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…)
Written by Peggie (Pratt) Stewart ’73
Before Black Student Unions existed on college campuses, before DEI programs, and before there were dedicated outlets for students of color, Pamela (Wade) Watkins ’77 stepped onto the campus of Kentucky Wesleyan College. Over the next four years, she earned a bachelor of science degree in sociology, minored in psychology, and laid the foundation for an impressive career in government service.
After college, Pam joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and was assigned to FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. During her 16-year tenure in government service, she worked at the Los Angeles Field Office, the Riverside Resident Agency (RIVRA) in Riverside, California, and the Terrorist Screening Center (TSC), a division of the National Security Branch of the FBI in Washington, D.C.
While assigned to RIVRA, Pam pursued further education, earning an Associate of Science degree in Computer Programming. Her commitment to lifelong learning continued when she obtained a Master of Science degree in Information Systems from Strayer University in 2005. Later in her career, Pam transitioned to the Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center in Riverside, California, where she served as a Project Analyst, overseeing and maintaining the operating room database.
Pam retired from Kaiser Permanente in 2018 and now resides in Redlands, Calif., with her husband, Stacey Watkins. (more…)
Kentucky Wesleyan College has announced a pivotal milestone in its history with application for accreditation level change, paving the way for the launch of its new Master of Business Administration (MBA) program. This represents a strategic expansion of the College’s academic offerings and reinforces the commitment to meeting the educational and professional needs of students and the community.
The change in accreditation level is subject to approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and will allow Kentucky Wesleyan College to confer master’s degrees for the first time in its 166-year history.
“This is a special moment that was years in the making. I’m grateful to the faculty and staff who made it possible,” said President James Cousins. “Our Master of Business Administration program will meet the needs of our students and fuel economic growth across the region. Other programs are in the making, and we’re thrilled to build upon our mission to deliver academic excellence and life-changing opportunities.”
Visit Graduate Admissions
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The Kentucky Wesleyan Singers will host and perform with the Chuck Nation Band, called “the South’s best Bluegrass band,” on Feb. 20 and 21 at 7 p.m. in the Jack T. Wells ’77 Activity Center at 3300 Frederica St.
The band will begin the concert with their own set of original and traditional Bluegrass tunes and the Kentucky Wesleyan Singers will then join the band for the performance of “Come Away to the Skies: A High, Lonesome Mass” with Visiting Assistant Professor Patrick Ritsch conducting. He is director of Choral Activities and Music Education.
Written by Tim Sharp and Wes Ramsay, “Come Away to the Skies” is an extraordinary piece of sacred music transcending time, geography and genre. This setting of the Ordinary of the Roman Mass combines American frontier folk hymns from the “Sacred Harp” and “Southern Harmony” in a bluegrass idiom. The folk hymns used come primarily from the Scots-Irish theological and musical traditions found uniquely in the American South and published in these hymn collections. Such hymn collections flourished throughout the American South in the mid-nineteenth century and are repositories of some of the greatest hymns of that era. (more…)
Kentucky’s 18 independent, nonprofit colleges and universities contributed $2.06 billion to the state and local economies, according to a report released by the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU). Kentucky Wesleyan College’s economic impact was measured at $54.7 million according to the report. Brescia University’s economic impact was reported at $33 million. Together, contributing of $87.7 million in purchasing power.
AIKCU announced the results of a study of its member institutions for Fiscal Year 2021-22, the most recent period for which data was available at the time of completion. The total economic impact of a university can be measured in terms of the direct and induced economic impact of a university’s activity on the local economy.
“We are proud to be a part of Owensboro’s story, and we know that our impact is amplified by Brescia University,” said KWC President Dr. James Cousins. “The recent AIKCU report underscores this point. While KWC’s individual impact stands at $54.7 million, these numbers represent more than just dollars and cents. They reflect a shared commitment educating future leaders, inspiring innovation, and supporting the future of Owensboro and Daviss County.” (more…)
Online Business Administration Degree Program again earns national recognition
Kentucky Wesleyan College’s online bachelor’s degree program has earned national recognition from U.S. News & World Report for the tenth straight year as a 2025 Best Online Program. Wesleyan’s online business administration degree program also earned recognition as a Best Online Bachelor’s in Business Program in the 2025 rankings.
Current KWC students enrolled in online degree programs are residents of 15 states and several are military personnel stationed in other countries.
“We take pride in helping our online students reach their goals and fulfill their dreams,” said Lindsey (Adcock) Crowe ’02, director of online learning. “They are part of the Wesleyan family and receive the same personal attention and encouragement our on-campus students experience.”
U.S. News assessed schools based on four categories: engagement, services and technology, faculty credentials and training and peer assessment. (more…)