Students at Tusculum College are doing what they can to make a difference in the lives of those in need in East Tennessee by sponsoring a food drive to support The Second Harvest Food Bank and the Feeding America program.

“Pioneers Can! – Stack Up Against Hunger” is a program started by Professor Robin Fife’s Service Learning Class. Fife, assistant professor of social sciences, said she is allowing the students to plan, operate and manage every aspect of the campaign. The goal of the students, who kicked off the program on Wednesday, October 27, is to collect 10,000 pounds of food by November 12.

To get to 10,000 pounds, they are asking everyone on and off campus to consider donating at least 10 cans of food to be stacked up in the Pioneer Perk in a giant pyramid. However, donations of any size will be accepted. Anyone wishing to donate canned or boxed goods may do so by dropping them in one of the Second Harvest food collection barrels on campus at the entrances to Virginia and McCormick halls, the Thomas J. Garland Library and in the cafeteria and Pioneer Arena in Niswonger Commons.  Donations can also be dropped off at the Center for Civic Advancement at Rankin Hall, Room 203. Cash donations will also be accepted at the Center for Civic Advancement Office.

“We are accepting any canned or boxed items that are sealed and are not past their expiration dates,” said Sarah Moss, a junior from Nashville, Tenn. She added that some of the top items needed are peanut butter, cereal, macaroni and cheese as well as baby food and diapers. Also in high demand are canned meats, vegetables and fruits.

Students will also be accepting donations from the community at several special events schedule for campus during the campaign. Collections will be taken on Friday, October 29, at the Tusculum volleyball game at 7 p.m.; on Saturday, October 30, at the football game at 1:30, the women’s soccer game at 6 p.m. and at the men’s soccer game at 8 p.m., and on Nov. 5-7 at productions of “The King and I” at Annie Hogan Byrd auditorium.

 ”These students are very capable and they are realizing what’s involved in pulling something like this together. They are learning and at the same time helping people in our regional who are in need,” said Fife.

America’s Second Harvest is the United States’ largest domestic hunger relief organization, with a network of more than 200 food banks and food-rescue programs. The regional Food Bank serves 250 agencies in Carter, Greene, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties. Their vision is that no one goes hungry because they do not have access to food.

“All of the food goes back to the Second Harvest Food Bank and is used to serve only those in East Tennessee and especially Greene County,” said Dustin Collins, a senior psychology major from Bluff City, Tenn. “If you need help, they are there to help you without discrimination of age, sex, race or circumstance.”  He added, “10 cans really can make a difference right here at home.”

According to Fife, part of the very mission of Tusculum College is serving the communities and others in need and learning to be servant leaders is what the service learning classes are all about.

“These students really do care about helping others, and now they are learning how to take those feelings and put them into action,” Fife said.

Approximately 300 alumni and friends of Tusculum College returned to campus for Homecoming 2010 activities October 8 and 9.

Homecoming activities included a parade, a tailgate party, an alumni dinner and dance, Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony, a memorial service and the annual Alumni Association meeting.

In addition, this year’s festivities included the Inauguration of Dr. Nancy B. Moody, Tusculum College’s 27^th and first female president, and related events. Alumni representing almost each class beginning with the class of 1940 marched in the processional for the ceremony, and Dr. Robert Pollock, a member of the class of 1965 and president of the Alumni Association, spoke during the ceremony on behalf of the alumni. (Please see related article in the newsletter).

At half-time of the football game, seniors Jerwayne Gunn and Amber Sharp were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Gunn is a graphic design major from Antioch, Tenn., and a student assistant with the Lady Pioneers women’s basketball team and a peer mentor for the Quest group. Sharp is an athletic training major from Tazewell, Tenn., who is the president of the Bonner Leaders program and a member of the President’s Society, the Student Alumni Association, Athletic Training Student Society and Iota Tau Alpha.

During the annual Alumni Association meeting, members of the Class of 1960 presented a class gift of $2,000 to Dr. Moody in honor of their 50^th anniversary. The gift was used to purchase a defibrillator for use by campus safety.

Also during the meeting, awards were presented to a distinguished alumnus and a long-time professor and staff member. Recipients of the awards are nominated by alumni.

Howard Doscher of East Hanover, N.J., a member of the class of 1960, was the recipient of the Pioneer Award, the highest honor presented by the Alumni Association for exemplifying the Pioneer spirit of excellence and service to others. A veteran of the U.S. Army and the New Jersey National Guard, Doscher had a 33-year distinguished career at Chubb Life Insurance Company, holding various leadership positions. He later founded the Economic Management Group, a specialty insurance consulting firm.

Doscher is deeply involved in his community, serving on the East Hanover Environmental Commission, coaching little league teams and helping teach his church’s confirmation class. He devotes considerable time to the Knights of Columbus and the Deer Lake Club, a family recreation center. Doscher has been a longtime supporter of his alma mater and served on Tusculum’s Board of Trustees in the 1980s.

Honored with the National Living Faculty Award was Dr. David Bow, professor of physical education, who has been a leader and positive influence in the classroom and on campus for more than 20 years.  Dr. Bow teaches a variety of classes in both the Residential College and Graduate and Professional Studies programs. He has served in several leadership positions including coordinator and chairman of the Physical Education program, director of athletics and a coach. His work for the athletics department has been recognized by his induction into the Tusculum College Sports Hall of Fame. Dr. Bow is a member of several professional physical education organizations and has served as president of the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

Receiving the National Alumni Recognition Award was Jeanne Stokes, director of the federal TRIO Program at Tusculum College. Stokes has positively touched hundreds of lives in the East Tennessee region through her work with the programs that provide enrichment activities to encourage prospective first-generation college students to continue their education after high school as well as provide services to students once they enter college. Stokes has been involved in the Tusculum TRIO Programs for 20 years at Tusculum, joining the staff as coordinator for the Talent Search program. She has been an instructor at Tusculum and Warren Wilson colleges and also worked as a teacher at Concord Middle School and EastView Elementary. At Tusculum, she also serves as a member of the Judicial Review Board, the Quality Enhancement Plan Steering Committee and as an advisor for students.

On Saturday evening, three new members were inducted into the Tusculum College Sports Hall of Fame.  This year’s induction class included All-Region women’s cross country runner Amanda Musick Hale, a 2004 graduate; All-Conference quarterback Caleb Slover, a 2003 graduate, and All-Region volleyball standout Deb Varney Zevetchin, a 1998 graduate.

Also presented during the ceremony was the Sports Benefactor Award, which recognizes an individual for their contributions toward the Pioneer athletic programs. The 2010 recipient was Larry Coughlin, a long-time supporter of Tusculum athletics. Coughlin is currently serving as the chairman of the 2010-11 Pioneer Club Campaign, which provides funds for scholarships for student athletes and program support.

The date has been selected for Homecoming 2011, which will be Sept. 23 and 24.

To view more photos from Homecoming activities, please see Tusculum’s Facebook page.

More than 70 alumni and friends of Tusculum College gathered on Saturday, September 25, in Princeton, N.J., to celebrate Tusculum’s connection to the area and reconnect those ties to the college.

The reception was held at “Tusculum House,” at the generous hospitality of its current owner, Ms. Avril Moore. This regal home is significant in both the histories of Tusculum College and Princeton University.

Among those attending were Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody, Mr. Tom Moody and Susan D. Vance, interim vice president for Institutional Advancement, who served as host and hostesses along with Moore.

During a brief program in which Dr. Moody updated the group on progress and future plans for the college, she presented Moore with a Tusculum gift basket and Tusculum afghan as a thank you for her invitation to host the event and for her wonderful hospitality.

The event, hosted on the back patio of the Tusculum House featured a variety of foods, beverages, including a whiskey tasting event, and a band. Historic tours of the home were given and the Witherspoon Barn, which dawned handmade quilts, and the Witherspoon Cellar were open for visitation.

“This was one of our most successful alumni events,” said Dr. Moody. “The combination of the opportunity to visit the historic location and the active alumni we have in the Princeton area came together for a one-of-a-kind event that was truly memorable for all.”

“We had about 70 people in attendance including two current Board members and three prior members of the Board,” said Moody. “We had many alumni, two representatives from the Charlotte Newcombe Foundation and an entrepreneur from Princeton who is contemplating starting a business in Greeneville.”

“One of the highlights was the tour, in which so much history was shared, and we learned so much about Rev. John Witherspoon,” said Vance.

Moody added, “We received a true history lesson from both Avril and her father, Thomas H. Barton, whose ancestry go back to Tennessee.”

Tusculum College student David Ronsckevitz, a senior English and creative writing major from Franklin, Tenn., is featured in this month’s issue of Connotation Press, an international literary magazine.

Ronsckevitz’s one-act play, “The House of Autumn Fire,” is featured along with an introductory biography on Ronsckevitz. The play began during Ronsckevitz’s advanced scriptwriting class last fall under English Professor Wayne Thomas. Thomas is also the author of Ronsckevitz’s introduction.

Thomas notes that Ronsckevitz’s “prose is smart and sometimes poetic and sometimes…. tough enough to make you shudder.”

The play centers on a suspicious fire that resulted in the death of an entire family, save one teenage girl, and that girl’s retelling of what led up to the fire. The play is set on sacred Cherokee land in the Appalachian Mountains. The play’s full text can be found on the Connotation Press’ website at <http://www.connotationpress.com/featured-undergrads/588-david-roncskevitz-introduced-by-wayne-thomas-october-2010>.

According to Thomas, an earlier draft of the play was selected by visiting writer Patrick Madden as a winner of the 2009-2010 Curtis-Owens Literary Awards.

Ronsckevitz is assistant managing editor of “The Tusculum Review,” the college’s international literary journal.

“Connotation Press” has only been around for a year, but the journal has already featured a U. S. Poet Laureate, two Pulitzer Prize winners and more than a half dozen U. S. State Laureates. Its website is regularly visited by people in 91 different countries.

’80s

The Rev. Nell Stanton Grimm ’85 of Lillington, NC, graduated in May from Campbell University with a master of arts degree in community counseling and is now working with Safe of Harnett County, NC, as a counselor and court advocate for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking.

’90s

Winnie Weesner Seals ’90 of Rogersville, TN is currently teaching senior English at Cherokee High School in Rogersville.  She is also performing in “Nunsense” at the Rogersville Playhouse in November.  She invites all friends to come to the performances.  Winnie is also wanting to hear from old classmates. Her e-mail is winnieseals@yahoo.com

’00s

Collin Blair Adams ’05 now lives in Columbus, OH, and is a minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church. On May 28, 2010, he married Kathryn Blair McCants.

Josh Ealy ’07 and Carrie Miller ’06 were married on May 22, 2010. Josh is the assistant men’s basketball coach at Carson-Newman College. Carrie graduated in May from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine with her doctorate in veterinary medicine. She is an associate veterinarian at Appalachian Veterinary Hospital in Newport.

Ramon M. Pierce ’08 of Grenada, MS, married Lindsey A. Houston on July 30, 2010. The couple honeymooned on St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands. They now lives in Carrollton, MS. Ramon is employed by the United States Army Corp of Engineers in Sardis, MS.

’50s

Joyce Marie Shelton Howell ’55 of Greeneville, TN, passed away September 26, 2010, after an extended battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Mrs. Howell was employed for 19 years with Dr. Rae Gibson and Dr. Dan Bottomley and for 19 years with the Greeneville-Greene County Vocational School. She was a lifetime member of First Baptist Church, where she was instrumental in starting the deaf ministry at the church as well as other churches in the community. She was passionate about sports, especially Greeneville High School football, the University of Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves baseball. Mrs. Howell also loved the outdoors and the mountains of East Tennessee and enjoyed spending time in her cabin in the mountains. She is survived by her husband of 57 years, C.F. “Peck” Howell ’50, her cousins Johnny Morrow ’63 and Mary Francis Bird Slaughter ’54, and her brother-in-law Val Moncada ’41.

’60s

Kenneth W. Tyburczy ’69 of Fair Lawn, NJ, passed away suddenly September 24, 2010. Mr. Tyburczy was a train conductor with the Port Authority of New Jersey in Jersey City for more than 25 years. He was a parishioner of St. Anne Roman Catholic Church. An avid gardener and reader, Mr. Tyburczy enjoyed golf, traveling and especially spending time with his grandchildren, family and friends.

’80s

Timothy D. Monk ’88 of Greeneville, TN, passed away October 1, 2010. Mr. Monk worked in his family’s business, the former Monk’s Appliance, for more than 20 years. He also helped his father-in-law in the tobacco greenhouse business and the Lawn Doctor Service. Mr. Monk was known for his love for his family, his friendliness and his willingness to always lend a helping hand to family and friends. He was also passionate about cars and racing.

John M. Morelock ’88 of Greeneville, TN, passed away September 26, 2010. Mr. Morelock had retired in 2000 from Bank of America as a senior banking executive. He enjoyed the game of golf and his golfing buddies.

Tusculum College, the state’s oldest institution of higher education marked a milestone in its 217-year history on Friday, October 8, with the inauguration of its 27^th and first female president, Dr. Nancy B. Moody.

Dr. Moody officially took the oath of office in a ceremony Friday afternoon that featured a variety of the different constituents of the college, including current students, faculty, staff, Board of Trustees, alumni and friends of the college.

“I stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before, as do you,” said Moody. “Collectively, we must continue to build on all that has come before, as well as strike new ground and lead this community to continued success.  We must as pioneers – prepare the way.”

She continued, “Tusculum College must continue to build degree programs; pursue new academic programs founded upon local, regional and national data and sound financial analysis; grow the endowment and use the earnings to help support operations of the college; continue to develop financial stability, particularly during the current economic times, which is the foundation for the future and allow the mission and strategic plan to guide us.”

Dr. Kenneth A. Bowman, chair of the Board of Trustees and a 1970 alumnus of the college, administered the oath of office and presented the presidential medallion, the symbol of the presidential office. The medallion was presented to Dr. Moody before an audience of approximately 600 attending the ceremony in the Pioneer Arena, inside the Niswonger Commons on campus.

Drawing on the theme for the ceremony, “A Tapestry of Pioneer Leadership,” which Dr. Moody noted “one of the most pervasive works of art throughout historical Europe and elsewhere, and were designed to tell a story.”

She added, “The beauty and intrigue of a tapestry is that it doesn’t reveal itself until all the threads are in place. It is not until each thread comes together, intertwines, overlaps and blends its own uniqueness into a new whole that the complete work of art becomes known.”

In her inaugural address, she likened all those who have come before, founders, benefactors, alumni, students and others who have influenced and impacted the college to threads of the tapestry.

“The tapestry of Tusculum College is one that reflects many pioneer leaders – those who ventured into the unknown, those who have innovated, those who have preceded all others, and those who have established themselves in previously barren environments or areas. I am proud to be part of the colorful, diverse and complex tapestry of Tusculum College that is evolving. We can only consider the dynamic future of this college through reflection of the various threads, how they are woven or blended together to form the whole through the influence of the past, the present, and even the future.”

The history of the day was addressed in opening comments by Dr. Scott Niswonger, one of the college’s benefactors, a trustee of the college, and a 1987 alumnus who was also presented an honorary degree in 2006.

“Tusculum College, in its true pioneer spirit, has had a great deal of firsts, including its status as the first institution in Tennessee to have an African-American graduate and as the oldest co-educational institution associated with the Presbyterian Church,” Niswonger said. “Tusculum has a diverse and rich history. That tradition continues today as an institution that is progressive and willing to break new ground to achieve its mission. Today, the tradition of innovation continues.”

Representatives of various constituencies of the college brought greetings to the president.  Dr. Bowman spoke on behalf of the trustees, “Dr. Moody, it is with my full confidence in the Board of Trustees’ decision made more than a year ago, that I wish to once again extend our full support and influence toward supporting your vision for the future of Tusculum College.”

Dr. Robert Pollock, president of the college’s Alumni Association, spoke of the firm foundation his education from Tusculum provided in his life as he offered his congratulations to Dr. Moody and pledged the support of the alumni organization to her leadership.

Providing comments on behalf of the college’s faculty was Dr. Michelle S. Freeman, associate professor of business administration and faculty moderator who thanked Dr. Moody “for being a pioneer for our college and for all women as well.”

Michelle Arbogast, assistant bookstore manager and a 2009 graduate, represented her fellow staff members in her comments that asked Dr. Moody to look on her position as an “opportunity to serve, learn, influence, network, encourage and teach.”

Students were represented by Erika Witt, president of the Student Government Association. Witt told Dr. Moody that the students “look to your leadership with excitement and confidence.”

The college’s strong relationship with the church was reconfirmed by the Rev. Dr. Dan Donaldson, pastor of Tusculum’s mother church, First Presbyterian Church of Greeneville and a trustee.

Dr. Tom Garland, a trustee and former interim president of the college, brought a welcome from the community, encouraging Dr. Moody to continue her efforts to strengthen ties between the college and the region.

The ceremony featured an Inaugural Festival Choir of alumni, faculty and staff and community members accompanied by the college’s new concert band and organist Jim Winfree.

The formal processional, led by bagpiper Jon Shell, featured  alumni representatives from nearly all  graduating classes, beginning in the 1940s, as well as current students representing various campus organizations, delegates from more than 25 colleges and universities, a former Tusculum president, the college’s Board of Trustees and faculty members.

Dr. Moody was appointed president in February 2009 by the Board of Trustees and assumed her duties in April 2009. As president, Dr. Moody has helped lead the college through the reaffirmation of accreditation process with the Southern Association of colleges and schools and guided the college towards greater financial stability in a time of economic uncertainty. During her administration, a new minor program in theatre arts has been established and a new band program has successfully started in the residential college program. In the Graduate and Professional Studies program for working adults, a new Bachelor of Business Administration degree and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree have been created.

To see more photos from the Inauguration, please visit Tusculum College’s Facebook page.

Tusculum College will be sending out its annual Alumni Survey later this month and is asking alumni to make every effort to take a few moments to provide input on the survey as a benefit to the college.

According to Greg Hawkins, assistant vice president for institutional research, the Alumni Survey is an important benchmark that helps college leaders to plan for the future.

The survey, which will be sent by email and will include a direct link to the online survey, will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, according to Hawkins. It can also be accessed through the Institutional Research page of the Tusculum College website.

“This survey is critical in helping college leaders continue their long-term planning for the institution,” said Hawkins. “It helps us determine to what extent we are fulfilling our mission.”

The mission of Tusculum College is “to provide a liberal arts education in a Judeo-Christian and civic arts environment.” Hawkins added that the college is continuously striving to prepare students for their futures, professional, personal and as servant leaders in their communities.

Questions on the survey range from how well graduates feel Tusculum College prepared them for their professional lives to how active they continue to be in service to their communities.

“It is important that we know how well we have done with our previous graduates so that we can continue to improve what we are offering our students today.”

For more information or to ask questions regarding the survey, contact Hawkins at 423-636-5513 or email to ghawkins@tusculum.edu.

Theatre-at-Tusculum’s fall musical has become an event that audience members look forward to with great anticipation. After the successes of Wizard of Oz (2008) and Beauty and the Beast (2009), great care was taken by the Tusculum College Arts Outreach staff to choose a real crowd pleaser.

What could be more fun, more joyous, than a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical about a lovely, young English widow, a cantankerous but loveable chauvinist Siamese King, an exotic Burmese slave girl, gorgeous wives, graceful dancers, intimidating guards, melodic priests and a host of other fascinating and colorful characters? And don’t forget the twenty talented and utterly adorable princes and princesses, including two teeny tiny tots who are guaranteed to steal your heart away!

In November, an outstanding cast of more than 100 will bring “The King and I” to the stage in the auditorium of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building. Performance dates are November 5-7 and 11-14. The Thursday, Friday and Saturday performances will take place at 7 p.m. with the Sunday matinees on November 7 and 14 at 2 p.m.

The cast includes 10 Tusculum students and 12 working on the set or assisting in the box office.  The leads will be portrayed by Will Maddux as the King, a role he portrayed as a high school student in a production by an Arts Outreach group, and Angela Willis as Anna Leonowens. The play is a family affair for the Willis family. Angela’s father, Michael Willis, a security officer at Tusculum, is playing a ship’s captain while her sister, Kassandra, is portraying Tuptim and her brother Walter has a singing priest role.  And her brother, Nathan, is working on the set.

This fabulous and glittering show, “The King and I” has unexpected depths. Adopted from “Anna and the King of Siam” by Margaret Landon, the story tells of how Anna Leonowens and her young son Louis arrive at the Royal Palace of King Phra Meha Mongut to teach the royal children in the 1800s.

Political problems facing a small country and all the complications and cruelty of slavery are addressed. One of the highlights of the show includes a beautiful “ballet” entitled “Small House of Uncle Thomas” which has been adapted from Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Choreographed by Kim Berry, this charming Siamese dance with accompanying chorus, will charm all who see it.

The show is directed by Tusculum Colleges’ Artist-in-Residence and Director of Arts Outreach Marilyn duBrisk. Angie Clendenon is music director, Frank Mengel, set design, Barbara Holt is weaving her magic to create more than 120 costumes for the production and Whitney Ball is accompanist. Percussion expert David Price joins the production this year and Jennifer Hollowell is in charge of box office.

Tickets are now on sale and may be reserved by calling 423-798-1620 or emailing jhollowell@tusculum.edu. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (60 and over), and $5 for children 12 and under.

Providing resources, programs and support are the focus points of a Master Partnership agreement signed by Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program and Hal Henard Elementary School.

The contract became official October 21 at a signing ceremony at Hal Henard Elementary School and is part of the Partners in Education program, a joint project of the Greene County School System, the Greeneville City School System, and the Greene County Partnership. The contract was established for one year, after which time it will be evaluated and considered for renewal.

According to Partners in Education Director Kelly Burrell, “This partnership is an example of how common goals can be met when schools and civic/community groups, school groups, or businesses collaborate and it will provide wonderful opportunities for the students at Hal Henard.”

Objectives of the partnership are: to develop resources, including, but not limited to funding, associate involvement and ideas; to provide an avenue for interaction between the Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program and Hal Henard Elementary School’s Third Grade classes; to improve student knowledge of the commitment to education and community involvement by Tusculum College and its Pioneering Mentoring Program; to work together to improve awareness of every day issues facing students; to create a partnership that enables personnel from the elementary school education level and college level to interact and accomplish common goals; to work together on joint projects such as fundraising and school events/programs; and, to establish positive relationships with teachers, students, and the Hal Henard community as a whole.

Major activities outlined in the contract include the following: Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program was developed to motivate youth and communities to achieve different experiences to inspire them to transform lives, education to change attitudes, and connections to increase opportunities; Tusculum College staff and students will work with all three (3) third grade classes from Hal Henard Elementary School in an effort to provide learning opportunities for them; Tusculum College staff and students will met with Hal Henard 3^rd grade students every Tuesday for five (5) weeks in order to allow the youngsters to experience life on a college campus and engage in various educational activities; Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program will encourage the 3^rd grade students to write in a journal about their day each week and are also presented with a book to keep from the college at the conclusion of each meeting day; Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program will lead programs for students involving teamwork, cultural diversity, history, higher education, and athletic training. Other programs of work may be incorporated in the future; and Hal Henard Elementary School will place a banner in their gymnasium designating Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program as its Partner in Education.

The Study Abroad Club held an organizational meeting on Wednesday, September 29, to bring together students who are interested in travel and study abroad opportunities. The meeting was led by Dr. Geir Bergvin, director of the Center for Global Studies, who will serve as the advisor to the group.

“Slowly but surely we are getting more students interested and offering then more opportunities to study abroad,” said Bergvin.

The organizational mission of the group is to increase interest in the study abroad programs and to have the club members promote study abroad opportunities to others on campus.

Also present were Dr. Tom McFarland, associate professor of business administration and also a member of the Center for Global Studies Advisory Council, and Bonnie Weston, representing student affairs.

Bergvin, explained the program and the government structure of the Global Studies Program, as well as possible programming and event opportunities the students could be involved with in this academic year.

Officers were elected and include co-presidents Andrew Baker, a sophomore majoring in creative writing and planning a trip to Australia this year; and Luis Zamora, an international student majoring in management and economics. Zamora was born in Germany and later moved to Chile.

“This is my study abroad program, and I have realized it opens your mind immensely,” said Zamora. Baker said that while he is very excited about his own upcoming study abroad opportunity, his main goal is to promote study abroad in the overall Tusculum community.

Bergvin told the students, “You have an opportunity to build an organization from scratch and motivate other students to get involved by spreading the value and interest of study broad and encouraging others to get involved.”

Providing resources, programs and support are the focus points of a Master Partnership agreement signed by Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program and Hal Henard Elementary School.

The contract became official October 21 at a signing ceremony at Hal Henard Elementary School and is part of the Partners in Education program, a joint project of the Greene County School System, the Greeneville City School System, and the Greene County Partnership.  The contract was established for one year, after which time it will be evaluated and considered for renewal.

According to Partners in Education Director Kelly Burrell, “This partnership is an example of how common goals can be met when schools and civic/community groups, school groups, or businesses collaborate and it will provide wonderful opportunities for the students at Hal Henard.”

Objectives of the partnership are:  to develop resources, including, but not limited to funding, associate involvement and ideas; to provide an avenue for interaction between the Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program and Hal Henard Elementary School’s Third Grade classes; to improve student knowledge of the commitment to education and community involvement by Tusculum College and its Pioneering Mentoring Program; to work together to improve awareness of every day issues facing students; to create a partnership that enables personnel from the elementary school education level and college level to interact and accomplish common goals; to work together on joint projects such as fundraising and school events/programs; and, to establish positive relationships with teachers, students, and the Hal Henard community as a whole.

Major activities outlined in the contract include the following:  Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program was developed to motivate youth and communities to achieve different experiences to inspire them to transform lives, education to change attitudes, and connections to increase opportunities; Tusculum College staff and students will work with all three (3) third grade classes from Hal Henard Elementary School in an effort to provide learning opportunities for them; Tusculum College staff and students will met with Hal Henard 3^rd grade students every Tuesday for five (5) weeks in order to allow the youngsters to experience life on a college campus and engage in various educational activities; Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring  Program will encourage the 3^rd grade students to write in a journal about their day each week and are also presented with a book to keep from the college at the conclusion of each meeting day; Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program will lead programs for students involving teamwork, cultural diversity, history, higher education, and athletic training.  Other programs of work may be incorporated in the future; and Hal Henard Elementary School will place a banner in their gymnasium designating Tusculum College’s Pioneering Mentoring Program as its Partner in Education.

The Partners in Education program was formed to provide a link between businesses, organizations and institutions and the public school systems in order to enhance and expand educational opportunities for all students.

The Andrew Johnson Society of Tusculum College will be hosting a public debate on at the Greeneville campus on Thursday, October 28, from 7-9 p.m. Also participating will be the College Democrat organization.

The event will be held in the Chalmers Conference Center in the Niswonger Commons and is free of charge and open to the public.

The beginning program will be a mock debate between members of the two student organizations. The mock debate will be followed by representatives for candidates for governor and regional and local who will each be given the opportunity to address the attendees.

The group is expecting representatives from the two Tennessee gubernatorial campaigns of Mr. Bill Haslam and Mr. Mike McWherter.

Haslam is in his seventh year as mayor of Knoxville and prior to that helped to lead his family business, Pilot Travel Centers, for 18 years. He is the Republican nominee.

McWherter, the Democratic Party nominee, has been a successful businessman and has owned and operated a successful beverage distributorship in Jackson, Tenn. McWherter has never held prior public office.

“We want to provide an event that will inform the community of the candidates’ stand on the issues so that they can be better informed when they go to vote,” said Isiah Lyman, President of the Andrew Johnson Society.

The students will also hold voter registration opportunities on campus between now and the election.

For more information on the event, contact Dr. Joel Van Amberg, assistant professor of history and advisor to the Andrew Johnson Society, at 423-633-7300.