1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University

For more than two centuries, Transylvania University has stood at the heart of Lexington as a place where curiosity meets purpose. Founded in 1780, Transy has welcomed learners from across the country and around the world — inspiring bold ideas, strong character and deep community connections that last a lifetime. Today, as Transylvania celebrates 245 years, it remains a university that families and alumni trust, not only for its history, but for its vision of what education can be next. A beginning across the woods, and a promise that still holds Transylvania began in 1780 when the Virginia Assembly chartered Transylvania Seminary. The school started near Danville before moving to Lexington in 1793, where it quickly became a hub for education and civic life in what was then the Western frontier. By 1799 it had earned full university status, the first west of the Allegheny Mountains, and established a reputation for shaping the leaders of a young nation. That founding spirit still defines Transy today: cultivate curiosity, build community and prepare students to lead with integrity and imagination. Faculty who shape a city and a nation Transylvania’s influence runs deep in Lexington’s history. Statesman Henry Clay once served as professor of law and oversaw construction of Old Morrison in the 1830s. The building became the enduring symbol of the university, and of higher education in Kentucky. A century later, President Dwight D. Eisenhower addressed Transy’s 175th anniversary celebration and dedicated the

Read “245 years of curiosity — why generations have trusted Transylvania University”