The Kentucky Wesleyan College Theatre Department will present “The Laramie Project,” a play about the reaction to the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyo. The play will be performed on Oct. 14-17 at 7:30 p.m. and contains mature content. It was written by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theatre Project.

The play will be presented outdoors in the Ralph Center Courtyard located at College Dr. and South Griffith Ave. Tickets are $14 for general admission and $8 for students, and are available HERE. The event will be livestreamed and more information on accessing livestream will be available at here and on social media.

For more information, contact Associate Professor of Theatre Nate Gross at nate.gross@kwc.edu or 270-852-3595.

Purchase Tickets

The fountain nestled between the Winchester Center and Massie Hall is a feast for the senses. Located in a beautiful garden bordered by fragrant pine trees, the soothing sound of flowing water and an occasional spray of water on a hot summer day make the landmark one of the most inviting places on campus.

Dedicated in 1988 to the memory of Suzanne Ahnell ’82 (1957-1984), the garden and fountain were provided by her family and friends, and the walkway by the Class of 1986. The College renovated the garden this summer, and an anonymous donor provided new lighting in honor of Suzanne’s father, Dr. Emil Ahnell, in various colors for different occasions – including KWC purple. Dr. Ahnell is a professor emeritus of music and taught at Wesleyan from 1958-2001.

I grew up a few blocks from KWC and always followed their basketball and soccer teams. I used to walk over and watch games in the quad. When it was time to decide where I would play college soccer, it was an easy decision. I was always going to choose KWC.

At KWC, I was a criminal justice major, a member of Sigma Nu fraternity and played men’s soccer. The experience could not have been any better. We were truly a campus family, and I am so grateful for that time in my life.

I had so many mentors in the fraternity among the older members that I could not have failed if I wanted to. The professors all knew us personally, and they cared about us and our futures. Drs. Bob Darrell and Ken Ayers were especially impactful for me.

One of Donna (Mattson) Meador’s earliest childhood memories is of her mother, in a white nurse’s uniform, carrying her into her grandparents’ house in the wee hours of the morning. “She was working on her licensed practical nursing degree and doing clinicals,” Donna recalls. “She was my example, and I never considered any career but nursing. I wanted to care for and help others.”

Donna grew up in the south end of Louisville and attended Parkwood United Methodist Church, where she first heard about Kentucky Wesleyan College. When she found out the College had a nursing program, she knew KWC was the place for her; it was just far enough away from home, yet not too far. She reflects that KWC was a great place to be on her own, yet she was surrounded by people who wanted to provide support and guidance.

She recalls nursing instructors Rose Clark and Betty Connor and describes them as wonderful mentors to fledging nursing students. “I reflect from time to time on lessons they taught our very green freshman class. Those lessons remain pertinent today.”  She says faculty were always accessible and that the teaching was excellent. “Wesleyan was the right place for me.”

Oct. 15 debate on Medicare for all

The Stanley Reed Pre-Law and Politics Society at Kentucky Wesleyan College is hosting a series of debates. The second, on Medicare for all, will take place on Oct. 15 from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Activity Hall at 3300 Frederica St. The motion to be considered is: American health care should adopt a Medicare for all model. Stephen L. Meredith will argue the negative and Bob Glenn will argue the positive. The event will be on Facebook Live at Stanley Reed Political Science and Pre-Law Club.

Mr. Meredith is a Republican state senator representing the 5^th District. He is vice chair of the Health and Welfare Committee and serves on the Appropriations, Revenue, Education and Transportation committees. His career experience includes serving as a hospital CEO, and he has been actively engaged in many civic organizations in Grayson County.

Mr. Glenn, a long-time resident of Owensboro, is an award-winning communications professor at Owensboro Community and Technical College. He is an adjunct professor at Kentucky Wesleyan College, pastor at Bethlehem United Methodist Church and a certified high school sports official. He has served three terms as an Owensboro City Commissioner, was Mayor Pro Tem and serves on several local non-profit boards.

Topics for future debates are:
Marsy’s Law – Oct. 29
Election Results – Nov. 5

All debates are at the Activity Hall at 3300 Frederica St. from 6 – 7:30 p.m. Masks are required and attendees will be physically distanced.

For further information, contact Dr. Eric Schmidt at eric.schmidt@kwc.edu or 270-852-3236.

Kentucky Wesleyan College has been named one of the Best Regional Colleges in the South in the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings. The College was also recognized among the 2021 Top Performers on Social Mobility.

Wesleyan achieved the highest ranking among Kentucky regional colleges at No. 18 in the South as a Best Regional College. According to U.S. News rankings methodology, Regional Colleges focus on institutions that provide undergraduate education but grant fewer than 50% of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.

“Kentucky Wesleyan is elated to again be recognized as a top regional college by U.S. News & World Report,” said President Dr. Thomas Mitzel. “Our faculty, staff, students and extended community can take great pride in knowing their college is highly regarded by national outlets. These accolades and superior rankings are the result of a continued commitment to excellence by everyone affiliated with KWC.”

Kentucky Wesleyan College has announced it will temporarily waive standardized test scores as a requirement for applicants for the 2021-22 academic year. The test-optional policy is being enacted due to the challenges presented to prospective students and their families by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our admissions process aims to gather information on several different areas of importance: academic success, involvement in school groups and in the community, and interest in the Kentucky Wesleyan College,” said Matthew Ruark ’09, vice president of admissions and financial aid. “A standardized test score is an additional piece of information to consider, but certainly not the most important.”

Prospective students who have test scores will be able to submit as part of their application, but they will not be required nor will it negatively impact those applicants. The College also allowed test optional admission for fall 2020 admits in immediate response to the pandemic.

Kentucky Wesleyan College has been selected as one of several venues across Kentucky to host the Kentucky Arts Council’s traveling exhibit, “Native Reflections: Visual Art by American Indians of Kentucky.” The exhibit will run from Sept. 15 to Oct 30 at the Ralph Center for the Fine Arts at the corner of College Ave. and S. Griffith Ave. The gallery is open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. All visitors to campus are kindly requested to complete the brief health check form at kwc.edu/healthquickcheck/. For purposes of this event, they may select “Advancement” from the drop down menu on the form. Facial coverings and social distancing are also required on campus, and the gallery is limited to eight persons at a time.

The exhibit features 23 works by 12 Kentuckians who identify as American Indians of either enrolled tribal membership or unenrolled, but native inspired individuals. The submitted work was adjudicated by a panel of American Indian artists and members of the Kentucky Native American Heritage Commission for inclusion in the traveling exhibit.

Freshman Robie Dickinson and her classmates anticipated their arrival at KWC with the usual sense of anticipation and mix of emotions that accompanies the transition from home to college life.

“I was very nervous about moving into the dorm because I didn’t want to be away from my family,” Robie explained. “But now that I’m here and settled into my room, I really love it.”

Robie’s first semester classes include algebra, criminal justice, writing workshop, fitness and wellness and freshman seminar. “I was nervous about going to classes the first few days, but like moving into the dorm, once I got there, I was fine.”

The Black Student Unions of Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College are collaborating to sponsor a March for Justice on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. – noon to raise awareness of social injustice across America and in response to the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis.

The march will begin in the Brescia University Quad with a prayer by Owensboro NAACP President Rhondalyn Randolph and a speech by Brescia student and BSU member Breanna Chester. Participants will then proceed to the Daviess County Courthouse and the event will conclude at the front steps of the Barnard-Jones Administration Building at Kentucky Wesleyan College with a speech by KWC sophomore and BSU member Malcolm Hayes.