J. Allen Eskridge, III
Transylvania ‘94
Assistant Secretary of State,
Commonwealth of Kentucky

Allen Eskridge serves as the Assistant Secretary of State under Trey Grayson. In that role he provides operational supervision as well as policy management for the office and represents Secretary Grayson in all official capacities. He is a proud graduate of Transylvania University, where he is active in the alumni association. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Kentucky, where he is currently working towards a Ph.D. in educational policy.

Originally from Owensboro, Allen has devoted his professional career to public service, including stints at the Council of State Governments, the National Association of State Treasurers, and the Governor’s Office for Policy and Management before joining the Secretary of State’s office. He has represented AIKCU alumni on the Inter-Alumni Board of the Council on Postsecondary Education and currently serves on the Owensboro Community and Technical College Board.

He attributes he passion for service in large part to the emphasis that Transylvania, like other Kentucky private colleges, places on service to its community:

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.

The role of community leader and service oriented partner is one that independent colleges like Transylvania cherish. 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 studying educational policy.