News from Transy Archives

Newest class of Governor’s School for Arts graduates July 7; final day features public performances, graduation ceremony

Posted on July 3, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—The Governor’s School for the Arts 2012 summer session comes to a close Saturday, June 7 at Transylvania University, highlighted by final student performances around campus and a graduation ceremony at 5:15 p.m. in Haggin Auditorium in the Mitchell Fine Arts Center. Final performances, including those in instrumental and vocal music, musical theater, visual arts, drama, new media and architecture, will begin at various campus locations at noon. All final day events are open to GSA parents, friends and relatives as well as the public and media. Previous final day performances have attracted over 1,200 people to the campus. Refreshments will be available at various locations near Old Morrison, Transylvania’s administration building on Third Street. Final performances will be held at the Mitchell Fine Arts Center, the Little Theater, the Shearer Art Building, the Haupt Humanities Building, Old Morrison and the Cowgill Center. See a campus map here. A total of 225 high school students from 43 Kentucky counties have been on campus since June 17, immersed in a rigorous schedule of daily seminars, master classes, lectures, hands-on workshops and field trips to local arts attractions. Over 1,500 students attended auditions for the 225 positions, which are valued at $2,800 per student. GSA is free to all students selected for the program. GSA pays the entire cost per student through the General Assembly under the leadership of the governor, along with donations from individuals, corporations and private foundations. Nearly

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Bob Brown promoted to associate dean of student affairs

Posted on June 28, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Bob Brown, current director of residence life at Transylvania University, has been named associate dean of student affairs, effective July 1. He came to Transylvania in 2001 as assistant director of residence life and became director of residence life in 2005. His new responsibilities will include residence life, student involvement and leadership, judicial affairs, community service and civic engagement and the William T. Young Campus Center. He will be involved in refining the university’s student affairs policies, supporting general student needs and planning for future residence hall and campus construction. “This is a much deserved progression in Bob’s Transylvania career,” said Barbara LoMonaco, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “He will now have the opportunity to use the student life skills he has demonstrated over the past decade in a number of new areas that will greatly benefit the university.” Brown earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the University of Kentucky and a master of science in higher education and student affairs administration from Indiana University. “My new role will allow me to support those who have day-to-day interactions with students and ensure that our student affairs programs are working for the best interests of students and Transylvania,” said Brown.

Billips named associate dean for first-year academic programs, advising

Posted on June 26, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—President R. Owen Williams has announced that English professor Martha Billips has been named associate dean for first-year academic programs and advising, effective August 1. Billips taught in the Foundations of the Liberal Arts program for first-year students from 1997-2012 and directed the program from 2001-12. She has also served as humanities division chair. “This new role is an excellent fit for Martha,” said President R. Owen Williams. “In many important ways, she has already contributed enormously to the way we educate first-year students at Transylvania. Through her 15 years of experience with our former FLA program, she gained a keen understanding of the critical transition that first-year students make in adjusting to the rigors of college-level academics. That background will serve her well as she works to support our first-year students in their liberal arts studies at Transylvania.” Billips looks forward to the challenges of her new role and feels the timing is especially significant. “With the advent of August term and the creation of our First-Year Seminar program, we can provide our students with a distinctive, challenging and multi-disciplinary first-year curriculum,” she said. “This will prepare them well for the rest of their educational experience at Transylvania. I look forward to playing an important role in this initiative.” Billips will remain a tenured member of the faculty, assume her rank as professor of English and teach at least one course per year. She came to Transylvania in

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Celebrate America’s independence with Transylvania University and the city of Lexington

Posted on June 26, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University and the city of Lexington will team up for the 28th year to celebrate America’s independence on the campus of one of the nation’s oldest colleges with a patriotic concert on Tuesday, July 3 at 8 p.m. The free concert will feature the musical talents of the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lexington Singers beginning with performances of “Star-Spangled Banner” and “My Old Kentucky Home.” The event annually draws a crowd upwards of 5,000 stretching across the lawn of historic Old Morrison and down to the Carnegie Center in Gratz Park. The Young at Heart Dixieland Jazz Band will perform in Gratz Park prior to the concert, beginning at 5:30 p.m. The concert is sponsored by Hilliard-Lyons, Transylvania University, the Downtown Lexington Corporation, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government and WLEX-TV. Handicapped accessible parking will be available in the semi-circle driveway on Broadway between Third and Fourth streets. For more information, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120 or Tamara Deckard at the Downtown Lexington Corporation at (859) 425-2592.

Transylvania’s Karen Anderson recognized as a Bluegrass Community Connector; 140 connectors chosen from 5,000 nominations

Posted on June 13, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Karen Anderson, coordinator of community service and civic engagement at Transylvania University, was one of 140 Bluegrass Community Connectors honored Tuesday at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington. Last August, the Bluegrass Community Connector Project began accepting nominations of people throughout the region who are great civic connectors and make things happen in their communities. More than 5,000 nominations were received. Since 1994, Anderson has worked with the campus community to make meaningful connections with local and regional communities through short and long term community service projects, civic engagement programming and support for service-learning classes. While at Transylvania, she has participated in more than 25 service trips throughout the United States. In 2005, she co-chaired a national committee to assist Susan G. Komen for the Cure to restructure their volunteer program. She serves on the board of the League of Women Voters, Lexington and the Kentucky Campus Compact Advisory Board, and has been an officer of the Kentucky Association of Housing Officers and the Central Kentucky Association of Volunteer Administrators Anderson has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning, the Lexington Humane Society, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Bluegrass, East Seventh Street Center, Komen’s Lexington and many other organizations. She received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Minnesota State University and a master’s of education degree from Kent State University. Only the fifth such project in the country, the Bluegrass Community Connector

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