Admissions Staff

Julie Sams

jsams@transy.edu

Director of Admissions

Territories: central Kentucky (Scott County), Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, Texas and US and International territories

Where are you from? 
Georgetown, Kentucky, but I also call North Carolina home after spending over seven years there. 

What’s your favorite Lexington hangout? 
Too many to choose! I participate in the West 6th Walk/Run Club and support other local businesses like Oscar Diggs, Blue Stallion, Buddha Lounge, etc. I also enjoy just being downtown with all the great activities and food options. I love food and love to talk about food (just ask my coworkers)!

Where do you go on campus when you need to get away from your office? 
I enjoy walking through beautiful Gratz Park.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try? 
Skydiving! Although when faced with the jump I’m not 100 percent sure I would!

What do you love about Transylvania? 
The people and the LOCATION! Transy is its own community, but within the heart of downtown Lexington. You’ll see students, faculty and staff on and off campus enjoying everything Transy and Lexington have to offer! 

Mattie L. Dunn

mdunn@transy.edu

Admissions Counselor

Territories: greater Louisville (Jefferson, Henry, Oldham, Shelby and Spencer counties), northwestern Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma

Where are you from:
Benton, Kentucky 

Favorite Lexington Hangout:
I love a good local coffee shop! My all time favorite is Old School Coffee. I also love to take walks around the nature reserves and public parks in Lexington or joining in on a Trivia night with friends. 

Where do you go when you want to get out of your office:
I’ve always loved the tables in front of our campus library. With a bit of shade and a view of the campus lawn, it’s the perfect spot to read.

Something I’ve always wanted to try:
I’ve learned just a few chords on guitar, but I’ve always wanted to learn more.

What do you love about Transy:
As a former student, I have always known that our sense of community is unique. Now as a staff member, I’m able to see how that commitment to community shines through in new ways. I love how Transylvania offers so many avenues to connect with those around you.

Ben Gallenstein

bgallenstein@transy.edu

Admissions Counselor

Territories: northern Kentucky, California, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Where are you from:
Maysville, Kentucky. 

Favorite Lexington Hangout:
Either the Distillery District or the patio of Local Taco! I love going to trivia at Ethereal in the Distillery District, but I can always have a nice time with chips and dip and good sun.

Where do you go when you want to get out of your office:
Anywhere outside!

Something I’ve always wanted to try:
I’ve always wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail!

What do you love about Transy:
The people and the campus. Everyone is always so kind and the campus is always beautiful.

Jennifer Heersche

jheersche@transy.edu

Dual Credit Coordinator, Transfer Counselor

Where are you from:
I was born and raised right here in Lexington!

Favorite Lexington Hangout:
There are some great dining and entertaining spots downtown. Some of my favorite restaurants are Joe Bologna’s, Doodles (which may as well be part of our campus!), ItalX and DV8 Kitchen. There are shows and concerts at the Lexington Opera House and Rupp Arena. The Kentucky Theatre is a classic movie theater full of history!

Where do you go when you want to get out of your office:
I enjoy walking through the heart of campus past the main academic buildings and Old Morrison. It’s especially nice when school is in session and you might see classes gathering in Alumni Plaza on a pretty day.

Something I’ve always wanted to try:
Whitewater rafting, and I have no idea where the desire comes from! No one in my family or friends has done it either so I’ve had zero exposure to it.

What do you love about Transy:
It just has a great “feel” to it and that comes from the people and the campus itself. With its smaller size it is like we are our own community and it’s easy to build relationships with everyone – whether they are faculty, staff or students.

Anna Lowe

alowe@transy.edu

Admissions Counselor

Territories: central Kentucky (Fayette and Woodford counties)

Where are you from?
Greenwood, Indiana

What’s your favorite Lexington hangout?
I love Coffee Times Coffee House and Street Scene off Regency Road. If you’re looking for the perfect place to spend the day drinking coffee, getting work done and shopping vintage all in one place, the two shops are neighbors.

Where do you go on campus when you need to get away from your office?
The library! It’s right next door to our admissions office and is a great place to take a quick, quiet break.

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try?
Although I don’t have the best coordination, I want to learn how to play pickleball!

What do you love about Transylvania?
I love the people! Everyone is intentional, welcoming and helpful. Transy is also so close to many fun places in downtown Lexington, and that really sets it apart from a lot of other small, private universities.

Max Martin

mmartin@transy.edu

Admissions Counselor

Territories: south central Kentucky, east Tennessee, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont

Where are you from?
Lexington, Kentucky, although I went to high school in Asheville, North Carolina, and college in southeastern Tennessee. 

What’s your favorite Lexington hangout?
The Burl is currently my go-to spot. I have a passion for live music and really appreciate how often they schedule some of my favorite bands. 

Where do you go when you want to get out of your office?
There are several great delis within a close walk of campus! When the weather permits, I enjoy walking through Gratz Park and the surrounding historic homes on my way to grab lunch. 

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try?
I’ve always wanted to try surfing. Growing up, I was always drawn to board sports, but Lexington isn’t exactly known for its waves. So, I’ve had to delay that career path …

What do you love about Transy?
As a recent college graduate, it was incredibly refreshing to be back on a campus and encompassed by the day-to-day buzz. From the moment I stepped on campus, its energy and student camaraderie were evident.

Grace Simpson

gsimpson@transy.edu

Admissions Counselor

Territories: western Kentucky and west Tennessee

Where are you from?
I am from Cynthiana, Kentucky, which is a very small town outside of Lexington, although I do claim Paris, Kentucky, as my own as well. I guess you could say I’m from both places!

What’s your favorite Lexington hangout?
This is a hard question, as there are so many to choose from. I love going to Third Street Stuff & Coffee, which is super close to campus. I spent a lot of my time there as a Transy student doing homework and studying — plus the coffee is great too! Keeneland is also a fun thing to do when it’s in season. It is super fun to go with a group of friends. Right downtown, I like going to The Grove right behind Harvey’s. The scenery there is wonderful, as well as their charcuterie boards!

Where do you go on campus when you need to get away from your office?
I love Alumni Plaza! I used to study there a good bit when the weather was nice; plus it’s fun watching all the squirrels. When it’s colder outside, I prefer going to Gratz Perk with some great coffee and snacks. If you can’t tell, I love coffee!

What’s something you’ve always wanted to try?
While it is super random, I’ve always wanted to learn how to play electric guitar and the banjo. Growing up, I listened to classic rock and bluegrass music and always loved how they sounded. Those two genres are by far my favorites, and ones that my friends get annoyed with hearing when I’m driving, I’m sure! I would love to be able to play along to “Free Bird” and anything like that.

What do you love about Transylvania?
Transy definitely has a special place in my heart. I love the tight-knit community on campus and how it’s almost like its own little city. You’re always going to see someone you know whether it’s a classmate, sorority or fraternity buddy, or just someone you frequently cross paths with. During my four years as a student, all of my professors were wonderful and always fully cared about my success and well-being. It is more of a home to me than a university. Being a counselor, I can share my love for the campus with prospective students and learn more from a different perspective.

Annie Wilder

awilder@transy.edu

Admissions Counselor

Territories: eastern Kentucky, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington, D.C.

Where are you from:
I’m originally from Clay County, Kentucky, but I’ve spent a lot of time in Lexington over the years.

Favorite Lexington Hangout:
I love Third Street Stuff! It’s such a fun setting that does a lot of impactful advocacy work for our community, and their coffee’s pretty great too!

Where do you go when you want to get out of your office:
Alumni Plaza is a nice place to sit and relax (and watch those crazy squirrels!).

Something I’ve always wanted to try:
I have always wanted to take a train trip across the country! It would be a great way to experience all the different cultures that make up America.

What do you love about Transy:
Transy cares about its students, as well as its employees. I feel very well supported here. The location is great as well – everything you could ever want to do is really close-by!