Alumni & Friends Newsletter **September 2024 | |
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Go Pioneers!
Scott Hummel, Ph.D.
“Pressing Forward”
– Philippians 3:14
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Campus is buzzing again with students starting the academic year. They are not just starting their academic careers; they are starting their path to become career-ready professionals. That is more than job training. To be career-ready, they need the hard skills and knowledge to perform at a high level. However, they also need soft skills to communicate and collaborate in a productive manner. Finally, they need the character skills to be trustworthy with a strong work ethic. At a time that many question the work skills of recent college graduates, Tusculum continues to produce truly career-ready professionals.
We are proud that our graduates remain in high demand. We often tell our students that when they graduate and are in the workforce that they need to remember their alma mater and help the next generation of students succeed. As a career-ready professional and Tusculum graduate, don’t forget your alma mater.
Click here to give.
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NEW TUSCULUM STUDENTS HAVE FUN AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE
UNIVERSITY AND ITS MISSION AND THEME DURING PIONEER WOW
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Pioneer WOW is designed to help freshmen navigate the collegiate landscape, become comfortable in their new surroundings and develop friendships as part of the Tusculum family. It also serves transfer students by helping them learn more about what makes Tusculum such a special place to study and develop as individuals. The new students were divided into groups, enabling them to have discussions in smaller numbers, but there were also times for all groups to come together
The first three days of Pioneer WOW were jam-packed with activities, including:
· Move-in for new residential students
· A delicious lunch prepared by local churches
· Multiple sessions for all new students to discuss items such as goal-setting, values, perseverance and the university’s annual theme
· Opportunities to learn more about the various resources available at Tusculum
· Lunch with other students and faculty members from their academic program
· Pioneer Showdown, a series of games, such as carrying an egg on a spoon, spinning around a bat and three-legged races
· A question-and answer session with the president and provost
· Lots of ice cream
· A movie night, and a Freshman Day of Service.
Freshmen Day of Service supported two organizations – the Tennessee Valley Coalition to End Homeless in Knoxville, which serves 12 counties, and CANUP, which assists homeless individuals in Greene County. The students packaged 250 bags of food items for CANUP. They also put together hygiene bags – 150 for CANUP and 350 for the Tennessee Valley Coalition.
To view a variety of photo galleries from the office of communications, please click the following links:
· Residence hall move-in
· Opening day lunch
· Pioneer WOW kickoff
· Parents reception
· Pioneer to Pioneer
· Pioneer rotations
· Pioneer Ceremony
· Group photos
· Pioneer Showdown
· Free Float Friday
· Freshman Day of Service
· Video
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Tusculum University and Walters State signed an agreement to provide a smooth transfer for students. | |
"Partnering with Walters State on this student-focused agreement will greatly benefit those who want to further their education with a bachelor’s degree,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “Students will receive an excellent foundation in subjects at Walters State that will be supplemented with an outstanding upperclassman experience at Tusculum. That will prepare them to be career-ready professionals. We are grateful to Walters State for teaming with us to strengthen the pathway for students to earn their four-year degree.” | |
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Eirik Dahlgren, who earned a bachelor’s degree in history and museum studies from Tusculum in 2023, has been selected for Rotary International’s Global Grant Scholarship. This is a $35,000 scholarship that will enable him to complete a master’s degree in international conflict and cooperation from the University of Stirling in Scotland. He begins his program there Sept. 23.
Dahlgren plans to use this graduate degree as a springboard to a position with the U.S. Agency for International Development. This organization builds potential trade partnerships with other countries, which have been impacted by natural disasters or wars, through economic development support. Dahlgren’s subsequent goals are to earn a doctorate and then potentially work in an embassy or in other diplomatic initiatives.
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TUSCULUM ALUMNUS RECEIVES ROTARY SCHOLARSHIP FOR FURTHER
STUDIES TO PREPARE HIM FOR POTENTIAL START OF DIPLOMATIC CAREER
| Eirik Dahlgren, center, joined David Bowlin, left, and Hughston Burnheimer for the excavation at Tel Lachish. This photo shows them after a day of work. | |
New faculty members are, left to right, Dr. Melissa Burt, Dr. B. Henderson, Dr. Mike Binder, Dr. Adam Denton and Ben Conley. Missing is Dr. Ronnie Grant, who was in the process of moving and will be on campus this week. Photo by the Office of Communications | | |
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Three open houses scheduled for the fall
The Office of Admission will hold three open houses on campus in the fall so prospective students can visit and learn more about Tusculum.
The events will be held Saturday, Sept. 28; Saturday, Oct. 26; and Saturday, Nov. 16.
We encourage you to spread the word about these open houses to students you know and any family or friends who might be interested.
Registration and the agenda are available by scanning the QR code in the graphic or visiting:
https://apply.tusculum.edu/portal/openhouse.
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Watauga Orthopaedics walk-in clinic is now open on campus. Tusculum is thrilled to have this outstanding regional practice on campus to serve Tusculum family as well as the community. The office is now open Monday-Friday 8 am - 5 pm and is located in the ground floor of the Meen Center. | |
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John-Austin Shepard, class of 2014, pictured with his family.
Co-Owner of Liquidity Aleworks.
Email: info@liquidityaleworks.com
Phone: 301-703-1165
Website: liquidityaleworks.com
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I would like to welcome Liquidity Aleworks to our "Pioneer-Owned" alumni webpage.
Description: Liquidity Aleworks is a prominent craft brewery in Mount Airy, Maryland. We brew beer with the intention that we will have something for everyone. We have everything from Stouts to IPAs and seltzers. Located in downtown Mount Airy close to restaurants and shopping so there is always something to do before or after your trip to the brewery.
Liquidity Aleworks emerged as the triumphant Best-In-Show winner at the prestigious 2023 Maryland Craft Beer Competition. Our award-winning beer, “Three Minutes Later,” earned both a coveted gold medal and also seized the title of Best-In-Class in the “American Cream Ale or Lager” category before being named the competition’s best entry.
To view his and other TU Pioneer-Owned businesses, please visit ...
Pioneer-Owned Businesses ⋆ TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY
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CONTEMPORARY ARTIST KATIE MURPHY TO EXHIBIT “THE GREAT
SOUTHERN BOX SHOW” FOR A MONTH AT TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY
A renowned painter from Johnson City who focuses on personal feminism and uses figuration and abstraction as her primary forms of expression will exhibit her cutting-edge work for a month at Tusculum University.
Katie Murphy will present “The Great Southern Box Show” from Friday, Sept. 27-Friday, Oct. 25, in the Clem Allison Gallery, located inside Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center. Tusculum’s Center for the Arts will host a reception for her from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, which also falls during the university’s Homecoming celebration. The public is invited to attend the exhibit and the reception; both are free. Monetary donations are welcome.
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Three examples of Katie Murhpy's artwork. | |
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Tusculum’s monthly newsletter brings lively reports of current activities and events. These give alumni and friends encouraging reminders that the University continues to offer students amazing opportunities to learn and grow, and to prepare for lives of leadership and service.
But as you might expect, it’s becoming increasingly challenging these days to finance this remarkably excellent and diverse university. One way you can help assure that a Tusculum experience remains available for future generations is by including the school in your estate plan. A Planned Gift benefits the University by securing its financial future. It also benefits the donor, who by “giving back” enjoys the satisfaction of opening paths for others. As has been said: “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” There may be significant tax advantages, as well, depending on how a Planned Gift is structured.
In upcoming newsletters we’ll introduce various ways a Planned Gift can be made to Tusculum, and some wonderful ways such a Gift will secure and strengthen the university’s purposes and programs. If you’d like to speak with someone, please contact us here at the university’s Development and Alumni Relations Department. We’ll connect you with Richard Raum, a retired Planned Giving Officer who is now assisting us as a volunteer.
IA office phone number 423-636-7303
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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 September 2024! Our K-12 partner districts have been back in school for a month and our candidates in the initial licensure educator preparation programs are thrilled to get into their clinicals, student teaching, or job-embedded teaching practice. Our candidates in the undergraduate and graduate Organizational Training and Performance Management programs are preparing to work in leadership positions within organizations. Our graduate students in the Master of Arts in Education are licensed teachers and are continuing their professional development with focus on improving their teaching effectiveness, assessing students and using assessment data to guide instruction to support their K-12 students.
We enjoyed learning with our students over the summer 2024 session as they diligently continued their efforts toward degree completion in their chosen programs of study. And now, we have begun the 2024-2025 academic year with the start of our fall 2024 courses on August 26th. Reconnecting with our continuing students is something we look forward to with the start of every semester. We love our interactions with our students, watching their confidence and competence grow, and watching them become the mentors new incoming students need (just as they needed a student mentor when they were new to their program). Being a professor comes with unique rewards as we prepare our students to join us in our profession and as colleagues in our field.
All of this is to say that we are very proud to learn with our students and we are proud that we have a 100% hire rate for candidates who graduate from our Educator Preparation Program with an initial teacher license. I’m already looking forward to inducting, honoring, and celebrating new members into our Alpha Iota Zeta chapter of the Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society on November 6, 2024.
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Women's soccer team kicks off its 2024 season Thursday, September 5th.
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Tusculum football opens season Saturday, September 7th to kick off Taylor era.
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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! | |
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Question: Do you remember this house? Where was it located?
I will give photo credit next month with the answer as to not give anything away ;)
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Last Month's question: This mansion was said to be one of the most distinctive looking buildings on campus. Why then was it torn down?
Answer: Morgan Hall was demolished in the early 1960s to make way for Annie Hogan Byrd.
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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. | | | |
As most of you know, my degrees are in education. I spent 17 years teaching in the public school system. I may not be in the classroom anymore, but I will be attending the centennial celebration for Doak Elementary School! Located right across the street from Tusculum. Join me, won't you? Please see flyer below for more information. | |
Dear Alumni and Friends!
I had the pleasure of participating in the Pioneer WoW events as a mentor to one of the groups. Let me just tell you, these freshman are ready to become the best versions of themselves. I was blown away by their tenacity and drive. They were able to dive right into all activities and learn what exactly it means to be a Pioneer! I am confident that these new underclassmen will do big things on campus and in our community!
Speaking of big things...it's a 'BER' month now...so, you know what that means?!...I know you do...it's HOMECOMING TIME in TUSCULUM, TENNESSEE!!! If you have not made contact with your classmates, what are you waiting for? Call them and make plans to come back home. Please don't forget to register online for all the fun events that are happening. This is going to be epic. You won't want to miss it. Promise!
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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Were you a first generation student? Please click the "We are First-Generation" graphic (to the side) 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! | | | | | |
