Bryan Leigh Armstrong

Bryan Leigh Armstrong was born in 1959 to Donald L. and Anne B. Armstrong. A proud Hilltopper and Lexington native, Bryan attended WKU, studying Journalism and working as editor of the College Heights Herald. After graduating with his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979, Bryan worked at various different newspapers around the country. He worked as an employee of the Tampa (Fla.) Times and the Louisville (Ky.) Times, as well as an editor for the Kansas City (Mo.) Star, before he took a position with the Cincinnati (Oh.) Post in 1983. He was then moved to the Kentucky Post in Covington, where he served as state editor.

Following his work as State Editor, Mr. Armstrong became Bureau Chief of the Frankfort Bureau of the Kentucky Post. In the first administration of Gov. Paul Patton, Bryan was appointed Director of Public Relations in the Kentucky Cabinet for Workforce Development. When the Kentucky General Assembly created the Kentucky Community and Technical College System, he became the first Director of Public Relations for that agency. Bryan remained the Director of Public Relations for the Kentucky Community and Technical College System until his passing in March of 2004.

To honor the memory of Mr. Armstrong, who family and friends say embodied the Western Kentucky University motto, “The Spirit Makes the Master,” Mr. David Whitaker established the Bryan Leigh Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2004. The establishment of this fund is a meaningful way to honor the memory of Bryan and to recognize his belief in the importance of education. Through this fund, Bryan’s legacy lives on as other Journalism majors are assisted and encouraged.