News from Transy Archives

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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Transylvania University unveils presidential portrait of Charles L. Shearer

Posted on June 6, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—A portrait of Transylvania President Emeritus Charles L. Shearer was unveiled during a reception for the Board of Trustees held at the home of President and Mrs. R. Owen Williams. Board chairman William T. Young Jr. presented the portrait on behalf of the university as a way of paying tribute to Shearer’s 27-year tenure (1983-2010) as president, a period that saw significant increases in enrollment, endowment, scholarships and campus buildings. “Charles Shearer was in office longer than any other Transylvania president and guided the university to some of its greatest achievements,” Young said. “It is with great affection and admiration that we commemorate his service to Transylvania through this striking portrait.” The painting was created by Robert Kuester, an award-winning artist who lives and paints in New Mexico. Kuester holds a degree from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. The oil-on-canvas portrait, done in a realistic style, measures 30 by 40 inches. “Robert did a very nice job of creating a warm, not overly serious likeness, and I especially like the attention to detail with things like my hands,” Shearer said. “I’m very honored and grateful for this portrait.” Leslie Baldwin, wife of Transylvania business administration professor Bill Baldwin and a sales associate for Kentucky with the international firm Portraits, Inc., facilitated the selection of Kuester from among the 175 portrait artists represented by the organization. Transylvania art professor Nancy Wolsk was a consultant for the

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Affrilachian poet Bianca Spriggs gives Transylvania graduates address to remember

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

Poet Bianca Spriggs ’03 speaks to the Class of 2012. LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University President R. Owen Williams conferred the Bachelor of Arts degree to 241 students Saturday in a commencement ceremony on the steps of historic Old Morrison. Bianca Spriggs, a renowned Affrilachian poet and 2003 Transylvania graduate, gave a unique commencement address in front of hundreds of spectators, presenting a poetry reading accompanied by graduating senior Caleb Ritchie on keyboard. Spriggs put out a call to seniors to submit responses to questions about their four years at Transylvania—what they would take with them to their careers and how they’ve grown as people. She used some of those responses in her presentation. Spriggs, a history major and studio art minor at Transylvania, is in the doctoral program for creative writing at the University of Kentucky and has had an active career including writing, teaching, performance art and filmmaking. She earned a master’s of arts in English composition/creative writing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She was named one of the Top 30 Performance Poets by TheRoot.com, a daily online magazine providing commentary on the news from black perspectives. She is recognized as a Cave Canem Fellow from the Brooklyn-based national writer’s center that focuses on African American poets and writers, and she is the creator of The Swallowtail Project, a traveling creative writing workshop designed for incarcerated women throughout Kentucky. Spriggs talked to the students about measuring time not in minutes

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Five Transylvania students awarded prestigious Transylvania Honors Scholarship

Posted on May 23, 2012July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Five current Transylvania University students have received Transylvania Honors Scholarships, which are awarded annually to rising senior students who have achieved outstanding academic records and have made significant service contributions to Transylvania. The scholarship covers tuition and the general fee. The recipients are chosen by a panel of faculty members who interview each applicant. “These are students whose academic and campus community accomplishments are impeccable,” said William F. Pollard, vice president and dean of the college. “Being named a Transylvania Honors Scholar is an extraordinary achievement given the credentials of the finalists, all of whom have outstanding records of academic success and of contributions to the life of the campus.” Molly Dean, a writing, rhetoric, and communications and Spanish language and literature double major, is from Louisville, Ky. Hannah Johnson, a political science major and Spanish and international affairs double minor, is from Lexington, Ky. Cameron Lindsey, an English major, is from Nicholasville, Ky. Jordan Rebsch, a business administration and psychology double major, is from Lexington, Ky. Alex Yaden, a teaching music major, is from Bardstown, Ky.