Class Notes

In the midst of a global pandemic, life goes on and wedding bells ring

by Summer Crick '14

The love story of Austin '20, (from Louisville, Ky.), and Annie-Grace (Marker) Trammell '20, (from Parkersburg, W.V.), began at Kentucky Wesleyan. Assigned to the same freshman orientation class, they were close friends by their sophomore year, became an item and were well on their way to a senior year engagement.

"Something just suddenly clicked with me, and I realized what we had was something special and more than a friendship," Austin shared.

They enjoyed involvement in Campus Ministries, serving as resident assistants and exploring as Wesleyan Fellows - Austin conducting math research and coding (computer programming to create active learning lessons and problems for Dr. Justin Trulen's use in various math courses) under Dr. Trulen, and Annie-Grace in chemistry under Dr. Krystal (Teasley) Hamorsky '04. Her project involved research to create a flavivirus biosensor which would ideally function to detect flaviviruses in serum.

Austin was also the Wesley N. Panther mascot all four years. "I loved representing KWC. It was fun to fuel the crowd's imagination about who could be in that Panther suit," Austin remembered.

Unlike the countless Wesleyan sweethearts who preceded them, Austin and Annie-Grace finalized their "life after college" plans in the midst of a global pandemic. Despite much of the world coming to a standstill, life kept moving forward for Annie-Grace and Austin.

The couple's senior year ended abruptly as the pandemic evolved. After leaving campus in March, Austin scrambled to finish his student teaching hours, and Annie-Grace returned home to West Virginia and finished the semester remotely. Then they learned Commencement would be a virtual event, rather than the face-to-face ceremony they had envisioned.

"We wish our senior year had ended differently, especially graduation, but we appreciated that the College took proper measures to keep everyone safe," the couple shared. "We didn't get to walk across the stage, but at the end of the day, we could still say we had successfully completed four strenuous years at Wesleyan, and we were healthy."

A June wedding date was already on the calendar, and they had tough decisions to make. The couple condensed their list of wedding attendees to immediate family and the bridal party.

"The change of venue and smaller size allowed us to enjoy a much more intimate wedding – something we genuinely cherished," Annie-Grace recalled. "We celebrated with those closest to us, and it was just what we needed; the perfect wedding we had never anticipated."

After the wedding, it was time for the next steps in real world living. The Trammells moved to Starkville, Miss., where Annie-Grace attends Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, and Austin is an eighth grade math teacher.

Entering the classroom as a new educator during this challenging time includes unique stressors, but Austin sees a silver lining in the situation.

Story continues on page 24

The career of former Wesleyan pitcher Henry Ayres was featured in the Dubois County Herald in Indiana. He retired 20 years ago as athletic director at Heritage Hills High School and was inducted to the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.

Wesleyan sweethearts Bill and Gerry (Beard) Jones celebrated 60 years of marriage this year.

1970

Dr. John C. Settle Jr. retired on July 31 after a 50-year career in education.

1980

Michael Wade was promoted to program director for the University of Louisville's Master of Accountancy program.

1981

Ivan Corbin was appointed senior pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Homestead, Fla. Ivan is also president of the Historical Society of the United Methodist Church and will begin serving as the chairperson of the Florida Conference Commission on Archives and History in October. He and his wife, Debbie, welcomed their second grandchild in April and are expecting their third in October.

1982

Chris Duke received the Founder's Award from Doing Good at Work for his commitment to recognizing and thanking his customers. Chris is the owner of Anna's Gourmet Goodies in Raleigh, N.C.

Mike Hamilton retired after 33 years as a distinguished teacher and coach in the Daviess County Public Schools. Mitch Settle and his team at The Settle Group-Baird Private Wealth Management were recognized by both Barron's (10th straight year) and Forbes (second straight year) magazines as being a top financial advisor in Kentucky for 2020. Mitch is a trustee emeritus and has been inducted into the Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Hall of Fame.

1984

Doug Hoyt was named CEO of Wendell Foster in July.

President Emeritus Barton D. Darrell, J.D., joined Foreman Watson Holtrey, LLP in Owensboro, Ky., in July as a co-managing partner.

1985

Chris Stallings was named Girls' Basketball Coach of the Year by the Louisville CourierJournal. Chris is the head coach at Bullitt East High School.

1986

Kelly (Blanford) Schneider was named one of Evansville's Top 20 Women in Business by the Junior League of Evansville, Ind.

1988

Rev. John Wesley Bowl-

ing published an e-book, "Rascals, Rogues & Renegades of the Old Testament."

1990

Carl Tipton was recognized for his generosity towards a homeless veteran in Seminole County, Fla.

Chris Winnecke was featured in the Owensboro MessengerInquirer in August about his passion for powerlifting.

1992

Travis Chaney recently returned to the director's chair for the Theatre Workshop of Owensboro's production of "Dear Edwina."

1993

Trustee Greg Risch was named president and CEO of Gibbs Die Casting in Henderson, Ky., and appointed to Field & Main Bank's Board of Directors. He was interviewed on CNN in May regarding the unemployment situation in Kentucky and also featured in the Wall Street Journal.

1998

Brian Benjamin was named the virtual academy director for Owensboro Public Schools. In addition to his new role, Brian will continue to serve as the assistant principal at Owensboro High School.

2000

Ryan Emmick was named director of transportation, maintenance and school safety with the Butler County Schools in Kentucky.

2001

Dr. M. McCray Ashby

was recently promoted to the position of director of medical integration and training for innovaTel Telepsychiatry. After graduating from KWC, Dr. Ashby completed his medical degree from the University of Louisville in 2005 and works as a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

Miranda Christy was named in Nashville Business Journal's 2020 Best of the Bar.

2003

Dr. Jenny (Paris) Jackson began a new position as the senior director of provider enrollment and onboarding at Community Health Systems in the Greater Nashville area.

Nic Vasilchek recently earned his master's degree in education in learning and technology from Western Governor's University. Nic was captain of the football team at KWC and is a teacher and head football coach at Mount Vernon High School in Washington. In the last season, Nic led Mount Vernon to its first back-to-back state playoff appearances.

2004

Zach Hibbs was named district assessment coordinator for the Christian County Public Schools.

2005

Lauren (Werner) Lee

was named 2020 Realtor of the Year by the Greater Owensboro Realty Association. Lauren is a realtor at RE/MAX in Owensboro, Ky.

2008

Trustee Elizabeth (Mauzy) Martin was named Best Optometrist in the Sixth Annual Best of Owensboro Living Awards.

2009

Trevor Banks was named head men's soccer coach at Chicago State University. Matt Ruark and his wife, Rebecca McQueen-Ruark, began the journey to becoming parents through adoption.

2010

Emily King was promoted to outreach and engagement coordinator at the Center for Behavioral Health in Louisville, Ky.

Brandon Cox was named marketing director of the Lynn Group in Texas.

2011

Clay Booth graduated with honors from the Department of Criminal Justice Training Academy. Clay is now a deputy at the Daviess County Sheriff's Department.

Bartley Weaver IV

was selected to participate in NBC's Titan Games. The first episode premiered May 25.

Wesleyan sweethearts Carl Sims and Mariah Wise '18 were married in Bowling Green, Ky.

2012

Hayley A. Chrzastowski was recently featured for her work as an occupational therapist in Spotsylvania, Va. She was also published in the Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing for her research on the development of babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Jake Pepper was named vice president of commercial banking/branch manager at Planters Bank in Princeton, Ky.

2013

Emily Ann Hayden earned a Ph.D. in criminal justice from the University of Louisville. Dr. Hayden is an assistant professor at Campbellsville University.

Cassandra Best was named Morehead State University Ed Tech Doctoral Student of the Year. Heath Williams and his wife, Alissa, welcomed their first child, McKinley, in August.

Kelsey Jarboe was named the No. 1 Real Estate Agent on Social Media in Kentucky by PropertySpark.

2015

Shawn Kahre became an assistant baseball coach at Florida Southern College on Sept. 1.

Dr. Jordanne Gambill graduated from The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. Dr. Gambill will join Lakewood Family Dental in Indianapolis, Ind.

Linda (Albrecht) Au-

brey earned an MBA with a human resources emphasis and a master's degree in management from the Indiana Institute of Technology. Linda works as an HR specialist at Metalsa Company in Elizabethtown, Ky.

Matt Pobereyko announced his return to a professional baseball career in the American Association of Professional Baseball, where he pitches for the St. Paul Saints.

Mac Webb was named head football coach for Tell City High School in Indiana.

Stephanie (Pearson) Charville married Zachary Charville in April and earned her MBA from Brescia University in May.

Achievements in Teaching

Allie (Cripps) Lindow '11, Laura (Spencer) Murphy '09 and Paul Bates '95 were the recipients of 2020 Campbellsville University Excellence in Teaching Awards. Murphy was one of 24 Kentucky educators to receive the 2021 Valvoline Teacher Achievement Award, and the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer featured Lindow in a recent article about the outstanding efforts of local educators during COVID-19.

Kate Dishion and James Graham were recently married in Lexington, Ky.

Skyler Stewart

earned a master of public administration degree from Western Kentucky University.

2016

Dominique Caminos-Davis was promoted to senior client partner at Core Strengths in Texas. Dominique is the lead salesperson and facilitator for the company. She was also accepted into the Master of Counseling program at St. Edward's University.

2018

Amanda Donnelly was named Mahr Park Arboretum's first environmental educator. Amanda will be responsible for developing and providing environmental and naturebased educational programs, activities and field trips at the arboretum in Madisonville, Ky.

Crystal Hopkins '18

started a new position as intake and documentation specialist at S2 Medical Supply, LLC.

2020

Wesleyan sweethearts Sierra Morrow and Michael McGee were married in July.

We love to share your stories!

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alumni@kwc.edu

Office of Alumni Relations

3000 Frederica St Owensboro, KY 42301 You may also submit Class Notes information online at

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"In the midst …" from page 20

"Schedules and plans change by the hour in an effort to keep everyone safe, but I find it rewarding to help give students a sense of stability," Austin shared. "They need to know they are valued at school after returning from a five-month spring break. I honestly feel much more prepared to adapt to changes and find myself being a much more patient teacher than I may have been prior to COVID-19."

Now that life is calming down somewhat for the newlyweds, they have reflected on what it means to be new alumni of Kentucky Wesleyan College.

For Austin, it's staying connected.

"I meet regularly on Zoom with Eddie Kenny, vice president of advancement; I love hearing about Wesleyan's growth and changes, and I genuinely look up to Eddie as a mentor and friend. I also love representing Wesleyan in my classroom with pennants, foam fingers and coffee mugs."

For Annie-Grace, it's all about being a shining example of The Wesleyan Way.

"I want to do my best to honor what Wesleyan instilled in me. I had so many supporters as a student, and I want to make them proud and show them I'm using the skills and knowledge I learned there."

Austin earned a B.S. in mathematics with a secondary education certification. AnnieGrace earned a B.S. in biology and chemistry. Photo credit: Engagement photo taken by Lesley Bohrer

We extend our congratulations to this year's honorees and offer our deepest gratitude for their commitment to the mission of our College.

Barton D. Darrell '84, J.D. President Emeritus

Introduced The Wesleyan Way with infectious enthusiasm, vigorous leadership and love for his alma mater Co-managing partner Foreman Watson Holtrey, LLP

Joel Utley '74

Long-time investor and Voice of the Panthers for 59 years

2020 Alumni Awards

Outstanding Alumnus Mitch Major '92

Senior Vice President Supply Chain l AutoZone Member, Kentucky Wesleyan College Board of Trustees

Alumni Achievement Award Adam Hancock '05

Managing Shareholder/ President l Riney Hancock CPAs PSC

Gus E. Paris Distinguished Service Award Dr. Gene Tice

Former Interim President Kentucky Wesleyan College

Outstanding Young Graduate Award Dr. Kyle Blackburn '10

Neurologist/ Assistant Professor of Neuroimmunology l University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Member, Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Association Board of Directors

Alumni Service Award Dr. BC Childress '05

Director, Outpatient Pharmacy Services l Owensboro Health

Past President, Kentucky Wesleyan College Alumni Association Board of Directors

Member, Kentucky Wesleyan College Board of Trustees

Honorary Alumna Jennifer "Miss Jennifer" Taylor

Member, Kentucky Wesleyan Dining Service staff for 36 years