News from Transy

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University, an early leader in liberal arts education, will host a faculty seminar titled Twenty-first Century Liberal Education: A Contested Concept, July 24-27. The 15 seminar participants were selected from a pool of over 40 applicants from prominent liberal arts colleges throughout the country. They reflect the diversity within the professorate at liberal arts colleges and include faculty members from Hanover, Wheaton, Davidson, Earlham, Wofford, Oglethorpe, and the University of Richmond. Seminar sessions include “The Historic Background to the Contemporary Debates,” “The Classical Tradition in the 20th Century: Robert Maynard Hutchins,” “The Rival Tradition: John Dewey,” “The Classical Tradition Redux: Allan Bloom” and “The Purposes of Liberal Education: Varieties of Individual Development.” Participants are asked to consider the application of liberal education principles to enhance their own effectiveness as college and university teachers – in the classroom, in the preparation of course offerings and in the construction of curricula at their academic institutions. Richard H. Ekman, president of the Council of Independent Colleges, will give the opening address, “Evolving and Durable Dimensions of the Liberal Arts: Both Good and Bad News.” The plenary speaker is Stephen Salkever, the Mary Katherine Woodworth Professor of Political Science at Bryn Mawr College. His address is entitled, “Keeping Our Difficult Balance: Hopes, Fears, and Puzzles About the Future of Liberal Education.” Through this seminar, Transylvania University and its Bingham Program for Excellence in Teaching, seeks to contribute to a national conversation on

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Katharin Shaw, a graduate of Princess Anne High School’s International Baccalaureate Program has been named a Goldwater Scholar by the Board of Trustees of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. The prestigious award honors Shaw with a $7,500 scholarship for her senior year at Transylvania University. “I’m really excited about receiving the award,” said Shaw. “I am thankful for the invaluable support provided by my family, friends and the faculty here at Transylvania.” Transylvania chemistry professor Eva Csuhai encouraged Shaw to apply for the scholarship. “Katharin constantly asks insightful questions about topics being covered, she is an essential player in all class discussions and she has a good vision of the intellectual potential of almost any issue we have discussed,” said Csuhai.  “Katharin is a very easy learner who is able to apply concepts she just learned very quickly and efficiently. She will pay attention to every detail and give justice to all aspects of a subject. She is entirely self-motivated, sets very high standards for herself, and is generally able to live up to them.” To fulfill the essay part of the application, Shaw modified her term paper for Csuhai’s class in which she proposed a means of using RNA interference to treat the disease Spinocerebellar Ataxia 7 (SCA7). “Her biochemistry research paper showed not only a full understanding of the class material, but also a pressing need on her part to explore new

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Sounds of patriotism will ring from the steps of Transylvania University’s historic Old Morrison on Thursday, July 3, as the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and the Lexington Singers treat the community to Fourth of July favorites in their annual concert. The concert, which is free and open to the public, begins at 8 p.m. and draws upwards of 5,000 people who set out their blankets and chairs from the steps of Old Morrison to Gratz Park. The concert is sponsored by National City Bank, Keeneland and the Kentucky League of Cities. The Young At Heart jazz band will perform in Gratz Park prior to the concert. Handicap parking is available in Transylvania’s Haupt Circle parking lot off North Broadway. For more information, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120 or Penny Ebel in the Mayor’s Office at (859) 258-3100.