TTransylvaniaransylvaniaUNIVERSITY MAGAZINE Summer 2010 Change at the Top R. Owen Williams becomes president of Transylvania Alumni Weekend 2010 Clockwise, from top, Stephanie Miller Broering ’90, left, Kevin Sutphin, Sallye Holcomb Staley ’89, and Stephanie Dixon Sutphin ’89 share a table at the TGIF party; from left, George Lewis, Ruth Marling Lewis ’50, Clyde Arnold ’50, Bill Bronson ’50, and Barbara Burch Merrell ’50 enjoy the celebration luncheon; head men’s basketball coach Brian Lane ’90 exhorts his classmates to support the annual fund during their class picture session; Andre Flynn ’85 is shown with fiancée Lucia Sloan (holding Flynn’s granddaughter, Aniya) and his mother, Paula Smith, at his induction into the Pioneer Hall of Fame; Ann Horton Burns ’42, left, and Mary Margaret Aldridge Meyer ’41 greet one another at the celebration luncheon. Photos by Joseph Rey Au TransylvaniaUNIVERSITY MAGAZINE SUMMER/2010 Features 14 CHANGE AT THE TOP / R. Owen Williams brings expertise and enthusiasm to his role as president of Transylvania 16 A HISTORIC COMMENCEMENT / On the eve of his retirement, President Charles L. Shearer confers degrees on the 240 members of the class of 2010 and gives the commencement address 19 ALUMNI WEEKEND 2010 / Honoring Shearers was a big part of Alumni Weekend 2010 22 LIFE IN DEATH VALLEY / Sarah Craighead ’78 works to preserve and protect the nation’s largest national park Around Campus 3 Art professor Dan Selter retires after 35 years 4 Faculty receive awards, promotions, tenure 6 Community art program brings people together 7 The Rambler improves stature in student journalism Graduate Samantha Moore, a sociology major from Cadiz, Ky., leaves the stage with her Sports diploma as the class of 2010 takes part in 9 Softball wins HCAC, plays in NCAA commencement on May 29. Retiring president 11 Men’s tennis wins eighth straight HCAC title Charles L. Shearer and Lexington physician Andrew M. Moore II ’71 received honorary degrees at the ceremony. See story on page 16. Alumni News and Notes Photo by Joseph Rey Au 24 Class Notes 26 Marriages, births, obituaries 27 Izzy Holden ’02 travels around the world 28 Distinguished Achievement Awards 29 Distinguished Service Awards Director of Public Relations: Sarah A. Emmons On the cover Director of Publications: Martha S. Baker Incoming President R. Owen Williams is Publications Writer/Editor: William A. Bowden pictured in Haupt Plaza during a campus Editorial Assistant: Tyler Young visit in April with, from left, junior Holly Publications Designer: Barbara Grinnell Milburn, sophomore Lee Richardson, and __________ senior Whitney Mitchell. Transylvania is published three times a year. Volume 27, No. 3, Summer 2010. Produced by the Office of Photo by Joseph Rey Au Publications, Transylvania University, Lexington, KY 40508-1797. Send address changes and alumni news Follow Transylvania at twitter.com/transy, to Alumni Office, Transylvania University, 300 North browse our photos at www.flickr.com/photos/transy, Broadway, Lexington, KY 40508-1797, fax to (859) and become our fan on Facebook at 233-8797, or e-mail to [email protected]. www.facebook.com/transylvaniauniversity. AROUND CAMPUS Longtime professor extolls Shearer’s presidential qualities at retirement lunch endowment of more than $100 million. dency than at any time in the long history “Charles came to this college during one of Transylvania,” he said. “The faculty is of its economic depressions,” Dugi said. better for the things he has done, perhaps “While that experience may not have been particularly the Bingham Program for Excel- as dramatic as living through the Great lence in Teaching and the various programs Depression, I am sure that it shaped his for faculty enhancement. There is no doubt approach to fiscal management. Clearly, that we are all better off for Charles Shearer President Shearer has been a very careful having been at Transylvania.” steward of the college during his tenure.” During the luncheon it was announced Shearer’s active involvement in the that 88 staff members had made a gift of university’s affairs could pay dividends in $3,951 toward the Charles L. and Susan P. many areas, as Dugi pointed out in a story Shearer Scholarship, a prestigious program involving a needy, and worthy, student. named after the Shearers to honor their Political science professor Don Dugi, “Many years ago, one of our students remarkable legacy at Transylvania. (above, right) who has witnessed the entire was in danger of leaving 27-year tenure of retiring President Charles the college because of L. Shearer, paid tribute to his colleague and financial hardship, and friend at a May 27 retirement luncheon by additional financial assis- referring to Transylvania’s longest-serving tance was not being president as “a man of complete integrity” worked out,” Dugi with an extraordinary commitment to the recalled. “I went to university. Charles and told him that “You never have any doubts about this student is someone Charles acting in good faith,” said Dugi, we want to keep, that he who joined the Transylvania faculty in 1975. would not only be a credit “He has always done his best for Transylva- during his time at the col- nia—and he has done so out of commit- lege but would be a great ment to the college rather than for personal representative of the col- lege as an alumnus. accolades or self-aggrandizement.” President Shearer and his wife, Susan, are After having served Transylvania as vice Charles took care of it.” joined by their three sons and families at president for finance beginning in 1979, In an overall sense, Dugi said that Shear- a retirement luncheon in Shearer’s honor. Shearer became president in 1983 and will er’s untiring dedication for 31 years in the To Susan’s immediate left are Todd, his retire from the presidency on July 31. university’s administration has advanced the wife, Chelsey, and their children, Anne and Will. Scott is in the middle, back. Throughout his tenure, he was known for college in every area. Mark is with his wife, Kristi, and their paying strict attention to detail and for shep- “For both faculty and students, life at this children, Taylor and Mason. (Not pictured: herding the university’s resources into today’s college is incredibly better after his presi- Scott’s wife, Sarah) Court in 1952. were paying customers, but Bruce Scholarship honors late physician Greg Bruce some were not, based on Greg’s The late William Gregory his alma mater by establishing earned his humanitarian outlook. Bruce ’60 credited Transylvania the William Gregory Bruce, medical “Greg felt that regardless of with preparing him for medical M.D., Endowed Scholarship degree from whether you were the wealthi- school and giving him the oppor- Fund. The scholarships will be the University est person in the world or the Crimson tunity to achieve his life’s ambi- awarded to Transylvania stu- of Maryland poorest, if you’re sick, you’re tion of becoming a physician. dents with financial need who 1960 and was a sick,” Ann said. “He wanted “Greg said over the years are preparing for a career in flight surgeon in the U.S. Navy everyone to have access to that if he had not attended medicine or dentistry. from 1967-70. He was a profes- what would make them feel Transylvania, he doubted he Preference will be given to sor of cancer surgery at UM and better physically, and if he would have been able to get students from Kentucky, which attending surgical oncologist at could offer that as a surgeon, into medical school,” said his honors the legacy of Greg the Baltimore Cancer Research he always tried to.” widow, Ann Bruce. “He particu- Bruce’s father, John Gregory Center before establishing a For information on how to larly credited (former chemistry Bruce ’21. Raised in Straight private practice in Panama City, support the William Gregory professor) Monroe Moosnick Creek, Bell County, Ky., the Fla., where he lived most of his Bruce, M.D., Scholarship, with taking him under his wing elder Bruce had a distinguished life. Ann, a registered nurse, contact the development and motivating him to do well.” career in law, culminating in supported the practice as office office at (800) 487-2679 or Ann decided to memorialize his appointment by President manager. (859) 281-3692. her late husband’s feelings for Harry S. Truman to the U.S. Tax Most of the Bruces’ patients 2 TRANSYLVANIA Art professor retires to focus on his own art Dan Selter entertained the audience at his used it to teach those kids.” retirement luncheon with a rendition of He also created figurines depicting a few “Hail, Transylvania!” on the ukulele and reflections on his years teaching. faculty members when they retired. It started with former dean Jack Bryden. Selter created a Jack-in-the-box using Bryden’s likeness. was really a fortuitous situation.” Most recently he did one for former history He fulfilled his goal of dabbling in other professor Joe Binford, who was an avid run- disciplines while he was at Transy, teaching ner and taught Latin American history. He courses jointly with other professors. Two crafted Binford as a Vishnu wearing a track that stuck out were a class on the art and suit, holding in his many arms a sombrero culture of Southeast Asia and a class on and an academic hat, sitting on top of Old Native American Indian art, both with then- Morrison. One he did for Dave Haller, a for- anthropology and sociology professor Cara mer drama professor, ended up housing Richards. Down the road he was able to take Haller’s ashes after he died. a trip to China with art history profes- Joseph Rey Au sor Wei Lin, and his Native American Dan Selter retired in May after 35 research involved taking road trips to years at Transylvania as an art professor.