Cousins embraces role as president of KWC

Dr. James Cousins stepped into the role as president of Kentucky Wesleyan College (KWC) last week and described his transition as “busy, but exciting” from the role of provost and vice president of academic affairs, a position he held since 2021.

“There’s a lot to do even though we don’t have in-person classes during the summer,” he said. “But there’s plenty to do to prepare for classes to start in the fall.”

The college announced in April that Cousins would take on the role of president after the retirement of Dr. Thomas Mitzel. Cousins officially transitioned into the position on July 1.

Cousins said that he is optimistic about the college’s future, explaining that enrollment for the fall semester is planned to be right at 800 on-campus students which is typical for the school’s fall semester. Seeing those typical enrollment numbers puts KWC on target financially, though Cousins said the school can be more fiscally proactive by having proper contingency plans in place.

“At this point, we’re not targeting a huge growth in numbers. We’re focused on a more slow and steady growth process so we can keep the integrity of the college and not lose what KWC is known to offer,” Cousins said.

And what exactly is KWC known for?

According to Cousins, the school’s biggest strength is KWC’s emphasis on family and community.

“KWC has always and will continue to value and target students from the Owensboro, Daviess County area,” Cousins said. “KWC’s strengths have always been emphasizing a quality education while holding value in personal interactions and face-to-face engagement and instruction.”

Cousins said that by maximizing the success of the students, he hopes to keep the goals and visions of the school intact during his tenure as president.

In order to continue with the school’s mission, Cousins has been instrumental in helping the school develop both a strategic plan and a campus master plan which haven’t been utilized in the institution for numerous years.

“I’ve worked to initiate and develop these plans brought about by concerns from the campus community and intent to utilize them going forward,” Cousins explained. “We want to make sure we stay focused on meeting the needs of everyone in the campus community which doesn’t just include students, but the staff, trustees and alumni as well. Everyone is valuable to the success of KWC.”

And continuing with the theme of community and family, Cousins wants to make himself and his family more visible on campus to show support for the students and the school’s extracurricular teams and organizations.

“As president, it’s my job to be the face of the school, so I have to be a fixture on campus for the students. In addition, the front lawn of president’s house is going to be integral in hosting club activities and events for the students. My family and I will attend as many school events as we can and students and staff will even see us in the dining hall chatting and having fun.”

Cousins explained that acting as provost helped to provide him with valuable experience to make the transition into president a more smooth adjustment.

“There’s a lot of crossover between the roles which is a strength though it’s difficult to let go of some of my old responsibilities and accept the transition,” he said. “Obviously, I’m more front and center as president and I’m sure I’ll see a much more dramatic and profound difference once students begin arriving for fall classes.”

Overall, Cousins said that the “big picture” for the school’s future looks promising.

“We’re focusing more on retention, bringing back those students from last year. Right now, our analytics look great and we’re slowly trending upward financially from previous years,” Cousins said.

And, unlike some schools, Cousins explained that KWC isn’t focusing more on online classes because attending school online doesn’t match the college’s goal of promoting a quality education based on being on campus, working directly with staff and professors and forming quality, long-lasting relationships with the members of the campus community.

“Our online class offerings reflect the school’s goals and are primarily offered more as completion programs geared towards local individuals who might have had some college and want to find a trusted partner to help them complete their education,” Cousins said. “Our online courses are doing well, even as a smaller program, and growing intentionally as we’re all still mindful of keeping the student experience a valuable part of KWC’s mission.”

Cousins said that he wants to settle into his role as president and the beginning of the fall semester before he considers any big, immediate changes on campus.

“These leadership changes are enough of a change at the moment,” he said. “We will just need to digest the changes and utilize the three-year campus master plan and continue trending upward into the future.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing KWC grow while continuing to build a sense of campus culture and community. Ultimately, we’re all just custodians of the college by the grace of God, and we’re here to preserve the traditions and legacies we’ve been entrusted with. We can only do our best and continue to focus on what really matters — the students.”