TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY

EIN 61-0444825 · Education (B420)

What they do

THROUGH AN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LIBERAL ARTS, TRANSYLVANIA UNIVERSITY PREPARES ITS STUDENTS for A HUMANE and FULFILLING PERSONAL and PUBLIC LIFE BY CULTIVATING INDEPENDENT THINKING, OPEN-MINDEDNESS, CREATIVE EXPRESSION and COMMITMENT to LIFELONG LEARNING and SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN A DIVERSE WORLD.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $88.50 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders40 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

73.14%of revenue went to mission work88.5% of expenses · Program services

1.77%of revenue went to fundraising2.1% of expenses

$82.60spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

7.69%of revenue went to management and office costs9.3% of expenses

$3.86in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

6.6%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $458,860 for WILLIAM BRIEN LEWIS (PRESIDENT). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$86,108,052

Mission workProgram services$62,976,33173.14% of revenue88.5% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$6,625,6147.69% of revenue9.3% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$1,521,1191.77% of revenue2.1% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$14,984,98817.40% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$71,123,06482.60% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 88.5% mission · 9.3% management · 2.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.60% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 89.1% mission · 8.7% management · 2.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.19% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 88.3% mission · 9.8% management · 1.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 103.56% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 88.2% mission · 9.8% management · 2.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 110.76% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 87.7% mission · 10.3% management · 1.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 84.65% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 89.2% mission · 8.7% management · 2.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.03% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 86.7% mission · 11.1% management · 2.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.85% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 85.4% mission · 12.5% management · 2.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.32% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$86,108,052

Expenses$71,123,064

Annual surplus $14,984,988 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$62,976,331 · 88.5% of expenses

Management and office costs$6,625,614 · 9.3% of expenses

Fundraising$1,521,119 · 2.1% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$86,108,052

Expenses$71,123,064

Assets$274,609,264

Income$109,387,882

Contributions$5,716,063

Mission work (program services)$62,976,331

Fundraising$1,521,119

Management and general$6,625,614

Stocks and bonds$73,115,206

Accounting fees$55,715

Investing fees$228,427

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

WILLIAM BRIEN LEWISPRESIDENT · 40 hrs/week $458,860Base $400,609 · Other $58,251

LISA CUSTARDOEVP FOR BUSINESS AFFAIRS, CFO · 40 hrs/week $252,052Base $215,637 · Other $36,415

S REBECCA THOMASVICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND DEAN OF TH · 40 hrs/week $235,621Base $200,219 · Other $35,402

KARA COVERTVICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT · 40 hrs/week $179,645Base $152,810 · Other $26,835

MICHAEL COVERTVICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE AND DEAN OF STUDEN · 40 hrs/week $175,665Base $141,912 · Other $33,753

RHYAN CONYERSVICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS · 40 hrs/week $169,340Base $132,858 · Other $36,482

G ROD ERFANIPROFESSOR · 40 hrs/week $165,070Base $132,169 · Other $32,901

MICHAEL CAIROPROFESSOR · 40 hrs/week $164,091Base $124,643 · Other $39,448

MANNING MAURICEPROFESSOR · 40 hrs/week $163,711Base $128,165 · Other $35,546

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (40)

WILLIAM BRIEN LEWISPRESIDENT

LISA CUSTARDOEVP FOR BUSINESS AFFAIRS, CFO

S REBECCA THOMASVICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AND DEAN OF TH

KARA COVERTVICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT

MICHAEL COVERTVICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE AND DEAN OF STUDEN

RHYAN CONYERSVICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

G ROD ERFANIPROFESSOR

MICHAEL CAIROPROFESSOR

MANNING MAURICEPROFESSOR

PALMER G VANCE IIBOARD MEMBER

KAREN K CALDWELLBOARD MEMBER

LUTHER DEATON JRBOARD TREASURER

MICHAEL C FINLEYBOARD MEMBER

MINDY G BARFIELDBOARD MEMBER

NORWOOD COWGILL JRBOARD MEMBER

TODD CLARKBOARD MEMBER

PRAKASH T MAGGANBOARD MEMBER

RAYMOND K COOPER IIBOARD VICE-CHAIR

ROSE MARY STAMLER DOWBOARD MEMBER

SHAWNA A CORMANBOARD MEMBER

SHERRY D HOLLEYBOARD MEMBER

GLEN S BAGBYBOARD MEMBER

ARISTIDES S CANDRISBOARD MEMBER

BETSY BROOKS BULLEITBOARD SECRETARY

BILLIE JO SETZERBOARD MEMBER

BRIAN C WOODBOARD MEMBER

CHARISSE GILLETBOARD MEMBER

CHRISTOPHER H YOUNGBOARD CHAIR

DAVID C JOHNSONBOARD MEMBER

FALGUNI AMIN-ZIMMERMANBOARD MEMBER

GEORGE M VANMETER JRBOARD MEMBER

LAURA R HARPERBOARD MEMBER

HANNAH GOODLETTBOARD MEMBER

JANET MCGREGORBOARD MEMBER

JEFFRY TRUITTBOARD MEMBER

JENNIFER MOOREBOARD MEMBER

JOE M THOMPSONBOARD MEMBER

JOHN KNAPPBOARD MEMBER

JOHN N WILLIAMS JRBOARD MEMBER

ANN ORME WINDLEYBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1943
Location: 300 NORTH BROADWAY, LEXINGTON, KY 40508
County: Fayette
In care of: LISA CUSTARDO
Primary officer: LISA CUSTARDO, CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailwebmaster@transy.edu Phone(859) 233-8100

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: BLUE & CO LLC
NTEE classification: Education (B420)