Dr. William "Biff" Kummer
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 returning to teach at Parsons in 1973, when the school closed. After a brief stay at the University of Iowa, former Parsons President, Carl Kreisler, recruited him to WKU. Biff then began teaching at WKU in 1975. His area of specialty was in outdoor recreation, including management and leadership. He also served during his tenure as coordinator of both the undergraduate and Master’s programs and as a member of the WKU Advisory Board, among others. He retired in 2000 after 25 years on the Hill.
Biff served in leadership positions at the state and national levels as well. He served as President of the Kentucky Recreation and Park Society and in other capacities there. He has made an impact as a member of the board of directors for the Wilderness Education Association, an organization founded by famed outdoorsman Paul Petzoldt. Paul previously founded the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), and it was through Paul and Biff’s friendship that WKU students participated in courses and programs through both NOLS and the Wilderness Education Association. He has been a part of the parks and recreation commissions and boards for both the city of Bowling Green and of Warren County. He is a member of the Parsons College Alumni Association’s Board of Directors and continues to be involved in the local Boy Scouts of America.
He rose to national prominence as a teacher and a scholar and in 1998 was named Kentucky state “Recreator of the Year.” The City of Bowling Green recognized Biff in 2007 by naming the Kummer-Little Community Center after him. He has been honored as a member of the Kentucky Recreation and Parks Society Hall of Fame and the Parsons Wall of Honor. After graduation from WKU, his son worked for and later became the director of the Warren County Parks and Recreation Department.
To honor his legacy, faculty, students, and friends established the Dr. William “Biff” Kummer Scholarship Fund. The fund provides ongoing annual tuition assistance to students in WKU’s recreation and parks program. Through this fund, Biff’s impact on the Hill and beyond continues in perpetuity.