Kimsie Hall named ‘Student of the Block’ for Block 2

Connie Kretchmar-Sitz, left, campus counselor at Tusculum, presents Kimsie Hall the “Student of the Block” award.

Kimsie Hall of Cleveland, Tenn., has been named the “Student of the Block” for Block 2 at Tusculum College.

A junior majoring in athletic training, Hall was commended for her involvement on campus and her service to others during a ceremony Nov. 17 to present the honor.

The Student of the Block Award is presented each block by the Office of Student Affairs to recognize students for academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community. A plaque recognizing Hall’s accomplishments will be displayed in the Niswonger Commons and other campus buildings.

Hall was nominated for the award by Connie Kretchmar-Sitz, the campus counselor, who works with the Voices for Violence student organization, which brings awareness to relationship violence and its impact on victims. Hall co-founded the organization with two other students, Ashley Shoults, a 2009 graduate of the college, and Brooke Haymaker, a 2010 graduate of the college.

In her nomination, Kretchmar-Sitz said of Hall, “I found that Kimsie is not just a committed, motivated student, but she is a student who is committed and motivated to causes outside the academic realm. She finds it important to follow through with her commitments, so she is not just volunteering because she thinks it will impress others, but because she truly believes in what she is doing.

“Kimsie is a person who anticipates a need before one has to ask her or tell her to help. She sees the broad picture and takes the initiative to do what needs to be done. There have been numerous times when she has asked me if she can help in ways that no one else has, and it seems to be because she notices what needs to be done. She has a genuine desire to make things run more smoothly and effectively.”

As a freshman, Hall immediately became involved in student organizations as well as becoming immersed in her major, one of the most academically rigorous on campus. In addition to Voices for Violence, Hall is vice president of the Athletic Training Student Society, chief student justice of the student conduct board, a Student Support Services mentor and a member of the President’s Society, the Tusculum College Relay for Life team and Iota Tau Alpha, the honors society for athletic training students.

She also works with the Greeneville High School football team as a student athletic training assistant and attends church services at Lighthouse Assembly of God in Greeneville. At Tusculum, Hall has also worked with the Pioneer Green Team, as a congress representative for the Bonner Leader program, as a member of the Student Alumni Association and as a student mentor at a tutoring program for youth in Greeneville.

Hall has been recognized for her service work in New Orleans with the college’s 2011 Service Learning Award and also received the 2011 Pinnacle Award, which celebrates the highest performing athletic training major within the program.

Kretchmer-Sitz and Dr. David Key, assistant professor of history, have had a positive impact on Hall during her time at Tusculum. She described Kretchmar-Sitz as a “woman of great confidence and courage” who “believes in me more than I believe in myself sometimes.” Dr. Key puts as much work in to class and education as he expects out of his students, Hall added.

Her parents, Dave and Ingrid Hall, have been the biggest influences of Hall’s life and she credits them in helping her become a strong, independent, smart and competent young woman.

Hall’s future aspirations are to become a certified athletic trainer and work as a civilian for the U.S. Air Force, as well as earn a master’s degree in vocal performance and become certified in massage therapy.

She is looking forward to the challenges that the rest of the year and her senior year will bring. “Tusculum College has impacted my life in a big way,” she said. “I have made lifelong friends and lifelong relationships with faculty and staff. At Tusculum I am more than a number or a face in the crowd. I am a person with a face and a name.”

Her advice to her classmates is to carefully manage their time and get involved outside the classroom. “You cannot be successful at Tusculum if you do not go out and do beyond the classroom,” she said. “Getting involved outside of your major and the classroom gives you a more diverse outlook and gives a chance to try something new.”