A portrait of Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) President Dr. David T. McFaddin was unveiled at the EKU Center for the Arts on Friday, March 27. The portrait shows McFaddin standing in front of a window with EKU’s campus and the iconic clock tower of the Keen Johnson Building in the background.
“The framing of the portrait really was to imbue a sense of strength and pride for the region that we come from, but to look boldly to the future, to say we are not done serving the mission of this institution and we are unyielding in what education and opportunity can do,” said McFaddin.
McFaddin is the 14th president of EKU. Since being appointed president in 2020, he has led the university to strengthened enrollment, historical heights in student success and numerous national accolades.
A proud Kentucky native, McFaddin leads with a Kentucky-first mentality. EKU is now the third largest public university in Kentucky for total enrollment, with 15,969 students in Fall 2025. The university serves more Kentucky students than any other regional, comprehensive university and leads the state in placing graduates in high-demand careers across the Commonwealth.
A first-generation college graduate, McFaddin has implemented several innovative programs focused on affordability and access, removing barriers to education. For the past three years, more than 50% of EKU’s freshman class have been first-generation college students.
New academic programs launched under McFaddin’s presidency align with workforce demands. In a bold proposal, EKU seeks to establish the state’s first public osteopathic medical program to address statewide healthcare shortages.
McFaddin’s efforts have led to EKU earning national recognition as an “Opportunity College and University” by the Carnegie Foundation for higher-than-expected levels of student access and post-graduation earnings. For the past three years, EKU has ranked first among Kentucky’s public universities for Top Performers on Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report. With a focus on excellence in veterans education, EKU is ranked first in the nation for Military Friendly® Schools.
Engineer and Artist Seth Ferguson, a childhood friend of McFaddin, painted the portrait and shared insight into his vision at the unveiling on Friday evening.
“The warm light flooding in through the window is the same light that lights the Keen Johnson tower. That was intentional. It represents clarity, promise and forward momentum of the university,” said Ferguson. “David’s gaze is forward. It’s not looking to the past. He’s not poised in a chair. He’s standing, looking ahead. That’s the leader I know, and that’s the president he wanted painted as.”
Ferguson donated his commission to the Michael J. Bowen Creative Arts and Design Scholarship at EKU, honoring the legacy of their close friend and McFaddin’s college roommate.
John Williamson, superintendent and dean of K-12 at Model Laboratory School, was McFaddin, Bowen and Ferguson’s high school English teacher at Johnson County High School. Before the portrait was unveiled, Williamson said, “This portrait marks not an ending, but an opening—a beginning of a legacy that is still being written. We are honored to witness it. We are eager to see what it becomes. So let’s unveil a portrait that is the beginning of a legacy that is already in progress.”
Prior to being appointed as president, McFaddin served EKU as senior vice president of operations and strategic initiatives; vice president for government relations, engagement and regional stewardship; and as part-time faculty. Before joining EKU, he held regional and statewide leadership posts with AT&T for nearly 15 years.
McFaddin holds a doctorate in educational leadership and policy studies from EKU, a master’s degree in business administration from the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky, and a bachelor’s degree in public relations from EKU.
McFaddin and his wife, Melissa, a 2002 EKU graduate, have three children (Isabel, Sophia and Connor) and have been actively involved in the Richmond community for over 20 years.
“When we look across our communities, whether it’s a teacher or a nurse or a social worker or a university president, we cannot have the fundamental pieces of a community that we would be proud of without our universities and colleges. Education is the foundation of our society, of our opportunity, of our future,” said McFaddin. “The people who fill our days and fill our moments are what is the lasting legacy, and so I’m grateful to you for being a part of this moment.”
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