Betty (McWhorter) Gissoni ’50 was a pioneering educator and advocate for the blind, whose lifelong work made a significant impact in Kentucky and beyond. After graduating from Kentucky Wesleyan College, she began her career by teaching English at Paint Lick High School, becoming one of the first blind teachers in Kentucky.
In 1952, Betty pursued graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, studying at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Philadelphia, where she became certified as a home teacher of the adult blind. In 1956, she returned to Kentucky and established a home teaching service for the blind. This model was later adopted by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1960, leading to the creation of a state home teaching service. (more…)
The Kentucky Wesleyan Music Department will host a concert with baritone Dr. Michael Preacely and pianist Dr. Diane Earle on March 17 at 7 p.m. in Tapscott Chapel in the Barnard-Jones Administration Building. The event is free, and the public is invited to attend. The program, made possible by the Helen Hart Fund, will include opera, musical theatre, art song and spirituals.
Dr. Preacely is a rising star on the operatic stage and is also known for a versatile singing ability and style that allows him to cross between genres from classical repertoire to pop, contemporary and Broadway. He has received critical acclaim for many of his performances, including Phantom in “Phantom of the Opera,” Scarpia in “Tosca,” Ford in “Falstaff,” Marcello in “La Boheme,” the High Priest in “Samson and Delilah” and Porgy and Jake in “Porgy and Bess.”
He has performed with many major and regional opera houses and orchestras in the United States and abroad. Recently, Dr. Preacely completed a European tour of “Porgy and Bess” where he received great reviews for his performance of both Porgy and Jake. He also toured Russia in a concert series with New York-based Opera Noire, debuted with Opera Memphis in the role of Marullo with a Rigoletto Cover and Opéra de Montréal in the role of Jake. Dr. Preacely made his debut with the Butler University Symphony Orchestra opposite world-famous soprano Angela Brown in a beloved performance of the “Porgy and Bess Suite.” Michael has performed with Cincinnati Opera, Opera Company Philadelphia, Opera Memphis, Kentucky Opera, Cleveland Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland and Bohème Opera of New Jersey. (more…)
Virginia “Shorty” (Harris) Combs ’22 was a pioneering figure in both education and athletics, whose legacy continues to inspire. She was the first female student-athlete at Kentucky Wesleyan College to earn postseason honors, helping lead the 1921 KWC Panthers girls’ basketball team to a state championship and earning All-State honors as a forward.
After graduation, Virginia continued her impact on sports by coaching the first girls’ basketball team at Whitesburg High School during the 1923-24 season, laying the foundation for future generations of female athletes. She was later inducted into the Kentucky High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 1997.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Virginia had a distinguished career in education. She taught English and journalism in the Letcher County School System for 40 years, founding the school’s newspaper and organizing clubs such as the Nurses Club and Beta Club at Whitesburg High School. She encouraged her students to better themselves through education, church involvement, and self-discipline. (more…)
“Much of what I’ve learned through my career has translated into my passion for philanthropy and volunteerism. I believe in using my time, resources and experience to uplift others, just as so many people did for me when I was a KWC student.
“When I moved back to Owensboro, I felt it was important to reinvest in the institution that played a big role in my life. Supporting KWC’s funds and initiatives has been a way to ensure future generations of students have access to the same opportunities I had.”
“I was a three-sport athlete at KWC; one year of basketball and four years of softball and volleyball.
“I’m honored to be a proud Kentucky Wesleyan alumna. My time at the College was foundational in shaping both my career and personal values, and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to give back to a place that gave me so much. (more…)
Coach Rod Drake ’84: An Unstoppable Journey of Resilience and Inspiration
by Brandon Cox ’10
Rod Drake’s journey began in Owensboro, Kentucky, where he was a standout player on Owensboro High School’s 1980 State Championship basketball team.
Originally set to play for Murray State University, fate had other plans. After returning from an official visit to MSU his senior year of high school, he learned that the Racers coach was interviewing for other jobs.
Soon after, Drake attended a Kentucky Wesleyan College (KWC) game at the Sportscenter. There, he met Coach Mike Polio and legendary broadcaster Joel Utley ’74, who painted a vivid picture of life at KWC and beyond.
“It turned out almost exactly how he predicted it,” Drake recalls with a smile. (more…)
Written by Dr. Jackie Fischer ’89
Most of us are familiar with Kentucky Wesleyan College’s history geographically; at the very least, we know that the College relocated to Owensboro in 1951 from Winchester, Ky. But…how many of us can say that we had family members employed at the Winchester campus?
Dr. Cassandra Best, a 2013 KWC graduate, has family roots running deeply back to KWC’s Winchester campus. Her Great Grandma Jackson and her daughter, Cassandra’s great aunt, both served as cooks on the Winchester campus. And the impact of the women in her family did not stop there.
Cassandra was raised by her single Mother, Pam Best, and her grandmother, Sandra (Jones) Parker, in a three-generation home near Fort Knox. They settled on Fort Knox, as many of her family members served in the military. She shares that she has always looked up to her mom and grandmother, who both stressed the importance of church, school, and education. “They worked hard to provide opportunities for me and I owe so much of my success to their willingness to ensure that I had the best possible experiences.” (more…)
Kentucky Wesleyan College’s FM radio station, WKWC 90.3, and the Keith and Vickie Sharber Communication Arts Program earned two prestigious awards at the Broadcast Education Association’s (BEA) “Festival of Media Arts,” announced February 11. KWC has competed and brought home awards for five consecutive years.
BEA is the premier international academic media organization, driving insights, excellence in media production and career advancement for educators, students and professionals. BEA is concerned with electronic media programs, placing an emphasis on interactions among the purposes, developments and practices of the industry and imparting this information to future professionals. The winners were selected from a pool of 2,285 entries, representing over 300 colleges and universities.
Communication arts majors Embry Burgess ’25 and Daylin Tolgo ’25 received third place in the Student Comedy or Drama competition. This category competed among examples of radio dramas and radio-theater type productions. Burgess and Tolgo produced a segment they wrote together in KWC’s audio production class within the Communication Arts Program and taught by Instructor and WKWC Manager Derik Hancock in 2024. (more…)
Enjoy this opportunity to get to know Steve ’90 and Greta (Pike) Roof ’89 and their enduring commitment to Kentucky Wesleyan College.
How the Wesleyan Sweethearts met.
Kelley Kramer, sister of KWC Vice President of Facilities & Executive Initiatives, Scott Kramer ’87, thought we should meet each other and introduced Greta and me (Steve) at an intramural basketball game in the old Quonset hut that is no longer standing. Thankfully, our relationship has lasted longer than the Quonset did.
How Wesleyan continues to play a role in their lives.
Wesleyan was our springboard into adulthood in many ways. It strengthened our Christian foundation that we had when we arrived, taught us to value other people and the importance of building relationships. We were also provided a strong academic background, which has led to successful careers in Physical Therapy (Greta) and Accounting/Management (Steve). These three things have been integral in our everyday lives both professionally and personally. (more…)