A Legacy of Gratitude
The Yewell family’s enduring bond with Transylvania University
by Laurie Genet Preston
“My Owensboro High School basketball coach, Bobby Watson, recommended me to Transylvania Coach C.M. Newton,” Yewell recalls. “Coach Newton called me at Hinds Junior College — I accepted and told him my roommate, David Jones, might also be interested. He said he’d be happy to have both of us.”
That phone call set the course for a lifetime. Soon after, Yewell and Jones drove from Mississippi to Lexington for a visit. Coach Newton, President Irvin Lunger and several Transy supporters — including then-Gov. and future Major League Baseball commissioner A.B. “Happy” Chandler — hosted them for lunch at Idle Hour Country Club.
“All these incredible strokes of good fortune changed my life forever,” Yewell says. “I had no hope of college without the privilege of receiving so much personal help from so many.”
A new direction
At Transy, Yewell thrived on and off the court. He trained as a teacher and coach, but something unexpected happened — he fell in love with learning.
“For the first time, I really fell in love with studying,” he says. “Transy gave me the chance to succeed. It’s where I found my direction.”
That discovery led him to law school at the University of Kentucky, where he found what he calls his “perfect fit.” A long, successful legal career followed, along with decades of community leadership in his hometown of Owensboro.
Two generations, one Transy family
Decades later, David and Jean Eidson Yewell watched their son, Jason ’92, make his own way to Transy — though they never pushed him.
“I learned about Transylvania through my parents at a young age,” Jason says. “Education is a priority in our family, and the fact that my father was the first in his family to attend college made an impression upon me. Our connection with Transy was always present and strong — from Dad participating in alumni events to me attending basketball camp every summer. When it was time for me to consider colleges, I recognized the value of a Transylvania degree.”
Jason’s Transy years were filled with the kinds of experiences that make lifelong memories.
“I have so many wonderful memories across the spectrum of college life,” he says. “I had incredible mentors in professors Joseph Binford and Paul Fuller, who made history come alive. Coaches Don Lane and Ron Whitson gave me the opportunity to participate as a walk-on with the JV basketball program. There were afternoons at the Rafskeller, pick-up games in the student center and dorm life that forged lifelong friendships.”
Jason met his future wife, Mary Kaye Gernert Yewell ’93, on campus — a connection that continues to shape their family. “Of course, campus life allowed for Mary Kaye and me to meet, date and marry,” he says.
Mary Kaye’s sister, Melissa Gernert Hall ’91, and niece, McKenzie Hall ’18, are also proud Transy graduates, making the Yewell-Hall family tree deeply rooted in Transy.
Paying it forward
For David, who was the first in his family to earn a college degree, giving back to Transy was always part of the plan. He and Jean created The David L. and Jean Eidson Yewell Endowed Scholarship to help first-generation students experience the same transformative opportunities he once did.
“I always wanted to start a scholarship program to assist first-generation students,” David says. “I owe any success I may have achieved to those early recommendations — and to a little round ball played as a game.”
Some of the Yewells’ contributions have come through David’s IRA — a giving method that’s both impactful and efficient. “It’s very simple — there’s no tax associated with the contribution, either to the person making the gift or to Transylvania,” he explains.
Jason shares that same sense of gratitude. “A Transylvania degree has the power to open doors,” he says. “I experienced that firsthand when applying to graduate school. The critical thinking, communication and flexibility skills gained from a liberal arts education here are recognized and valued. Whatever measure of success we achieve is directly related to our Transylvania education. We hope our ongoing support can make that possible for more students.”
Forever a disciple
Even now, Yewell stays closely connected to the university. He attends campus events, follows athletic programs and keeps in touch with fellow alumni like Denny and Joy Lou Williamson.
“The future seems to be in good hands with Transy’s current leadership,” he says. “All the athletic programs are vibrant and successful. I’m forever a disciple of Transylvania University.”
For the Yewells, Transy is more than a place — it’s part of the family.
“Transy gave our family opportunities we could never have imagined,” David says. “It’s a privilege to give back to the place that made so much possible.”
Will you join the Yewells in giving back to Transylvania? Get involved with current and future students, or give your time or resources to the university community. However you choose to participate, we’re grateful for your support.
