1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University

1780 | The Official Blog of Transylvania University

Faculty & Staff

McZee named associate vice president for diversity and inclusion

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Taran McZee has been named Transylvania University’s new associate vice president for diversity and inclusion.  McZee, who will begin this spring, has more than 12 years of higher education experience in diversity and inclusion services, multicultural affairs and international programs—most recently at Grand Valley State University. “I’m very excited about this great opportunity at Transylvania University, and I’m ready to push Transy to the next phase of diversity and inclusion,” he said. McZee will deepen the university’s commitment to the values of its Project One initiative, which cultivates a campus community characterized by compassion, respect, ethical concern and social responsibility. Transylvania President Seamus Carey said McZee can help the university foster these values through innovative initiatives and building meaningful relationships. “He is passionate about students from all backgrounds, and about working with offices across campus to achieve our diversity and inclusion goals.” 

Transylvania professor receives John William Miller Research Fellowship

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Williamstown, Mass.—Peter S. Fosl, professor of philosophy at Transylvania University, has been selected as the next recipient of the John William Miller Research Fellowship. The John William Miller Fellowship Fund offers financial backing to scholars researching and writing book-length works addressing the philosophy of John William Miller. With the support of the Fellowship Fund, Fosl will explore the place of philosophical skepticism in Miller’s work. In his planned book, he will draw on Miller’s conceptions of the midworld, the act and criticism articulated in Miller’s five books, including “The Paradox of Cause,” and “The Task of Criticism.” “I am deeply honored to be named the next Miller Fellow and have the opportunity to devote a year of scholarly writing and inquiry in order to better understand the distinctive way Miller’s thought illuminates and responds to the challenges of skepticism,” Fosl said. “Miller’s student, Joseph P. Fell, introduced me to Miller’s thinking and set the coordinates of my philosophical life while I was a philosophy student at Bucknell in the early 1980s. Now, after ranging across the history of philosophy for more than 30 years, I am eager to return to the seminal thoughts of Miller and Fell, and consider them afresh.”  The $45,000 award allows worthy scholars the means to devote substantial time to research and writing. “Professor Fosl has proposed a work that will both explore and challenge the premises of Miller’s thought,” said Michael J. McGandy, chair of

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Transylvania hires VP for advancement

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University has hired Martin W. Smith to serve as vice president for advancement. Smith comes to Transylvania from Illinois Wesleyan University, where as vice president for advancement he increased total giving by more than $10 million in the past five years. “I’m excited for this opportunity to help Transylvania prosper as one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges,” Smith said. “I’ll work hard to ensure not only that current and future Pioneers continue to receive the resources needed for the best possible education, but also that alumni maintain strong bonds with the university that made them who they are today.” Smith will begin at Transylvania on Aug. 1. At Illinois Wesleyan he led the largest campaign in the school’s history, raising $141 million for scholarships, professorships, facilities and the endowment. Smith’s duties at Transylvania will include securing major gifts, endowed support and annual giving; helping lead the university’s upcoming major capital campaign; and overseeing Transylvania’s development, alumni and parent programs. Additionally, he will foster relations with businesses and organizations and serve on the president’s cabinet, where he will contribute to decisions that affect the university as a whole. Smith’s extensive experience in higher education includes serving as vice president for university advancement at Ottawa (Kan.) University, where he also was director of major gifts, campaigns, development, athletics and public relations. Additionally, he was director of athletics for Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind. Smith earned a Bachelor

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Sheilley inducted into Asbury Hall of Fame

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Holly Sheilley, Transylvania’s vice president for athletics and student affairs, has been inducted into Asbury University’s Hall of Fame. She graduated from the Wilmore, Ky., school in 1994. Read the exerpt below from the Asbury news release about Sheilley’s accomplishments. Received Asbury’s Gamble-Walker Award as a senior for the top graduating senior in athletics and academics while participating in volleyball, basketball, and softball for Asbury College. Led softball team in hits, doubles, triples, homeruns, RBIs and batting average her junior season and hit .543 as a sophomore. Four-time coach of the year during stints as the head volleyball and softball coach at Lindsey Wilson College from 1996-2001. Also became just the third female Athletic Director in the State of Kentucky when hired in the role at Transylvania.

Transylvania names dean of university

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University named Laura Bryan, who was dean of the University of Baltimore’s college of arts and sciences, as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university. She began July 1. By hiring Bryan, Transylvania continues a leadership transformation that started a year ago with the selection of President Seamus Carey. “We are very excited to have Dr. Bryan join the Transylvania community during this time of renewal,” Carey said. “She brings a wealth of experience as an educator, administrator, consensus builder and advocate of the liberal arts.” Bryan, a U.S. Fulbright Scholar and psychology professor, serves as the chief academic officer for the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences’ undergraduate and graduate programs. “I have tremendous respect for Transylvania’s mission, faculty, staff and students, and I am honored to be selected as the next dean,” Bryan said. “I look forward to partnering with the university and Lexington communities.” She will serve on the executive cabinet and oversee Transylvania’s library, study abroad program, writing center, first-year academic experience, registrar and career development office. Bryan is no stranger to the Lexington area, having served as director of work-life at the University of Kentucky. Additionally, she was associate VP for academic affairs with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Eastern Kentucky University, where she helped develop a graduate program in industrial and organizational psychology and was director for the campus Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. Bryan also directed the

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