News

Kentucky Wesleyan to host presentation on suicide prevention and mental health

Kentucky Wesleyan College will host Josh Rivedal, an author, playwright and actor, who will speak on suicide prevention and mental health on April 3 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Wells Activity Center at 3300 Frederica St. The event is free and open to the public. April 3-6 is Every Life Matters, Suicide Awareness and Prevention Week at KWC. This event and other activities during the week have been planned and coordinated by the Every Life Matters Committee chaired by Simon Hanson ’23 and funded by student organizations.

In his presentation, “From Impossible to i’Mpossible: Suicide Prevention 2.0,” he will discuss the loss of his father to suicide, his own depression and suicidal ideation while in college and how he got help. He will also address why people think of suicide, risk factors, signs and symptoms of suicidal thinking and how to intervene if someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts. The session will close with a question and answer period. Resources from the speaker and Owensboro Suicide Prevention Coalition will be available.

Kentucky Wesleyan hosts Owensboro Area World Affairs Council program on “Boss Ladies Without Borders”

Kentucky Wesleyan College will host an Owensboro Area World Affairs Council presentation by Dr. John Johnson, “Boss Ladies Without Borders,” on March 30 at 7 p.m. in Rogers Hall at the Winchester Center. He will discuss overcoming barriers to female entrepreneurship with evidence from his research in Ukraine and Mexico.

Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in intercultural education with a focus on leadership and a masters in human resource management. He conducted his dissertation in Ukraine in the 1990s, collecting data onsite for 18 months before his doctoral defense in California.

He has founded three companies with a focus on publishing and research. The largest company had 21 employees based in five countries and was at Launch Fishers, the preeminent tech entrepreneurship center in Indiana.

Kentucky Wesleyan to host President’s Gala April 28

Eighth annual celebration to feature Felix And Fingers Dueling Pianos, live and silent auctions

Kentucky Wesleyan College and President Dr. Thomas and Rhonda Mitzel will host the Eighth Annual President’s Gala on Friday, April 28, at the Owensboro Convention Center. The celebration is open to all and will include recognition of members of the school’s 1858 Society and a celebration of the accomplishments of students made possible through the investment of alumni and friends.

The black-tie optional affair will begin with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. followed by dinner, live and silent auctions, and live entertainment with Felix And Fingers Dueling Pianos. KWC alumnus and Kentucky Sports Radio personality Ryan Lemond ’89 will serve as master of ceremonies and auctioneer.

“We are thankful for the support provided by alumni and friends of the College and delighted to share our appreciation through this annual celebration,” said Vice President of Advancement Eddie Kenny. “Each year the President’s Gala gets bigger and better, and 2023 will be the best yet. We look forward to a fun-filled evening as we showcase our investors’ impact on our students and enjoy dueling pianos and fantastic auction items.”

Kentucky Wesleyan College’s provost, Dr. James Cousins, receives prestigious fellowship from University of Chicago Library

Kentucky Wesleyan College announces that its provost, Dr. James Cousins, has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Robert L. Platzman Memorial Fellowship by the University of Chicago Library. The fellowship will provide Dr. Cousins with the opportunity to complete his next book, a history of the American college presidency.

The Robert L. Platzman Memorial Fellowship is a highly competitive and esteemed award that is presented annually to a select number of researchers, scholars and writers who are dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research and producing innovative work in their respective fields. As a Platzman Fellow, Dr. Cousins will have access to the world-renowned resources and collections of the University of Chicago Library, which is recognized as one of the leading research libraries in the world.

“I am honored to receive the Robert L. Platzman Memorial Fellowship and grateful for the opportunity to conduct research at the University of Chicago Library,” said Dr. Cousins. “I look forward to delving deeper into the rich history of the American college presidency and using this fellowship to further my scholarship in this field.”

Kentucky Wesleyan College’s Theatre Program Presents “Chess the Musical”

The Kentucky Wesleyan College Theatre Program will present “Chess the Musical” Mar. 23-25 at 7 p.m. and a Mar. 26 matinee at 2 p.m. in the Jack Wells Activity Center on campus.

Each performance will be an evening of high hair and amazing music at the height of the Cold War. This groundbreaking rock musical uses the ancient game of chess as a metaphor for romantic rivalries, competitive gamesmanship, super-power politics and international intrigue. From Bangkok to Budapest, the players, lovers, politicians and spies manipulate and are manipulated to the pulse of a monumental score that includes “One Night in Bangkok,” “Heaven Help My Heart,” and “Where I Want to Be” with lyrics by Tim Rice and music from the band Abba’s Alvaeus and Anderson.

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Kentucky Wesleyan celebrates International Women’s Day #TheWesleyanWay

We had another incredible year highlighting a dozen incredible #WomenOfWesleyan for International Women’s Day 2023. Our features included alumni and friends from a variety of ages and backgrounds and career paths including nonprofit leadership, medicine, entrepreneurship and so much more. Enjoy this look back on this year’s #WomenOfWesleyan and let us know who we should feature next year at alumni@kwc.edu.

Why I Give – Professor Dennis Jewett

“As the faculty trustee, I attended finance committee meetings and observed the dedicated work of our trustees to support and ensure the College’s financial viability with generosity and commitment. I decided to have an amount deducted from my paycheck each month to support the ongoing work of KWC. That way I could do a small part to support the College and not feel a reduction in my budget. This is a convenient and meaningful way to support the institution in which I believe.”

                       – Dennis Jewett

Why did you join the faculty at KWC?
“When Dr. Craig Turner came to KWC as president in 2011, he was confronted with the College’s decision to close the Music Department and recommended that Paul Oakley and I join KWC to rejuvenate it. After we moved to Wesleyan, a total of 26 students from our college in North Carolina transferred here with us. While Covid years have been challenging, we are seeing a surge again in numbers of students in instrumental studies as well as in voice.”

Faculty Piano Recital March 19

Dr. Kevin Priebe, assistant professor of music at Kentucky Wesleyan College, will present a faculty piano recital on Sunday, March 19, 2023, at 3 p.m. in Tapscott Chapel in the Barnard-Jones Administration Building at KWC. The program will feature two classical piano sonatas by Beethoven.

The event is free and open to the public.

A Look Back at Black History Month: The Wesleyan Way 2023

“Kentucky Wesleyan College has a rich history of education. The College was founded by the Kentucky Methodists for the promotion of literature, science, morality and religion. Although a strong base for education, the College expanded due to diversifying needs of the nation to offer liberal arts education, integrating half the student body as teachers and business majors by the 1880s. KWC further diversified in the 1890s by becoming one of the first educational institutions in the United States to enroll women, a group that now makes up over 50% of enrollment in higher education. We are proud of our alignment with the United Methodist Church and are proud to offer educational and growth pathways to a diverse student body. We celebrated the diversity of our great nation and Kentucky Wesleyan College during February 2023. Enjoy this look back on some of the highlights of the month!” – President Dr. Thomas Mitzel

Black History Month: The Wesleyan Way, Dr. LaTasha Henry ’08

by Kathy Rutherman

LaTasha Henry, born and raised in Ashland, Ky., to hardworking parents, had two goals for her immediate post-high school life–to prepare for medical school and play college basketball. “I wanted to play ball, but I was realistic about my field of study and career goals,” she recalls. “I knew the best fit for me was a small college with a reputation for academic excellence, and that’s why I chose Wesleyan.”

She explains that access to care and lack of medical knowledge competency pervaded the community in which she was raised. “I saw family members as they were treated by some of the best . . . and not the best. My motivation originates from those observations.”

Dr. Henry says of the KWC science faculty, “I had one heck of a crew in my corner. Drs. Evelyn Hiatt and David Oetinger in biology, Dr. Bob and Nancy Flachskam and Drs. Henry Connor and W.L. Magnuson in chemistry-all the best. They were there for me every step of the way.”