Cliff Todd Center dedicated at WKU
The Cliff Todd Center, new home to the College Heights Foundation, was dedicated today (June 2). The building was named in appreciation for a $1 million gift from J. Clifford “Cliff” Todd that led to the acquisition of the historic home and property.
The Cliff Todd Center is located at 1703 Chestnut Street adjacent to the WKU campus. The Colonial Revival home was completed in 1899 and has been affectionately known as Bird Lawn, the name given to it by Carl D. Herdman, a local ornithologist and flower enthusiast, who occupied it with his family in the early decades of the last century. The home stands on land that was part of a larger farm tract, much of which is now part of the south end of WKU’s main campus.
“Our mission is to transform the lives of our students, and Cliff is making that transformation possible by providing the means through which the College Heights Foundation can provide the support that is so crucial to the successful completion of our students’ college experience,” said WKU President Timothy C. Caboni at the event. “And in addition to providing financial support, Cliff is providing a wonderful example of paying it forward for generations of Hilltoppers to come.”
The idea of inspiring others to support WKU is a large part of why Todd made his first seven-figure gift to the University more than 20 years ago.
“When I was a student, I didn’t know much about the College Heights Foundation, but I became connected in the late 1990s when I made my first donation,” said Todd. “I tried to make it anonymously, but I made it in my name because I was persuaded that it could help inspire others, too.”
Todd, who grew up on a rural farm near Glendale, Ky., in Hardin County, has many good memories from his time as a student at WKU 
including living in the livestock pavilion known as “The Barn” where the Raymond B. Preston Health & Activities Center now stands. He also remembers working in the cafeteria for 35 cents an hour, a job he began the day he arrived on campus.
“I came to Western with no help at all because I didn’t even know what scholarships were,” said Todd. “I had many, many part-time jobs—as many as five at a time. I studied and worked, and I never missed a class.
“What inspires me the most to continue to support WKU is that I was raised in an area where education was not considered important and it was not mentioned as an option,” said Todd. “I was never told that I should go to high school. Most people went to work after they finished the eighth grade. I want to give back and help others have the opportunity to go to school.”
Todd received a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture in 1950, and he went on to receive a master’s degree in Public Health focusing on epidemiology in 1958 from Columbia University. He would go on to serve as the state Epidemiologist for Kentucky for 12 years before pursuing different business interests with farms, commercial real estate and development of private prisons.
According to Dr. Donald Smith, President of the College Heights Foundation, the Foundation’s Board of Directors thoroughly deliberated many possibilities for the future home of their operations and ultimately determined that 1703 Chestnut Street provided the best opportunity to preserve the past while looking to the future. The location is easily accessible to the community, students and donors, and it also provides space for future growth.
The offices for the College Heights Foundation were previously located in the Foundation Building, which was constructed in 1969 as an extension to the Craig Alumni Center. After 50 years, that facility increasingly presented challenges related to accessibility, insufficient space for growth and emerging needs related to the campus master plan.
“I didn’t start out making gifts to WKU for a building to be named in my honor, but I am very proud that the Cliff Todd Center is the new home for the College Heights Foundation,” said Todd. “People say, ‘you sure have an interest in that university!’ I guess I talk about it a lot and they notice my interest. I’m just dedicated to WKU and glad I’m able to do my part.”
“Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Cliff Todd, the College Heights Foundation was able to secure an option that will provide a home for the College Heights Foundation for our next century and beyond,” said Dr. Smith. “The Cliff Todd Center will stand as a lasting testament to the legacy of his life and further demonstrate his belief in the mission of the College Heights Foundation.”
The College Heights Foundation, established in 1923, will celebrate its 98th anniversary in July of this year. The organization was founded in response to a $100 gift from a faculty member to provide support and encouragement for deserving students to obtain an education.
In addition to supporting scholarships and the College Heights Foundation, Todd also made a gift to establish the J. Clifford Todd Professorship in Longevity and Healthful Living, highlighting two areas about which he is especially passionate. Over the years, he has served WKU in numerous volunteer capacities, and his generous philanthropy has been recognized in the Society of 1906 and the Spirit of Western level of the Henry Hardin Cherry Society.
For more information, contact Donald Smith at (270) 745-4597.
Posted: June 2, 2021