Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Home Blog

An Interview with Dr. Spell: Transy’s New Band Director

Sam Schultz
-
0
An Interview with Dr. Spell: Transy’s New Band Director

When Dr. Benjamin Hawkins retired as Transylvania University’s band director after the 2023-2024 school year, many students were curious to see how a new instructor would stack up against Dr. Hawkins’ impressive legacy. So far, Dr. Larry Spell has made an excellent impression on Transylvania University’s music students, directing the Concert Band and Orchestra as we near Transylvania’s Spooktacular Fall Concert on October 26th.

Dr. Spell has a doctorate in orchestra conducting, plays trombone, and looks forward to spending more time making music with Transylvania students and faculty.

Sam: Starting off, how did you end up in Kentucky?

Dr. Spell: Well, I was in North Carolina. I had a job down there and I really liked my position. I wasn’t particularly looking for a new job, but I saw this come by and I’m like, well, that would be a job to be really fulfilling to do. I did teach at a small liberal arts college briefly in Utah and I really like the environment. I knew I wanted to get back to that at some point. I have an extensive background playing in band, I like the location in downtown Lexington, I like the school’s environment and I like the size of the city. It felt like I would have a really good quality of life here.

When I came to interview, everything was really run so well and they took a lot of time to make sure I sort of felt comfortable here. Like I understood what the school was about. I kind of got a sense of the environment. So it made me feel very comfortable in saying yes to the job because I already had a full-time job.

The longer I live, the more I realize the environment where I’m working is very important to how satisfying my job is, the people I see, and the places I’m at… that really makes a big difference.

Sam: And your office definitely reflects that.

Dr. Spell’s office is eclectically decorated. Many lamps cast variegated light across the room, illuminating books of music, Mystery Science Theater 3000 figurines, a marble bust, a Persian rug, and a sundry of other items in a soft glow.

Dr. Spell: I’m going to be in this place. I want to have things around me that are personal and make me feel at home. It’s not just sort of a sterile environment where I pop in, do my e-mail, and then leave. I don’t like to work from home. I want to come to work and do my work and then I want to go home and be off the clock, you know. I like to have everything I need to do my job here in one place. I’ve always decorated like I live in the 19th century, I think, or

maybe early 20th century.

Sam: I see you have a Real Book (a collection of transcribed Jazz standards) on your music stand. Do you play a lot of jazz or is it a burgeoning interest?

Dr. Spell: I would say it’s a burgeoning interest. I didn’t study jazz in school. I don’t have, like, jazz credentials, but in North Carolina, I did play in a big band and really enjoyed that. And I was the co-director for the jazz band at my last job, me and one of the other faculty were both coached the jazz band. It’s not a big band, but sort of combo-sized, you know. And so we would have to get creative with arrangements. I really got into making arrangements for a jazz band. I would take tunes out of the real book and make arrangements for whatever instrumentation that we had and stuff like that. I’m hoping to get back into playing a little bit of jazz, like a big band kind of stuff. I was an orchestral trombone player for 10 years, you know, so counting measures of rest and then playing really, really loud for a while and then counting measures of rest, you know?

Sam: The life of the trombone.

Dr. Spell: Exactly

Sam: Was there a moment in your life when you knew you wanted to pursue music as a profession?

Dr. Spell: Well, I started playing piano when I was very young. I think I was six when I started. I don’t remember this, but I went to my parents and said, “I want to learn the piano” I wasn’t one of the kids that was forced to take piano lessons. I want to learn the piano and I love the piano.

I realized as I was getting closer to middle school, and high school, that I wanted to be part of the band. I wanted to play music with other people. I love that collaborative effort of working together with people. So I didn’t give up the piano, but I focused more on the trombone. And, you know, my piano skills are not great. They’re OK, you know, I get by.

As soon as I got to high school and I was in that band, I really realized that I liked the idea of being the person, kind of coordinating the band. And I tried out for drum major every year for three years, right? Freshman year, sophomore, junior year, and I never got drum major and I was very sad about that. And my band director said I didn’t have good “onfield leadership” or something like that.

I don’t know, maybe I didn’t yell loud enough, but he said I was a good conductor and he said I should conduct a piece in the senior year concert. So the next year I got to conduct a

piece and I was hooked. I went to school to get my Music Education degree and to be a band director. Then I got my master’s and doctorate in conducting and here I am.

So that’s a very long-winded way of saying I’ve always wanted to be a musician. I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a musician, but I do remember when I sort of made that switch to trombone and discovered the collaborative part of music.

I’m kind of glad I didn’t make drum major because maybe I would never have gotten a

chance to conduct that concert, and you never know where I could be now.

Sam: This upcoming concert on the 26th is a huge undertaking, combining the choir, band, and orchestra as well as including guests from across Kentucky.

Dr. Spell: We were planning on doing a combined concert anyway, and I think what’s new is having this Halloween theme to it. It’s the same weekend as Pumpkinmania. It’s Transylvania University.

When I was at the University of Utah, we had a very, very successful annual Halloween concert. I just saw how much the students loved it and the community loved it. There are just tons of fun ways you can make a Halloween concert work. You know, the orchestra and the choir and the band are going to be dressed in costumes. We’re just going to do a regular concert right now, with Halloween-y themed music. But at the University of Utah, we would kind of do a whole – not really like a play – but we’d have skits throughout and it would have dance numbers and all that. It kind of became a big production. And that may not be the right fit for us, but it has the potential to grow into kind of a bigger thing. 

There’s so much music that you can do that would sort of fit with a Halloween theme and have a really interesting musical experience for the students while still having this holiday concert.

Sam: I can’t wait! So do you teach classes other than band and orchestra or do you just direct right now?

Dr. Spell: Right, so I teach music theory for university students. Basically theory for non-music

majors, like beginning theory. In other schools I’ve taught at, it’s called fundamentals. I’ll teach conducting right now. That’s all I have planned for this year.

I mean, I love music history. When you get a doctorate, you get your main degree and then you have a related field. And mine is music history. I’m particularly interested in American Music history. I taught a class at a former job, American Music history class, taught jazz history. So yeah, I would love to teach something like that, but I’ll teach what they tell me to teach.

Sam: Just for fun, I was wondering if you had a favorite movie?

Dr. Spell: That’s a great question because it’s like, ask me who my favorite composer is. It’s sort of like whatever’s intriguing me at the moment, whatever piece I’m working on at the moment. I got to think about this for a second. Well, I mean, I just happened to watch the old Family Guy versions of Star Wars on TV and it reminded me of how much I love the original three Star Wars movies.

The only thing that comes close to a movie that I just feel super connected with is The Blues Brothers.

Sam: That’s been my favorite movie since I was, like, 12!

We ended up talking about The Blues Brothers for several minutes.

Sam: Thank you very much for taking the time to answer some questions.

Dr. Spell: Absolutely. I appreciate it and I appreciate you writing an article. I want people to know more about the music programs that we’ve got here. And to join band, join orchestra. We can always use more musicians.

GALLERY: Interfraternity Festivities

Layne Martin
-
0
GALLERY: Interfraternity Festivities

The Interfraternity council launched their 2024 bid day the morning of September 29th, filling Back Circle with excitement and colorful costumes. Layne Martin, Rambler photographer, captures the four chapters embracing their new members.

GALLERY: A Panhellenic Party

Layne Martin
-
0
GALLERY: A Panhellenic Party

Transylvania University’s Panhellenic 2024 bid day took place September 22nd, allowing new members to “run home.” Rambler photographer Layne Martin captured the festivities on Old Morrison’s front lawn.

Artists: They Talk, Too! Shifting Practice Faculty Art Exchange Q&A

Kate Polson
-
0
Artists: They Talk, Too! Shifting Practice Faculty Art Exchange Q&A

Transylvania University faculty Anthony Mead, Zoe Strecker, Kurt Gohde, Grace Ramsey, and David Gerhard gathered for an Artist Q&A on Tuesday, October 1st. Students and faculty packed into Morlan Gallery to learn more about the current exhibit, Shifting Practice, and enjoy pizza from Mad Mushroom. 

Moderator Morgan Hardigree ‘25 opened the discussion by thanking the professors for their work and their time. Those in attendance were able to submit questions prior to the event which ranged from personal inspiration to advice for up-and-coming student artists.

On the topic of inspiration, professor of painting and drawing, Grace Ramsey discussed how her surrealist work is “mostly about the female experience” and that it has really “evolved since becoming a mother.”

Anthony Mead, Director of Morlan Gallery and instructor of art, said that he sees humans as “tool users” and is intrigued how this influences the “way we go about life.” 

Animation Professor David Gerhard shares stories from the world of animation

David Gerhard pointed out that, with animation and digital art, the concepts of his work aren’t usually up to him but instead the client he is commissioned by. However, when given the chance, Gerhard leans into humor to elicit laughter in his audience. 

When asked about creative processes, professor of sculpture and integrated media, Kurt Gohde spoke on how he loves learning new things. Gohde sees each project as “learning experiences” which keeps him coming back for more. In fact, when asked about teaching art at the college level, Gohde described how the setting opened the conversation in ways that he was unfamiliar with, which excited him. He elaborated by saying the type of thinking and art he is drawn to “doesn’t happen outside a university setting.”

Ramsey added on, describing that once her intuition kicks in there is this “mysterious thing that happens” and she finds herself “addicted to that type of wonder.”

Several pieces in the show were from years ago, which sparked the conversation of growth. Meade responded to this by stating “There is so much richness in seeing how an artist evolves.” It was this sentiment that acted as the catalyst for the show. Meade stressed that the artists were given an unusually short amount of time to prepare for this show, only three weeks. Ramsey mentioned how she had to “unearth” older pieces that had not been brought out in years. 

Zoe Strecker, professor of ceramics, highlighted Ramsey’s wording in the literal sense, pointing to her cement sculpture titled, “Founder” which resided in the elements of her own backyard for years. Strecker had to cut down trees and overgrowth to bring it to the gallery. She noted how she prefers this version, speckled with lichens from nature, to the original.

Perhaps the main takeaway for students in attendance would be Gerhard’s remark that “Creativity is just a language like anything else. You can learn it.” Shifting Focus: A Transylvania University Faculty Exhibition closes on Friday, October 11th. Check out the Morlan Gallery in Mitchell Fine Arts Center on weekdays from 12pm-5pm.

Lexington Plans Two New Downtown Parks in 2025: What to Expect, and When

Joe Roution
-
0
Lexington Plans Two New Downtown Parks in 2025: What to Expect, and When

For those new to Transylvania (or even those who have lived here for a while but rarely venture downtown), several great parks are within walking distance of campus. In 2025, Lexington is planning to add two new parks to the list.

Phoenix Park is not technically new, but a complete rehaul of the park is currently under construction. The park is located next to the Central Branch of the Lexington Public Library, on the corner of Main and Limestone. Those who remember Phoenix before it was closed this summer probably remember it is a large slab of concrete with nowhere to sit, but in the revamp the city hopes to add several new features, including a small playground, dog park, and art installations.

Phoenix Park is expected to open in the Spring of 2025. As of September, most of the demolition of the old park has been completed, and the building of new structures will start in October.

The other new park coming to the downtown area is Gatton Park on the Town Branch, currently under construction to repurpose one of Lexington’s many, many parking lots. Those who were on campus last spring may recall a survey regarding a new park and the possible amenities it could feature. The park was initially planned to be named Town Branch Park, after the creek that currently runs under downtown Lexington, some of which will be exposed once again by this park, but it was recently renamed in honor of a large donation by the Bill Gatton foundation. 

Of the two parks, this one is much more ambitious. Across nine acres, the park will feature plenty of green space, much of it along the Town Branch Creek, as well as an amphitheater for concerts, an area for local food trucks, a dog park, a new location for the Lexington Farmers Market, and many more features. Gatton Park will also connect to the larger Town Branch Commons, a pedestrian and bicycle trail that already links a few parks in downtown Lexington.

The park’s website doesn’t give a specific date for the park’s opening, just that it will be open sometime next year. 

If these parks are finished and open before the end of the Winter Term (late April), I will follow up with a more in-depth review of each one. While we wait, I recommend visiting other parks close to campus, such as Triangle Park on Broadway between Main and Vine, and Gratz Park just opposite Third from the academic side of campus.

Pictures: Phoenix Park as of September 26.

Students Respond with Questions and Concerns to Severe Weather on Campus

Nate Brother
-
0
Students Respond with Questions and Concerns to Severe Weather on Campus

On the morning of September 27th, the Transylvania campus was hit by prolonged severe weather, the effects of the landfall of Hurricane Helene on the Southeastern United States the previous night and earlier that morning. Wind gusts up to 50-75 mph were reported in the early afternoon as a torrent of rain continued to plague the Lexington area. At the time of publishing, Fayette County remains under a Severe High Wind Warning until 8:00 P.M. EST on Friday and a Severe Flood Watch until further notice. 

These conditions were largely expected by groups such as the National Weather Service, and several institutions across the state made appropriate preparations for the weather. The University of Louisville pre-emptively canceled classes for the 27th on Thursday along with several other schools and districts across the state, including Lexington Christian Academy. Transylvania, along with the University of Kentucky, chose not to cancel classes, though some individual professors chose not to hold classes on account of the inclement weather. A notice was emailed out to all students on Thursday night warning of the possibility of severe weather, explaining Thunderstorm and Tornado protocol, and reminding students that the T-Alert system would be used to notify students of any pertinent warnings.

Students and faculty ventured in earnest to and from the academic side of campus on Friday morning through the weather, with conditions beginning to particularly worsen around 11:00 A.M. As the intensity of the wind and rain quickly increased, many expressed concerns over the safety of having students walk to classes from the residential side of campus or farther. At approximately 12:12 P.M., the electricity and internet went down for all buildings on the academic side of campus, grinding most activity to a halt. Still, many students proceeded as normal, departing from their 11:30-12:20 classes and heading towards 12:30-1:20 classes. At approximately 12:20 P.M., a large limb was snapped off the White Ash known as the Kissing Tree in front of the library by wind gusts, falling and blocking the sidewalk below. 

The fallen limb from the Kissing Tree, pictured here at 12:58 P.M. on the 27th, approximately 38 minutes after it fell

Several eyewitness accounts of the event report that an individual was injured by the falling limb and subsequently treated by paramedics, with an ambulance being seen in Old Morrison Circle shortly after the incident. These reports have not been independently verified by the Rambler or confirmed by the administration at the time of publication.

At 12:32 P.M., the Transy T-Alert system sent out the following message to all students and faculty:

“Due to weather conditions, please move indoors. 12:30 p.m. classes are canceled due to power outage”

This message was sent out two minutes after the theoretical start of 12:30 P.M. classes, so many students and faculty had already proceeded to academic buildings through the weather and were now sheltering in place. This message also did not clarify if classes for the rest of the day were canceled or merely for the 12:30 block. This was only made clear by an email sent to all students at 1:19 P.M., which announced that the remaining classes for the day were to be moved online or canceled at faculty discretion. 

Photo Credit: Olivia Jackson

During this time, several students and faculty were sheltering in place in the library and witnessed events such as the loss of power and the falling of the Kissing Tree limb. Junior student Caroline Host expressed that she believed the confusion on campus could have been prevented, stating, “I think everybody would have been able to avoid a lot of things if we just canceled class today. We obviously saw this coming; so many things were announced to be canceled today. We already got a T-Alert yesterday warning us of severe weather so it’s not like they didn’t know this was going to happen…I think just canceling classes would have been good, and that way professors also wouldn’t have had to drive all the way to campus and risk themselves.” WRC professor and Writing Center director Dr. Scott Whiddon advised students sheltering in place across campus to stay safe and check in on each other, saying, “Check in on your friends via text if your phone has a battery. Folks all over campus are working hard to get this situation tended to soon and tended to safely. I’m really pleased in terms of how lots of different parts of this campus, such as our library staff that we’re hanging out with right now, are working hard to make sure you all are okay.”

Addition (7:00 P.M. 9/27/24)

Little over an hour after the limb from the Kissing Tree fell and a student was allegedly injured, Transylvania Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the University Dr. Rebecca Thomas posted the image below to the @transyacademicdean Instagram account, with the caption, “Our academic building may have lost power this afternoon, but some of our faculty found creative ways to keep instruction going. Physics professor Mostafa Tanyahi Ahari taught by candlelight!”

Hurricane Helene Windfall Is No Joke

Owen Schmidt
-
0
Hurricane Helene Windfall Is No Joke

At around 11 p.m. EST tonight, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Florida panhandle. Popular vacation spots in the panhandle–St. George, Appalachacola, Dog Island, Alligator Point, and Tallahassee–have been and will be pummeled by the storm. Current headlines forewarning the hurricane have already reported the immense size of the “life-threatening” storm surge(s), some of which can tower 20 feet. For reference, a standard beach house’s entire height usually reaches around 25-40 feet. 

A fairly short beach cottage house stands a measly 25’. Hurricane Helene’s storm surge will almost completely submerge these homes. Image: Coastal Home Plans

Aside from the damages to Florida and other states, Hurricane Helene threatens Kentucky, too. Moving up the interior basin of Alabama and Georgia, Hurricane Helene will maintain some of its power from the Gulf of Mexico. The National Weather Service predicts that it will penetrate Tennessee and make its way into Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. 

Of course, Transylvania is situated comfortably in the center of the eastern United States. Usually, the Appalachian mountains provide enough of a barrier to prevent storms from reaching Kentucky. Still more usual is the pattern of the Atlantic churning a hurricane to hit eastern Florida, and ride up the Atlantic seaboard. Hurricane Helene will buck the trend to deliver a gut punch to the southeastern portion of the United States. States in the line of its destruction–Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee–can all expect high levels of precipitation accompanied by serious wind speeds. Reports vary, but scientists seem to point to increased ocean surface temperatures as the cause of increased hurricane severity and activity. Warm oceans ‘charge’ hurricanes with the power to spin into superstorms; more heat means more power. With enough energy, storms like Hurricane Helene will continue to batter the coasts of the U.S., and push more storms further north into states with little historical preparation for such storms.

Wind speeds of 61 knots (70 mph) are expected in Fayette Co. around noon tomorrow. Image: PivotWeather

Back in March 2023, a series of storms hit Lexington with around the same wind speeds, knocking out power for much of the city. Driving down Richmond or Man O’ War was all but impossible on account of the tree debris and lack of functioning street lights. The wind from the storm damaged, or completely blew away, roofs all across the central Bluegrass. Here at Transylvania, some dorm buildings went without power due to damage to power lines. Additionally, the rainfall inundated the soil with so much liquid that the root systems of many trees failed to keep themselves rooted against the high wind speeds. 

Expected precipitation in some areas close to Fayette Co. climb to 5 to 6 inches of expected rainfall. Image: Chris Bailey via X

Transylvania is positioned in the metropolitan area of Fayette Co. and is thus usually more quickly responded to by emergency services than the surrounding suburbs due to its proximity to emergency services. The National Weather Service put out a wind advisory at just 9:25 p.m. Thursday night, stating “East winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph [are] expected.” Sustained wind speeds of 20 to 30 mph will weaken power lines and trees, and along with NOAA’s predicted 2 to 4 inches of rain, could spell danger for the Lexington community. 
The forecasted weather has set off several alarms, including an announcement by the University of Louisville canceling its Friday classes in lieu of the storm. More information regarding inclement weather can be found at NOAA and the National Weather Service websites.

Academic Convocation 2024: A Lesson on Happiness with Laurie Santos

Lyra Duffy
-
0
Academic Convocation 2024: A Lesson on Happiness with Laurie Santos

This year’s Academic Convocation was led by Dr. Laurie Santos, the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast. Santos spoke of how young people, specifically college students, have been suffering. She proposed to teach an academic class covering what the science of psychology tells us to do in order to protect our mental health and become happier overall. She called the class “Psychology and the Good Life” to catch students’ attention. It became apparent to Santos that students were willing to do something to change their stress levels when twelve thousand students showed up for her first class in 2018. Santos noted that in 2024, there are a lot of reasons for people to feel hopeless, frustrated, and scared. She emphasized, “It is normative to experience negative emotions about what’s going on in 2024… focusing on our happiness doesn’t mean we ignore the real reality of some tough situations.” She proposed the question, “How can you do better?” Santos then listed ten insights for people to do better and become happier. 

Insight number one was to prioritize our happiness. She touched on how many college students may use their time in college to work hard and get good grades and then reap those benefits when they have graduated with a career. She discussed how being happy now and focusing on your positive emotions will benefit you in the long run.

Insight number two showed us one way we can prioritize our happiness: by socializing. Santos explained how studies show that spending time genuinely connected with your friends and family can make you happier than having a self-care night.

Insight three covered healthy habits like good sleep and physical exercise. Insight four elaborated on how we need to be present in the moment and savor good things in our lives. Santos described how the act of “mind wandering” is exhausting, yet we spend most of our time doing it. She recommended trying meditation or simple mindfulness practices. Coinciding with this is insight number five, to be present in the moment even when it is bad. Santos emphasized how suppressing our emotions can lead to memory loss and even cardiac stress. She proposed the acronym R.A.I.N to help us better understand what to do in these hard moments. R.A.I.N stands for Recognize, Acknowledge, Investigate, and Nurture which are all tactics to better understand our emotions and urges while taking care of ourselves in difficult moments. 

The following insight, number six, tells us to be self-compassionate. Self-criticism and perfectionism is only harmful to your future self; Santos urged us to invest in our future selves by being compassionate now. Insight number seven shows us that stress doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, if we choose the correct mindset, stress can be beneficial. Santos described how stress is our body’s reaction to help ourselves. To use stress to the best of your abilities, change your outlook to believe stress is boosting your performance, not weighing you down. Insight eight prompts you to focus on your signature strength, whatever it may be, and curate that into your school work or career to find purpose and meaning within your work. Insight nine is to prioritize true fun. Santos recommended completing a “fun audit” which entails journaling about some of the top three moments in your life when you had the most fun. After identifying these moments, ask questions about them and seek out more experiences with the same characteristics to implement more fun in your schedule. Finally, insight number ten is seeking out more time affluence. Santos explained how many students are suffering from “time famine,” we don’t have enough time in the world to complete all our assignments and extra activities. She recommended building a schedule that maximizes your time but also utilizing the bits and pieces of time that we ignore. Santos called this “time confetti.” For instance, if you just finished a task and have fifteen minutes left before you have to leave to go somewhere else, we use this time scrolling through our phones instead of doing something little that could boost our happiness. Santos explained how these bits and pieces of time add up to a big portion of our day. She recommended spending these moments of our day, our time confetti, in ways that make us truly happy. A time confetti to-do list should be added to our calendar with tasks full of happiness and joy. 

Senior Ysa Leon Reflects on Time as SGA President

Nate Brother
-
0
Senior Ysa Leon Reflects on Time as SGA President

Ysa Leon, a Transylvania senior who is soon to graduate with the class of 2024, recently completed their term as President of the Student Government Association, being succeeded by rising junior Sean Gannon following elections on April 2nd. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Leon several weeks later to discuss how their expectations of the President role matched their experience and what they hope will be remembered about their time as President.

When campaigning for the role of SGA President a little over a year ago, Leon often touted their experience in various campus leadership roles, whether it be as a First Engagement Scholar or as the Academic Affairs Chair on SGA. A year later, Leon regarded this experience as invaluable to their success as President. Leon specifically highlighted the experience they gained from two years of being a First Engagements Scholar, arguing that they “learned a lot more about how to engage with people who are maybe a little more timid or weren’t super involved in high school. So seeing first-year senators really grow over the year and thrive and get projects done, that was one of my favorite parts of being President.” Outside of specific experiences as a First Engagements Scholar, Leon expressed a belief that all of their leadership positions, including SGA President, have contributed to their organizational skills, stating, “Everything that I have done here has worked together to make me a better leader.” Leon expressed optimism that their experience in SGA would help them in life after graduation, saying, “SGA, in general, has prepared me for so much…various situations have taught me more about being a leader, being a better person, and a better person to work with. Everything I have learned from SGéA, from freshman to senior year, has prepared me to work with others.”

One of Leon’s guiding goals both before and during their time as SGA President was increasing communication and transparency between SGA and the student body. In this regard, Leon followed up on campaign promises, helping to establish a monthly newsletter that was sent to every student starting in the winter semester, and hosting open office hours in the campus center. Leon also credited other senators for helping SGA serve as a liaison between the student body and administration, particularly highlighting freshman Quincy Elliot for his work with Transy Dining and Bon Appétit. Leon believed that their efforts helped this year’s SGA be more present on campus than previous years, stating, “I think we had a lot more visibility on campus and we were trying to show students what SGA was doing. A lot of what we do is behind the scenes and not flashy or glamorous, but it makes student’s lives better on campus. I really wanted to make sure people knew we were there for them and supporting them.” Leon hoped that the increased knowledge of SGA and its ability to serve as a voice for students and affect change on campus would lead to more students coming to SGA with their issues in the future, asserting that “we have a lot of power in numbers in pressuring the administration.”

One method of increasing SGA visibility that Leon continually advocated for was greater collaboration with other campus organizations. Leon prioritized using the budget of SGA to support student organizations and student projects, stating, “We try to strike a balance between funding our own projects and funding other student orgs because the work that they do is super important too…I think we did a really good job of that.” This year SGA worked to partner with organizations such as the Conservation Action Committee, Muslim Student Alliance, and Asian Student Alliance to fund events that had significant campus outreach, as well as funding projects by individual students. If there is one campus organization that Leon wished they could have worked more with, it was the Student Activities Board, one of the two largest student organizations on campus along with SGA. Leon stressed the importance of continuing to build cooperation between SGA and SAB, both next year and beyond, recalling “I really stressed to Sean [Gannon] that I want them to partner with SAB. We shouldn’t be working separately because we are both here for the student body.”

In terms of specific accomplishments during their time as SGA President, Leon highlighted the DEI forum that SGA hosted on February 29th over House Bill 9, a proposed bill that would have eliminated all diversity, equity, and inclusion departments and initiatives at Kentucky universities. The forum brought community leaders, such as Kentucky House Representative George Brown Jr., and Transy leaders, such as professors Dr. Steve Hess and Dr. Tiffany Wheeler and DEI director Krissalyn Love, to discuss the legislation and its potential consequences. Leon was proud of the turnout and support for the event, adding “It was really cool to see that we want to prioritize DEI on campus and we can all come together and have a respectful and vibrant conversation about those issues. I think that is what being at a liberal arts college is all about, people from all different walks of life coming together to talk about social issues and ways we can use people power to make change.” Leon said that while there were minor things about their time as President that they could have done better, such as starting the SGA newsletter earlier and hosting even more open hours to further increase visibility, there is very little that they would wish to change about the past year, arguing, “I put my heart and soul into this position. I love SGA and I love Transy. Anything that I did, I did to the best of my ability…I believe that and I hope that I made everyone proud.”

Despite their term being over, Leon expressed excitement for the new SGA executive council and the future of SGA as a whole. Leon described how they had previously worked closely with new President Sean Gannon, both when he was their First Engagements student and this past year when he served as SGA Vice President, commenting that “seeing his growth has been really amazing. I have full faith that he will do a great job and put just as much effort and love into being President.” Leon described new Vice President Abby Muncy as a dedicated senator for the past three years who they had no doubt would do great in the role. Leon previously highlighted new Chief of Staff Quincy Elliot’s work with Bon Appétit, calling him not only one of SGA’s best first-year senators but one of SGA’s best senators as a whole. Leon expressed excitement for the New Chief of Finance Nora Reader, especially after learning the details of the position from Olivia Greinke, who previously served as Chief of Finance for three years. Overall, Leon expressed excitement for the entire executive council, especially the rising sophomores who were gaining leadership positions. Leon argued that it represented an excellent chance for them to grow as leaders.

When looking back on their time at Transy as a whole, Leon predicted that part of their legacy would be how involved they were in different things across campus, which they thought helped them serve the position of SGA President better due to a greater knowledge of student concerns. Leon hoped that their greatest impact on Transy would be how they not only boosted the visibility of SGA but also made SGA more accessible to diverse groups on campus. As the first openly transgender SGA President, Leon expressed hope that their position would allow LGBTQ+ students to see a place for themselves in student government, saying, “We have a vibrant and amazing queer population here at Transy. I definitely think and hope that my leadership and using my position to raise awareness, especially about trans issues will be part of my legacy.” The most impactful lesson that Leon has taken from their time as President, and one they hope will be remembered after they graduate, is the capacity each person has for change. They asserted, “There is always going to be something that can be better. I think that is a big lesson that I learned as President. Seeing all of the different parts of campus that work together to make Transy such a cool place helped me realize that even if changes are small, they are still there, and things can always be better.”

‘Significant Other’ Caps Successful Year for the Theater Guild

Peyton Dunaway
-
0
‘Significant Other’ Caps Successful Year for the Theater Guild

Something I have always liked about the theater program at Transy is that every show is different. And I’m not just talking about genre- the people running the show are different, too, depending on the season. The plays produced during the regular semesters (fall and winter term) are done so by the Theater Department, while Fright Night and the May Term shows are all led by the Theater Guild, which is student-led. Significant Other was the Guild’s most recent production, finishing its last performance on the 12th. I attended Saturday’s performance and I was very impressed at how well it turned out.

Significant Other was written by Joshua Harmon in 2013 and features a young man (Jordan) struggling to find love and happiness while he watches his friends (Kiki, Vanessa, and Laura) find their own. Jordan often feels like his efforts are doomed, his mental health spiraling with each wedding he’s asked to do a reading for, culminating in a confrontation where Jordan expresses his desperate need for things to stay the same, despite knowing that they won’t. After some advice from his grandmother (Helene), Jordan resolves to keep moving forward despite his drifting friendships, and the show ends with him at a wedding, standing alone yet still happy for his friend’s success. Generally speaking, it’s a fairly comedic play with some dramatic scenes that lend themselves well to the show’s pacing. The portrayal of depression is modernized, but it isn’t made fun of or exaggerated. The characters are well-balanced, and the small cast means that everyone gets their chance to shine. It’s a very well-written show.

And speaking of the cast, they were excellent. Jordan was played by Luke Aguilar, who performed wonderfully while holding comedy in one hand and tragedy in the other. His performance was so dynamic I hardly noticed that he was on stage the entire show. Kiki and Vanessa were played by Macie Moore and Faith Hubbard respectively, whose performances brought some much-needed laughter to an otherwise emotional story. Samantha Farr was brilliant as Laura, and her skill for wielding raw emotion shined throughout the show. Lumi Kaono’s dry wit and steady command of character made Helene’s short scenes all the more remarkable. This was Tanner Peck’s final role at Transy-or rather, his final three roles. Tanner was triple cast as two husbands (Conrad & Tony) and Jordan’s love interest (Will) and brought to all three the same professionalism and passion he’s brought to every other role he’s played during his time at Transy. Not to mention the hard work of the tech crew, designers, and managers. Many people contributed to make this show a great one.

There is one other person without whom this show wouldn’t be possible: Kevin Johnson. Kevin is a Psychology & Theater Design/Tech double major and has been participating in the Transy theater program for several years. You might have seen him as Kyle Carter in Exit, Pursued by a Bear, Louis in Angels in America, or Ida in Ballad of Bride and Blue. He’s also worked in costume design for The Tempest and Little Women and has generally been an invaluable part of our community for the last few years. Significant Other is his last show at Transy, and I’d like to congratulate him on making it a good one. It can be difficult to get Guild shows off the ground, and it takes a lot of determination and creativity to do that job, much less do it well. For the performance to run as smoothly as it did with virtually no errors or drop in energy is not only the sign of a great cast and crew but of a great director. The actors were clearly well-rehearsed, the scenery changes were practically seamless, and the handling of the show’s themes was excellent.

123...84Page 1 of 84

Weather

Lexington
clear sky
72.2 ° F
73.1 °
70.9 °
36 %
0.3mph
0 %
Thu
67 °
Fri
68 °
Sat
71 °
Sun
75 °
Mon
70 °

Welcome to The Rambler! We’ve been Transylvania University’s only student-run newspaper since 1915, “breaking the bubble” between our small campus and the Lexington community. We aim to create a place for students to be creative and have a voice, hoping to be an outlet for the passions and opinions of the Transy student body. We’re always excited to hear new ideas, so send us a message if you have suggestions, opinions, or want to write an article yourself; there is always room on our staff for new writers and creatives! Thanks for reading The Rambler :) Print’s not dead!

Contact us: rambler@transy.edu

©2024 Transylvania University Rambler