Transylvania University is a
private university
Private universities and private colleges are institutions of higher education, not operated, owned, or institutionally funded by governments. They may (and often do) receive from governments tax breaks, public student loans, and grant (money ...
in
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in Kentucky. It offers 46 major programs, as well as dual-degree engineering programs, and is accredited by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is an educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. This agency accredits over 13,000 public and priv ...
. Its medical program graduated 8,000 physicians by 1859.
[John, Jr. Wright, ed. ''Transylvania: Tutor to the West'' (2nd ed. 1980)]
Transylvania's name, meaning "across the woods" in
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, stems from the university's founding in the heavily forested region of western Virginia known as the
Transylvania Colony
The Transylvania Colony, also referred to as the Transylvania Purchase, was a short-lived, extra-legal colony founded in early 1775 by North Carolina land speculator Richard Henderson, who formed and controlled the Transylvania Company. Henders ...
, which existed briefly between 1775 and 1776 in south and western Kentucky.
Transylvania is the
alma mater of two
U.S. vice presidents, two
U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
justices, 50
U.S. senators
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
, 101
U.S. representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
, 36 U.S. governors, 34 U.S. ambassadors, and the
Confederate president
The president of the Confederate States was the head of state and head of government of the Confederate States. The president was the chief executive of the federal government and was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate Army and the Confe ...
, making it a large producer of U.S. statesmen.
History
![Henry Clay](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/Henry_Clay.jpg)
Transylvania was the first college west of the
Allegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range (; also spelled Alleghany or Allegany), informally the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada and posed a significant barrier to land travel in less devel ...
, and was named for the
Colony of Transylvania
The Transylvania Colony, also referred to as the Transylvania Purchase, was a short-lived, extra-legal colony founded in early 1775 by North Carolina land speculator Richard Henderson, who formed and controlled the Transylvania Company. Henders ...
, Latin for 'across the woods', which aimed to educate good citizens.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 18 ...
was governor of Virginia when the
Virginia Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, the oldest continuous law-making body in the Western Hemisphere, the first elected legislative assembly in the New World, and was established on July 30, 1619 ...
chartered
Transylvania Seminary
Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the A ...
in 1780, before Kentucky was separated out as its own state. Its first sponsor was the
Christ Church Cathedral's (
Episcopal Church) rector, the Reverend Moore, although the school later became affiliated with the
Presbyterian Church
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
. Originally situated in a
log cabin
A log cabin is a small log house, especially a less finished or less architecturally sophisticated structure. Log cabins have an ancient history in Europe, and in America are often associated with first generation home building by settlers.
Eur ...
in
Boyle County, Kentucky, the school moved to Lexington in 1789.
The first site in Lexington was a single building in what is now the historic
Gratz Park.
By 1799, the institution was called Transylvania University. By 1818, a new main building was constructed for students' classes. That building burned down in 1829, and the school was moved to its present location north of Third Street. Old Morrison, the only campus building at the time, was constructed 1830–34, under the supervision of
Henry Clay
Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
, who both taught law and was a member of Transylvania's Board.
After 1818, the university included a
medical school
A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, or part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS, M ...
, a
law school
A law school (also known as a law centre or college of law) is an institution specializing in legal education, usually involved as part of a process for becoming a lawyer within a given jurisdiction.
Law degrees Argentina
In Argentina, ...
, a
divinity school
A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy ...
, and a college of arts and sciences.
![Original Seal of Transylvania University](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Original_Seal_of_Transylvania_University.jpg)
An institution that aided in the development of today's Transylvania University was Bacon College of Georgetown – named after
Sir Francis Bacon
Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both n ...
– which would, for a brief time, be known as Kentucky University. This school was not affiliated with the modern
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
. Founded by Disciples of Christ churches in Kentucky, Bacon College operated from 1837 to 1851. It was also distinct from nearby
Georgetown College
Georgetown College is a private Christian college in Georgetown, Kentucky. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains.
The college offers 38 undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in educat ...
, a
Disciples of Christ-supported institution. Bacon College closed due to lack of funding, but seven years later, in 1858, when the school had secured significant financial backing, Bacon College's charter was amended to establish Kentucky University, and it was moved to donated land in
Harrodsburg
Harrodsburg is a home rule-class city in Mercer County, Kentucky, United States. It is the seat of its county. The population was 9,064 at the 2020 census.
Although Harrodsburg was formally established by the House of Burgesses after Boonesbo ...
. This school closed in 1860 and its Harrodsburg building burned in 1864. By mutual agreement and an act of the state legislature the college was merged with Transylvania University in 1865.
![John C Breckinridge-04775-restored](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/John_C_Breckinridge-04775-restored.jpg)
From these early years, Transylvania has dominated academe in the
bluegrass region
The Bluegrass region is a geographic region in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It makes up the central and northern part of the state, roughly bounded by the cities of Frankfort, Paris, Richmond and Stanford. The Bluegrass region is characteriz ...
, and was the sought-out destination for the children of the South's political leadership, military families, and business elite. It attracted many politically ambitious young men including
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...
, the founder of Texas.
After the Civil War
![Drawing of Transylvania University Medical Hall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Drawing_of_Transylvania_University_Medical_Hall.jpg)
Following the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, Kentucky University was hit by a major fire, and both it and Transylvania University were left in dire financial condition. In 1865, both institutions secured permission to merge. The new institution used Transylvania's campus in Lexington while perpetuating the Kentucky University name.
The university was reorganized into several new colleges, including the Agricultural and Mechanical College (A&M) of Kentucky, publicly chartered as a department of Kentucky University as a
land-grant institution
A land-grant university (also called land-grant college or land-grant institution) is an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890.
Signed by Abraha ...
under the
Morrill Act
The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges in U.S. states using the proceeds from sales of federally-owned land, often obtained from indigenous tribes through treaty, cession, or s ...
.
However, due to questions regarding having a federally funded land-grant college controlled by a religious body, the A&M college was spun off in 1878 as an independent, state-run institution. The A&M of Kentucky soon developed into one of the state's flagship public universities, the
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...
.
Kentucky University's College of the Bible, which traced its roots to Bacon College's Department of Hebrew Literature, received a separate charter in 1878. Kentucky University's seminary eventually became a separate institution, but remained housed on the same campus until 1950. It later changed its name to the
Lexington Theological Seminary. In 1903,
Hamilton College
Hamilton College is a private liberal arts college in Clinton, Oneida County, New York. It was founded as Hamilton-Oneida Academy in 1793 and was chartered as Hamilton College in 1812 in honor of inaugural trustee Alexander Hamilton, following ...
, a Lexington-based
women's college
Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Some women's colleges admit male stud ...
founded in 1869, merged into Kentucky University.
Due to confusion between Kentucky University and its daughter institution, the University of Kentucky, the institution was renamed "Transylvania University" in 1908.
1988 trademark dispute
In 1988, Transylvania University experienced an infringement on the institution's trademark when
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards, Inc. is a private, family-owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall, Hallmark is the oldest and largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was award ...
began selling "Transylvania University" T-shirts. The product, developed for the Halloween season, was intended to be a novelty item purporting to be college wear from the fictional Count
Dracula's ''alma mater''. When contacted by Transylvania University, Hallmark admitted that they were not aware of the Kentucky-based institution and recalled all unsold product immediately.
Campus
The university is located on a urban campus about four blocks from the center of the city of
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is a city in Kentucky, United States that is the county seat of Fayette County, Kentucky, Fayette County. By population, it is the List of cities in Kentucky, second-largest city in Kentucky and List of United States cities by popul ...
. It has 24 buildings, 3 athletic fields, 3 dining areas, and a National Historic Landmark. The campus is divided by North Broadway: to the East stand the academic buildings of the university; to the West, most of the residential buildings.
Academic campus
![Transylvania Campus](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/42/Transylvania_Campus.JPG)
The academic side of campus lies to the East of North Broadway, one of the major streets in Lexington. Old Morrison is the main
administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal
** Administrative assistant, Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an admini ...
building for the university. Designed by pioneer Kentucky architect
Gideon Shryock
Gideon Shryock (November 15, 1802 – June 19, 1880) was Kentucky's first professional architect in the Greek Revival Style. His name has frequently been misspelled as Gideon Shyrock.
Biography
Shryock was born in Lexington, Kentucky on Novembe ...
and erected in 1833 under the supervision of
Henry Clay
Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
(then professor of law at Transylvania), Old Morrison is the central image on the city seal of Lexington. It houses the offices of financial aid, accounting, the registrar, the president, the dean, communications, the Center for Academic and Professional Enrichment, and more. The building also holds the tomb of
Constantine Rafinesque, professor of natural science at the university from 1819 to 1826, and Sauveur Francois Bonfils, who taught at the university from 1842 to 1849 (a native of France, he apparently was forced to flee because of political discord). During the Civil War, Old Morrison served as a hospital for Union and Confederate soldiers. It was gutted by fire in 1969 but was renovated and reopened in 1971. It was designated a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1965, in recognition of the university's status as the oldest west of the Allegheny Mountains.
![Academic Side of Transylvania University](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Academic_Side_of_Transylvania_University.jpg)
Beside Old Morrison, the Carpenter Academic Center houses the faculties of
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
philosophy
Philosophy (from , ) is the systematized study of general and fundamental questions, such as those about existence, reason, knowledge, values, mind, and language. Such questions are often posed as problems to be studied or resolved. Some ...
,
history
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
,
political science
Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...
,
foreign language
A foreign language is a language that is not an official language of, nor typically spoken in, a given country, and that native speakers from that country must usually acquire through conscious learning - be this through language lessons at school ...
s, and
classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
, as well as offices for professors. The center, formerly known as Haupt Humanities, was renovated during the 2017–2018 academic year; the renovation updated classrooms and faculty offices, added student gathering spaces, and integrated new technologies. Carpenter Academic Center was reopened in May 2018.
Behind the Carpenter Academic Center is Alumni Plaza, opened in 2015 as an outdoor classroom and social gathering area. Also on the academic side of campus, a state-of-the-art student indoor athletic facility, called the Clive M. Beck Center, was completed and opened in 2003; it is a location for men's and women's athletics and holds student fitness equipment.
The Mitchell Fine Arts Center is the home of the music program, providing offices and classrooms for both drama and music programs. It contains a large concert hall, a small theater, a recital hall, the Morlan Gallery, the music technology classroom, and office of information technology. The Morlan Gallery in the center is the location for six or seven art exhibitions every year during the academic calendar, primarily as a gallery of contemporary art, including Appalachian Folk art, Chinese art, contemporary African art, sculptural installations, and performance and video pieces. The gallery offers guided tours and lectures for school groups, civic clubs, and senior-citizen organizations.
The Cowgill Center for Business, Economics, and Education holds classrooms for these subjects and offices for professors. It features a high-tech multimedia classroom, a specialized classroom for training education majors, a computer lab, lecture halls, seminar rooms, study areas, faculty offices, and the Monroe Moosnick Medical and Science Museum. The L.A. Brown Science Center houses classrooms, laboratories and offices for the natural sciences, computer science and mathematics programs. A state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer is available to enhance students' academic and research experience.
Library
![Horace Holley](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/Horace_Holley.jpg)
Originally completed in 1952 and dedicated by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
, the main library building was renovated and enlarged in 1985; it was re-dedicated by then Vice President
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushSince around 2000, he has been usually called George H. W. Bush, Bush Senior, Bush 41 or Bush the Elder to distinguish him from his eldest son, George W. Bush, who served as the 43rd president from 2001 to 2009; pr ...
as the Douglas Gay Jr. and Frances Carrick Thomas Library. The Special Collections of the library houses a manuscript collection with letters, diaries, and documents of notable historical figures associated with the university including
Henry Clay
Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
,
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
, Robert Peter,
John Wesley Hunt,
Daniel Drake
Daniel Drake (October 20, 1785 – November 5, 1852) was a pioneering American physician and prolific writer.
Early life
Drake was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Isaac Drake and Elizabeth Shotwell. He was the elder brother of Benjamin ...
, and
Horace Holley. The rare books section houses a collection of books relating to the history of horses and natural history, as well as a collection of pre-1800 medical books. The books belonging to the
Transylvania Medical Department, which closed in 1859, are now kept in special collections. The library was the setting for the film "
American Animals", which told how four twenty-year-old students stole and attempted to sell some of the rare books.
The basement of the library was renovated and became the Dugi Academic Center for Excellence in 2013 and the first floor was renovated in 2015.
The Glenn Building was constructed as a multi-purpose building in 2005 and houses a coffee shop, Gratz Perk, the admissions offices, and expansion space for the library. It was named in honor of James F. Glenn, a former Board of Trustees member who donated $1.1 million for its construction. It utilizes an environmentally friendly geothermal heating and air conditioning system and several mature trees near the site were preserved during construction.
Residence halls
The western half of the campus contains most of the residential parts of campus. Dalton-Voigt Hall opened in Fall 2015 and houses first-year students. This $7 million 144-bed facility offers suite-style living and common spaces for studying and activities. Jefferson Davis Hall and Henry Clay Hall were demolished in June 2015 to make space for construction of Kincaid Hall and Bassett Hall, which are similar to Dalton-Voigt and opened in January 2017.
Thomson Hall was opened in the fall of 2008. It received
Energy Star
Energy Star (trademarked ''ENERGY STAR'') is a program run by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that promotes energy efficiency. The program provides information on the energy consumption of pr ...
rating in 2009. It features 31 suite style living-units which include study areas, living rooms, kitchenettes, bathrooms, and bedrooms. The building is three stories tall, has of space, and cost $5.5 million.
Thomson Hall was built to be an environmentally friendly building and it exceeds state insulating value requirements by 28 percent. It has geothermal heating and energy, low flow shower heads, a total energy recovery wheel on outside ventilation, fifty percent recycled material in the parking lot surface, and energy saving lighting.
Dalton-Voigt, Thomson, Kincaid, and Bassett Halls all surround Back Circle, a central outdoor field where students are able to socialize, play sports, or do homework.
The other residence spaces on campus are Poole Residence Center and Rosenthal Apartment Complex. Poole houses first-year students in large, suite-style rooms. Rosenthal houses upperclass students in an outdoor apartment style. .
Campus Center
The newly built and renovated William T. Young Campus Center opened in the fall of 2020. It is a 97,710-square-foot building—61,400 square feet of new construction and 36,310 square feet of renovated space. Replacing Forrer Hall, the structure offers two dining locations, an athletic workout facility, competition-sized swimming pool, and numerous meeting spaces of all sizes and uses. It also houses the health and wellness center, student life offices, and the bookstore.
The Campus Center was dedicated in October 2021 where
William T. Young, Sr., whom the original Campus Center was named for, and William T. Young, Jr. were recognized for their many contributions to the university over the years. Both served time as chairman of the Board of the Trustees at Transylvania. To commemorate the contributions of the family, portraits of both Youngs adorn a wall of the new Center.
Academics
![Old Morrison Commencement](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Old_Morrison_Commencement.JPG)
Transylvania has a selective and international admission process. Transylvania presently offers 46 majors and 37 minors and many pre-professional tracks spread among four divisions: Fine Arts, Humanities, Natural Sciences & Mathematics and Social Sciences. It offers such majors as Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE) and Writing, Rhetoric, and Communication (WRC), as well as interdisciplinary studies, or the ability of students to design their own majors.
In 2018, Transylvania became the first of Kentucky's liberal arts colleges to partner with the Peace Corps to establish a Peace Corps Prep program, a diversity-oriented program designed to prepare undergraduates for international development fieldwork and potential Peace Corps service.
Transylvania also announced a partnership with Appalachian Regional Healthcare to incentivize students from Eastern Kentucky and West Virginia who are interested in healthcare, whether as a practitioner or administrator, to attend Transylvania. Students who participate will return to their home region and communities to work for ARH post-graduation.
Student life
Before beginning classes, first year students take part in an orientation week and various community building exercises including long standing traditions, such as the first-year
serenade and greet line. The serenade divides the class in two for a fun sing-off. The greet line starts as a large arch made up of every member of the first-year class (and various faculty, staff and campus student leaders). Every member of the line goes down and shakes hands with all other members, introducing themselves along the way.
![Transylvania University Pumpkinmania](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Transylvania_University_Pumpkinmania.jpg)
There is a week-long celebration of
Halloween
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. It begins the observanc ...
by students known as "Raf Week" in honor of the 19th-century botanist, inventor, and Transylvania professor
Constantine Rafinesque. The university ends October with a unique combination of activities including a lottery for four students to win the chance to spend the night in Rafinesque's tomb.
The steps of Old Morrison are lined with pumpkins carved by students, faculty, staff, and members of the community around Halloween for what is called Pumpkinmania. In honor of Professor Rafinesque, the grab-and-go dining space in the Campus Center is named the "Rafskeller" – a pun on the word ''
Rathskeller
Ratskeller (German: "council's cellar", pl. ''Ratskeller'', historically ''Rathskeller'') is a name in German-speaking countries for a bar or restaurant located in the basement of a city hall (''Rathaus'') or nearby. Many taverns, nightclubs, ba ...
''.
Transylvania is also known for the Kissing Tree, a white ash tree that is estimated to be nearly 280 years old – 35 years older than the university itself. In the 1940s and 1950s, the administration turned a blind eye to students kissing in public near the tree, at a time when it was frowned upon elsewhere on campus. Today, with the rules on public displays of affection slackened, students refer to the tree as the Kissing Tree. In 2003 ''
The Chronicle of Higher Education
''The Chronicle of Higher Education'' is a newspaper and website that presents news, information, and jobs for college and university faculty and student affairs professionals (staff members and administrators). A subscription is required to rea ...
'' included the Kissing Tree among the most romantic places on college campuses in America, and it was mentioned in a ''
Wall Street Journal
''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...
'' article about romance on college campuses.
Arts
The campus, home to several Transylvania choirs and instrumental ensembles, also hosts several exhibitions in its Morlan Gallery that change by season. The gallery focuses on work produced in the past decade from worldwide viewpoints. Transylvania was honored with an international Gold Award for ''Transylvania Treasures'', its publication dedicated to showcasing the rare and valuable items in Transylvania University's special collections and medical and science museum, and now is considered a treasure in its own right, concluding a prestigious national competition sponsored by the
Council for Advancement and Support of Education
The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a nonprofit association of educational institutions. It serves professionals in the field of educational advancement. This field encompasses alumni relations, communications, marketin ...
. Transylvania's theatre department produces two to three stage productions every year. The Lucille C. Little Theater provides a performance space for theatre performances by students and professionals on campus.
Fraternities and sororities
Transylvania has
Greek life on campus, with four fraternities and four sororities and 42% of the students as members of Greek organizations. In its 2022 edition of "The Best 387 Colleges", the ''
Princeton Review
The Princeton Review is an education services company providing tutoring, test preparation and admission resources for students. It was founded in 1981. and since that time has worked with over 400 million students. Services are delivered by 4,0 ...
'' named Transylvania in the top 10 U.S. schools on its list of colleges with "Lots of Greek Life". In 2010, the school was ranked first in percentage of Greek students on campus.
Fraternities
*
Delta Sigma Phi
Delta Sigma Phi (), commonly known as Delta Sig or D Sig, is a fraternity established in 1899 at The City College of New York (CCNY). It was the first fraternity to be founded on the basis of religious and ethnic acceptance. It is also one of th ...
– Beta Mu Chapter, founded in 1941
*
Kappa Alpha Order
Kappa Alpha Order (), commonly known as Kappa Alpha or simply KA, is a social fraternity and a fraternal order founded in 1865 at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia. As of December 2015, the Kappa Alph ...
– Alpha Theta Chapter, founded in 1891
*
Phi Kappa Tau
Phi Kappa Tau (), commonly known as Phi Tau (), is a collegiate fraternity located in the United States. The fraternity was founded in 1906. As of November 2022, the fraternity has 161 chartered chapters, 79 active chapters, 6 Associate chapte ...
– Theta Chapter, founded in 1917
*
Pi Kappa Alpha – Kappa Chapter, founded in 1868
*
Kappa Sigma
Kappa Sigma (), commonly known as Kappa Sig, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1869. Kappa Sigma is one of the five largest international fraternities with currently 318 active chapters and col ...
– Alpha Omicron, founded September 7, 1894 (dormant)
*
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi (), commonly known as Phi Psi, is an American collegiate social fraternity that was founded by William Henry Letterman and Charles Page Thomas Moore in Widow Letterman's home on the campus of Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pen ...
– Kentucky Alpha Chapter founded in 1865 (closed 1866)
*
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi (), commonly known as Beta, is a North American social fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. One of North America's oldest fraternities, as of 2022 it consists of 144 active chapters in the Unite ...
– Epsilon Chapter, founded in 1842 (closed 1847)
Sororities
*
Alpha Omicron Pi
Alpha Omicron Pi (, AOII, Alpha O) is an international women's fraternity founded on January 2, 1897, at Barnard College on the campus of Columbia University in New York City. The main archive URL iThe Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
"AOI ...
– Tau Omega Chapter, founded in 1987
*
Chi Omega
Chi Omega (, also known as ChiO) is a women's fraternity and a member of the National Panhellenic Conference, the umbrella organization of 26 women's fraternities.
Chi Omega has 181 active collegiate chapters and approximately 240 alumnae chap ...
– Chi Chapter, founded in 1903
*
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta (), also known as Tri Delta, is an international women's fraternity founded on November 27, 1888 at Boston University by Sarah Ida Shaw, Eleanor Dorcas Pond, Isabel Morgan Breed, and Florence Isabelle Stewart.
Tri Delta part ...
– Beta Zeta Chapter, founded in 1908
*
Phi Mu
Phi Mu () is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States.
The fraternity was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia as the Philomathean Society on , and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same y ...
– Delta Theta Chapter, founded in 1939
*
Alpha Delta Theta - Alpha Chapter, founded in 1919 (merged with
Phi Mu
Phi Mu () is the second oldest female fraternal organization established in the United States.
The fraternity was founded at Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia as the Philomathean Society on , and was announced publicly on March 4 of the same y ...
1939)
*
Delta Zeta
Delta Zeta (, also known as DZ) is an international college sorority founded on October 24, 1902, at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Delta Zeta has 170 collegiate chapters in the United States and Canada, and over 200 alumnae chapters in Cana ...
– founded in 1954 (closed)
*
Sigma Kappa
Sigma Kappa (, also known as SK or Sig Kap) is a sorority founded on November 9, 1874 at Colby College in Waterville, Maine.
In 1874, Sigma Kappa was founded by five women: Mary Caffrey Low Carver, Elizabeth Gorham Hoag, Ida Mabel Fuller Pie ...
– founded in 1966 (closed 1984)
Athletics
![Transylogo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Transylogo.png)
Transylvania athletic teams are the Pioneers. The university is a member of the
Division III
In sport, the Third Division, also called Division 3, Division Three, or Division III, is often the third-highest division of a league, and will often have promotion and relegation with divisions above and below.
Association football
*Belgian Thir ...
level of the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
(NCAA), primarily competing in the
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference
The Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Member institutions are located in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. Founded as the Indiana Collegiate Athletic Confe ...
(HCAC) since the 2001–02 academic year. The Pioneers previously competed in the
Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The River States Conference (RSC), formerly known as the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (KIAC), is a college athletic conference affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Although it was historical ...
(KIAC; now currently known as the River States Conference (RSC) since the 2016–17 school year) of the
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) established in 1940, is a college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. Most colleges and universities in the NAIA offer athletic scholarships to its st ...
(NAIA) from 1916–17 to 2000–01.
Transylvania competes in 27 intercollegiate varsity sports: Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, lacrosse, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis and track & field; women's sports include basketball, cross country, field hockey, golf, lacrosse, soccer, softball, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, triathlon and volleyball; and co-ed teams include cheerleading, dance and equestrian (eventing).
The Transylvania Pioneers student-athletes compete under colors
crimson
Crimson is a rich, deep red color, inclining to purple.
It originally meant the color of the kermes dye produced from a scale insect, ''Kermes vermilio'', but the name is now sometimes also used as a generic term for slightly bluish-red colo ...
and
white
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
at a variety of venues throughout the country; maintain successful results; and often compete against larger institutions including
Ohio University
Ohio University is a Public university, public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confeder ...
.
Philanthropists
Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...
have increased sizable gifts to the university in its present period more so than ever before, and coaches at Transylvania University have been continually recognized for athletic achievements.
Football
Transylvania won the first recorded football game in the state of
Kentucky
Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
by defeating the
Centre Praying Colonels
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky. It is an undergraduate college with an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students. Centre was officially chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819. The college is ...
of
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky. It is an undergraduate college with an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students. Centre was officially chartered by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1819. The college is ...
13–0. Its
1903 team claimed a southern championship. The Pioneers played football from 1888 to 1941 (except 1906), when the team disbanded.
Notable people
Amongst Transylvania's prominent alumni are two
U.S. vice presidents,
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in both houses of Congress and became the 14th and youngest-ever vice president of the United States. Serving ...
and
Richard Mentor Johnson
Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17, 1780 – November 19, 1850) was an American lawyer, military officer and politician who served as the ninth vice president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841 under President Martin Van Buren ...
, and two
U.S. Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...
justices,
John Marshall Harlan
John Marshall Harlan (June 1, 1833 – October 14, 1911) was an American lawyer and politician who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1877 until his death in 1911. He is often called "The Great Dissenter" due to his ...
and
Samuel Freeman Miller
Samuel Freeman Miller (April 5, 1816 – October 13, 1890) was an American lawyer and physician who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1862 until his death in 1890.
Early life, education, and medical career
Born ...
.
[Transylvania University History.](_blank)
Retrieved August 26, 2012.
Notable alumni
*
Hugh Toland, surgeon, founder of the University of California, San Francisco (
UCSF
The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) is a public land-grant research university in San Francisco, California. It is part of the University of California system and is dedicated entirely to health science and life science. It con ...
)
*
George Shannon, member of the
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...
*
Matthew Harris Jouett
Matthew Harris Jouett (Mercer County, Kentucky, 22 April 1788 – Lexington, Kentucky, 10 August 1827) was a noted American portrait painter, famous for painting portraits including Thomas Jefferson, George Rogers Clark and Lafayette.
Personal ...
, artist, enrolled in 1804
*
William T. Barry
William Taylor Barry (February 5, 1784 – August 30, 1835) was an American slave owner, statesman and jurist. He served as Postmaster General for most of the administration of President Andrew Jackson and was the only Cabinet member not to resi ...
, seventh United States Postmaster General, Secretary of State of Kentucky, Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky
*
James G. Birney, abolitionist, politician and jurist, served in the Kentucky House of Representatives
*
Richard Mentor Johnson
Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17, 1780 – November 19, 1850) was an American lawyer, military officer and politician who served as the ninth vice president of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841 under President Martin Van Buren ...
, Vice President of the United States
*
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...
, founder of Texas, left without graduating in 1810. Secured a certificate stating that he had "conducted himself in a exemplary & praiseworthy manner" according to Gregg Cantrell's biography
*
William A. Trimble, U.S. Senator, graduated 1810
*
Francis Preston Blair
Francis Preston Blair Sr. (April 12, 1791 – October 18, 1876) was an American journalist, newspaper editor, and influential figure in national politics advising several U.S. presidents across party lines.
Blair was an early member of the D ...
, politician and editor of the ''Washington Globe'', graduated 1811
*
William Orlando Butler
William Orlando Butler (April 19, 1791 – August 6, 1880) was a U.S. political figure and U.S. Army major general from Kentucky. He served as a Democratic congressman from Kentucky from 1839 to 1843, and was the Democratic vice-presidentia ...
, U.S. Representative and U.S. Army major general from Kentucky
*
Alexander Campbell, Senator from Ohio
*
David Grant Colson, U.S. Representative from Kentucky
*
Charles S. Morehead, U.S. Representative from Kentucky and Governor of Kentucky, graduated 1820
*
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the United States Senate and the House of Representatives as a ...
, President of the
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
; transferred to West Point in 1823
*
Jesse D. Bright
Jesse David Bright (December 18, 1812 – May 20, 1875) was the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Indiana and U.S. Senator from Indiana who served as President pro tempore of the Senate on three occasions. He was the only senator from a Northern sta ...
, U.S. senator
*
Solomon W. Downs, U.S. Senator, graduated 1823
*
Edward A. Hannegan
Edward Allen "Ned" Hannegan (June 25, 1807February 25, 1859) was an American lawyer and politician from Indiana, serving two terms as a United States representative from 1833 to 1837, and one term as a U.S. Senator from 1843 to 1849.
Early life ...
, U.S. Representative and Senator
*
Albert Sidney Johnston
Albert Sidney Johnston (February 2, 1803 – April 6, 1862) served as a general in three different armies: the Texian Army, the United States Army, and the Confederate States Army. He saw extensive combat during his 34-year military career, figh ...
, Confederate General
*
David Rice Atchison
David Rice Atchison (August 11, 1807January 26, 1886) was a mid-19th century Democratic United States Senator from Missouri. He served as President pro tempore of the United States Senate for six years. Atchison served as a major general in ...
,
U.S. Senator
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
from Missouri, graduated 1825
*
Landaff Andrews
Landaff Watson Andrews (February 12, 1803 – December 23, 1888) was a United States Representative from Kentucky.
Biography
Born in Flemingsburg, Kentucky, Andrews graduated from the law department of Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentuck ...
, United States Representative from Kentucky, graduate 1826
*
John Calvin McCoy
John Calvin McCoy (September 28, 1811September 2, 1889) is considered the "father of Kansas City".
Early life
McCoy was born in Vincennes, Indiana. He studied as a land surveyor at Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky, during 1826-1 ...
, founder of Kansas City, Missouri, studied 1826–1827
*
William M. Gwin
William McKendree Gwin (October 9, 1805 – September 3, 1885) was an American medical doctor and politician who served in elected office in Mississippi and California. In California he shared the distinction, along with John C. Frémont, of bein ...
, U.S. Senator, graduated with medical degree in 1828
*
George W. Johnson, Confederate "governor" of Kentucky and Kentucky State Representative, received three degrees from Transylvania University: an A.B. in 1829, an LL.B. in 1832, and an M.A. in 1833
*
Levi Boone
Levi Day Boone (December 6, 1808 – January 24, 1882) served as mayor of Chicago, Illinois (1855–1856) for the American Party (Know-Nothings).
Early life
Boone was born near Lexington, Kentucky, the seventh son of Squire and Anna Gru ...
, mayor of Chicago, graduated from medical school 1829
*
Stevens T. Mason (1811–1843), Governor of Michigan 1835–1840, attended circa 1830
*
Wilson Shannon
Wilson Shannon (February 24, 1802 – August 30, 1877) was a Democratic politician from Ohio and Kansas. He served as the 14th and 16th governor of Ohio, and was the first Ohio governor born in the state. He was the second governor of the Kansas ...
, 14th and 16th Governor of Ohio
*
Cassius Marcellus Clay, abolitionist, state legislator, and ambassador to Russia, graduated in 1831
*
William Alexander Richardson
William Alexander Richardson (January 16, 1811 – December 27, 1875) was a prominent Illinois Democratic politician before and during the American Civil War.
Born near Lexington, Kentucky, Richardson attended Transylvania University, and t ...
(1811–1875), U.S. Senator from Illinois, graduated 1831
*
James Speed, Attorney General under Abraham Lincoln, graduated 1833
*
Thomas Burton Hanly, Arkansas state legislator and judge, CSA Congressman, graduated 1834
*
James S. Rollins
James Sidney Rollins (April 19, 1812 – January 9, 1888) was a nineteenth-century Missouri politician and lawyer. He helped establish the University of Missouri, led the successful effort to get it located in Boone County, and gained funding ...
, Missouri politician, "Father of the University of Missouri", graduated 1834
*
Jerome B. Robertson
Jerome Bonaparte Robertson (March 14, 1815 – January 7, 1890) was a doctor, Indian fighter, Texas politician, and a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was noted for his service in the famed Texas Brigade ...
, Confederate General, Texas politician, graduated 1835
*
Samuel Freeman Miller
Samuel Freeman Miller (April 5, 1816 – October 13, 1890) was an American lawyer and physician who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1862 until his death in 1890.
Early life, education, and medical career
Born ...
, Associate Justice, United States Supreme Court; graduated with medical degree in 1838
*
Beriah Magoffin
Beriah Magoffin (April 18, 1815 – February 28, 1885) was the 21st Governor of Kentucky, serving during the early part of the Civil War. Personally, Magoffin adhered to a states' rights position, including the right of a state to secede from t ...
,
Governor of Kentucky
The governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of government of Kentucky. Sixty-two men and one woman have served as governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-el ...
,
earned law degree in 1838
*
Francis Preston Blair, Jr.
Francis Preston Blair Jr. (February 19, 1821 – July 8, 1875) was a United States Senator, a United States Congressman and a Union Major General during the Civil War. He represented Missouri in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, ...
, soldier and Missouri representative in the House of Representatives and the Senate, studied law in 1841
*
Malcolm D. Graham, US Congressman, CSA Congressman, Texas State Senate, Texas Attorney General, Colonel in Confederate States Army
*
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in both houses of Congress and became the 14th and youngest-ever vice president of the United States. Serving ...
, Vice President, United States; Secretary of War,
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America (CSA), commonly referred to as the Confederate States or the Confederacy was an unrecognized breakaway republic in the Southern United States that existed from February 8, 1861, to May 9, 1865. The Confeder ...
, graduated 1841
*
Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley
Ethelbert Ludlow Dudley (1818 – February 20, 1862) was a prominent Kentucky physician and a member of the faculty of Transylvania Medical School.
Early life
Dudley, the son of Ambrose Dudley, was born near Lexington, Kentucky. He was educate ...
, prominent physician and Union military commander in Civil War, graduated in 1842 and joined the staff of the Medical School
*
Thomas James Churchill
Thomas James Churchill (March 10, 1824 – May 14, 1905) was an American politician who served as the 13th governor of Arkansas from 1881 to 1883. Prior to that, he was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantr ...
,
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
and the
13th Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of the state of
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
, studied law at Transylvania University at some time between 1844 and 1846.
*
B. Gratz Brown
Benjamin Gratz Brown (May 28, 1826December 13, 1885) was an American politician. He was a U.S. Senator, the 20th Governor of Missouri, and the Liberal Republican and Democratic Party vice presidential candidate in the presidential election of ...
, 20th Governor of Missouri, graduated 1845
*
Joseph O. Shelby
Joseph Orville "J.O." Shelby (December 12, 1830 – February 13, 1897) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded cavalry in the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War.
Early life and education
Joseph Orvil ...
,
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
major general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
during the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, graduated 1850
*
John Marshall Harlan
John Marshall Harlan (June 1, 1833 – October 14, 1911) was an American lawyer and politician who served as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1877 until his death in 1911. He is often called "The Great Dissenter" due to his ...
, U.S. Supreme Court Justice, graduated in 1853, and was first justice to have earned a modern
law degree.
*
George Graham Vest
George Graham Vest (December 6, 1830August 9, 1904) was a U.S. politician. Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, he was known for his skills in oration and debate. Vest, a lawyer as well as a politician, served as a Missouri Congressman, a Confederate ...
, U.S. Senator from Missouri, Confederate, US Congressman, Senator, and prominent lawyer, graduated in 1853.
*General
Basil Duke,
graduated the school of law in 1858. Later married Henrietta Morgan, sister of
John Hunt Morgan
John Hunt Morgan (June 1, 1825 – September 4, 1864) was an American soldier who served as a Confederate general in the American Civil War of 1861–1865.
In April 1862, Morgan raised the 2nd Kentucky Cavalry Regiment (CSA) and fought in ...
, in 1861. Basil became a
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in Morgan's Second Kentucky
Cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...
. After Morgan's death, he was promoted to
brigade commander
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
...
. He later practiced law in
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
and served as counsel for the
Louisville and Nashville Railroad
The Louisville and Nashville Railroad , commonly called the L&N, was a Class I railroad that operated freight and passenger services in the southeast United States.
Chartered by the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 1850, the road grew into one of the ...
. He was elected to the
state legislature in 1869
*
John Breckinridge Castleman
John Breckinridge Castleman (June 30, 1841 – May 23, 1918) was a Confederate officer and later a United States Army brigadier general as well as a prominent landowner and businessman in Louisville, Kentucky.
Early life
John B. Castleman was th ...
, Confederate officer who later rose to rank of Brigadier General in US Army, studied law there immediately before the outbreak of the Civil War
*
Edward A. Eckenhoff, President and CEO
National Rehabilitation Hospital, Washington, DC
*
John E. Fryer,
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...
and
gay rights
Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality.
Notably, , 3 ...
activist best known for his
anonymous speech at the 1972
American Psychiatric Association
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is the main professional organization of psychiatrists and trainee psychiatrists in the United States, and the largest psychiatric organization in the world. It has more than 37,000 members are involve ...
(APA) annual conference where he appeared in disguise and under the name "Dr. Henry Anonymous". This event has been cited as a key factor in the decision to de-list
homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
as a
mental illness
A mental disorder, also referred to as a mental illness or psychiatric disorder, is a behavioral or mental pattern that causes significant distress or impairment of personal functioning. Such features may be persistent, relapsing and remitti ...
from the APA's ''
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
The ''Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders'' (DSM; latest edition: DSM-5-TR, published in March 2022) is a publication by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) for the classification of mental disorders using a common langua ...
''.
*
Richard Montgomery Gano
Richard Montgomery Gano (June 17, 1830 – March 27, 1913) was a physician, Protestant minister, and brigadier general in the army of the Confederate States during the American Civil War.
Early life
Richard Gano was born June 17, 1830 near Sprin ...
, Confederate General
*
Teresa Isaac
Teresa Isaac, an American politician, served as mayor of Lexington, Kentucky from 2003 to 2007.
Political life
Isaac was elected to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government council as an At-Large member in 1988. In 1992, she was reelected ...
, mayor of Lexington, Kentucky 2002–2006
*
George Wallace Jones
George Wallace Jones (April 12, 1804 – July 22, 1896) was an American frontiersman, entrepreneur, attorney, and judge, was among the first two United States Senators to represent the state of Iowa after it was admitted to the Union in 1846 ...
, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, and ambassador
*
Matt Jones, radio host, attorney, and founder of
Kentucky Sports Radio
*
Matthew Harris Jouett
Matthew Harris Jouett (Mercer County, Kentucky, 22 April 1788 – Lexington, Kentucky, 10 August 1827) was a noted American portrait painter, famous for painting portraits including Thomas Jefferson, George Rogers Clark and Lafayette.
Personal ...
, painter known for portraits of figures including Thomas Jefferson
*
Trey Kramer
Raymond "Trey" Kramer is a former American football placekicker.
Kramer attended Woodford County High School, in Versailles, Kentucky, where he was a member of the soccer team. After his senior season, he moved on to Transylvania University wh ...
, Professional soccer and football player
*
Daniel Mongiardo
Frank Daniel Mongiardo (born July 4, 1960) is an American physician and politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Mongiardo is a Democrat and was the 54th lieutenant governor of Kentucky from 2007 until 2011. He was a member of the Kentucky ...
,
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The lieutenant governor of Kentucky was created under the state's second constitution, which was ratified in 1799. The inaugural officeholder was Alexander Scott Bullitt, who took office in 1800 following his election to serve under James Garrard ...
*
Arthur D. Nicholson
Arthur D. Nicholson Jr. (7 June 1947 – 24 March 1985) was a United States Army military intelligence officer shot by a Soviet sentry while engaged in intelligence-gathering activities as part of an authorized military liaison mission which oper ...
,
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
officer shot and killed by a
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...
sentry in 1985, while conducting intelligence activities in East Germany
*
Steve Nunn, former member of the
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form ...
*
William Lindsay Pogue, attorney, Amanda iron furnace owner, developer of 80,000 acres of Pogue/Poage lands in Northeastern Kentucky
*
Charles Lynn Pyatt, dean,
Lexington Theological Seminary
*
Clyde Roper
Clyde F. E. Roper (born 1937) is a zoologist at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. He has organised a number of expeditions to New Zealand to study giant squid, including in 1997 and 1999. He graduated from Transylvania Uni ...
, zoologist
*
Lee Rose, basketball coach
*
Kyle Smith, Professional soccer player
*
Karen K. Caldwell
Karen Kaye Caldwell (born February 25, 1956) is a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
Education and prior career
Caldwell earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977 from Trans ...
, Chief United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky
*
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. Major League Baseball commissioner, Governor of Kentucky, and Senator from Kentucky
*
Cy Barger
Eros Bolivar "Cy" Barger (May 18, 1885 – September 23, 1964) was a right-handed starting pitcher and left-handed batter who played in the American League for the New York Highlanders (1906–07); in the National League with the Brooklyn teams S ...
, major league baseball player
*
Eugene C. Barker
Eugene Campbell Barker (November 1, 1874 – October 22, 1956) was an American historian at the University of Texas, the managing director of the Texas State Historical Association, and the editor of the ''Southwestern Historical Quarterly''. He ...
, historian; wrote ''The Life of Stephen F. Austin'' (1925); received
LL.D.
Legum Doctor (Latin: “teacher of the laws”) (LL.D.) or, in English, Doctor of Laws, is a doctorate-level academic degree in law or an honorary degree, depending on the jurisdiction. The double “L” in the abbreviation refers to the early ...
from Transylvania in 1940
*
Ned Beatty, actor
*
James Lane Allen, author
*
George B. Kinkead, Kentucky Secretary of State (1846-1847)
*
Gil Rogers, actor
*
Claria Horn Boom, District Judge of the
and
Notable faculty
*
Henry Bidleman Bascom (1796–1850) – U.S. Congressional Chaplain, Methodist Bishop, President of Transylvania University 1842–1849.
*
Robert Hamilton Bishop
Robert Hamilton Bishop (July 26, 1777 in West Lothian, Scotland – April 29, 1855 in Pleasant Hill, Ohio) was a Scottish-American educator and Presbyterian minister who became the first president of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. A professor o ...
, first president of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio
*
Henry Clay
Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
, seminal law department professor
*
Charles Caldwell, physician and founder of the
University of Louisville School of Medicine
The University of Louisville School of Medicine at the University of Louisville is a medical school located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. Opened as the Louisville Medical Institute in 1837, it is one of the oldest medical schools in Nor ...
*
Daniel Drake
Daniel Drake (October 20, 1785 – November 5, 1852) was a pioneering American physician and prolific writer.
Early life
Drake was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Isaac Drake and Elizabeth Shotwell. He was the elder brother of Benjamin ...
, taught
materia medica from 1817 to 1818, dean from 1825 to 1827
*
Maurice Manning
Maurice Manning (born 14 June 1943) is an Irish academic and former Fine Gael politician. Manning was a member of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) for 21 years, serving in both the Dáil and the Seanad. Since August 2002 he has been President ...
, poet
*
Charles Martin "C. M." Newton, TU basketball coach, 1956–68
*
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque
Constantine Samuel Rafinesque-Schmaltz (; October 22, 1783September 18, 1840) was a French 19th-century polymath born near Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire and self-educated in France. He traveled as a young man in the United States, ultimat ...
, professor of botany, buried on campus
*
Charles Wilkins Short
Charles Wilkins Short (October 6, 1794 – March 7, 1863) was an American botanist. He primarily worked in the state of Kentucky. Short discovered several species of plants and has six species of plants named after him. He attended Transylvania Un ...
, American botanist
*
Elisha Warfield
Elisha Warfield Jr. (February 5, 1781 – May 15, 1859) was an American physician and a Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder whom ''Thoroughbred Heritage'' calls "one of the most important early figures in Kentucky racing and breeding." ...
, doctor and noted horse breeder, selected as the first Professor of Surgery and Obstetrics at the (then-) newly established medical school at Transylvania University
In popular culture
*
Robert Penn Warren
Robert Penn Warren (April 24, 1905 – September 15, 1989) was an American poet, novelist, and literary critic and was one of the founders of New Criticism. He was also a charter member of the Fellowship of Southern Writers. He founded the liter ...
set part of his 1946 novel ''
All the King's Men
''All the King's Men'' is a 1946 novel by Robert Penn Warren. The novel tells the story of charismatic populist governor Willie Stark and his political machinations in the Depression-era Deep South. It was inspired by the real-life story of U ...
'' at Transylvania University.
*
Robert Lowell
Robert Traill Spence Lowell IV (; March 1, 1917 – September 12, 1977) was an American poet. He was born into a Boston Brahmin family that could trace its origins back to the ''Mayflower''. His family, past and present, were important subjects i ...
referred to the university in his sonnet "The Graduate (Elizabeth)." The poem states gleefully that "Transylvania's Greek Revival Chapel is one of the best Greek Revival things in the South."
*A 2004 robbery at Transylvania University's special collections library was the subject of the true-crime drama film ''
American Animals'', released in 2018.
It was also the focus of Episode 3 of the Audible podcast "Heist with Michael Caine," as well as a memoir written by one of the culprits involved in the heist titled
Mr. Pink: The Inside Story of the Transylvania Book Heist'.
*Transylvania is home to the
Judy Gaines Young Book Award
The Judy Gaines Young Book Award is given annually by Transylvania University to honor the author of a book of distinction written in the Appalachian region in the previous two or three years. The award was endowed in 2015 by Dr. Byron Young, a Le ...
, given annually to honor an excellent work of fiction or poetry written in the
Appalachian region Appalachian may refer to:
* Appalachian Mountains, a major mountain range in eastern United States and Canada
* Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail in the eastern United States
* The people of Appalachia and their culture
** Appalachian Americans, e ...
in the prior two to three years.
See also
*
List of presidents of Transylvania University
*
Transylvania (colony)
The Transylvania Colony, also referred to as the Transylvania Purchase, was a short-lived, extra-legal colony founded in early 1775 by North Carolina land speculator Richard Henderson, who formed and controlled the Transylvania Company. Henders ...
*
Judy Gaines Young Book Award
The Judy Gaines Young Book Award is given annually by Transylvania University to honor the author of a book of distinction written in the Appalachian region in the previous two or three years. The award was endowed in 2015 by Dr. Byron Young, a Le ...
References
Notes
Further reading
* Cousins, James P. ''Horace Holley: Transylvania University and the Making of Liberal Education in the Early American Republic'' (U Press of Kentucky, 2016). 297 pp
*
* Peter, Robert. ''The history of the medical department of Transylvania University'' (1905
online
* Peter, Robert, and Johanna Peter. ''Transylvania University: Its Origin, Rise, Decline, and Fall'' (1896
online* Sonne, Niels Henry. ''Liberal Kentucky, 1780–1828'' (University of Kentucky Press, 1968)
* Wright, John, Jr., ed. ''Transylvania: Tutor to the West'' (2nd ed. 1980)
*
External links
*
Official athletics website
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Educational institutions established in 1780
1780 establishments in Virginia
Universities and colleges affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Universities and colleges in Lexington, Kentucky
Liberal arts colleges in Kentucky
National Register of Historic Places in Lexington, Kentucky
National Historic Landmarks in Kentucky
University and college buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Kentucky
Private universities and colleges in Kentucky