News

Wesleyan Theatre Works to present “Frankenstein”

Wesleyan Theatre Works at Kentucky Wesleyan College will present “Frankenstein” by R.N. Sandberg on Sept. 28-30 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 1 at 2 p.m. in the Ralph Center. Set in the icy polar regions where scientist Victor Frankenstein has chased the creature he brought to life, this highly theatrical and emotional play traces Frankenstein’s path to the final confrontation with his intelligent, articulate, sensitive and powerfully violent child.

Director Jordan Blake Key ’18, who earned a degree in theatre, said, “It has been a privilege to return to my alma mater to make this piece of theatre. My first production as a director debuted on the very same stage seven years ago and to return to this space and work with the current students has been marvelous.”

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Key has an exciting vision for the production that has inspired the creativity of every artist involved. He says, “This rendition of “Frankenstein” is an avant-garde episodic interpretation much like a distorted dream. It reveals the classic tale in glimpses interspersed with frightening dream sequences that represent Victor Frankenstein’s psyche rather than a factual retelling of events. To further this idea, the design is inspired by the art of Alexa Meade who takes three dimensional sets and models and paints them to look like two dimensional pieces of art. This will allow the audience to immediately recognize that this is not a traditional interpretation of “Frankenstein,” but rather Victor Frankenstein’s nightmares.”

Kentucky Wesleyan College to celebrate Homecoming and Family Weekend 2023 presented by Owensboro Health Sept. 21-24

Kentucky Wesleyan College will celebrate Homecoming and Family Weekend presented by Owensboro Health on campus and throughout the Owensboro community the weekend of Sept. 21-24 surrounding the Panthers’ home football game versus Ohio Dominican on Saturday, Sept. 23. at 6 p.m.

Signature events for the weekend include:

  • A Taste of the Arts, presented by Wonder Boy Media, will kick off the weekend on Sept. 21. The sold-out event will feature live performances by KWC choir, theatre and band, exhibits from graphic design and radio students as well as delicious “tastes of Owensboro” and an art show by 2023 Outstanding Alumnus of the Arts K.O. Lewis ’08.
  • The Pillars Lecture Series on Saturday, Sept. 23, will include three TED Talk-inspired lectures by George Tinsley ’68, Jeff Jones and Dr. W.L. Magnuson.
  • The 3rd Annual Panther Pride 5K, presented by Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, on Sept. 23,  will offer a unique behind-the-scenes tour of Kentucky Wesleyan’s beautiful campus and a picturesque finish line in Steele Stadium (day-of registration will be available)
  • The Bash on the Front Lawn will return for its third year and feature live music by Brad Fleming ’98 and Soul N The Pocket, a variety of food trucks, free inflatables, bumper cars, games and more.
  • The 2023 Alumni Hall of Fame and Awards Celebration, presented by Independence Bank on Sept. 22, will honor the 2023 Alumni Award recipients with the induction of Dallas Thornton ’68 into the Alumni Hall of Fame.
  • The 2023 Athletic Hall of Fame Celebration on Sept. 23 will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Panther football in the modern era and induction of Jamie Duvall ’90, Brenda (Britt) Cason ’84, Stacey (Baxter) Bischoff ’97 and Jordan White ’12 into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Kentucky Wesleyan College earns superior recognition from U.S. News and World Report

Kentucky Wesleyan College has again been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as One of the Best Regional Colleges in the South for 2024 at #22, the highest ranking in Kentucky and a gain in ranking by two positions from last year, and as one of the Top Performers in Social Mobility at #33 in the South.

‘The improvement of the college’s ranking is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of every member of the Kentucky Wesleyan community,” said Dr. Thomas Mitzel, president of KWC. “I am humbled to work with such a dedicated Panther family on campus and in the broader Owensboro region. We are not just an institution of higher learning, but a family of teachers/mentors/learners and devoted support groups all working together to ensure we give our students tools to be the best possible servant leaders of the coming generations. To be recognized for our efforts is rewarding.”

U.S. News evaluated nearly 1,900 U.S. four-year bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on as many as 19 measures for its 39th rankings edition. These statistics only pertain to measures reflecting academic quality and graduate outcomes – factors that are universally important to prospective students. Also important are considerations that vary person-to-person, like campus culture, strength in specific majors and financial aid offered. To account for this, U.S. News supplements its overall rankings with specialized subject and cost-oriented rankings, search tools and a detailed school directory. The Top Performers in Social Mobility indicator measures how well schools graduated students who received federal Pell Grants.

Kentucky Wesleyan was also recently recognized to the Princeton Review’s “2024 Best College Colleges: Region by Region” for the 20th consecutive year.

Kentucky Wesleyan to host A Taste of the Arts during Homecoming and Family Weekend 2023

Kentucky Wesleyan College is pleased to invite the public to the Second Annual “A Taste of the Arts” event as a kickoff to Homecoming and Family Weekend, presented by Owensboro Health.

A Taste of the Arts, presented by Wonder Boy Media, will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 21, at the Jack T. Wells Activity Center.

“Wonder Boy is thrilled to sponsor this event,” said Drew Hardesty, owner of Wonder Boy Media. “The arts are a crucial part of the Owensboro community, and we are grateful to help showcase the incredible arts programming that is happening at Kentucky Wesleyan College.”

The event will feature bite-sized performances from the College’s theatre, band and choir, tastes of local food and drink, exhibits by radio and graphic design students and an art show by 2023 Outstanding Alumnus of the Arts K.O. Lewis ’08.

Kentucky Wesleyan provost appointed to Education Professional Standards Board by Gov. Beshear

Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed Dr. James Cousins, provost and vice president of academic affairs at Kentucky Wesleyan College, as a member of the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB). He replaces Timothy Wooster, who resigned, and will serve for the remainder of the unexpired term ending June 30, 2025.

Dr. Cousins has served at KWC since July 2021 after serving in various roles at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, most recently as associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences from 2015-2021. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky (Concentration in the History of Education), an M.A. from the University of Kentucky (History) and a B.A. from The Ohio State University (Communications).

Mason Dyer, president of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU), said, “We are delighted that Gov. Beshear has appointed Dr. Cousins to represent Kentucky’s independent colleges on the EPSB. AIKCU members like Kentucky Wesleyan College have always played a key role in preparing Kentucky educators, with 17 of 18 AIKCU member institutions currently offering teacher preparation programs. As Kentucky strives to meet its evolving teacher workforce needs, it’s critical for AIKCU to have a knowledgeable and thoughtful leader like Dr. Cousins representing the independent college sector at the state level.”

Kentucky Wesleyan College launches new music industry degree program

Kentucky Wesleyan College is excited to announce the launch of the bachelor of arts in music industry degree, a collaboration between three award-winning, nationally recognized KWC programs, beginning in the fall 2023 semester. Students who select this degree will take an interdisciplinary approach in their major courses, combining areas of music, business and communication arts (media).

“The curriculum has been thoughtfully crafted to combine theoretical and practical learning opportunities that will prepare students to be well-rounded thinkers, creatives and leaders in a variety of professional music settings. Some may go on to become entrepreneurs; there are a myriad of possibilities,” said Dr. Lisa Clark, music program coordinator. The program will prepare students for diverse futures in the workforce in the creative arts in areas such as music retail, music publishing, the media industry and the business side of music.

“We are equipping students with an immense array of tools, and they will be well prepared to thrive in an ever-changing industry,” said Dr. Patrick Stuckemeyer, assistant professor of music and director of bands.

Kentucky Wesleyan to host community event celebrating creative gifts

Kentucky Wesleyan College will host “Calling the Creatives,” a campus and community event featuring the talents and callings of local professors, professional and aspiring artists, on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.  The showcase will allow people of all ages the opportunity to hear from and meet with individuals called to creative vocations in visual art, vocal and instrumental music, creative writing, communication and performing arts.

The free event will take place on the KWC Quad, and the alternate weather location is the Jack T. Wells Activity Center. Grab-and-go snacks and water will be available throughout the day.

“This event will be transformational,” said Shawn Tomes, vice president of mission and culture at KWC. “Everyone is created with unique gifts and callings. Discovery and use these gifts and callings brings meaning, fulfillment and joy to our lives, and we can more powerfully impact our communities.”

Kentucky Wesleyan hosts presentation on “Nicotine and Vaping Awareness”

Kentucky Wesleyan College will host a special presentation, “Nicotine and Vaping Awareness,” on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 7 p.m. at the Jack T. Wells Activity Center at 3300 Frederica St. Robert Hackenson, a renowned professional speaker and ‘edutainer’ with Dynamic Presentations will speak. Hackenson says, “It is more than just what you say, it’s how the message is delivered.” His presentations are interactive, educational and inspirational, and he keeps audiences engaged with theatrics and magic.

The event is made possible through a Community Health Investment Grant at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital and is open to the public and campus community. Community partners Owensboro Health HealthPark and Outpatient Pharmacy and Green River District Health Department will be on site with information and resources for nicotine cessation products. Hackenson will provide an additional presentation the following day for the campus community exclusively.

KWC is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for students, faculty, staff and visitors. The College enacted a smoke-free policy in 2011 and a tobacco-free policy in 2020. Noting the increased use of vaping products, which contain greater amounts of nicotine–up to twice that of cigarettes–KWC is proactively educating individuals about risks and providing accessibility to products for those interested in quitting. Kentucky is one of five states with the highest rate of e-cigarette usage in the country, and vaping is popular with the 18-29 age group; launching a program to address nicotine use was the logical next step.

Wanderlust 2023: The Wesleyan-Brescia Travel Abroad Adventure

By Todd Richardson
Student Success Coach
Director, Student Success Center

Mountains greeted us as we stepped off the plane in Queenstown, New Zealand. A draft of chill air rushed over me, a kind of chorus that whispered, “Go wander.” I forgot myself for a moment, jaw dropping wide in what (as I later saw on a student’s social media post) was the physical embodiment of wanderlust: I am living in a dream. 

The Remarkables, as the mountain range is called in English, were the first of many awe-inspiring experiences of the Brescia-Wesleyan Travel Abroad Program. Their snow-capped peaks, granite stubble and cold winds accompanied our every adventure in New Zealand. They watched as we raced through a canyon on a shot-over jet boat, spinning 540s in a glacial stream, dousing us in frigid waters, a kind of baptism we entered dry and returned soaking wet, lips blue and grinning despite the cold. The mountains escorted us along sites made famous by Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Ring”s trilogy (and conjured many a LOTR quote from our fellowship as we oooed and awwed along our tour of living Middle Earth). They nestled around us as we four-wheeled down canyons and panned for gold on the last continent settled by the human race.

Kentucky Wesleyan College named to The Princeton Review’s “2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region” for 20th consecutive year

Kentucky Wesleyan College is one of eight Kentucky institutions named to Princeton Review’s “2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region.” The other institutions include Bellarmine University, Berea College, Centre College, Kentucky State University, Transylvania University, the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. Kentucky Wesleyan has earned this recognition for 20 consecutive years.

“Kentucky Wesleyan College has been committed to student education for over 165 years,” said Dr. Thomas Mitzel, president of KWC. “This recognition, for which we are honored, is a reflection of the dedication of our faculty, our staff and the surrounding community of Owensboro. I am humbled to work with such an enthusiastic and devoted ‘family.’”

The 630 colleges and universities included in the listing are located in seven zones-Northeast, South, Southwest, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, West and International (outside the United States). According to the website, The Princeton Review considers these colleges to be academically outstanding and well worth consideration in a college search.