(WKU/OFFICE OF MEDIA RELATIONS)
BOWLING GREEN – On Wednesday, Western Kentucky University broke ground for a new state-of-the-art building to house the Gordon Ford College of Business.
Speaking at the groundbreaking, WKU President Timothy C. Caboni highlighted the importance of the new building to the university. “It is a historic day in the life of the Gordon Ford College of Business and our beloved WKU,” he noted. “I have often said that a great college of business needs a great place in which to do business. This new facility is that great place and will enrich business instruction and our university in a number of important ways.”
The 113,000-square-foot building will be built on the site formerly occupied by Tate Page Hall and fulfills an important component of WKU’s 2021-2031 Campus Master Plan.
A Steering Committee, led by Gordon Ford College of Business Dean Christopher Shook, worked closely with architects from Gensler (Chicago) during the past two years to design a space that will elevate business education at WKU.
“As a first-generation college student, I know college transforms a person’s life,” said Dr. Shook. “At GFCB, we are in the business of changing students’ lives, and in doing so, we change our community and our state. This groundbreaking represents the beginning of more lives changed.”
The project is made possible by the Kentucky General Assembly. As part of House Bill 1, in April 2022, legislators approved funding for a new Gordon Ford College of Business, providing $74.4 million from the state in the 2022-24 budget. Multiple officials, including Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, attended Wednesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
“It is an amazing day to be here on the Western Kentucky University campus. We have a lot to celebrate,” Lieutenant Governor Coleman said. “As we build on our historic economic momentum in Kentucky, we all acknowledge that investments like this are necessary. When we all work together, we can achieve big things and that’s exactly what’s happened here because of the leadership of Governor Beshear and legislative leaders like Senator Givens and Representative Meredith as well as those joining us in the crowd today. We are breaking ground on the first building funded by the state at Western Kentucky University since 2014.”
The new Gordon Ford College of Business building will have a modern, flexible interior, supporting active learning and offering resources for student success, including a virtual reality lab, Bloomberg terminals, and a Student Success Center.
The new building will support enrollment growth and enhance the student experience at the Gordon Ford College of Business with amenities like a food and coffee shop.
President Caboni highlighted the new building’s contribution to campus and its role in strengthening the regional business community. By fostering partnerships with business leaders, the space will offer training, credentialing, networking, and job placement opportunities for students, enhancing workforce development in the region.
Construction work will be performed by Messer Construction, and completed in the fall of 2025. View the latest renderings and schematic designs at www.wku.edu/businesscollege.
