R. Owen Williams

LEXINGTON, Ky.—President R. Owen Williams announced today that William F. Pollard, vice president and dean of the college and professor of English, is stepping down as vice president and dean of the college, effective July 31, 2012. After a one-year sabbatical, Pollard will return to teaching as professor of English on the Transylvania faculty. “Bill has been a valued colleague from the very beginning of my presidency,” Williams said. “While I will miss working with him as dean, I am delighted he will remain at Transylvania as a senior member of the faculty.” Pollard’s areas of scholarship are English, medieval English literature and medieval theology. He has written numerous papers, essays and reviews while giving presentations at conferences in the U.S. and England. At Transylvania, Pollard instituted a national faculty seminar on twenty-first century liberal education for invited professors at national liberal arts colleges, added 10 new faculty positions, several minors including Latin American and Caribbean studies and eight new majors: art history; biochemistry; educational studies; German studies; international affairs; music technology; philosophy, politics and economics (based on the Oxford PPE); and writing, rhetoric and communication. He established the First Engagements community book project and an opening convocation. “I have enjoyed my tenure as dean of the college and I am proud of all that has been achieved working in concert with faculty and staff,” Pollard said. “But I am excited about returning to the classroom and look forward to

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LEXINGTON, Ky.—The Transylvania University communications office received Grand Champion awards for its website design and implementation, website homepage and presidential inauguration project in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education-Kentucky’s annual awards ceremony December 9 in Lexington. Transylvania also received Award of Excellence recognition for its presidential inauguration invitation and presidential inauguration program and the Special Merit award for Transylvania magazine. Transylvania’s redesigned and reorganized website was launched in July with special attention to the needs of prospective students, alumni, students’ families, the news media and the general public. The site’s homepage features a clean, simple and image-centric design that emphasizes the university’s urban location, distinguished history and positive outcomes. The website was the work of Web Development Manager Mariana Shochat with content contributed by Web Writer/Editor Jesse Darland and other members of the communications team. The presidential inauguration project included more than 40 unique pieces, including the award-winning invitation and program. The material was a joint effort of the communications office: Associate Vice President Sarah Emmons, Publications Director Martha Baker, Writer/Editor Bill Bowden, Public Relations Associate Mollie Eblen, Graphic Designer Barbara Grinnell, Editorial Assistant Tyler Young, Shochat and Darland. “We are delighted that our communications staff has been recognized once again for its outstanding results,” said President R. Owen Williams. “Transylvania has a long history of producing award-winning work, and I’m proud to see that tradition continue.” The award winners were selected from more than 150 entries submitted

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This is one rendering of possible athletic fields. A campus planner is being hired and a feasibility study will be conducted. LEXINGTON, Ky.—President R. Owen Williams announced today that Transylvania University has purchased one property on the corner of Fourth and Jefferson streets in Lexington and is in the process of purchasing another property on Fourth Street. “Our long-term plans may well include further acquisitions, but at this time we have no intention of purchasing more land until we have completed a feasibility study for what we’ve already acquired,” said Williams. One of the properties Transylvania is purchasing is a 10-acre lot—523, 551 and 555 West Fourth Street—that Williams sees as the future site of athletic fields for soccer, lacrosse, field hockey and track. “We would expect to begin construction during the 2012 calendar year, though precise dates will be determined through the course of campus planning,” said Williams. The university is currently interviewing campus planners and a decision should be made within the next month. The raising of funds for future development of these properties will happen during the university’s next campaign, which will begin in 2012.

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University senior Lee Richardson of Nicholasville, Ky., represented the university at the District IX Rhodes Scholarship interview this weekend. Richardson, a biochemistry and Spanish double major, was one of 830 finalists from 299 colleges and universities across the country. Thirty-two Rhodes Scholars are named from the United States each year, two from each district. “We are all very proud of Lee for being selected a Rhodes finalist,” said Transylvania President R. Owen Williams. “Though not selected for this prestigious award, he was one of only 11 finalists in our district of Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana. We congratulate him on this extraordinary accomplishment and for carrying the Transylvania banner.” Richardson is extremely involved in curricular and extracurricular activities. His commitment to service has taken him to Ecuador as a medical intern, Costa Rica for storm relief and Mexico for construction of sustainable housing for homeless families. Closer to home, he has served as a founding member of T.U.T.O.R.S, an organization of Transylvania students who volunteer at local middle schools on a weekly basis to mentor and tutor newly arrived refugee ESL students; has participated in alternative spring break; and served as fundraising coordinator for Transylvania’s Hope for Haiti efforts to raise money for the Haitian citizens affected by the January 2010 earthquake. An aspiring physician, Richardson has been applying and interviewing at medical schools concurrently with applying for the Rhodes Scholarship. He is also applying for a Fulbright research

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