This article originally appeared in the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer on Wednesday, April 23, 2025.
KWC to hold Cousins’ inauguration Friday
By Scott Hagerman, Messenger-Inquirer
Dr. James Cousins has been president of Kentucky Wesleyan College since July of last year.
But at 1 p.m. Friday at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 E. Fourth St., Cousins’ inauguration as KWC’s 36th president will be held.
“Inaugurations are a time for everybody to come together and celebrate the college, kind of in familiar ways and unfamiliar ways,” Cousins said. “We get together and celebrate what we’re doing in a way that’s unique from commencements or baccalaureate ceremonies, or convocations — it’s a different idea, but a lot of the same sort of feelings, emotions. Alumni come together and trustees with faculty and staff and students and celebrate the college. But this is a different way of doing that.
“Historically what inaugurations mean are a new chapter, a turning point, celebrating what was past, what is present, and what’s coming in the future. That might be embodied in a convocation or commencement address, but this is an opportunity to really focus on that specifically.”
Cousins, who had served as KWC’s provost and vice president of academic affairs since 2021 until being named president, said the inauguration will represent the “fulfillment of a dream.”
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The inauguration of Dr. James P. Cousins, the 36th president of Kentucky Wesleyan College, took place Friday, April 25, 2025, at 1 p.m. at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church at 201 East Fourth Street in Owensboro. Dr. Cousins became president on July 1, 2024.
Click here to re-watch the ceremony.
“This inauguration marks an extraordinary milestone in our history,” said Chair of the Board of Trustees Fred Wright ’80. “We invite the community to join us as we celebrate the strengths of our past and honor Dr. Cousins’ able leadership as we move forward to an even brighter future.”
Dr. Cousins served as the provost and vice president of academic affairs at Kentucky Wesleyan College since 2021 and has a distinguished career in higher education, including faculty and administrative leadership positions.
Related news: KWC to hold Cousins’ inauguration Friday
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Renowned Kentucky author Silas House will address the Class of 2025 at Kentucky Wesleyan’s 157th annual Commencement on Saturday, May 3, at 10 a.m. at Owensboro Christian Church. He will be the recipient of an honorary doctor of letters.
“Silas House is not only one of Kentucky’s most profound literary voices, he’s also an advocate for the power of storytelling,” said President James Cousins. “It is a privilege to welcome him to our campus. We know the Class of 2025 will be inspired by his creativity, advocacy and commitment to community.”
House is the New York Times bestselling author of seven novels; the first, “Clay’s Quilt,” was published in 2001, and his most recent, “Lark Ascending,” was a “Booklist” Editors’ Choice and the winner of the 2023 Southern Book Prize and the 2023 Nautilus Book Award. Four of his plays have been produced. He is also the author of the 2009 book of creative nonfiction, “Something’s Rising,” with co-author Jason Kyle Howard. (more…)
Brandon Cox ’10 climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro In October, and on Thursday, April 10, at 12:30 p.m., he will address Kentucky Wesleyan students about the experience at the annual Honors Convocation celebration at the Jack T. Wells ’77 Activity Center. His speech, “It Goes with You,” will be an excerpt/adaptation from the book he is writing with the same title. He is a member of the KWC Alumni Association Board of Directors. Scholars Day presentations will follow in the Panther Room.
Cox is an award-winning marketing, communications and business operations professional. He is known for his ability to connect people with information, ideas and each other to make a difference in their communities.
He is the client success manager at Fastek Services, overseeing IT infrastructure, managing the technology budget and leading digital transformations for Fastek’s clients. He focuses on aligning IT strategies with client business goals. Cox communicates the business impact of technology at work to empower clients to achieve scalable, sustainable success. (more…)
The Kentucky Wesleyan Music Department will host a concert with baritone Dr. Michael Preacely and pianist Dr. Diane Earle on March 17 at 7 p.m. in Tapscott Chapel in the Barnard-Jones Administration Building. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend. The program, made possible by the Helen Hart Fund, will include opera, musical theatre, art song and spirituals.
Dr. Preacely is a rising star on the operatic stage and is also known for a versatile singing ability and style that allows him to cross between genres from classical repertoire to pop, contemporary and Broadway. He has received critical acclaim for many of his performances, including Phantom in “Phantom of the Opera,” Scarpia in “Tosca,” Ford in “Falstaff,” Marcello in “La Boheme,” the High Priest in “Samson and Delilah” and Porgy and Jake in “Porgy and Bess.”
He has performed with many major and regional opera houses and orchestras in the United States and abroad. Recently, Dr. Preacely completed a European tour of “Porgy and Bess” where he received great reviews for his performance of both Porgy and Jake. He also toured Russia in a concert series with New York-based Opera Noire, debuted with Opera Memphis in the role of Marullo with a Rigoletto Cover and Opéra de Montréal in the role of Jake. Dr. Preacely made his debut with the Butler University Symphony Orchestra opposite world-famous soprano Angela Brown in a beloved performance of the “Porgy and Bess Suite.” Michael has performed with Cincinnati Opera, Opera Company Philadelphia, Opera Memphis, Kentucky Opera, Cleveland Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland and Bohème Opera of New Jersey. (more…)