Baseball wins school-record 36 games
The Panther nine won a school record 36 games during the 2016 season. The previous mark of 34 was eclipsed on May 11 with a 5-2 win over Ohio Valley in the G-MAC tournament in Mason, OH. #TheWesleyanWay
Read more about this accomplishment here.
Over 1,000 visit Wesleyan on Homecoming weekend
Homecoming is always an exciting time at Kentucky Wesleyan, but on October 14-15, over 1,000 alumni, friends, and prospective students enjoyed Homecoming festivities, Fall Family Weekend, and Panther Preview Day.
Men’s Basketball Wins G-MAC conference championship/Advances to NCAA Tournament
In March, the Wesleyan Men’s Basketball team finished No. 9 in the final weekly National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II men’s Top 25 basketball poll after winning the G-MAC regular season and conference championships, securing the school’s first NCAA Tournament bid since 2012.
Read more about this achievement here.
On Nov. 29, Wesleyan received $147,472 in charitable gifts during the second annual Giving Tuesday effort – a 30 percent increase over last year’s total of $113,054. The fundraising effort was preceded by the second annual Wesleyan Way Day of Service, which included 320 hours of community service throughout the community.
Read more about this tremendous effort here.
Office of Advancement Earns ten Statewide Awards
Wesleyan’s Office of Advancement earned ten statewide awards, including the top GRAND AWARD for Best Overall Fundraising Practices, from the Kentucky chapter of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) at their annual conference in Louisville.
Read more about these accomplishments here.
Wesleyan’s Diane Earle Honored with Endowed Scholarship
On Aug. 31, Kentucky Wesleyan College and the Owensboro community honored and surprised Dr. Diane Earle at Opening Convocation with the announcement of an endowed scholarship for music students in her name.
President Barton D. Darrell remarked, “Her talent and work ethic have combined to make her an internationally renowned pianist who has brought great distinction not only to Kentucky Wesleyan College, but also to our community, state and nation. But Dr. Earle is, incredibly, so much more. Our students are influenced by her intellect, experiences, passion for music and, as anyone who knows Dr. Earle knows – her love and enjoyment of people and life.”
Learn more about Dr. Earle and this scholarship here.
Inaugural President’s Gala a Huge Success
On April 22, Kentucky Wesleyan hosted the inaugural President’s Gala at the Owensboro Convention Center, to celebrate the 2015-16 academic year and recognize members of the President’s Circle, the school’s $1,000 annual giving society. The landmark event, presented by Owensboro Health, included a festive reception, plated dinner with wine pairings, remarks from President Bart Darrell and live music from The Downtown Band out of Nashville.
Join us April 21, 2017 for the second annual President’s Gala! More information coming soon!
Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics Unveils new Logos
On Friday, Aug. 26, the Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletic Department launched its new visual identity with the unveiling of new logos and branding elements at the weekly Friday After 5 event, Owensboro’s popular weekly summer music festival which saw record attendance that evening.
To read more about the new athletic marks, click here.
Legendary Sports Information Director Roy Pickerill Retires
In June, legendary Sports Information Director Roy Pickerill ’75, who recently completed his 41st year at the college, announced his plans to step down from his current role. He remains at the college as a Special Assistant for College Relations, serving as an ambassador for alumni relations, development, and public relations efforts as part of the advancement division.
“This is a great opportunity for me as I will be able to serve every aspect of Kentucky Wesleyan College in an ambassador type role and serve as a resource to advance our future,” Pickerill stated.
Read more about Roy’s legendary career and plans for the future here.
President Bart Darrell signs 5-year contract extension
On Aug. 11, President Barton D. Darrell agreed to a five-year contract extension through 2021.
“We could not be happier with the direction of the College under the visionary leadership of President Darrell,” said Dr. Tom Grieb, chair of the Board of Trustees. “His energy, enthusiasm and passion for Wesleyan, along with his ability to think strategically and work collaboratively with other great talent at the College, is taking us places Wesleyan has not seen before.”
Learn more about the outstanding leadership of President Darrell here.
Wesleyan Receives $3 million gift to General Scholarship Fund
In October, the College announced a generous gift of over $3 million from the late Dr. Willard T. Gillespie to the school’s General Scholarship Fund. Dr. Gillespie, a long-time Owensboro resident and dentist, passed away on July 28, 2016. Dr. Gillespie’s gift under his Last Will reflects his passionate commitment to Kentucky Wesleyan and his strong desire to make a significant impact on the College.
Learn more about this incredible gift here.
Kentucky Wesleyan earns Top 15 Ranking from U.S. News and World Report
This fall, Kentucky Wesleyan College earned national acclaim from three prominent publications, including a #13 ranking from U.S. News and World Report on its list of Best Regional Colleges in the South.