Dr. Bill and Ginny Pfohl
Dr. Bill and Ginny Pfohl both taught in the Department of Psychology at WKU for a combined total of 74 years. Both native New Yorkers, Bill was born in Syracuse, and Ginny grew up in Brooklyn in New York City. They met at Saint Bonaventure University when they were both undergraduate psychology majors– sometimes campus romances do last! After receiving their Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees at Saint Bonaventure, they stayed in the upstate Olean New York area and started their careers and family.
In 1976, they moved to Rutgers University in New Jersey while Bill pursued his doctorate in school psychology, graduating with a Psy.D. in 1979. Ginny worked as a social worker and behavior management specialist in a day program run by the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities with adults dealing with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Bill was recruited in 1979 by WKU to help establish the school psychology graduate training program, and they moved the family to Kentucky. He was licensed in both school psychology and clinical psychology and trained hundreds of school and clinical psychologists for both graduate programs over his 36 year teaching career on the Hill.
He also rose to leadership roles in his professional organizations, twice being elected president of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). He served a six year term as president of the International School Psychology Association. In addition, Bill was a creator of NASP’s national emergency assistance team, which responded to school shootings and other school related crisis events. His crisis response expertise sent him to Europe to create a crisis response training program, and he led over 30 trainings for psychologists there and at international conferences.
Bill was recognized by Lifetime Achievement awards from Rutgers University, Kentucky Association of Psychology in the Schools, National Association of School Psychologists, International School Psychology Association, and American Psychological Association. He retired from teaching in 2016, and was awarded professor emeritus status. After retirement, he consulted and provided direct services to the Kelly Autism Program, maintained his part-time private clinical practice, and continued to travel internationally doing conference workshops and crisis trainings.
Ginny started teaching psychology at WKU in 1980, and taught a variety of undergraduate classes, usually having 200 students each semester. She taught over 16,000 students during her 38-year career. Her area of lifespan developmental psychology and her teaching emphasized application of what you learned. She was known for having “Baby Day” and “Kid Day” in class, where children were brought in to demonstrate what had been taught in class.
While on the Hill, she was also known for nurturing her advisees. She frequently had an ongoing advising load of over 100 students and mentored psychology faculty on advising. She received the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences Faculty Advising Award twice and also received the esteemed University Faculty Advising Award. She took advanced education in gerontology and helped to create the gerontology minor and program at WKU. She trained adult daycare workers throughout Kentucky as well. Ginny retired from teaching in 2018, but remained active in the community.
Bill and Ginny both believe in community volunteering. Bill was on the Board of Directors of Child Protection, Inc. and was an American Red Cross Disaster Volunteer and Disaster Trainer. Ginny was a den mother with Cub Scouts and an American Red Cross Disaster volunteer. She became a master sand sculptor for Kids on the Block, teaching groups to create sand sculptures for a fundraising event for 10 years. She helped with initial fundraising and the creation of Paradise Playground in Basil Griffin Park for Warren County Parks and Recreation. Ginny is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts and led a troop for 12 years, organized and led Campus Girl Scouts at WKU, ran programs for Girl Scouts in the community, and mentored leaders. She was program director at Girl Scout Day Camp for over 20 years. For her volunteer work in Girl Scouts, she received several awards, including the highest awards at both the Council and National levels, the Heart of Gold and the Thanks Badge. She was site team chair of Houchens Program Center Camp and created a two acre pollinator garden at the camp.
Bill and Ginny have three children, Jeff, Brian, and Katie, and two grandchildren, Ellie and Julia.
Both Bill and Ginny were first generation college students and know what that experience is like, including the financial struggles. Because of their experiences, they created the Dr. Bill and Ginny Pfohl Scholarship Fund in 2020. The fund assists deserving WKU students in pursuing their future careers. Through this fund, the Pfohls’ legacy on the Hill lives on in perpetuity.