WKU College Heights Herald - March 3, 2024

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Print edition published three times each semester by WKU Student Publications at Western Kentucky University.

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EDITORIAL BOARD

Alexandria Anderson Editor-in-Chief

Dominic Di Palermo Photo Editor

Debra Murray Engagement Editor Ella Galvin Design Editor Jake McMahon Sports Editor

Caroline Chubb Video Producer Molly Dobberstein News Editor

Ali Costellow Assistant News Editor Price Wilborn Commentary Editor Emmy Libke Social Media Editor

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POLICIES

Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors determine all news and editorial content, and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions.

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FROM THE EDITOR

WHAT IS AI?

AI’S IMPACTS ON BLACKBOARD ULTRA

AI RECREATES A WKU TOUR

A HERALD NEWS STORY REWRITTEN BY AI

BIG RED, IS THAT YOU?

Since DALL-E, an AI image generator, cannot recreate copyrighted images, the cover was made by prompting it to generate an image of a mascot inspired by Big Red. The final version is one of 24 iterations of Big Red DALL-E created. The original AI designs started as furry blobs but morphed into the lovable character you see on the cover — what AI thinks is WKU’s Big Red. On the bottom of some pages, you’ll find the 15 iterations AI created.

Hi everyone,

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

For our second issue of the semester, we have tackled a topic I’m sure many of us have gotten very familiar with: artificial intelligence, or AI. As college students, we must constantly adapt to technological advances, which can alter our experiences in and out of the classroom. AI is the largest of these advances, and has evolved the human-technology relationship into something deeper, smarter and more powerful.

Within the context of WKU, we explored the effects of AI on students and faculty, and even utilized AI algorithms to reimagine our own photo and news stories. No matter your belief on whether or not AI should be used, it is impossible to ignore its professional and personal influences – and like all forms of technology, it will continue to grow exponentially.

As a news organization, this issue has given us more insight into how AI could affect journalism, both in amazing and dangerous ways. For more straightforward stories, you can feed AI, for example, meeting minutes, and it will spit out a concise, AP style news story. This technology could open up reporters to cover larger, deeper stories, while AI handles everyday news. On the other hand, using AI in journalism poses serious ethical dilemmas – what if it spreads misinformation? Could it eliminate trusted, local news sources all together?

While each of us fits AI into our professions, it is vital to us, as journalists, to keep these things in mind.

I hope you enjoy the issue!

Sincerely,

Alexandria Anderson Editor-in-Chief

GENERATED BY ELI RANDOLPH

PHOTO BY CARRIE PRATT

An AI generated Herald logo made by DALL-E, when it was prompted to create a logo for the College Heights Herald using a calligraphy “H.”

WHAT IS AI?

By Maggie Phelps

In a groundbreaking leap forward for artificial intelligence, a cutting-edge algorithm has achieved unprecedented levels of problem-solving, raising the bar for machine learning capabilities. As AI continues to reshape industries and redefine possibilities, this latest development signals a pivotal moment in the evolution of intelligent technologies, sparking both excitement and debate about the potential impact on our daily lives.

The lede you just read was generated by ChatGPT, a chatbot developed by AI and launched in November 2022. ChatGPT serves as one of the largest and fastest-growing AI platforms.

“[The] AI chatbot quickly gained over 100 million users, with the website alone seeing 1.8 billion visitors a month,” Maria Diaz, a staff writer for ZDNet, wrote in an article about AI chatbots.

ChatGPT has marked a turning point for AI and AI systems, according to the International Business Machines corporation.

“The last time generative AI loomed this large, the breakthroughs were in computer vision, but now the leap forward is in natural language processing (NLP),” IBM stated on their website, “and it’s not just human language: Generative models can also learn the grammar of software code, molecules, natural images, and a variety of other data types.”

AI is a swiftly growing technology that has a higher prevalence in the classroom. Many conversations are circulating about the power of this platform. However, the question still remains: what is AI and how do we address its growing presence in society?

Michael Galloway, WKU associate professor of computer science in the School of Engineering and Applied Sci-

ences, explained AI in his own words.

“AI is the idea of human intelligence applied to non-human systems,” Galloway said. “Most commonly, this is targeted at software and hardware digital computing systems.”

Galloway said AI can respond to rules-based algorithms and alter the systems, “to produce the desired results ‘learning.’”

“In simple terms, Artificial Intelligence refers to computer systems or machines that are designed to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence,” ChatGPT said when asked to describe AI. “These tasks include things like problem-solving, learning from experience, recognizing patterns, and understanding natural language. AI systems are programmed to mimic human-like cognitive functions, allowing them to handle complex tasks and adapt to new situations without explicit programming for each scenario.”

Essentially, AI can handle complex human tasks unlike any other machine, code or software system – which means it can be utilized across disciplines and professions.

Society interacts with AI on a daily basis. AI stretches beyond chatbot systems such as ChatGPT. It lives within phones and is embedded in frequently used applications.

“Examples of these systems include intelligent voice systems [Alexa and Siri], social media platforms that provide output based on our interactions [Facebook and Instagram],” Galloway said, “and media playback platforms that provide content based on our historical preferences [Spotify and Netflix].”

AI is also found in smart home devices such as thermostats, lights and vehicle adaptive cruise control. It can also be used in image recognition software

and for shopping recommendations.

Galloway said AI systems can improve productivity as well as provide entertainment. However, he said AI can also “possibly influence the user in a direction they would have not chosen without using the AI system.”

The future of AI is unclear and the systems are continually changing and advancing.

“The applications for this technology are growing every day, and we’re just starting to explore the possibilities,” the IBM website states. “As the hype around the use of AI tools in business takes off, conversations around ethics become critically important.”

AI implementation in the classroom and in everyday life explores a conversation rooted in ethics and how AI could potentially augment reality. For now, focus is on what AI does and how to go about using the systems provided to us.

“As artificial intelligence continues to push the boundaries of innovation, its transformative impact on society becomes increasingly evident,” ChatGPT said. “From revolutionizing industries to enhancing daily conveniences, the relentless progress in AI signifies a future where intelligent technologies play an integral role in shaping our world. As we navigate this exciting frontier, the ethical considerations and responsible development of AI remain paramount, ensuring that the benefits of innovation are harnessed for the greater good, fostering a harmonious coexistence between humanity and the machines of tomorrow.”

NewsreporterMaggiePhelpscan bereachedatmargaret.phelps370@ topper.wku.edu.

‘AI CAN DO ANYTHING’ STUDENTS SHARE OPINIONS ON AI

By Bailey Reed

When entering a new class, WKU students now have a new section of the syllabus to consider: the use of artificial intelligence in the classroom.

Students now have to understand for each course they take when they can and cannot use AI, as there is no universal WKU policy on its usage. The policy on the syllabus is up to the discretion of the professor.

In 2022, the Pew Research Center found that “27% of Americans say they interact with AI at least several times a day, while another 28% think they interact with it about once a day or several times a week.”

AI is present in everyday life, including Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, Face ID recognition and social media, whether the general population

recognizes it or not. Additionally, Pew Research found that society is still cautious of AI, as “just 15% say they are more excited than concerned about the increasing use of AI in daily life, compared with 38% who are more concerned than excited; 46% express an equal mix of concern and excitement.”

As AI continues to grow and learn, it was only inevitable that it would start to affect universities and their students – whether that means simply utilizing AI to study or going as far as having it write entire papers.

GENERATED BY BAILEY REED

Students on the Hill expressed mixed opinions on AI, with most believing it can be a useful tool if used in the “right context.”

Hunter Lee, a sophomore meteorology student, uses ChatGPT to generate TikTok ideas and captions, as well as to brainstorm ideas for papers.

When asked if students should be able to use AI in the classroom, Lee said “there is a difference between it doing everything for you and you asking it for ideas.”

“I think if you use it in a good manner without abusing it, I think it’s very beneficial to have,” Lee said.

Lee found that most of his professors are pro-AI and are “not going over the line and using it for everything.”

At WKU, professors are required to have a section in their syllabus dedicated to their own preference on AI usage for class, which was

This art was made using AI source Magic Media through Canva. The prompt was to design “students in gear that say ‘WKU’ using computers.”

PHOTO BY DOMINIC DI PALERMO

just implemented in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Students now have to understand the consequences that could come with using AI when prohibited. Plagiarism, academic dishonesty and the policy of any given professor must all be taken into account. Rather than falling down this rabbit hole, Lee had different suggestions for his classmates on how to use AI.

“AI can do anything,” Lee said. “For me, coming up with ideas is one of the best things you can use AI for. Ideas on topics for a paper, ideas on how to write the paper, ideas on how to do a TikTok video. There’s so many ways to use AI.”

However, the capabilities of AI are still intimidating. Lee delved into his fears with AI and its abilities becoming a little too innovative, referring to

BY DOMINIC DI PALERMO

AI “deep fakes,” or videos of someone in which their face or body has been altered so they appear as someone else, often used to spread misinformation.

Justin Wallace, a senior graphic design major, expressed that “the only thing that scares me is that they [corporations] will try to insert chips into people’s bodies eventually,” reminiscent of the movie “I, Robot” starring Will Smith.

Wallace uses AI in an academic context, for his user design classes and as a search engine on the internet, something people may not realize is AI.

“I do believe AI should be used in school and on campus depending on the class and if the teacher wants to use it or not,” Wallace said. “I feel that AI is beneficial to help with jobs and educational purposes, [when] used in the

right context.”

Despite some support for AI at WKU, some students think AI does not have a necessary place in the classroom.

“I do not feel there should be a ban on using AI in the classroom,” Alyssa Fisk, a junior social work major, said. “However, I would say in most cases, it is not needed. The professor is the expert in what they are teaching and can give personal advice, while AI is a computer-generated program with answers that are not personal.”

Fisk also does not like to use AI in her personal life. She said AI will function off of societies’ current ideologies, which she believes will continue to perpetuate racist ideals and harm oppressed groups.

“I do not like using AI, as it is a computer-operated system that is biased

Senior Justin Wallace is a graphic design major who uses AI for his user design classes. Wallace posed for a photo in the Fine Arts Center on Feb. 22.

PHOTO

Sophomore and meteorology major Hunter Lee films a TikTok outside of the Downing Student Union on Feb. 24. Lee explained that he has used AI to generate ideas for his content creation.

towards certain groups and values,” Fisk said. “This system is following the current where there is racism, sexism and ageism. These beliefs are then just portrayed into the answers you are

given through AI.”

NewsReporterBaileyReedcanbe reachedatbailey.reed704@topper.wku. edu

GENERATED BY ALEXANDRIA ANDERSON

This infographic was generated by Piktochart, an AI source used specifically for graphs and presentation making. All art, color schemes, and organizational contents were designed by Piktochart, and quotes from WKU students were inserted by the author of this article.

‘I JUST DON’T KNOW THE ANSWER’ WKU FACULTY DISCUSS AI IN COURSES

By Shayla Abney

Artificial intelligence is a rapidly spreading tool at universities across the nation, presenting unique challenges for faculty and staff. From the history department to the School of Media & Communication in Jody Richards Hall, WKU faculty have differing opinions on AI.

Because of its growing use, many professors have had to incorporate policies into their syllabi regarding AI. Over the summer, WKU published a news release encouraging staff to begin thinking about how to address AI usage.

“While we will each approach AI differently in our classrooms, I urge you to be thoughtful and purposeful in your communication with students about the role AI might play in your courses,” Provost Robert “Bud” Fischer stated in the release. “If you have not already developed an AI policy for your syllabus, please consider adapting one of

the suggested statements provided on the WKU Syllabus page that best matches your teaching philosophy and course goals.”

Kate Brown, an associate professor in the history department, had to add policies regarding AI to her syllabus for the fall 2023 semester.

Her policy states that the use of AI for any work within her classroom is prohibited, and if she suspects a student of using it, they have three options: receive a zero on the assignment, receive a zero on the assignment unless proven their work is original or receive a zero but are allowed to submit another assignment in its place for substitute credit.

“I was irritated,” Brown said. “But I wasn’t irritated because there was another policy to add, what irritated me is that Western Kentucky, I feel, gives no guidance. CITL [Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning], as far as I am aware, is only supporting how to use AI in the classroom

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD

Kate Brown, history professor, talks to her class in Cherry Hall room 204 on Friday, Feb. 23.

ELLA

and not how to help humanities professors like me who want to keep it out.”

However, over winter break, Fischer sent out an email to faculty and staff regarding work the faculty is doing to investigate how to use AI. Brown said she felt this is the university’s way of beginning to support professors who feel similarly to her, altering her feelings about the lack of direction.

“Since I had that initial feeling of Western leaving me high and dry, it seems like Western is being somewhat proactive,” Brown said. “Do I feel like I have an answer to my problem of it shouldn’t be used in humanities at all and how do I affect that? No, but Western is not as asleep at the wheel as I kind of originally felt when I put that statement in the syllabus.”

Brown emphasized that she knows

WKU leadership is doing the best they can, knowing that AI is uncharted territory for most people.

“I just want to stress that I do know that Western is moving in directions to address AI,” Brown said. “But in the meantime, I still feel like they could do more. I just feel like I need to know, even if it’s not Western, can someone point me in a rational way to do a history class? Where you know AI isn’t a threat to my students learning how to think critically and write persuasively? I just don’t know the answer.”

Taylor Davis, professional in residence and instructor in the advertising program, instilled her AI policy when she started at WKU last semester. As someone who uses AI in her personal and work life, she recognized the need to adapt it in a way that works for her

within her classroom.

Her syllabus policy highlights three main points: the bias in AI, ethical implications and an overreliance on AI. She said that she has not felt any pushback from the university in terms of her using AI within the classroom.

“You know, I think universities are still trying to figure out where to use it and how best to use it in our schools, and specifically in the School of Media & Communication,” Davis said.

Davis has already taken the step to “figure out” where to use it, incorporating it within her assignments. She encourages students to use it, but not overly rely on it, as stated in her syllabus policy. She says it is a digital tool available for her students.

The most commonly used form of AI in classrooms presents itself in ChatGPT,

Sections about AI from WKU professors syllabi.

GALVIN

a chatbot that launched in November 2022. It enables users to ask it questions and receive a generated response based on a variety of sources. These sources can include news articles, scientific journals, Wikipedia and many others.

Within her classroom, Davis encourages students to use ChatGPT as a starting point. Students may put the assignment prompt into the AI software and review the generated responses. Students are meant to review the response they receive from the AI and see how it aligns with what they are learning in class, Davis said.

Davis said a lot of her views on AI reflect her use of it in her personal and professional life. Being a professor is not her full-time job, as she also works in the corporate world as a marketing director for a healthcare company.

uploading the different items in her freezers and cabinets in hopes of recipes being generated.

“It just does that calculation from the big data and makes things a little bit easier for you,” Davis said.

With technology growing and the uses of AI expanding, Davis recognizes that universities are having to adapt to these changes. She believes that universities are going to have to learn how to incorporate it in the classroom setting, but it is ultimately not changing the way they function.

“Certainly, I do think that it will impact classrooms, and that’s me coming from a professional in residence perspective, versus maybe more of, I’ve just entered academia and there are professors who have been here much longer than me and have PhDs,” Davis said. “I think the classroom setting

dering students, and he got famous because he’s like, ‘I refuse, I’m not going to use whatever fake pronouns you want to use,’” Brooks said. “So he got famous, and he kind of built a career on this.”

The bill in question is Bill C-16 and is an act towards including transgender and gender-diverse Canadians under human rights and hate crime laws. Peterson felt this bill was an effort to indoctrinate children and create oppressive spaces, Brooks said.

In turn, Peterson announced that he was creating an online university, now formally called Peterson Academy. This university is completely online with no professors. AI is incorporated into the lectures and all courses, including coursework, and is preprogrammed by Peterson and other professionals.

“Education, affordable to all, taught

“I think the classroom setting with AI, learning how to use it as a tool, learning where and when it is appropriate to us. Those are all things we have to figure out as well.”

Taylor Davis

“When you’re part of a corporate marketing team, sometimes, you talk about the same thing over and over and over and over again about your brand,” Davis said. “So we’ll use it to brainstorm new ideas ... A lot of time it comes up with ideas that it thinks are creative, but are pretty corny, to be honest. So some are good, some are bad, but without that professional lens and experience and learning that we’ve all had, we may not know what is good or bad.”

This is the main reason she promotes the usage of AI. Learning the strategies, paying attention and being in class to gain that foundation is what allows students to use the tool effectively in their future careers, Davis said.

On top of this, she also uses it in her daily life. She used the example of

with AI, learning how to use it as a tool, learning where and when it is appropriate to use. Those are all things we have to figure out as well.”

However, some universities and faculty members have taken a much more head-on approach to adapt AI into their lessons.

Marcus Brooks, assistant professor in the sociology and criminology department, elaborated on alternative universities that root their coursework in AI. He said the rise in these alternative universities began with a man named Jordan Peterson, psychology professor and Chancellor of Ralston College, a liberal arts college in Savannah, Georgia.

“He got famous a few years ago, like 2015, 2016, when in Kent – he’s Canadian – there was a bill about misgen-

by the best,” the Peterson Academy website states. “Learn how to think, not what to think. Online university. Coming soon.”

While supporting the use of AI in moderation, Brooks does not think these alternative colleges will be accredited, let alone work out in the long run.

“I personally think they’re money-making schemes for the people who start them,” Brooks said. “But if you asked me, I would say it’s a lot of those same people who want to defund universities and offer these alternatives as AI alternatives, are the same ones who are going out saying colleges are too woke and indoctrinating students, and that’s just kind of the rhetoric they use.”

Though Brooks does not see alternative

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD

Marcus Brooks, sociology and criminology professor, talks to his class in Grise Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22. “I’m kind of in the middle with AI,” Brooks said in response to AI’s advancements in a university setting.

colleges becoming something more than an idea, he does think that AI is changing the way professors are having to teach.

Last December, he switched his assignments from primarily discussion board-based to multiple choice questions and true or false quizzes. By doing this, he discovered different AI Chrome extensions that produced the answers to the questions asked in these assignments.

“Because, again, even in that example, I was like, okay, well, they can copy and paste it and ChatGPT will give them a paragraph, but they can’t put a multiple choice in ChatGPT,” Brooks said. “But now, apparently they can. So, I’m not sure what that looks like long term. But I think it’s definitely something that we need to be thinking about.”

Despite Brooks’ mixed feelings on AI and its uses within the classroom, he recognizes that sometimes, students feel it is their last choice.

“I know, I was an undergrad in college too, obviously, sometimes life is happening, and we just need to get that assignment done,” Brooks said. “But the thing is, when I’m in the classroom, and I’m getting to know my students, and I really tried to share with them is like, these four years, this is a unique time in your lives, and take advantage of it. Like, when else in your life [do] you have four years – I know a lot of you have jobs and responsibilities – but for a lot of you, one of your main jobs is just to learn, and when else do you have that opportunity?”

NewsReporterShaylaAbneycanbe reachedatshayla.abney577@topper.wku. edu

AI’S IMPACTS ON BLACKBOARD ULTRA

By Kaylee Hawkins

Common classroom tools like Blackboard have begun to see a change with the recent rise and development of artificial intelligence.

Blackboard, powered by Anthology, is the “Learning Management System that allows students and instructors to interact on an online platform,” according to WKU’s website.

Blackboard as a whole has now begun transitioning to what is known as Blackboard Ultra, which, according to Anthology, is a new course view that offers “a modern, intuitive, and personalized interface.”

Ultra, which will be fully implemented into WKU classrooms by the 2025 winter session, allows for a more modernized appearance along with a more mobile-friendly interface, making student access more convenient and easily accessible on the go.

In terms of organization, Ultra is divided into modules, or thematic units, that help faculty and students alike to use the site with more ease.

Hannah Digges Elliott, senior instructional designer for the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, and Marko Dumančić, assistant provost for faculty development and student success, director for CITL and associate professor of history, have both worked closely on implementing the best practices into the classroom for student and faculty success.

Elliot has been at WKU for nearly 14 years and focuses mainly on teaching and learning in the physical and technology-enhanced spaces of the classroom.

Dumančić has been at WKU for a decade and his job involves three distinct

elements: WKU online, faculty development and student success initiatives that originate in the Provost’s Office.

As AI continues to grow in the classroom, the creators of Blackboard have implemented new features to help faculty with the design development of their courses.

“It can’t do it for them, [and] it’s not like they say ‘give me a course on this’ and it does it, but there are some key things, and they call it the AI Design Assistant,” Elliott said.

This new assistant will allow faculty to put in ordering objectives, and the assistant will then produce a “module shell,” which is a folder with a picture or description of the content.

The assistant does not create the content, but it will help to organize potential ideas.

Faculty are also able to choose the number of modules they would like and the assistant will then implement that as well.

“The idea behind a lot of Blackboard’s AI feature is that it’s a starting point, not an ending point,” Elliot added.

Blackboard’s AI features have also implemented a rubric creation option in which faculty can put in an assignment description, which generates a rubric matching the assignment. It is free to edit and post for student view.

Faculty members have reported positive feedback with the new implementation of Ultra. Marcus Brooks, assistant professor in the sociology and criminology department, is one of them.

“In general, I like it better. It’s not as busy and is a little bit more streamlined,” Brooks said.

With many concerns arising from faculty that students are using AI improperly in the classroom, Dumančić and Elliott had some insight into what AI could mean for the future of education.

“We want students to be prepared for their lives outside of Western and the truth of the matter is, a lot of industry is moving towards the use of AI,” Elliot said. “So, teaching responsible use, and having those open conversations, as Marko [Dumančić] mentioned, is very important.”

Dumančić is appreciative that, even with the uneasiness that follows change, there continues to be patience, grace and forbearance in the community of WKU as it continues to implement AI and Blackboard Ultra into a classroom setting.

“Technology in and of itself is neutral, right? So I think it all comes down to how we both as faculty and staff and our students choose to deploy it,” Dumančić said.

NewsReporterKayleeHawkinscan bereachedatkaylee.hawkins407@ topper.wku.edu

AI RECREATES A WKU TOUR

ORIGINAL PHOTO

AI’s image generating capabilities have become more accessible in recent months. The Herald decided to test these capabilities by attempting to recreate photos of a WKU campus tour.

A three picture package of campus tour guide of Rush Robinson, a sophomore psychology, philosophy and sociology triple major, and Nate Partin, a junior health sciences major, was created with the intent to be recreated.

Tour guides were chosen because the images would contain well-known and commonly documented places around campus.

“I wanted to be an admissions ambassador to not only give back to the university that has given me so much, but to ensure that one of the first faces prospective students see is one full of energy and excitement,” Robinson said.

Since its founding in 1906, WKU’s campus has had thousands of images taken and published of the hill. So, in

AI INTERPRETATION

theory, the models would have a plethora of content to choose from. AI models like DALL-E by OpenAI draw their information from images and text on the internet.

The imaging software was used to generate three new images. When first prompted, it responded stating that it could not do what was asked of it.

“I’m not able to duplicate or make exact copies of existing images. My capabilities are focused on creating new images based on descriptions provided,” DALL-E said.

Since the software cannot take an image and completely copy it, users must rely on descriptions of the scene they are attempting to recreate. Since the AI software cannot read between the lines, when it was prompted to add more people to an image of a dorm room, it added 50 people instead of five.

Since most people do not have much experience with using the AI, trial and

error is the user’s best friend. Sometimes the prompts would work perfectly, and other times they would not be recognized at all.

The best way to achieve the ideal images was to make small and incremental changes. It became apparent not to give the software four directions at once, and instead, give them one at-a-time.

The final generated images had at least 10 versions before the final. They were also not able to be generated in a way that would make them look realistic, which explains their artistic stylization.

StaffphotographerEliRandolph canbereachedatelijah.randolph903@ topper.wku.edu

Words, Photos and AI Generations by Eli Randolph

ORIGINAL PHOTO

ORIGINAL PHOTO

AI

WKU DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE HOSTS ‘DEAD PRESIDENT’S TOUR’

By Cameron Shaw

The trek up to the third floor of Cherry Hall transported WKU students and Bowling Green community members throughout history as WKU’s Department of Political Science hosted the “Dead President’s Tour” on Monday, Feb. 19.

Modeled after the Department of Philosophy’s “Dead Philosopher’s Tour,” the event featured a journey through American history as political science students portrayed numerous presidents of the past with speeches, costumes and props.

The tour took attendees from Abraham Lincoln all the way up to John F. Kennedy. The well-prepared presenters shared history of the lives of their respective presidents for education and entertainment.

For Dan Modlin, an attendee at the event, seeing the students’ interest and

initiative for their presentations was very encouraging.

“I think most of them really kind of came alive, personalities kind of came out with it,” Modlin said. “They added a lot of good educational material, too, but it was entertaining.”

Attitudes like Modlin’s reveal interest in more events like these for students and the community to partake in.

Lucy Rutherford, a department of political science ambassador, feels that events like these can help students invest in both the world and the department.

“I think just stuff like that, getting kids involved, like seeing what political science is like, what it can do for you, was really like the ultimate goal,” Rutherford said.

Rutherford also sees other events of a similar nature to the “Dead President’s

Tour” happening more in the future.

“[Political science] ambassadors have talked a lot about trying to get people more engaged in stuff that we’re doing, like opening up more events,” Rutherford said.

Rutherford encourages students to stay engaged with flyers, posters and other mediums of information posted around campus and on social media so that they can find ways to get involved. The Department of Political Science can be found on Instagram @wkupolisci and on Facebook at “WKU Political Science.”

However, open and engaging events do not have to be bound just to the Department of Political Science.

“I think any major and any department could put a spin on this and make their events interactive in a sense to where we can come and, like, enjoy it with them and ask questions and be informed,” Payton Bingham, senior international affairs major, said.

“Stuff like this is really fun,” Bingham said. “It’s really interactive. It’s more than just, like, come and we present something or like a forum. It’s a really fun way to spread information.”

As students like Bingham show interest in events like the “Dead President’s Tour,” other departments are now being eyed to come up with their own ways to introduce others to their respective fields of study to help create a culture of opportunities and engagement for WKU.

NewsReporterCameronShawcanbe contactedatcameron.shaw555@topper. wku.edu

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD

Kierigan McEvoy, senior Chinese and international affairs major, takes on the character of Harry Truman during the Dead Presidents Tour at Cherry Hall on Monday, Feb. 19.

The story seen on page 20 was posted on the Herald website as a regular news story. The same news story was run through ChatGPT with the following prompt: make the following news article more interesting and concise using AP style guidelines. This is what ChatGPT generated:

WKU STUDENTS BRING U.S. PRESIDENTS BACK TO LIFE IN ‘DEAD PRESIDENTS TOUR’

Bowling Green, KY – WKU’s Department of Political Science captivated audiences with its “Dead President’s Tour” on Feb. 19 at Cherry Hall, where students embodied former U.S. presidents, engaging attendees with historical portrayals from Abraham Lincoln to John F. Kennedy. Drawing inspiration from the Department of Philosophy’s “Dead Philosopher’s Tour,” this unique event featured political science students stepping into the shoes of former U.S. presidents, offering an immersive educational experience.

Attendee Dan Modlin was impressed by the students’ performances. “I think most of them really kind of came alive, personalities kind of came out with it,” Modlin noted. “They added a lot of good educational material, too, but it was entertaining.”

The event aimed to educate and entertain, highlighting the department’s efforts to engage students in political science. Ambassador Lucy Rutherford emphasized the importance of such initiatives.

“I think just stuff like that, getting kids involved, like seeing what political science is like, what it can do for you, was really like the ultimate goal,” Rutherford said, optimistic about future similar events.

The department encourages participation through various platforms, with updates available via Instagram @wkupolisci and on Facebook at “WKU Political Science.”

The tour’s success has inspired other departments to consider interactive events. Senior international affairs major Payton Bingham appreciated the interactive nature of the tour.

“Stuff like this is really fun,” Bingham said. “It’s really interactive. It’s more than just, like, come and we present something or like a forum. It’s a really fun way to spread information.”

The “Dead Presidents Tour” demonstrates a growing interest in dynamic educational events at WKU, suggesting a move towards a more engaged and informed campus community.