Kentucky Wesleyan College will celebrate Homecoming 2022 on campus and throughout the Owensboro community the weekend of Sept. 29-Oct. 2. The events and festivities will be held in conjunction with the KWC’s Fall Family Weekend and home football game. Dr. Randy Capps and Dr. Julie Gurwell will also be inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame.
New events for this year include:
- A Taste of the Arts on Thursday, Sept. 29, which will feature free live performances by KWC choir, theatre and band, as well as “tastes of Owensboro” and an art show
- The Pillars Lecture Series on Saturday, Oct. 1, which will include three Ted Talk-style lectures hosted by Provost Dr. James Cousins
Signature events for the weekend include:
- The 2nd Annual Panther Pride 5k presented by Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline on Oct. 1, which will offer a unique behind-the-scenes tour of Kentucky Wesleyan’s campus and a picturesque finish line in Steele Stadium
- The 2nd Annual Back Together Bash presented by Wesleyan Medical Practice on the front lawn on Oct. 1, which will feature four musical performances, food trucks, games and more
- The 2022 Alumni Hall of Fame and Awards Celebration presented by Independence Bank on Sept. 30, which will honor the 2022 Alumni Award recipients with the induction of Dr. Randy Capps ’57 (posthumously) and Dr. Julie Gurwell ’89 into the Alumni Hall of Fame
Other events include the Golden Jubilee 50th Reunion celebrations for the Class of 1972, the Silver Jubilee 25th Reunion celebrations for the Class of 1997, a Homecoming Worship Service, numerous home athletic events and much more.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our alumni back home to campus this year for Homecoming 2022,” said Summer (Crick) Aldridge, director of alumni relations. “We hope members of the community will join us on campus to enjoy the events and will welcome our alumni back to town when they spot them throughout the city that weekend.”
2022 Alumni Award Winners
Outstanding Alumnus – Jeff White ’72
Alumni Achievement Award – Antoine Poythress ’91
Outstanding Young Graduate Award – Wesley Whistle ’12
Roy Pickerill ’75 Alumni Service Award – David Ashburn ’87
Gus E. Paris Distinguished Service Award – Dr. Paula Dehn
Honorary Alumna – Anna Dixon-Skidmore
The Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Hall of Fame perpetuates the memory of those who have brought honor and distinction to the name and reputation of Kentucky Wesleyan College. The Class of 2022 features two uniquely successful individuals who have gained distinction in their careers and made a significant impact on the lives of others.
Dr. Randall Capps made a career of teaching, mentoring and leading. Capps began his career in education as an instructor in Western Kentucky University’s English Department in 1962. He became the university’s first Communications Department head in 1968. The department grew its program offerings and faculty count from eight to 50 by the time he left that role in 1994.
A 1982 experience working with General Motors executives helped him realize that higher education has much to offer the business world, and he founded Leadership Strategies, a consulting firm that helped organizations of all kinds improve their performance.
Capps published nine books on leadership and communication, and his honors included KWC Honorary Doctor of Humanities, KWC Outstanding Alumnus, Sigma Nu Hall of Honor, WKU Outstanding MBA teacher (twice) and Outstanding Global Advocate by the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County.
Dr. Julie A. Gurwell, PA-C, Ph.D., is a professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky. Gurwell has practiced in the Department of Neurology at the University of Kentucky since 2003, and her primary clinical interest focuses on treatment of movement disorders. She specializes in programming deep brain stimulators to treat Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor and dystonia. Her research concentrates on a translational research project evaluating potential restorative therapies in Parkinson’s disease.
She is the first physician assistant to be appointed as a faculty member at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. As director of advanced practice providers in the Neurology Department, she is committed to training and mentoring physician assistants and nurse practitioners and has developed a physician assistant neurology residency program.
Gurwell serves on the editorial board for Neurology Today and was the 2019 Alumni Achievement Award Winner at Kentucky Wesleyan College.
