Transylvania University continues to spotlight its graduating seniors for a variety of achievements on campus and out in the community. Check out the previous highlights of the Class of 2025, and follow @transylvaniauniversity on Instagram for future ones.
As president of our Student Activities Board, senior Abby Burczyk has been helping her fellow Pioneers get the most out of college life. “On-campus programs are not only a way to meet people and make memories but are also an accessible way for students to broaden their horizons and grow as people,” she said. Burczyk is a member of Tri Delta sorority and Omicron Delta Kappa, and she has worked for CAPE all four years. Plus, she studied in Spain and Morocco and served as a First Engagements scholar and coordinator, as well as intramural coordinator. The international affairs major from Nicholasville made sure to get so involved with school activities after her alumni parents told her about their own positive experiences at Transylvania. After graduation, she plans to attend the Patterson School of Diplomacy and International Commerce at the University of Kentucky.
Senior Caroline Damron is taking advantage of Transylvania’s partnership with Lincoln Memorial University’s Physician Assistant Program, which holds three spots each year for qualifying Pioneers and gives them support throughout the admissions process. The health and exercise science major from Hurricane, West Virginia, has been a leader in supporting fellow pre-PA students. She co-founded the Pre-PA Club and served as its president, and she was the pre-PA liaison for the Pre-Health Club. Damron loved mentoring younger students who are on a similar path, helping them succeed as she has. She’s also been active in our American Chemistry Society chapter, Jumpstart program, Transy Dance Marathon and Omicron Delta Kappa. Plus, even without a music major or minor, she earned a vocal scholarship, participated in choir all four years and is singing the national anthem at commencement. Damron starts at LMU this week.
Transylvania senior Katherine Foster landed three accounting internships over the past four years with the support of CAPE and her professors. Focused on taxes and auditing, this experience will serve her well when she starts as a tax associate for Dean Dorton January — and when she takes the CPA exam. (That’s something our Pioneers can do without a master’s degree because the accounting program is so strong.) Foster has also served as president of Omicron Delta Kappa and was a Writing Center staffer and member of Chi Omega, the Student Alumni Association, Order of Omega, Sigma Tau Delta and Rho Lambda. The accounting major from Scottsville, Kentucky, was the first Embedded Learning fellow in that subject and served as a tutor.
Transylvania senior Kinley Lewis plans to return to Eastern Kentucky after graduation, where she’ll continue helping meet the region’s critical health care shortage. As the first scholarship recipient in our Appalachian Regional Healthcare partnership, she’s already gotten practical experience working as a certified nursing assistant for Morgan County ARH Hospital. The neuroscience major from Elliott County has also served as president of Psi Chi and volunteered for Surgery on Sunday along with the Refuge Clinic. Plus, she was a member of Pre-Health Club, Pre-PA Club, Tri Delta and the Panhellenic Council. Through her experience with our ARH partnership, which requires recipients to serve at an Appalachian facility for a few years, she learned the importance of collaboration in health care and how workers like physician assistants can “drive that teamwork and increase access to care in rural areas specifically.” Lewis plans to attend a PA graduate program beginning early next year.
As one of our first Pioneers to graduate with a data analytics minor, senior Jessie Reynolds has forged a unique path at Transylvania. But that’s only part of the story: She majored in math and picked up studio art as a double minor — because she feels passionate about both. “The community at Transy is so encouraging and has pushed me to take advantage of every opportunity I could,” said Reynolds, who’s from Fort Thomas, Kentucky. Additionally, she’s served as Phi Mu treasurer, an RA and a member of the Student Alumni Association. Reynolds also benefited from her experience as a data management intern for Mercer. After graduation, she plans to earn a Master of Science in business analytics from the University of Cincinnati.
After arriving at Transylvania four years ago from his native Baltimore, Preston Weinberg dove into life at his new home to become a campus leader. He spearheaded the establishment of our Jewish Student Alliance and led philanthropic efforts of his Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, including the Pikes on Bikes fundraiser for children with heart defects. Other groups he’s been engaged with include Student Alumni Association and Kentucky Hillel. Weinberg, who strives to help others get involved like he did, credits the school community including professors and classmates for helping him overcome challenges along his path to this month’s commencement. With a major in biology and double minor in psychology and philosophy, he plans to earn his master’s in biomedical forensic science from Towson University in Baltimore.