09/02/25 - Campus update and NKU In View for September 2025

To: Faculty, Staff and Students
From: Cady Short-Thompson, Ph.D.
President, Northern Kentucky University
Date: 09/02/25
Subject: Campus update and NKU In View for September 2025

Dear NKU campus community,

I hope you all had a relaxing long Labor Day weekend and a great start to the fall semester! I cannot believe we are already starting Week 3. It has been so good to have the heartbeat of this university — our students — back with our faculty and staff on campus.

We enjoyed a whirlwind couple of late-August weeks as we welcomed so many students to campus at Move-In Day, and then got to work full force on the first day of classes on Aug. 18. And our annual VictorFest was another huge success for student engagement.

I encourage you to take an exciting look back at our NKU Fall 2025 Back-to-School video:

I am also excited by the inspiring and engaging stories in the September 2025 issue of NKU In View, which was just published today. Among the stories, is the five-year anniversary of the Young Scholars Academy and a look into the experiences of four students who thrived in YSA and chose to continue their academic journey at NKU.

More highlights from NKU In View:

• Coach Jim Palilonis is tasked with leading NKU’s new men’s volleyball program. To cultivate what Jim wants to build with this team, he says the players need to have two things: gratitude and grit.
• Students like Hannah Wayne are finding their passion right here on campus. When Hannah enrolled as an online general business major, she didn’t expect to find herself kick-starting a personal passion project. After switching her major to innovation and entrepreneurship, Hannah launched a small business: Carroll and Co., a tallow-based skincare company.
• Dr. Kristy Hopfensperger never imagined she would end up as a college professor with a Ph.D., impacting students every day through research and leadership. Originally from Wisconsin, Kristy discovered her love for environmental science and nonprofit work during a high school environmental science class.

There are more great things happening at NKU like our increased focus on artificial intelligence in the classroom and in our curriculum and an important new partnership with the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky to address mental health gaps in the region. And Dr. Greg Dahlem is using his expertise to help local law enforcement solve crimes with … bugs!

Here on campus, we have embarked on our multiphase digital transformation journey to implement Workday. Please check out the NKU Workday website for more information on where we are in the project timeline and how Workday will enhance NKU operations.  And of course, our work continues on our new strategic plan, Forward Together.

That is only a small sample of the great things happening at NKU, and we certainly have a lot to be excited about here as we continue with our important work for our students and our region.

I am proud to team with each of you, and I continue to wish you the best for a wonderful semester. Thank you for all you do.

All my best to each of you,

Cady Short-Thompson, Ph.D.

President