Sheryl Hagan-Booth graduated from Western almost seven years ago. She never left.

The university photographer and many others have worked at Western since their graduation or returned to the Hill after spending time working elsewhere.

About 700 of Western’s 2,001 employees graduated from Western, said Donald Smith, assistant vice president of the Alumni Association.

Smith said students return to work at Western after graduation because of the experience they had while they were students.

Other employees worked at Western as they earned their degrees, Smith said.

College years at Western are a special time and can be life-changing, and people want to see their alma mater be successful, he said.

Gina Brown, director of development athletics, graduated in 1985, but she came back in 2006 because she thought it was a great opportunity.

Brown said she worked for Fortune 500 companies before returning to Western.

There have been many changes to Western since Brown was a student, such as new facilities, but there are familiar faces, she said.

Brown is a former Lady Topper and said she loves seeing old and new faces at games.

She said she also loves the support the community gives to Western.

Hagan-Booth said she got a job at Western as Western’s photographer after she graduated in 2000 because she and her husband wanted to stay in Bowling Green.

In 1999, Hagan-Booth worked part-time as Western’s photographer when she was a student at Western. The position became full time after she graduated.

Hagan-Booth said she applied for the position because she knew the campus and people.

“It was better than just hiring an outsider,” she said.

Registrar Freida Eggleton graduated in 1974, got her master’s degree from Western in 1976 and has had several jobs at Western since 1974.

She said worked as an assistant hall director, a field representative recruiting students from high school and the assistant to the dean and director of orientation. Eggleton became the registrar in 1986.

Eggleton said there were many reasons she decided to stay at Western.

Eggleton said she originally planned to work as a public school teacher in Louisville, but she realized her interests and skills were in higher education administration.

She said she stayed at Western because she had a good relationship with the administration and she didn’t want to leave the environment.

Reach Susie Laun at news@wkuherald.com.