Eastern Kentucky University | 90,192 followers on LinkedIn. Discover the #EKUPeople, #EKUPlaces, and #EKUPrograms that make #EKU a great University. #GoBigE | Eastern Kentucky University (http://www.eku.edu) boasts a rich heritage of outstanding service to the region and Commonwealth of Kentucky. The origins of what is now EKU can be traced to the 1874 founding of Central University in Richmond. The roots of present-day Eastern go back to 1906 with the establishment of Eastern Kentucky State Normal School No. 1 on the old Central University campus.