News from Transy

LEXINGTON, Ky.—After 25 years of teaching a highly specialized computer course at Transylvania University, James Miller is sharing his knowledge in a newly published book. Compiler Construction: A Practical Approach, is designed to give undergraduate computer science students a “good understanding of the process involved in taking a computer language that we as programmers can understand and converting it to a language that the computer understands,” said Miller, who taught for 42 years at Transy before retiring in 2008. “I started teaching a compiler course at Transy almost before there was such a course for undergraduate computer science students,” he added. “The book comes mainly from notes that I developed over 25 years of teaching such a course.” Admittedly, the market for a compiler construction book is small, Miller said. “However, I hope that my book will fill the need for those looking for a more practical book in this field.” Although there are many compiler texts available, Miller said most of them concentrate more on theory instead of on actual implementation of a working compiler. His book takes the subject a step further by helping students complete the task of writing a compiler in a one-semester course. Throughout his teaching career at Transylvania, Miller also taught math and physics courses as well as other computer science courses. The accomplished professor is credited with launching the school’s computer science program, an initiative he championed throughout his tenure. He was also

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Transylvania students help a Crimson Christmas attendee create a work of art at the annual holiday event. Ninety-one Transylvania University students recently participated in Transylvania’s 18th annual Crimson Christmas philanthropic event. Transylvania’s Office of Residence Life and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Bluegrass sponsored Crimson Christmas to provide local children with a holiday-filled morning. Children paired up with students from each residence hall to attend a carnival with booths hosted by a variety of Transylvania organizations. Activities included face painting, arts and crafts, trivia and other carnival games. The children also enjoyed a visit from Santa Claus who came bearing gifts. Transylvania, founded in 1780, is the nation’s sixteenth oldest institution of higher learning and is consistently ranked in national publications as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country.

ALD adviser and psychology professor Michael Nichols (far left) and ALD adviser, associate dean of the college and biology professor Kathleen Jagger (far right) pose with new ALD inductees. LEXINGTON, Ky.—Sixty-eight Transylvania University first-year students were recently inducted into the inaugural class of Transylvania’s chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta, a national honor society. Transylvania’s chapter is the organization’s 325th chapter. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2009, the national society recognizes students who have maintained a 3.5 or higher GPA and are in the top 20 percent of their class during their first year or term of higher education. To have an Alpha Lambda Delta (ALD) chapter at an institution, the school must first have its own honor society for first-year students. Most of the 68 Transylvania students were inducted into the Transylvania First-Year Honor Society last spring. Transylvania then applied for an ALD chapter and once it was granted, these students, plus a few more of their peers, were inducted into the national honor society. Sophomore Joshua Edge, of Owensboro, Ky., is the president of ALD at Transylvania and said that having a chapter of the national society on campus “allows the university the means to recognize early achievement in students, which can be overlooked at times.” “As we begin to carve out a place for Alpha Lambda Delta in the Transylvania community, I hope that we will be able to be a voice for first-year students on Transy’s campus

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University junior Jessica Beard has been selected to be an intern in Frankfort, working at least 30 hours a week for a member of the Kentucky General Assembly through the 2010 Frankfort Semester Legislative Internship Program. Beard, a political science major from Albany, Ky., will be responding to constituent inquiries, assisting in the crafting and passage of legislation and performing other duties integral to the legislative process. In addition, she will take two upper division seminar courses focusing on state government, legislative history and research. The internship program is an initiative of the Association of Independent Kentucky College and Universities (AIKCU), a group made up of the 20 nonprofit, independent colleges and universities in Kentucky. This is the 10th year of the program, whose aim is to enhance students’ academic, civic and professional skills through the internship experience. “After graduation from law school, I plan to become actively involved in Kentucky government, and this experience with the AIKCU program will provide me with both the knowledge and connections that are essential aspects of being a successful member of government,” said Beard. In even-numbered years, interns work directly for members of the general assembly, while in odd years they serve in a variety of state government agencies. Juniors, seniors and graduate students in good standing and attending one of AIKCU’s member institutions are eligible to apply for the internship. The program begins in January and runs through mid-April.