Transylvania University

At some point during a college search, the schools can start to run together. You’ve seen the residence hall photos. You’ve compared majors, admission requirements and scholarships. Your inbox is full of colleges introducing themselves, reminding you about deadlines and inviting you to visit. You may have a spreadsheet. Your parents may have a spreadsheet. There may, unfortunately, be more than one spreadsheet.

Alejandro “Ale” Perez Canedo ’26 transferred to Transylvania University for tennis but discovered a close-knit college community, faculty mentors and an academic passion that changed the direction of his life. “I’ve felt truly happy here. I found a home.” When Perez Canedo says those words, he pauses for a moment, searching for language that can fully capture what Transylvania has meant to him. “It’s difficult to describe,” he admits.

Transylvania University welcomed around 290 new students to campus this week for five days of orientation before classes begin Monday. These incoming Pioneers excel academically, posting an average high school GPA of 3.96, with nearly 20% earning Premier Scholarships. “This year’s entering class represents an important milestone for Transylvania,” said Erin Craig, senior vice president for enrollment management.

If you’ve started your college search, you’ve probably compared majors, tuition, financial aid packages and rankings. Those are all important pieces of the decision, but they don’t tell you what your life will actually feel like once you arrive on campus. College is where you’ll spend four years growing into the person you want to become. It’s where you’ll celebrate victories, work through challenges, build lifelong friendships and discover interests you didn’t know you had.

Dr. April Sample Matiasek ’01 As a Transylvania student, Dr. April Sample Matiasek ’01 felt deep gratitude for the scholarships that made her degree possible. That feeling came through in her phone conversations with alumni, regularly inspiring them to give. The former Phonathon caller went on to make the most of her education, becoming a medical doctor/diagnostic radiologist and rising through the Navy ranks. Now she’s giving back to help other Pioneers achieve their dreams.

Alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of Transylvania stepped up to support current and future Pioneers this past giving year with more than $8.65 million in gifts — the highest fundraising total in over 10 years. This wasn’t just about the total dollars raised. An increasing number of donors came together to help fund scholarships, student programming, academic excellence and more.

Photo: Gatton Park on the Town Branch Summer always feels longer in May than it does in late July. One minute you’re celebrating the end of the semester. The next, you’re checking your schedule, texting your roommate and realizing move-in day is right around the corner. Soon campus will be buzzing again. The first-year students will be trying to figure out where everything is. Friends will reunite. Classes will begin. Before long, the routines of the semester will take over.

Transylvania University graduate Jeremy Yoder ’12 — who draws from his biochemistry degree to bring scientific precision to the smoker — is competing on tonight’s Food Network debut of “Pitmasters” at 9 p.m. Yoder (pictured right) has teamed up with Al Frugoni (left) to face off against other barbecue experts for up to $50,000. The series, filmed over 10 intense days in St. George, Utah, includes challenges like breaking down a whole hog and preparing a one-bite meal under a tight time limit.

Lee Rose, who helped support his Eastern Kentucky family from a young age, arrived at Transylvania University on the school’s first full athletic scholarship. It was the springboard for a remarkable life that led to coaching in the NBA and multiple Final Fours — along with touching the lives of thousands of young people. Now his legacy is opening doors for Pioneers facing obstacles similar to those he overcame.

Every family arrives at the college search with a different set of priorities. Some want to know about academics. Others are focused on internships, student life or career outcomes. Some are trying to figure out whether their student will feel at home. And nearly everyone is wondering the same thing: Will this college prepare my student for what’s next? At Transylvania University, we’ve had thousands of those conversations.