By Brenna Angel
LEXINGTON, Ky. – This week, Transylvania University in Lexington inaugurates R. Owen Williams as its 25th president. The former Wall Street executive turned academic scholar has a passion for 19th century American History.
With this year being the sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War, Williams says a Civil War symposium was an obvious choice for Transy's inauguration festivities.
"It's a great mix of folks who are going to be talking about the Civil War and the role of border states within the Civil war. We're going to look at the Reconstruction period just after the Civil War."
The discussion will feature historians from Yale, Harvard, and the University of the South.
Williams says he's amazed at Transy's historical connections.
"During the Civil War, Transylvania had to close down its operations as a college largely because so many of the students and faculty had to go and participate in the war itself. But for those who remained, it was mostly doctors who served in the Old Morrison Hospital."
An American flag hand-stitched by the Dean of Transy's medical school during the Civil War will be on display at the symposium. The panel discussion starts at 3 p.m. Thursday in Haggin Auditorium.
Listen to an in-depth interview with President Williams Thursday at 8:35 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. on WUKY.