Transylvania awards Donna Hall Doctor of Humane Letters for philanthropic support

Transylvania University awarded an honorary degree to Donna Stauffer Hall on Friday for her generous support of education, athletics, medicine and the arts.

She and her late husband John, a lifetime trustee, have made a lasting impact at Transy, providing major gifts for The Transylvania Fund, building renovations and scholarships. They were also the lead donors for the $4.5 million John R. and Donna S. Hall Softball Complex dedicated in fall 2017.

"Today we recognize Donna Stauffer Hall's philanthropic efforts and her generous support of Transylvania University, ensuring the success of current and future Pioneers," President Brien Lewis said during a Board of Trustees presentation.

Lewis also noted Hall's dedication to community service. For example, she endowed the Donna S. Hall Chair in Breast Cancer at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center and has served on numerous arts and education boards. Her recognitions include the Commerce Lexington W.T. Young Lifetime Achievement Award, Kentucky Governor's Volunteer Activist Award and Citizen of the Year (Huntington, West Virginia). Last May, she was selected as an honorary trustee by the Transylvania's Board of Trustees.

Born in Houston, Hall grew up in Macon, Georgia, and earned a degree in secondary education from the University of Georgia.

The honorary degree she received Friday is a Doctor of Humane Letters, which Transylvania awards for distinguished achievement in the liberal and creative arts, humanitarianism and other extraordinary accomplishments in public life.