1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University

1780 | The Official Blog of Transylvania University

Transylvania urges community to “Unlearn Fear + Hate”

Lexington blog Under Main has published an article on Transylvania’s theme for the year, Unlearn Fear + Hate. The initiative was inspired by an art project by English professor Kremena Todorova and art professor Kurt Gohde and will guide the university’s lecture series and discussions around campus and in the community.  “In search of another way,” Under Main

Remarks to the Class of 2020

The following is a transcript of Dr. Carey’s speech to the Transylvania Class of 2020 during its induction ceremony Aug. 13, 2016. Good morning. I am delighted to welcome all of you, parents and students of the class of 2020, to the beginning of this year’s August Term. I want to congratulate you on your choice of Transylvania. For 237 years, we have been educating students to make their mark on the world. Today, with pride, we continue that tradition with you. We also want to give you a bit of a head start. You are here a few weeks before the upper classes arrive so you can become familiar with where things are and with the college staff who will matter to you; you will know the best times and places to find late night food and which shortcuts actually shorten journeys. And you will have a good sense of your professors’ expectations before you start a full schedule of classes in September. Still, if I were to hazard a guess, I would say that all of you, but especially we parents, are feeling more than a bit of anxiety. I will drop my second daughter off at college in a couple of weeks, and while I am supposed to be an “old hand” at the “letting go” thing, I am still full of anxiety and some sadness. I want her to learn the pleasure, the freedom, and responsibility

Transylvania professor offers fascinating Olympics perspective

With the Rio Olympics in full swing, Transylvania history professor Gregg Bocketti offers a thought-provoking commentary on the games in an Op-Ed published by the Huffington Post and Lexington Herald-Leader: To Understand Olympics Protests, Look to the Past. He also was interviewed for WEKU’s “On Point” radio program, Local Expert Weighs in on Rio Attendance. This scholar of Brazilian sport has conducted most of his research in Rio, where he learned how sports have shaped the city. He also is a leading authority on the history of Brazilian and Latin American soccer and is an avid fan. Professor Bocketti authored the recently published book, “The Invention of the Beautiful Game: Football and the Making of Modern Brazil.”

Forbes ranks Transylvania high nationally in return on investment

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Two recent Forbes lists rank Transylvania University among the nation’s best colleges for student outcomes and alumni giving. Transylvania places among the top 10 percent of U.S. colleges for general return on investment—measures such as post-graduate success, satisfaction and student debt—and among the top 4 percent of colleges in grad donations and participation rate. “These rankings reinforce what we already know: Our strong liberal arts tradition provides students with not only the skills that employers value but also with an experience that will help them lead meaningful lives,” President Seamus Carey said. Transylvania takes extra steps to ensure its grads excel. For example, the 100 Doors to Success mentorship program pairs students with alumni who have a wealth of work and life experience to share. Successful outcomes are at the heart of the Forbes lists. America’s Top Colleges 2016 ranks schools not by what it takes to get accepted into them (such as SAT scores), but by how students benefit from attending these institutions. “It is our answer to the debate over whether higher education is worth it: For these outstanding institutions, we give a resounding yes,” according to Forbes. In addition to considering salary, the Top Colleges list measures success through achievements such as leadership and innovation. The business magazine’s 2016 Grateful Grad Colleges measures return on investment in a different way—monetary support by alumni. “The best colleges produce crop after crop of successful graduates that show their appreciation

Transylvania receives $71,000 grant for black male students

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University has received a $71,000 grant from the William R. Kenan Jr. Charitable Trust for the Pioneer Pathway Program, which prepares young black males for success in college preparation and completion. Mentorship is at the heart of this program for both the high school and undergraduate participants. The grant will help fund activities including Transylvania’s College Empowerment Program for high school students, and professional development and community leadership seminars. The Pioneer Pathway Program is part of Project One, a campus-wide diversity and inclusion initiative. “Transylvania views education as the gateway to a life of increasing freedom to choose one’s own life path,” President Seamus Carey said. “We recognize that many people in society have different starting points towards this path. In particular, young men of color often face significant obstacles that must be addressed and overcome in order for them to take advantage of the educational path. Transylvania is committed to doing all that we can to create the conditions in which young men of color can thrive.” This funding from the Kenan Trust in Chapel Hill, N.C., is part of nearly $3 million in grants for black males in Kentucky. Locally, this money also will go to groups such as the Fayette County Fatherhood Initiative at the Lexington Leadership Foundation, Fayette County Public Schools and the United Way of the Bluegrass. “We chose to partner with organizations and leaders throughout the state of Kentucky that were committed to