President Emeritus Barton D. Darrell, J.D., Class of 1984
Bart served as 34th President of Kentucky Wesleyan College from 2014 to 2019, during which time he served as a changemaker for the College, establishing new academic and community partnerships, leading a complete overhaul of the campus ministries program and increasing student enrollment. Perhaps most notably, he introduced The Wesleyan Way to the campus, local and global Wesleyan community, which became part of the overall brand and culture of the College.
Prior to serving as president, Bart held numerous Wesleyan titles including president of the Alumni Association, adjunct professor and member of the Board of Trustees. He was the recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2017.
Bart earned his law degree from the University of Louisville Brandeis School of Law in 1987 and has earned numerous career accolades including “Kentucky’s Outstanding Young Lawyer.”
Joel Utley, Class of 1974
Widely known as the “Voice of the Panthers,” Joel has the distinction of being the only broadcaster in the nation to call 12 NCAA Basketball Championship games, including8 Division II titles, and ranks in the top five in longevity for college basketball radio broadcasters.
Joel began his broadcasting career in 1961. Coaches and players have come and gone over six decades, but Utley is still here. He was inducted into the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016. He was the recipient of the Alumni Service Award in 1999 and the Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2019. He was inducted into the Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.