September 2018

Transylvania professor’s ‘Elkhorn’ book wins Thomas D. Clark Medallion

Posted on September 13, 2018July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Richard Taylor, Transylvania University’s Kenan Visiting Writer and a former Kentucky poet laureate, has received the Thomas D. Clark Medallion for his new book, “Elkhorn: Evolution of a Kentucky Landscape.” Named after the founder of the University Press of Kentucky, the medallion is awarded to one book each year for highlighting the state’s history and culture. “Elkhorn” is published by the University Press and will be released on Sept. 21. “I’m honored to be a recipient of an award named for Dr. Clark, whom I knew and greatly admired for his writings, his character and his encouragement of others to look into the deep but shimmering well of Kentucky history,” Taylor said. He will receive the Clark Medallion at the Paul Sawyier Public Library in Frankfort on Wednesday, Sept. 26. “We owe a debt of gratitude to Richard Taylor and other top scholars and writers published by the University Press of Kentucky,” said Stan Macdonald, a board member of the Thomas D. Clark Foundation. “They are enabling citizens to gain a much deeper understanding and appreciation of the state’s rich history and culture.” Taylor lives in a historic home he restored near the banks of Elkhorn Creek, a tributary of the Kentucky River. He writes about an eight-mile stretch of the creek in “Elkhorn.” “Through his love of Elkhorn Creek and his gift with storytelling, Taylor presents readers with a powerful picture of a place that has impacted so

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Transylvania climbs 11 spots in U.S. News & World Report national ranking

Posted on September 10, 2018July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University moved up 11 places this year in the U.S. News Best Colleges rankings released today. The university rated 76th among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges. Transylvania also placed 60th in the list of Best Value Colleges, which is based on factors such as price, quality of the program, average discount and number of students receiving need-based scholarships. “If you look at the criteria that U.S. News & World Report uses to rank colleges, Transylvania performs very well across the board,” said Rhyan Conyers, the university’s vice president of institutional effectiveness. “We are recognized as an affordable institution with an excellent reputation.” When ranking Transylvania, U.S. News considered the university’s small class sizes—78 percent have fewer than 20 students—and the fact that 95 percent of faculty have the highest degrees in their fields. Other factors include Transylvania’s high 75-percent graduation rate, student selectivity and retention, the amount spent on instruction and other student services, and alumni giving rate. Transylvania, in the heart of downtown Lexington, is one of only nine schools in the U.S. News top-100 liberal arts colleges in a city with a population of more than 300,000. The U.S. News ranking comes on the heels of Transylvania’s inclusion in Princeton Review’s “The Best 384 Colleges: 2019 Edition,” which recognized the school in specific categories such as Colleges That Pay You Back—showcasing affordability and career outcomes for graduates—and in College City Gets High Marks, for the

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Grammy-winning Conspirare to perform ‘Considering Matthew Shepard’ at Transylvania

Posted on September 7, 2018July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

Transylvania University and the Dorothy J. and Fred K. Smith Concert Series will present Grammy award-winning Conspirare in a performance of “Considering Matthew Shepard” on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 7:30 p.m. in Haggin Auditorium (Mitchell Fine Arts Center). This evocative choral drama, composed by Craig Hella Johnson, is a mix of musical textures and idioms that defy genre and come together to create a sense of hope, compassion, unity and empowerment. The national tour comes to Lexington nearly 20 years to the day when Matthew Shepard’s life was taken in an anti-gay hate crime. The choral and instrumental masterpiece tells Shepard’s story and reverberates with larger questions. “Matt’s story is not unique,” his mother, Judy Shepard, reminds us. “It’s a universal story.” Craig Hella Johnson uses a wide range of poetic texts that span centuries and include contemporary writers Lesléa Newman and Michael Dennis Browne, in addition to works of Hildegard of Bingen, Rumi and Hafiz. Passages from Matthew Shepard’s personal journal, interviews and writings from his parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, as well as newspaper reports add to texts by Johnson and Browne. The power in the work, as described by The Washington Post, “demonstrates music’s capacity to encompass, transform and transcend tragedy. Powerfully cathartic, it leads us from horror and grief to a higher understanding of the human condition, enabling us to endure.” “Considering Matthew Shepard” is presented as part of Transylvania’s New Frontiers series, which explores new

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Transylvania’s Morlan Gallery season opens with ‘Lake Effect’ exhibition

Posted on September 5, 2018July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.⎯Transylvania University’s Morlan Gallery will open its 2018-19 season with “Lake Effect,” an exhibition that has strong ties to the Windy City. Running Sept. 10 through Oct. 18, the free show is part of Transylvania’s New Frontiers feature event series, which asks the public to go beyond the familiar and explore ideas, art and music. “Lake Effect” is facilitated by 1992 Transylvania graduate Trevor Martin, executive director of exhibitions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. It features four artists connected to that city: Claire Ashley, Susanna Coffey, Jaclyn Mednicov and Maryam Taghavi. Through painting, sculpture, installation and video, their pieces will celebrate color, texture and repetition. “It’s an honor to feature works by these talented artists associated with Chicago, a city that has made broad contributions to the world of art—not only regionally but internationally,” Morlan Gallery Director Andrea Fisher said. “We’re especially excited to have a Transylvania graduate curate this season-opening exhibition.” Martin will discuss the works in “Lake Effect” on Thursday, Sept. 20, at 6 p.m. Laura Bryan, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university, will host a reception following the talk. Other special events and hours • Lexington Gallery Hop Reception | Friday, Sept. 21, 5-8 p.m. • Art Talk with Claire Ashley and Jaclyn Mednicov | Thursday, Oct. 18, 6 p.m. followed by a closing reception • Evening Hours | Wednesday, Sept. 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 9, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

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