Groups of alumni could be seen walking around campus, reminiscing on their college life and exploring the new Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math and campus tours were held on Friday. Old and new joined together at the lunch with students, in which alumni could meet with student leaders currently attending Tusculum.
Alumni of all different ages met and talked. Old friends embraced each other, and young graduates learned the history of Tusculum from the older alumnus. While some may have graduated far before others, their reason for returning was similar. Ryan Barker, class of 2015, said that Tusculum was his home for four years, and homecoming is exactly that: coming home. When asked about their fondest memory, many gave the same answer; their fondest memory was meeting their spouse.
One alumnus, Jane Lavorne Morse ’77, recalled one time when her dormmates and she were lured into a water fight with one of the other dorms.
Friday night, a pep rally was held in the quad. Students and friends played cornhole, roasted marshmallows, and listened to the band play songs. The bonfire continue to burn until late in the night, and everyone around enjoyed the companionship it brought with it.
Saturday morning, tempted by the smell of breakfast, alumni gathered in the Chalmers Conference Center. When the chatter had died down, the new alumni were inducted into the Tusculum Sports Hall of Fame: Eric Claridy ’95, Jasmine Gunn ’11, and Kyle Moore ’10.
Claridy accounted for the greatest football playing career by a Tusculum tailback and has held the program’s all-time rushing and scoring records for more than 20 years. Claridy holds seven career, season, and single-game school records. His 278 career points scored are the most by a pioneer, which included 110 points in 1994, the most by a non-kicker and second-best in a Tusculum College season.
Gunn produced one of the finest playing careers in the history of Tusculum women’s basketball. Gunn helped Tusculum to four 20-win campaigns, which included three South Atlantic Conference Championships, two SAC Tournament titles, and four trips to the NCAA Tournament. Gunn was also named Tusculum Female Athlete of the Year for both the 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 academic seasons.
Moore accounted for the greatest scoring career during the NCAA Division II era of the Tusculum men’s basketball program. Moore holds the school record with his 447 made free throws. From 2007-2010, Moore poured more than 1,813 points, which are fourth in the Tusculum record book and eighth most in the South Atlantic Conference history. Following his career at Tusculum, Moore signed a contract to play professionally in Germany for the SOBA Dragons in the Pro A League.
The Alumni Awards followed the Hall of Fame inductions. The National Living Faculty Award is presented each year to an outstanding member of the Tusculum College Faculty. This award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the College’s academic programs.
This year’s award went to Dr. Lois Ewen, dean of nursing, health sciences and human services. Dr. Ewen joined Tusculum College in 2012. She earned her Ph.D. degree in curriculum and instruction with majors in adult education and measurement and statistics from the University of South Florida and a Master of Science in nursing degree from Barry University. Her career in academics includes dean’s positions are at Tallahassee and Columbia State Community Colleges and faculty positions at Hillsborough, St. Petersburg and Miami-Dade Colleges. She also has extensive experience in various nursing positions, including assistant director of nursing, director of education, and nurse manager.
Dr. Ewen teaches nursing classes where she engages and challenges students to develop their critical thinking and decision making skills. Her research interests are primarily with enhancing critical thinking and indicators of success in nursing programs.
The Pioneer Award was established by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association in 1962 and is presented each year to an outstanding alumnus or alumna, in recognition of outstanding or meritorious achievement in his or her chosen field; for distinguished service to church, community, country and humanity; and for continuing and loyal service to Tusculum College.
This year’s recipient, Beverly Roberts is a 1990 graduate of Tusculum College. When the University of Connecticut defeated Syracuse University, on Tuesday, April 5, during the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship game, a Tusculum College alumna was right in the middle of the action. Roberts was selected to serve as one of the game officials at this year’s Women’s Final Four, held in Indianapolis. Roberts was one of the three referees working the national title game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, shown on ESPN. Serving as referee in big games is not new for the Kingsport native.
She officiated the 2008 NCAA Final Four in Tampa, FL, and has worked in 10 consecutive NCAA tournaments. This was her first national championship game. Roberts officiates women’s games in the Big Ten, Big 12, Missouri Valley Conference, Southeastern Conference and Conference USA. Officiating runs in the family. Beverly’s father, Garry Roberts, is a basketball official in the South Atlantic Conference.
The Frontier Award was established by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association in 1995 and is presented each year to an outstanding alumnus or alumna in recognition of outstanding or meritorious advancement in his or her career. Consideration will be given to former students who have been graduated from the College at least five years, but no more than fifteen years. Consideration for this award should include continuing and loyal service to Tusculum College.
This year’s recipient, Dr. Jessica Epley Burchette is a 2006 graduate of Tusculum College. She went on to be a proud 2010 graduate from the inaugural class at ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. Upon graduation, Dr. Burchette obtained further post graduate training with a Pharmacy Practice residency at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, TN followed by an internal medicine residency with a secondary focus in academia at ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy.
Dr. Burchette joined the faculty at ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy in August 2012 as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice. She maintains practice sites at Johnson City Medical Center and Holston Valley Medical Center working with interdisciplinary inpatient family medicine teams. In addition to her practice, Dr. Burchette also coordinates and teaches several courses within the curriculum. She enjoys teaching students about pulmonary disorders and basic critical care concepts in the classroom.
In the fall of 2013 Dr. Burchette was honored to become a faculty advisor for Kappa Psi and the Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Recently, she also became a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist. She holds memberships in ASHP, ACCP, AACP, Rho Chi, Phi Lambda Sigma, Kappa Psi, TPA and TSHP.
The National Alumni Recognition Award was established by the Executive Committee of the Alumni Association in 1996 and is presented each year to an outstanding member of the Tusculum College Community. The purpose of the National Alumni Recognition Award is to bestow recognition on those individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the college.
This year’s recipient was Roxanna Jaynes, catering director for Sodexo, the food service provider for Tusculum College.
Jaynes has been a familiar face at Tusculum College since her arrival on campus in 2001, when she joined the staff of Sodexo as a card swiper and greeter in the cafeteria. Jaynes has become one of the most well-known and most-hugged people on campus as her job places her in contact with everyone involved with Tusculum College, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, Board members and special guests to the College.
Students she has tended to, long gone from campus and now alumni making their way in the world, stay in touch with Jaynes. She gets phone calls, texts and the occasional wedding announcement. Her relationships are strong, lasting, and she has shed many a tear on commencement days. Jaynes is the lady who takes care of everything and everyone at luncheons, celebrations, sports gatherings, meetings and just about anywhere on campus where food is served.
Shortly after, the “State of the College” began with an introduction by Kristopher Adams, the Student Government Association President. Newly-appointed college President James Hurley spoke on the State of the College. “We’re pioneers,” said Hurley, “Tusculum has been the pioneers for 224 years. Greeneville College was that pioneer and as we move forward, we have to think about what’s next.”
Alumni gathered outside to watch the parade, lining up from the Niswonger Commons to the football field. The Homecoming court drew loud cheers from the gathered crowd. Members of the homecoming court of 2017 could be seen getting pictures with alumni, some of whom had won homecoming in their years at Tusculum.
Inside the slowly-filling stadium, people gathered their food and prepared for the game. Cheerleaders practiced and soon enough, the band played the national anthem and the game began. Homecoming itself was full of excitement as the homecoming court was introduced and rewarded.
The King and Queen of Homecoming 2017 were Jesse Harrell, a senior sports management major from Bulls Gap and Katie Odoms, a senior creative writing major from Bristol. The prince was Carlos Duarte, a junior criminal justice major from Cordova and the princess was De’Erica Garrett, a junior business major from Greeneville.
Homecoming 2018 has been set for October 11-13.
By Sydney McCallister, English and history major from Greeneville