Jan. 4, 2011
For Immediate Release
By Joan C. McKinney, news and publications coordinator
Dr. Kevin W. Cosby, senior pastor of St. Stephen Church and president of Simmons College of Kentucky, will be the speaker for Campbellsville University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Service at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19 at Ransdell Chapel at 401 N. Hoskins Ave., Campbellsville. The event is co-sponsored by CU and Greater Campbellsville United.
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| Dr. Kevin W. Cosby |
Cosby’s address is free and open to the public as well as CU faculty, students and staff. Students will receive chapel credit.
A praise team from St. Stephen Church will bring special music.
“Dr. Kevin Cosby is one of the nation’s finest preachers and a major leader in both the faith and educational communities,” the Rev. John Chowning, vice president of church and external relations and executive assistant to the president at CU, said.
“His leadership of St. Stephen’s Church over the past 30 years is an amazing story in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed and put into action in a very powerful manner. His successful leadership of Simmons College of Kentucky is making headlines, and we are very thankful to have an ongoing covenant partnership with Simmons as a result of the leadership of both Dr. Cosby and CU President Dr. Michael Carter,” Chowning said.
Chowning called Cosby a “transformative leader,” and said the university is “very pleased” to have him as the MLK Jr. Memorial Service speaker.
Cosby has served as senior pastor of St. Stephen Church in Louisville, Ky. since 1979. During his ministry, the church has grown from 500 to approximately 10,000 members, and is recognized by Outreach Magazine as one of the top 100 largest churches in America and Emerge Magazine as one of the six super churches in the south.
In 2005, Cosby was named the 13th president of Simmons Bible College (now Simmons College of Kentucky). Simmons College of Kentucky is the oldest Black institution of higher learning in Kentucky.
Since its formation in 1879 by the State Convention of Colored Baptist Churches in Kentucky, Simmons has consistently provided her students with the opportunity to obtain a sound Christian-based liberal arts education at a low price.
Cosby, since becoming president, began a series of improvements to the facility and enhancements to the academic structure. Some of the facility improvements include an updated cafeteria, student lounge, a new bookstore, library and learning resource center.
Technology in the classrooms is being upgraded to enhance teaching. Cosby hopes to add more staff and faculty during the academic year to strengthen student support services and instruction.
Cosby, a staunch proponent of education, earned a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Ky., a Master of Divinity degree from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville and a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
Cosby is the author of three highly-acclaimed books: “Get off Your But!: Messages, Musings & Ministries to Empower the African-American Church,” “As They Went” and “Treasure Worth Seeking” and has been the subject of many national articles and documentaries, which consistently list him among the most powerful and influential leaders in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Cosby’s oratory skills have produced lecturing engagements at universities and institutions around the world including Harvard University.
Cosby is married to Barnetta Turner Cosby; they have two children, Christine and Kevin Christopher.
Campbellsville University is a widely acclaimed Kentucky-based Christian university with over 3,000 students offering 63 undergraduate programs, 17 master’s degrees and five postgraduate areas. The website for complete information is campbellsville.edu.