Michael L. Morse

Mr. Michael (Mike) Lynn Morse was born June 22, 1944. Mr. Morse began his life on the Hill when he studied Mass Communication as an undergrad and worked as a member of the Talisman student publications staff. In 1972, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.

His time at WKU continued when he became a professor of Journalism and Broadcasting, specializing in Photojournalism. While at WKU, Mr. Morse made a major impact when he and former WKU professor David Sutherland began the Mountain Workshops, WKU’s annual photojournalism workshops that teach the craft of storytelling through a variety of media. In 1976, Mr. Morse and Mr. Sutherland took a dozen photojournalism students into eastern Kentucky and Tennessee to document the 11 remaining one-room schools there. Since that time, the Mountain Workshops have visually documented at least 30 communities in Kentucky and north-central Tennessee, and hundreds of photojournalists have had the opportunity to shoot thousands of images showing the communities and people of places such as Burkesville, Hopkinsville, and Somerset in Kentucky and Celina and Lafayette in Tennessee.

In addition to teaching and mentoring, Mr. Morse is also an author of several books published during his career that capture Kentucky history through photographs. Mike is a recipient of the 2014 Volunteer of the Year Summit Award by the WKU Alumni Association, a Herald Award Winner, and husband to Mrs. Norma Louise Morse.

After many years teaching and serving as Director of the Photojournalism Program, Mr. Morse retired from WKU. To forever support and encourage young photojournalists, Mike established the Michael L. Morse Endowment Fund. Through this fund, Mr. Morse’s positive impact in the lives of WKU students will continue in perpetuity.