Western Kentucky University is welcoming faculty and staff back to campus for the start of the fall semester. President Timothy Caboni delivered his annual opening Convocation on Monday, highlighting what he called a major accomplishment in fundraising.
In his 2018 investiture, Caboni announced plans for a fundraising campaign designed to remove barriers to a degree. What became the WKU Opportunity Fund surpassed its $50 million goal in 2021, with the bar then raised to $100 million.
“Today, I am proud to announce that just three years later, we have surpassed that new goal, raising more than $102 million, establishing 267 new endowed scholarships," Caboni said.
In total, 20,205 students have received private scholarship support since the creation of the Opportunity Fund. In his address at WKU’s Van Meter Auditorium, Caboni said those dollars are not only opening the door to higher education, but helping students to the finish line.
The rate of students returning after their first year at WKU has also increased more than 8% over the past six years. Bigger gains were made among under-represented minorities. The overall retention rate now stands one percentage point shy of the 80% goal outlined in the university's strategic plan.
Enrollment is this fall is up 1.2%, despite the U.S. Department of Education’s bungled rollout of the new FAFSA application that delayed college decisions this year.
“I am buoyed by the fact that this will be the second year of overall enrollment growth for the university," Caboni told WKU Public Radio. "When you think about trends in the state and national trends around participation in college, we’re going counter-trend.”
President Caboni concluded his Convocation address by announcing this year's Spirit of WKU Award winner. Dr. Marko Dumančić came to WKU in 2013 and currently serves as Director of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning and Assistant Provost for Faculty Development and Human Success.
The 118th academic year at WKU begins Aug. 19.
