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Caboni takes over as president of Western Kentucky University; mission is to inspire, transform lives


Timothy C. Caboni has officially begun his role as the 10th president of Western Kentucky University.

“(This) is an exciting day for Kacy and me as we begin our new chapter at WKU,” President Caboni said. “Everyone has been incredibly welcoming and we look forward to making Bowling Green and WKU our new home.”

Timothy C. Caboni is the new president of Western Kentucky University (provided photo).

Caboni was selected by the University’s Board of Regents January 27, to succeed Gary A. Ransdell, who retired as WKU’s ninth president on June 30 after 20 years.

“Great universities inspire innovations, elevate communities and transform lives,” Caboni said. “This will be our guiding mission as we lift our students, our region and our world.”

In preparing for his new role, President Caboni met with hundreds of constituents from on and off campus.

“What emerged was a clear consensus that our University is a remarkable institution with a tremendous future and unlimited possibilities,” he said.

Caboni, who earned a master’s degree in corporate and organizational communication from WKU in 1994, returns to the Hill after six years as vice chancellor for Public Affairs at the University of Kansas. Prior to KU, he was the associate dean of the Peabody College of Education & Human Development at Vanderbilt University. The New Orleans native has a doctorate in higher education and policy from Vanderbilt and a bachelor’s degree in speech communication and rhetoric from Louisiana State University.

Caboni is married to Kacy Schmidt Caboni, who joins WKU as director of principal gifts & special initiatives after 11 years with the University of Kansas Endowment Association.

For more information on President Caboni, visit www.wku.edu/president. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

More WKU news is available here.

Western Kentucky University


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