Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) in Richmond, Kentucky, was
originally established as a normal school in 1906 in the wake of a
landmark education law passed by the Kentucky General Assembly. One
hundred years later, the school has evolved into a celebrated
multipurpose regional university that is national in scope. The
school was built on a campus that had housed Central University, a
southern Presbyterian institution. In its early years, EKU grew
slowly, buffeted by cyclical economic problems and the
interruptions of two world wars. During that time, however, strong
leadership from early presidents Ruric Nevel Roark, John Grant
Crabbe, and Herman L. Donovan laid the groundwork for later
expansions. President Robert. R. Martin oversaw the rapid growth of
the institution in the 1960s. He managed an increase in enrollment
and he had additional facilities built to house and educate the
growing student population. A savvy administrator, he was at the
forefront of vocational education and initiated programs in nursing
and allied heath and in law enforcement education. His successor,
J.C. Powell, built on Martin's work and saw EKU mature as a
regional university. He reorganized its colleges to better balance
the needs of general and technical education students and kept
educational programs going despite decreases in state funding. In
addition, Powell's years were a magical time for EKU's sports
programs, as the Colonels captured national football championships
in 1979 and 1982 and finished second in 1980 and 1981. Today, EKU
continues to offer students a quality education and strives to meet
the diverse needs of its student body. Three Eastern campuses, as
well as distance learning programs through the Kentucky Telelinking
Network, offer more options to students than ever before as EKU
prepares them for the challenges of a new century. In A History of
Eastern Kentucky University, William E. Ellis recounts the
university's colorful history, from political quandaries
surrounding presidential administrations and financial difficulties
during the Great Depression to its maturing as a leading regional
university. Interviews with alumni, faculty, staff, and political
figures provide a personal side to the history of the school.
Reflecting on the social, economic, and cultural changes in the
region during the last century, Ellis's examination of the growth
and development of EKU is an essential resource for alumni and for
those interested in the progression of public higher education in
Kentucky and the region.
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