Western Kentucky University

Western Kentucky University
Former names
Western Kentucky State Normal School (1906–1922)
Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College (1922–1930)
Western Kentucky State Teachers College (1930–1948)
Western Kentucky State College (1948–1966)
MottoThe Spirit makes the Master
Life more life
TypePublic university
Established1906 (1906)
Academic affiliations
Endowment$209.5 million (2022)
PresidentTimothy C. Caboni
Academic staff
932 (658 full-time) (Fall 2020)
Administrative staff
1,691 (1,101 full-time) (Fall 2020)
Students16,762 (Fall 2024)
Undergraduates14,593 (Fall 2024)
Postgraduates2,169 (Fall 2024)
Location,
Kentucky
,
United States

36°59′10″N 86°27′20″W / 36.98611°N 86.45556°W / 36.98611; -86.45556
Campus200 acres (0.81 km2)
ColorsRed and White
   
NicknameHilltoppers and Lady Toppers
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division I FBSCUSA
MascotBig Red
Websitewww.wku.edu

Western Kentucky University (WKU) is a public university in Bowling Green, Kentucky, United States. It was founded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1906, though its roots reach back a few decades earlier. It operates regional campuses in Glasgow, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, and Owensboro. The main campus sits atop a hill overlooking the Barren River valley.