Tusculum University appreciates all that Tusculum Police does for us and the community!

Members of the City of Tusculum Police Department stand by a pallet of water.

Chief Danny Greene, left, arranged for the delivery of seven pallets of water to the university. Many students picked up cases.

Photo by the Office of Communications

TaylorMade Grooming Lounge serves many students with free haircuts

A steady stream of students kept TaylorMade Grooming Lounge’s mobile unit busy on campus Monday, Sept. 9, as the business provided free haircuts. The students who participated look sharp afterward.



We are grateful to TaylorMade for once again providing this valuable service at the start of the academic year. TaylorMade, located across the Erwin Highway from the Tusculum Arch, is a great friend to the university. 

Tusculum’s debate team finished third among four-year higher education institutions after competing in the National Parliamentary Debate Association at the 7th annual Tennessee Valley Invitational at Pellissippi State Community College.

In addition, Jessie Carolin-Vandenberg, a sophomore environmental science major, and JC Breazeale, a freshman psychology major, were novice semifinalists.

Congratulations to the team on this performance!

JC Breazeale, left, and Jessie Carolin-Vandenberg show the awards.

Photo from Dr. Kurtis Miller

Our Facilities Management Department has completed updates to another residence hall thanks to contributions to the Dorm Refresh Campaign.

Crews have put the final touches on the Charles Oliver Gray West project. It includes new floors and fresh paint on the walls and trim in the common areas as well as new room numbers on the doors. The team also installed a new water fountain and a large monitor on the wall on the ground floor.

Tusculum launched the Dorm Refresh Campaign in 2023 to make a variety of improvements to the residence halls. Tusculum exceeded the $110,000 goal with a $25,000 donation from Dr. Judith Domer, an alumna and member of our Board of Trustees. The work in COG West was completed with her funds. The lobby is now named the Domer Lobby in honor of her and her late husband, Dr. Floyd Domer.

The Office of Institutional Advancement hosted a luncheon for recipients of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship.

Participating students were treated to a three-course meal as well as presentations from Tusculum leaders and fellow Pioneers.



Speakers were Dr. Hummel and BriAnna Higgins, a sophomore English Education major and vice president of the Student Government Association.

After the event, other students shared the impact of the scholarship and their appreciation for the funds. At the event’s conclusion, participants wrote thank-you letters to the Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship Foundation.

The Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship is given to Christian female students with a financial need. Tusculum is one of more than 200 higher education institutions where students receive this scholarship. The scholarship serves more than 10,000 students.

Author John W. Roberts returns with moving and uplifting Black family saga ‘Remembering Gator’

By Editor | September 16, 2024 | 0 

A poignant tale of resilience, family bonds, and the power of memory to heal a broken home

TOWN OF UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – John W. Roberts marks his return in the literary limelight with the release of “Remembering Gator: A Black Family Saga” (published by Archway Publishing). This compelling novel takes readers on a journey of grief, forgiveness, and family unity as the protagonist, Beau Lewis, confronts the untimely death of his brother, Gator, and the hidden fractures within his family.

The book follows Beau as he arrives home expecting to honor his brother’s memory, only to find his household in turmoil. Soon, he learns that Gator was not the man he thought he knew and idolized growing up. As the story unfolds, Beau is faced with the daunting task of reuniting a family torn apart by misunderstandings, alienation, secrets and lies. His brother’s estranged son, Benji, is refusing to attend his father’s funeral because of their tortured relationship. Everyone is eager to share their stories of what happened between Benji and his father because they believe Beau is the only one who can convince Benji to change his mind. But in order to achieve this, Beau must harvest the memories of other family members — memories that will shake his view of the deceased in ways that he never would have expected.

“Remembering Gator: A Black Family Saga” presents a vivid picture of resilience, love and the strength of family bonds that hold African American families together, even in the face of overwhelming challenges. Throughout the book, Roberts masterfully weaves together richly drawn characters grappling with their own personal battles, exploring themes of grief, forgiveness, and the power of memory to bring healing to a broken family. The book’s realistic depiction domestic violence, bullying and homosexuality also provides insight into how prevalent these issues are for families regardless of race or geography.

“Although African American families, like all families, have their issues and problems, they rely on the love of one for the other to pull them through in times of crisis,” the author states. “I want readers to leave this story with a deeper understanding of the strength of African American families and how they have survived even through the Great Migration.”

“Remembering Gator: A Black Family Saga”

By John W. Roberts

Softcover | 6 x 9in | 276 pages | ISBN 9781665759298

E-Book | 276 pages | ISBN 9781665759304

Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the Author

John W. Roberts is an accomplished author and academic with a distinguished career in both education and literature. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English from Tusculum College, followed by a master’s from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. A former professor and department chair, Roberts has held leadership roles at prestigious institutions such as the University of Pennsylvania and The Ohio State University. He also served as deputy chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Now an emerging novelist, his works include “Redemption: The Story of Bert and His Boys,” “With Eyes Wide Open: The Execution of Quentin Marshall,” “Chasing His Destiny” and “Remembering Gator: A Black Family Saga.

A planned gift to Tusculum from your estate -- a will, trust, or financial account -- helps assure that the Pioneer experience will remain accessible and affordable for generations to come. Make a lasting legacy that will equip Tusculum to continue its vital role in students' lives!

Richard D. Raum

PCUSA Pastor, retired

Planned Giving Specialist, Tusculum University

rdraum2@gmail.com

701-226-2084

Tusculum working to create two new endowments to support students

Ron Conley

Marion Edens

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.

A Message from the Division of Education

We are off to an exciting start in Education. Our faculty, staff, and advisors welcomed new students to TU during several orientation events held during the summer: Several on-campus orientation events held during the summer, Pioneer WOW (held during move-in weekend and the first week of the semester), and our online GearUp event (held on the first evening of every semester for our Adult and Online Students). Graduate and undergraduate classes began on August 26^th. 

Dr. Miriam Stroder, Dr. Peggy Rochelle, Dr. Jessica Bucholz, Dexter Lim, Michelle DeFord, and Stephanie Efird completed a 3-month long annual review of our Educator Preparation Provider's (EPP) implementation of Foundational Literacy Skills standards, criteria essential for assessing and teaching students with Dyslexia, implementation of High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIMs), and the provision of trauma-informed instruction (T.C.A. 49-5-5607). This review is a critical part of every EPP’s accreditation process in Tennessee. On July 22nd, following the TN Department of Education's (TDOE) review of our submitted data, the TDOE notified us that our EPP meets all expectations and no further action is needed. In fact, we have been informed, that our TU EPP is among the 25% of EPPs across TN that successfully completed the Foundational Literacy Skills review by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) on the first submission. We maintain our excellent standing and accreditation with the TDOE and State Board of Education (SBE). This successful and continued alignment to foundational literacy skills standards and the academic effectiveness of our teacher education candidates will be included in the Annual Report and State Board Report Card.

The Education Club at Tusculum (EC@T) will be holding its first meeting in October 2024. During that meeting, we will engage in fellowship and service to our community: EC@T members will stuff envelopes for the Greene County Imagination Library (GCIL). These envelopes will be sent out to area residents and businesses seeking contributions to GCIL that are used to purchase age-appropriate books for children from birth to age five (5). Dr. Miriam Stroder (GCIL board member), Lillian Burchnell (GCIL board member and treasurer), and BriAnna Higgins (student GCIL board member) facilitate the fellowship and service during this meeting. The GCIL, in conjunction with the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, are celebrating 20 years of providing quality books to area children.

Our annual “Why Teach?” event with Greene County Schools will take place in Chalmers on Friday, November 8^th. TU Education and Greene County Schools work collaboratively to provide an active experience that allows Greene County High School students who have expressed interest in becoming a teacher to gather information about careers in the field of education and to explore their interests and callings. We always have a lot of fun during this event as well as enjoy meeting prospective students and visiting with our colleagues in Greene County Schools. During this event, Greene County students interview professionals in the field of education from Greene County Schools and Tusculum University, meet and talk to TU Education seniors to hear about what their experiences have been like in TU’s teacher preparation programs, and engage in collaborative group activities to explore their interests in a teaching career. Our Greene County visitors will have lunch in the cafeteria and get a tour of our beautiful campus. This event is one of the ways and opportunities in which we actively engage with our Primary Partner, Greene County Schools. 

We have two important events coming up this fall 2024 semester:

·       Our fall 2024 Kappa Delta Pi (KDP) Induction Ceremony will be held at 6:00 PM in the Brotherton Boardroom in the Meen Center on November 6, 2024. This is a meaningful ceremony in which we induct candidates into our honor society of the Alpha Iota Zeta chapter of the KDP. New KDP inductees, their families, and our current KDP members all take part in this impressive and dignified induction ceremony and celebrate this momentous occasion with a delicious dinner together.

·       Our Virtual Honor Awards Ceremony will be held on November 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM. You can join us as we celebrate our students’ achievements using this Zoom link: https://tusculum.zoom.us/j/81152633727?pwd=xmwtgeamqfnuxWJkqCdTzbaN1bLUHl.1

President Scott Hummel will present the opening remarks and Provost David Cook will present the closing remarks during this ceremony in which it is our honor and our pleasure to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of our students. 

The Tusculum women’s cross country team competes in the Railsplitter Open. The Pioneer men’s and women’s teams each finished fourth. Photo from the Office of Athletic Communications

Freshman Addison Rishling, jumps into the arms of a teammate after scoring her first career goal at Tusculum during the women’s soccer team’s match last week against Thomas More University. Photo from the Office of Athletic Communications

Students go wild at a men’s soccer match. Photo from the Office of Athletic Communications

Freshman Maylei Hildenbrand started her collegiate playing career strongly by helping the women’s golf team finish fifth at the Meredith Insurance AU/EU Fall Kickoff in South Carolina. She finished with a 223 in the 54-hole tournament to place 10th individually. Her tally is tied for the fourth-lowest 54-hole total in program history. You can read more in this news release from the Office of Athletic Communications. Photo from the Office of Athletic Communications

Senior Olivia Crowl goes for the kill in the women’s volleyball team’s straight-set victory against Emory & Henry University. Photo from the Office of Athletic Communications

Jalen Hunt fights for additional yardage during the home opener for the football team. Photo from the Office of Athletic Communications

Follow the Alumni Facebook page to stay up to date on alumni

related events, news and happenings, both on and off campus.

Join us for First-Generation College Celebration Day

Tusculum will participate in First-Generation Celebration Day Wednesday, Nov. 6, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. in the Scott M. Niswonger Commons.

During the event, Dr. Hummel and Rachael Barnett, director of Student Support Services, will deliver remarks. At least one first-generation student will also speak. First-generation students – those now in school and those who have graduated from any school – will be able to share their story via video. People will also enjoy refreshments.



SSS and ARCHES, which serve traditional and online first-generation students, respectively, are leading the event. First-Generation Celebration Day is open to everyone in the Tusculum family. We look forward to seeing you!