On the night of October 6th, students may have noticed a frenzy of pies flying around Back Circle. Professors and faculty seemed to have found themselves on the wrong side of a plate of whipped cream. What could have easily been mistaken as a cruel plot of sweet revenge was actually changing the lives of thousands of Kentucky children.

That Friday evening, Transylvania’s chapter of the Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity hosted “Phi De Pie,” an event where community members could pay 5 dollars to pie a professor or faculty member of their choice– Dr. Bob, Dr. Jenkins, Corinne O’Bryan and more were all potential targets for a tart à la carte.

I sat down with senior student Lauren McGarvey, who helped lead the event. She shared that this was a continuation of what used to be the annual “pie-a-professor” event, however, Phi De hasn’t been able to host any large in-person event like this since the Covid-19 pandemic. They were thrilled by how many students stopped by to participate.

Of course, it wasn’t all about fun and games– for each pie thrown, the proceeds would go directly towards Kentucky Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Though part of a national organization, the money raised by Phi De would directly benefit children in our home state. It gave all the members of our medical fraternity great joy to be “serving people in our state,” says McGarvey.

A favorite target of the night seemed to be Dr. Bob, a professor of chemistry at Transy since 2007. Though not directly affiliated with Phi De, he considers himself a sort of “informal advisor,” as he teaches nearly all of its members. He was glad to see so many of his students out in Back Circle supporting a great cause. On the pie’s taste, he noted that “it’s good, sweet, and goes right up your nose.”

In winter 2021, Transy’s student body was united in its love for a small, furry creature: A black cat with a tipped ear and big green eyes appeared during early November in Alumni Plaza, but she was quite timid. Over a few weeks, students began to earn her trust as she spent more time around campus. She frequently spent time around Mitchell Fine Arts near the Rafskeller stairs and the covered walkway leading to the parking lot. Thus, she was christened Mister Fine Arts, soon to become Miss Fine Arts when students realized she was a female cat. By the time the first week of December came to an end, Miss Fine Arts had her own Instagram account to document photos of her escapades around Transy’s campus. Students were encouraged to take photos of her when they saw her and to send them in for the account to post. 

Posts were made from her account supporting the relief effort for the storms in Western Kentucky, as well as making jokes about her tipped ear, students being gone for winter break, and a red hose left in Alumni Plaza for a few days. Her account was quite popular with students. With over 500 followers, Transy students paid close attention to her presence and well-being during the winter months. Miss Fine Arts was brought food and students even built a shelter to keep her safe from inclement weather. 

When students left for winter break, her account posted collected photos for the holidays and encouraged students to get COVID-19 vaccine boosters. However, as students began to return to campus, the black feline was missing in action. Students voiced their concerns, and on January 20th, 2022, a post was made to ease their minds. The post was captioned with an explanation, telling students that she was okay and had been taken in over the winter. She had also been taken to the vet, where she was diagnosed with a few health problems that she was being treated for. Only one more post would be made to her Instagram before it went quiet. The account has received no posts since, and Miss Fine Arts slowly faded from most student’s minds.

Though she has not been seen, this does not mean she is not still loved by the Transy community, and it is my great joy to tell you that Miss Fine Arts is alive and well. She now lives in Gratz Park on the Market Street side. On nice days, you may find her laying on her front porch or even having a little cat nap. If you do see her, she may not let you touch her at first, but if you can get her to approach you, she might let you pet her back. Some of her fur has gone more brown and some strands have even turned white, but her unmistakable green eyes make her easy to identify. 

Just like during her time at Transy, once she begins to recognize you, you won’t be able to walk by without pausing to give her a few pets. I would advise against scratching the sides of her shoulders or the top of her head, as she is not fond of those spots. Nevertheless, she is still the lovable black cat we all grew to love a few short years ago.