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Former names | Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1 (1906–1922) Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College (1922–1930) Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College (1930–1948) Eastern Kentucky State College (1948–1966) |
|---|---|
| Type | Public university |
| Established | 1874; 151 years ago (1874) (predecessor college) 1906; 119 years ago (1906) (current institution)[1] |
Academic affiliations | Space-grant |
| Endowment | $78.8 million (2022)[2] |
| President | David McFaddin |
| Provost | Sara Zeigler |
Academic staff | 563 full-time (spring 2022) and 410 part-time (spring 2022)[3] |
Administrative staff | 1,554 full-time[4] |
| Students | 15,673 (fall 2024)[5] |
| Undergraduates | 13,448 (fall 2024)[5] |
| Postgraduates | 2,225 (fall 2024)[5] |
| Location | , United States |
| Colors | Maroon and White[6] |
| Nickname | Colonels |
Sporting affiliations | |
| Mascot | Colonels |
| Website | www |
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Eastern Kentucky University (Eastern orEKU) is apublic university inRichmond, Kentucky, United States. It also maintains branch campuses inCorbin,Hazard, andManchester and offers over 40 online undergraduate and graduate options.[7][8]
On March 21, 1906,GovernorJ. C. W. Beckham signed legislation which established theEastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1.[9] On May 7, 1906, theNormal School Commission selected the site of the formerCentral University campus as the location of this new college; EKU remains at this location today.
In 1922, the Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1 changed its name to Eastern Kentucky State Normal School and Teachers College, and the transformed college awarded its first degrees under that name in 1925. In 1930, the college changed its name again, becoming the Eastern Kentucky State Teachers College. In 1948, the General Assembly shortened it to Eastern Kentucky State College. In 1966, it was officially renamed Eastern Kentucky University.[citation needed]
The years between 2012 and 2020 were marked by a building campaign that altered the campus layout and improved aesthetics. Funding for the multimillion-dollar project relied heavily on public-private partnerships (P3) under the leadership of then-PresidentMichael T. Benson. The construction efforts mark the most significant period of campus facility development since President Robert R. Martin's tenure in the 1960s. Among the renovations and additions are:
Presidents of the institution have included:[18]
| No. | President | Term |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ruric Nevel Roark | 1906–1909 |
| 2 | Mary Creegan Roark | 1909–1910 |
| 3 | John G. Crabbe | 1910–1916 |
| 4 | Thomas J. Coates | 1916–1928 |
| - | Homer Cooper (interim) | 1928 |
| 5 | Herman L. Donovan | 1928–1941 |
| 6 | William F. O'Donnell | 1941–1960 |
| 7 | Robert R. Martin | 1960–1976 |
| - | Julius Cherry Powell (interim) | 1975–1976 |
| 8 | Julius Cherry Powell | 1976–1984 |
| 9 | Hanley Funderburk | 1984–1998 |
| 10 | Bob Kustra | 1998–2001 |
| - | Eugene Hughes (interim) | 2001 |
| 11 | Joanne Glasser | 2001–2007 |
| - | Charles D. Whitlock (interim) | 2007–2008 |
| 12 | Charles D. Whitlock | 2008–2013 |
| 13 | Michael T. Benson | 2013–2020 |
| - | David T. McFaddin (interim) | 2020 |
| 14 | David T. McFaddin | 2020–present |
| Academic rankings | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| U.S. News & World Report[19] | 329 (tie) |
| Race and ethnicity | Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 80% | ||
| Black | 7% | ||
| Hispanic | 6% | ||
| Two or more races | 5% | ||
| Asian | 1% | ||
| International student | 1% | ||
| Unknown | 1% | ||
| Economic diversity | |||
| Low-income[a] | 41% | ||
| Affluent[b] | 59% | ||
The university isaccredited by theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools.[21] In 2010, the university awarded its first doctoral degree through its Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program.[1][22]
EKU serves its service region by offering adult degree completion options and online degree programs in addition to its traditional on-campus offerings.[8][23]
Eastern Kentucky University has achieved national recognition, including mostly recently by theU.S. News & World Report 2022 rankings:
EKU was also ranked by the 2019Forbes Magazine America's Top Colleges:[25]
According to 2022 data fromCollege Scorecard, Eastern Kentucky University graduates earn a median salary of $42,000 ten years after their entry into the institution.[26] The median salaries of graduates vary across disciplines, with criminal justice majors earning around $33,000, biology $40,000, psychology $35,000, nursing $65,000, and Computer and Information Science $72,000.[27] 61% of EKU graduates earn higher than a typical high school graduate of the corresponding area.[26]
In 1987, the faculty senate voted to approve an honors program to attract high-achieving students primarily from Kentucky with approval coming from the board of regents the following year.[28][29] The first 34 students entered the program in 1988.[30]
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The Eastern Kentucky (EKU) athletic teams are called the Colonels (formerly known as the "Maroons" until the mid-1960s). The university is a member of theNCAA Division I ranks, primarily competing in theASUN Conference since the 2021–22 academic year; while itsfootball team competes in theUnited Athletic Conference (UAC), with the conference having aspirations to go to theFBS level. The Colonels previously competed in theOhio Valley Conference (OVC) from 1948–49 to 2020–21. EKU competes in 18 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, tennis, and track & field; while women's sports include basketball, beach volleyball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, tennis, track & field and volleyball.[31]
Launched in 1968,WEKU is a charter member of the educational radio network,National Public Radio (NPR).[32] WEKU featuresNPR news and talk programming in addition to locally produced news, arts and cultural programming.
WEKU broadcasts across nine FM stations in Central and Eastern Kentucky:
The Eastern Progress is the student-run media network at Eastern Kentucky University founded in 1922. The Eastern Progress produces a monthly print edition, online content, videos, photos, and podcasts. The Progress is housed in the School of Communication.[35]
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37°44′2.9562″N84°18′5.1631″W / 37.734154500°N 84.301434194°W /37.734154500; -84.301434194
