Kentucky Wesleyan College’s 156th annual Commencement will take place on Saturday, May 4, at 10 a.m. at Owensboro Christian Church. Dee M. Robinson will address the graduating seniors on “From Wasted to Empowered: A Journey to Pursuing Dreams.” She will be the recipient of an honorary doctor of humane letters.
Ms. Robinson is the founder and chief executive officer of Robinson Hill, Inc., a concessions management firm specializing in retail and restaurants at airports and other non-traditional venues and GT Spirits Company, maker of Good Trouble Bourbon. She has forged successful joint ventures and partnerships that encompass over 60+ airport restaurants and retail stores.
She has authored multiple articles and several books including the bestseller, “Courage By Design.” Her memberships include the National Association of Corporate Directors, Women Corporate Directors, C200, Chicago Network, Chicago Economic Club, and Illinois and National Restaurant associations.
Ms. Robinson earned an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a bachelor of arts in economics from the University of Pennsylvania. She also completed Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business Building a High Performing Business Executive Education Program.
The College’s Baccalaureate celebration will take place on Friday, May 3, at 7 p.m. at the Jack T. Wells ’77 Activity Center. Rev. Mark Dickinson ’89 will address the graduates on “What the World is Waiting for.”
Rev. Dickinson is the senior pastor at Settle Memorial United Methodist Church in Owensboro, where he served as assistant pastor in the 90s. He most recently served as district superintendent of the South Central District of the Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is a 1993 graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary. His mother, Sandra (Schmidt) Dickinson, is a 1957 graduate of KWC, and his wife, Jennifer (Markle), is a 1991 graduate of the College. The Dickinsons have three daughters; Melanie, Abby and Rebekah ’24. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the College.
The College’s first Commencement took place at the Millersburg campus in 1868. KWC’s first Owensboro Commencement was held in the Owensboro High School auditorium in May 1952.
Commencement and Baccalaureate celebrations will be livestreamed at kwc.edu/commencement.