1780 – The Official Blog of Transylvania University
Students in our First Year Ambassador program put the final strokes on a community art project that will not only enhance the appearance of local gardens, but give people a place to sit and enjoy them.
Transylvania’s new Gratz Perk Cafe will feature Nate’s Coffee and menu items from Epping’s on Eastside.
The YMCA of Central Kentucky Black Achievers recently honored Transylvania University with the 2019 Community Achiever of the Year Award for the school’s partnership with the program. Transylvania not only provides a space for Black Achievers to meet two Saturday mornings a month, but members of the university community also participate in activities with the youths. This engagement ranges from meeting with campus student organizations to conducting science experiments with professors to attending basketball games. The YMCA award, which recognizes exceptional support of Black Achievers, comes after Transylvania increased its involvement with the program this past school year. Other events included attending a speech by Kentucky State University President M. Christopher Brown II as part of Transylvania’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration this past January. “We look forward to a long relationship, and to continue moving forward with the program,” said Taran McZee, associate vice president for diversity and inclusion. Black Achievers helps youths of color “set and pursue higher educational and career goals” while reaching “into the heart of the community with the help of dedicated volunteers, educational institutions, corporate sponsors and community partners who support the program through time, talents and treasures,” according to the YMCA. Through Black Achievers, the YMCA brings in speakers to talk to youths about possible career paths—from engineering to hospitality to agriculture. Also, high school seniors can focus on prep work for attending college. Participants also have met with Transylvania students who are
Read “Transylvania receives YMCA Black Achievers Community Achiever of the Year Award”
Transylvania’s Alternative Break was born with the intention of infusing ethical responsibility into service.
Transylvania University will welcome visitors to its iconic Old Morrison administration building for this year’s Northside Neighborhood Home & Garden Walking Tour on Sunday, May 19. In addition to spotlighting Old Morrison—which is featured on Lexington’s city seal—the self-guided tour will include other nearby properties, including historic homes. Reserve tickets for the event, which is from noon to 5 p.m. Tour participants also can buy tickets at a will-call table in front of Old Morrison. “Northside’s Home & Garden Walking Tour helps to advance our dedication to the preservation of the Northside’s rich cultural heritage and quality of life of its eclectic residents,” according to the association. “The results of decades of efforts has resulted in a 21st century Northside, where 200 years of American history, passionately maintained, is energized by hip urban renewal.” Transylvania both benefits from and adds to the cultural value of its vibrant neighborhood. Built in the 1830s under the direction of statesman Henry Clay, Old Morrison is a registered National Historic Landmark. The building, which was designed by renowned architect Gideon Shryock, served as a Union hospital during the Civil War and houses the tomb of eccentric 19th century professor Constantine Rafinesque. Also, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Robert Lowell referred to Old Morrison Chapel in his sonnet, “The Graduate (Elizabeth)”: “Transylvania’s Greek Revival Chapel is one of the best Greek Revival things in the South.”
