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Rev. John E. Chowning, Vice President for Church and External Relations and Executive Assistant to the President at Campbellsville University, was honored for his dedication to independent postsecondary education in Kentucky at the annual AIKCU recognition dinner. Chowning received the AIKCU “For the Greater Good Award,” which recognizes a staff person from an AIKCU member campus who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to the organization and to independent postsecondary education in Kentucky.

“John is a tremendous asset not just to Campbellsville University and the Taylor County community, but to the independent postsecondary community throughout Kentucky,” said Gary S. Cox, AIKCU President.

Chowning was honored for his involvement in AIKCU’s public policy and government relations efforts, which focus primarily on promoting positive student financial aid policies at the state and federal level and enhancing public and private partnerships.

When he’s not working with students or community members at Campbellsville, Chowning can often be found working the phones or the halls of the Capitol on behalf of the citizens of Taylor County, Campbellsville University and all of Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities.

“It’s a great honor to receive the ‘For the Greater Good Award’ from AIKCU,” said Chowning. “Campbellsville University, along with the other independent colleges and universities in Kentucky, provides quality and affordable education to an increasingly diverse group of students from all over Kentucky and the world. These institutions are individually and collectively very important components of our state’s educational system. It’s very rewarding to work with Dr. Gary Cox and other AIKCU colleagues in making certain that the perspectives of our sector of the higher education community are carefully articulated in Frankfort and Washington.”

In handing out the honor, Cox noted that Chowning is someone who gets things accomplished. “John is the kind of person who, if I ask him to do something on our behalf, will send me an email fifteen minutes later that says: ‘I got my part done, now what’s the hold up on your end?’ And he will have three or four suggestions for me that he’s come up with in the meantime,” said Cox. “People like John who truly get things done are invaluable to our organization and to our students, and we wanted to publicly recognize John for all he does.”

Chowning has extensive experience in government and public policy, politics, civic engagement, economic development, and the private business sector. He has served on a number of local, state, and national boards and councils and pastors Saloma Baptist Church in Taylor County Baptist Association. He is the founder and director of the Kentucky Heartland Institute on Public Policy (KHIPP) at Campbellsville University, which is currently hosting a series of gubernatorial candidate forums. Chowning also teaches part-time in the University’s political science division and recently helped establish the nonprofit “Greater Campbellsville United,” which he chairs, to promote racial and ethnic harmony in the region.

Chowning holds undergraduate degrees from two other AIKCU member institutions, an AA from Lindsey Wilson College and a BA from Transylvania University. He holds an MPA from Eastern Kentucky University and completed additional graduate coursework at Memphis Theological University and EKU. Chowning and his wife Catherine have been part of the Campbellsville and Taylor County community since 1977.

Chowning is the second recipient of the AIKCU “For the Greater Good Award.” Last year’s recipient was Midway College Vice President for Business Affairs Lyen Crews, who was honored for his work with the AIKCU Benefit Trust’s self-funded health insurance initiative.