The Keith and Vickie Sharber Communication Arts Program at Kentucky Wesleyan College will host a free public lecture, “It Goes with You: An Evening on Kilimanjaro,” Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the Panther Room at the Jack T. Wells ’77 Activity Center (3300 Frederica Street).
Local adventurer Brandon Cox ‘10 will share photographs and stories from his October expedition to Tanzania to raise awareness and funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The lecture will combine mountaineering, psychology, personal development, public relations and digital marketing.
Cox, a 2010 Kentucky Wesleyan College graduate, marketing and communications professional and adjunct professor of communication arts, will discuss his planning, training and preparation to climb Africa’s highest peak. The talk will also detail the public relations and marketing strategies he employed to promote the project and ask for donations to St. Jude.
“This is an excellent opportunity for the campus community, especially communications students, to see firsthand how the tactics and strategies taught in our programs make a real-world impact,” said Dr. Andrew Bolin, division chair, Fine Arts and Humanities and program coordinator/associate professor of Communication Arts.
Mount Kilimanjaro is one of the famed Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent. At 19,341 feet, 35% of summit attempts end short of Uhuru Peak. The trek requires intense physical training and mental preparation. The African stratovolcano is the highest free-standing mountain in the world.
“The trek was life affirming,” said Cox. “I met incredible people on the journey, learned a great deal about myself and gained perspective during my eight days on the mountain.”
An Owensboro native, he studied visual communications and graphic design at KWC. He leads marketing and revenue operations for Fastek Services, LLC, a managed technology services and cybersecurity firm based in Owensboro. Cox is also an adjunct professor teaching online advertising and public relations courses in the College’s communication arts program.
To allow adequate seating and room setup, guests are requested to RSVP at https://itgoeswithyou.com.