KWC provost selected for prestigious fellowship
Mar. 25—James Cousins, provost for Kentucky Wesleyan College, has been selected for the 2023 Robert L. Platzman Memorial Fellowship by the University of Chicago Library, and he will use that opportunity to continue work on his second book.
"During the fellowship, researchers will go to the campus and make use of the collections they have there," Cousins said. "I'm most interested in the archives on the University of Chicago itself."
The fellowship has produced great research in the past, Cousins said. According to the University of Chicago Library website, there have been 166 visiting scholars since the program began in 2006.
"It's not just the promise of a published book, but that it will receive wide viewing," Cousins said. "The only way I'd be able to complete this book is with the time and resources available through Platzman."
Cousins' book is centered around the history of the American college presidency. He began writing the book four years ago and anticipates it being completed early 2024.
"I am interested in stories on things that have been lost," he said. "There's been a ripple effect that modern life has taken for granted. The position (of college president) is a reflection of generations built up on expectations."
The position of a college president used to be more significant in the lives of Americans, Cousins said.
"They were something like celebrities," he said. "A high profile president brought a lot of attention to the town and campus. They served as prominent heads of state. But as the country grows, so do the expectations."
Cousins' book is mostly centered around the early 19th century, with a large focus on the "fast rise and slow decline" of influence.
"There was a lot of power and influence during that period and the 80 years that followed," he said. "In the last 30 to 40 years, that has changed. The intellectual authority became submerged under the ponderous weight of responsibilities."
Cousins said it's an important reminder of original American aspirations and what has been lost.
The first book by Cousins was a profile on Horace Holley, who served as president of Transylvania University in Lexington from 1818 to 1827.
Cousins will be participating in the fellowship in the summer.
In a press release sent by KWC on Tuesday, President Thomas Mitzel said the college is excited that Cousins received the fellowship.
"His scholarship and leadership have been invaluable to our institution, and we look forward to the contributions he will make to the field of higher education through his research as a Platzman Fellow," he said.
Cousins has served as provost since 2021. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky and has been published on various topics related to American higher education.
