With a $100,000 goal, Tusculum College kicked off the 2016-17 Pioneer Club campaign with a breakfast held at the Greeneville campus on Thursday, Aug. 4.
“We are appreciative of all you do to support Tusculum athletics, your efforts in the community and your attendance at games means a lot to our student-athletes,” Tusculum Athletic Director Doug Jones told the campaign leaders and volunteers at the breakfast. “That support through the Pioneer Club is important for us to provide the best experience we can for our student-athletes.”
This year’s Pioneer Club campaign will be led by five team captains, Angelo Botta, Nick Hirschy, Justin Jeffers, Steve Goad and Dr. Craig Shepherd, and Jones. These captains will lead groups of volunteers who be working in the community to raise awareness and support for Tusculum athletics over the coming year.
The Pioneer Club is the college’s vehicle to provide athletic scholarships and program support to all athletic programs. The program began in 1991, and year after year, has been built on a solid foundation of support from alumni and friends of Tusculum College.
Athletics at Tusculum College are a big part of campus life; nearly 50 percent of the students are student-athletes. Jones said that several projects have been identified that will be supported through the Pioneer Club campaign, including the improvement of the College’s capability to live stream athletic events over the Internet. Live streaming has become increasingly important as parents want to be able to watch their student-athletes compete even if they are not able to attend the game, he explained.
Larry Coughlin, who has served as the Pioneer Club Campaign chairman for the past eight years, was honored for his leadership in the annual effort during the breakfast. Coughlin, who will be continuing his involvement in the Pioneer Club as a campaign volunteer, has been actively involved with Tusculum College and its student-athletes for many years. A well known and respected member of the Greeneville community, his service to others also includes membership on Foundation Board of the Greeneville Exchange Club, the Laughlin Health Care Foundation Board and the Consumer Credit Union Board of Directors. In 2010, Coughlin was recognized with Tusculum’s Sports Benefactor Award, which recognizes individuals for their contributions toward the Pioneer athletic programs.