Many Faces of Minerva

A Wesleyan tradition was born in 1905 when the main College building in Winchester was destroyed by fire. One of the limestone ornaments that decorated the facade fell to earth, but remained intact. This bust of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom, became a symbol of the KWC spirit. Today it is mounted in a prominent place on the Owensboro campus (in an open area between the administration building, faculty office building and Winchester Student Center) and it is a focal point for many Kentucky Wesleyan student activities.

Just about every student who attends Kentucky Wesleyan joins in the biggest Minerva tradition of all — painting her in whatever color or design strikes your fancy. These painting expeditions usually occur under cover of darkness — sometimes more than once a night. The goal is to have your design on Minerva when the sun rises.

Check out a few of Minerva’s many incarnations below.