9 minute read
A Sense of Belonging
by Ashley (Braun) Gendek '09, Assistant Professor of English
Kentucky Wesleyan College is no stranger to dynamic duos. Some notable husband/wife duos readers might recall include Dr. Henry Milton '22 and Nell (Ball) Pyles; Joe '56 and Margaret (Baggett) Britton '56; Billy Pat '60 and Ruthie (Hutton) Hume '62; Dr. Robert and Nancy Flachskam; and more recently Dr. Joe and Kelly Moffett; Caleb and Nicole Neiman; and Matthew Ruark '09 and Rebecca McQueen-Ruark. In 2017, Nate, assistant professor of theatre, and Molly Gross, assistant professor of English, joined that group.
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The Grosses met while attending the University of Arizona where Nate was working toward a master of fine arts in acting and directing and Molly was working toward a bachelor of fine arts in the same discipline. According to Nate, they officially met while acting in a play together where Molly's character was in love with his character. "It may have been the opposite off stage," Nate admitted.
Before that, Nate attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Hollywood, where he also participated in the repertory company and earned a bachelor's in history from Cal State University, Northridge. From the University of Arizona, Molly went on to earn her MFA in creative writing and writing for the performing arts from the University of California, Riverside, and a master's in English and critical literacy from Georgia Southwestern State University.
So how did they end up at Kentucky Wesleyan? While in Southern California, the two ran a theatre company together. "I also taught high school theatre, and Molly taught online while staying home with the babies," Nate explained, referring to their children, Anne (12) and Seth (10). Molly taught reading and writing to gifted children through Johns Hopkins University. "I loved giving young writers feedback on their work," Molly explained, "just as I'd loved it as a writing tutor in college, and I could stay home with my little ones."
Their ultimate goal became teaching in higher education. "When Nate and I both felt it was time to teach on the college level, SoCal proved stingy with full-time jobs, so we cast a wide-set net." Their search landed them at Andrew College in Cuthbert, Ga. While they were grateful for the opportunity there,
MOLLY
they ultimately longed for jobs in a city that not only offered them both more growth, but also offered their children more opportunities.
"KWC checked all the boxes," Nate stated. "The town itself blew us away as the perfect place to raise a family."
Molly referred to Owensboro as "'the Goldilocks Town' because it wasn't as bustling and smoggy as SoCal, but had much more than Georgia, just like a TJ Maxx!"
Since being here, it is clear The Wesleyan Way has rubbed off on the Grosses. "It's extremely easy to feel a sense of belonging here," Molly explained. She particularly loves that Kentucky Wesleyan offers a "diverse and engaged student body and group of faculty members, while being small at the same time. I love walking around campus and always seeing someone I know and talking about what they're up to."
It is no surprise that Nate feels the same. "I think life is about relationships, and the students and colleagues I have here are not replaceable," he described. "I have really come to love my students. Sometimes they drive me crazy, but I get to know them over the four years they're here, so it's difficult to not get invested in them."
Both Nate and Molly are prime examples of educators turning their passions into their careers. As a little girl Molly would recite poetry and plays and write stories in her journals. "I always gravitated toward literature, writing and theatre, and once I learned enough to help others, I found deep satisfaction as a writing tutor and online writing instructor." Ever since fifth grade, Nate knew he wanted to work in the arts, specifically theatre, film or television. "I love teaching, especially realistic acting technique, and I love acting and directing." He even went as far to say, "If I won the lottery, I would be doing exactly what I am doing now, just different amounts at times."
When not at work, the Grosses enjoy a multitude of things. Spending quality time with their kids ranks at "Owensboro has some talented local filmmakers I've connected with, so opportunities to work in their films have already started to happen for the students as well as myself."
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the top of their lists. The proud parents describe Anne as a "very skilled swimmer, cartoony-artist, writer, and kitten-mama," and Seth as "wise and witty" and a "very skilled soccer player, realistic artist, mathematician, and video game player." Molly enjoys being outdoors and volunteering at Dream Riders of Kentucky, a therapeutic riding center where she serves on the board of directors. She also enjoys reading, writing, painting and traveling. Nate enjoys family adventures and cycling, swimming, and running; so much so that he has participated in triathlons, including the 2018 Ironman in Louisville, Ky.
On the "Guys and Dolls" set at the Activity Hall
Advancement Grant writer Kelly Flick describes Kentucky Wesleyan as a warm and welcoming community within a community. She says her family has lived in Owensboro almost four years and that the transition to the friendly city was easier than they experienced in previous moves. "I feel the same way about KWC," she says. "I quickly felt right at home. The College is a natural fit for me professionally, and I found the opportunity appealing. I want to make an impact." Kelly has spent the past 20 years working in various leadership roles across the social service industry. She explains that she has gained experience in many areas including fundraising, financial management, community collaboration, marketing, volunteer recruitment, human resources and strategic planning. "I had the chance to make positive changes in just a few years in the communities where we resided, and that was gratifying and fulfilling," she shares.
Kelly joined KWC as the institutional grant writer in October 2020, establishing the College's first grant department. As a member of the Advancement team, her focus is identifying local, state and federal grant opportunities, cultivating relationships with foundations, preparing and submitting applications and managing the funds once they are received.
Meet Kelly Flick
KWC's first-ever full-time grant writer
by Katherine Rutherman
Education
M.P.H., Health Care Organization and Policy Management
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health
B.S., Recreation and Leisure Management
State University of New York College of Brockport
Certificate Program, Human Resource Management
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)
"The grant writing position is an important addition for the College with centralized responsibility across the entire campus for grants," explains Eddie Kenny, vice president of advancement. "Kelly has built the office from the ground up, establishing internal processes for grant submissions and working with external partners to identify funding opportunities to support the College's mission."
Kelly achieved Certified Fund Raising Executive status in February when she passed the rigorous comprehensive exam. The CFRE is the only accredited, globally recognized certification for fundraising professionals and reflects commitment to the profession and a proven body of knowledge. KWC has received three awards through the Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) for assistance to students and the institution to address financial challenges caused by the COVID crisis.
The College was also awarded a foundation grant from the Green River Area COVID-19 Response Fund in December 2020, a partnership between the Green River Area Community Foundation and the United Way of Ohio Valley, to provide mental health first aid training and services for the campus community. Kelly is working to secure other grants including several from private foundations in support of the Three Pillars. "I look forward to working collaboratively with departments across campus to make tangible changes that benefit our students and the entire Wesleyan community."
Kelly is available at kelly.flick@kwc.edu or 270-852-3002.
Andrea (pronounced Ahn-dree-a) Denise Bolden describes herself as student centered and intentional about helping students grow inside and outside the classroom. "Kentucky Wesleyan appealed to me because the College is student focused and family oriented, and I felt I could make a difference here," she explains. A member of the Student Affairs team, Bolden overseas and facilitates programming and processes related to diversity, inclusion and discrimination to help Wesleyan community members feel a sense of belonging and support. She is also the Title IX coordinator. Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school that receives federal money.
Rebecca McQueen-Ruark, vice president of students affairs and dean of students, says, "Andrea Denise is already using her skills and experience to help develop programs focused on improving the persistence of our students of color, in addition to educating the entire campus about issues of diversity."
One of Andrea Denise's first initiatives was the development of the Men of Color Institute 3.0 (MCI 3.0), which is designed to provide opportunities for men of color to develop their leadership skills with a focus on integrity and academic success. She says MCI 3.0 is off to a great start. "I am excited about the response, and I’m confident it will continue to grow."
Andrea Denise has also conducted diversity and inclusion workshops with Alpha Omicron Pi and Kappa Delta sororities and will continue these programs with other groups on campus. She describes the workshops as a safe space for interaction and questions and answers.
April is Sexual Assault Prevention Month, and at the time of this writing, Andrea Denise is preparing events for each Thursday during the month to raise awareness, with assistance from the Student Government Association and Student Activities Programming Board.
Andrea Denise is looking ahead to the 2021-2022 academic year with plans for a diversity ambassadors program while continuing to build proactive prevention awareness regarding Title IX incidents. She will also prepare a long-term inclusion and diversity plan for the campus.
According to Dean McQueen-Ruark, Bolden is already a valuable member of the team. "She has quickly built relationships and trust with students, collaborated with departments across campus and connected with alumni. The future is exciting."
Andrea Denise is available at andrea.bolden@kwc.edu or 270-852-3254.
Meet Andrea Denise Bolden
KWC's first-ever coordinator of equity and inclusion
by Katherine Rutherman
