After serving 19 years on the Hill, Richard DuBose, the assistant vice president of Alumni Relations and executive director of WKU’s Alumni Association, announced his retirement.  

DuBose will retire at the end of this year. With only two years of service, he will have the shortest tenure of the six former assistant vice presidents.

“It’s been amazing working in this dynamic environment,” DuBose said.

DuBose has been working since he was 18 and believes he can use a break. 

“You never know how long you’ll have your health, and I can give up working 60 hours a week,” he said. 

Even though DuBose is retiring, he still intends to do some sort of work post- retirement. 

“My wife won’t let me just sit around the house,” DuBose said.

DuBose’s main concern is to help people. 

“You have 100 days to work after retirement, so if I don’t find work [at WKU], I will want to be helping people,” he said. 

Jennifer Ragan, welcome center associate, said DuBose is a great guy who is well known all over Bowling Green and that his work for the university is proof of that.

Working for WKU has been a big part of DuBose’s life. 

DuBose began working about a year before President Gary Ransdell became president of the university. 

Ransdell’s leadership helped make DuBose’s journey on the Hill exciting. 

“Ransdell has been an incredible leader for transformation,” DuBose said. “It’s beyond my belief the things I’ve been able to accomplish here. It’s always a great day to be a Hilltopper.”

DuBose served as the first officer for the Potter College of Arts and Letters and the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

He said his work for WKU has taken up some of his grandfather time. 

“I have three granddaughters in Baltimore and a grandson who is about to turn 4, so this is a new arena for me,” DuBose said.

After retirement, DuBose plans to be more involved with his family and to travel with his wife. 

He believes the alumni department is in good hands with Marc Archambault, its new vice president of alumni relations. 

DuBose is modest about his mark on the university, but people like Beth Stamps, alumni programming associate, thinks he is a memorable person at WKU. 

“I’ve worked with Rick in another department, and I’m very excited for him, but he will definitely be missed because he’s made a major impact on the university,” Stamps said. 

DuBose would tell the next assistant vice president to embrace the WKU spirit and enjoy the journey. 

According to DuBose, the position requires a person who loves the university as well as both old and young alumni. 

“Young alumni have had a different college experience than I did,” he said. “It’s important to focus on the new trends and to respect the traditions.”

DuBose said he loves WKU and the many people he has met and helped, but he believes it’s a good time to retire. 

“I turn 66 at the end of the month, though you can’t tell,” DuBose said, running his fingers through his white hair. 

Becoming a year older and reaching full retirement age, DuBose said the timing was perfect. 

“What a sweet way to end a fun journey,” he said.