Dr. Curtis Englebright was born on October 13, 1928, in Sangamon County, Illinois. Prior to beginning his professional career as an educator, he played professional baseball as a third baseman in the Kitty League. He taught junior high school and coached boys’...

Dr. Elsie Dotson was born in 1923, to Clifford and Ada M. Dickerson Dotson. Elsie began her long legacy at WKU as a student where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. After graduating, she became a clinical psychologist as well as a professor at the...

Dr. George S. Beard is an alumni of WKU, graduating with a Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in biology. During his time on the Hill, George was an active student and as a freshman chosen as Mr. Freshman for the 1949-1950 school year. After graduation, he...

Dr. Henry M. Yarbrough was a graduate of WKU, then Western Kentucky State Normal. He then received his A.B. in 1916, completed the requirements for the A.M. in 1925, and then earned his Ph.D. in 1930, all from the University of Indiana. He began teaching at WKU in...

Dr. Hoyt Edwin Bowen was born in 1919. After recovering from serious injuries sustained as a naval aviator in WWII, Hoyt returned to school and graduated from Piedmont College with a degree in English. He then attended Florida State University and Columbia...

Dr. Jefferson Dixon Caskey was born July 31, 1922, to John Lathan Caskey and Lessie Helms Caskey. A Lancaster, South Carolina, native, Jefferson served as a member of the United States Navy during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts...

Dr. Juanita C. Bayless was born August 24, 1939 in Bartholomew County to Allen and Melva VanEst Barr. Juanita earned a bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education at Indiana University before pursuing a master’s degree in educational psychology at...

Dr. Kenneth Dennison, a Grayson County native, earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky. Inez Dennison is the owner of Central Kentucky Imaging in Leitchfield, KY. Ken, a radiologist, has previously worked at Vencor Hospital in Louisville as well as...

Dr. Kenneth Warden Brenner was born December 30, 1920 to Walter E. and Lillian D. Warden Brenner. Kenneth was a first lieutenant in the Marine Corps during World War II, serving in Okinawa, Tinian, Saipan, and Nagasaki. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from...

Dr. F. Kent Campbell was born to Sam and Eula Campbell. The Elizabethton, Tennessee, native graduated from the University of Kentucky and received graduate degrees from the University of Illinois. While serving in the military, he was a member of the Third Army Band,...

Dr. Melissa H. Dennison, a native of Allen County, earned her B.S. in Chemistry from WKU (graduating Summa Cum Laude) in 1980. She earned her M.D. from the University of Louisville in 1984. While at WKU she was a member of Alpha Epsilon Delta and Pi Mu Epsilon. She...

Dr. Norman A. Deeb was born December 16, 1922, in Louisville, Kentucky, to Isaac Abraham Deeb and Anna Thomas Deeb. Norman graduated from Shelbyville High School in 1940, then attended Eastern Kentucky University to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree in science. He...

Dr. Robert “Bob” C. Bueker was a longtime fixture at WKU. Bob was born November 24, 1932. After completing his education, he came to the Hill in 1966, where he worked as the Head of the Department of Mathematics for 24 years. Throughout his time, he was a loyal fan...

Drs. Mody are well known and respected practitioners in the Glasgow area. Dr. Bharat M. Mody is a board certified general surgeon. He received his medical degree from M.P. Shah Medical College and completed residencies at St. Thomas Hospital, University of Louisville...

Dr. Sharron Halcomb Francis was raised in Warren County, KY. She graduated from Warren Central High and WKU in 1965, where she majored in biology and minored in chemistry. Upon graduation, she was named WKU’s Most Outstanding Biology Student and then received a...

Dr. Shelby Rader grew up in Irvine, Kentucky. Shelby came to the Hill as a member of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science. She earned a Bachelor of Science in both geology and chemistry from WKU. She also received a Ph.D. in geosciences from the University...

Dr. Tyler Clark grew up in Marion County, Kentucky. Tyler came to the Hill as a member of the first class of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science. He earned his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in mathematics at WKU. He went on to complete his Ed.D....

Dr. Valgene L. Dunham was born on October 6, 1940. During his tenure as professor at WKU, Valgene was instrumental in creating opportunities for undergraduate research in the Department of Biology. He integrated independent student research experiences into his...

Dr. Victor J. Christenson was a veteran of World War II and the Korean conflict. Vic was a graduate of Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, and received his master’s degree from the University of Montana. He then earned his doctorate from the University of...

Dr. Wanda Jo Weidemann was born to Joe Henry and Martha Arney Weidemann. A Simpson County, Kentucky, native, Wanda came to WKU in 1973. While on the Hill, she studied mathematics and was active as a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, an Honorary Mathematics Society. She...

Dr. W. Gerald Edds graduated WKU in 1943. He then pursued a career as a physician and practiced in Calhoun, KY for many years. He was a lifelong WKU advocate and member of the WKU Board of Regents. Dr. Edds was married to Dorothy F. Edds, with whom he had two...

Dr. William “Biff” Kummer attended Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa. After graduating in 1968, he became director of the physical education department’s intramural program. He earned his Master’s and PhD from the University of Utah in parks and recreation and was...

Dr. William Gladstone Begley, II was born to Ernest Edward and Virginia Bunch Begley and was a Hazard, Kentucky native. William graduated from Centre College before attending University of Louisville Medical School and then serving his residency in otolaryngology at...

Edgar Allen Diddle was born on a small farm near Gradyville in Adair County, KY, on March 12, 1895. Growing up as one of five boys, Diddle developed into a fine athlete and played all sports at nearby Columbia High School. In 1915, Diddle entered Centre College in...

Abner Earl Baskerville was born November 24, 1921 to Nannie Mae Trent and Robert Franklin Baskerville. Earl was a veteran, serving as Private First Class in the Army in World War II. He married Helen Baskerville December 11, 1943, and the couple had one son, Michael...

Earl Valentine Davis was born to Young and Tina Davis on February 8, 1916, in Russellville, Kentucky. Growing up in Logan County, Earl raised dairy cattle for 4-H competitions and worked on a farm outside of Russellville for 50 cents per day. After graduating from...

Edna Earle and Ed Bagian were loyal supporters of WKU. The couple made many contributions to the University. After graduation in 1938, Edna became an English teacher in Louisville, Kentucky. She retired from Barret Middle School in 1974 after working in the...

Born in 1930, Dr. Edward J. Pease earned his B.S. degree from Western Illinois University in 1952, his M.M. Ed. Degree from Illinois Wesleyan University in 1955, and his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1960. He was a professor at Taylor University and Iowa Wesleyan...

Mrs. Elizabeth (Jenkins) Duncan was a graduate of WKU who went on to have a storied teaching career. She taught elementary school for 44 years in Logan County from 1925 to 1969, including teaching positions in several one-room locations. Mr. Dillard Duncan was a...

Elizabeth S. “Bettye” Jones earned her master’s degree in nursing education in 1966, from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The following year, she began her teaching career. Bettye and her husband, James R. “Jim” Jones, joined the faculty at WKU, she in the...