News from Transy

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Why do people in all cultures sing or play instruments? And why do humans have a special capacity to make and enjoy music? Steven Mithen, professor of early prehistory and pro-vice-chancellor at the University of Reading in England, will offer his theories on these questions during a lecture at Transylvania University on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in Carrick Theater. The lecture is sponsored by the Bingham-Young Fellowship Program and Transylvania’s Creative Intelligence Lecture Series. It’s free and open to the public. The subject of Mithen’s lecture, “The Music Instinct: The Evolutionary Basis of Musicality,” is drawn from his life-long research into early prehistoric communities and the evolution of human intelligence, language and music. His research includes long-term field projects in western Scotland (Mesolithic) and southern Jordan (early Neolithic). In 2005 he wrote “The Singing Neanderthals,” one of several books he has authored on the creative and cognitive life of early man. Having originally studied fine art at the Slade School, he completed a B.A. in prehistory and archaeology at Sheffield University, an M.S. in biological computation from York University and a Ph.D. in archaeology from Cambridge University, where he taught prior to moving to the University of Reading in 1992. For more information about the Bingham lecture, contact music professor Ben Hawkins at bhawkins@transy.edu or 859-233-8259.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Michele Norris, award-winning journalist and host and special correspondent for National Public Radio, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 8 in Transylvania’s Haggin Auditorium  as part of the Kenan Lecture Series, funded by a grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust. This lecture is part of Transylvania’s year-long program, Still Overcoming: Striving for Inclusiveness, and is free and open to the public. Norris will discuss her book “The Grace of Silence: A Memoir,” which focuses on how America talks about race and explores her own family’s racial legacy.   Before coming to NPR, Norris was a correspondent for ABC News. As a contributing correspondent for the “Closer Look” segments on “World News Tonight with Peter Jennings,” Norris reported extensively on education, inner city issues, the nation’s drug problem and poverty. She has also reported for the Washington Post, Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times. Norris has received numerous awards, including the 2009 Journalist of the Year award from the National Association of Black Journalists and their 2006 Salute to Excellence Award for her coverage of Hurricane Katrina. In 2007 she was honored with Ebony Magazine’s eighth annual Outstanding Women in Marketing & Communications Award and in 2009 was named one of Essence Magazine’s 25 Most Influential Black Americans. Norris also earned both an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for her contribution to ABC News’ coverage of 9/11. Norris attended the University of Wisconsin, where she majored

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Michael Bell Angela Hurley Abdulaziz Sachedina Marian McClure Taylor Jon Weece LEXINGTON, Ky.—As part of its ongoing efforts to spark conversation about the value of an inclusive community, Transylvania University is sponsoring a public forum featuring diverse religious leaders at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 in the William T. Young Campus Center Gym. Panelists will include the Rev. Jon Weece of Southland Christian Church; the Rev. Dr. Marian McClure Taylor, executive director of the Kentucky Council of Churches; Abdulaziz Sachedina, professor and IIIT Chair in Islamic Studies at George Mason University; Michael Bell, Transylvania’s interim vice president and dean of the college; and Angela Hurley, Transylvania professor of education and chair of the Division of Humanities. The discussion will be driven by audience questions. The goal of the event, titled “Finding Common Cause in Our Differences,” is to bring together community members who share a vision of the common good to demonstrate how religion can unite, not divide.  The event is presented jointly by Transylvania’s Office of Religious Life and Office of Diversity and Inclusion. It is part of Transylvania’s year-long celebration of 50 years of integration on campus, Still Overcoming: Striving for Inclusiveness. Wilson Dickinson, associate dean for religious life, emphasized that “a focus on ‘interfaith’ is not about reducing our religious commitments to the lowest common denominator. It’s about true collaboration—creating places where we can work together with conviction, integrity and compassion.” The idea for the forum originated when

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