Alumni & Friends Newsletter ***August 2024 | |
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Go Pioneers!
Scott Hummel, Ph.D.
“Pressing Forward”
– Philippians 3:14
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As August arrives, Tusculum prepares for the next class of students. On July 31, 92 employees fanned out across campus to clean dorm rooms, trim trees, and spruce up campus for returning students. This speaks highly of the Tusculum family’s commitment to our students. Students will return to campus in waves, first RA’s, then football players, then other fall sport athletes, then freshman. The campus will soon be abuzz with hundreds of students on campus.
As an alum you remember your first semester at Tusculum whether as a residential student, day student, or adult student. You may not have known the new friendships you were going to make, the experiences you would have, or the doors that would be opened after graduation because of your Tusculum education.
This year Tusculum enters its 230th year. It would not still be here without strong support from its alumni and donors. Your alma mater and the newest Tusculum students need you. As alumni and donors before you gave to make your Tusculum education possible, I hope you will pay it forward to the newest generation of Tusculum students.
Click here to give.
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TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY FACULTY AND STAFF TEAM TO MAKE CAMPUS
LOOK EVEN MORE ATTRACTIVE BEFORE START OF ACADEMIC YEAR
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Enthusiasm for the start of the academic year continues to grow at Tusculum University as faculty and staff near the homestretch of preparation for the arrival of students.
Employees gathered Wednesday, July 31, for the annual Community Work Day on campus. This event provides an opportunity for faculty and staff to trade their office setting for the outdoors and help make the gorgeous campus look even more attractive by performing landscaping activities. They also headed inside the residence halls and other campus buildings to perform various final touches and they even washed the university’s vehicles.
The event drew 92 faculty and staff from a wide array of offices and departments.
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TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY STUDENTS FURTHER DEVELOP SKILLS
IN INTERNSHIPS AS THEY BECOME CAREER-READY PROFESSIONALS
Putting their knowledge into practice, many Tusculum University students are expanding on the active and experiential learning that occurs in their coursework and further developing their skills as interns this summer.
Dozens of students in multiple disciplines across the university are participating in internships with organizations that align with their fields of study. They include students in academic programs such as biology, chemistry, computer science, psychology, sport management and sport science.
“Students' classroom time is essentially the theory part of education, explaining how and why things are done the way they are,” said Dr. Brandon Hudson, assistant professor of sport management, who oversees that program’s interns. “It builds the foundation of knowledge for what they will see in their careers. But the experiential learning aspect of the internships is putting that theory into practice. It's like a test drive of their prospective career.
“Students learn so much more in a real-world, hands-on space than we can ever teach them solely in a classroom. They not only get to do and apply things we've discussed, but they get to build professional relationships and connections with co-workers, supervisors, customers and fans.”
Dr. Heather Henson-Ramsey, dean of the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, takes Dr. Hudson’s comment about a test drive a step further.
“Internship experiences can help a student rule in or rule out a career,” she said. “I received an email from a student, Clayton Sanders, who is job shadowing this summer, and he told me that he is excited for the future and knew after the first day at the facility that being a veterinarian was for him. I have also had students who have completed an internship and came back having ruled out that career. Both are equally important.”
-TU Office of Communications
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Summer Academy concludes with trip to Cincinnati | |
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All of the hard work achieved in the classroom, combined with fun activities in the afternoon and evening provided students participating in the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science programs with exceptional active and experiential learning that enriched their lives.
The students, the summer staff and the staff of these two programs were able to unwind a bit with a trip to Cincinnati. The highlight of the trip was a day spent at Kings Island, an amusement park perhaps best known for serving as the setting for an episode of “The Brady Bunch” television show.
We commend Dr. David Smith, director of TRIO programs at Tusculum, and the rest of the staff of the two programs, as well as the summer staff for tremendous planning and execution with this year’s Summer Academy. We look forward to holding the Summer Academy again in 2025.
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NEW GAME DESIGN MINOR AT TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY WILL PROVIDE
HANDS-ON SKILLS IN GROWING FIELD TO STUDENTS OF ANY MAJOR
Students who want to create video games will be able to develop those skills through hands-on experience when they pursue a new minor at Tusculum University.
Beginning with the fall semester, Tusculum will offer a game design minor that will enable students to build their own video game. The minor will incorporate artistic and programmatic elements and empower students to demonstrate their creativity and design abilities. All of these components will come in handy as students seek jobs with potential future employers.
The minor consists of six courses, split equally between the computer science and visual communications programs. The courses include basic programming, game engines, 3D modeling, digital graphics and a seminar class where students will work on building their game.
To learn more about the game design minor, please email Wimberly at wwimberly@tusculum.edu. Additional information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.
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Three Tusculum University alumni recently hosted a family reunion on campus!
Ryan and Erika Barker, who met as Tusculum students and were married under the iconic Old Oak Tree on campus in 2017, and her brother, Ian Allison, returned to their alma mater for the three-day event and brought about 40 other family members with them. Organized by Erika, the reunion was held for her and her brother’s paternal side of the family and continued a tradition that dates to 1988.
“We chose Tusculum for a few reasons, some sentimental and some practical,” Erika said. “Ryan and I love living in East Tennessee. Tusculum is only a little more than an hour away from our residence, and we come back regularly. For the family members who came to our wedding, it also provided a chance to show how the campus had changed in the last seven years. Tusculum was incredibly flexible, kind and helpful as we put together the reunion.”
Ryan earned bachelor’s degrees in history and English, with a concentration in creative writing, from Tusculum in 2015. That same year, Erika earned bachelor’s degrees in history and museum studies, and Ian earned his bachelor’s in biology, with minors in mathematics and chemistry. Ian returned to Tusculum as a student and received a Master of Arts in Teaching in 2019. He now teaches in Ocala, Florida.
While Ryan and Erika started dating as Tusculum students and shared a common love for history, he and Ian had another connection besides her. The two men shared an apartment on campus during their undergraduate studies.
During the June 21-23 reunion, everyone connected with the Allison family utilized multiple facilities on campus. They dined in the cafeteria and had cards, photo albums, puzzles and other games in Chalmers Conference Center. Virtually all of the guests stayed in the apartments on campus.
About half of the attendees walked the Tusculum Nature Trail, which connects the Doak House Museum and the Paul E. Hayden Educational Wetland. Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history and museum studies at Tusculum, gave the family a tour of the Doak House, and the family held a campfire behind the academy building on the grounds.
The group played a lot of cornhole. That brought back memories for Erika and her father, Jim Allison, who were the Family Weekend cornhole tournament champions all four years she was a Tusculum student.
Family members also enjoyed activities off campus. They traveled to Bristol to visit the Birthplace of Country Music, where Erika serves as the curatorial manager, and other spots in that city. They also visited Brights Zoo in Limestone and Margarette Falls in nearby Cherokee National Forest.
“The reunion was a smashing success,” Ryan said. “Erika's family tends to be outdoorsy, and the reunions typically involve many family members wanting to catch up more than anything. Tusculum was perfect for both of those needs. Because the apartments offered individual privacy and communal spaces, everyone was happy on campus. We also had many spaces – the Doak House, Chalmers, the hiking trails – where family members could break into smaller groups and spend time together.”
Erika agreed that the setting was great for the family. “I am very pleased with how the weekend went,” she said. “Several family members have told me, during and after the reunion, that this reunion has been their favorite in many years. They really liked how friendly the staff was, how beautiful the campus and mountains are and that they had the opportunity to gather and visit with each other here better than they have at some of our other reunions.”
The event also served as another reminder of the special place that brought the Barkers together. As a part of their unity ceremony, Ryan and Erika planted a tree using soil from each of their hometowns – Alpharetta, Georgia, for her and Laurens, South Carolina, for him. The tree they used was a sapling of the Old Oak and was planted near the Doak House.
The Barkers will continue to have a presence at Tusculum. The couple serve on Tusculum’s Alumni Executive Board, and one or both of them are usually on campus during Homecoming and the Old Oak Festival, two popular events for former students. Ryan has taught history courses as an adjunct professor since 2019 as he completes his doctorate in history from Purdue University.
From TU Office of Communications
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Erika Barker was one of the leaders on this project! Tusculum congratulates you! | |
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
We are incredibly honored and proud to announce that our previous special exhibit, I've Endured: Women In Old-Time Music, was selected as a 2024 Award of Excellence winner by the American Association for State and Local History Leadership in History awards committee.
The AASLH Leadership in History Awards program is the nation’s most prestigious competition for recognition of achievement in state and local history. For over seventy-five years, AASLH has given Leadership in History Awards to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of state and local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all people. Award winners come from all over the country, from organizations of all kinds, sizes, and budgets.
We would like to thank AASLH for this wonderful honor, and our incredible staff, content team, visitors, and women featured in the exhibit for helping bring this passion project to life. I've Endured: Women In Old-Time Music marked a huge milestone for us, as it is the first exhibition curated by the museum that will travel to other institutions. We will be announcing its first travel stop very soon! Cheers!!
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Tusculum launches Operation 11th Hour to spur additional enrollment
This year has been extraordinarily challenging for new and current students due to the revision in the FAFSA program. Tusculum is determined to work with these students so they can enroll in classes and live on campus.
The university launched Operation 11th Hour. It is an initiative to help new students apply to Tusculum, receive an admission decision and have their financial aid package awarded as quickly as possible.
“If this scenario or another circumstance has affected prospective students, Tusculum can still help them make college a reality this fall through Operation 11th Hour,” said Paul Carney, vice president of enrollment management and financial aid. “We are prepared to work swiftly to provide the answers students need so they can begin their studies and have a terrific academic, social and spiritual experience in a caring Christian environment.”
Anyone who knows students who are still seeking a place to enroll for the fall semester is urged to share with them the Tusculum story and encourage them to apply and make their deposit.
You can read more about Operation 11th Hour in this news release.
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Tusculum University's Alumni Executive Board (AEB) has been very busy this summer! From dining with the president (thank you Dr. and Mrs. Hummel) in their beautiful home to board meetings to the alumni night at the Flyboys. There is always something going on and fun to be had. We have recently welcomed four new members including Vanessa Fyffe, Steve Goad, Carole Vest, and Robert Zirkle to the board.
Fellow Tusculum alums serve on this board to support and serve Tusculum University, her administration, and her alumni by facilitating communication, comradery, and fundraising. Currently AEB is hard at work making plans for homecoming.
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The AEB currently includes
Angelo Botta, President
Tiffany Greer, Vice President
Carolynn Kinser, Secretary
Lauren A. Baes
Erika Barker
Ryan Barker
Peggy Brewer
Bo Cordell
Bill (Norton) Dunham
Carol Eggert
Vanessa Fyffe
Steve Goad
Donna McCoy
Jane Morse
Joan O'Dell
Carole Vest
Monica Willingham
Angela White-Wilson
Kenneth (Shadow) Winterbauer
Robert Zirkle
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I just want to say a heartfelt thank you to each of our AEB members for all they have done and continue to do to support Tusculum and its mission. I am grateful for each of you! - Jolin Hawk
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Tusculum working to create two new endowments to support students | |
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Seeking to provide additional financial support for our students, individuals at Tusculum are working to create two endowed scholarships.
The Office of Institutional Advancement is collaborating with the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics and family members of Ron Conley to establish one scholarship in his name. Conley was a faculty member for 30 years and former chair of the Mathematics Department.
In addition, Institutional Advancement is coordinating with an anonymous donor to start a scholarship in the name of Marion Edens, a 1932 Tusculum graduate, who was heavily involved in our Athletic Department and student recruitment.
Everyone involved is raising the $25,000 necessary to create these endowed scholarships, and your donation is welcome.
To donate to the Conley scholarship, please visit https://giving.tusculum.edu/the-ronald-conley-memorial-scholarship-fund. To support the Edens scholarship, please visit https://giving.tusculum.edu/the-marion-edens-scholarship-challenge. If you would like more information, please email Edward Roberts, vice president of institutional advancement, at eroberts@tusculum.edu or Cheryl Fehl, senior director of grants and development, at cfehl@tusculum.edu or call 423-636-7303.
You can read more about these endowed scholarships in this news release.
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It is hard to believe that it is already August 2024. The summer is drawing to a close and preparations are underway for the 2024-2025 academic year: The summer 2024 semester ends on August 9th and the fall 2024 semester begins on August 26th.
Faculty, staff, and students work, learn, and grow year round in the College of Education, which gives us cause for celebration throughout the year. One huge reason to celebrate is that several of our students who graduated in December 2023 and May 2024 from our undergraduate programs are returning to us to begin work on their Masters degrees. We are thrilled to welcome them back as they continue their professional development in their respective fields of study. Go Pioneers!
During the summer, we have enjoyed meeting many of our incoming new students during Pioneer Quests. We take a lot of pleasure in watching some of our Junior- and Senior-year students greet and guide our new freshmen and transferring-in students get acquainted and acclimated to Tusculum University and our programs. It was not so long ago that those well-adjusted Juniors and Seniors were the freshmen on-campus. We are so proud of our accomplished Pioneers and the leaders they have become, and elated to be meeting our new students as they begin their learning journeys.
In addition to the Pioneer Quest dates that are still to come in the remaining summer days, we are looking forward to Pioneer WOW (i.e., Welcome Orientation Week) August 22-30. The COE faculty and staff will enjoy lunch with our new students to start of the fall 2024 semester with our new freshmen during “Dining with Your Department” on Friday, August 23rd at 12:30. We are excited to have this quality time to get to know our incoming freshmen and transfer students.
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Head Cross Country Coach
We welcome Alaric Gwynn to the Tusculum family as our new head cross country coach!
Gwynn will lead the TU men’s and women’s cross country teams and will coach the distance runners with the Tusculum track and field teams.
Most recently, Gwynn served on the cross country and track and field coaching staffs at Elon University, which is part of NCAA Division 1, for five years. Before Elon, he served six years as cross country and distance coach at Hillcrest High School in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
You can read more about Gwynn in this news release from the Office of Athletic Communications.
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New Sports Hall of Fame inductees selected!
Four former Pioneers who displayed excellence on the court and field and in administration have been selected to the 2024 Tusculum Sports Hall of Fame class for 2024!
Justin Houston, who played football; Doug Jones, our former longtime baseball coach and vice president of athletics and university initiatives; Annie McCullough, who played women’s tennis; and Dante Owens, who played men’s basketball, will be inducted during Sports Hall of Fame Weekend festivities Saturday, Oct. 26.
Most Tusculum family members will probably remember Jones and McCullough for their exploits at Tusculum. Longtime faculty and staff will be more likely to know about Houston’s and Owens’ memorable performances for the Pioneers.
We congratulate this group and look forward to their induction ceremony. You can read more about these former Pioneers in this news release from the Office of Athletic Communications.
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Life trustee passes away
W extend our condolences to the family of Jim Emory, a life trustee and highly respected community member, who passed away Monday, July 8.
Emory was a North Carolina native who came to Greeneville while he was a partner in a multi-state Burger Chef franchise to open a restaurant in town. His career in the fast food industry spanned more than 60 years. In his earlier years, he was a teacher and returned to that profession in his 80s.
He was civically engaged as a Greeneville alderman and a board member for Greeneville Energy Authority, Greene County Bank, Greeneville Community Hospital and the Sessions of Cumberland Presbyterian Church in addition to his service for Tusculum.
We are grateful for his service to Tusculum and the community and thank his family for sharing him with us. We will remember him fondly.
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Homecoming is the perfect time to plan a class reunion. If you graduated 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or more years ago make plans to return "home" for your reunion. Call your classmates and make those plans now! October will be here before you know it! | |
Thank you to all the Tusculum alums who came out to enjoy a night of fun at the Flyboys baseball game on July 25th. The Flyboys won! Thank you to Jim Wozniak for the pictures. I didn't take any as I was too busy enjoying the evening with my fellow alums. | |
Question: This mansion was said to be one of the most distinctive looking buildings on campus. Why then was it torn down? | | |
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Last Month's question: These 2 pictures depict the most festive event of the school year during the 1920s and 1930s. What was the name of this celebration? Why did it stop?
Answer: This event was called May Day. It discontinued after the American entry into World War II.
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Follow the Alumni Facebook page to stay up to date on alumni
related events, news and happenings, both on and off campus.
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Share news about new jobs, promotions, graduate school success, weddings and births with your fellow alumni by submitting a Class Note through alumni pages on the Tusculum website. | | | |
Were you a first generation student? Please click the "We are First-Generation" graphic below to help your alma mater gather data. It will take you to a very short survey. We truly appreciate you taking the time to connect! | |
Dear Alumni and Friends!
I ask this every year. Where did summer go? Summer flew right by. Doesn't it feel like you just started making summer plans for all the events, gatherings, trips, and household projects?! Now it is "back to school" time. How does that happen?!
Campus is buzzing with everyone preparing for the return of current students and the welcoming of brand new students. We are all so excited for this fall semester to begin. Please join me in praying for everyone involved in the new year. Let's pray for the students, faculty, staff, family members who live far and will miss them, family who lives close but their first baby is now in college. They say it takes a village and I think that remains true even at the university level. The good news is...ONCE A PIONEER, ALWAYS A PIONEER! We are all here to help!
As always, please feel free to email me at jhawk@tusculum.edu or call at 423.636.7407.
Kind Regards,
Jolin Hawk '05 '11
Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations
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