Kentucky Wesleyan College establishes Center for American Civics

Kentucky Wesleyan College is proud to announce the establishment of the Center for American Civics, a new initiative aimed at strengthening civic education and engagement on campus and in the community. This interdisciplinary center will serve as a hub for civic learning, public discourse and community partnership, integrating rigorous academic programming with practical outreach. In keeping with KWC’s mission and values, the center will emphasize America’s heritage and enduring constitutional principles as it prepares students for thoughtful civic leadership. 

The launch of the Center underscores the College’s commitment to cultivating informed, principled citizens and to upholding the timeless ideals of our nation’s civic tradition.

“Kentucky Wesleyan has always prepared leaders—men and women who think critically and go on to serve their communities and the cause of democracy,” said James Cousins, president of KWC. “That work is grounded in our core values—honesty, integrity, support and Love in Christ—which call us to engage one another with respect and purpose. We believe that civic education is not optional; it is essential for our democracy and, as such, it is a cornerstone of a liberal arts degree. The Center for American Civics will carry that mission into public spaces, giving our students and our community a place to engage with the Constitution, our history and the great American experiment.”

We are also pleased to announce the appointment of Daniele L. Celano as the center’s inaugural director. Celano is an accomplished scholar who is currently completing her Ph.D. in history at the University of Virginia, specializing in nineteenth-century American legal history with a focus on federalism, civil rights and the powers of government. 

“I am incredibly excited to begin work with the Center for American Civics, which seeks to raise civic literacy among students and the broader public alike, by fostering a shared intellectual community rooted in the principles of research and civil discourse,” said Celano. “All Americans share in a rich political culture, where concepts of freedom, independence, liberalism and citizenship have never held a static definition. Through a shared commitment to inquiry, the center provides a forum to debate new perspectives on timeless ideas and to continuously investigate the American experiment in republican democracy.”

Celano’s doctoral research offers a deep exploration of Civil War-era law in Kentucky. Her dissertation, “Free by Every Law of War,” examines how emancipation was implemented through legal channels during the Civil War in Kentucky and how those efforts intersected with issues of federal authority and civil liberties. Celano’s expertise in American legal history, particularly on questions of federalism and constitutional law, will be invaluable in guiding the Center’s educational programs and research initiatives.

Daniele Celano brings extensive teaching and public history experience to her new role. She has taught American history at both the college and high school levels, including dual-credit courses that allow advanced high school students to earn college credit. Students and colleagues alike have recognized her practical, research-driven teaching style and her ability to make complex historical topics accessible. In addition to her academic work, she has a strong background in public and legal history, having served as an editorial specialist for the Civil War Governors of Kentucky Digital Documentary Edition at the Kentucky Historical Society, where she honed her archival research skills and contributed to making historical documents accessible to the public. 

She has also actively engaged in community outreach, volunteering as a judge for National History Day competitions and collaborating with local historical organizations to promote history education. Her scholarly achievements include multiple prestigious research fellowships, including awards from the Jefferson Scholars Foundation and the Kentucky Historical Society. She has presented her work at national conferences such as the Society of Civil War Historians and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Importantly, Celano brings a traditionalist, evidence-based approach to teaching history and civics. 

She emphasizes the use of primary sources and rigorous research over partisan or subjective interpretation, upholding the principle that evidence-based inquiry is essential to understanding our past. She is deeply committed to improving civic literacy and constitutional understanding, echoing her belief that every American has a duty to be well-informed about our government and liberties. Under her leadership, the Center for American Civics will promote a balanced, research-grounded study of American history and government, fostering an appreciation for our constitutional heritage among students.

In its inaugural year, the Center will roll out a series of programs and events designed to engage both the campus and the broader community in thoughtful civic education. Planned initiatives include hosting a history roundtable on a selected historical topic, organizing Constitution Day events in September, launching a public speaker series, managing a civics-focused blog that features compelling perspectives from various authors on civic issues, and serving as the host site for the National History Day Region 2 competition in late February. This regional event will welcome middle and high school students to campus as they present historical research projects, reinforcing KWC’s role as a leader in civic and history education in our area.

These inaugural initiatives reflect the Center’s mission to promote informed citizenship and an active understanding of our nation’s history and governance. By creating opportunities for dialogue, scholarship and community involvement, the Center for American Civics will enhance civic literacy and pride in our constitutional heritage while preparing students to be knowledgeable, engaged citizens. We anticipate that these programs will enrich our students’ educational experience and strengthen Kentucky Wesleyan’s connections with the wider community through the shared pursuit of civic knowledge and responsibility.

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.