K Czar: This is ‘One on One with WUKY.’ I’m Karyn Czar, and we are now sitting on Eastern Kentucky University's campus. Classes are already underway, President McFadden, how exciting is it to have campus back to life after the summer off?
Dr. McFaddin: Well, it's tremendously exciting, Karyn. Welcome to the campus. Beautiful here. It's a beautiful August day here, and so campus is abuzz with students who are in the second day of classes. And so, it's just really exciting. We've had a great start to the semester. Great welcome for our new freshmen. Our continuing students have moved back in. Our residence halls are full. It's campus is, buzzing with life, and so it's exciting.
K Czar: What do students, in particular freshmen, have to look forward to this academic year?
Dr. McFaddin: You know, for us, we we've really built around what we call the exceptional eastern experience. We call it E3. You see it all over campus, the branding. But, really, they're going to get a world class education. Great, amazing faculty, teaching in the classroom, small classroom settings.
It's going to be a great experience there, but we've also started to build around those kinds of non-academic experiences. And so, we've really leaned into that co-curricular transcript, study abroad, really leaning into internships and trying to get co-op opportunities. So we're going to have a lot of things for them to look forward to as far as getting those unique experiences that are going to really transform their life and give them the tools that they need. And when they leave here, they're going to be job ready. You know, we're proud at EKU.
We educate more Kentuckians per capita than any school in the state, and our graduates stay in the state, work in the state at a higher level than anybody else in in Kentucky.
K Czar: And you recently made it more affordable. Talk about that.
Dr. McFaddin: Yeah. We continue to lean into affordability. I'm a first-generation college student; I came to Eastern Kentucky University from far east Kentucky. And so, you know, one of the most appealing things for me twenty-five, thirty years ago was the affordability for the institution. That's something we've really stood by. So not only for our in-state students, but we're also trying to attract those out of state. We think that our universities can be great economic engines in that way as we bring others from other states to come here and get degrees.
And we've got such unique niche programs from our aviation program to our fire science program, to our forensic science program. And we can go on and on on the things that are unique to EKU. But when they come and they see the beautiful place and the amazing people, they tend to stay, and I think that's really good for Kentucky.
K Czar: You talk about being an alum. Why did you want to come back and lead the university that you sank your teeth into your education?
Dr. McFaddin: You know, I think about, you know, my life and, you know, showing up here, you know, nearly thirty years ago as a freshman having no idea what the power of this degree could do for me. And so, as the fourteenth president, only the third alum, and the only one from the region that we call home, I see the power of what this place can do. And so, I think when we think about our careers, and I love to work. I love to be engaged in making, you know, Eastern Kentucky University better, to build into the lives of the people around us.
But what really touched me is if I'm going to spend that much of my life dedicating that much time to something, I want it to matter at the highest degree. And I do not think there is a more powerful, or more impactful thing that we could do than to make sure that education is accessible and affordable to anyone who wants it.
K Czar: Does Eastern draw as many international students or more so than one would think for a university of this size?
Dr. McFaddin: We're nearly 90% in state student enrollment. And so goes, you know, how our communities go in Kentucky from Paducah to Pikeville, from Williamsburg to Covington. That has a real impact on EKU. And so, we continue to look at opportunities to engage in out-of-state or international enrollment. I think graduate enrollment really can index really high there, to see some growth in that space.
But for us, we're all about Kentucky. And, we always have been. We always will be in a lot of ways. Where we're at, kind of geography, we have an ability to pull from east, west, north, and south. But I think more than anything that when students get to our campus, when families get to our campus, if we can get them here to see it, it feels like home. Not too big, not too small, just right. And so, we really lean into that.
K Czar: It's what I felt walking onto campus. We talked about it, it's a good economic fit. But what do you think is the draw opposed to other universities in the area?
Dr. McFaddin: You know, I think that first off, I think we have some amazing higher education institutions in Kentucky.
We are blessed with the number of public institutions we have. We have amazing private institutions. But, you know, I think for every family, for every individual, they're trying to find the right mix. What is it I want to do with my life? Like, let's not worry as much about what's the degree title, but what do you want to do? What's your passion? What do you want to pursue? What's the difference you want to make? And then I think we've done a really good job of mapping their passions, their desires, what they want to do with a degree and a set of experiences that will get them there.
The thing that I love about Eastern is that this is an experiential learning campus, which means we will not let you leave here without having a set of experiences that says it's not, you don't just tell an employer, here's what I know. Here's my resume, and here's my transcript. But you've got a body of work that says, here's what I can do. And so, I think that has really had a big impact on the degrees that we offer that's really aligned with the economy in Kentucky in a really strong way. And then I think you layer on top of that the affordability aspect of the degrees. It's a big investment, but it is a great return.
And so, I think as we continue to look at that across Kentucky, we've got to have a very diversified education economy. And what I mean by that is we need people who are certified in in the trades. We need people who have the right credentials to provide the services that we need to, you know, be foundational to our communities.
We’ve also got to say, where do we want to go? What's next for this economy? And what are the degrees that we're producing? Because if we don't have that workforce, we will never attract those opportunities.
K Czar: There have been a lot of changes for all campuses across the nation in the last six months, when you compare the spring semester to the fall semester, changes in DEI, budgetary cuts. How are you navigating those changes going into the new academic year?
Dr. McFaddin: I think for our team, it's control the controllables. And so, for us, the student experience, building that sense of community. Sunday, we had new student convocation. My entire cabinet, all of our deans sitting on stage, introduce themselves. I don't know if every university does that, but it's personal. The work that we do is personal.
So, I think the way that we navigate that, as I said, controlling the controllables. And so, in the areas where, you know, we can continue to find efficiency and utilization of resources, we do that every day. Where we see that there's unmet need, that there's high demand, we try to deliver on what it is the students are looking for. And then I think that you have to, in some ways, block out some of the negative noise and really overwhelm that with the positive impact. And so, we try to really lean in to celebrating success here, celebrating the fact that 50% of our freshman class are the first in their family to go to college.
In 2025, half of our freshmen are the first in their family to go to college. That has been the trend for us, over 50% for three consecutive years. That is a more sustained and higher percentage of first gen than we've ever seen in most of school history. So, what does that mean? We are reaching further and deeper to say college is possible for more students than ever before.
K Czar: What are you doing behind the scenes to make that happen?
Dr. McFaddin: For me, it's a personal testimony that I'm a first-generation college student. I didn't know what the pathway was. And I think that we've got so many people on this campus who live that experience that their personal testimony and their commitment and grit to work with families and parents to say, you can. It's possible. Give us a chance to show you how you can afford it, you can do it, and what it's going to do to change your life. I just think it's that day in and day out hard work that is really kind of, you know, synonymous with Eastern Kentucky.
K Czar: President McFadden, what are you most excited about on a personal note going into this year?
Dr. McFaddin: I think for me, it's the opportunity to, to continue to improve, to continue to look for opportunities to push into communities and to help individuals and to be engaged in a really meaningful way that's going to change lives.
The first day is super exciting. Graduation day is very rewarding. And so, I think that we start the year with one of the most exciting days. I think we end the year with one of the most rewarding days. And just the ability to work with the amazing faculty and staff here who are committed to this mission.
I've worked in different organizations in different places, you know, over my thirty-year career, and I don't think there's any place I've ever been where there's a deeper sense of belonging and a deeper sense of purpose from top to bottom for everyone who's a part of this institution than right here at Eastern Kentucky University.
K Czar: And fall is definitely in the air, which means football.
Dr. McFaddin: Yes.
K Czar: You've got quite a team.
Dr. McFaddin: Preseason says yes. So, I think coach Wells and the team have done a great job in this very I mean, talk about a season of change. There's probably been no greater change in any sector anywhere than what we've seen in collegiate athletics over the last twelve to twenty-four months. And so, you know, trying to stay true to, you know, what it's about. It's a leadership laboratory. It's an opportunity to give these students an opportunity to get their degree through, you know, participating in college athletics.
We're excited about the season. We're excited about the opportunity to compete. I know coach Wells wants to win another championship and get into the post season and make some great, you know, experiences for the student athletes. But for us, those are really kind of hallmark experiences, and the student experience all year long as we host those home games, have that opportunity to build community, to celebrate that success. It's always fun and exciting.
But you're right. Fall is in the air. We're eager to get it started. We'll be traveling to Louisville. This year, we'll be over at Marshall University, and then we'll be hosting some amazing games.
So, we invite everybody down to Roy Kidd Stadium, CG Bank Field to come check out the Colonels. It's going to be a great year.
K Czar: If you could go back in time to talk to freshman you, what would you say?
Dr. McFaddin: Maybe the question is, you know, what advice would I give myself that I didn't take up at the time?
I would say in this moment in time, first off, I tell freshmen today, these four years will inform the next forty years. I think I probably knew that. I was a good student. I was really diligent. But there are so many unique opportunities and experiences on this campus from the ability to do study abroad, to being involved in student organizations, to really having a chance to shape your educational experience but also shape the place and the people you're around in a really impactful way.
I would have been more involved. I would have been, I would have been, maybe I would have done the studies. I would have done all the things that I did academically, but I would have availed myself of so many of the opportunities for that additional, what I would consider, you know, co-curricular enrichment that maybe I put to the side because I worked twenty hours a week and I went to school. And just carving out that time to get engaged, get involved, put yourself out there, and just know that this is going to be a transformational experience. That's what I would tell myself.
K Czar: Is there anything you'd like to add that I did not ask?
Dr. McFaddin: Just grateful for the opportunity to talk about the wonderful work that's going on here at EKU. We have amazing students. They're making a positive difference in their lives and their families' lives every day, and we're just glad to be a part of that journey with them. And I’m just excited for the academic year. It's going to be fun.