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Cuban-American writer to visit Transylvania as Wilson Fellow

Posted on February 11, 2015July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Acclaimed writer and translator Achy Obejas will give a free, public lecture on “Identity and Dislocation” Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room A of the Campus Center during her residency as a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellow at Transylvania University. Obejas, a Cuban immigrant, is the author of critically acclaimed novels “Ruins” and “Days of Awe” and recently co-edited “Immigrant Voices: 21st Century Stories,” a collection of short stories written by recent immigrants to the United States. In addition to her public talk, she will lead classes and discussions with Transylvania students and faculty during her week-long fellowship. “Several faculty members were interested in Obejas and her experience with writing, literature, translation and immigration,” said psychology professor Meg Upchurch, who coordinates the lecture series on campus. “This will enable members of our campus community to have sustained conversations with her and explore her ideas more in depth.” Obejas is the Distinguished Visiting Writer at Mills College in Oakland, Calif. The Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellows program, which is administered by the Council of Independent Colleges in Washington, D.C., brings prominent artists, diplomats, journalists, business leaders and other professionals to campuses across the United States for a residential program of classes, seminars, workshops, lectures and informal discussions. For 35 years, the Visiting Fellows have introduced students and faculty members at liberal arts colleges to a wide range of perspectives on life, society, community and achievement. Previous Wilson Fellows

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Silas House names winner of Transylvania’s inaugural Young literary award

Posted on January 8, 2015July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Author Silas House selected a fast-paced Kentucky mystery as the inaugural winner of Transylvania University’s Judy Gaines Young Book Award, which honors a work from the Appalachian region. “The Next Time You See Me,” the debut novel from Holly Goddard Jones, chronicles a woman’s disappearance in a rural Kentucky town and the secrets its residents are keeping. House—one of Kentucky’s most prominent authors—heaped praise on the novel, calling Jones “one of the best writers working today.” “I think Jones is doing something very remarkable in this novel because she is combining elements of mystery, sense of place and social commentary in a lyrical book that is also a real page-turner,” he said. “Jones portrays rural people in a dignified and complex way without ever approaching stereotype, revealing the heart and soul of one small Kentucky town (and, ultimately, America) in a vivid cast of characters that become very real to the reader. I was very compelled to read it but also didn’t want it to end so I could luxuriate in the rich sense of place, the provocative themes and the lush language.” Jones is from Russellville, Ky., and now lives in Greensboro, N.C. She teaches in the creative writing program at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro and will visit Transylvania on March 24 at 5 p.m. to give a public reading from her book in Carrick Theater. The selection also comes with a $2,000 cash prize, and a signed

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to discuss Green Capitalism at Transylvania

Posted on January 7, 2015July 14, 2020 by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Environmental lawyer and activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will talk about Green Capitalism on Wednesday, Jan. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Transylvania’s Haggin Auditorium. The free event is part of the William R. Kenan Jr. Lecture Series. A reception will immediately follow in Carrick Theater. Tickets are sold out. “We are very excited to have a speaker the stature of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. here,” said psychology professor Meg Upchurch, who coordinates the lecture series. “His talk about how we can create jobs by developing environmentally sustainable industries should appeal to people from across the political spectrum. All of us who have a stake in the future of Kentucky can benefit from hearing ideas about possible directions the economy can take in the 21st century.” Green Capitalism Sustainable business and energy independence are keys to our economic revitalization. America can boost its own infrastructure by powering industry with plentiful and domestic renewable resources. With his trademark passion and topical expertise, Kennedy outlines how a sophisticated, well-crafted energy policy will help sharpen American competitiveness while reducing energy costs and our national debt. Intelligent energy policy is also the national fulcrum for U.S. foreign policy and national security. From career opportunities in sustainability and technologies to weaning our reliance on carbon energy, Kennedy offers a bold vision to restore U.S. economic might, safeguard our environment, and re-establish America’s role as an exemplary nation. Kenan series Transylvania’s Kenan lecture series and is

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