Don Raber listens as his lifetime accomplishments are highlighted in the presentation of his honorary doctorate during commencement. Assisting with the conferring were from right, his son, Peter Raber and Dr. Melinda Dukes, vice president of academic affairs.

More than 275 individuals received degrees during Tusculum College’s winter commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 11, including the presentation of an honorary doctorate to businessman and friend of the college, Don Raber.

Eighty-two students earned Bachelor of Science degrees and 155 earned Bachelor of Arts degrees. In addition 38 graduates earned Master of Arts degrees.

The new graduates were addressed by Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody, who recognized the commencement ceremony as “an occasion of celebration and completion.” Adding, “Each of you has made sacrifices, adjustments and also made tough decisions along the way. You have worked hard, and you have given something of yourself to earn the right to walk across this stage. This is a testament to your own efforts and to your persistence. Today is your reward.”

She told the group, “Thank you for allowing Tusculum College to be a part of your life. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you will always be a part of Tusculum College.”

Class of 1963 member Joe Romano, left, and graduating senior Jenny Grant, right, present their combined class gifts to Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody.

Walking with this spring’s graduates were 17 representatives of the Tusculum College Class of 1963 who are celebrating their 50^th anniversary year. Representatives walked in the procession, clothed in golden caps and gowns and were recognized during the ceremony by Dr. Moody.

The Golden Pioneers, along with the Class of 2013, presented a check to Dr. Moody for $1,125.39 as a gift to the college.

Receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters was Raber, who is a member of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees. He has brought to the board many strengths, chief among them a lifetime of experience in banking, investment and finance. He has served effectively as chair of the Business Committee, as a member of the Executive Committee, the Audit, Finance, Investment and Buildings Committee, the Institutional Advancement Committee and as Foundation Investment Advisor. He is a recipient of the Tusculum College Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor bestowed by the college.

Don Raber and Dr. Moody

His devotion to education, shown through service to Tusculum and other colleges and universities, is rooted in his days in the U.S. Navy. As he served aboard the USS Aldebaran AF-10 in 1962 during the Cuban blockade, and a year later on the USS Preserver ARS-8, he noticed that junior officers were college-educated. After his military service, he enrolled at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, where he earned a BBA. He later earned an MBA from Marshall University and completed specialized programs at Northwestern University and the University of Tennessee.

He started his financial career as a management trainee for the Jamaica Savings Bank and joined an options trading firm on Wall Street. From there he launched a distinguished career in finance and banking, culminating with the founding of Aldebaran Financial in 1991. He has also taught at several colleges and universities and has established scholarships at Tusculum College and other institutions.

According to President Moody, “Don has lived a life that adheres to the tenants of the Tusculum College mission. He has strived for success in his personal life, while never forgetting his sense of community.”

Participating in the degree conferral was Raber’s son, Peter W. Raber, vice president of operations and chief compliance officer for Aldebaran Financial.

Speakers at the morning Tusculum College Commencement service were Andy Goellner of Denver, Colo., and Alexander Smith of Greeneville.

Four student speakers addressed the graduates, including Andy Goellner, a triple major, studying business management, accounting and sport management from Denver, Colo., who represented the Residential College.

Goellner provided advice about future achievement. “Do it scared,” he said. “It doesn’t matter. If you’re scared that probably means you are doing something that is really worthwhile. So even you if are scared get out and do it anyway, you will feel so much better for having stepped out of your comfort zone.”

Also speaking at the morning ceremony was Alexander Smith, a graduate from the master’s program. Smith is from Greeneville and completed his bachelor’s degree at Tusculum College in 2010.

“Each of us can think of a teacher or professor who pushed us to learn more, to work harder and to achieve our goals,” Smith told the audience. “Many of those people are here in the audience today. Their excellent leadership taught us many essential elements for success in the profession of teaching. Just a few of those elements include, remaining calm despite uncertainty, greeting each day with a fresh perspective but to remember lessons learned each day and admitting mistakes and moving on.”

Speakers at the afternoon Tusculum College Commencement service were Stephanie Trent of Washburn and Elba Marshall of Knoxville.

In the afternoon ceremony, speakers were Stephanie Trent, an education major from Washburn, and Elba Marshall, a business major from Knoxville.

Trent talked about the difficult decision to return to school later in life.

“For many years I had come up with excuses to ignore what my heart and mind were trying to tell me. In reality, I was afraid that I would not be able to meet the challenges this change in my life would bring, and that I would let my family down in the process.”

She added, “As I watched my children grow older, I knew that I had to be a better role model for them. I wanted them to see that no matter what obstacles you think are standing in your way, it is possible to succeed if you do your best and never give up. If I wanted to convince them to follow their dreams, I knew I had to face my own fears and insecurities and put myself on a path to make my own dreams come true.”

Marshall said, “When I first decided to pursue my college degree, I thought I was doing it to get the proverbial ticket to success. What I discovered was that it turned out to be so much more than that. It became a place where my beliefs were challenged, my desire for learning was nurtured and my life was forever changed.”

Mark Stokes, director of religious life, church and community relations at Tusculum College, presented a sermon titled, “Seize the Day.”

“We must take advantage of every opportunity that comes our way to fulfill our purpose in life,” he told the crowd. “Forget the past, face the present and live life as it comes. We need to seize the day and live every moment of our lives with purpose.”

Receiving Teaching Exellence and Campus Leadership Awards were Heather Patterson, from left, Dr. Betsy Loveday and Dr. DiAnn Casteel.

Receiving the Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership award for the Residential College was Heather Patterson, chair of the English Department and assistant professor of English. Receiving the award for the Graduate and Professional Studies program was Dr. DiAnn Casteel, professor of education, and Dr. Betsy Loveday, assistant professor of education.

Sam Underwood, center, is congratulated for her honor as “Student of the Block” for the eighth block at Tusculum College by Michael Robinson, left, head coach of the Pioneer volleyball team, and Dr. Antonio Bos, professor of business administration.

Sam Underwood, a senior from Muncie, Ind., was recognized as “Student of the Block” for the eighth block at Tusculum College in recognition of her academic achievements and leadership on campus.

Underwood, a business administration major with minors in international business and economics, was presented the honor during a ceremony in the Living Room of the Niswonger Commons, where a plaque recognizing her accomplishments will be displayed. The award was established by the Office of Student Affairs to recognize students for their academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community.

As a recruit to the Pioneer volleyball team, Underwood made an immediate impact on the campus community as she forged her career as a student-athlete, excelling in the classroom, on the volleyball court and as a leader on campus.

She has served as the president of the Study Abroad and Global Awareness Organization and was a co-founder and monitor for the Help Me Help You small business consulting organization and co-founder and division director for the new Center of Economic Development and Entrepreneurship.

Underwood represented Tusculum at the Salzburg Global Seminar, was a student speaker at the Appalachian College Association Summit in Knoxville and tutored other students in English, math, science and business courses. She was a member of the Honors Program and the Tusculum chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society.

A four-year starter on the volleyball team, Underwood served as captain for three years. She was named to the SAC All Freshman team in 2009, second team All SAC in 2010 and first team All SAC in 2011. Not only did she help lead Tusculum to its very first NCAA II Tournament appearance, she also led the Pioneers to four consecutive appearances and their first ever birth to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. She was named to the SAC Preseason All Conference Team and helped lead this year’s team to a 24-8 record overall.

Michael Robinson, head coach for the volleyball team, wrote of Underwood in his nomination, “Samantha is an extremely motivated person who sets high goals for herself and then rises to any challenge to attain them. She is no stranger to hard work and dedication or to striving to better herself in every aspect of life. Between her hectic academic and athletic responsibilities, Samantha also finds time to give of herself in the most unselfish ways. When you envision the “cream of the crop, you see Samantha.

“I can honestly say that not many others hold a candle to her character and to her overall contributions to the athletic program, institution and the Tusculum College community,” Robinson continued.

In addition to her academic and athletic responsibilities, she has served as a volunteer with the Greene County Animal Shelter, the Nathaniel Greene Museum, theater events at Tusculum and in the Bonner Leader student organization.

Underwood credits her parents, Scott and Tammy Underwood, as her consummate role models and appreciates all of the sacrifices, support, love and kindness they have shown in their parenting. She also credits her coaches, professors and friends as influences in her life as well.

Appreciative of the educators in her life, Underwood attributes her academic success at Tusculum to the business department faculty for their role in her life. “I have so much respect and love for Dr. [Antonio] Bos, professor of business administration; Dr. [Tom] McFarland, associate professor of business, and Dr. [Michelle] Freeman, associate professor of business administration. They have each shaped my mind and experience at Tusculum in huge ways. Taking international marketing with Dr. [Geir] Bergvin, associate professor of marketing and director of the Center for Global Studies, while in Barcelona, Spain, was a unique and thrilling learning experience. They [all] have supported my endeavors in and out of the classroom, acted as mentors when called upon and inspired me to believe I was capable of anything.”

Underwood will graduate in May and then take a position as executive team leader for Target in Indianapolis.

Alex Wiedemann, left, is congratulated for his “Student of the Block” award by Dr. Troy Goodale, advisor for the Alpha Chi National Honor Society chapter on campus.

Alex Wiedemann, a senior from Rogersville, was recognized as “Student of the Block” for the seventh block at Tusculum College in recognition of his academic achievements and involvement on campus.

Wiedemann, a mathematics major who has minors in chemistry and biology, was presented the honor during a ceremony in the Living Room of the Niswonger Commons, where a plaque recognizing his accomplishments will be displayed. The award was established by the Office of Student Affairs to recognize students for their academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community.

Graduating later this month with summa cum laude honors, Wiedemann has made his mark in the sciences and has become a great force of educational outreach on the campus and greater community.

He served as a teaching assistant in General Physics I and II for Dr. Katherine Stone, assistant professor of mathematics and geology, the first paid teaching assistant for the College. Wiedemann has served as peer tutor for mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology as well as a tutor for students from local high schools and other local colleges.

Dr. Stone nominated him for the award, writing that “Alex’s professionalism, scholarly pursuit, and his overall demeanor sets him [apart]. Alex is the first teaching assistant that Tusculum has ever employed. Alex planned and led problem sessions, roughly nine hours per week, presented supplementary lectures, created study guides and clarified lecture material as requested. He did this on top of the Student Services tutoring hours.”

She noted that Wiedemann attended the Mathematics Association of America Southeast Regional meetings and competed in team mathematics competitions for the past two years. Wiedemann, along with fellow student Christopher Armstrong, was awarded the Appalachian College Association Ledford Award, which is granted to individual students performing research at member institutions of the association. The students presented their work at the Appalachian College Association 2012-2013 Summit in Knoxville.

“There is much more to Alex than his ‘book smarts,’” Dr. Stone also wrote. “Alex has been active in so many student activities and is well liked by everyone who meets him. I can’t find the words to express how honored I am to have been part of Alex’s life.”

In addition to his academic accolades in the classroom, he secured a prestigious internship with the Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport. “I received this aggrandized internship position through the generous help of (Tusculum) President Nancy Moody and Dr. Larry Brotherton (a 1970 Tusculum alumnus and member of the Board of Trustees),” he said. “It is our hope that this opportunity I was afforded will open doors for internships and jobs at Eastman for future Tusculum College students — especially with the chemistry major being added.”

During the past year, he has served as president of the Tusculum College Chapter of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society and has served as president of the Pi-oneer Union. He served as a work-study student for the Office of Academic Affairs. He is also a member of the President’s Guild, Society of Physics Students, American Physical Society and Voices Against Violence.

A first generation college student and son of a German immigrant, Wiedemann was born into a military family, which moved to Rogersville when he was six. Not academically challenged in school, his parents decided to home school him. He was homeschooled through middle school and self-taught through high school.

These distinctive educational journeys allowed Wiedemann to experience and pursue a variety of interests, which translated to his current passions. He owns and currently operates a small bee farm for profit, which he founded at 14.

His experience as a homeschooled student was an influence on his decision to choose to attend Tusculum.  “The block system is, in essence, how I already did my schoolwork at home, so I assumed it would be easier to become acclimated to a school atmosphere if the structures were similar,” he said.

As he settled into Tusculum, Wiedemann found a supportive environment. “The faculty, staff and administration of Tusculum have played a major role in changing my life, he said. “I cannot count the number of people, from adjunct faculty to President Moody, that have taken a personal  interest in my development as both a student and an individual, going above and beyond in helping me succeed. The personal relationships I hold with many of the professors have greatly affected my life goals, and I see many of them as role models.”

Wiedemann plans to continue his education and will be attending the University of South Carolina in the fall to pursue a doctorate in mathematics. His future goal is to become a professor at a research university and be an advocate for science education for underprivileged or underrepresented minorities.

Congratulating Justin Reed, second from left, for his selection as “Student of the Block” at Tusculum College are English professors, from left, Heather Patterson, Wayne Thomas and Dr. Desirae Matherly.

Justin Reed, a senior creative writing major, was recognized as “Student of the Block” for the sixth block at Tusculum College.

Reed, who is from Florence, S.C., was nominated by three of his professors for the honor, which was established by the Office of Student Affairs to recognize students for their academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community. He was presented the honor during a ceremony in the Living Room of the Niswonger Commons, where a plaque recognizing his accomplishments will be displayed.

During his time at Tusculum, he has served as staff writer and Lifestyles editor of The Pioneer Frontier student newspaper, public relations representative of the Open Door Society, secretary of the English Student Organization and assistant managing editor of The Tusculum Review, the college’s literary journal.

In January of this year, Reed was among the Tusculum students who studied in Barcelona, Spain, and has represented the college at the 2012 and 2013 Association of Writers and Writing Programs conferences. His work has been published in a variety of journals and he was nationally recognized for his poetry at the Lex Allen Literary Festival at Hollins University earlier this year as well as at last year’s event. Reed is the first student to win the annual Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Prize in two categories during the same year. He won in the poetry and scriptwriting categories in 2012. His work won the fiction category in the 2013 student competition.

A writer since childhood, Reed, joined the Tusculum community in the fall of 2007 to pursue this passion. However, he left the college in 2008 to pursue personal interests and returned in 2010. The two years away from Tusculum proved to be a motivational factor in his return to earn his degree.

“I am proud to have discovered my passion for writing,” he said, “and I am grateful to my professors and the overall family structure of the English and Fine Arts Departments for that. Through the instruction and guidance I have received, I was able to concentrate on my strengths and shortcomings, to make myself available to a future that now includes graduate school, lifelong friends, teaching opportunities and innumerable possibilities. Also (and this may seem odd), I’m quite proud to have made mistakes. If I had not transferred out of Tusculum in 2008 and subsequently dropped out of college, I doubt that I would have realized the true value of the education, relationships and opportunities I’ve encountered here. I find it personally fulfilling to look back on my errors and bad decisions to see how they have contributed positively to my immediate life.”

His time at Tusculum has also been a lesson about being part of the close-knit community he found at Tusculum, which he at first considered a detriment rather than an asset. “As a Tusculum College student, I recognized the benefit in acknowledging and committing to the small college identity,” he said. “I felt the need to look out for these people with whom I interact every day. I think that’s why—about the end of my time with The Pioneer Frontier and during my Open Door Society membership—I have often assumed the role of “fighter,” endeavoring after equality, fair and just treatment, administrative transparency, etc.”

While Tusculum has played a large role in Reed’s life, the significant impact he has had on the college prompted three faculty members to nominate him for the Student of the Block honor – Wayne Thomas, chair of the Fine Arts Department and associate professor of English; Heather Patterson, chair of the English Department and assistant professor of English, and Dr. Desirae Matherly, assistant professor of English.

Thomas wrote of  Reed, “He’s one of the few ‘total package’ students you get in a lifetime; a gifted, thoughtful, and thought-provoking writer; a self-motivated, and ambitious scholar; a leader amongst his peers; one who owns confidence without egocentricity; and simply a delight in everyday interactions. I’ve come to rely on Justin for all kinds of tasks, from data entry to design, and he performs every duty with rigor and without complaint. For these reasons, I happily promoted Justin to assistant managing editor of the journal, and he’s performed exceptionally in this position, garnering the respect and admiration of all the faculty and student editors.”

Reed has taken the time needed to tutor and mentor younger students struggling with their mechanics, drafting and research, Thomas noted, and he has served as a punctual, reliable and effective clerical assistant for him and his office mates.

Patterson wrote that she first taught Reed in 2010 and although the class was filled with bright and exceptional undergraduate writers, she and his fellow classmates soon recognized that Reed was a truly gifted writer and critic. She noted that his work has received acclaim from established writers and publications in and outside of the college.  His poem “Everyone Down Here is Pretty,” was selected as runner-up for the 2012 Lex Allen Literary Festival Poetry Prize at Hollins University. Connotation Press will soon publish two of his poems “The Locusts of Control” and “The Waking Sex of Brom Bones.”

Dr. Matherly also described Reed as an exceptional student in every way. “We

are lucky to have had so many fine students in the English and Fine Arts department, who, like him, demonstrate the ideal of what our programs are capable of,” she wrote.  “Even so, Justin is remarkable among our best students. The qualities I admire most about Justin are those that I find in my closest friends: he is generous with his time and spirit, dedicated to the practice of writing in all genres, and represents us in the best way imaginable, both on campus and when traveling.”

“Sometimes I forget that Justin is not a graduate student yet, because he has already achieved that kind of scholarly, aesthetic and professional countenance that we hope our students acquire after graduation,” she also wrote. “Justin is what so many students usually need more time to become; he is published, well-read and prodigious poet, fiction, fiction writer and essayist.”

After graduating in May, Reed will continue his education at the prestigious Washington University of St. Louis as a member of the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program. He aspires to be a college professor and teach creative writing to undergraduate students.

Student excellence in academics and service were recognized during Tusculum College’s annual Honors Convocation Thursday, April 25.

The two top honors for students presented by the College are the President’s Award and the Bruce G. Batts Award. Luis Zamora, a native of Santiago, Chile, was presented the President’s Award and Billie Jennings of Mountain City, was presented the Bruce G. Batts Award.

President’s Award

Luis Zamora, right, was honored with the President's Award, the Bonner Leaders Program Award, a Senior Honor Key Award in economics and international business and the Walter R. Johnson Award. The latter award is presented by the School of Business and named for alumnus Walter Johnson '71, left.

The President’s Award is presented to the graduating senior who has contributed the most to the College and who has been the most outstanding achiever in the combined areas of academic work, athletics, campus leadership and personality. The selection is made on the basis of the student’s total four-year record at Tusculum.

Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of the College presented the award to Zamora, who is majoring in business administration with a double concentration in general management and economics and international economics with a minor in civic engagement.

Active on campus throughout his four years as a student, he is one of the founding members of the Help Me Help You program, an international non-profit organization that brings small businesses and entrepreneurs together with students to provide needed services to the owners and allow students to apply the skills and knowledge they are learning in the classroom. The program has been recognized by the Clinton Foundation for its impact on the region as well as global community.

In addition, Zamora is one of the founding members of an outgrowth of the program, the Center for Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, which is composed of seven divisions and more than 20 programs geared towards helping satisfy business-related needs and interests of small business owners, students, entrepreneurs, individuals and family members. He is a resident assistant, was a founding member of the Study Abroad and Global Awareness student organization and led the Bonner Leader student service organization as its director and Bonner senior intern.

Zamora is a former captain of the Pioneer Men’s Tennis Team and has been named a Capital One Academic All-American. He has excelled academically, regularly being named to the College’s honor roll lists and receiving the award of Academic Freshman of the Year in 2009-10 and the Duffield Award in 2010-11 for being the student-athlete with the highest grade point average.

The Walter R. Johnson Award and a Senior Honor Key Award for economics and international business were also presented to Zamora. The Senior Honor Key Awards recognizes students not only for academic achievement in their chosen field but also their capacities, special abilities and aptitude in their major field.

The School of Business changed the name of its award to recognize an alumnus of the College who has achieved success in business as well as been involved in service to the community. Walter R. Johnson is a 1971 alumnus who has been the head of companies in Alabama and Tennessee, served his alma mater as trustee and been involved in several community organizations. Johnson, who attended the ceremony, said he met Zamora a few years ago when the student was seeking his opinion of an idea he had to help community businesses.

In recognition of his work in the Bonner Leader student service organization, Zamora was presented the Bonner Leaders Program Award. This award is presented to a student in the program who has exhibited long-term dedication to the six key Bonner program commitments – community building, civic engagement, diversity, international perspective, social justice and spiritual exploration.

Batts Award

Billie Jennings, right, was presented the Bruce Batts Award by Dr. Melinda Dukes, vice president for academic affairs. Jennings also received the Honors Program Olympian Award, a Senior Honor Key Award and the Theatre Award.

Presented in memory of a beloved educator at Tusculum who helped define the college’s civic arts curricular focus, the Bruce G. Batts Award is presented to a student who clearly demonstrates the qualities that reflect the civic arts ideals.

This year’s recipient has been active on campus throughout her years on campus. Jennings, who is majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing, is a student editor of The Tusculum Review, the campus literary journal. She has been active in the theater program, appearing in leading roles in several plays on campus. This past year she was part of the group of students that studied abroad in Barcelona, Spain. After graduation, she plans to continue her education and has been accepted into the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Tennessee.

Jennings is a member of the Tusculum College Honors Program. She was also honored during the ceremony as the 2013 Honors Olympian as the Honors Program student who best exemplifies the ideals of Tusculum through academia success, civic engagement and service to the community. She has been consistently named to the Dean’s List and the Charles Oliver Gray list for academic excellence.

The Senior Honor Key Award in English, creative writing concentration, was also presented to Jennings. The honor recognizes students’ academic achievement, capacities, special abilities and aptitude in the major field. She also received the Theatre Arts Award, presented to students who have demonstrated outstanding support to the Theatre Arts at Tusculum, exemplary talent and dedication.

Student-Chosen Awards

Dr. Michelle Freeman, right, associate professor of business administration, was presented the Greene County Partnership's Outstanding Service to Students Award by Dr. Alan Corley.

Presented during the convocation were faculty, staff and community awards whose recipients were selected by student vote. Receiving the Outstanding Service to Students Award, a faculty honor, was Dr. Michelle Freeman, associate professor of business administration.

In presenting the award on behalf of the Greene County Partnership, Dr. Alan Corley said that “motivating, challenging, and compassionate” are among the words that students have used to describe Dr. Freeman. Known for her willingness to help students, Dr. Freeman is also a leader on campus, having served as faculty moderator and on several administrative committees.

The Staff Award was presented to Bonnie Weston, senior student life coordinator. As a student who came from Memphis to Tusculum, Student Government Association

SGA President Steven Hollingshead, left, presented the Staff Award to Bonnie Weston, senior student life coordinator.

President Steven Hollingshead said he has found staff members provide needed support for students in the absence of nearby family. Weston has been one of the staff members who is willing to help students and provide that support and has made a significant positive impact on his life and those of numerous other students.

The Community Award, which is presented to an individual, organization or business which has made a significant contribution to the Tusculum campus community,  recognized Creamy Cup and owners Eric and Lynette Price. The couple were among the participants in the first semester of the Help Me Help You program and have continued to be supportive of the program. They have also participated as vendors in the 2012 and 2013 Old Oak Festivals. Eric Price is a 2008 alumnus of the College.

Academic Honors

Hollingshead also presented the Community Award, selected by students, to Lynette and Eric Price, right, owners of Creamy Cup.

Senior Honor Key Awards were presented to students who have earned a 3.25 grade point average or higher in their major, shown achievement and aptitude in the major and possess strong character.  The following are the award recipients and their degree programs:

Art and Design – Pam Williams of Elizabethton;

Accounting – Beth Anne Collins of Greeneville;

Athletic Training – Erica Pomona of Pauline, S.C.;

Biology  – Cory Callahan of Bristol;

Digital Media – James Cox of Greeneville and Sarah Waddell of Cosby;

English Education 7-12: Joshua Davis of Sharps Chapel;

Dr. Troy Goodale, left, faculty sponsor for the Alpha Chi national honor society, presented the Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award to Sarah Clabo.

English, journalism and professional writing concentration – Jonathan Nash of Talbott;

English, literature concentration – Cheyenne Hartman of Louisa, Va.;

Film and Broadcasting – Ben Spillner of Greeneville;

General Management – Samantha Underwood of Muncie, Ind.;

History – Samantha Lyons of Rogersville;

Interdisciplinary Studies K-6 – Alyssa Raterman of Urbana, Ohio;

Mathematics – Alex Wiedemann of Rogersville;

Mathematics, computer science concentration – Tyler Bright of Limestone and Beth Wright of Powell;

Mathematics Education, 7-12 – Laura Rees of Kingsport;

Jacqueline Waddell, center above, received the Jean Hixon Memorial Award for the northeast region of GPS, which was presented by Hixon's sister and brother-in-law Ann and Jim Hall. Tammy Leopper, below, received the award for the southeast GPS region.

Museum Studies – Sandy Salmons of Greeneville;

Physical Education – Lindsey Bridges of Knoxville;

Political Science – Vinton Copeland of LaGrange, Ga.;

Psychology – Kate Barford of Alpharetta, Ga., and Jenny Grant of Franklin;

Psychology Education – Joy Beeler of New Tazewell;

Sport Management – Andy Goellner of Denver, Colo. and

Sports Science – Taylor Patterson of Lexington, S.C.

Recognized as Honor Students for having the highest grade point average of their class were:

seniors – Jennifer Grant of Franklin; Tyler Bright of Limestone; Alex Wiedemann of Rogersville; Beth Anne Collins of Greeneville; Danielle Doolittle of Evansville; Samantha Underwood of Muncie, Ind., and Billie Jennings of Mountain City.

juniors –  Ryan Byars and Sarah Clabo of Sevierville and Robert Arwood of Unicoi;

sophomores –David Cooper of Greeneville; Lukas Winkelmann of Boeblingen, Germany; Nicholas Wasylyk of Mississaug, Canada, and Lief Ratliff of Fall Branch.

freshman – Samuel Davis of Harriman; Zoe Holcomb of Knoxville; Calley Lawson of Gaithersburg, Md.; Shane Lawson of Talbott, Konstantin Olie of Berlin, Germany; Troy Owens of Newnan, Ga.; Britney Turner of Morristown and Sophie Webster of Jefferson City.

Adam Brown, right, was presented the E. H. Sargent Award by Dr. Debra McGinn, associate professor of biology.

Senior members of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society were also recognized. Upperclassmen ranked in the top 10 percent academically of their classmates are invited to join the honor society. Recognized were:

Christopher Armstrong of Grandview;

Cory Callahan of Bristol;

Beth Anne Collins of Greeneville;

Danielle Doolittle of Evansville;

Andy Goellner of Denver, Colo.;

Jenny Grant of Franklin;

Paige Hudson of Hixson;

Alex Wiedemann, right, was presented the first ever Barnett, Conley and Davis Award in Natural Sciences and Mathematics by Dr. McGinn.

Billie Jennings of Mountain City;

Kayla Jones of Jonesborough;

William Kemper of Greeneville;

Erica Pomona of Pauline, S.C.;

Alyssa Raterman of Urbana, Ohio;

Sandy Salmons of Greeneville;

Ben Sneyd of Greeneville, formerly of Erwin;

Samantha Underwood of Muncie, Ind.;

Sarah Waddell of Cosby;

Alex Wiedemann of Rogersville, and

Luis Zamora of Santiago, Chile.

Allison Harris, left, and Billie Jennings, right, were presented the Theatre Arts Award by Marilyn duBrisk, artist-in-residence and director of Arts Outreach.

The Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award, which honors the highest academically ranked member of the junior class, was presented to Sarah Clabo of Sevierville, Tenn.

Four students inducted in the Tusculum College chapter of the Psi Chi psychology honor society were recognized. They were April Poitras of Chuckey, Bridget Conte of Chattanooga, Russell N. Matthews of Morristown and Thomas J. Bitner of Chuckey.

Students who were chosen for the 2013 Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Prizes were honored. Students submit original, creative works in the annual writing competition. Ben Sneyd of Greeneville, formerly of Unicoi, won in the poetry and nonfiction categories. J. Phillip Reed of Florence, S.C., won the fiction category. Both this year’s winners have had their works published in numerous literary journals and both have received fellowships to attend graduate school. Sneyd has received a fellowship to attend Central Arkansas University and a position on the staff of Oxford American magazine.

Alyssa Carrino, right, was presented the Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Outstanding Major Award by Suzanne Byrd, assistant professor of physical education.

Reed has received a fellowship and tuition scholarship to attend Washington University in St. Louis.

The Dr. Shirley Beck Award for an outstanding Master of Arts in Education major was presented to Darla Laudermilk of Knoxville. In one of her academic projects, Laudermilk worked to make students more aware of the services provided by the ARCHES program to help working adult students in their studies.

The Outstanding Education Student Award was presented to Angela Hilton of Church Hill.

Jacqueline Waddell of Greeneville and Tammy Leopper of Clinton were presented the Jean Hixon Memorial Award, named in honor of a long-time member of the Graduate and Professional Studies staff. Hixon’s sister Anne Hall and her husband, James Hall, presented the award. The award recipients are chosen by Tusculum faculty as students who have demonstrated academic achievement with a GPA of 3.50 or better and dedicated community service.

The E.H. Sargent Award in Science was presented to Adam Brown of Ripplemead, Va. In choosing the recipient, science faculty members consider overall grade point average, total hours in science and variety of areas covered in the sciences.

Kim Brown, right, was presented the National Association for Sport and Physical Education major award by Byrd.

A new award was presented in the area of sciences and mathematics. The Barnett, Conley and Davis Award in Natural Sciences and Mathematics honors Dan Barnett, associate professor of chemistry; Ron Conley, associate professor of mathematics and Dr. Robert Davis, professor of biology, who have exemplified teaching excellence during their combined 100 years of service to Tusculum. All three professors are retiring at the end of the spring semester. Alex Wiedemann of Rogersville received the award, which is reserved for a graduating senior outstanding in the combined fields of natural sciences and mathematics. The award is based on overall GPA, science and math GPA, depth of interest in science and math and academic service to the college such as tutoring and/or research.

Kristen Lane of Maryville, was the recipient of the Doug Ratledge Environmental Science Scholarship. The scholarship is awarded to an outstanding student majoring in environmental science or the field guide naturalist program.

The Theatre Award was given to Allison Harris of Franklin for her participation and dedication to the theater program at Tusculum College.

Paige Hudson of Hixson was the recipient of the David Behan Award for her contributions to the theater program. Hudson has appeared in productions, worked backstage with a variety of responsibilities and served as backstage manager during her senior year.

The Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Outstanding Major Award is selected by the physical education faculty and was awarded to Alyssa Carrino of Greeneville.

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education Award was presented to Kim Brown of Scarborough, Ontario.

The Pinnacle Award for highest scores on annual comprehensive examinations taken by athletic training education majors was presented to Carol Hogan of Pelham, Ala.

Service Awards

The Service-Learning Award was presented to Vinton Copeland of LaGrange, Ga. Copeland, who is a political science major with a minor in civic engagement, has been an active student leader on campus. He is a member of the President’s Society, serves as a resident assistant and started the Students for Christ Gospel Choir on campus, which has performed in local churches as well as in college events. He has served as vice president of the Student Government Association.

Recently, he coordinated an interfaith forum on campus to discuss such issues as the role of the church in the community, how churches can work together, how youth can be engaged more fully in the life of the church and how Tusculum students can become more involved in local churches. About 60 people attended the forum, which included a panel discussion of seven local church pastors and lay leaders and breakout session involving all the participants.

Around 2,000 people visited the Tusculum College campus April 19-21 for the Old Oak Festival, which featured music, arts, creative writing, storytelling, theater, children’s activities and regional authors.

Tom Simpson of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council presents a plaque commemorating the Old Oak's addition to the Tennessee Landmark and Historic Tree Registry to Tusculum College President Nancy B. Moody.

The Old Oak for which the festival is named was the focus Saturday afternoon of a ceremony to celebrate its naming to the Tennessee Landmark and Historic Tree Register of the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. Describing it as a symbol of endurance, Tusculum College President Nancy B. Moody shared the history of the large, white-oak tree that pre-dates the College. The tree stands 100 feet tall and has a circumference of 23 feet. The limbs and branches of the 250 to 300 year-old tree span 100 feet across.

Tom Simpson, representing the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council, recalled that when he visited campus the first time, he knew which tree was the Old Oak. “It’s a magnificent tree,” he said, sharing the history of the Landmark and Historic Tree Register. Storyteller Saundra Kelley asked those gathered for the ceremony to imagine the frontier when the tree was just a sapling and reflect about its strength and endurance.

More than 70 arts, crafts and food vendors filled the area between McCormick Hall and the Niswonger Commons as well as the Pioneer Arena. Homemade arts and crafts such as jewelry, artwork, quilts and woodwork could be found among the vendors and festival fare such as hot dogs, funnel cake, ice cream and Italian ice and baked goods tempted the taste buds of those at the festival. Llamas from Walnut Ridge Farm were a hit all weekend, as was a falcon demonstration by Dr. Michael Bodary, assistant professor of English at Tusuclum.

Musical entertainment ran the gamut from the eight-year-old fiddler Carson Peters to the hard rock style of Capgun on Friday and Saturday and storytellers shared their tales on the stage as well.

Performances and creative works by Tusculum students, faculty, staff and alumni were also featured in a variety of ways. Prints by art and design students were on display and sale all weekend as well as the official festival poster created by student Jacinta Holdsclaw.

Education students and members of the Tusculum cheerleading squad manned the “Kiddie Korner,” which offered crafts, games, story time and face painting to youngsters. Among the musical performers students Curtis Moneyhun, Zach Wampler, Chris Weems, Jack Lampley, Robert Arrowood, David Nunez and Ian Allison, alumnus Dane Hinkle ’04 who performed with Michael Cable, library staff member Charles Tunstall and Women’s Soccer Coach Mike Joy. Also performing with Joy were student Kimsie Hall and Michael Hawkins, an assistant athletic trainer at the college. Hawkins is also part of the Capgun band.

The Pioneer Jazz Band joined members of Shiloh and the Kevin Wilder Group to perform on Saturday evening.

The Tusculum College Jazz Band performed on Saturday afternoon and also joined John Brown and Kevin Wilder and members of Shiloh in a surprise performance on Saturday evening. A highlight of the festival was the performance by Shiloh, Tusculum alumni who had performed together as a band while students who came back together to perform for the festival.

The Students for Christ Gospel Choir, a student-led and organized group on campus, gave their final performance for the spring semester on Sunday. Sunday’s festivities also included an old-time church service, which provided attendees with a glimpse of the life of circuit-riding preachers and what a frontier church service might be like.

The latest edition of The Tusculum Review, the college’s literary journal, was celebrated with a launch party on Friday afternoon with readings by Jan LaPerle, visiting assistant professor of English, and Erin Elizabeth Smith, whose works appear in the journal. Readings by Justin Reed and Ben Sneyd, the winners of the 2012-13 Curtis Owens Literary Prize student creative writing competition, were held on Saturday afternoon at the Rankin House prior to a reception for visiting artist Amanda Hood in the Allison Gallery.

Performances of “5 x 10,” five 10-minute plays by four Tusculum College students and a professor, were held Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A second weekend of performances is scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 26-27 and 2 p.m. on April 28 in the Behan Arena Theatre on the lower level (side entrance) of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building.

At almost any time during the weekend, people could be found waiting in line for the “Big Box,” a project by the Digital Media department, in which short films by students and faculty were streamed together to provide a surround visual and audio experience.

More than 100 students volunteered during the festival. Many were busy Friday morning helping vendors carry their wares to their booths while others assisted vendors in their booths, worked the Information Tent, helped move musical and stage equipment, provided directions to attendees in finding entertainment stages and other attractions, and picked up litter to keep campus clean.

Forty vendors were located in the Pioneer Arena, above, while about 30 were located outside of McCormick Hall.

Plans are already under way for next year’s festival. Mark your calendars to visit the Old Oak Festival April 25-27 in 2014. While festival organizers would like to have the festival the third weekend of April each year, please note that this is not the third weekend due to the Easter holiday.

For more photos of the Old Oak Festival, please visit the College’s Facebook page.

The maker of this clock will be among the vendors at the Old Oak Festival.

The 2013 Old Oak Festival will feature fine arts and crafts from more than 70 vendors as the revived festival makes its return to the Tusculum College campus April 19-21.

The arts and music festival will span three days and will feature something for everyone, including music, art, theater and creative writing, as well as gallery and museum exhibits on the Tusculum College campus.

The arts and crafts show will offer everything from watercolor paintings to handmade quilts.

“This year is a dramatic increase in the number of fine arts and crafts vendors who will participate in the festival,” said Susan D. Crum, associate vice president of institutional advancement who is coordinating the event for the college. “Visitors will have a wide variety of items to choose from, including custom jewelry, wood crafts, handmade furniture and sculpture.”

Other items include barn wood frames, walking sticks, handmade children’s clothing, baskets, candles and many handmade items. Vendors will be both indoors and outside.

Sponsors for this year’s event include The Greeneville Sun, WQUT-Radio, WXSM Radio, WIVK Radio, WNML Radio, WOKI Radio, 106.1 The River, Holston Valley Broadcasting, WJHL Daytime Tri-Cities, Morristown Radio Group, Merle FM Radio, WVEK Radio, WKPT, WTFM, Kingsport Times-News, WGRV Radio, WIKQ Radio, WSMG Radio and WCYB-TV.

In addition to arts, the festival will feature a number of local and regional writers. Participating authors include Joe Tennis, Emory Raxter, Ray Rowney, Lisa Hall, Bruce Stafford, Matilda Green, the Bachmans (P.B. and Amanda), Keith Bartlett, Bob Laws, Wayne Zurl, George Sample and Susan D. Crum. Copies of the Tusculum Review will also be available for purchase.

Storytelling has been added to the festival this year, with everything from Mother Goose tales to Cherokee and Appalachian tales. Storytellers on the agenda include Molly Catron, Linda Poland, Pam Miller, Jeff Straton, Madge Rohrer, Marjorie Shaefer, Judy “Butterfuly” Farlow, Leon Overbay, Kate Agmann and Saundra Kelley.

In theater, there will be three performances during the festival of “5 X 10,” written by students and Wayne Thomas, chair of the Department of Fine Arts and associate professor of English. Show times are 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, April 19 and 20, and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

“5 X 10” presents five, 10-minute plays. The shows will be performed in the Behan Arena Theatre in the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center. The plays will be under the direction of Thomas and Frank Mengel, Arts Outreach technical director and instructor of theater.

This pine basket is one of the many types of handmade items that will be featured during the three-day festival.

The Clem Allison Gallery at the Rankin House will feature the work Amanda Hood, visiting assistant professor of art at East Tennessee State University. Hood’s exhibition will be in the gallery April 15 – 24. Hood’s work is featured on the cover of this year’s Tusculum Review. On Saturday, April 20, a reception will be held for Hood, which will be paired with the annual Curtis-Owens Literary readings, featuring students J. Phillip Reed, a senior from Florence, S.C., and Ben Sneyd, a senior from Unicoi. Reed and Sneyd won the literary prizes this year. The reception and readings will be held on the Rankin House lawn at 4 p.m.

There will be a Tusculum Review Launch Party on Friday, April 19, at 4 p.m. in the Shulman Atrium. This event will feature the poet Nate Pritts and Jan Matthews, visiting assistant professor of English.

On Saturday, April 20, Tusculum College will host a reception for visiting artist Amanda Hood. This will be paired with the annual Curtis-Owens Literary readings, featuring students J. Phillip Reed, a senior from Florence, S.C., and Ben Sneyd, a senior from Unicoi. Reed and Sneyd won the literary prizes this year. The reception and readings will be held on the Rankin House lawn at 4 p.m.

The Big Box experience will be held in the Pioneer Gym continuously during festival hours. The Big Box project is an exhibition of video art created by Chris Jacek, assistant professor of digital media, and students in the digital media department. In the Big Box experience, projection is used to create an enclosed video room that offers both surround sound and surround vision.

The Big Box experience is free of charge.

“On stage, the festival will present the sounds of the region with a wide variety of music from bluegrass to jazz to regional and local vocalists and musicians,” said Crum. Music will include bluegrass, rock, gospel, jazz, folk, contemporary Christian and acoustic performances.

For the younger crowd, there will be two nights of dancing. Friday night will feature a Silent Disco and Saturday a Dubstep concert. Both will be held from 7-10 p.m. in Chalmers Conference Center in the Niswonger Commons.

Both the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library and the Doak House Museum will be open to visitors during the festival and will have special activities planned for adults and children.

A variety of materials from wood to llama wool, above, will be on display in the booths.

The festival will also feature children’s activities including face painting, frontier-era toys and games and a llama exhibit.

A variety of food will be offered. Expected this year are vendors selling pretzels, hotdogs, corn dogs, kettle korn, strawberry shortcake, ice cream, pizza, baked goods, healthy wraps, spiral-cut French fries, barbecue and more.

At 2 p.m. on Saturday, officials from the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council will be on hand to recognize the Tusculum College old oak tree as an official historic tree. The large, white-oak tree that the festival is named for has officially been added to the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council’s Tennessee Landmark and Historic Tree Register.

An old-time outdoor church service will be conducted by a circuit rider on Sunday morning at 11 a.m. The service will re-create the feel of the frontier church experience. The service is open to the public and will be followed by traditional and contemporary gospel music performances throughout the day.

There is no fee to attend the festival. Hours will be Friday from noon until 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at 423-636-7303.

Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the entertainment. Service animals are welcome; however, no pets allowed. Coolers and alcohol are also prohibited.

For updates and more information, visit the website at www.oldoakfestival.org or on Facebook at www.facebook/OldOakFestival.

On Saturday, March 30, seven Tusculum College students, all English/creative writing majors, attended Hollins University’s 53rd Annual Lex Allen Literary Festival in Roanoke, Va. with English Department chair, Heather Patterson.

Students attending included Joseph Borden of Lyles; Allison Harris of Franklin; Austen Heron of Durham, N.C.; Noelle Rankin of Hixson; J. Phillip Reed of Florence, S.C.; Ben Sneyd of Greeneville, formerly of Unicoi, and Carnes White, a sophomore from Montgomery, Ala.

The festival included readings by New York Times Notable Book of the Year Award winner Karen Osborn, T. S. Eliot Prize winner Rebecca Dunham and Guggenheim Fellowship honoree Francine Prose.

Students were invited to submit creative works for the festival’s contests in poetry and fiction. Seniors Reed and Sneyd, were selected as finalists in the poetry category; seniors Rankin and Sneyd and junior Herron were selected as finalists in the fiction category. Work of the poetry finalists were read and discussed in a poetry panel comprised of poets Cathy Hankla, Thorpe Moeckel, Rebecca Dunham and Jeanne Larsen.

Reed’s poem, “The Saints Look On La Sagrada Familia,” was selected as first-place winner of the festival’s poetry prize. Sneyd’s short story, “Riding Reflections,” was selected as runner-up winner in the fiction category.

“Graduate students in Hollins University’s MFA program seemed genuinely interested in our post-undergraduate pursuits, which—to me—meant that our own creative writing program turns heads at some of the highest-ranked programs in the writing community, and I’m always glad to be reminded of that. Our professors and students deserve such recognition,” said Reed.

“It was a delight to see our students praised so highly by attendees of the festival,” said Patterson. “I can say with confidence that Tusculum College’s creative writing program is one of the best undergraduate writing programs currently operating, and I feel that folks outside of Tusculum are recognizing that fact more and more. The writers who come out of our program are being published in esteemed journals, winning awards and getting into top-notch graduate school programs. We can now add success at Lex Allen to our long and lengthening list of our students’ achievements.”

Of his time at the festival, junior Borden noted, “I’ve attended the Lex Allen Literary Festival twice now, and both times have left me with a profound pride in our creative writing program. Besides the competition, it’s a great festival to attend to meet and converse with fellow writers, and it’s awesome that we get the opportunity to hear from and talk to established writers.”

Tusculum students competed against 262 entrants in poetry and 167 entrants in fiction from colleges and universities including Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Notre Dame, the University of Alabama, University of Maryland, University of Virginia, Ohio State University, Agnes Scott College, Pennsylvania State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Louisville, Northern Michigan University, Hollins University, Valparaiso University, SUNY Geneseo, Rhodes College, Saint Joseph’s College, Normandale Community College, St. John’s College, Kenyon College, Waynesburg University, Gordon College, Fairfield University, Middlebury College, Bowie State University, Oberlin College and University of Hartford.

“We should be proud of our writing students’ achievements,” said Patterson.  “The contest pool was quite large and impressively talented.”

Front row from left are Allison Harris, Noelle Rankin and Austen Herron. Back row is J. Phillip Reed, Ben Sneyd, Carnes White and Joseph Borden.

Four Tusculum College students were recognized for their successful completion of the Honors Program requirements at a year-end celebration banquet in April.

Honors graduates this year were Billie Jennings of Mountain City, Alisha Jones of Murfreesboro, Kate Barford of Alpharetta, Ga., and Elizabeth Wright from Powell. Jennings was also honored at the 2013 Honors Olympian.

Also, recognized was the “Honors Olympian,” the Honors student who best exemplifies the ideals of Tusculum College through academia success, civic engagement and service to the community.

All the students in the program were congratulated by Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of the college.

“I encourage you to continue along this path, and I have confidence there are more great things in your future,” she said. “For those of you who are joining us as freshmen, welcome to the program. I recommend you take advantage of your faculty mentors as well as the upperclassmen who have much advice to dispense.”

Jennings, who is majoring in creative writing, is a student editor of the Tusculum Review, the campus literary journal. She has been active in the theater program, appearing in leading roles in several plays on campus. She has been accepted into the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Tennessee.

Jones, a pre-med major, has applied to a number of medical school programs for post-graduation. She has participated in Tusculum’s theater productions, as well as served in several organizations on campus.

Barford is a psychology major with a minor in biology. She is a member of the Psi Chi psychology honor society, tutors other students in psychology, is a certified nursing assistant and has presented as first author at a national psychology conference.

Wright is majoring in mathematics with a concentration in computer science. She has presented at the Blue Ridge Undergraduate Research Conference. She is one of the charter members of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority on campus.

The Tusculum College Honors Program is designed to offer challenging and engaging educational experiences to talented students committed to academic excellence. The program offers distinctive courses including honors versions of general education courses, selected departmental courses with honors options and semester-long seminars with talented faculty and gifted peers.

According to Dr. Tom Harlow, director of the Honors Program and assistant professor of psychology, participants in the Honors Program focus on more than rigorous academics.

“Members of the Honors Program are expected to become leaders in their community, raising the level of intellectual debate and civic engagement,” he said.

The students were recognized in front of fellow Honors Program students, faculty, family and friends at a dinner held on the Greeneville campus on April 1. They were presented with their graduation sashes and congratulated by their mentoring professors in their major.

The Tusculum College Honors Program currently has 20 student members. For more information on the program, contact Harlow at 423-636-7300.

Seven Tusculum College students participated in the 2013 Blue Ridge Undergraduate Conference on March 8 and 9, with one of the students receiving recognition for their poster project.

Chelsea White

Chelsea White, a junior museum studies and history major from New Jersey, received the “Outstanding Poster” award for her exhibit, “Mirage of the Frontier.” The exhibit focused on the gender roles portrayed in Western art or “cowboy art,” and how modern assumptions are based on the interpretations of the West portrayed by this genre. White was advised on her project by Tusculum professors Dr. David Key, Dr. Peter Noll and Dr. Joel Van Amberg.

Also participating with a poster presentation was Tom Salinas, a museum studies and history major from Brownsville, Texas who is a senior. “Texas Roots: The Misnomer of Revolution” by Salinas investigates how the roots of the Texas Revolution define it more as an act of secession than a revolution.

Five students presented papers during the conference, which is designed to encourage undergraduates in colleges in the Appalachian region to conduct research projects by providing a high-quality, low pressure forum for presentations. This year’s conference was hosted by Lincoln Memorial University with approximately 90 students participating.

White's display, "Mirage of the Frontier," was recognized during the conference.

Presenting papers were:

Ryan Barker, a junior from Laurens, S.C., majoring in history and English with a creative writing concentration, presented, “Roman Britain: Claudius’ Social Obligation.”

Barker’s paper explored the reasons for the Roman invasion of Britain under Emperor Claudius and the historical significance of the island’s conquest using a lens of social and cultural obligation.

Cory Callahan, a junior majoring in psychology with a minor in chemistry, made a presentation about “The Implementation of Distributed Drug Discovery at Tusculum College.” Callahan, who is from Bristol, focused on research at the college to synthesize, purify and characterize a series of compounds for evaluation as anti-malarial agents for the Distributed Drug Discovery project, developed by researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

Isiah Lyman, a senior from Boiling Springs, S.C. majoring in history and political science, discussed his research of “The Presentation of American Slavery in the History Textbooks in Tennessee from the 1940s to the 1970s. In his paper, Lyman illustrated how the section on American slavery has changed over time in high school textbooks and explored the possible influence of national, state and local governments on how the topic was presented.

Senior Samantha Lyons, a history major from Rogersville, explored “Boys Will Be Boys: Gender Modeling Using Frontier Images.” Lyons’ paper examined how the 20^th century’s interpretation of the West and the frontier provided general modeling and guidelines for the behavior of children, whether intentionally or not.

Jack Scariano III presented his research about “The Changing Image of George Custer.” Scariano examined how Custer’s image has changed in the media from the glorification as an American hero in the late 1800s to a perpetrator of the genocide of Native Americans in the 20^th century and how the changes of views of Custer reflect broader changes in society. Scariano is a junior history major from Knoxville.

Students and members of the Tusculum Psychology Department recently participated in the Southeastern Psychological Association’s 59th Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

Kate Barford, left, and Paige Hudson discuss their research with a conference attendee.

Tusculum students presented five posters based upon original research they conducted during the 2012-2013 year. The topics they researched and shared ranged from Theo Oing’s work on prolonging those songs that get stuck in your head (mental music) to the very well-attended session on biological correlates of empathy, conducted by Kate Barford and Paige Hudson. Oing is a junior from Chattanooga, Barford is from Alpharetta, Ga., and Hudson is from Hixson.

Tusculum’s students capitalized on the conference experience. Latisha Stover, of Johnson City, ran into a friend she had made at a previous conference.  “It was great to renew friendships and make new friends with others who are entering this field with me.”

Robert Arrowood, a junior from Erwin, added, “I found that I was researching questions that psychologists from all over the Southeast are interested in.”  He elaborated enthusiastically, “I got several emails from people wanting to learn more about my project  These will be good contacts that will certainly be beneficial when I go to graduate school.”

Oing has found that research enriches his education.  Explaining, “If you’re being taught something, you might be interested in what being covered. But if you’re doing research, you’re definitely more engaged with the subject. You’re choosing what to study, and you’re discovering new information by virtue of your research in the field.”

Jenny Grant, above, and the other students were first authors on their papers.

This year students were first authors on all papers, while Jenny Grant, a senior from Franklin, blended her interest in sports and psychological research to be the sole researcher and author of “Predictors of Sport Commitment and Group Cohesion in College Athletes.”

“Being first author is a bit of an honor, and this group had a particularly strong handle on data analysis, enabling them to contribute so significantly to the work as to warrant being first author,” explained Dr. Brian Pope, assistant professor of psychology.

Tusculum psychology students routinely attend SEPA and have a long history of being well-represented at the annual meeting.

From left, Tusculum College students Kate Barford, Theo Oing, Latisha Stover and Robert Arrowood were among the Tusculum College students who presented at the Southeastern Psychological Association meeting in Atlanta. At right is Dr. Brian Pope, assistant professor of psychology.

From left, Tusculum College students Kate Barford, Theo Oing, Latisha Stover and Robert Arrowood were among the Tusculum College students who presented at the Southeastern Psychological Association meeting in Atlanta. At right is Dr. Brian Pope, assistant professor of psychology.

From left, author Charles Dodd White was on hand to announce the winners of the Tusculum College Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Prize. This year’s winners were poetry and non-fiction winner Ben Sneyd of Greeneville, center; and J. Phillip Reed of Florence, S.C., winner in fiction.

Tusculum College students Justin Reed and Ben Sneyd are the winners of the 2013 Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Prize, annually given to recognize the literary achievements of the college’s creative writing students.

Reed, who won in the competition’s fiction category, submitted a work titled “Cleaving.” He is a senior from Florence, S.C. majoring in English with a concentration in creative writing.

Sneyd, who won in the competition’s nonfiction and poetry categories submitted an essay titled, “Paper Boys and Straw Gods” and poems titled “What You’ve Done Here,” “Drunk in the City, Remembering Home” and “We Were Nuclear, Darling.” Sneyd is a senior English major with a concentration in creative writing who lives in Greeneville and is formerly of Erwin, Tenn.

The students’ work will be included in a publication to be released during the Old Oak Festival, April 19-21, at the  launch of the Tusculum Review, the college’s literary magazine.

The literary award was established by Curtis Owens, a 1928 graduate of Tusculum College who went on to a teaching career at what is now Pace University in New York, and his wife, Billie.  He and his wife established the Owens Award at his alma mater to encourage and reward excellence in writing among Tusculum College students.

The announcement of the winners was made during a reading by award-winning poet Charles Dodd White, who served as the judge for the final round of competition. The reading was part of the annual Humanities Series, sponsored by the Tusculum College English Department.

White teaches writing and literature at South College in Asheville, N.C. He has been a U.S. Marine, a fishing guide and a newspaper journalist. He is the author of the story collection, Sinners; the novel, “Lambs of Men,” and co-editor of the contemporary Appalachian short story anthology Degrees of Elevation.

His short fiction has appeared in Appalachian Heritage, The Collagist, Fugue, The Louisville Review, North Carolina Literary Review, PANK, the Tusculum Review and other publications. In 2011 he was awarded a fellowship in prose by the North Carolina Arts Council. His work has been nominated for the Appalachian Book of the Year, The Weatherford Award and the Chaffin Award.