News Summary
Western Kentucky University (WKU) will honor more than 3,300 graduates during its 2025 Commencement ceremony on May 8 at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium. The event features the conferral of degrees across various disciplines, recognition of notable graduates, and special remarks from President Timothy C. Caboni. In addition to the main ceremony, WKU will host College Recognition Ceremonies a day later. Attendees can also enjoy ‘The Big Red Bash’ post-commencement, which includes live music, food vendors, and a fireworks display.
Bowling Green, Kentucky – Western Kentucky University (WKU) is set to honor over 3,300 graduates at its 2025 Commencement ceremony, scheduled for May 8. The event will be held at Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium and will begin at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s commencement will see the conferral of a total of 3,356 degrees and certificates. This includes 94 associate degrees, 2,071 bachelor’s degrees, 583 master’s degrees, 50 doctoral degrees, 15 specialist degrees, 431 undergraduate certificates, and 112 graduate certificates.
The festivities will kick off with the Topper Walk, a ceremonial procession that will take graduates from the Charles Hardcastle Kentucky Building to the stadium. Graduates will be recognized during the ceremony by representatives from each of WKU’s colleges before President Timothy C. Caboni introduces them to the Board of Regents for degree conferral.
The ceremony will include special remarks from President Caboni, along with the recognition of notable graduates, such as Brett Phelps, named as the Ogden Foundation Scholar for his dual degrees in visual journalism, photography, and strategic marketing, and Uthman A. Rasaq, who will receive the John D. Minton Award for his master’s degree in mathematics with a concentration in computational mathematics. Additionally, WKU ROTC cadets will be commissioned during this significant event.
WKU aims to ensure accessibility for all participants, and the ceremony will be broadcast by WKU PBS and streamed live on WKU’s YouTube and Facebook pages. For those attending in person, the university has advised that heavy traffic is expected on Commencement day. Parking recommendations and shuttle service details are available online, along with live updates regarding event parking.
In addition to the main commencement ceremony on May 8, WKU will also hold College Recognition Ceremonies for its five academic colleges on May 9 at Diddle Arena. The schedule is as follows:
- Gordon Ford College of Business at 8 a.m.
- Potter College of Arts & Letters at 10:30 a.m.
- Ogden College of Science and Engineering at 1 p.m.
- College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at 3:30 p.m.
- College of Health and Human Services at 6:30 p.m.
Following the commencement ceremony, attendees are invited to enjoy “The Big Red Bash” on the South Lawn, which will feature live music, food vendors, and a fireworks display to celebrate the achievements of the graduates.
WKU’s Regional Campuses, including those in Glasgow, Owensboro, Elizabethtown, and Somerset, will host pre-Commencement events leading up to the main commencement. Furthermore, the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science will celebrate the graduation of its 83 students from 39 counties on May 10 at Van Meter Hall.
For additional details regarding the commencement and related events, interested parties can visit WKU’s official commencement webpage.
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Additional Resources
- WBKO: WKU Commencement Set for May 8
- Wikipedia: Graduation
- BG Daily News: Scholarship News
- Google Search: Western Kentucky University
- WBKO: WKU Graduate Programs Ranked
- Google Scholar: Western Kentucky University
- BG Daily News: WKU Achieves Record Retention and Graduation Rates
- Encyclopedia Britannica: University
- WNKY: WKU Grad on NBC’s The Voice
- Google News: WKU Commencement
