Midway University enrollment jumps 14.5 percent following admission of male undergraduates

By Olivia Jones

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media

Midway University has its largest incoming class, giving it a 14.5 percent increase enrollment from last fall. This fall’s enrollment is 1,194, up from 1,043.

The university has new graduate-level academic programs and recruits from closed St. Catharine College, but the biggest factor appears to be its first admission of men as resident undergraduates.

In May 2016, Midway’s Board of Trustees made the school fully coeducational. Of the 151 new students, 23 percent are men.

The admission of male undergraduates also meant the establishment of men’s athletic programs, and that was spurred by the closing of Saint Catharine, a Roman Catholic college near Springfield.

In June, Midway University signed agreements with three St. Catharine College coaches that brought not only the coaches, but some of their players for men’s baseball, basketball and soccer teams.

Non-athletics students are also transferring from St. Catharine to Midway; the university is one the college’s official “teach-out” schools, a designation that provides an easier transfer of credits and and waives admission fees.

"This summer has been an exciting, and extremely busy, time on campus," Midway University President Dr. John Marsden said in a Sept. 12 press release, adding that the school's motto this years seems to be "It's a new day at Midway."


It is a new day, compared to 2013 when the school suffered an 18 percent enrollment decrease, dropping to 1,362 from 1,567 the fall before and starting a three-year decline.

The first big drop affected the school’s finances, which had already been hit when the trustees abandoned plans for a pharmacy school that had already cost millions and led to the resignation of the previous president.

The school relies heavily on tuition for its revenue, and cut 12 of the 54 faculty positions. It also suspended making matching contributions to employee retirement accounts. Ellen Gregory, the university’s vice president for marketing and communications, said the matching resumed “within the last budget year.”

Seven of the laid-off teachers filed a lawsuit against the school in 2014, challenging the terminations on the basis of “breach of contract and age discrimination.” Gregory said the lawsuits are still pending.

Enrollment dropped another 16.3 percent in Fall 2014, to 1,140, and another 8.5 percent last fall, to 1,043. Thus, this year’s figures represent a major turnaround.

“Midway has always been an institution that has made changes as needed,” Marsden said in the news release.

The school said enrollment in traditional undergraduate programs (formerly the Women's College) is 432 students, 238 of whom are new to Midway, either first-year or transfers, making the largest incoming class in the history of the institution.

Out-of-state students are 22.7 percent of the enrollment, “and nearly 10 percent of the student body is made up of international students from 10 countries,” the college said in its news release.

The school said graduate student enrollment is at an all-time high at 189 students enrolled in the master of business administration, master of education and master of science in nursing programs.

“The increase in our graduate enrollment is significant,” Marsden said. “We have added additional concentrations in the MBA program, started a new MSN program this fall and our M.Ed. program is the most affordable in the state."

Midway University gets higher marks in national ratings

Several publications have recognized Midway University recently for academic excellence.  Most notably, the state’s only women’s college was ranked as the tenth best women’s college in the nation by BestColleges.com. 

The university boasts an 83 percent freshman retention rate and a 15:1 student-faculty ratio.  Such numbers helped Midway move from 65th to 45th in U.S. News & World Report’s list of top colleges in the South. 

Midway’s president, Dr. John Marsden, said he was honored that the institution received high marks from a variety of organizations.  “Although these rankings are not a comprehensive measure of our entire institution, each of them is a snapshot and high level measure of key indicators for our prospective students and their families,” he said in a news release.

Since Marsden became president in 2012, it has grown.  Known as Midway University since July 1, the institution expanded its mission statement to be more open to international students.  These recognitions highlight the school’s progress. 

The university’s nursing, sport management and health-care administration programs were also recognized by BestColleges.com.  The website rated Midway’s online curriculum as the fifth best in Kentucky. Midway was ranked 10th out of 26 universities in Kentucky by USA Today’s College Factual.

Midway also received commendations for it affordability after three consecutive years without raising tuition or room and board.  Washington Monthly magazine ranked Midway 16th in its list of “Best Bang for Buck Colleges in the South.” --Nicholas Roush

               

As of today, it's Midway University

Today it's Midway University, not Midway College. "The first of many transformations took place quietly yesterday as the new Midway University sign was installed at the main entrance of the campus," the institution said in a press release.

The university said it will be rolling out a "new branding effort, including new signage on campus and in downtown Midway, new advertising and promotional materials, and a new website, expected to go live in August."

Dr. John P. Marsden, president of the school, said in the release, "The transition to university status exemplifies a renewed dedication to our mission and a rebranding of our institution for future students."

Vice President of Marketing & Communications Ellen D. Gregory said, "I want to commend everyone at Midway who has played a role in not only the logistics of our name change from the paperwork and notifications to our licensing and accrediting agencies but the many staff, faculty and students who gave us input over the last year during our branding efforts. Although we are now Midway University there is in fact much more work to do with launching our new website and changing all of our advertising later this summer and fall."

The school's trustees began the name-change process in November 2014, implementing the vision statement of the university's three year strategic plan launched that year. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, an accrediting body, approved the change effective today.

College's latest endowment report gives only clues of how much it lost on pharmacy-school project

By Megan Ingros
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Three years after Midway College’s venture for a pharmacy school in Eastern Kentucky fell short, the question remains: How much money was lost?

Though the private institution won’t say, it has to file a public report on its endowment, investments that produce income – but which college officials discussed tapping, perhaps not for the first time, as the pharmacy venture was falling apart.

The college’s 2012 report to the state Council on Postsecondary Education showed a plateau in the endowment, which had been growing steadily. That suggests the college may have tapped into the endowment. 

The latest report to the CPE, made April 1, showed an unrestricted endowment a year ago of $9,021,339, an $1,361,306 increase from 2012.

From 2011 to 2012, reports showed an increase of only $217,369, much smaller than the norm.  The figure for 2013 is an estimate, based on the average of the previous and following years. The actual figure is not available because the state has changed its rules to require such reporting every two years.

The college had to twice withdraw applications for accreditation of the pharmacy school in Paintsville, 130 miles east of Midway, because the accrediting agency said it would not be accredited. That had major financial implications because in order to be accredited, the school had to hire and pay faculty, starting a year in advance of its first application.

The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education was concerned with the inexperience shown by the dean and didn’t see any proof that there was an understanding of what it would take to run and build the school. The ACPE also noted that the college had to show sufficient financial backing. The building cost turned out to be double the initial $12 million pledged by the Paintsville couple who launched the project. Also, at the time the college had a debt of $10.5 million to PNC Bank, which denied the college’s request for an additional loan.

The college tried to get the University of Charleston, which closer than Midway to Paintsville, to keep the project going, but the pledge was withdrawn. The project died, and President William Drake resigned at the request of the college trustees in March 2012.

That fall, the college suffered an 18 percent decline in enrollment from the previous year. It released 16 staff members, terminated about a dozen faculty members’ contracts and suspended contributions to faculty retirement accounts in order to balance its budget for the 2013-14 year. Enrollment has since rebounded.

Midway College declined to offer any comment on the issue. Vice President of Marketing and Communications Ellen Gregory said in an email, “The project has been closed for many years. The college does not and will not have any further comment on any issues related to the school of pharmacy.”

Robert King, president of the Council on Postsecondary Education, said he was unsure of the project’s financial impact on the college, but said, “I know currently they are back on solid footing.” King said the college just went through an accreditation that came through with very positive results.

Gregory said the college is moving on from the past and leaving the pharmacy school behind. “Our most important focus remains on providing the best possible education for our students, and despite recent challenges, we are pleased with the progress that Midway is making,” she said. The college will change its name to Midway University on July 1.

Storyteller Mary Hamilton of Frankfort will speak to Midway Toastmasters Monday, June 22 at 6 p.m.

Longtime Kentucky storyteller Mary Hamilton of Frankfort will be telling stories and speaking about her craft at the Midway Toastmasters meeting Monday, June 22, at 6 p.m. in Room 120 of the Anne Hart Raymond Building at Midway College. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Hamilton has been telling stories professionally for 30 years at storytelling festivals, performing arts festivals, conferences, universities, theatres, libraries, museums, schools, and private gatherings. She also teaches the art of storytelling to teachers, librarians, speakers, and fellow storytellers. She is president of the Kentucky Storytelling Association and one of its founding members.

Hamilton's awards include the 2009 Circle of Excellence Oracle Award from the National Storytelling Network, recognizing her as a master storyteller with a long-term commitment and dedication to storytelling.

In 2012, Hamilton published a book, Kentucky Folktales: Revealing Stories, Truths, and Outright Lies, a collection of 26 stories and interpretive essays about each of those stories. She has also published several oral collections of her stories.

Toastmasters International is a non-profit educational organization that teaches communication and leadership skills through a worldwide network serving more than 313,000 memberships in more than 14,650 clubs in 126 countries. Midway Toastmasters meets every Monday and visitors are invited. For more information, contact the club at larryloganohio@msn.com or 859-420-2217.

Five locals make dean's list at Midway College

Five students from Midway were among those named to the dean's list at Midway College for the spring semester. In order to be named to the list, a student must have been classified as full time and earned a 3.6 grade-point average for the semester.

The Midway students on the list are Amanda Elkin, Nicole Inman, Raven Rape, Mariah Smock and Andrea Vanvoorhis, according to a news release from the college.

College gives Pikeville banker Jean Hale its Pinkerton Vision Award for being leader, women's role model

Jean Hale (College photo)

Jean Hale, president and CEO of Pikeville-based Community Trust Bancorp, received the L.L. Pinkerton Vision Award for her accomplishments as a leader and role model for women in Kentucky at Midway College's second annual Spotlight Awards on May 28.

Named after the founder of the Kentucky Female Orphan School, which would later become Midway College, the award honors an individual or group who has had a direct impact on improving the lives of women, served as an outstanding role model for women and young ladies, or who has displayed great leadership, innovative thinking and influence in her chosen career.

"A coal miner's daughter, Ms. Hale rose from humble roots in Pikeville and now runs a $3.8 billion company with more than 1,000 employees and is recognized as one of the top 25 most powerful women in banking nationwide," a college news release said.

As previously announced, the Spotlight Awards also included presentation of the Legacy Award to Elizabeth Lloyd "Libby" Jones for her years of service to the college.

4 from Midway among 302 Midway College graduates

Four women from Midway were among 302 graduates awrded degrees from Midway College at its May 9 commencement ceremonies.

Colleen Christy Jonsson received a Bachelor of Arts in Equine Studies (Equine Management); Denise Michelle Sandfoss received a B.A. in Business Administration (Accounting); Mariah Elizabeth Smock received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing; and Krysta Allison Wright-Blincoe received an associate of science in Nursing.

For a complete list of degrees and the college's news release, click here. The college will become Midway University on July 1.

Council gives first reading to anti-discrimination ordinance, hears and answers questions from Warfield

Midway City Council Member Libby Warfield posed a battery of questions Monday night as the council gave first reading to the proposed "fairness ordinance" that would prohibit discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and familial status.

Warfield's questions were answered mainly by Mayor Grayson Vandegrift annd city attorney Phil Moloney, but Council Members Dan Roller, Kaye Nita Gallagher and Sarah Hicks also replied, explaining and supporting language Moloney had drafted.

When Warfield asked how an employer would know a prospective employee's sexual orientation, Gallagher said a person who believed they had been a victim of discrimination would have the burden of proving that had happened.

The ordinance would apply to employers with more than seven employees. Warfield argued that it would apply to very few employers in Midway, but Hicks said that could change, and Roller cited the new McDonald's restaurant as an example.

Warfield said the city could be on the hook for legal expenses of a case that was appealed in court. Vandegrift said several people in Midway had volunteered to contribute to a restricted fund that could be used for such expenses.

The council does not hold votes (and usually does not hold discussions) on first readings. Vandegrift said after the meeting that the second reading would be held at the council's next meeting, Monday, June 1. If the ordinance passes, Midway would be the eighth Kentucky city with such a law.

The council also held first reading of the proposed city budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. It calls for expenses of about $1,114,264 and keeping the city's unbudgeted surplus at $600,000.

Significant changes include fire department maintenance and equipment, $41,685, up from $17,000, reflecting planned purchase of protective clothing; street equipment, $14,800, up from $10,989, reflecting the planned purchase of a truck; cemetery equipment, $14,800, up from $5,000, reflecting planned purchase of a truck; cemetery maintenance, $50,000, up from $35,000, reflecting sidewalk and roof repairs; City Hall maintenance, $20,000, up from $15,000, reflecting the planned purchase of a new entry door; and donations, $3,500, down from $10,000 in the current year. However, there are line items for new recipients of donations: $1,500 for the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce and $1,000 for Midway College (which becomes Midway University on July 1).

The council gave approval on second reading to the ordinance that slightly increases garbage rates, to $12 a month from $11.95 for residential pickup and $25.50 a month for businesses.

Vandegrift announced that the annual Memorial Day service at the cemetery will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, May 25.

For a PDF of the ordinances, the budget and the rest of the council's meeting packet, click here.

Libby Jones to be honored, Ouita Michel to deliver keynote at Midway College Spotlight Awards May 28

Elizabeth Lloyd "Libby" Jones

Two of Midway's most famous women will share the spotlight at the second annual Spotlight Awards at Midway College on May 28. Elizabeth Lloyd "Libby" Jones will receive the Legacy Award for service to the college, and chef Ouita Michel will deliver the keynote address.

The Legacy Award was created to honor people who have helped the college over many years by giving time, service, support and/or resources. Jones is a second-generation trustee of the college, following her father, Gen. Arthur Y. Lloyd. She chairs the board's Academic Committee and is active in several other organizations throughout Kentucky and the nation.

Jones is a director of American Farmland Trust, vice chair of The Bluegrass Conservancy, founding director of Kentucky Agriculture and Environment in the Classroom, and a director of the Kentucky Historical Society Foundation. She is co-owner of Airdrie Stud Inc. with her husband, former Gov. Brereton Jones. They have two adult children, Lucy and Bret, and two grandsons.

"Libby has been an invaluable asset to Midway College during her many years as a trustee and has touched so many lives on this campus and in the community," Dr. John P. Marsden, president of the college, said in a news release.

The Spotlight Awards will also include presentation of the Pinkerton Vision Award, which honors a person or group that has had a direct impact on improving women's lives; a woman who has been an outstanding role model; or a woman who has displayed great leadership, innovative thinking and influence in her career. The winner has not been announced.

Ouita Papka Michel

Michel is the owner and executive chef at Holly Hill Inn, Wallace Station, Windy Corner Market and Restaurant, Smithtown Seafood, and the Midway School Bakery. She is chef-in-residence at Woodford Reserve Distillery and operates Glenn's Creek Café and Glenn's Creek Catering. She is devoted to using local foods to help sustain Bluegrass family farms and provide the freshest, best-tasting cuisine. Her restaurants have used more than $2 million worth of Kentucky-grown meats, dairy products, fruits and vegetables over the last 13 years.

Michel's reputation for food and her commitment to sustainability have earned her national attention. She has often been a nominee for James Beard Foundation Award as best chef in the Southeast. She is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, a member of Slow Food USA, congregational coordinator of the Kids in the Kitchen at Midway Christian Church and manager of the church's free, monthly community supper. She is a member of FoodChain, a non-profit food incubator in Lexington, and is a member of the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, formerly headed by her late stepfather, Robert Sexton. Her father, Ray Papka, is a mixed-media artist in the Midway area. She lives in a 200-year-old cabin next to the Holly Hill Inn with her husband, Chris, and daughter, Willav.

"Not only does Ouita excel in her professional endeavors, she, like our Spotlight Award winners, is a tireless advocate for the causes she champions," Marsden said. "It is a pleasure for us to call such a renowned chef and speaker our friend and neighbor, and to welcome her to Midway College."

The Spotlight Awards highlight women and men who have been leaders in representing women's issues, have made an impact that benefits women in the state of Kentucky and beyond, and innovative women in their chosen field. For more information on the event, go to www.midway.edu/Spotlight or call 859-846-5300.

Education minister of Panama speaks at Midway College commencement; 302 getting degrees

Panamanian Education Minister Marcela Paredes de Vásquez is the keynote speaker at Midway College's commencement ceremony today, beginning at 11 a.m. in the Graves Amphitheater. The event will be livestreamed at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/midway-college.

The minister, an engineer by trade, will speak about the importance of global education. Midway has partnered with the Panamanian government on several initiatives over the last two years, including a program that brought 26 undergraduate students upon their high-school graduation to participate in a college readiness program for nine months. These students have now matriculated into degree programs at the college.

Midway is also partnering with the Panamanian government program Panama Bilingue to provide professional development for Panamanian teachers to enhance their knowledge of pedagogical methodologies and to advance their English-speaking skills.

"It is a great honor for us to welcome Marcela Paredes de Vásquez to Midway College," said Dr. John P. Marsden, president of the school. "She is an incredibly accomplished, well-educated woman who I am sure will inspire our graduates to continue expanding their horizons and exploring the world."

This is the college's last graduating class before it changes its name to Midway University on July 1. The class has 302 graduates, including those who completed their degrees in December 2014 and at the end of the 2015 spring semester.

Francisco's Farm Arts Festival May 16-17 at Midway College will have jury-selected art in many media

By Arion Wright

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Mixed media art by Charlie Yowell

The annual Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival will be held on May 16 and 17 at Midway College. Pottery, jewelry, photographs and various artwork by 85 artists will be on exhibit.

The event is named for Col. John Francisco, who was the original owner of the property where Midway now sits. He sold his farm to the Lexington and the Ohio Railroad, which established Midway in the 1830s. The festival started at Midway College at 2004.

This year’s event will feature the work of fine artists and craft artists pre-selected by a panel of jury members from 125 applicants.  Artists come from all around the world.

The outdoor exhibition is an opportunity for the public to meet and interact with artists and purchase art. The festival will feature artists’ booths, food concessions, live music, public art projects, artist demonstrations and other special exhibits. There will be a variety of exhibits, including two-dimensional art, and fine crafts in all media. There will be a diverse showcase of fine art and fine crafts.

Donald Pekarek jewelry

Also, the Woodford County Public Library will sponsor a children’s’ booth, that will include tie dye crafts, a fun diffusing paper activity, with water soluble markers, and water, for a beautiful color effect.

Kenny Smith, the festival’s artist coordinator and the owner of Kennydid Gallery in Midway, noted that the event has been named one of the top festivals in the South by the Southeast Tourism Society.

The festival’s other awards include the Kentucky League of Cities Enterprise City Award, the Kentucky Tourism Council’s Top 10 Events and American Style Magazine’s Top 10 Art Festival for four years.

The event will run between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday, and between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday at Midway College. Admission is free, and parking at the college is $5.

On Saturday, there will be live music on the steps of the Little Memorial Library. The Lexington Saxophone Trio, Celtic group Margret Lyle Gravit and Jack Twombly, traditional Irish singer Liam’s Fancy, jazz and African spoken-word artist Water, and the gyspy jazz Americana and Latina group Stirfy Musette, will perform.

On Sunday, the entertainers will be traditional English and Irish folk singers Bill and Leslie Penn; the rock, blues, and roots group Chung Yen Twins; the American and classic pop group Chester the Band; tonk piano balladeer Keith Hubbard; the Midway Children’s Choir; the Americana group Bill, Lauren and Sophie Hill; and gospel singer Aaron Hamilton of Midway.

Ceramic by Janet Essenpreis

The festival will have a variety of vendors, including Two Ladies and a Kettle, Rick’s Hotdogs, Lucky Dog BBQ, The La Petite Creperie, Oak Barrel Honey Lemonade, Honnah Lee Bubble Tea, and KC Candy.

Local-area artists include Raymond Papka, a mixed media artist; Gray Zeitz, a letterpress publisher; and Karen Riggins, a quilt artist. For a complete list of the artists see http://www.franciscosfarm.org/#!2015-artists-/c1pxi.

"Midway Renaissance and Midway College are excited to welcome visitors to this year's festival,” said Ellen Gregory, festival committee marketing chair and college spokesperson. “The variety of artists will please all of our visitors and provide something for everyone's artistic tastes."

For more information about the festival, go to www.franciscosfarm.org.

College announces new MBA specialties, other degrees

Midway College announced new graduate and undergraduate programs that will be offered beginning this summer.

 “The new programs are specializations within the existing Master of Business Administration in equine studies, health care administration and sport management,” the college said in a press release. A master of education program will also start this summer.

"Midway has offered an undergraduate Equine Studies degree for many years,” Dr. Charles Williams, dean of the School of Business, Equine and Sport Studies, said in the release. “We believe that the specialization of equine studies within our MBA program will be attractive to and beneficial for Kentucky's equine industry.”

Williams added, "Additionally the health care administration concentration within the MBA provides an important industry segment in our region."

The new undergraduate program is a bachelor’s degree in psychology with an area of concentration in alcohol and drug abuse counseling. “This concentration will add specific courses in substance abuse and counseling for graduates to obtain licensing as an alcohol and drug counselor in the commonwealth of Kentucky,” Ellen Gregory, the college's vice president of marketing and communications, said in the release. The psychology program will be offered on weekends in Hamburg at the college’s Lexington location, to better accommodate working students. 

The college said it is working on other areas of concentration for its MBA program, looking at degrees in health care. “These new programs will supplement other majors that were recently added including marketing communication and criminal justice,” the release said.

The College’s three-year strategic plan includes development of new programs. "Each time we add a new degree offering we look at what the regional needs are for employers and try to match those needs with degrees that lead to careers,” said Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Laura Armesto. --Megan Ingros

Midway College will charge most students same tuition next year, lower it for master of education degree

By Megan Ingros
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

As Midway College prepares for a new academic year as a university, students will notice that while some things change, others remain the same.

Midway College announced that tuition rates will remain the same for the 2015-16 academic year, and Master of Education tuition will decrease.

Students enrolled in the women’s college or the coeducational undergraduate and graduate programs for working adults will not see a raise in tuition costs for the 2015-16 academic year. Students enrolled in these evening or online undergraduate classes will continue to pay $395 per credit hour. 

Students pursuing a Master of Education will see a decrease in tuition from the previous set rate.

“Instead of $410 per credit hour, teachers seeking their M.Ed. will only pay $395 per credit hour, making this the most competitive tuition for such a program in the Lexington area,” said Ellen Gregory, the college’s vice president of marketing and communications.

College President John P. Marsden said, “To remain competitive in the current marketplace we are reviewing every touch point we have with our students and their families. The Midway difference has always been our high level of service to our students and now more than ever we want to continue that. I am proud of our faculty and staff's commitment to go above and beyond to help all of our students achieve their educational goals. To support those efforts, we believe keeping the cost of our tuition competitive is one of the most important things we can do.”

The announcement was released a week after the college announced that it will become Midway University on July 1. This name change is part of a three-year strategic plan for the college, which also includes a new website to be launched and brand changes that will also take place over the summer.

Midway College gets OK from state and accrediting agency to call itself Midway University, starting July 1

By Megan Ingros
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Midway College has received approval to be called Midway University as of July 1.

President John P. Marsden said he envisioned this change when he first arrived on campus three years ago. “Our vision statement mission plan says we will become Midway University so this should not be a surprise to anyone,” he said in an interview.

Through building partnerships and recruiting international students, Marsden said, it was discovered that the term “college” is often misunderstood in other countries and might be confused with high school or community college. “We felt that ‘university’ would clarify or purpose at the same time it would more aptly describe who we are today,” he said.

The Midway College Board of Trustees approved the name change at its last meeting, in November 2014, and the campus was notified. The state Council on Postsecondary Education approved the name change Jan. 30, after approval by the accrediting body, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The college issued a press release Monday about the name change after the Midway Messenger learned of the council’s action.

“Becoming a university is a major step forward for Midway,” said Gary S. Cox, president of the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges & Universities. “It provides new opportunities to meet the diverse, higher education needs of students while continuing its traditional, unique mission as a women’s residential college.  This type diversification of educational offerings is a model most successful women’s colleges are following today.”

Founded in 1847, Midway College remains Kentucky’s only college for women, but it offers associate, baccalaureate and master’s degree programs to both sexes online and at its Lexington campus.

Click on chart for larger version (Assn. of Indep. Ky. Colleges and Univs.)

According to the AICKU, Midway College had the seventh lowest total enrollment among the association’s 19 schools last fall. The next five largest schools are colleges, and so is the fourth largest school, Lindsey Wilson in Columbia. Two of the six schools with smaller enrollments, Brescia in Owensboro and Kentucky Christian at Grayson, are universities.

Midway’s fall 2014 undergraduate head count was 1,059 and graduate 74, for a total of 1,133. The College’s total fall 2013 enrollment was 1,351. The drop in enrollment prompted layoffs of faculty and staff.

Unlike some other states, Kentucky has no law defining the term “university,” so no college has to meet any requirements to become one.

Marsden said the university designation better describes the complexity of the mission that Midway College is serving, with so many different student populations. The college intends to announce new academic programs soon.

“We say ’university,’ but we will still remain a small institution, we will still have a high touch environment, we are working on our personalized approach with students and that’s not going to change, we do not intend on becoming a 10,000-student institution,” Marsden said.

Midway College has been on a road of evolution over the last decade or so. It began offering co-educational evening and online programs for working professionals, and co-ed graduate programs.

“Since I’ve arrived, we’ve also been focusing on our changing demographics that have been building international partnerships,” said Marsden. As part of a college readiness program offered at the college, students from Panama have now matriculated into the college as full-time students.

“We see this as an opportunity to move forward and to hit the re-set button,” Marsden said. “It’s also in conjunction with the major rebranding of the institution that were going through right now.” Midway University will have a refreshed logo as well as a new website, which will also help with recruitment. Those changes will become effective over the summer when the official name change takes place. 

The college has been undergoing rebranding for the past six months. The new logo is not that different from the current logo, “but it does have 1847 in there prominently and that was very important to us to show the history,” said Ellen Gregory, the school’s vice president of marketing and communications.

Gregory said the name change will help rebrand the college. “We have a very defined diversity group that we’re marketing to, so the real boost for us is helping clarify who we are to whom,” said Gregory. “It’s really a point of clarification and moving forward.”

Marsden said, “We have a particular emphasis on career focused education, which is going to be part of our new branding,”

The strategic plan, which includes building the new website, messaging, adding new academic programs and a new logo is “in the messy part right now,” said Gregory. “We have a central mission but we have to interpret it to different audiences for them.”

This is not the first name change for the school. Originally founded as the Kentucky Female Orphan School, it became Pinkerton High School, then Midway Junior College and Midway College.

Marsden elected an officer of Disciples college group

John Marsden, Ph.D.

Midway College President John P. Marsden has been elected secretary of The Council of Colleges & Universities of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for a term ending June 30, 2016. "It's a great honor to be elected to serve on the council's executive committee and I look forward to working with other administrators to form even stronger bonds between our institutions and the Christian Church," Marsden said in a college press release.

Marsden is in his third year as president of Midway. He is the author or co-author of four books in the areas of assisted living, dementia care settings and evidence-based design, as well as numerous book chapters, articles and presentations.

Four students from Midway on college dean's list for fall

Four students from Midway, seven from Versailles, nine from Georgetown and two from Stamping Ground were among students who made it onto the Midway College dean's list for the 2014 fall term.

For a student to make the dean's list, one must classify as full-time and achieve a 3.6 grade point average for the semester.

Students on the list from Midway were Raven Rape, Mariah Smock, Andrea Vanvoorhis and Brittany Rice.

The listed students from Versailles are Alex Atkins, Sara Fields, Xia Hoffman, Jill McGregor, Susana Ruvalcaba, Michelle Varner and Bobbi Smith.

The Georgetown students are Neryssa Crisp, Brandon Drake, Jennifer Green, Beverly Hayes, Jen Jones, Becky Powell, Amy Sullivan, Jennifer Wilbers and Mary Eastham.

Students on the list from Stamping Ground are Emma Redmon and Emily Sergent.

--Kayla Loy, University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Midway student from Georgetown wins her class's clinical award; Austin Bowman gets freshman award

Christina Martin

Christina Martin of Georgetown, who received her nursing degree from Midway College this month, is the winner of her class's Clinical Award. The award is given to a student who maintains a grade-point average above 3.0 and is able to effectively translate classroom theory to safe and competent clinical practice at the bedside, according to a college news release.

"Christina's performance in clinical practice is excellent and demonstrates critical thinking, intuition and utilizes nursing knowledge," said Dr. Barbara Kitchen, dean of the college's School of Health and Sciences. "She also exhibits a high level of integrity, provides relationship-centered care, utilizes clinical judgment and integrates best evidence into practice."

Midway College offers associate and bachelor's degrees in nursing on its campus in traditional daytime and accelerated evening formats that prepare students to become registered nurses in a variety of clinical settings, the news release said.

Austin Bowman of Midway won the college's Outstanding Freshman Award for December 2014. The award is presented to an exceptional freshman nursing student who has embraced the field with a passion. Recipients must maintain a grade-point average above 3.0, exhibit a high level of integrity, demonstrate a spirit of inquiry, be a compassionate and therapeutic communicator, and be professional in attitude behavior and appearance.

Dr. Barbara Kitchen, Dean of Midway's School of Health and Science, says Bowman exhibits these traits and more: "Austin has been outstanding in the clinical area by always being a team player and demonstrating an eagerness to learn. He has a great rapport with his peers and quietly leads by example."

Quilt show raises money for needy residents of The Homeplace at Midway, and provides bus tours of facility

Story and photos by Sarah Brookbank

University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Telecommunications

Old and new came together this weekend at The Homeplace at Midway Quilt Show, which showcased quilts from Woodford County to benefit The Homeplace at Midway Benevolent Fund.

The show at Midway College featured vendors, music and quilt exhibits from local community members and historical societies to add to the fund set up to help Midway residents who face financial struggles while they live at the long-awaited elder-care facility. Bus tours of the construction site of the Homeplace, across Stephens Street from the college, ran on Saturday.

The Homeplace has been a long time coming. The Midway Nursing Home Task Force has worked for almost 16 years to bring a care facility to Midway so that Midwegians can stay close to home while getting the help they need. The Homeplace is being built and operated by Christian Care Communities, the largest private, faith-based provider of elder care in Kentucky.

One of the draws of the show was the quilt registry, which is an online archive of quilts from Kentucky. The quilts are photographed and added to the archive that is hosted by the Folk Life Archives of the Kentucky Museum at Western Kentucky University. The Heritage Quilt Society registered quilts on Friday and Saturday.

The show was held at Anne Hart Raymond Building and featured more than 100 quilts. Members of the Nursing Home Task force worked until 8 p.m. setting up the display and working with The Kentucky Heritage Quilt Society, said Helen Rentch, who organized the show.

Rentch, a longtime leader of the task force, encouraged members of the community to take the tours of the Homeplace, asking them about their plans and if they would be interested in living there, calling to them as they looked at quilts.

Rentch explained the long process of trying to get the Homeplace off the ground and the work that went into funding the project.

“When we started doing it, we wanted a small, community-sized facility,” she said. "In the industry, the principle is that you have to have at least 60 beds in the building or it’s not going to be financially feasible. And we didn’t want a facility like that, we couldn’t get that many beds licensed anyway, and consequently, we couldn’t find anybody who would agree to help finance or take over management. 

Even though there are thousands of companies out there doing it, they want it to be profitable.”

After five years of struggling to find a way to make the project come to life, the task force decided to work with a non-profit organization. Rentch said that after that decision was made, finding a non-profit with enough experience and credibility was difficult. After a few more years they found Christian Care, which runs 30 to 40 facilities across the state.

“They still didn’t think that it was financially feasible,” Rentch said. “So it took a number of more years before they would agree to agree to build the small houses that we wanted. Now that idea has become popular.” 

The Homeplace is considered a Green House facility, a new style of elder care that provides help while allowing freedom. All cottages feature an open kitchen and living area that will allow residents to come and go and prepare their own meals.

“If it doesn’t go in my house, it doesn’t go in the Green House Model,” said Linda Cox of Christian Care Communities, who will help manage the facility and gave bus tours if it. “You will not see a med cart in this place. That does not mean that our nurses are not providing medication, or care, or treatment. It’s just not done in that institutional type setting. It’s all sort of hidden away so it feels like home.”

When the Homeplace opens in the spring, a few months later than planned, it will have five buildings. One is the Farm House, which will house administrative offices and provide a place for activities and meetings.

Work continued as the bus tours ran on Saturday.

There are four apartment-style cottages with 12 bedrooms in each cottage.  One of the four is an assisted-living cottage that does not have full-time nursing staff, a memory-care cottage that will house patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, and two cottages that will be skilled nursing facilities. The skilled nursing facilities will be more like a standard nursing home.

“The main tenets of the Green House are to fight the plagues of loneliness, helplessness, and boredom for our elders and our seniors,” said Cox, adding that one of its slogans will be “Seniors rule.” The phrase will be used to remind the residents of the Homeplace that they are in control and will not be forced into scheduled living and eating like many nursing homes.

The Homeplace also hopes to add more patio-style homes around the facility for elders who need no assistance, in order to grow the community; as they age, they will move into different homes on the property.

The $13.5 million project sits on 31 acres across from the college, which will play a large role in the facility. Cox said internships and rotations will be available for college nursing students, and they are looking to expand that opportunity to hospitality students as well.

The show at the college was full of quilts and people. It has grown since last year, not only with the registry but with music by the Hills of Kentucky Dulcimer Society and a children’s activity table. On Friday night the Heritage Society registered 29 quilts. By lunchtime on Saturday it had registered 16 more. It tried to limit each family to two quilts because the process is time-consuming, and quilts must be at least 50 years old.

“We had a man come last night at 8 p.m. to register his quilts, because he had to wait to hire somebody to drive him,” Rentch recalled. “He’s elderly and has his grandmama’s quilts but he can’t drive.”

Rentch said the task force hopes to donate a few thousand dollars to the benevolent fund, which will benefit Midway residents who meet financial struggles while they live at the Homeplace. She said the fund needs to grow a great deal and that they will continue to raise money, even after the Homeplace opens. Residents who run out of money or cannot make ends meet on Medicaid benefits will be able to access the fund.

Rentch said, “The real object is to engage the community, which we have done successfully.”

Oct. 2 forum will include City Council candidates

The Oct. 2 candidate forum at Midway College will include candidates for the Midway City Council, contrary to an earlier Messenger item. The press release from the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce says three of the six council candidates have agreed to participate: Stephen Craig, Libby Warfield and Council Member Sara Hicks. Only six candidates are running for the six council seats, with the withdrawal of Peggy Sharon from the race.

The forum will also include the candidates for mayor, Council Members Sharon Turner and Grayson Vandegrift; Circuit Judge Paul Isaacs and challenger Ethyle Noel; Family Court Circuit Judge Tamra Gormley and challenger Lisa Hart Morgan; and District Judge Vanessa Dickson and challenger Chad Wells.

The forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Duthie Auditorium in the Anne Hart Raymond Building. All candidates are welcome to arrive and set up information tables in the lobby at 6 p.m. to talk with guests individually. Candidates are welcome to stay after the event in the lobby area to speak with guests. The forum is sponsored by the chamber, the college and the Midway Woman’s Club.

Midway College says its budget is likely to stay balanced despite another decline in enrollment

By Midway Messenger Staff

Amid yet another decrease in enrollment, Midway College announced last Thursday that it had a balanced budget for the fiscal year 2013-2014 and said it is likely to stay that way.

The school experienced an 18 percent decrease in enrollment from 2012 to 2013, and said in a press release that it had declined this fall to 1,140 students from 1,362, a drop of nearly 17 percent. The loss was entirely in the what the press release called the nationally declining “non-traditional market” for students over age 24, or the college's coeducational programs. The Women's College enrollment went up by two students, to 294.

Dr. John Marsden, president

"Enrollments are of course a significant part of looking at the vitality of an institution. However they do not, and cannot, tell the entire picture," college President John P. Marsden said in a press release. He said "fundraising, budgeting, managing expenses and sound business practices all impact the bottom line," and the college is likely to have a balanced budget in the current fiscal year.

Marsden said in the release that he was unaware of the budget issues when he was hired in February 2013. "I was incorrectly told there would be a balanced budget," he said. "Once on campus, I discovered significant budget issues and we immediately took action."

To balance the budget, Marsden and college trustees were faced with a number of difficult decisions. Perhaps the toughest was the release of 14 faculty members and 16 staffers in the fall of 2013, as well as suspending contributions to faculty retirement accounts. According to Marsden, a balanced budget would not have been possible without these changes.

Seven of the former faculty members, all from the School of Business, filed a lawsuit against the college alleging breach of contract and age discrimination. The suit claim the terminations failed to consider seniority, special skills and job performance, as well as failing to involve the former faculty members in any discussions about the supposed financial hardships. The case is pending.

The press release focused on the positive developments that helped the college climb out of its deficit of $1.8 million, such as the partnership with a Panamanian government agency that will send the college 26 students per year for a college readiness program at full tuition.

Other changes use to balance the budget included outsourcing dining and physical-plant services, creating a new tuition payment process, improving collections, suspending the match for employee retirement funds, and greater fundraising efforts. It said fundraising other than estate gifts was up 60 percent in the recently ended fiscal year.

The release made nothing more than a footnote of the reason the college ran into trouble in the first place. It said the 2012-13 fiscal year "was a year of recovery from substantial losses for Midway College from discontinued pursuit of a School of Pharmacy and misaligned spending during periods of declining enrollment." For more on that, click here.