1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University

1780 | The Official Blog of Transylvania University

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Consultant chosen to help conduct Transylvania presidential search

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University Board of Trustees Chairman William T. Young announced that Susan Resneck Pierce, senior consultant with Academic Search, Inc., of Washington, D.C., has been retained to help conduct a national search for the university’s next president. Charles L. Shearer, Transylvania’s president since 1983, has announced his retirement effective June 30, 2010. Academic Search is a leader in the design and implementation of search processes for college and university senior executives, having served over 1,000 institutions since 1976. Pierce recently assisted presidential searches for Furman University, Ohio Wesleyan University, Heidelberg University, Stephens College and Sweet Briar College. She served as president of the University of Puget Sound from 1992-2003. Like Transylvania, Puget Sound is a nationally ranked liberal arts college. Pierce has already visited campus to meet with students, faculty, staff and the board’s executive committee to develop an institutional profile that will describe Transylvania’s strengths, challenges and opportunities and that will also define the criteria the search committee will use in judging candidates. Beginning in January, Pierce will seek nominations and applications from presidents and senior administrators at colleges and universities across the country, from national education and foundation officials and from Transylvania’s faculty, staff, students, trustees, alumni, parents and friends. “The search committee will assure full consideration of all completed applications received by March 8, 2010, although the search will remain open until an appointment is made,” explained Young, who heads the search committee. “After March 8,

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Transylvania’s music program gives "A Gift of Holiday Music" to the community Sunday, Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania’s music program presents “A Gift of Holiday Music,” free and open to the public on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 3 p.m., in Haggin Auditorium. Canned food donations for God’s Pantry will be accepted at the door. The concert will feature performances by Transylvania’s orchestra, choirs and band. Selections include “Pie Jesu,” “We Three Kings,” “March from ‘The Nutcracker’,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and many other holiday favorites. In addition to the performed tunes, audience members will be able to participate in a holiday sing-a-long. For more information, call the public relations office at (859) 233-8120 or the fine arts office at (859) 233-8141.

Transylvania student learns from barbershop quartet greats, brings knowledge back to campus organization

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

Olson, far right, with members of Transy Boys A Cappella (TBA). LEXINGTON, Ky.—Kristofer Olson wants to make one thing clear—this isn’t your grandfather’s barbershop quartet. “The popular misconception is that barbershop harmony is sung only by old guys in straw hats and striped jackets,” Olson says. “The fact of the matter is, there is such an exciting and growing youth population in barbershop.” Take Olson, for instance, a senior music major at Transylvania, who proudly claims to be “a 22-year-old guy who loves barbershop quartets.” His love led him to attend a weeklong set of master classes this past summer through Harmony University, a series taught by the best people in the barbershop business – the best quartets, solo singers, and directors.A place where, Olson emphasizes, “you will not see a straw hat anywhere.” The program, sponsored by the Barbershop Harmony Society, took place in St. Joseph, Mo., from July 26 to August 2, and was an opportunity for burgeoning barbershop singers to hone their craft alongside peers from more than seven countries. The overall experience was what Olson calls, “one of the most fun and intense weeks I’ve had as a singer.” He particularly relished the ability to not only learn from genre masters, but apply his new a cappella knowledge to his other focuses in his major. “I can think of few other fields where this is possible,” he said. Among the classes Olson took were “Elements of

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Transylvania drama professor presents annual solo performance of “A Christmas Carol” Wed., December 2; proceeds benefit the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Come join Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet-to-Come and of course old Scrooge himself in a solo performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Transylvania’s drama program director, Tim Soulis, will present this holiday classic Wednesday, December 2, at 7:30 p.m. in Carrick Theater. The one-hour production is open to the public and donations taken at the door will benefit the Bluegrass Rape Crisis Center. For more information, contact the public relations office at (859) 233-8120 or Tim Soulis at (859) 233-8163.

Transylvania Quidditch team to play match Sunday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m. on the lawn behind Old Morrison, in preparation for intercollegiate competition

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

The Transylvania Quidditch team played a crimson and white scrimmage in October. LEXINGTON, Ky.—Flying around on broomsticks and dodging self-propelled balls sounds like fiction, but at Transylvania University, students are transforming magic into reality with the game of quidditch. The wizard sport from the “Harry Potter” series of books by J.K. Rowling has become a phenomenon on college campuses across the country. ‘Muggle’ quidditch refers to the name for non-magical humans in “Harry Potter,” and is much like wizard quidditch, but played on the ground. Kristin Grenier, a junior environmental studies major from Cynthiana, Ky., and the organizer of Transylvania Quidditch, says the game is “fast and furious.” “It’s a mixture of tag, rugby, dodge ball, basketball, soccer and hide-and-seek, with an added bit of theatrics,” she said. Transylvania Quidditch has 100 members, 20 of whom are active players. “The other members play supportive roles,” said Grenier. The rules of muggle quidditch, according to a 2007 USA Today article, are as follows: Brooms are required, leaving only one hand available, making the game harder as you chase the game ball, a slightly deflated volleyball or soccer ball. Each team has seven players. Three chasers throw the ball among them as they work down the field. If they get it through one of three circular goals (think hula hoops on poles), the team scores 10 points. At the same time, two other team members fling around dark balls called bludgers in

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