Rep. Jody Richards Received Honorary Doctorate At WKU Commencement On Dec. 19

Rep. Jody Richards, the longest serving Speaker of the House in Kentucky's history, received an honorary doctorate from Western Kentucky University on Dec. 19.



Richards received an honorary degree of Doctor of Public Service during WKU's 166th Commencement.

"It was a very special moment for me and I know it was for him," WKU President Gary Ransdell said. 
Dr. Ransdell called Richards a consummate statesman and public servant and a champion for economic development and education for the region, WKU and Kentucky. "This honor is so richly deserved," he said.



"I still have trouble believing it," Richards said. "President Ransdell called me aside during the summer at his home to tell me about it and I will tell you cold chills went up and down my spine and I am humbled by it. I think it's such an honor to be one of the few that have been presented an honorary doctorate by the institution that I revere and admire most."



In the school's largest December graduating class, WKU confered degrees to 1,191 students (72 associate's, 908 baccalaureate, 211 master's) along with five recipients of the doctoral degree offered cooperatively by WKU and University of Louisville. 



More than 850 graduates participated in the ceremony. President Gary Ransdell delivered commencement remarks.



"The number of students receiving degrees and participating in commencement exercises is a reflection of WKU's continued enrollment growth in recent years," Registrar Freida Eggleton said. 



WKU conferred degrees to 1,118 students in December 2007 and 1,043 in December 2008, she said.
Richards, a native of Adair County, received a bachelor's degree from Kentucky Wesleyan College and a master's from the University of Missouri. 



He taught one year at Amarillo College in Texas, before joining the faculty at WKU where he taught journalism and English from 1963 to 1970. He served as faculty advisor of The Talisman and the College Heights Herald, WKU's yearbook and student newspaper. He also worked with Lee Robertson to start the alumni magazine.

In 1975, Richards was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives. In 1987, he was chosen by his Democratic colleagues to serve as the House Majority Caucus Chairman. In 1995 he was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position he held through 2008. 

Richards serves on the House Appropriations and Revenue, Banking and Insurance, Education and Rules committees. 



"I really thought I would serve three terms or six years and then come home," said Richards, who also is the owner of Superior Books, a book sales and distribution company he opened in 1980.



During his legislative career, Richards has worked to support projects for the region and for WKU. "Western is easily the most important entity in Bowling Green and Warren County and our region of Kentucky," he said.
When Richards taught at WKU, enrollment was about 5,000 students; today, enrollment is approaching 21,000. He credits Dr. Ransdell with providing the vision for WKU's growth and transformation.


"In my judgment, the most outstanding president in my lifetime is President Ransdell," Richards said. "President Cherry said, ‘Behind the deed is a doer and behind the doer is a dream.' Whether he knew it or not, that has been President Ransdell's motto."

Richards is proud of two projects that he's worked on with Dr. Ransdell and others at WKU - the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and the Center for Research and Development.



The Center for Research and Development and the Gatton Academy are the future of WKU and Kentucky, he said, because "the Gatton Academy is going to produce our leaders and the Center is going to help develop high-tech business that will allow our community and state to grow."

Richards and his wife Neva have one son, Roger Watt, and a daughter-in-law, Ellen. The Richards have one granddaughter, Holly, who is a junior at WKU.

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