Faculty & Staff Archives

Transylvania University names the Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper interim associate dean of interreligious life

Posted on July 15, 2011July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Michael Vetter, vice president and dean of students at Transylvania University, announced today that the Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper has been named interim associate dean of interreligious life, for a one-year appointment effective August 1. Kemper, a 1964 graduate of Transylvania, is executive director and pastor of New Union Christian Church and served as the executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches from 1991-2009. She holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University Divinity School and holds ministerial standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. “Nancy Jo Kemper will be a tremendous asset to Transylvania this coming year as she engages our community in a broad range of interreligious programs,” said Vetter. “Her extensive background in church and service work along with her enthusiasm and vigor are perfect for this new role.” Kemper will advise faith-based student organizations, coordinate church related internships, provide social justice and interreligious programming, work with the interreligious life team to develop a new model for campus, monitor campus religious activities to assure they are consistent with the liberal arts mission of the college and provide spiritual counseling for students, faculty and staff. “I’m looking forward to this opportunity to serve Transylvania on an interim basis,” said Kemper. “I find being in an environment of young people who are making inquiries into many fields of knowledge and carving out their own unique identities to be especially

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Transylvania University names Kirk Purdom vice president for advancement

Posted on March 31, 2011July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania President R. Owen Williams announced today that after an extensive national search, Kirk Purdom has been named vice president for advancement, effective April 18. Mark Blankenship, associate vice president for alumni affairs, has been serving as acting vice president for alumni and development. Purdom comes to Transylvania from Kentucky Wesleyan College where he has served as vice president for advancement since July 2008. Prior to that, he was the director of development at Middle Tennessee State University. He has also served as the director of leadership giving for the University of Tennessee and the major gifts officer for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Mississippi. “We are delighted to have Kirk join our team at Transylvania,” said Williams. “He was our unanimous choice for this critically important position and we are confident that his experience and approach will help us achieve our goal to become one of the best liberal arts institutions in the nation.” Purdom will serve on the President’s Cabinet and be responsible for all areas of university advancement. Transylvania consistently ranks in the top 20 of the country’s liberal arts institutions in percentage of alumni giving and the university recently concluded its five-year 225th Anniversary Campaign, which raised $47.3 million. Among other responsibilities, Purdom will be in charge of the development and implementation of Transylvania’s next capital campaign and the generation of major and planned gifts. “I am really excited about

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Transylvania announces new president after in-depth national search

Posted on April 14, 2010July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—R. Owen Williams will be the next president of Transylvania University, William T. Young Jr., chairman of Transylvania’s Board of Trustees, announced this afternoon. He will become the 25th president of the 230-year-old liberal arts college when Charles L. Shearer retires on July 31. “Owen Williams was the presidential search committee’s unanimous choice from a sizeable pool of exceptionally qualified candidates,” said Young. “His educational background, his managerial experience, his ability to relate to people of differing backgrounds, his drive, curiosity and enthusiasm, and his dedication to an excellent liberal arts education are all factors that influenced our decision.” Young added that “Charles Shearer is leaving his successor with an exceptionally strong base from which to lead Transylvania to the next level of excellence as a national liberal arts institution.” Shearer said that Williams is an excellent choice and will bring many positive qualities to the university. “I’m confident he will continue to move Transylvania forward,” said Shearer. Williams, 58, earned an A.B. in philosophy from Dartmouth College, an M.A. in intellectual history from Cambridge University, a master’s of law from Yale Law School and a Ph.D. in history, specializing in nineteenth-century American history, from Yale University. “I could not be more honored to become the next president of Transylvania University,” said Williams. “Transylvania is an extraordinary liberal arts college and, as a historian, I am in awe of its rich history.” Williams said that “Charles Shearer has built

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Transylvania University Board of Trustees names presidential search committee

Posted on November 19, 2009July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University Board of Trustees Chairman William T. Young Jr. announced today a 14-member search committee for the 25th president of the 229-year old liberal arts college. Transylvania’s longest tenured president, Charles L. Shearer, announced to the board in October that he would retire as president at the end of June. “Leading the search for a new president for this remarkable university is the most important work of the board of trustees this year,” said Young. “I am very pleased with the make-up of the committee. In assembling the committee, we sought to achieve balance in expertise and experience.” He said that the committee represents the university’s trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni, but individual members are not charged with representing a constituency. “Each member represents the university as a whole,” he said. The Transylvania University presidential search committee is comprised of the following members: Trustees William M. Arvin ’61, attorney, William M. Arvin Law Offices Karen K. Caldwell ’77, United States District Judge, Eastern District of Kentucky John S. Carroll, veteran journalist and former editor of the Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Lexington Herald-Leader Norwood (Buddy) Cowgill ’65, CEO, Office Suites Plus Rose Mary Stamler Dow ’88, president, Signal Investment, Inc. Ann Rosenstein Giles ’75, president, A.J. Marketing Partners James F. Hardymon, retired chairman and CEO, Textron, Inc. James G. Kenan III, chairman, Kentucky River Properties, LLC. William T. Young Jr., chairman,

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Transylvania University names Marc Mathews vice president for finance and business

Posted on January 23, 2009July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON. Ky.—Transylvania President Charles L. Shearer announced today that Marc A. Mathews will join the University February 23 as vice president for finance and business. He succeeds Jerry Ray, who has been chief financial officer for 25 years and will continue in a part-time advisory capacity for several months to assure continuity and a smooth transition of leadership. Mathews brings 28 years of experience in accounting and financial management, most recently at the University of Kentucky, where he has been treasurer since January 2008, and was controller from 2004-08 and senior associate controller from 1998-2004. He previously worked in auditing and financial management at PricewaterhouseCoopers; Ross, Sinclaire & Associates; Century Offshore Management; and Coopers & Lybrand. As vice president for finance and business, Mathews will serve as chief financial officer and will oversee the operation of the physical plant and the offices of finance and accounting, information technology, campus safety, purchasing, telecommunications, human resources, and financial aid, as well as all contracted services such as the bookstore and food service. Mathews is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the National Association of College and University Business Officers. He has been active in community organizations including the United Way, the International Book Project, and Volunteer Center of the Bluegrass. He is national treasurer of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honorary. Mathews is a 1980 Transylvania graduate and a former member of its Alumni Executive Board. He

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