Transylvania University marked a significant milestone Monday with the dedication of the newly renovated Sanders-Siebers Entrepreneurship Hub. The celebration coincides with the announcement of Kaelyn Query Caldwell assuming the full-time role of director for the Center for Entrepreneurship. Query Caldwell, an award-winning Lexington-based entrepreneur, brings a wealth of experience and a strong track record of success to the role, poised to lead the center into a new era of innovation.
The Sanders-Siebers Entrepreneurship Hub, located within the Warren W. Rosenthal Complex, will support student entrepreneurial activities, meetings and programs. The hub’s creation was made possible by a major gift from the family of Kim Siebers Cornetet ’81, honoring a legacy of Transylvania graduates.
“Transylvania University is committed to fostering a dynamic environment where students can cultivate their entrepreneurial spirit alongside a rigorous liberal arts education,” said President Brien Lewis. “The dedication of the Sanders-Siebers Entrepreneurship Hub and the appointment of Kaelyn Query Caldwell as a full-time director mark significant progress toward achieving our vision of becoming Kentucky’s premier institution for developing future business leaders and innovators.”
Previously serving as the acting director, Query Caldwell has been instrumental in relaunching the center’s entrepreneurship programming. Since joining Transylvania, Query Caldwell has collaborated with student entrepreneurs to put on the university’s third annual Makers Market, partnered with Awesome Inc. for Startup Weekend Lexington and teamed up with local colleges and high schools for the 250Lex Entrepreneurial Showdown.
“I am thrilled to have been a part of the relaunch of the Center for Entrepreneurship here at Transylvania University,” Query Caldwell said. “The entrepreneurship and business communities in Lexington have wrapped their arms around the program and the students in a big way — you can feel the excitement across campus already. We are eager to announce the robust programming we have planned for the 2025-26 year and beyond, and I am honored to be a part of it.”
Query Caldwell has received accolades such as Entrepreneur of the Year from Commerce Lexington Inc. in 2016 and 2023 and was named one of the Top 5 Must-Know Event Planners in 2024 by MSN. She is the founder of Kentucky Event Company, LexEffect Venues and the consulting firm Big Ideas/Small Business. In October 2024, she was named one of seven finalists for the 2024 Lewis Shattuck Small Business Advocate of the Year Award from the National Small Business Association. Her extensive community involvement includes serving on several boards, including the Fayette Education Foundation, Lexington Children’s Theatre and Commerce Lexington.