WKU celebrates milestone in construction of the Gordon Ford College of Business Building

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) – Today, the WKU community came together to sign the final steel beam of the Gordon Ford College of Business building.

“It’s something that I’ll hopefully be able to tell my kids about. I’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, I’ve got my signature somewhere on one of the beams in this building,” said Vice Chair of Gordan Ford College of Business Ambassadors Drew Trapp.

In a gathering at the construction site WKU President Timothy Caboni addresses the crowd, highlighting WKU’s efforts to become a leader in business education.

“The new, state-of-the-art Gordon Ford College of Business is set to not only meet the increased need for professional business education but to truly revolutionize business instruction at WKU,” he said.

Caboni discussed how with this new facility, the university is hoping to transform the they teach and support students.

“What you see is a trading lab, a sales floor, spaces for students to collaborate and work together, and instructional spaces that are flexible, a different kind of building than what we have right now in Bryce Hall,” he said. “We’re really proud of the work of our faculty and students to shape the future of the project. It will completely change the way we teach business at WKU.”

WKU broke ground on the facility in June of 2023, the construction for the 113,000-square-foot facility being made possible by the Kentucky General Assembly.

In April 2022, legislators approved funding for the project, providing $74.4 million from the state in the 2022-24 budget.

Caboni explained in his conversations with legislators that the new college of business would allow WKU to grow in enrollment and encourage more individuals with degrees to join the local workforce.

“I think we’ve turned a corner with our legislature. They understand for us to continue the growth that we’ve had in terms of the state budget and revenue, we need to continue to transform our workforce, which means more people with more degrees, working better jobs,” Caboni said.

Incoming Dean for the Gordan Ford College of Business Evelyn Thrasher explained that the project is a long-term investment for both the university and students.

“It really has been designed with the future in mind. And so, as they then bring their children back and their children start college, generations pass the building from one to another. I think they’re really going to feel ownership and pride in being a Gordon Ford College of Business Student and then a WKU alum,” Thrasher said.

The project is expected to be completed by the fall of 2025.

WKU also recently received the largest appropriation in university history to go towards a capital project to replace an academic complex, according to Caboni.

“The look and feel of the campus will be completely different than it was in 2017 when I arrived,” Caboni said.

Copyright 2024 WBKO. All rights reserved.