Kentucky Wesleyan announces elevation of Shawn Tomes ’94 to Vice President of Mission and Culture

Kentucky Wesleyan College President, Dr. Thomas Mitzel, has announced the appointment of Shawn Tomes ’94 as vice president of mission and culture. Tomes, who has served as the College’s director of campus ministries since 2016, will assume this new role immediately.

In the new position, Tomes will serve as a member of the President’s Cabinet, providing leadership in carrying out the College’s institutional mission and fostering a campus culture rooted in the core values of The Wesleyan Way. He will provide a vital and necessary link for senior staff, faculty, staff, student leaders and community partners to all initiatives promoting institutional mission, culture, vocation and spiritual life.

“Shawn’s impact since returning to his alma mater has been incredible,” said President Mitzel. “Under his leadership, the Campus Ministries Program has seen tremendous growth, providing students with spiritual pathways that have also led to increased church partnerships locally and regionally. We are excited to see continued growth in the ministry programs and within our curriculum as we enhance alignment with the institution’s overall mission.”

Tomes is a 1994 graduate of Wesleyan, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and a P-12 teaching certification in art. He earned a Master of Arts in Education in school counseling with a secondary emphasis from Western Kentucky University and has taken coursework from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University. He previously served as area director of the Northwest Kentucky Fellowship of Christian Athletes (2013-16) and as an art teacher, guidance counselor and assistant basketball coach at Apollo High School for eight years. He was also an art teacher and head basketball coach at McLean County High School from 2002 – 2004. He has served in youth ministry and as a certified lay speaker. He is a certified lay pastor and member of Island United Methodist Church. Tomes has also served as a community leader and volunteer to youth in many capacities over the years and currently is a board member with Habitat for Humanity Owensboro-Daviess County.

“I am deeply humbled by this opportunity and thankful to President Mitzel,” said Tomes. “It has been my honor to serve my alma mater for the last six years. I believe deeply in the mission of Kentucky Wesleyan College, and I am excited about this expanded role to further impact our students, faculty, staff and the community we call home.”

Shawn and his wife, Marcia (Everly) ’94, an educator at Southern Oaks Elementary School, have two children; a daughter, Kenzie ’21, and a son, Isaiah, who will enter KWC as a freshman in the fall 2022 semester.

Kentucky Wesleyan College is a United Methodist-related four-year institution in Owensboro, Ky., which fosters a liberal arts education that nourishes and prepares students intellectually, spiritually and physically to achieve success in life.