Third & Broadway | Summer 2020

SUMMER 2020

t n e mom M E E T IN G T H E

Transylvania University thanks and celebrates our campus and alumni communities for their nimble, selfless and imaginative response to meeting the challenges of our time.

Readers may send name or address changes or corrections to: Office of Alumni and Development Transylvania University 300 North Broadway Lexington, KY 40508 800-487-2679 alumni@transy.edu

2 | President's Message 21 | Campus News 25 | Alumni Notes

Editor Robin Hicks Graphic Designer Stephen Russell Contributors Sam Cooper John Friedlein Robin Hicks Megan Moloney Natasa Mongiardo Heath Stiltner Tyler Young Amanda Turcotte

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Production Manager Julie Martinez

WHEN THINGS DON’T GO ACCORDING TO SCRIPT

HELPING CHILDREN HEAL

Transylvania University, located in the heart of downtown Lexington, Kentucky, is a top-ranked private liberal arts college featuring a community-driven, personalized approach to a liberal arts education through 46 majors. Founded in 1780, it is the 16th oldest institution of higher learning in the country, with approximately 1,000 students.

Find more resources online at transy.edu.

Contact Us Third & Broadway news@transy.edu 859-233-8120

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FOOD JUSTICE AT SCALE

FRIEND OF THE FARMWORKERS

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ANSWERING THE CALL

YOU’VE GOT TO BE CAREFULLY TAUGHT the magazine the magazine of TRANSYLVANIA of TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY 1

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FROM THE

PRESIDENT As someone who is relatively new to Transy, I am discovering quickly (and repeatedly) what makes this beautiful, engaging and student-centered place so special. If you have a long-standing connection to our learning community, you already know that the university provides a life-changing and lifelong experience.

How does Transy do this? It all starts with — and flows from — our mission statement: Through an engagement with the liberal arts, Transylvania University prepares its students for a humane and fulfilling personal and public life by cultivating independent thinking, open-mindedness, creative expression and commitment to lifelong learning and social responsibility in a diverse world.

Let's take a moment to examine some of those key elements: • “An engagement with the liberal arts” — As Louis Pasteur once observed, “Fortune favors the prepared mind.” We believe deeply in the value of liberal arts education as the best preparation for thinking critically and creatively, communicating effectively and adapting rapidly. Our students will be ready for the challenges they will address not only in their first career but in the many others that will follow — even those that have yet to be invented.

• “Prepares its students for a humane and fulfilling personal and public life” — This is at the core of who we are and what we do. And we are confident in making this part of our mission because we can point to generations of alumni who stand up and say, “Transy prepared me — Transy enabled me — to be the person I am today.” They are leaders in their communities and innovators in their fields of endeavor. They are people of exceptional character who make a difference.

• “Cultivating independent thinking, openmindedness, creative expression and commitment to lifelong learning and social responsibility in a diverse world” — The faculty and staff at Transy are devoted to 2

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the development of the individual. At the same time, they recognize that no individual exists in solitude or acts in a vacuum, and neither does an institution like Transy.

As former President John Williams stated forcefully in June, we must strengthen our commitment as a university to our Black students, faculty, staff, alumni and neighbors. We must affirm anti-racism and be proactive in addressing issues of justice. Transy’s history is inextricably linked with both the progress and pain of our community and nation. Our social responsibility must include effective steps that live out our core values.

Transy defines itself through these core values — five simple but powerful words that infuse all we do in providing the fullest, finest undergraduate experience possible: • Integrity • Innovation • Diversity • Community • Perseverance If we dedicate ourselves to renewing our pursuit of our mission and core values, we will undoubtedly fulfill the call set out in our motto: In That Light, We Pass On the Light. In these challenging and unprecedented times, Transylvania’s light is needed more than ever. I trust you will find powerful examples of that light throughout the following pages and that you will be inspired to expand and enrich your own engagement with Transy.

Sincerely,

Brien Lewis President

BRIEN LEWIS INSTALLED AS TRANSYLVANIA’S 28TH PRESIDENT

BY MEGAN MOLONEY

On July 6, the first day of Brien Lewis’ first full week on the job at Transylvania, he carried an armful of regalia across the university’s campus to the Mitchell Fine Arts building for an investiture ceremony unlike any in Transylvania’s past.

Joined by Board of Trustees chair Norwood “Buddy” Cowgill ’65, wife Laura and four university staff members, Lewis was installed with no frills and no pomp and circumstance, but with cameras rolling, as the university’s 28th president.

“The lack of pomp and circumstance doesn’t lessen the importance of what we are here to do … celebrate the arrival of a new president,” Cowgill said.

“An exciting but uncertain future faces Transy, faces higher education, faces all of us,” Lewis said, alluding to many of the changes faced by Transylvania and other universities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

His remarks, which were edited into a 22-minute video of the ceremony, were posted on the university’s social media channels.

“So what do we take with us into that uncertain future?” he asked. “We take our ideas, we take our optimism and our aspirations, we take our hope. This does not mean we simply rest on our many deserved laurels or do things the way we have always done them. Benjamin Franklin gave us all a pointed warning when he said, ‘When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.’”

View the investiture ceremony at transy.edu/president2020.

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NEW PRESIDENT FINDS OPPORTUNITY WHEN THINGS DON’T GO

ACCORDING TO Script

BY JOHN FRIEDLEIN

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he stage lights were on, but the actors pretended they were in total darkness after a fuse had blown.

One of those fumbling around as if he couldn’t see was Brien Lewis. On the first night of this production of “Black Comedy” by acclaimed playwright Peter Shaffer, Lewis went to answer a telephone — but its cord had somehow gotten wrapped around the leg of a chair, so when he pulled the phone the chair slid and blocked his exit. Since he wasn’t supposed to be able to see the chair, he intentionally did a Chevy Chase pratfall over it on his way out. He got a great laugh, and the director worked it into the rest of the shows.

“If something happens onstage that isn’t part of the script, you just have to roll with it,” says Lewis, Transylvania’s new president. This ability to adapt is crucial, whether you’re treading the boards in a community theater or responding to unexpected challenges as a college administrator.

The school’s 28th president already has been faced with quite an unexpected challenge. The coronavirus pandemic has turned flexibility into a necessity as universities try to figure out how to educate their students while keeping them healthy this fall.

Let’s start with the silver lining: Students and faculty have gotten a crash course in alternate learning styles and the technologies needed to implement them.

While Lewis realizes this kind of change can be uncomfortable and that professors don’t necessarily want to teach entirely online, they’ve discovered new tools that can enhance and enrich their courses. These technologies might even expand Transylvania’s ability to offer courses to new student populations, such as adult learners with fulltime jobs, or help keep athletes from missing lessons while traveling for away games.

“I think it’s an opportunity to have a very robust exploration of how technology can be infused into what we do, without in any way getting away from the personal attention that’s our hallmark,” Lewis says. Small classes lend themselves to closer relationships with faculty, which in turn help students feel more comfortable engaging in dialogue during teleconferences, for instance.

Actually, Transylvania’s ability to innovate is one of the things that drew Lewis to the school. The 53-year-old from Toronto recently moved to Lexington with his wife, Laura, after serving for eight years as president at another small liberal arts institution, Catawba College in North Carolina.

Their son, Josh, is in law school, and daughter, Anna Louise, is a rising junior in college.

Lewis earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was student body president and a Morehead Scholar. He went on to attend the University of Toronto for his Juris Doctor (a Swiss Army knife of a degree) and then worked as an attorney and mediator before eventually fulfilling his 20-year plan to become a college president. (It took 22 years, but who’s counting?)

Back when he was UNC’s student body president, serving as an ex officio voting member of the Board of Trustees, he got interested in a wide variety of issues that make a university run.

Since then, he’s also been developing a big-picture sense of how higher education has evolved — a shift from professors as “sages on the stage” simply imparting what they know, to professors as “guides on the side” at a time when we can access vast amounts of human knowledge via the phone in our pocket. “I think it does fundamentally change the way we approach education, because it becomes much more about information literacy — about how to access, analyze and synthesize,” Lewis says. “So arguably, the shift has become more toward imparting wisdom than knowledge.”

That ties into one of the priorities for the beginning of his tenure (a rare one that isn’t related to the coronavirus) — that is bringing closure to a long series of discussions about general education innovations. To this point, he wonders: “Are we putting together the right set of requirements and opportunities for students that will prepare them to go out and be adaptable?”

Another immediate, top-of-the-list item for Lewis is “to identify steps we can take to address systemic racism in our community — both in our campus community and our broader community.” Serving on his cabinet and helping him with this is Deidra Dennie, Transylvania’s new vice president for diversity and inclusion. “I’m excited about Dr. Dennie coming in and working with her on those issues,” Lewis says.

However, he stressed this clearly isn’t just a “Dr. Dennie task” but will involve the entire campus. “It can’t only be talk — we’ve got to have really specific actions and start moving swiftly. That’s an exciting but daunting challenge.”

This willingness to foster positive change is key to resilience.

“A place like Transylvania doesn’t survive for 240 years without being able to adapt and evolve,” Lewis says.

“A place like Transylvania doesn't survive for 240 years without being able to adapt and evolve.”

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HELPING

Children HEAL TAKES MORE THAN JUST MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

BY TYLER YOUNG

Watching a child suffer through an illness is one of the hardest experiences any of us can go through.

Dr. Ana Ruzic Do ’00, a pediatric surgeon at UK HealthCare Kentucky Children’s Hospital, often meets families on “their worst day,” as she puts it.

Not only must she rely on her surgical expertise to step into a situation, her role requires her to be a comforter, someone who can build trust quickly with parents who are entrusting her team with their children who need significant care.

It’s clear when you talk to Do that she truly loves this calling. While she admits the lows can be very low, she speaks on end about the resilience of children and how inspiring it is to see them take on often unfathomable health challenges and heal, whether it’s quickly or years down the road.

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“A child just wants to be a child and be done with whatever’s going on here,” she says. “The adults, we walk through this world, sometimes carrying the weight of the world within us, and often do so with little grace — and we tend to struggle through it. But a child, as long as they are given a loving environment, they don’t need much more. They are incredibly resilient and very motivated to go back to being a child.”

It’s a role that she’s been forced to adapt to during the COVID-19 pandemic. Simple nonverbal communications like smiles and hugs are frustrated by masks and physical distance. To compensate, she relies even more heavily on the hospital’s child life specialists, who find creative strategies to comfort and even distract the children during medical procedures and recovery. She believes in a posture

of calm and empathy to help the parents feel secure.

And she’s a firm believer that eyes can transmit just as much care as a smile.

And while most doctors typically are able to leave the world of infection behind when they go home, now they’re bombarded with the new reality of a novel disease lurking all around them.

“None of us knew how it would affect our role at work or at home,” she says. “But it also gave us a purpose. We, at the end of the day, still have a place to go, still have a meaning in this job and a sense of purpose. As anxiety-producing as it is to work in health care right now, at the same time it’s rewarding to be part of this process.”

In a children’s hospital, a successful discharge requires many moving parts, all working independently toward the same goal. It includes the food service staff, doctors, housekeeping workers and nurses. There are rarely perfect answers to these illnesses, and it takes more than just medical knowledge to achieve the desired outcome.

In short, there’s a huge difference between being a diagnoser and being a doctor.

She actually likens it to preparing for medical school by studying the liberal arts at Transylvania.

“I didn’t learn medical diagnosis at Transylvania, but I learned how to process information, to have difficult conversations,” she says. “What made

“AS ANXIETY-PRODUCING AS IT IS TO WORK IN HEALTH CARE RIGHT NOW, AT THE SAME TIME IT’S REWARDING TO BE PART OF THIS PROCESS.” me grow were the small classes, true individual attention and genuine search for real questions.

I didn’t learn how to just answer test questions. I learned how to think for myself, how to question data and how to put it all together. That is one of the most difficult things for me to teach my students and junior residents, that the answer is not always a simple yes or no.

“You learn to think in philosophy class, in history, in music. You need basic science knowledge in chemistry and biology, for sure, but those alone don’t teach you to become a doctor. You can’t learn that from a book — you have to learn how to live it.”

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FOOD JUSTICE AT SCALE FISHING FOR THE HUNGRY IN KEY WEST

BY ROBIN HICKS

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LEFT: Captain Billy Wickers and his crew with their daily haul TOP RIGHT: Volpenhein has been selected for the Bloomberg Fellows Program at Johns Hopkins, described as “a groundbreaking initiative that provides world-class public health training to individuals engaged with organizations tackling critical challenges facing the United States.”

BOTTOM RIGHT: A community kitchen serves meals made from the catch.

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n any given day in Key West, Florida, a queue of cars slowly edges forward, stretching out for more than a mile under an intense sun. The people in the cars are hungry — not because they’re returning after a fun day at the beach, but because they don’t have enough to eat. Even before COVID-19 shuttered the local tourist industry, the high cost of living and the massive food desert that engulfs the area had already made basic access to nutritious food out of reach, particularly for employees in the service sector.

“We have nearly tripled the number of people we serve,” says Paige Volpenhein ’17, community impact manager for the Star of the Sea Foundation, a hunger relief organization serving all the Florida Keys. She began her work with SOS as an AmeriCorps VISTA following her time in the Peace Corps, which was cut short when she was hit by a motorbike. Intent on finishing her time of service, she devoted herself to the mission of feeding hungry families and reducing food waste.

As the pandemic exacerbated a mounting crisis, new tactics drew upon an idea as old as the sea.

Volpenhein is now administering a sizable grant-funded program, St. Peter’s Fleet, created to address both the food shortage and the severe unemployment in the area. She is working to hire 32 local charter captains and mates to fish for their protein-deprived communities. Chartered crews that normally would be taking tourists out for the day have instead become part of the goal of providing up to 300 pounds of fish a day per boat.

But Volpenhein wants to do more. She’s eager to measure the impact of these food justice programs and scale the ones that demonstrate strong results. In partnership with SOS, she applied for and was accepted into the Bloomberg Fellows Program at Johns Hopkins University. She knows that as she earns a master’s in public health, with a focus on obesity and food systems, she’ll learn precisely how to collect, measure and assess data. Under the guidelines of the fellowship, she will return to SOS and apply what she’s learned before moving on to pursue her long-term interest in addressing global hunger.

“I think the idea behind the Bloomberg program isn’t just to affect one organization or educate one person,” she explains, “but that it’s our responsibility to share what we learn and scale it.” As emphasized in their application, they plan to help other rural nonprofits by sharing what they learn.

“I would never have received the fellowship without Transy,” Volpenhein reflects, noting the variety of her liberal arts education, the mentorship of her professors and the experiences she was offered in and outside the classroom, all combining to “develop a strong sense of leadership, curiosity and service.” She’s drawn on every facet.

“Transy fosters a sense of curiosity.” Without it, she explains, she never would have joined the Peace Corps to serve in Cambodia where, she adds, “my interest changed from community health to more of a global scale to effect change for more people.”

As she unravels her series of “never would haves, if not for,” the exercise science and psychology double major points to the fact that prior to Transy she’d never given a thought to food and its connection to health, the environment and justice.

“Food is the perfect thing for a curious person,” she reflects, “because it’s so interconnected with and dependent on so many things, from social status and culture to the environment. It affects so many aspects of life. I think that’s partly why I’m interested in it.”

The more she’s learned, the clearer her understanding has become. “For me, your income, race, gender, religion should never have an impact on your health. If people who have more money are healthier, there’s something wrong. I believe that status should never be a prerequisite for a long and happy life.”

As Volpenhein prepares to cast a wider net to scale food justice programs to a global level, she insists that she is just one of an extensive group of peers who are following their unique paths, nurtured to succeed and imbued with confidence.

“None of us have stuck to the status quos,” she says. “We’ve really gone for it. I think Transy gave all of us that confidence.”

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F R IEND OF T HE

Farmworkers ALUMNUS CHAMPIONS MIGRANTS ON NATIONAL STAGE

BY JOHN FRIEDLEIN

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hen Ed Zuroweste was a student at Transylvania University some 50 years ago, he’d harvest tobacco just outside Lexington before the school year kicked off.

Cutting tobacco under the blazing August sun in Kentucky isn’t what you’d call a pleasant summer job. It’s backbreaking labor.

Zuroweste, who toiled alongside migrants in those burley fields, went on to graduate in 1971 and then became a medical doctor — one who has dedicated his career to helping farmworkers who travel with the growing seasons and work hard for little pay.

Early on, just after he opened a clinic in rural Pennsylvania, Zuroweste saw a patient who happened to be a public health nurse serving more than a thousand migrants who’d travel to the area as apples, peaches and cherries ripened on the branches of orchard trees. After a few months they’d move on, maybe head up north to pick blueberries.

“I told her I speak Spanish and if she needed any help, let me know.” She did.

After a while, Zuroweste noticed many of his patients weren’t returning for follow-ups. Turns out, it was because he kept daytime office hours and they had to work the orchards all day. So in 1980, he started a nighttime clinic for them. “It really brought me back to my roots, and I felt very comfortable with the population,” said Zuroweste, who not only harvested tobacco but also grew up on a farm. “I could relate to them.”

(He probably wouldn’t have spoken Spanish had he and a Transy fraternity brother not ventured off to Mexico for their first year of medical school — he eventually graduated from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.)

In the mid ’80s, Zuroweste attended a national conference where he helped establish the Migrant Clinicians Network and became its founding medical director.

The group helps ensure migrants have a network where they can receive continuous care. Zuroweste was well aware of this problem as a physician in Pennsylvania, where he might, for instance, get patients’ diabetes under

“It really brought me back to my roots, and I felt very comfortable with the population.”

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control — but they’d leave after a few months and return the next year with a worsened condition from lack of care in the interim.

The MCN also facilitates research and helps health care workers across the country coordinate efforts so they aren’t reinventing the wheel every time a new challenge arises. “Our organization has always been adaptable,” he said.

“Whatever the issues are, we have to adapt to those quickly.”

treatment center.

Zuroweste now runs a tuberculosis clinic and is the TB medical consultant for the state of Pennsylvania’s Department of Health.

When COVID-19 struck, he and other MCN members quickly published informational materials and produced webcasts for migrants and those who treat them.

“Whatever the issues are, we have to adapt to those quickly.”

One of these issues is the coronavirus.

“When COVID came up it was in our wheelhouse at the Migrant Clinicians Network because we’d worked with things like this in the past.”

Zuroweste, who also is an assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, specifically has extensive experience with infectious diseases. He served the World Health Organization as a special medical consultant during the H1N1 pandemic and an African Ebola outbreak six years ago, when he used his Spanish to help train 200 Cuban physicians for a 12

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Because they’re part of our food production system, these laborers are considered essential workers, and as with hospital employees, they must ply their trade in a risky environment.

Migrants often live in communal settings, travel by bus and work side by side (especially in packing houses).

Also, if they’re undocumented they may be hesitant to seek help — or they may miss essential notices because of a language barrier.

“What we’re finding is there’s a huge number of infected farmworkers right now,” Zuroweste said.

That community health clinic he started has received a federal grant to handle migrant farmworker health care for the entire state of Pennsylvania.

Challenges the clinic faces during COVID-19 range from the obvious, such as how to test migrants, to the not-soobvious, like will wearing masks in the field contribute to heat stroke?

Handling such complexity and adapting to rapidly changing circumstances are skills fostered by the broad-based liberal arts education Zuroweste got at Transylvania — where he was pre-med, president of Delta Sigma Phi and studied a variety of subjects.

He credits the school with making him a better physician than he would have been with just a strict science background. “I think it’s really important to have a broad base of knowledge if you’re going into medicine,” he said.

Knowing your way around a tobacco barn might come in handy too.

Photo by Maurice Ramirez

g n i r e w Ans THE CALL Whether artist, scientist, religion major or physician, members of the Transy community (240 years-old and counting) continue to answer the call to something greater than themselves. We offer just a sampling of how the creative and humane dimensions of a liberal arts mind and heart are always ready to meet the moment. the magazine of TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY

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To a Barn With Nothing In It The freedom to imagine a mule, or a jack mule, as some would have said, worn-out and good only for yoking to colt mules until they learn the burden must be shared and shall be borne with knowledge that enters the eyes in time to sit there behind the eyes at the back of the long, amused face, below the long ear’s flick— that mule, led by its own will, entered the open door of the barn one day and stood in the shadows slotted with light, as a flood of rain scratched the roof and loose metal banged in the wind and the barn became a banjo, and the jack, pleased with the transformation, became the soul of music itself.

During the early days of the COVID-19 quarantine, Maurice Manning, English professor and writer-inresidence, shared this poem and four others as part of “A New Decameron,” an online project inspired by a 14th-century poet’s response to the plague, and a way of connecting us to our humanity. (You can read more and find the link to hear Manning read these poems on our 1780 blog.)

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Dr. Gerald “Jerry” Grant ’81 worked with an interdisciplinary team at the University of Louisville to create a way to manufacture COVID-19 testing swabs using 3D printing, helping to address the commonwealth’s dire shortage.

As a manager at a Lexington grocery store serving on the front line during COVID-19, religion major Jackson Campbell ’22 has taken on enormous responsibilities with remarkable grace. “Transy has helped me tremendously,” he says of the work to meet the essential needs of the community.

He draws a direct connection between his interactions on campus and in the classroom and his ability at work to put himself in other people’s shoes, understanding the varied perspectives and cultures of customers and employees who are coping with the stress of an uncharted reality. “Transy encourages and teaches a preparedness for difference or diversity,” he says, “or danger” as circumstances demand.

Former costume artist Jeanne Henzel Swartz ’95 makes face shields for health care workers at her artisan curtain and upholstery business in California.

Photo by Maurice Ramirez Forbes magazine featured the university’s food service provider, Bon Appétit Management Company, as it partnered with Transy to offer meals to the Hope Center clients.

With spring sports canceled and students taking courses remotely, the empty gyms and locker rooms at the Clive M. Beck Center filled a critical need in the community: temporary shelter for clients of Lexington’s Hope Center. The Beck Center’s practice gym served as a shelter for 40-50 individuals who regularly stay at the Hope Center — the additional space allowed the nonprofit’s staff to meet physical distancing recommendations from local, state and federal health officials.

“I cannot change the past, but I can control how I respond in the present.”

Tyler Dobbs ’22, soccer midfielder

As medical supplies ran short in Lexington, science faculty Joshua Adkins and James Wagner received permission to donate lab gloves and sterile swabs no longer needed because of the shift to remote learning.

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O T T O G YOU’VE Y L L U F E R A C E B T H G U A T

BY ROBIN HICKS

p

rofessor of education and alumni award winner Tiffany Wheeler ’90 remembers the moment she became aware of race. As a fourth grader away at camp for the first time, she found herself in the novel position of being the only Black child among her peers. All was well until a hurtful question posed by another camper made her jarringly aware of his perception of their difference — a negative difference.

It was something she’d never felt before growing up in what she describes as the fairly diverse and integrated community of Albion, Michigan.

“The summer camp incident made me realize that race matters, even to elementary-aged students,” Wheeler explains. It would become the first of a lifetime of exchanges that undermine and diminish.

Writing about her journey as an educator, Wheeler depicts the steady presence of prejudice and how it presses against progress, even for a high-achieving student and a seasoned professor. She helps to clarify how a society or community that is defined by whiteness, often under the guise of being neutral or the norm, remains dominated by the unspoken values of white supremacy. The macroaggressions and microaggressions (to use 21st century parlance) reiterate values passed from generation to generation.

For fear and prejudice to prevail — or to be extinguished — as the lyrics of Rogers and Hammerstein remind us (controversial in 1949), “You’ve got to be carefully taught.”

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Wheeler prefers to teach a way out of these prejudices. She has devoted her life to education and to her alma mater — to how and what we learn — that fundamental process that shapes us and defines what our world will be. All of Wheeler’s experiences, her perspective, her cogent analysis of racism and the open invitation to her students to dig deep, inform her teaching and the program she directs.

Transylvania is esteemed for its teaching and for the teachers it produces. The education program that Wheeler directs develops educators who are steeped in the subject matter of their fields, experts in methodology, brimming with inspiration to help their students and, for some, already thinking about ways to effect change at the policy level. That combination of preparedness is unique. Added to it is a determination and ability to engage, respect and nurture students from every background.

“Our program is focused on developing teachers as public intellectuals in their institutions and communities who truly care about their students,” Wheeler explains, “and not in a superficial sense. It’s understanding the socio-political and the socio-cultural influences in their lives and how that impacts their experiences in school.”

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ULTIMATELY, WHAT MAKES OUR PROGRAM DIFFERENT IS THAT WE DO ENTERTAIN THOSE BIG LIBERAL ARTS QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN. AND WE LEARN ABOUT THE HUMAN CONDITION THROUGH THE LENS OF EDUCATION.

Future teachers are trained to learn about the cultures represented in the classroom and to build a more inclusive curriculum that reflects the students, making learning more relevant to them. Wheeler recalls a time teaching at another university, and the surprise of a classroom teacher who was asked by a fourth grade student, “Why do you have books that only have white people?” Wheeler recounts how the young teacher had never thought about it; she’d simply chosen books based on her own culture. “It took a student to say, ‘Hey, you don’t have any books that reflect me.’”

Transy’s future teachers prepare to address complex issues — poverty, equality and racism — in the classroom, says Wheeler, “in ways that make sense and are developmentally appropriate.”

And they are asked to expand their sightlines beyond pedagogy: “How can you be an advocate for children who are marginalized because of social status and inequality and racism? How do you deal with that as an institution?”

So, how does Transy’s program accomplish this?

“It is a liberal arts program, first of all,” Wheeler says. “Basically our program has a deep theoretical grounding in all of our courses, so our students learn about education foundations, history and philosophy.

They understand that teaching is more than just a technical enterprise.” Part of what makes Transy’s program different from others, she adds, is that students are learning how to think critically; they’re developing their analytical, writing and problem-solving skills.

“Ultimately,” she reflects, “what makes our program different is that we do entertain those big liberal arts questions about what it means to be human. And we learn about the human condition through the lens of education.”

Some of this essential work happens around the seminar table, with majors and nonmajors gathering around an intimate, challenging and almost sacred space that Transy grads know so well. That intimacy and openness is what first drew Wheeler to Transy

as a Thomas Jefferson scholar (the equivalent of today’s William T. Young scholar) in 1986.

It’s in this space that Wheeler prepares her classes to do the hard work of dissecting beliefs and preconceptions, naming and tackling the uncomfortable realities that social mores would have us omit from public discourse. Doing so requires taking time at the beginning of the semester to build community and establish guidelines for a safe, respectful environment. Students have the freedom to express their perspectives as long as they can support their ideas with credible evidence.

“Sometimes I do community-building activities in which they reflect on their families, what generation they represent in the United States. They do activities where they talk about respect: What does it mean to get respect; what does it mean to give it; does respect look the same in all cultures?” In the end, she says, “we try to find commonalities but also look at our differences in a way that’s not negative or pejorative.”

By implementing this process, Race, Ethnicity, and Social Class in American Education has gone from being Wheeler’s most difficult experience to the class she most enjoys teaching.

“We talk about white privilege; we talk about racism and inequalities.

Those are the themes of the course and are difficult topics for students to talk about. And we actually name those

things,” she says, noting the importance of doing so. Citing sociologist Allan Johnson, Wheeler reminds her students that “we can’t address these problems if we don’t name them — naming them as they are, if they’re white supremacy or patriarchy or anti-Semitism.”

She describes how the class unfolds by creating an environment “where they can trust and build trust and share ideas, even though they may not completely agree with each other; there’s a space where they can feel safe doing so.” That sense of community is cultivated throughout the semester as they delve into the scholarship, talking about issues of whiteness and white privilege and how they affect daily life.

She challenges her students to think structurally, to understand that racism is much more than a matter of individual behavior. It’s a “systemic problem,” she explains. It permeates everything. “I really want them to understand institutional and systemic racism and other forms of oppression.”

To get there requires being open and honest. Listening, Wheeler reflects, is at the heart of the process. The quality of listening, “the act of really listening, of holding the space for each other in the sense that you’re not trying to fix somebody — you’re interacting with them. You’re trying to figure out who they are at their core and what makes them who they are.” She sees it as an expression of respect and love.

Wheeler’s love of Transy, her students and their infinite capacity for learning fuels her commitment to her alma mater and her faith in what the institution can still become. She recalls being one of only a few Black students on campus in 1986, developing her activism as well as her academics, working to raise consciousness, expending the extraordinary energy that being Black in a white world demands.

She remembers the lasting friendships, the close connections with faculty, their ability to pique her intellectual curiosity, particularly the influence of her own professor of education, Carol Spotts, who provided the mentorship and inspiration to follow her love of learning into a lifetime of teaching.

“We always joked,” Wheeler recalls.

“She would say, ‘One day I want you to take my spot.’ And she has, as a professor of education and as the only full-time tenured Black professor.

Wheeler believes in Transylvania and its ability to become more inclusive.

She’s intent on being part of that effort — on campus and out in the world — rallying the will and commitment just as Transy prepared her to do. She's sharing the singular Transy experience with her students, who will then take their knowledge, always evolving, open and listening, into their communities.

I REALLY WANT THEM TO UNDERSTAND INSTITUTIONAL AND SYSTEMIC RACISM AND OTHER FORMS OF OPPRESSION.

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WILLIAM T. YOUNG JR. COMPLETES TENURE AS BOARD CHAIR

A

fter 20 years as chair of the Board of Trustees, William T. Young Jr. is stepping down, but remaining on the board. The Transylvania community wishes to extend its heartfelt gratitude to Bill and Barbara Young, for their remarkable devotion and generosity to the university.

The breadth of their support can be seen and experienced throughout campus life, from the quality of academic programs to state-of-the-art facilities. The transformation of Haupt Humanities into the Carpenter Academic Center is just one example from Young’s tenure of how both aspects come together — the finest teaching in the best learning environment possible — for the benefit of every student.

The Young legacy stretches back to his father, William T. Young Sr., and forward to his son, Chris Young, who is an active member of the Board of Trustees. We sincerely thank Bill Young and his family.

“Working with him on a variety of efforts on behalf of the university, I witnessed his dedication to the institution, the breadth and depth of his own personal liberal arts formation, his ability to see the big picture while handling the details and, to my delight, a wicked sense of humor. Though not a graduate of Transylvania himself, he embodies the mission of our university, which he has shepherded so successfully.”

- Veronica Dean-Thacker, Professor of Spanish

“His keen understanding of business and financial management and his devotion to, and love of, education have made him a patron saint for Transylvania. I have enjoyed working with him in every aspect of my job. As a graduate I am especially indebted to him for his love of this institution and his unwavering support.”

- Marc A. Mathews ’80, Vice President for Finance and Business 20

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NEWS To stay informed about the latest Transylvania news, visit our 1780 blog at transy.edu/1780 and subscribe to biweekly email updates.

Four new VPs join President’s Cabinet

Transylvania recently welcomed four new vice presidents to its administration.

They include Sarah Coen, VP for strategic initiatives and enrollment management. She is a national expert on enrollment and student success, having served as dean of enrollment at Transylvania from 1999-2006.

Also joining the President’s Cabinet recently TOP L-R: Sarah Coen, Deidra Dennie BOTTOM L-R: Johnnie Johnson, Rebecca Thomas is Deidra Dennie, VP for diversity and inclusion. She has worked in the diversity, equity and inclusion field in higher education and private industry since 2003.

Additionally, Johnnie Johnson is Transylvania's new VP for admissions. He had served as the interim vice president for enrollment since July 2019 and was president of the Kentucky Association for College Admission Counseling.

Transylvania also welcomed a new vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university, Rebecca Thomas. She most recently served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Earlham College, following her role as academic dean and longtime faculty member at Bard College in New York.

Campus community celebrates retiring professors Jones, Contreras

Transylvania celebrated the careers of this year's retiring faculty members: Judy Jones, an accounting professor with 40 years of dedicated service, and Lisa Contreras, a foreign languages professor who devoted the past 20 years to the education of Transylvania students.

In a 1780 blog tribute, their colleagues extended their deepest gratitude to them.

“Judy exhibited firsthand to her students how they could professionally and personally impact their own lives and those of other community members through accounting practices,” said professor Alan Bartley ’93. “These classes and experiences inspired many of these students to enter accounting careers and so will be positively impacting this profession for decades to come.”

Professor Veronica Dean-Thacker said, “Professor Lisa Contreras is a masterful teacher and a caring and compassionate person. She is always conscious of her role as a mentor and as a model of integrity.”

Because of COVID-19, the university postponed their faculty retirement luncheon until a later date.

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Cowgill elected chair of Transylvania Board of Trustees The Transylvania Board of Trustees in May elected Norwood “Buddy” Cowgill ’65 as chair.

Cowgill, who replaces William T. Young Jr., has been a member of the board for the past three decades.

He and his wife, Judith King Cowgill ’64, have been dedicated supporters of Transylvania. Their generosity has included providing a lead gift for construction of the Cowgill Center for Business, Economics, and Education. They also were major supporters of the Clive M. Beck Athletic and Recreation Center, built in 2002, and they helped endow various scholarships and assisted with other projects like Alumni Plaza, the Shearer Art Building and Bassett Hall basement for Greek chapter rooms. Additionally, Buddy Cowgill in the 1990s chaired the alumni phase of the $25 million Campaign for Transylvania, which exceeded its goal.

In appreciation of his support, the university awarded him the Morrison Medallion in 1996 and Irvin E. Lunger Award in 2012.

Cowgill began his career in real estate and founded Studio Plus Hotels, which merged with Extended Stay America. He also launched Office Suites PLUS, a national chain of high-tech, temporary office centers, and he is one of the largest apartment owners and managers in Lexington. He has served on many for-profit and nonprofit boards, including Shaker Village, Crestwood Christian Church and the UK SandersBrown Center on Aging.

Transylvanians in the Cowgill family include three daughters, two sons-in-law, four grandchildren, a granddaughter-in-law and a grandson-in-law.

Professor’s research on insects in Audubon prints lands on cover of American Entomologist Biology professor James Wagner landed a cover article in the Winter 2019 issue of American Entomologist for his research into bugs that appear in John James Audubon’s “Birds of America.” In Wagner’s “The Bugs of America” article, he explores the relationships between the insects in the prints and their environs (some are out of place). To assist, Transylvania grad Nikki Fox ’19 did some volunteer photography work over a summer.

Wagner’s project, which revealed 76 different terrestrial arthropods in the original prints, was supported by grants from Transylvania’s David and Betty Jones Fund for Faculty Development and the Kenan Fund for Faculty and Student Enrichment.

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Transylvania faculty receive federal funds to help bolster Kentucky manufacturing technology Transylvania professors Stephen Johnson and Kyle Schnitzenbaumer will receive part of a $24 million National Science Foundation grant to help boost Kentucky’s research and manufacturing capabilities. Over five years, they are expected to receive a total of around $200,000 for faculty and student physics research and cuttingedge chemistry lab equipment. The research will complement studies of next-generation materials by University of Kentucky scientists. UK also received a portion of the NSF grant, which is awarded by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research.

These awards go to states that have been historically underrepresented by NSF funding. The recent grant pays for an overall, collaborative project called the Kentucky Advanced Partnership for Enhanced Robotics and Structures.

Transylvania adapts to educating students in coronavirus era

Acclaimed poet Frank X Walker receives 2020 Judy Gaines Young Book Award Frank X Walker, a former Kentucky poet laureate and co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets, is this year’s winner of Transylvania’s Judy Gaines Young Book Award for his “Last Will, Last Testament.” The award has recognized outstanding works by writers in the Appalachian region since 2015. Taylor Insley ’20, who majored in writing, rhetoric, and communication, won this year’s Judy Gaines Young Student Writing Award.

New Transylvania DPS chief to strengthen bonds of community Joseph Casey McClure brings a passion for community building to his new role as director of the Department of Public Safety. McClure, who earned his lieutenant bars last year and began as director in March, joined the force in 2017. Since then, whether it’s working to expand the university’s Adopt a Dorm program or engaging with youths from surrounding neighborhoods, he’s been strengthening the bonds between DPS and those it serves.

The Transylvania community in March pulled together for an unprecedented shift to remote learning as the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the nation.

Faculty and students benefited from the groundwork that had been put in place through the school’s Digital Liberal Arts initiative long before we were told to keep six feet from one another. And the fact that faculty make such an effort to develop close relationships with students — and that they had a good part of winter term to do so — helped the process feel less isolating.

Also during the winter term, Transylvania supported its community and Lexington in other ways, like distributing federal relief funds to students, enlisting volunteers to check up on alumni who are at high risk for the virus and lighting Old Morrison green as part of a statewide show of support for those who have died or are suffering from the pandemic.

After several months of campuswide in-depth review and discussion, the university's Reopening Steering Committee endorsed a plan called Healthy at Transy, a flexible framework that will allow the school to return to in-person instruction and on-campus housing along with full academic support services in August. This includes an academic year consisting of six modules of course delivery.

Additionally, Transylvania is developing contingency plans for courses to move to full remote learning if necessary. And pre-health coordinator Robin Prichard has taken on a temporary public health advisory role on campus, coordinating all aspects of health policies, practices and protocols regarding COVID-19.

Pioneers sports teams excel in season cut short by coronavirus Even with a season truncated by the coronavirus pandemic, the Transy Pioneers celebrated 60 all-conference winners across all sports, 46 conference player of the week awards, three conference rookie of the year winners and two coaches of the year. The school also produced seven individual and team conference champions, and five teams or individuals qualified for national tournaments.

The volleyball team set a single-season program record with 28 wins. And for the first time in the team’s 18-year history, it not only went undefeated through the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and conference tournament, but it also, as the nation’s 20th ranked team, played in the NCAA tournament.

Additionally, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams won the HCAC conference championships to earn spots in the NCAA tournaments, which the women’s team entered ranked in the top 10.

Other highlights included track and field sophomore Jacob Burnam capturing the HCAC men's 800-meter dash indoor conference title. Also, the eventing team took first place at the River Glen Horse Trials against some much larger schools in November; the softball team finished a shortened 2020 season ranked 12th in the nation; and the triathlon team in November appeared in its second consecutive national championship, celebrating a top-10 finish by Grayson Bray ’23.

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New campus center construction wraps up

Transylvania has been putting the finishing touches on its new W.T. Young Campus Center, which will be ready for students this fall. Bridging the residential and academic sides of campus, the $30 million facility will provide spaces for dining, fitness, student services, a bookstore, community outreach and more. While the coronavirus pandemic will at first limit some uses — such as meeting places for large groups — the facility will benefit campus in other ways; for instance, the large dining area will allow for better physical distancing.

The 97,710-square-foot building will include 61,400 square feet of new construction and 36,310 square feet of renovated space.

Class of 2020 honored in virtual commencement celebration

Transylvania in May honored the 179 graduating seniors in its Class of 2020 during a virtual commencement. The event included the conferral of Bachelor of Arts degrees and a singalong to “Hail, Transylvania” recorded by the school’s choir specially for the event. Additionally, four faculty members — one from each division — read the names of graduates during a slideshow with photos of students (many in cap and gown) and information such as their majors and minors. Other videos included messages from faculty, staff, alumni and the graduating seniors themselves. An in-person ceremony will be held when it’s safe to do so.

Transylvania’s new graduates have distinguished themselves with numerous achievements, for instance: • Forty percent of them received Latin honors for a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, and 47% received program honors.

• Thirty-eight percent of this year’s graduates studied abroad while at Transylvania.

• A number of these students will pursue advanced degrees at various medical, law and graduate schools. Many other opportunities await them — from accounting jobs to serving as an officer in the U.S. Air Force to a research fellowship at the National Institutes of Health.

• The entire class was honored by Transylvania’s Athletics Department with a RAFY Inspiration Award for its ability to rise above challenges.

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alumni

NOTES Submit your alumni news by email to alumni@transy.edu or mail to Office of Alumni and Development Transylvania University 300 North Broadway Lexington, KY 40508.

1950

1970

Dianne Fischer Seymour ’52, Fresno, California, would enjoy hearing from any of her classmates.

She can be reached via mail: 6694 E. Kings Canyon Road, Unit #216, Fresno, CA, 93727.

Deborah Clubb ’76, Memphis, Tennessee, wrote a piece in March for The Commercial Appeal newspaper on the dangers of mandated stayat-home orders for those who live in violent relationships.

Joyce Netherton Albertsen ’58, Bedford, Texas, moved to Bedford in February with her husband, Hans Albertsen, and her daughter, Julie McDearman, to be near her son and his family. She can be reached via mail: 2308 Hwy 121, Apt. 2127, Bedford, TX, 76021.

Linda Wise McNay ’77, Atlanta, was featured in Delta Delta Delta’s podcast series “3 for You.” She shared her advice to parents on how to teach children about philanthropy.

1960 Erwin Wingfield ’60, Sterling, Virginia, was recognized as a Lifetime Achiever in the field of science by Continental's “Who's Who” for his role as a retired plant pathologist.

Kathy Lantis Turner ’64, Seattle, was the recipient of the Yale Divinity School Lux et Veritas award in honor of her achievements in clinical pastoral education. Her Transylvania roommate, the Rev. Nancy Jo Kemper ’64, presented Kathy with her award.

Bill Watson ’64, Georgetown, Kentucky, retired from professional storytelling in late 2019. For the past seven years he has been taking courses and practicing Reiki, and he and his wife completed the highest level in Gendai Reiki. They are now both teaching masters.

Billy Reed ’66, Louisville, was selected to the National Museum of Racing’s Joe Hirsch Media Roll of Honor in December.

Leslie ‘Les’ Howell ’68, Ruskin, Florida, was elected president of the Board of Trustees of the Chiredzi River African Wildlife Trust. It supports conservation and anti-poaching efforts in the Chiredzi River Conservancy near Chiredzi, Zimbabwe, as well as construction and conservation education at the two schools in the Conservancy community.

Allen Worob ’69, Rochester, New York, is a board member and trustee of a biomedical ethics society; author and guest lecturer on moral, epistemological, ontological and Biblical exegesis topics; and founder and co-moderator of an online research library for pastoral care.

Tim Steinemann ’79, Cleveland, was quoted in a CNN article and on Today. com in March about wearing glasses versus contacts as a preventative measure to combat COVID-19 and its possible cause of conjunctivitis.

1980 Lib Wilson ’80, Nicholasville, Kentucky, was recognized for her involvement with the Jessamine County chapter of the 100 Women Who Care organization.

Jerry Grant ’81, Goshen, Kentucky, created 3D-printed swabs for COVID19 testing.

Jeff Reeves ’81, Hilton Head, South Carolina, was appointed CEO and president at the Art Center of Coastal Carolina.

Daniel Mongiardo ’82, Lexington, used an antimicrobial system at his medical practice to keep his employees and patients healthy during COVID-19.

Kim Adams Allison ’85, Harlan, Kentucky, was inducted into Harlan County’s 13th Region Basketball Hall of Fame class.

Nancy Adams ’87, Canton, Michigan, started working at Rehmann as an accounting solutions manager.

Steve Amato ’87, Lexington, was inducted into the Order of the Writ, the Spirit of Kentucky Bourbon society’s inaugural class of members.

Chris Begley ’88, Lexington, gave an interview with WEKU about the impact of the coronavirus in the classroom and challenges students are facing.

John-Mark Hack ’88, Versailles, Kentucky, joined the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development to lead the small business lending program.

Lisa Waggoner Barker ’89, New Port Richey, Florida, earned the designation Fellow of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. She is currently the medical director at Gulfside's Hospice & Pasco Palliative Care.

Carol Devine ’89, Lexington, became interim director of admissions at Lexington Theological Seminary and still serves as minister of Green Chalice Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Amy Wells Dolan ’89, Water Valley, Mississippi, was named council of delegates chair for the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate.

Bill Wengert ’89, Winter Park, Colorado, was named finance and business services director of The Independence Center.

1990 Brian Lane ’90, Lexington, reached his 300th career win this season.

Jill Stratton ’91, Nashville, Tennessee, was named assistant provost for experiential learning and associate dean for residential colleges at Vanderbilt University.

Brent Little ’94, Boston, conducted a presentation to educate radiologists on the correct imaging and diagnosis of COVID-19.

Daniel Swintosky ’96, Louisville, became vice president for Beltline.

Mamata Majmundar ’95, Lexington, became president of the Lexington Medical Society.

Rajan Patel ’95, New Orleans, was recognized by Continental “Who's Who” as a Pinnacle Lifetime Achiever in the field of medicine as an interventional cardiologist at Ochsner Medical Center.

Danielle Engle Petermann ’95, Cincinnati, was promoted to program manager with the department of biological sciences at the University of Cincinnati.

Jeanne Henzel Swartz ’95, Oakland, California, used her upholstery workshop to create shield masks for doctors and health care providers without protection during COVID-19.

Luke Crafton ’96, Beverly, Massachusetts, produced the 500th episode of PBS’s “Antiques Roadshow.”

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WEEKEND

Pioneers found camaraderie with alumni from across the globe during a Virtual Alumni Weekend April 24-26.

Lesley Huffman London ’96, Center, Kentucky, was the recipient of the One Classroom at a Time check.

She was nominated for the service learning program she teaches at Metcalfe County Middle School, which provides opportunities for students to excel in the community.

Kevin Brown ’97, Lexington, who is the interim education commissioner, took part in a local Lexington news segment on WKYT to share how public schools and students in Kentucky are facing adversity at the end of the school year.

Whitney Cassity-Caywood ’97, Paducah, Kentucky, was appointed to the Kentucky Board of Social Work by Gov. Andy Beshear.

Laura Escobar-Ratliff ’97, Louisville, joined the University of Kentucky's College of Social Work faculty to help develop, grow and teach its new online doctorate of social work program.

McRae Stephenson ’97, Lexington, began working at Shriners Hospitals for Children as a development officer.

Catherine Nunn Lawless ’98, Lexington, graduated with her Ph.D. in education leadership studies from the University of Kentucky.

She started working at Discovery Education as the Southeast partnerships, leadership and innovation consultant.

TOP: Class of 2015 Virtual Reunion ABOVE: Map of attendees by state

Rob Shrader ’98, Prospect, Kentucky, was featured in an article about Gov. Andy Beshear and his faith.

Brian Brown ’99, Paducah, Kentucky, was appointed as interim chief financial officer at Computer Services Inc. Katie Wilson Conrad ’99, Miami, passed the NASFAA Certified Financial Aid Administrator exam and joined the elite group of 120 by adding CFFA after her name.

“The common Transy ties sometimes come in handy at times you wouldn’t expect.”

— Dr. Nathan Floyd ’95 (pictured on left)

During the Class of 1995’s virtual reunion video chat on April 25, classmate Nathan Floyd, a radiation oncologist in Johnson City, Tennessee, shared his concerns about looming PPE shortages. Classmate Jeanne Henzel Swartz, whose artisan curtain and upholstery business was already making and donating face shields to health care workers and first responders, was able to step in and help.

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Shannon Florea ’99, Lexington, competed in the Arizona Ironman competition in November, where she finished third in her age group and sixth overall.

They were awarded this prize based on their coverage of Gov. Matt Bevin's controversial pardons.

2000 Evan Dicken ’00, Frankfort, Kentucky, joined WesBanco’s Central & Southern Kentucky advisory board of directors.

Victor Enaker ’00, Lexington, released the first title in his series, “Dr. Vic’s Books for Kids.” The book, “The Girl who Grew a Sunflower Taller than Herself,” will be available this fall.

Tara Nicholas Reck ’00, Louisville, became the pastor of Anchorage Presbyterian Church.

Shana Spitzer Page ’01, Paducah, Kentucky, earned her associate in applied science degree in nursing from West Kentucky Community and Technical College. She joined the Jackson Purchase Medical Center’s New Beginnings Birthing Center as a registered nurse.

Laura McClendon ’02, Mayfield, Kentucky, started a new position as director of Christian education at First Christian Church.

Chris Mosley ’02, Palatka, Florida, became a Board of Trustees member at the Chattahoochee Tech Foundation.

Rachael McCartney Benjamin ’03, Maplewood, New Jersey, became the director at Tribeca Maternity.

Ashley Lerza ’03, Richmond, Kentucky, began working as a program specialist with disability fraud investigations.

Kaelin Reed ’03, Lebanon, Kentucky, was appointed as the Circuit Judge for the 11th Judicial Circuit of Kentucky.

Bianca Lynne Spriggs ’03, Athens, Ohio, signed with Shadelandhouse Modern Press to publish a new poetry collection, “We’re Still Big Banging.”

Sean Thompson ’03, Lexington, started working as a paraeducator at Crawford Middle School.

Scott McConnell ’99, Lexington, became the market access executive at Sanofi.

Jessica Kress ’04, Lexington, opened a new location for her dentistry practice, Commonwealth Smiles.

Rajan G. Patel ’99, Flatwoods, Kentucky, was promoted to Executive PSS - Diabetes at AstraZeneca.

Crystal Mount Newton ’04, Lexington, started working as the marketing manager at 46Solutions.

Joe Sonka ’99, Louisville, was part of the 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning staff at the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Sarah Beth Terry ’05, Munfordville, Kentucky, released her first album, “Estill County Rain.”

Patton Thompson ’05, Lexington, was featured in an April news segment about how ventilators work and their current use with COVID-19 patients.

Amelia Martin Adams ’06, Lexington, became counsel to the firm Stoll Keenon Ogden PLLC and was elected to represent the Fifth Supreme Court District on the Kentucky Bar Association Board of Governors.

Brent Craft ’06, Fort Thomas, Kentucky, became partner at Vorys law firm. He is currently a member of the firm’s litigation group.

Mary Rose French ’06, Richmond, Kentucky, was awarded Legend of Possible, which is the highest national award possible for U.S. Bank.

Ann Sterrett Gilcrease ’06, Monroe, Washington, joined Shoreline Christian School as the secondary band and choir director.

Patrick Lewis ’06, Louisville, was elected to the Board of Trustees of the Aviation Museum of Kentucky.

Lindsey Catherine Powell Mullis ’06, Nicholasville, Kentucky, was the recipient of the 2019 American Public Health Association Disability Section Student Member Award for making significant contributions to the disability field and improvements in the lives of people with disabilities nationally and internationally.

Aaron Anderkin ’07, Lexington, moved production from his custom signs and lighting company, Integrated Sign & Graphic, to face shields for medical professionals in March.

April Young ’07, Lexington, is working with the CARE2HOPE project, where she and her team have been researching substance use in rural Kentucky communities and received an additional $4.2 million from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to continue their work.

Sarah Billiter Cameron ’08, Fort Thomas, Kentucky, was elected to partnership at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP. Anne-Tyler Morgan ’08, Lexington, participated in the first COVID Lexington Podcast offering her expertise about healthcare, employment and public policy.

Lucy Woodford Razor ’08, Mount Sterling, Kentucky, began as the library media specialist at McNabb Middle School.

Kendall Jacobs Southerland ’08, Chattanooga, Tennessee, became the new art director for Mountain City Publishing. She is responsible for creating and designing the newspaper layouts for two different print publications each month, serving Chattanooga and the area mountains.

Ally Tucker ’08, Lexington, was named 11th Region Coach of the Year for girls’ soccer during the 2019 season.

Chrissie Sutherland Adams ’09, Lexington, was featured in an April news segment about the role nursemidwives play and the difference COVID-19 has made for them in their field.

Lisle Adams ’09, Lexington, competed in the Ironman Kona World Championship in October. He joined Rectangle Health as a practice management consultant.

Stephanie Bunch Fox ’09, Clarksville, Tennessee, was appointed director of internal audit by the Clarksville City Council.

Lacey Napper ’11, Mount Washington, Kentucky, opened her own law firm, Lacey Napper Law PLLC. Daniel Cooper ’11, San Jose, California, began working as a technical architect at PayPal. John Andrew Weaver ’11, Beijing, China, started working as an MYP/IGCSE art teacher at Beijing International Bilingual Academy.

Andrew Weinberger ’12, Louisville, earned his M.A. in higher education administration from the University of Louisville.

Lloyd Alverson ’13, Lexington, joined Field & Main Bank’s lending team as a mortgage loan officer.

Logan Burchett ’13, Louisville, is the co-founder of Forecastr, an online platform that automates financial forecasting for business owners. His startup company was recently named to the Techstars program.

Greg Turcotte ’09, Lexington, became co-founder and CCO of Alpha Financial Partners.

Ashley Carter ’14, Arlington, Virginia, was featured on MSNBC for the work she is doing to advocate for victims of domestic violence at the D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project as the Equal Justice Works fellow.

Alex Worell ’09, Lexington, started working at Woodford Insurance Service Inc.

Brianna Hill ’14, Chicago, received her law degree from Loyola University, Chicago.

2010

Kali Mattingly ’14, Columbus, Ohio, was the recipient of the 2020 EEOB Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award, given by the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology at The Ohio State University.

Sydney Blevins ’10, Melrose, Massachusetts, began working for Foghorn Therapeutics as a scientist.

Jacob Brumfield ’10, New York City, was promoted to manager of the Accenture firm, leading corporate culture transformation and executive coaching offerings.

Chris Dunaway ’10, Aspen, Colorado, was featured as a wine expert in a Forbes article, “12 Wine Experts Suggest What to Drink During Quarantine.”

Daniel Porter ’10, Lexington, was selected as the 2018-19 Boys Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year for the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.

Haydon Warren ’10, Lexington, was announced the Tates Creek High School head girls’ soccer coach.

Whitney Mitchell Woodard ’10, Pelham, Alabama, was named a recipient of the 2020 University of Alabama at Birmingham Advising Awards for her work in advising neuroscience and international studies majors.

Morgan Cecil ’15, Lexington, graduated from American University School of International Service with her master’s degree in international relations.

Emily Martin ’15, Indianapolis, started working at Second Helpings as the marketing and communications manager.

Lyndsay Whitlock ’15, Lexington, received her clinical doctorate in physical therapy from Columbia University and is currently a licensed and practicing physical therapist in Winchester, Kentucky.

SAVE THE DATE APRIL 9-11, 2021

We look forward to planning next year’s Alumni Weekend for April 9-11, 2021. The event will be “Double the Fun” as we celebrate class reunions from 2020 and 2021.

Alumni who would like to help with the reunion planning effort from the five-year reunion classes 1971-2016 (years ending with 0, 1, 5 and 6), please contact Natasa Mongiardo. Those alumni who served on their reunion committee this past year, we’d love to have your participation as well. Just let your staff liaison know that you’d like to remain on the planning committee. More info to follow!

For more information contact: Natasa Mongiardo 859-233-8213; 800-487-2679 nmongiardo@transy.edu

Valerie Whitlock ’15, Lexington, began working as a legal intern at the Kentucky Department of Public Advocacy.

Meaghan Allen ’16, Los Angeles, earned her J.D. from the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. the magazine of TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY

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Olivia Ellis ’16, Lexington, completed her M.A. in diplomacy and international commerce at the University of Kentucky. Her concentration was in international organizations and development.

Hunter Jones ’16, Gurnee, Illinois, joined the McHenry County State's Attorney's office as an assistant state's attorney.

Ashton Ogle ’16, Stamford, Connecticut, was elected to serve as the Northeast regional director of the Student Academy Board of Directors for the American Academy of Physician Assistants.

Erin Romito ’16, Edgewood, Kentucky, started working as a physical therapist at St. Elizabeth Healthcare.

Olivia Slusher ’16, Louisville, joined Morgan Pottinger McGarvey as an associate attorney. She will focus primarily on real estate law and banking and finance law, while also supporting the firm’s family law and estate planning and probate law practices.

Mollie LaFavers ’17, Louisville, became the manager of affinity groups and employee engagement at Fund for the Arts.

Nanhao Chen ’18, Indian Land, South Carolina, started a new job as an accountant at Sun Fiber LLC in South Carolina after graduating from Wake Forest University with a master’s in science of accountancy.

Sadie Middleton ’18, Bardstown, Kentucky, became a transportation engineering assistant I at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Planning, Strategic Planning Branch.

Katie Tucker ’18, San Diego, earned her master’s in public policy from the University of Southern California and enters the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University this fall to obtain her Ph.D. in public policy.

Christian Jasper ’19, Lexington, started working at Bim Group as an analyst for underwriting and data analytics.

Daniel Martell ’19, Philpot, Kentucky, began serving in the Peace Corps.

He is teaching English to primary students in the rural areas of Uganda.

Zach Treilobs ’19, Paris, Kentucky, joined Dan Cummins Chevrolet Buick as a sales and leasing consultant.

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MARRIAGES Toby Spradlin Bowlby ’56 and Robert Alan Bowlby, Feb. 1, 2020 Paul Daniel ’72 and Barbara Yabalonski, Jan. 5, 2019 Theresa Barrington Emery ’88 and Brian P. Carlisle, Jan. 1, 2020 Heather Hackney ’08 and Nick Harris ’07, Oct. 12, 2019 Krista Miller ’08 and Chris Simmons, Jan. 4, 2020 Jorden Roberts Johnson ’09 and Will Johnson ’11, June 29, 2019 Genny Friend ’10 and Charles Rose, Nov. 20, 2019 Alexandra Sluder ’10 and Jaysen Oeder, June 29, 2019 Jessica Williams ’10 and Christopher Sorrells, Oct. 18, 2019 Laura Miller ’13 and Roy Benjey, March 23, 2020 Allison Conder ’14 and Ryan Hopper, Dec. 7, 2019 Donovan Sowder ’15 and Morgan Sowder, Aug. 3, 2019 Erin Melody ’17 and Clark D. Watts ’17, Nov. 30, 2019 Jessica Wilson ’17 and Nicholas Herberth ’16, Sept. 21, 2019 Finley Yuttayong ’17 and Rob Canady ’17, Nov. 9, 2019 Breanna Preece ’20 and Zach McPeek, June 6, 2020

IN MEMORIAM

Glenda Gayle Clark ’60, Springfield, Kentucky, died Jan. 20, 2020.

Philip Harlin ’70, Lexington, died July 25, 2019.

Zerilda Cowherd Frantz ’49, Shelbyville, Kentucky, wife of Donald Frantz ’49, died Dec. 6, 2019.

Judith Hardesty Hardin ’60, Louisville, died March 19, 2020.

James Strayer ’71, Falls Church, Virginia, died June 18, 2020.

Ellen Freeman Higgins ’60, Milwaukee, Sept. 29, 2019.

Tom Pallone ’75, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, died Aug. 23, 2019.

Peter Salmen ’61, Lexington, died Oct. 17, 2019.

Patricia Stewart Lathrem Bain ’76, Lexington, died April 3, 2020.

David Everton ’64, Pearland, Texas, father of Ana-Claudia Everton ’92, died May 27, 2020.

Robert Allan Truitt ’80, Lexington, died March 17, 2020.

Ruth Mitchum Brummett ’50, Grand Rapids, Michigan, died Sept. 2, 2019.

Mary Lou Kennedy Ward ’51, Roseville, California, died Dec. 18, 2019.

Linda Gibson Wood ’53, Louisville, died May 6, 2020.

Robert Piper ’54, New Bedford, Massachusetts, died May 20, 2020.

Marianne Carter Humphries ’64, Louisville, Kentucky, died Dec. 22, 2019.

James Sparks ’55, Madison, Wisconsin, died Dec. 22, 2019.

Henry Shelden Vance ’65, Lexington, died March 14, 2020.

Marilyn Brondell Faulconer ’56, Kettering, Ohio, wife of James Faulconer ’50, died May 1, 2020.

Margaret Seifert-Russell ’66, Hanover, Indiana, wife of Gregory Russell ’71, died April 13, 2020.

Forrest Hahn ’57, Lexington, died Dec. 8, 2019.

Tom Fuller ’69, Carmel, Indiana, died Dec. 22, 2019.

Mary Bethel Payne Robinette ’58, Grand Rapids, Michigan, died June 19, 2020.

Kathleen Doyle Johnson ’69, Coldwater, Michigan, died March 25, 2020.

Frank Spragens ’59, Lebanon, Kentucky, father of Sara Spragens ’88, father-in-law of Todd Page ’87 and grandfather of Claire Page ’22, died April 22, 2020.

Patricia Ann Dunlap Means ’69, Gilbert, Arizona, died March 31, 2018.

Martha Poag Upshur ’59, Los Angeles, died Dec. 6, 2019.

Thomas Elliott ’70, Louisville, died April 20, 2020.

Jeffrey Connell Friedman ’70, Tucson, Arizona, died Nov. 4, 2019.

Tammy Jane Hales Hubbard ’83, Dacula, Georgia, died June 2, 2020.

Cathy Creech ’84, Washington, D.C., wife of Britt Reynolds ’85, sister of Kelly Creech Shikoh ’88, sister-inlaw of Alan Shikoh ’87, died May 6, 2020.

Robert Vincent Taormina ’85, Cincinnati, brother of John Taormina ’85, Mary Taormina ’85 and Vincent Taormina ’87, died June 23, 2020.

Brian Elswick ’86, Worthington, Kentucky, died April 20, 2020.

Lisa Jones ’89, Big Clifty, Kentucky, died June 14, 2020.

Diane Frost Roy ’89, Charleston, West Virginia, died Oct. 18, 2019.

Lynne Pierce Dean ’95, Perryville, Kentucky, died June 16, 2020.

Remembering Cubaka “Chui” Nehemia Mutayongwa ’20 The Transy community also mourns the loss of the young life of Cubaka “Chui” Nehemia Mutayongwa ’20, 22, who died in a kayaking accident on July 4. To meet him once was enough to understand the magnitude of his kindness, his openness and his wholehearted commitment to others. He showed what it means, as he said, “to reach across our fears in order to take initiative” and to truly give of oneself for the betterment of the world.

A refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo, by way of Uganda, Mutayongwa attended Tates Creek High School and, after just four years in the U.S., became a Transylvania Pioneer.

He was a member of the men’s soccer team in 2016 and 2017, but soon devoted himself fully to his volunteer work in the Lexington community, which included the nonprofit Tweens Nutrition Fitness Coalition and serving as youth chair for the Lexington chapter of the NAACP.

Lifetime trustee Garey L. White dies Garey L. White ’48 died Dec. 14, 2019, in Lexington. White served as a member of the Transylvania Board of Trustees from 1974 until his passing.

He and his wife, Carol Ann Barnes White ’50, were generous supporters of their alma mater, giving their time and resources to Transylvania while contributing to numerous campaigns.

They were recognized with a Distinguished Service Award in 2000 and the Morrison Medallion in 2004.

White also served his country in the United States Army from 1944-46, stationed in Europe during World War II. Following his military service, he enjoyed a successful career in construction. He was co-founder of White and Congleton Construction Co., director of Associated General Contractors of Kentucky and national director of the AGC Board of Directors, earning numerous honors for his work.

As a student, he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and the university choir.

His goal of making a meaningful difference through politics and nonprofit work was shaped by the war he witnessed as a youth and the ineffectual results of military intervention that brought about so much killing. He threw himself into preparing to serve and actively encourage and improve the community around him.

Mutayongwa said he hoped he could make a difference. And he did, in the quality of his interactions with people, his humor and his leadership — all of which were imbued with optimism even as it abutted the realities of racial discrimination and economic injustice. His efforts, and the promise of what his future would have brought, invite us to pick up the baton and do the same. the magazine of TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY

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alumni

AWARDS We are proud to recognize these alumni and friends for their exemplary service to Transylvania and their communities and for distinguishing themselves in their respective professions.

The awards were announced during the Virtual Alumni Weekend Convocation on April 25.

Barry Bronson ’70 Distinguished Achievement Award

Ann Orme Windley ’65 and David Windley ’65 Morrison Medallion Ann and Dave Windley have been actively involved with Transylvania since 1988 when their son David enrolled as a student, and even before that with parents who were also alumni. Ann served on the Alumni Board before becoming a member of the Board of Trustees in 1995, where she has served on the Trustee Committee on Student Life and the Committee on Trustees. Both Ann and Dave are active class reunion planners, including serving as reunion committee chairs for their 50th reunion in 2015.

They have been generous supporters of various campus capital projects such as the Shearer Art Building and the Carpenter Academic Center, as well as the Religious Endowment Fund. In 2007, they endowed a David A. Windley Scholarship and have been regular contributors to the Transylvania Fund and Transy athletics.

Barry Bronson’s 45-year career in marketing, public relations and journalism has taken him from being an award-winning reporter at the Lexington Herald-Leader to director of communications at The Valvoline Company, with interesting stops all along the way. He’s also spent time as editor of Music City News magazine, creative director at Host Communications and speechwriter for Kentucky Gov. Martha Layne Collins.

He’s now a freelance writer working for a rich variety of high-profile clients.

Emily Martin ’15 Outstanding Young Alumni Award

Emily Martin, a true philanthropist, is using her communications skills to serve nonprofits as well as give back to Transylvania. She recently became marketing and communications director at Second Helpings, a hunger relief agency in Indianapolis, and before that she was communication and Disciples Mission Fund coordinator for the Christian Church (DOC).

Now in her sixth year on the Transylvania University Young Alumni Council, she has provided great leadership, initially chairing the Alumni Giving Committee and for the past two years serving as the Admissions Committee chair.

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Peter Cheney ’69 Distinguished Achievement Award Peter Cheney has worked in education and ministry for 42 years. He currently serves as an associate priest at the Episcopal Church of St. Michael’s and All Angels in Tucson, Arizona, and as a member of the Board of Trustees for St. Michael’s School in the role of pastpresident. He also consults with Episcopal and other private schools throughout the United States on matters of mission, governance and leadership transition.

Diane Farmer Binzel ’75 Distinguished Service Award Diane Farmer Binzel consistently steps up to help her alma mater. In addition to serving on every five-year reunion planning committee since 1995, she has been a 100 Doors to Success mentor and an active regional alumni ambassador in Louisville, and in 2018 she was elected to the Transylvania Alumni Board. From recording videos for Pioneer Pairs and the #TogetherForTransy day of giving, to hosting alumni and admissions events, she is always eager to support Transylvania.

Charles C. Simms III ’90 Distinguished Achievement Award

Fran Taylor ’75 Distinguished Achievement Award

Tiffany Wheeler ’90 Distinguished Achievement Award

Charles Simms is the chief circuit court judge for the 10th Judicial Circuit, which presides over Hart, LaRue and Nelson counties of Kentucky. He was re-elected without opposition in 2014 for a term that expires on Jan. 1, 2023. After earning his J.D. from the University of Kentucky School of Law, he worked as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney before being named to the bench.

Since completing 25 years with the Keeneland Foundation, where she served as executive director, Fran Taylor has demonstrated her true entrepreneur spirit. In 2011 she launched My Giving Advisor LLC, a philanthropic advisory firm, and in 2015 she started Lexington Silver, a metal manufacturing business drawing inspiration from the timeless designs of silversmiths from bygone eras.

Taylor is also the founder and owner of West High Publishing.

Tiffany Wheeler’s education career started as an elementary school teacher before she began the role of guiding the next generation of teachers. She served as distinguished practitioner in the Murray State University College of Education, then returned to Transylvania in 2002, where she is the education program director.

She is a published expert in American education with master’s and doctorate degrees in education from the University of Kentucky.

Marty Curtis ’70 and Sara Beldon Curtis ’68 Distinguished Service Award

Tracy Stephens Dunn ’90 Distinguished Service Award

Michael Finley ’90 Distinguished Service Award

Marty and Sara Curtis have been generous supporters of Transylvania for many years, especially since 2014. They’ve actively served on their class reunion committees, and in 2018 for Sara’s 50th reunion, the couple chartered a bus to make sure classmates had a safe way to get to and from a reunion event outside of Lexington.

Tracy Dunn has made her mark on the university as a staff member who’s served all over campus. After several years in the alumni and development office, she established the 100 Doors to Success mentorship program from its pilot phase and then became the first director of the Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment before being named assistant dean for academic affairs.

She also continues to serve her alma mater as an alumni volunteer, reaching out to classmates and Transy friends and asking for their support.

Michael Finley’s expertise has made him a valuable member of the Board of Trustees and its Executive and Technology committees. A 100 Doors mentor since 2014, he’s eager to share his experience with Transy students and hosted a group of them during the most recent Alumni on Location trip to Atlanta, sponsored by the Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment. He’s been a generous financial supporter of the university, giving to numerous scholarships and capital projects.

the magazine of TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY

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Farewell from John and Lucy Williams ’74

Dear Pioneer Community, As Lucy and I say farewell to our beloved Transylvania community amid the global pandemic and protests for social justice, we have reflected on what an incredible year this has been for us as Transylvania’s president and first lady. We have learned a lot.

Since last August, we have engaged with alumni, faculty, staff and students to support the Transy academic mission.

Dean Michael Cairo has been an essential partner with me throughout this year. I am deeply grateful and thank him for his wisdom, leadership and unwavering service to Transylvania University’s academic mission.

We have enjoyed meeting our students on campus and seeing them grow in their quest for their chosen degrees and their life’s purpose. We also appreciated many wonderful campus athletic contests, concerts, exhibits, theater and lecture events. At our May Transylvania virtual commencement with the Class of 2020, I extended my message to our graduates based on our campus theme of resilience. Oh my, how timely!

Wow, I am excited for Transy’s future! I have had the opportunity to get to know our 28th president and first lady, Brien and Laura Lewis, as they embark on their Transylvania leadership journey. Brien comes as an experienced president.

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He understands the job, has great ideas and is enthusiastic about leading Transylvania boldly in the 21st century as a liberal arts institution. There are challenges to be sure, but I see new opportunities for all of us to lend our support.

So, we come to say farewell with much gratitude for your support and encouragement this past year. Thanks to all the people at Transylvania University who are so dedicated to our institution and its mission. We see the central importance of the liberal arts addressing the biological and social challenges of our day. We see a better future.

With gratitude and excitement for the years ahead,

John and Lucy

Dr. John N. Williams ’74 27th President of Transylvania University Lucy Sims Williams ’74

Thank you for your generosity during our 2019-20 giving year.

We are grateful for our dedicated alumni and friends who gave between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.

During these challenging times, you came together as never before for our students and the university.

THE

TRANSYLVANIA FUND

Your participation will enable current and future Pioneers to become the next generation of leaders and problem-solvers. We look forward to working with you again this year in support of the institution we love.

transy.edu/giving

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