Allen Eskridge is Kentucky’s Assistant Secretary of State. A graduate of Owensboro High School and Transylvania University, he’s currently pursuing a PhD in higher education policy at the University of Kentucky. He is the former president of the Transylvania Bluegrass Alumni Board and currently represents the independent colleges and universities on the Kentucky Inter-Alumni Council. His wife is a Centre College graduate who works at Georgetown College. Allen recently took time to share his thoughts on the importance of Kentucky’s independent sector, the independents’ legacy of service, and why he remains so interested in and involved with independent higher education.

Without the solid educational foundation provided by my experience at Transylvania University, I would not be where I am today. Kentucky’s independent colleges provide academic and social environments that foster the growth of the whole individual. Through small class sizes, individual attention from professors, civic and community engagement, and opportunities to become involved in campus activities, the value of an education at Kentucky’s independent colleges cannot be overstated. In my continuing educational pursuits as well as my professional career, I would not be nearly as prepared to meet each day’s challenges were it not for my experience at Transylvania.

Today, Transylvania is still a large and active participant in my life. Through my association with the university, I continue to make new friends and gain opportunities to serve the community and the Commonwealth. It is this continuing relationship that I find so valuable, and that is why I believe it is so important to give back to the institution that keeps giving to me.

The role of community leader and service oriented partner is one that independent colleges like Transylvania cherish. Kentucky’s independent colleges have strong histories of acting as havens for social discussion and evaluation; and, sometimes, those campuses along with their students act as agents of social change. By advancing each community they serve, Kentucky’s independent colleges enrich the Commonwealth’s population by providing unique solutions for unique communities.

That tradition of community service is one that fascinates me, and it is the reason for my interest and commitment to continuing my education at the University of Kentucky. As a student in higher education policy and evaluation at the University of Kentucky’s school of education, I have the opportunity to interact with top scholars who recognize the value of educational resources provided by Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities.

In my experience, there is a close relationship and strong need for public and private cooperation. The provision of higher education in the Commonwealth is no exception to that rule. That is why I am so pleased to act as the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities’ (AIKCU) representative to the Inter Alumni Council (IAC). The IAC brings together alumnae from every public institution and provides for representation of the independent colleges through AIKCU.

Every member of the IAC is committed to promoting a culture of learning throughout the Commonwealth. As a group, we work to harness the resources of individual campuses towards common goals. To that end, representation of the independent colleges and universities is a great challenge because there is so much that we do for Kentucky, and each story needs to be told. It is an honor to be the representative of so many diverse institutions who mean so much to the students, families, and communities that they serve.

Click here to see profiles of other independent college and university alumni who are giving back to the Commonwealth. Know an alum who should be featured? Let us know.

Allen Eskridge is Kentucky’s Assistant Secretary of State. A graduate of Owensboro High School and Transylvania graduate, he’s also currently pursuing a PhD in higher education policy at the University of Kentucky. He is the former president of the Transylvania Bluegrass Alumni Board and currently represents the independent colleges and universities on the Kentucky Inter-Alumni Council. His wife is a Centre College graduate who works at Georgetown College. Allen recently took time to share his thoughts on the importance of Kentucky’s independent sector, the independents’ legacy of service, and why he remains so interested and involved in independent higher education.

Without the solid educational foundation provided by my experience at Transylvania University, I would not be where I am today. Kentucky’s independent colleges provide academic and social environments that foster the growth of the whole individual. Through small class sizes, individual attention from professors, civic and community engagement, and opportunities to become involved in campus activities, the value of an education at Kentucky’s independent colleges cannot be overstated. In my continuing educational pursuits as well as my professional career, I would not be nearly as prepared to meet each day’s challenges were it not for my experience at Transylvania.

Today, Transylvania is still a large and active participant in my life. Through my association with the university, I continue to make new friends and gain opportunities to serve the community and the Commonwealth. It is this continuing relationship that I find so valuable, and that is why I believe it is so important to give back to the institution that keeps giving to me.

The role of community leader and service oriented partner is one that independent colleges like Transylvania cherish. Kentucky’s independent colleges have strong histories of acting as havens for social discussion and evaluation; and, sometimes, those campuses along with their students act as agents of social change. By advancing each community they serve, Kentucky’s independent colleges enrich the Commonwealth’s population by providing unique solutions for unique communities.

That tradition of community service is one that fascinates me, and it is the reason for my interest and commitment to continuing my education at the University of Kentucky. As a student in higher education policy and evaluation at the University of Kentucky’s school of education, I have the opportunity to interact with top scholars who recognize the value of educational resources provided by Kentucky’s independent colleges and universities.

In my experience, there is a close relationship and strong need for public and private cooperation. The provision of higher education in the Commonwealth is no exception to that rule. That is why I am so pleased to act as the Association of Independent Kentucky Colleges and Universities’ (AIKCU) representative to the Inter Alumni Council (IAC). The IAC brings together alumnae from every public institution and provides for representation of the independent colleges through AIKCU.

Every member of the IAC is committed to promoting a culture of learning throughout the Commonwealth. As a group, we work to harness the resources of individual campuses towards common goals. To that end, representation of the independent colleges and universities is a great challenge because there is so much that we do for Kentucky, and each story needs to be told. It is an honor to be the representative of so many diverse institutions who mean so much to the students, families, and communities that they serve.

Click here to see profiles of other independent college and university alumni who are giving back to the Commonwealth. Know an alum who should be featured? Let us know