Tag Archive : Dr. Gary Ransdell

/ Dr. Gary Ransdell

WKU President Dr. Gary Ransdell greets members of the Class of 2012.
WKU President Dr. Gary Ransdell greets members of the Class of 2012.

by Kelsey Wagner, Academy Avatar

It has become a yearly tradition for the new arrivals at the Gatton Academy to travel to the home of Western Kentucky University President Dr. Gary Ransdell for a casual dinner on his front lawn as part of Adventure Week festivities. The picnic is generally held as a casual interaction between new students and staff, and serves  as a great way for people to get to know each other in an informal setting.

Dr. Bruce Kessler, the Associate Dean of Odgen College and an Academy trigonometry professor, views the picnic as a great to ease students fears about interacting with faculty on campus.

“The students are all a little nervous right now, and I hope to reassure them that I’m actually a human being,” he said. “We’re here to reassure folks that it’s gonna be okay.”

Exemplifying the casual and friendly atmosphere upheld at the annual dinner, Kessler joked that “there are a few students who were complaining about the cost of textbooks. I said, ‘Hey, your trig book is free!’”

Student play bocce ball after dinner.
Student play bocce ball after dinner.

President Ransdell values this chance for building student-staff relationships, disclosing that “I want to get to know them personally and individually and I want them to grow confident and comfortable with the WKU experience.  I want to lead by example and help lead the way for them to come to understand what we’re about as an institution and what they’re in for at the Gatton Academy experience. ”

As Ransdell mingled about the tables of dining juniors, patting them on the backs and making amiable conversation, he asked them about their experience so far.  The cookout was a very friendly and comfortable setting, which, according to Ransdell, is a good thing. When asked why the President began the now-tradition of inviting new Academy attendees to the annual picnic, he said, “First of all, to get to know them. It’s an honor to have Gatton Academy students on our campus for the next few years.”

Apparently, lounging on the lawn of the leader for a luncheon is relatively commonplace, when it comes to letting the faculty get to know some of WKU’s most extraordinary people.  “Just last week we had all of the first year international students here, and next week we’ll have all of the first-year honors students here,–about 3oo of them. Last week we had eleven teachers from China that are in our Confucius Institute that are teaching Chinese at local schools. We have lots of student and faculty groups here at the President’s home,” added Ransdell to the group.

Overall, the easygoing atmosphere and low-pressure, congenial spirit at the cookout was an equally good experience for both students and staff; they dined at the same tables, played each other in games of bocce ball and corn-hole, and generally got to know one another outside the meeting halls and classrooms.

“I had a great time interacting with kids at my table, and they were very sweet, and seemed nervous, but I think that’s to be expected,” noted Kessler.

Ransdell assures this is not the last interaction he will have with the Class of 2012 during their time on campus. “I’m just excited about this class of Gatton Academy students and cannot wait to get to know them,” he said.

Dr. Gary Ransdell
Dr. Gary Ransdell

by Ryne Weiss, Academy Avatar

Western Kentucky University President  Dr. Gary Ransdell has been busy as of late.  Between meeting with departments across the WKU campus and maintaining the university’s presence in Frankfort during the legislative session, there’s a lot on the president’s plate.  Not to mention, he just started using Facebook.

Despite the busy schedule, Dr. Ransdell met with Gatton Academy students for an informal seminar where he set out to answer questions on the minds of the Academy students about topics ranging from research and study abroad opportunities to the school’s history and even some absurd things, such as his pick for the Super Bowl and a certain “artful” tree on campus.

In his opening remarks, he told us about Western Kentucky University’s already-impressive and ever-expanding international outreach.

“We are in talks with the China to make Western one of 62 schools in the United States to be named a Confucius Institute, with funding from the Chinese government,” Ransdell said. “We would be the first in Kentucky, and in one of 38 states given this honor.”

An impressive statistic on its own, and easily fitting in with Western’s commitment to study abroad programs. “Over Winter Term we had students all over the globe. Kenya, Greece, China.”

As always, Dr. Ransdell was quick to let students know how of his pride in the Gatton Academy, and how important its students are to the University. “The Gatton Academy is becoming the wonderful program we knew it would be, as evidenced by all 66 juniors returning for their second semester. No campus in Kentucky was as prepared as WKU to receive the Gatton Academy program, with our infrastructure, honors program, and research.”

After his short introduction, he fielded questions from Academy students. No topic was off limits, and some of the questions are of a more bizarre nature.

Q: What about Western’s recent recession of REU programs?

A: We’re doing a number of things. We’ve got a strong emphasis on undergraduate research. We’re emphasizing it and it’s moving up on our agenda.

Q: Are they ever going to cut down the “bunny tree” located near the top of the College Heights portion of campus?

A: (laughs) Probably, sooner or later it’ll have to come down. I have to sign off on every tree that is cut down, whether it’s diseased, dead, or struck by lightning. Part of my job is preserving the natural beauty our campus. My rule is, you take one down, you have to plant two.

Q: My mom told me to ask, what exactly does “The Spirit Makes the Master” mean?

A: It really means whatever you want it to mean to you. To me it means, what it means to our founder, Henry Hardin Cherry. To me it refers to an inner confidence, a self-esteem, and a bond with a campus. I boil it down to leadership, and the inner fortitude to succeed and lead. It defines our character as an institution.

Q: What are they planning on doing with Thompson North Wing? Are there plans to tear it down?

A: I hope so. (laughs and applause from crowd) It’s old, tired. I don’t even want to think about how many chemicals have run through that building since 1958. As soon as we have the funding, that building is coming down.

Q: Will we be getting a new football team this year?

A: Is that a request or a question? (laughs) In a way, yes. We’re getting a new coaching staff and attitude. Recruiting season is over, and I can tell you it is the most talented group of players to walk this campus.

Q: Who do you want to win the Super Bowl?

A: Saints. I think it’s a magical story how after all that team and that city have been through to have the Saints in the Super Bowl.

Q: What are some plans for the future of the Gatton Academy?

A: Right now is not quite the climate, but when things improve we are planning on adding an extra 80 academy students, 40 on each side with an expansion of the building. You have to be realistic about the finances.  Now is just not the right time, but it is something we plan on down the line.