Eastern Kentucky University

Eastern Kentucky University
	Latin: Universitas Orientalis Kentuckiensis
Former names	Central University (1874–1901); Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1 (1906–1922); Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College (1922–1930); Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College (1930–1948); Eastern Kentucky State College (1948–1966)
Motto	Where Students and Learning Come First
Type	Public university
Established	1874; 150 years ago (predecessor college); 1906; 118 years ago (current institution)
Academic affiliations	Space-grant
Endowment	$78.8 million (2022)
President	David McFaddin
Provost	Sara Zeigler
Academic staff	563 full-time (Spring 2022) and 410 part-time (Spring 2022)
Administrative staff	1,554 full-time
Students	14,465 (spring 2022)
Undergraduates	12,070 (spring 2022)
Postgraduates	2,395 (spring 2022)
Location	Richmond, Kentucky, United States
Colors	Maroon and White;
Mascot	Colonels
Website	www.eku.edu

It also maintains branch campuses in Corbin, Hazard, Lancaster, and Manchester and offers over 40 online undergraduate and graduate options.

History

Founding

EKU's earliest predecessor institution, Central University, was founded in 1874 in Richmond, Kentucky. Beset with financial difficulties and small enrollment, Central consolidated with Centre College in 1901.

On March 21, 1906, the Governor signed legislation which established the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1. On May 7, 1906, the Normal School Commission selected the site of the former Central University campus as the location of this new college; EKU remains at this location today.

Renaming

In 1922, the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1 changed its name to Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College, and the transformed college awarded its first degrees under that name in 1925. In 1930, the college changed its name again, becoming the Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College. In 1948, the General Assembly shortened it to Eastern Kentucky State College. In 1966, it was officially renamed Eastern Kentucky University.^{[citation needed]}

Campus revitalization

The years between 2012 and 2020 were marked by a building campaign that altered the campus layout and improved aesthetics. Funding for the multimillion-dollar project relied heavily on public-private partnerships (P3) under the leadership of then-President Michael T. Benson. The construction efforts 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:

Powell Student Center (2019–20)
New Rec Center (2019–20)
Case Dining Hall (2018)
New Gertrude Hood Stadium (Softball Field) (2017)
Scholar House (2017)
Turner Gate (2016)
John Grant Crabbe Main Library's Noel Reading Porch (2015)
Lancaster Avenue Pedway (2015/2017)
1971 Verdin Carillon bells (Keen Johnson Building) (2014)
New Science Building (Phase I) (2012)

Academics

Accreditation and academic charge

The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2010, the university awarded its first doctoral degree through its Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program.

EKU serves its service region by offering adult degree completion options and online degree programs in addition to its traditional on-campus offerings.

Rankings and outcomes

Eastern Kentucky University has achieved national recognition, including mostly recently by the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Rankings:

#52 (tie) in Regional Universities South (51st in 2021)
#29 Best Graduate School – Occupational Therapy (29th in 2021)
#170 (tie) Best Graduate School – Public Affairs (166th in 2021)
#189 Best Graduate School – Speech-Language Pathology (189th in 2021)
#74 (tie) Best Online Bachelor's Programs (58th in 2021)
#24 Best Colleges for Veterans (32nd in 2021)

EKU was also ranked by the 2019 Forbes Magazine America's Top Colleges:

#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)^{[citation needed]}

According to 2022 data from College Scorecard, Eastern Kentucky University graduates earn a median salary of $42,000 ten years after their entry into the institution. The median salaries of graduates vary across disciplines, with criminal justice majors earning around $33,000, biology $40,000, psychology $35,000, nursing $65,000, and Computer and Information Science $72,000. 61% of EKU graduates earn higher than a typical high school graduate of the corresponding area.

Honors program

In 1987, the faculty senate voted to approve an honors program to attract high-achieving students primarily from Kentucky. The Board of Regents approved the proposal on January 16, 1988. The first 34 students entered the program in 1988.

Athletics

The Eastern Kentucky (EKU) athletic teams are called the Colonels (formerly known as the "Maroons" until the mid-1960s). The university is a member of the NCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in the ASUN Conference since the 2021–22 academic year; while its football team competes in the United Athletic Conference (UAC), with the conference having aspirations to go to the FBS level. The Colonels previously competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 2020–21. EKU competes in 18 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.

Media

WEKU

Launched in 1968, WEKU is a charter member of the educational radio network, National Public Radio (NPR). WEKU features NPR news and talk programming in addition to locally produced news, arts and cultural programming.

WEKU broadcasts across nine FM stations in Central and Eastern Kentucky:

88.9 FM Richmond /Lexington
90.9 FM Hazard
88.5 FM Corbin
90.1 FM Pineville
106.7 FM Frankfort
96.3 FM Harlan
96.9 FM Barbourville
95.1 FM Pikeville
102.5 FM Middlesboro

The Eastern Progress

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

List of presidents

No.	President	Term
1	Ruric Nevel Roark	1906–1909
2	Mary Creegan Roark	1909–1910
3	John G. Crabbe	1910–1916
4	Thomas J. Coates	1916–1928
-	Homer Cooper (interim)	1928
5	Herman L. Donovan	1928–1941
6	William F. O'Donnell	1941–1960
7	Robert R. Martin	1960–1976
-	Julius Cherry Powell (interim)	1975–1976
8	Julius Cherry Powell	1976–1984
9	Hanley Funderburk	1984–1998
10	Bob Kustra	1998–2001
-	Eugene Hughes (interim)	2001
11	Joanne Glasser	2001–2007
-	Charles D. Whitlock (interim)	2007–2008
12	Charles D. Whitlock	2008–2013
13	Michael T. Benson	2013–2019
14	David T. McFaddin	2020–present

Notable alumni

J. C. W. Beckham, governor of Kentucky and U.S. senator
Eula Bingham, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Leila Feltner Begley, former Secretary of State of Kentucky
Elmer Begley, former Secretary of State of Kentucky
Mike Harmon, former Kentucky Auditor of Public Accounts
Mallory Ervin, Miss Kentucky 2009
Sam Champion, weather anchor
Earle Combs, MLB Hall of Fame, New York Yankees
Lee Majors, Actor, The Six Million Dollar Man
Roy Kidd, College Football Coach, College Football Hall of Fame

References

External links

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

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