If you’re among the nearly 200 people registered to attend the WKU Student Publications Centennial Celebration on April 25-26, here’s what you can expect:
You’re registered!
We’re just two weeks out from the WKU Student Publications Centennial Celebration, April 25-26 here on the Hill!
If you’re getting this email, you are registered to attend — and if you registered a guest, we’ve got their name as well (but probably not their email address, so please share any pertinent information).
We have a full schedule of events to celebrate a century of excellence for the Talisman and the College Heights Herald:
5-7 p.m. Friday
Centennial Open House
Adams-Whitaker Student Publications Center
1660 Normal St.
Attire: Business casual
An open house and reception will welcome you home to Student Pubs. We’ll have appetizers and a bar, featuring two specialty drinks — a Talitini and a Herald Let’s Wrap it Up cocktail.
We’ll also have a silent auction featuring Student Pubs and WKU memorabilia, including special edition bottles of Woodford Reserve for the Herald and the Talisman, an original basket woven by Judy Wildman Hughes loaded with WKU goodies, and a variety of other things.
We’ll also have a short program at 6 p.m. featuring a panel of alumni (Greg Bilbrey, Michael Collins, Tessa Duvall and Jeremy Chisenhall) discussing the importance of journalism today and how their experience at WKU prepared them for their careers.
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
Centennial Celebration Luncheon
Carroll Knicely Conference Center, West Entrance
WKU South Campus
2355 Nashville Road
Attire: Business
Our main event will be the Centennial Celebration luncheon at the Knicely Center on WKU’s South Campus. You’ll enter and register in the West Lobby, mingle with students, alumni and friends and enjoy a lunch prepared by a caterer that our food committee raves about!
During the luncheon, we’ll celebrate the successful publications and programs our students have created and led. We’ll hear Bob Adams, our own Mr. A, talk about what his association with Student Publications has meant to him. And we’ll hear our Centennial Keynote, delivered by Jerry Brewer, national sports columnist for The Washington Post and co-editor of the College Heights Herald during Spring 2000.
We’ll also present our 2024-25 Talisman Award for Outstanding Contributions in Communications to Melony Jones Shemberger; the 2024-25 College Heights Herald Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism to Tessa Duvall; and our Friend of Student Publications Award for 2025 to Leslie Watkins.
We’ll cap off the event by honoring our 23 graduating seniors and awarding $20,000 in scholarships to our continuing students for 2025-26. And then the current student leadership will introduce you to one of our newer traditions, officially transferring their duties to their successors at the Herald, the Talisman, Student Publications Advertising and Cherry Creative.
6 p.m. Saturday
Informal Open House
Home of Chuck Clark
1658 Chestnut St.
Attire: Casual
After a full weekend, those remaining in Bowling Green are welcome to drop by the home of Chuck Clark for an informal open house. Come casual, no program, just enjoy hanging out — outside if the weather is nice, indoors otherwise. No parking on site, but plenty of spaces are available in the WKU Chestnut South Lot, a half block south of Chuck’s place.