President Gary Ransdell may try to break the mold at WKU, but the department of Housing and Residence Life is filling a mold for a special giveaway.

HRL has commissioned a group of bobbleheads in Ransdell’s likeness to be given to the first 200 campus residents celebrating Resident Appreciation Day on April 27 at the WKU vs. ULM game at Nick Denes Field. HRL will be there at 6 p.m. with free food and music for those students.

Blair Silliman, coordinator of Student Programs for HRL, said her department wanted a thank you gift that has to do with the event.

It’s a baseball game, so maybe a bobblehead, Silliman said.

Silliman said she emailed Ransdell, whom she said responded almost immediately.

“She asked me if I would be willing to do this, so I said ‘Sure, why not?’” Ransdell said.

After Ransdell gave his approval, the vendor was sent photos from every angle of the president — including one of the back of his head — which Silliman said was difficult to find.

“I guess because no one is taking his picture from that angle,” she said with a laugh.

HRL Director Brian Kuster said the bobbleheads were made in a limited quantity as a special thank you for the residents, and because of their expense, Kuster said the bobblehead will not be sold in the WKU Store.

Marketing Coordinator Katie Corbin said HRL didn’t mind paying to produce the bobbleheads.

“We thought it was worth it,” Corbin said.

Silliman said Ransdell would be at the game to autograph bobbleheads and meet with students.

Ransdell said he was sent a mock up of the bobblehead a few weeks after giving his approval, but he hasn’t seen the final product.

“I will show up that night as well, and I guess I’ll see it for the first time like everybody else,” he said.

Ransdell said he isn’t letting the toy give him a big head.

“If it’s a fun thing for students, then I’m all in,” he said. “… I guess I need to know how to move my head to make the real Gary look like a bobblehead.”

Silliman said the vendor would keep the mold of Ransdell for a year, which she said means more bobbleheads could be produced one day.