Class of 2008: WKU graduates 1,785

Western Kentucky University conferred degrees upon 1,785 students in two ceremonies Saturday at E.A. Diddle Arena, marking the school’s 163rd commencement. Click here for photos from the graduations. Graduates of the College of Health and Human Services, Ogden College of Science and Engineering and College of Education and Behavioral Sciences received diplomas in the morning, while graduates of the Potter College of Arts & Letters, Gordon Ford College of Business, University College and Bowling Green Community College were recognized in an afternoon ceremony. The arena was full of dressed-up families, flashing cameras and craning to see “their” student amid sea of black robes and hats. When the music and ceremony died away, many students like Amanda Palmer-Ball lingered to take pictures and collect congratulations from family. A public health major from Louisville, she was joined by a dozen family and friends, said her father, John Palmer-Ball. “After you spend four years watching them through all the trials and tribulations and tests, it’s a great honor to stand here with them and recognize all their hard work,” he said. Amanda Palmer-Ball’s sister Kristin, a junior at the University of Kentucky, said Saturday served to inspire her own academic efforts as well. “She earned her degree. It’s a huge accomplishment,” Kristin Palmer-Ball said. The graduate herself said she’ll miss Western, but has big plans. She’s already been accepted to graduate school at the University of Louisville. “I have loved every moment here at Western,” Amanda Palmer-Ball said. “This moment has come too quickly, but I’m excited to start the next chapter of my life.” At the start of Saturday morning’s ceremony, Western President Gary Ransdell called for a moment of silent reflection on students’ accomplishments, during part of which he asked the crowd to remember the seven students who died during the past year. Ransdell asked those in the graduating class who were the first in their immediate families to get a college degree to stand. Many did, to loud applause. Near the stage sat 13 members of Western’s 1958 graduating class, back to celebrate their 50th anniversary. After announcing them, Ransdell invited Saturday’s graduates back in 2058. This year’s Ogden Foundation Scholar, an award given to one student of outstanding academic and civic achievement, went to Michael Daugherty, a biology and chemistry major from Owensboro. He said his father, Billy Daugherty, died a few years ago when he was 17, but he has always kept in mind advice his father gave him as he struggled to excel in pole vaulting. Billy Daugherty watched him make repeated tries, then told his son that he was concentrating too hard on the eventual goal to pay attention to his individual steps on the way, Michael Daugherty said. He advised his son to put as much thought and effort into each action leading toward that height. “Then, when the timing and your steps are right, don’t forget to jump,” Michael Daugherty said. He wound up quitting the track and field team the following year, but has made that advice a guiding principle in the rest of his life, including college, he said. Daugherty was also named scholar of the Ogden College of Science and Engineering. The 4.0 student is bound for the University of Kentucky medical school. On Friday night, the university honored 367 graduate students. At that ceremony Natalie Jones Mountjoy of Owensboro received the John D. Minton Award, named for the university’s fifth president and which recognizes outstanding contributions by a graduate student. She was also recognized as the outstanding graduate student in the Ogden College of Science and Engineering. At the morning commencement, Provost Barbara Burch announced the winners of three faculty awards. Heather Johnson, assistant professor of biology, won the Excellence in Teaching award, while Philip Womble, associate professor of physics and astronomy took the Excellence in Research award. Erika Brady, professor of folk studies and anthropology, received the Excellence in Public Service award and Lester Pesterfield, professor of chemistry, was honored for Excellence in Student Advising. Five members of the Hilltopper Army Reserve Officer Training Corps program were commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Taking their oath were Daniel Basile of Gallatin, Tenn.; Brockman Carter of Tompkinsville; Stephen Carter of Georgetown; William Conkright of Owensboro; Jay Finn of Bowling Green; Andrew Lawrence of Woodburn; John Morris of LaGrange; Tyler Reid of New Albany, Ind.; Gary Michael Shoults Jr. of Elizabethtown; and Zachaery Todd of Irvington.
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