Faculty & Staff

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University has hired Martin W. Smith to serve as vice president for advancement. Smith comes to Transylvania from Illinois Wesleyan University, where as vice president for advancement he increased total giving by more than $10 million in the past five years. “I’m excited for this opportunity to help Transylvania prosper as one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges,” Smith said. “I’ll work hard to ensure not only that current and future Pioneers continue to receive the resources needed for the best possible education, but also that alumni maintain strong bonds with the university that made them who they are today.” Smith will begin at Transylvania on Aug. 1. At Illinois Wesleyan he led the largest campaign in the school’s history, raising $141 million for scholarships, professorships, facilities and the endowment. Smith’s duties at Transylvania will include securing major gifts, endowed support and annual giving; helping lead the university’s upcoming major capital campaign; and overseeing Transylvania’s development, alumni and parent programs. Additionally, he will foster relations with businesses and organizations and serve on the president’s cabinet, where he will contribute to decisions that affect the university as a whole. Smith’s extensive experience in higher education includes serving as vice president for university advancement at Ottawa (Kan.) University, where he also was director of major gifts, campaigns, development, athletics and public relations. Additionally, he was director of athletics for Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, Ind. Smith earned a Bachelor

Read “Transylvania hires VP for advancement”

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University named Laura Bryan, who was dean of the University of Baltimore’s college of arts and sciences, as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university. She began July 1. By hiring Bryan, Transylvania continues a leadership transformation that started a year ago with the selection of President Seamus Carey. “We are very excited to have Dr. Bryan join the Transylvania community during this time of renewal,” Carey said. “She brings a wealth of experience as an educator, administrator, consensus builder and advocate of the liberal arts.” Bryan, a U.S. Fulbright Scholar and psychology professor, serves as the chief academic officer for the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences’ undergraduate and graduate programs. “I have tremendous respect for Transylvania’s mission, faculty, staff and students, and I am honored to be selected as the next dean,” Bryan said. “I look forward to partnering with the university and Lexington communities.” She will serve on the executive cabinet and oversee Transylvania’s library, study abroad program, writing center, first-year academic experience, registrar and career development office. Bryan is no stranger to the Lexington area, having served as director of work-life at the University of Kentucky. Additionally, she was associate VP for academic affairs with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Eastern Kentucky University, where she helped develop a graduate program in industrial and organizational psychology and was director for the campus Kentucky Governor’s Scholars Program. Bryan also directed the

Read “Transylvania names dean of university”

LEXINGTON Ky.—As part of a broader leadership transformation that began with selecting a new president, Transylvania University has begun a search for a vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university. Michael J. Bell is serving as interim vice president and dean of the university. The new dean will help lead the campus community as the school carries out the Transylvania 2020 strategic plan—a roadmap that provides a vision and direction for enhancing student success and curricular innovation. A member of the executive cabinet, the dean is responsible for enriching and expanding academic programs while overseeing the university’s library, writing center, study abroad program, first-year academic experience, and career development and registrar offices. As the university enters a bold new era, it is looking for a dean who is not only an accomplished scholar, educator and administrator—but also someone with a strong commitment to liberal education, shared governance and collegial problem solving. The dean will work closely with President Seamus Carey, who already has made an impact in his first few weeks at Transylvania with the introduction of his new mentoring program, 100 Doors to Success. The initiative pairs first-year students with alumni who can share insights into building successful careers. For more information, visit https://www.transy.edu/about/employment.htm.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University has named Michele Gaither Sparks as its first vice president for marketing and communications. Sparks, who has worked in higher education for more than two decades, has served as director of marketing communications for the University of Kentucky’s Gatton College of Business and Economics for the past nine years. She will start at Transylvania on Aug. 18. “I am thrilled to be joining the Transylvania community,” Sparks said. “By creating this new vice president position, President Seamus Carey has made a strong statement about the importance of branding and marketing for the university. I am excited to be working alongside him and the members of the communications and marketing team to take Transy to the next level in its marketing strategies.” At UK’s Gatton College, Sparks created and implemented the “Gatton United” capital campaign to raise $65 million for the expansion and renovation of the Gatton College facility. Additionally, she oversees all marketing and communications efforts for the college, as well as its major events, which have brought to campus state and international government officials, prominent CEOs and local business leaders. Prior to working at UK, Sparks was the director of communications at Asbury Theological Seminary, where she managed the seminary’s marketing and advertising efforts, as well as media relations. Additionally, she spearheaded an image and brand overhaul of Asbury’s three main campuses. “Michele’s extensive experience in higher education marketing and communications will be a superb asset

Read “Transylvania hires Gatton College’s marketing director for VP position”