1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University

1780 | The Official Blog of Transylvania University

Seamus Carey

Transylvania DPS chief receives TOP COPS Awards honor

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Gregg Muravchick, director of Transylvania University’s Department of Public Safety, has been selected to receive a TOP COPS Awards honor for his actions during a machete attack last April in a campus coffee shop. Lexington Police Commander Brian Maynard nominated Chief Muravchick for the prestigious award, presented by the National Association of Police Organizations, which he will receive during a ceremony on May 14 in Washington, D.C. “Clearly his actions that day stopped the attack,” said Maynard, who praised Muravchick for handling the incident without the use of deadly force when students were nearby. The chief responded quickly to the scene and subdued the attacker, who sent a student to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Transylvania President Seamus Carey and coffee shop employees also helped prevent further injuries by their quick thinking and assistance. Muravchick has 40 years of experience in law enforcement. He served in a variety of roles with the Kentucky State Police, including Police Academy instructor, narcotics detective, assistant public affairs officer, trooper and as a member of the Special Response Team. Muravchick, who retired as a KSP sergeant, also was executive director of the Office of Investigations for the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet, a Frankfort Police officer and commander of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Since coming to Transylvania in 2011, Muravchick has implemented an Adopt-a-Dorm program and other initiatives that help campus officers develop relationships with the students they protect. He believes the

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McZee named associate vice president for diversity and inclusion

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Taran McZee has been named Transylvania University’s new associate vice president for diversity and inclusion.  McZee, who will begin this spring, has more than 12 years of higher education experience in diversity and inclusion services, multicultural affairs and international programs—most recently at Grand Valley State University. “I’m very excited about this great opportunity at Transylvania University, and I’m ready to push Transy to the next phase of diversity and inclusion,” he said. McZee will deepen the university’s commitment to the values of its Project One initiative, which cultivates a campus community characterized by compassion, respect, ethical concern and social responsibility. Transylvania President Seamus Carey said McZee can help the university foster these values through innovative initiatives and building meaningful relationships. “He is passionate about students from all backgrounds, and about working with offices across campus to achieve our diversity and inclusion goals.” 

You are more than a test score at Transy

Posted on by Transy Pioneer

By President Seamus Carey –  In her recent column, DuPont Manual High School student Allison Tu provides valuable insight into the challenges many students face as they prepare to apply for college. She clearly relays the cultural biases frequently reflected in students’ ACT scores. It is no surprise that students who can afford to take ACT prep courses or hire tutors will score better. And that gives wealthier applicants an unfair advantage over equally motivated, equally capable, equally curious students who simply don’t test well. As Tu concludes: “… for too many students, the ACT has become a barrier to college. For these students, the test is more a reflection of access to resources rather than ability or potential to succeed in college.” We at Transylvania University couldn’t agree more. In 2016, we took a major step toward eliminating this obstacle for our applicants. After conducting extensive research, Transylvania implemented a test-optional admissions policy. Applicants decide for themselves whether or not their test results accurately reflect their academic ability and potential. They can instead submit an essay and, in most cases, come to campus for a personal interview. The admissions staff will then carefully review evidence of the individual applicant’s performance and drive in the classroom and involvement with high school and community activities. Our experience shows that the rigor of the student’s coursework and overall academic achievement best illustrate the commitment, motivation and willingness to take on challenges. And

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Transylvania receives $800,000 to help combine liberal arts, digital technology

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.— Transylvania University is working to build a national reputation for applying digital technology to a liberal arts curriculum. The Bingham Fund for Excellence in Teaching at Transylvania University has awarded two grants totaling $800,000 as part of the Transylvania Initiative for Digital Technology, Research, and Creativity (DTRC). The Bingham Fund was established to promote excellence and dedication among the school’s faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching qualities. The grants will fund the expansion of digital tools in classrooms and laboratories and will help train faculty and students to incorporate digital pedagogies into their courses and scholarly activities. In addition to financing travel to conferences and on-campus speakers, the funds will allow the university to hire a full-time digital content specialist with expertise in instructional technology. This initiative comes at an opportune time, as Transylvania prepares to open its Carpenter Academic Center. The classroom building will integrate cutting-edge technologies, such as Mondopad collaborative touchscreens. Professors Kerri Hauman and Tim Polashek (pictured) serve as co-directors of the Digital Liberal Arts Initiative, which received the DTRC grants. They are experts in digital education and extensively apply digital technology in their research and creative work. “Like any medium that has such a pervasive role in human affairs, modern technology needs to be understood from many different perspectives,” said Transylvania President Seamus Carey. “Providing such perspective is one of the great benefits of liberal education.”

Transylvania Athletics inducts five standouts into Hall of Fame

Posted on by Office of Marketing and Communications

LEXINGTON, Ky.—Transylvania University on Saturday inducted five of the school’s former athletes into the Pioneer Hall of Fame. These standouts—Billy Bradford, Brian Macy, Lee Morrison, Ashley Sanders and Greg White—were honored during a banquet and ceremony at the Clive M. Beck Center. “All five embody the spirit of what it means to be a Transylvania Pioneer Hall-of-Famer,” said Holly Sheilley, vice president for enrollment and student life and director of athletics. “They all had a tremendous impact upon their Transylvania community during their time as undergraduates and continue to represent Transylvania in their lives as stellar ambassadors.” Bradford, who graduated in 2002, competed as a diver for the Transylvania swimming and diving team for four seasons, going on to qualify for the 1999 NAIA National Championships where he finished as the national runner-up in the 1-meter diving event. Bradford appeared in two NAIA National Championships (1999, 2001) and was undefeated in conference championship meets. He then served as the diving coach at Transylvania from 2003 until 2009. Macy ’00 excelled in two sports during his time at Transylvania. He was a foundational member of the revived baseball program, playing from 1997 through 2000. As a junior, Macy set the Transylvania single-season record for strikeouts in a season with 70. In his senior season, he commanded a 10-5 record and compiled a team-best 3.53 ERA. In four years at Transylvania, Macy collected 270 career strikeouts. He also competed for the Transylvania

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