern Kentucky University

Coordinates: 37°44′2.9562″N 84°18′5.1631″W / 37.734154500°N 84.301434194°W / 37.734154500; -84.301434194

Eastern Kentucky University

Motto	Where Students and Learning Come First
Type	Public university
Established	1874; 147 years ago (1874) 1906[1]
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$54.1 million (2020)[2]
President	David McFaddin
Provost	Dr. Sara Zeigler
Academic staff	687 full-time[3]
Administrative staff	1,554 full-time[3]
Students	15,816[4]
Undergraduates	13,399[4]
Postgraduates	2,417[4]
Location	Richmond , Kentucky , United States
Colors	Maroon and White[5]
Mascot	Colonels
Website	www.eku.edu

Eastern Kentucky University (Eastern or EKU) is a public university in Richmond, Kentucky. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.^[6] It maintains branch campuses in Corbin, Hazard, Lancaster, and Manchester and offers more than 40 online undergraduate and graduate options.^[7][8]

History[]

Central University was founded in 1874 on the present site of Eastern Kentucky University. In 1901, beset with financial difficulties and small enrollment, Central University agreed to consolidation with Centre College. The Kentucky General Assembly of 1906 enacted legislation establishing the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1. The legislation was signed into law by the governor on March 21, 1906. On May 7, 1906, the Normal School Commission selected the site of the former Central University campus to be the location of the new school. In 1922 it became a four-year institution and changed its name to the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College, awarding its first degrees under that name in 1925. The school received accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1928; then, two years later, in 1930, it changed its name again to the Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College. Eastern added graduate studies in 1935, and thirteen years later, in 1948, the General Assembly removed the word "Teachers" from the school's name, and granted it the right to award nonprofessional degrees. It was not until 1966 that the school was officially renamed Eastern Kentucky University. In 2010, the university awarded its first doctoral degree—in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies.^[1][9] EKU continues to serve its service region by offering adult degree completion options and online degree programs in addition to its traditional on-campus offerings.^[8][10]

Campus revitalization[]

The years since 2012 have been marked by a significant building campaign that has altered the campus layout and improved aesthetics. Funding for the multimillion dollar project has relied heavily on public-private partnerships (P3) under the leadership of then-President Michael T. Benson. The recent construction efforts at the university mark the most significant period of campus facility development since President Robert R. Martin's tenure in the 1960s. Among the renovations and additions are:

Academics[]

Commonwealth Hall at Eastern Kentucky University in 2011

Rankings[]

Eastern Kentucky University has achieved national recognition, including mostly recently by the U.S. News & World Report 2021 Rankings:

• #51 (tie) in Regional Universities South (76th in 2019)
• #29 Best Graduate School – Occupational Therapy (29th in 2019)^[19]
• #166 (tie) Best Graduate School – Public Affairs (166th in 2019)
• #189 Best Graduate School – Speech-Language Pathology (163rd in 2019)
• #58 (tie) Best Online Bachelor's Programs (99th in 2019)
• #32 Best Colleges for Veterans

EKU was also ranked by the 2019 Forbes Magazine America's Top Colleges:^[20]

• #641 Top Colleges (637 in 2017 and 647 in 2018)
• #248 in Public Colleges (249 in 2017 and 250 in 2018)
• #160 in the South (172 in 2017 and 167 in 2018)

Honors program[]

In 1987, the faculty senate voted to approve an honors program to attract high-achieving students primarily from Kentucky.^[21] The board of regents subsequently approved the proposal on Saturday, January 16, 1988.^[22] The first 34 students entered the program beginning in the fall semester of 1988 under the direction of , a professor of philosophy who was appointed by then-president Funderburk in April of that year.^[23] Dr. Gray retired in 2008, having served as the well-respected director of the program for 20 years. The curriculum is interdisciplinary and capped by a senior thesis project. Students who successfully complete all program requirements receive the "Honors Scholar" designation on their diplomas.

Each year the honors program sends the largest delegation to the annual National Collegiate Honors Council Conference, where students present their research. Additionally, students in the program have received awards, including the Fulbright. Truman, Mitchell, and Phi Kappa Phi. In 2020, the program consisted of five full-time staff and approximately 496 students.

Student life[]

More than 230 registered student organizations are active on campus.

Student Government Association[]

The Student Government Association is the formal student governing body of the university. It was founded in 1954, with Ron Coffman serving as its first president and only consisted of a Student Council. In addition to the Student Council, which became the Student Senate in 1971, the SGA now has a Student Court, Executive Branch, and Student Activities Council which all act as independent branches of the government. Additionally, an Advisory Board of University employees provides advice and oversight. The association controls thousands of dollars in student money through an IT fund, RSO fund, diversity grant, and other sources. Every student enrolled in classes at the university is considered a member and able to vote in elections for Student Senators, the President, the Executive Vice President, and the Vice President of Student Activities.^{[citation needed]}

Greek life[]

Athletics[]

The EKU football team playing against the University of Louisville in 2013

Referred to as the "Maroons" until the mid-1960s, the Eastern Colonels competed in the NCAA's Division I (Football Championship Subdivision in football) in the Ohio Valley Conference until the end of the 2020-21 season.. The Colonels will move to the ASUN Conference in July 2021; at that time, the football team joined the Western Athletic Conference until the ASUN launches its own football league, most likely in 2022.

The school is best known for its Football Championship Subdivision football team, which has captured 22 OVC conference titles and two Division I-AA National Championships in 1979 and 1982. Much of the success came during the long tenure of head coach Roy Kidd from 1964 to 2002. Kidd, with a career coaching record of 314-124-8, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Now led by first-year coach Walt Wells, the Colonels returned to the national FCS playoffs in 2011.

The Eastern Kentucky University men's basketball team won the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship and its automatic bid to the NCAA basketball tournament in 2005, 2007, and 2014.

The men's and women's cross country team has also been a staple of success over the recent decade. The men's team has won all ten of the last ten OVC Championships, and the women have won nine of the last ten. In 2011 the men's cross country team qualified for NCAA National Cross Country Meet for the first time in school history. Since 2011, the team has qualified for the NCAA National Cross Country Meet five consecutive times.

Traditions[]

Among EKU's most prominent traditions is the rubbing of Daniel Boone's left foot for good luck; the statue features prominently in front of the Keen Johnson Building.

The statue features prominently in front of the Keen Johnson Building. More recently, former President Benson initiated the Welcome Walk at the beginning of the fall semester; first year students gather in front of Keen Johnson Building with the President before walking along University Drive and passing through the new Turner Gate.^[24]

Media[]

The Eastern Progress[]

The Eastern Progress, also known as The EP began in February 1922 and serves as the official student newspaper.^[25]

WEKU[]

Founded on October 7, 1968, WEKU (88.9 FM) is a National Public Radio-affiliated station owned by Eastern Kentucky University. It primarily features NPR news and talk programming, along with Kentucky/Folk music on the weekends. WEKU operates 8 satellite stations including WEKP (90.1 FM) in Pineville, WEKH (90.9 FM) in Hazard, WEKF (88.5 FM) in Corbin and five translators in Middlesboro (102.5 FM, W273AY), Barbourville (96.9 FM, W245AS), Pikeville (95.1 FM, W251AI), Frankfort (106.7 FM, W294BG) and Harlan (96.3 FM, W242BR).^[26]

Notable alumni[]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eastern Kentucky University.

• Official website
• Eastern Kentucky Athletics website