1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University

1780 | The Official Blog of Transylvania University

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Kentucky poetry and music meet at Transylvania on Sept. 23

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University will host four of the most renowned Kentucky poets on Sept. 23 at the premiere of “Where I Am Now,” a music and poetry collaboration from Transylvania music professor Larry Barnes. The program will be in Carrick Theater at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Part of Transylvania’s Creative Intelligence Series, the piece sets to music poems submitted by Pulitzer-Prize nominee Jeff Worley and Kentucky Poets Laureate Frank X Walker, Richard Taylor and George Ella Lyon. The poets will speak about their works, which are set in the first person and portray strong feelings around circumstances that range from the everyday to the extraordinary. “I was thrilled to have these fine poets agree to this project, and I wanted to do them justice by fully expressing my emotional response to their personal and deeply moving works,” Barnes said. “The power of their words inspired me to write music that is luminous, nostalgic, grief-stricken but hopeful and, at the end, full of sass.” Following the introductions, Lexington sopranos Joanna Manring and Anabelle Wright Gatton will join Barnes at the piano for the first performance of the new songs. Styles include classical contemporary, distant ragtime and a slow drag blues. “Their works led me to musical styles I wouldn’t have touched on my own,” Barnes said. “This collaboration has moved my heart more strongly than I imagined when I took the chance and asked these

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Transylvania names new residence hall after dedicated alumni

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University has named the first of its three new residence halls after two alumni who were remarkably dedicated to their school. Dalton-Voigt Residence Hall—which opened this past weekend for the beginning of the academic year—honors deceased alumni Steve Dalton ’83 and Elizabeth “Betty” Ann Voigt ’44. “Both Steve and Betty served their alma mater while they were students—and long after graduation,” said Kirk Purdom, vice president for advancement. “By naming the new building after them, we celebrate their lifelong commitment to Transylvania and ensure their legacy endures.” Dalton was a campus leader and a true Renaissance man, making many friends at Transylvania. As a resident advisor, he turned campus housing into a laboratory to learn about life. He went on to work in health care and finance, serving as CFO for National Medial Solutions and founding a small business, iTasker. He remained dedicated to the university as president of Phi Kappa Tau and worked with its investment club. Voigt, who loved and supported Transylvania for many years, was a nurse in Lexington and charter member of the university’s Morrison Society, which honors donors. An active volunteer for the alumni office, she worked as a Phonathon volunteer and served on her reunion planning committee. Voigt received Transylvania’s Distinguished Service Award in 2004 and the Morrison Medallion in 2012. The building named after her and Dalton stands four stories and has 72 rooms and a capacity for 144 residents. Each

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Renowned Celtic fiddler Eileen Ivers to perform at Transylvania on Oct. 7

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Grammy-winning Celtic fiddler Eileen Ivers, whom The New York Times called the Jimi Hendrix of the violin, will perform at Transylvania University on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. in Haggin Auditorium. Ivers has played with a variety of performers, including Riverdance, Sting and Hall and Oates, and she has appeared on film soundtracks, most notably “Gangs of New York.” She is a nine-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion and has become one of the most renowned figures in contemporary Irish music. Her band’s most recent program, “Beyond the Bog Road,” is a celebration of the Americana sound, surveying the growth of bluegrass, Appalachian, Quebecois and Cajun styles from their roots in Celtic music. The performance is energetic and passionate, with a wide variety of musical flavors. Tickets are free to the public and can be picked up before the show in the William T. Young Campus Center beginning Sept. 15 until they are sold out. For more information, call 859-233-8120. The event is part of the four-day Celebration of Transylvania, which will feature the inauguration of Seamus Carey as the university’s 26th president. It’s also part of Smith Concert Series, which was created in 2007 by the late Dorothy J. Smith, a 1942 Transylvania graduate, to bring high quality musical performances to Transylvania. The series is named for Smith and her late husband, Fred K. Smith, a 1940 Transylvania graduate. Transylvania University, located in the heart of downtown Lexington, Ky., is

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Transylvania makes U.S. News & World Report top liberal arts colleges list

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University earned a spot among the nation’s top liberal arts colleges in a U.S. News & World Report list released today. Transylvania ranked among the country’s best 100 liberal arts schools for a variety of reasons, including its excellent faculty, acceptance rate, alumni giving, financial resources and high school counselor ratings. “This ranking once again reinforces Transylvania’s standing as a top-tier U.S. liberal arts school,” President Seamus Carey said. “Our students learn from dedicated, engaging professors. And they benefit from living in the heart of a vibrant city—which sets us apart from most of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges.” The U.S. News & World Report ranking is one of many tools students and parents use when choosing a college. Other factors they may consider when deciding on Transylvania include our three new residence halls opening this fall and next year, other major building improvements to campus, a test-optional admissions policy and an innovative August term for our first-year students to acclimate to college life. Today’s U.S. News & World Report ranking—which placed Transylvania 82nd out of the nation’s 245 liberal arts schools—comes on the heels of two other strong showings. The Princeton Review listed Transylvania University among the top 15 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges because of superior academics. And the Washington Monthly highlighted the school’s value, listing the university in the top 14 percent of the Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the South ranking.

Transylvania among top 15 percent of nation’s four-year colleges

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—The Princeton Review once again listed Transylvania University among the top 15 percent of the nation’s four-year colleges. “We selected these colleges primarily based on our high opinion of their academics,” according to the Princeton Review, which includes Transylvania in its book, “The Best 380 Colleges – 2016 Edition.” The Princeton Review—known for its college admissions, tutoring and test prep services—also conducted independent surveys of students at the country’s top schools. The report characterized Transylvania students as “passionate, involved, kind and intelligent.” There also is a collaborative culture at the school and “strong sense of community.” One of the students surveyed said professors are extremely accessible and “care about their students on a personal level.” The Princeton Review noted: “Individual attention is paramount at Transylvania University.” Additionally, a psychology and philosophy double major said students “care about each other and are ready to stand together to support a cause or a friend in need.” The survey also highlighted the many ways to get involved in groups and activities both on and off campus, and it mentioned Transylvania’s dynamic learning opportunities. Students can expect a rigorous, high-quality education at this liberal arts school, which “emphasizes interdisciplinary work” and fosters critical thinking. Plus, students commented on the ideal location of Lexington, which offers amenities such as “a rich culture of art” and dining and entertainment opportunities— furthermore, downtown is within walking distance of campus. In addition to including Transylvania in the Best

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