Thursday, March 6, 2025
Good morning, Hilltoppers!
Please read today's newsletter for updates on DEI in our state, a new photo gallery in JRH, a game preview for the Lady Toppers, a piece on Ash Wednesday and the growth of a WKU Herald alum Have a great day, and as always, GO TOPS!
Anthony Clauson | News Reporter
Kentucky House Bill 4, which would prohibit any diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) program in Kentucky’s public universities, passed the House Wednesday and is pending a Senate vote.
First introduced in February by Rep. Jennifer Decker, the bill states all public university DEI programs would have to be cut by June 30 The bill would also prevent public universities from spending any money on DEI training
The bill comes in coordination withcurrent federal attacks on DEI spearheaded by the Trump administration.
‘Birds
Doing
Stuff’ photo gallery opens in Jody Richards Hall
Read more by Anthony Clauson
Photographer Steve Jessmore speaks to students about his photos in the “Birds Doing Stuff” gallery that opened in Jody Richards Hall ahead of his lecture funded in part by the Hearst Foundation and WKU’s School of Media & Communication on Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Photo by Dominic Di Palermo.
Alexis Fizer | News Reporter
“Birds Doing Stuff,” a photo gallery featuring the work of Steve Jessmore, opened Tuesday evening in Jody Richards Hall
The gallery features photos of several birds in the Torch Lake, Michigan area which also happens to be his home. The location is slowly becoming dangerous for the birds, Jessmore said.
“His concern for the ecology trumps his photography,” photojournalism student Jack Cheasty said “He just cares ”
Western Kentucky Lady Toppers guard Mackenzie
Chatfield (0) attempts a midrange shot during the Lady Toppers basketball game vs. the New Mexico State University Aggies at E.A. Diddle Arena on March, 1, 2025. WKU won 85-68. Photo by Ian Pitchford
Casey Gomez, a South Central Kentucky Community and Technical College student, prays after receiving communion during Ash Wednesday mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bowling Green on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 Photo by Dominic Di Palermo.
Lady Toppers start final roadtrip at FIU
WKU Women’s Basketball will take on Florida International University Thursday in its first of two road games to end the regular season
The Lady Toppers currently sit in third place in Conference USA with a record of 12-4 with just two games remaining. WKU has won four straight, most recently dominating New Mexico State 85-68 last Saturday
Senior guard Alexis Mead had her fifth game over 20 points against NMSU, totaling 23 points, six rebounds, and eight assists. Mead is having a career year, averaging 13 8 points and four assists this season
Read more by Austin Rice
From dust to dawn: Ash Wednesday begins Easter season
WKU students and Bowling Green residents gathered for Ash Wednesday mass at St. Joseph’s Church in Bowling Green. Ash Wednesday is a Catholic holiday celebrated annually to begin the Lenten season where Catholics commit themselves to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The 40 days of observation symbolize Jesus’ 40 days of fasting in the desert and conclude with Easter
Read more by Dominic Di Palermo
Read more by Alexis Fizer
When Chris Stanford transferred to WKU in 1994 from a small college in Georgia, he never would have imagined the opportunities it would lead him to “I fell in love with photography when I was a high school student, but before that, I always thought I would be a newspaper reporter,” Stanford, who graduated with a photojournalism degree, said “I came from a really small town in south Georgia, and the only storytellers that I knew from my town was the little newspaper, so I just thought that’s what I would do ”
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The College Heights Herald is the independent, student-run news organization operating on the campus of Western Kentucky University, emphasizing accuracy and truth while being a public forum for the fair display of diverse opinions and viewpoints. The Herald works to be steadfast and unwavering in its pursuit of truth while being true to the tenets of the WKU Student Publications mission to grow exceptional journalists and innovative leaders through real-world experiences and a strong educational and ethical foundation centered on principled journalism All creative and editorial decisions are made by the Herald’s student leadership, and all consequences of those decisions are the sole responsibility of these student leaders While editorially and operationally independent from the university, the Herald participates in the mission of WKU to prepare students of all backgrounds to be productive, engaged and socially responsible citizen-leaders of a global society, both within and outside of its newsroom. Views expressed are diverse and, as an independent publication, should not be taken as representative of views of WKU and any of its administration, faculty, staff, student body or other constituency.
Photo provided by Chris Stanford.
Read more by Anna Bell Lee
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