Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tenn., has been named the new president for Tusculum College effective June 1. The announcement was made during a called Tusculum College Board of Trustees meeting on Saturday, February 28. Dr. Moody will be the first female president at Tennessee’s oldest college.
“Dr. Moody is a strong advocate of our civic arts curriculum and is well-known and respected in our region. We feel fortunate to have attracted someone of her caliber, and we are truly optimistic about the future of Tusculum College under her leadership,” said Ken Bowman, chairman of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees and of the selection committee. “Dr. Moody is a proven, successful college president with an especially impressive record of preparing students to be active citizens and successful in the careers they choose.”
He added that Dr. Moody’s has demonstrated a commitment to Tusculum College’s mission of providing a strong civic arts curriculum for all graduates and to continuing to grow the College in that tradition for both residential and Graduate and Professional Studies students.
Dr. Moody has been president of Lincoln Memorial University since 2002, and in that time LMU’s enrollment increased by 90 percent. Under her leadership the university initiated the Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine, expanded the Caylor School of Nursing to include a master of science in nursing degree program with family nurse practitioner and nurse anesthesia concentrations, developed the proposed physician assistant program, School of Law, doctorate of education degree program, undergraduate programs including criminal justice and music and opened five new extended site learning centers.
The Railsplitter athletic department also moved from the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference to the South Atlantic Conference. With Dr. Moody at the helm, LMU experienced seven years of positive fiscal management which allowed the university to invest $12 million into institutional priorities. Additionally, she oversaw nearly $25 million in fundraising initiatives. During this time LMU completed four large-scale renovation projects, the construction of five new apartment-style residence halls, the conversion of an off-campus hotel to graduate student apartments, the construction of a 105,000 square foot medical school building and a 30,000 square foot educational building.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to serve Tusculum College. I am extremely impressed with the people of Tusculum – the students, faculty, staff, administrative personnel and members of the Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Moody. “Without exception, there is a sense of enthusiasm and pride for the mission of the College, which has a wonderful legacy as the oldest institution of higher education in the state of Tennessee. I look forward to becoming a part of that legacy and to experiencing that enthusiasm as we work, learn and grow together in our efforts to enhance academic excellence, public service and the qualities of Judeo-Christian character.”
She added, “As a first-generation college graduate, I have always valued all levels of education with a particular interest in the higher education of traditional aged college students and adults of all ages. Achieving the knowledge and skills necessary to function in society through a college education is one of the best ways to stimulate the local economy and positively impact local communities and the lives of others.
Dr. Moody received associate and baccalaureate degrees in nursing from Eastern Kentucky University, a master’s of science in nursing from Texas Woman’s University and a doctorate of science in nursing from the University of Alabama’s School of Nursing at Birmingham. Her professional career in higher education began at LMU as an instructor of nursing.
She subsequently served in several roles at LMU, culminating in her appointment as the dean of LMU’s School of Professional Studies before joining the faculty at East Tennessee State University where she was tenured and served as department chair. She would go on to become an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, while also serving as the executive director of the Tennessee Center of Nursing.
Dr. Moody currently chairs the executive committee for the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association and serves on the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation Board of Directors. She is a member of the NCAA Division II President’s Council and an active participant on the boards of the Appalachian Colleges Association and the Tennessee Center for Nursing, Inc. She is married to Tom Moody, a self-employed public accountant in Knoxville. She and Tom are proud parents of grown children, daughter, Mykel, and son, Adam.