WKU has chosen the person who will be critical in shaping its new physical therapy program.

Harvey Wallmann, director of the physical therapy program at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was announced as the first director of WKU’s physical therapy program.

Wallmann was selected after a national search, said John Bonaguro, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, in a WKU press release.

“Dr. Wallman is highly respected in physical therapy education and understands the challenges of accreditation, faculty recruitment and fund-raising that go along with implementation of a new degree program,” Bonaguro said in the release.

Wallman was at UNLV when the physical therapy program transitioned from a master’s degree to a doctoral degree in 2005, which is experience, he said will help him at WKU.

The Kentucky Senate in February approved a bill that allowed WKU to create a doctoral degree in the physical therapy program. The House of Representatives followed suit in March.

Now WKU is in the process of developing the program, which is expected to have 30 students in the inaugural class in the fall.

Wallmann will begin his new job July 15.