Spring 2016 Athletic Director Honor Roll announced

Two-hundred and seventy-nine student-athletes have been named to the 2016 Tusculum College Athletic Director’s Spring Honor Roll announced Doug Jones, Tusculum director of athletics.

To be selected to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, a student-athlete must accumulate either a spring semester or overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.

The Tusculum men’s tennis team had the highest cumulative grade point average of the 16 sports sponsored by the College with a 3.645 team GPA.  Of Tusculum’s 16 athletic programs, 13 boasted team GPAs of 3.00 or better. The women’s tennis team was second with a 3.622 GPA, followed by softball (3.534), volleyball (3.527), men’s golf (3.493), women’s golf (3.485), women’s cross country (3.385), men’s cross country (3.284), women’s soccer (3.234), women’s basketball (3.220), women’s lacrosse (3.163), men’s soccer (3.118) and men’s lacrosse (3.069).

Ten Tusculum student-athletes currently have a perfect cumulative GPA of 4.00 including: Jule Brass (women’s tennis), Jordan Fullerton (women’s soccer), Franziska Funke (women’s tennis), Calley Lawson (women’s golf), Emma MacDonald (women’s soccer), Morgan Mahaffey (softball), Fabian Paier (men’s tennis), Jonathan Spicher (men’s soccer), Carlie Thornber (women’s soccer) and Parker Wright (cheerleading).

The Tusculum football team boasted the most student-athletes on the honor roll with 50 honorees.  The Pioneer baseball and women’s soccer teams were tied for second with 31 selections each.  The men’s soccer team was fourth on the list with 21 honorees, while the Pioneer softball and men’s lacrosse teams were tied for fifth with 19 selections apiece.  The women’s lacrosse team was seventh with 17 representatives, followed by volleyball (15), women’s golf (12), women’s basketball (10), men’s basketball (nine), women’s cross country (nine), women’s tennis (eight), men’s tennis (eight), men’s golf (seven) and men’s cross country (six).

The Tusculum cheerleading squad also had 11 members recognized on this semester’s honor roll.

 

2016 Tusculum College Athletic Director’s Fall Honor Roll

Student-Athlete               Sport(s)

Irim Aiken                           Football

Antoinette Allen               Women’s Soccer/Lacrosse

Makenzi Alley                     Women’s Cross Country

Evan Altizer                         Football

Jorge Alvarez                      Men’s Soccer

Andrea Amettis                  Volleyball

Katja Andersson                 Women’s Soccer

Ashley Andrukonis            Women’s Cross Country

Ben Arnold                             Men’s Basketball

Will Arrington                       Football

Kristen Atwell                       Women’s Basketball

Kyle Bailey                             Football

Tyler Bailey                           Baseball

Sarah Baker                           Women’s Tennis

Brandyn Bartlett                 Football

Seth Batsel                             Football

Taylor Battle                         Softball

Miranda Beeler                    Softball

Keegan Bell                           Men’s Lacrosse

John Bennett                       Baseball

Patrick Benson                    Football

Alexis Berlin                        Cheerleading

Hannah Berling                   Volleyball

Paige Bible                            Women’s Cross Country

Brandon Black                     Baseball

Danny Black                         Football

Cassandra Born                  Volleyball

Dalton Boslooper               Baseball

Sarah Bouley                        Volleyball

Brittney Bowers                  Women’s Soccer

Ben Boyd                                Men’s Lacrosse

Jule Brass                               Women’s Tennis

Cheyenne Bray                     Women’s Lacrosse

Spencer Brothers                Baseball

Lawson Burrow                   Men’s Cross Country

Lindsay Butler                     Women’s Golf

Alison Camp                         Women’s Soccer

Corey Cantrell                      Football

Hunter Cantrell                   Football

Michaelae Carden             Cheerleading

Erin Carmody                      Volleyball

Ethan Carpenter                 Baseball

Darius Carter                       Men’s Basketball

Ben Cash                                 Baseball

Cayla Cecil                            Softball

Mitch Chapman                 Men’s Lacrosse

Lia Clark                               Women’s Soccer

Chris Cochrane                  Baseball

Matthew Cole                     Football

Sarah Combs                      Women’s Soccer

Jalen Connor                      Football

Christen Craig                    Women’s Lacrosse

Heather Crouch                Women’s Soccer/Basketball

Kelsey Crow                       Women’s Lacrosse

Bailey Culler                       Softball

Caleb Cutshall                    Men’s Cross Country

Jacob Cutshall                    Men’s Cross Country

Ricardo Da Silva                Men’s Soccer

Deshawn Davis                   Football

Eliza Davis                            Softball

Samuel Davis                     Men’s Golf

Zach Davis                           Men’s Basketball

Rachel Del Duca                Women’s Lacrosse

Andre De Giorgi                Men’s Soccer

Payton DeHart                  Women’s Soccer

Seth DeHaven                    Baseball

Kyle Dickson                      Men’s Soccer

Kelly Donnelly                   Football

Drake Dormann                 Football

Tandon Dorn                      Baseball

Britney Dotson                  Cheerleading

Malik Drury                         Football

Gary Dunlop                       Men’s Soccer

Dallas Dunn                         Men’s Soccer

Savannah Elliott                Women’s Lacrosse

Cory Fagan                           Men’s Basketball

Todd Fidler                           Men’s Soccer

Zack Finchum                      Baseball

Harper Ford                         Softball

Nick Forsberg                      Men’s Golf

Jordan Fullerton               Women’s Soccer

Franziska Funke                Women’s Tennis

Rachel Garnett                    Volleyball

Anthony Gatewood           Men’s Lacrosse

Max Gaubert                         Football

Emmanuel Gbunblee         Football

Guillem Giro                          Men’s Soccer/Cheerleading

Hannah Graham                   Women’s Soccer

Destani Gray                          Cheerleading

Shelby Gray                            Women’s Lacrosse

Davante Griffin                       Football

Sierra Haas                             Women’s Lacrosse

Courtney Hackney              Women’s Soccer

Kevin Haggerty                    Men’s Lacrosse

Brock Hakalmazian             Baseball

Holly Hall                                Women’s Soccer

Tyler Hall                                 Baseball

Sierra Hanson                        Women’s Cross Country

Dillon Hardy                           Baseball

Rictrell Harris                        Football

Cooper Harrison                  Football

Zach Hartle                            Men’s Basketball

Kayla Hartley                        Volleyball

Harrison Harvey                 Men’s Soccer

Michala Hash                        Women’s Basketball

Kelsey Haun                          Women’s Golf

Brad Hawkins                       Men’s Golf

Maelyn Head                        Women’s Basketball

Kealee Heffner                     Women’s Tennis

Emily Hester                         Softball

Cameron High                      Baseball

Luke Hillis                             Football

Ryan Hillshouse                 Baseball

Alexis Hoffman                   Softball

Trista Holder                      Women’s Golf

Malek Holman                    Football

Rachel Holmes                  Women’s Lacrosse

Sayre Hopper                    Women’s Golf

Kelly Horrell                      Women’s Golf

Justin Houston                  Football

Chris Hutson                      Men’s Golf

Cooper Jackson                Baseball

J’Quen Johnson               Men’s Cross Country

Tashique Kader                Men’s Tennis

Cody Kammerzell            Men’s Soccer

Adrienne Kaye                  Women’s Tennis

Jordan Keene                    Softball

Calyn Kelly                         Women’s Lacrosse/Basketball

Lindsey Kelly                     Women’s Soccer

Jaylynn Kesterson          Football

Dante Key                           Baseball

Olivia Kilgore                     Women’s Soccer

Indya Kinard                      Women’s Basketball

Tyler Klarner                      Men’s Lacrosse

Alexander Kleinberg       Men’s Lacrosse

Toby de Klerk                     Men’s Tennis

Andrew Kransberger       Men’s Lacrosse

Austin Kulp                         Men’s Soccer

Dallas Kuykendall             Football

Andreas Kvam                   Men’s Soccer

Pablo Laguna                      Men’s Soccer

Taylor Lambertsen           Women’s Golf

Zack Lane                               Football

Bailey Laws                            Cheerleading

Calley Lawson                       Women’s Golf

Guillermo Lazcano              Men’s Soccer/Cheerleading

Mariah Lewis                          Volleyball

Taylor Lewis                           Women’s Soccer/Softball

Tyler Linkous                        Men’s Soccer

Meghan Lively                      Women’s Soccer

Jeffrey Lohman                    Men’s Soccer

Eric Lynch                              Football

Emma MacDonald               Women’s Soccer

Morgan Mahaffey                Softball

Madison Malone                  Women’s Lacrosse

Tanner Maloof                      Baseball

Lindsey Mank                       Women’s Cross Country

Luke Manning                       Football

Miriah Martin                       Women’s Soccer

Chase McAllister                 Baseball

Mitch McCain                       Baseball

Kelli McCalla                        Women’s Soccer

Caleb McCormick               Football

Conor McKenna                 Men’s Soccer

Dominic McLaren             Men’s Soccer

Logan McMahan                Baseball

Nicole McMillen               Women’s Soccer

Kristen McMillion            Women’s Basketball

Nate Mendez                      Men’s Soccer

Ethan Merrow                   Men’s Lacrosse

Carly Mill                             Women’s Soccer

Charles Mills                      Men’s Lacrosse

Erin Mills                            Women’s Tennis

Connor Mitchell              Men’s Basketball

Vasco Monteiro              Men’s Soccer

Brian Montgomery         Football

Pauline Muiruri               Women’s Cross Country

Billy Munker                     Football

Eduardo Munoz               Men’s Tennis

Shannon Murphy            Volleyball

Cydney Murrell               Women’s Golf

Loyd Napier                      Football

David New                          Baseball

Jordan Newby                  Women’s Soccer

Mackenzie Newsome     Women’s Cross Country

Will Noel                              Men’s Cross Country

Ian O’Grady                        Football

Alycea Ohl                           Women’s Lacrosse

Fabian Paier                       Men’s Tennis

Ross Parsons                      Men’s Lacrosse

Anthony Patrick                Football

Callie Patterson                  Women’s Basketball

Kendall Patterson              Men’s Basketball

Taylor Plemons                   Softball

Diego Poore                          Men’s Basketball

Jasmine Queen                    Women’s Basketball

Christian Raasch                 Baseball

Cory Ramsey                        Men’s Cross Country

Matt Ramsay                        Baseball

Heath Ratliff                         Men’s Golf

Ciara Rattana                       Women’s Golf

Zachary Redden                 Football

Treslyn Reese                      Softball

Jenna Restivo                      Softball

Rachel Roberts                   Women’s Soccer

Cameron Rogers                Men’s Lacrosse

Chris Ryan                            Men’s Lacrosse

DJ Samuels                           Football

Reanna Saunders               Cheerleading

Sabrina Schleuger              Volleyball

Brooke Schreder                Women’s Soccer

Drew Schreder                     Football

Blythe Scrivner                   Women’s Golf

Leon Seiz                               Men’s Tennis

Jordon Shippy                    Football

Jaelyn Shoemaker            Cheerleading

Matt Shown                         Men’s Basketball

Madison Shumaker          Volleyball

David Siegle                         Men’s Tennis

Erin Sims                              Women’s Lacrosse/Basketball

Christian Sisto                    Football

Trevor Skiles                      Football

Zach Slagle                          Baseball

Jake Smith                          Men’s Lacrosse

Jordan Smith                     Women’s Lacrosse

Taylor Smith                      Men’s Golf

Zack Smith                          Football

Ally Soldati                        Volleyball

James Spears                     Men’s Lacrosse

Jonathan Spicher             Men’s Soccer

Claire Stanton                     Women’s Lacrosse

Danae Stauffer                    Volleyball

Tim Stierle                           Men’s Tennis

Robin Stoner                       Softball

Chaz Story                            Football

Kaytlin Stroinski                Volleyball

Amanda Sumner               Women’s Tennis

Shannele Sunderland      Women’s Soccer

Terrie Taylor                      Cheerleading

Cameron Thomas              Football

Martez Thompkins            Football

Brandon Thompson          Football

Carlie Thornber                  Women’s Soccer

Jim Tolle                                Baseball

Ellie Tomassoni                  Women’s Soccer

Katie Tomassoni                Women’s Golf

John Topoleski                   Baseball

Preston Tucker                  Men’s Golf

Cheyenne Upton               Women’s Soccer

Eric Varlas                           Men’s Lacrosse

Veronica Vineyard          Women’s Soccer

Samantha Vogt                  Women’s Cross Country

Dallas Wade                         Men’s Lacrosse

Nate Wade                           Men’s Lacrosse

Brooke Wagner                  Women’s Lacrosse

Lillian Wallace                   Women’s Cross Country

Morgan Ward                      Softball

Jason Ware                           Football

Justin Ware                          Football

Nick Wasylyk                       Football

Emily Waters                       Women’s Tennis

Devan Watts                        Baseball

Coneisha Waugh                Women’s Lacrosse/Soccer

Kaily Weiss                          Volleyball

J.J. Wesley                          Baseball

Jadin West                           Football

Emily White                        Softball

Taylor White                      Women’s Golf

Shynese Whitener            Women’s Basketball

Creighton Wilke                 Baseball

Carolyn Williamson         Softball

Jason Willis                        Men’s Lacrosse

Sydney Wilson                  Women’s Basketball

Jonas Winkelmann          Men’s Tennis

Kaitlin Winnie                    Women’s Lacrosse

Rachel Wisner                   Softball

Parker Wright                    Cheerleading

Peyton Yancey                  Women’s Soccer

Tusculum receives $50,000 grant from First Tennessee Foundation

Tusculum College has received a $50,000 grant from First Tennessee Foundation to name the foyer area of the new Center for Science and Math. The gift is part of the Tusculum First capital campaign.

The grant for the foyer naming will assist with the construction costs of the new 100,000 square foot, state-of-the-art Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math. The grant helps to bring the Tusculum First campaign to more than $21.7 million in commitments.

The First Tennessee Foundation Foyer is located on the ground floor which will be the main entrance to the center utilized by faculty, staff, students and visitors.

“The new center will enhance academic programs with the goal of graduating students who will strengthen the capacity of the people of Appalachia to compete in the global economy through STEM education,” said Heather Patchett, vice president of institutional advancement at Tusculum College. “Strengthening STEM education requires engaging instruction from learned and innovative faculty in a flexible and well designed facility.”

The Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math will replace Tredway Hall, long known as Science Hall, on the Tusculum College campus as the home of science and math. Tredway was constructed in 1928 for a much smaller student population, at a time when scientific research and instrumentation was much different.

According to Patchett, in spite of the limitations of the current building, science majors at Tusculum College have gone on to successful and distinguished careers in scientific research, health-related fields. “Our students have been admitted to first-rate graduate and professional programs and have contributed to the body of knowledge in their chosen profession. They have made discoveries that have improved lives and have saved lives thanks to the quality education received from dedicated professors at Tusculum College.”

The new Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math will also bring changes to the teaching of math and the sciences at Tusculum College. More spacious classrooms will accommodate students comfortably, with ready access to technology. Labs will incorporate the latest instrumentation and safety features. With additional labs, all students will have the opportunity for hands-on experiences in scientific research.

Tusculum First is designed to address the college’s areas of greatest need including a new center for science and math, growth of academic programs, endowed scholarships, student life improvements, technology, an environmental resources and facilities center and support to the Tusculum Fund.

Dr. Nancy B. Moody, left, accepts the initial payment on a $50,000 grant to Tusculum College from Jennifer Keller, vice president of community banking, at First Tennessee in Greeneville. The grant from First Tennessee Foundation will name the foyer area of the new Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math.

A note to parents from the President

There are some exciting changes in store for all students this coming fall, including an enhanced Honors Program. Several changes have been made in the program to allow for more customization for individual participants, as well as expanding the number of participants who may participate without it disrupting their four-year plan. If you are the parent of a new student or have a returning student who is interested in participating, the new structure is more flexible and allows for more participation from students than ever before.

We have named a new director for the program, Meagan Stark, coordinator of academic support and co-director of the Honors Program. Dr. Troy Goodale, associate professor of political science and faculty moderator, will serve as faculty director. The two have, along with a team of dedicated faculty and staff who serve on the Honors Council, developed a new structure for the program over the course of the past year. The program, which was also developed to work with the new eight-week block schedule, promotes a cross-discipline dialogue between students that includes three core seminar courses. These courses are taught across the semester, every semester, to provide students ample opportunities to participate. The Honors courses we have developed are designed to be interesting courses that the instructors and students can be passionate about. The courses continue to be challenging courses, but participants will also gain experiences in other areas such as leadership and research. In addition to the main Honors courses, a core concentration course will be required in areas that include global awareness, peer leadership, civic engagement or research.

Enrichment opportunities, such as the honors program, provide your young adult not just for graduation or just for their chosen career but for a life of opportunity for which they will be well prepared.

Several recruitment events will be held on the Greeneville campus during the Advanced Registration period, and the application deadline will be January 15, 2017. Candidate interviews will be held in February and selections made on March 1. So, if you have a student interested in participating in our Honors program, I encourage you to contact Ms. Stark at mstark@tusculum.edu.

Best Regards,

Nancy B. Moody, PhD

President

Tusculum College’s Pioneer Fishing Club finishes 9th in BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship

The Tusculum College Pioneer Fishing Club finished in 9th place at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, held last week at Pickwick Lake in Alabama. More than 140 teams competed.

The championship went to Auburn University’s team, which weighed in a total of 44.21 pounds.

Tusculum’s two-man team of Nick Hatfield, a senior business administration major from Greeneville, and Cory Neece, a sophomore environmental science major from Bristol, had a two-day compiled weigh in of 31.41 pounds.

Tusculum was the second highest finishing team from the State of Tennessee, with Bethel University finishing 3rd and 12th with their two teams, and Bryan College finishing 17th and 21st. Teams from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga came in 25th and 35th and teams from University of Tennessee-Knoxville came in 58th and 106th.

The Pioneer Fishing Club is sponsor is Dr. Jason Jones, assistant professor of physical education. Anyone interested in the club should email nickhatfield.nh@gmail.com.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers, a division of CarecoTV and in association with the Bass Federation, is a sanctioning body developed to facilitate growth, development and structure within competitive collegiate bass fishing.

 

Director named for Tusculum College Honors Program

Meagan Stark, coordinator of academic support at Tusculum College, has been named program director of the Honors Program.

Stark received her bachelor’s degree in political science and sociology from East Tennessee State University and her master’s degree in political science from Syracuse University.

She has been part of the Student Support Services team at Tusculum College since 2014.

Meagan Stark

Stark will direct the restructured program along with Dr. Troy Goodale, associate professor of political science and faculty moderator, who will serve as faculty director.

“Ms. Stark brings a great deal of passion to the leadership of the Honors Program,” said Dr. Goodale. “Her previous experience at Syracuse University and East Tennessee State University allow her to bring a new perspective to Tusculum’s Honors Program. As the director of Peer Tutoring services at Tusculum, Ms. Stark has developed meaningful relationships with our students that uniquely positions her to cultivate a rapport with our Honors students and collaborate with each student to create a richer Honors Program experience.”

Several changes were developed over the course of the past year by the Honors Council, which is comprised of both faculty and staff dedicated to the success of the program.

The Tusculum College Honors Program promotes a cross-discipline dialogue between students that includes three core seminar courses. These courses are taught across the semester, every semester, to provide students ample opportunities to participate.

“The Honors courses we have developed are designed to be interesting courses that the instructors and students can be passionate about,” said Stark. “The courses continue to be challenging courses, but participants will also gain experiences in other areas such as leadership and research.”

In addition to the main Honors courses, a core concentration course will be required in areas that include global awareness, peer leadership, civic engagement or research.

“The Honors Program connects like-minded students who push one another to discuss socially and politically-important ideas, news and concepts,” said Sarah Holley, a 2016 graduate who plans to serve a year with AmeriCorps before attending graduate school to become an archivist/museum curator.

She added, “I met my best friend through this program, and they challenged me to become better culturally and academically. My favorite components of this program have been the special topic seminars because they facilitate discussion and create an open dialogue that spills from the classroom into daily life.”

To qualify for the program, first-time students must have a composite score of at least 25 on the ACT or 1150 on the SAT, have a high school grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and rank in the top 10 percent of high school graduating class.

“This year several recruitment events will be held on the Greeneville campus during the Advanced Registration period, and the application deadline will be Jan. 15, 2017,” said Stark. Candidate interviews will be held in February and selections made on March 1.

For more information, contact Stark at mstark@tusculum.edu.

 

Commencement address available for online viewing

Dr. David Baker

Dr. David Baker delivered the commencement address to students at both ceremonies on Saturday, May 7, in the Pioneer Arena in Niswonger Commons on the Greeneville campus. Dr. Baker provided some valuable advice to the graduates about success in the workplace from what he has learned in the more than three decades of his career. You may view the commencement address at this site:  https://vimeo.com/167919821/7cc5fb0ad3.

 

Dr. Baker oversees DIRECTV Group’s national network of installation and service providers and is charged with improving the quality of the customer experience at the point of installation and service. Additionally, he is responsible for DIRECTV Home Services, which is DIRECTV’s owned and operated field services operation. He is currently based in DIRECTV’s Denver offices.

 

Dr. Baker’s career includes more than 20 years with The DIRECTV Group and its former parent company. Between 1998 and 2006, he held leadership positions with DIRECTV Latin America and DIRECTV Japan, as well as several senior-level financial and operational roles.

 

Most recently Baker was executive vice president and chief operating officer for On Command Corporation, where he led the integration of On Command into its new parent company, LodgeNet. Also, as a managing director at Nightingale and Associates, LLP, Baker restructured a $350 million construction company to return it to profitability.

 

Prior to DIRECTV, Baker was at Weyerhaeuser Company as an engineer in raw materials and research and development in Federal Way, WA, and then worked as an operations research analyst for Getty Oil Company in Los Angeles, Calif.

 

Dr. Baker holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in industrial engineering from West Virginia University and earned his doctorate in mineral economics at the Colorado School of Mines.

 

Dr. Baker and wife, Nancy, reside in Parker, Colorado, and have one daughter who is nearing graduation from West Virginia University.

 

Tusculum College’s Pioneer Fishing Club currently 12th in BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship

The Tusculum College Pioneer Fishing Club currently sits in 12th place at the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, being held this week at Pickwick Lake in Alabama. There are two more days of competition and more than 140 teams competing.

The two-man team of Nick Hatfield, a senior business administration major from Greeneville,  and Cory Neece, a sophomore environmental science major from Bristol,  are doing more than holding their own with a first day weigh in of 16.68.

First place is currently held by Louisiana State University, Weighing in right at 23.06lbs.

To watch the teams battle it out on Pickwick Lake on the final two days, there will be a live blog for updates throughout the day at http://www.collegiatebasschampionship.com/. There will also be a live weigh in beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, to see who will be crowned the 2016 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Champions.

The Pioneer Fishing Club is sponsor is Dr. Jason Jones, assistant professor of physical education. Anyone interested in the club should email nickhatfield.nh@gmail.com.

The Association of Collegiate Anglers, a division of CarecoTV and in association with the Bass Federation, is a sanctioning body developed to facilitate growth, development and structure within competitive collegiate bass fishing.

 

College now enrolling for family nurse practitioner program

Tusculum College is now enrolling for its new nurse practitioner master’s degree program in family nurse practitioner, having received final approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. The college received approval by the Tennessee Board of Nursing in February to move forward in planning the new degree program and has received initial approval to start the program from the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

The family nurse practitioner program is a graduate level Master of Science degree designed to address the need for more primary healthcare providers in the community. It will be led by Dr. Linda Garrett, assistant dean of nursing, health sciences and human services and chair of graduate nursing.

“We are very happy to be able to start this new program in the fall,” said Dr. Lois Ewen, dean of nursing, health sciences and human services. “The family nurse practitioner program will provide nurses in our area with a local choice for earning their master’s degree,” she added.

“Nurse practitioners provide primary care across the lifespan to people of all ages with simple to complex illnesses. We provide care for patients that have comorbidities. We have the same privileges that family physicians have, such as prescribing medications,” said Dr. Garrett.

Applications for enrollment in the program will be available in late spring.  The first class is tentatively set to graduate in fall 2017.

“One of the things that is special about this program, especially in this part of the country, is that we plan to develop an RN to MSN program, which will allow nurses with associate degrees to obtain their master’s degree in six semesters,” said Dr. Garrett.

With this bridge component, Dr. Ewen hopes to serve more nurses in the area and serve the community with quality advanced practice nurses. The nurse practitioner program will be housed in the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Math and Science, where the students will have access to state-of-the-art equipment specialized for their degree.

“The Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Math and Science will provide students with a lab separate from the lab for the undergraduate program,” said Dr. Garrett. “The undergraduate lab is styled like a hospital, the nurse practitioner labs will be designed much like a typical medical office with high technological recording capabilities.”

Dr. Garrett hopes to work with the theater program at Tusculum and have people trained as “standardized patients.” These standardized patients would act as real patients through scenarios developed by the nursing faculty in order to assist nurse practitioner students in patient interaction and diagnosis.

“My vision is to provide the community with primary care providers–this is an area of need—to provide the folks in this community access to good quality care and to get the nurse practitioner program going and graduating students.”

Individuals with interest in attending the family nurse practitioner program should contact the nursing department at nursing@tusculum.edu or 423-636-7430 for more information.  Tusculum College is now accepting applications for admission into the college.

 

Science, math and technology programs expected to expand at Tusculum College

Science, mathematics and technology programs are expected to expand at Tusculum College with the addition of new degree programs and the investment in new facilities.

With the re-introduction of chemistry as a major in 2013, the addition of a master’s degree in nursing and a new planned Bachelor of Science in health care administration degree program, growth is expected to continue in these areas, according to LeAnn Hughes, vice president of enrollment management and marketing and director of Graduate and Professional Studies.

Earlier this month, a Bachelor of Science in computer science, a Bachelor of Science in information technology and a Master of Accountancy were preliminarily approved by Tusculum’s Board of Trustees pending development of the curriculum. Also approved was the development of a minor in web design.

The new programs will be initiated between now and 2019.

“Tusculum has a reputation for producing science graduates that have gone on to great success within their respective fields. Bringing back the chemistry major as an additional opportunity was the beginning of a process to expand these offerings,” said Hughes. “Now, with the completion of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Mathematics just around the corner, we expect enrollment in these programs to expand.”

Following the addition of the chemistry major, Tusculum College invested significantly by purchasing equipment and other useful tools including high performance liquid chromatography, infrared spectrometer, atomic absorption spectrometer, gas chromatography and a visible spectrometer. These new instruments, partially funded by gifts from alumni, assist the program to equip chemistry majors for a career in industry or graduate studies and further enhance already robust undergraduate research opportunities.

The Meen Center for Science and Math, expected to be completed in January 2017, will be a four-story structure of approximately 100,000 square feet. Interiors include wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, nursing, computer science and environmental science. There will also be lab space and research areas for both faculty and students.

The ground floor features the environmental science wing with large general classroom spaces and classrooms equipped for distance learning programs. A large lecture hall will be included on the ground floor. Space is also allocated to house the Bachelor of Science degree program in nursing and the Master of Science degree in nursing.

For more information about any of these programs, contact Melissa Ripley, director of operations for admissions at 1-800-729-0256 or email mripley@tusculum.edu.

Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math

 

 

 

Class of 1966 celebrate 50th reunion during commencement weekend

Members of the Class of 1966 and their spouses gather for a group photo with Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody following the reception on May 6.

Members of the Class of 1966 were in the spotlight during the weekend of of Spring Commencement, May 6 and 7, as they reunited on campus to celebrate their 50th anniversary year.

Seventeen members of the Class of 1966 returned to campus to mark this significant milestone.

During a reception for the class members at the President’s House, each was presented a commemorative medallion by Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of Tusculum College.

A welcome surprise for the class members was the arrival of Dr. Douglas Trout at the reception. Dr. Trout was serving as president of Tusculum during 1966, and members of the Class of 1966 had voted that year to make him an honorary member of their class.  Dr. Trout participated in the activities as a member of the class.

Following the reception, the members broke bread together at a Brumley’s Restaurant at the General Morgan Inn in downtown Greeneville.

Activities started early for the newest Golden Pioneers on Saturday with a breakfast in the Pioneer Perk coffee house on campus prior to the commencement ceremony.

Following breakfast, the class members donned their gold robes and mortar boards along with their medallions and posed for a few photos before lining up in the hallway to be part of the processional in the morning Commencement ceremony.

Members of the Golden Pioneers pose with Dr. Moody and Dr. Trout.

The Golden Pioneers led the graduating students into Pioneer Arena and sat in the front row in front of the stage. During the ceremony, Dr. Moody recognized each by name, and the group was applauded by the soon-to-be graduates and the audience. A presentation was also made to Dr. Moody during the ceremony of the combined class gift of $50,818.32 from the members of the Class of 1966 and the graduating seniors. The funds are to be used in the creation of an endowed Tusculum First scholarship to benefit future students.

Following the ceremony, the Golden Pioneers returned to the Perk for lunch and more fellowship.

Presenting the class gift to Dr. Moody were, left, Michael Fernando, representing the Class of 2016, and Bruce Howell, representing the Class of 1966.


Alumnus Justin Reed’s essay selected as one of nation’s best of 2016

Justin Phillip Reed '13

Justin Phillip Reed’s essay, “Killing Like They Do in the Movies,” has been selected for Best American Essays 2016, edited by Pulitzer Prize nominee Jonathan Franzen.

Justin is a 2013 graduate of Tusculum and a South Carolina native. He is the author of the “YesYes Books” chapbook and “A History of Flamboyance.”

The full publication of Best American Essays 2016 is available for pre-order on Amazon.com, and Justin’s essay can be read at https://catapult.co/stor…/killing-like-they-do-in-the-movies.

His poems will also appear in future editions of “Boston Review,” “Vinyl Poetry,” “joINT,” “PLUCK!,” “Muzzle” and in other publications. His work has been anthologized in the “Best Undergraduate Writing,” section of “plain china” and nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

While earning his bachelor’s degree in English at Tusculum, Justin served as assistant managing editor of “The Tusculum Review.” He currently lives in Saint Louis, MO, where he is a Master of Fine Arts candidate in the writing program at Washington University.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

’80s

Dana Matlock ’89 of Oak Ridge, TN, was selected as one of the “Teachers of the Year” in the Morgan County School System. Matlock has taught at Sunbright School for 21 years

 

’10s

Joseph Elphingstone ’15 has completed his graduate program in stem cell biology and regenerative medicine at the University of Southern California. Elphingstone is a native of Calhoun, GA, and played tennis while at Tusculum.

 

Emee Herbert

Emee Herbert ’15 has participated in the LPGA Kingsmill Championship in Williamsburg, Va., her first LPGA event. The native of Johns Creek, GA, played two seasons for the Pioneers, earning South Atlantic Conference Freshman of the Year in 2012 and was named conference Player of the Year in 2013. She holds the Tusculum career record with a stroke average of 76.81 in 43 rounds, which is also good for second-best in conference history. Herbert completed her collegiate career at NCAA Division I Coastal Carolina University, where she was named All-Big South.

 

 

 

 

 

Estelle Burrows Thornley ’42 of Selbyville, DE, and formerly of Fair Lawn, NJ, passed away March 31, 2016. Mrs. Thornley was a retired computer programmer with the Ridgewood School District in New Jersey. She was a member of Mariner’s Bethel United Methodist Church in Ocean View, DE.

 

Mary Mitchell Yowell ’44 of Bealeton, Va, passed away October 13, 2015. Mrs. Yowell worked in Oak Ridge, TN, on the Manhatten Project during World War II as a librarian. She later taught in Rappahannock and Faquier counties in Virginia, finishing her career at Margaret M. Pierce Elementary.

 

Progress continues on Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math

Progress continues on the construction of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math at Tusculum College, with interior work continuing, including window installment.

According to David Martin, director of facilities for Tusculum College, exterior damp proofing and windows are complete with the exception of custom windows for the Board Room, which will be installed next week.

“The roof is dried in, metal panels and copper gutters are ongoing. Window trim and masonry in progress,” said Martin, adding that rough grading of the north lot is complete.

As work continues, drywall, insulation, drywall soffits and finishing are ongoing on all floors, and fire protection is 90 percent complete. Paint priming will begin in two weeks.

It is expected that the construction will be completed by the end of the year and will be ready for utilization when students return for spring semester 2017.

The Meen Center for Science and Math will be a four-story structure of approximately 100,000 square feet. Interiors include wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and environmental science. There will also be lab space and research areas for both faculty and students.

The ground floor features the environmental science wing with a loading dock, as well as large general classroom spaces and classrooms equipped for distance learning programs. A large lecture hall will be included on the ground floor. Space is also allocated to house the Bachelor of Science degree program in nursing and at least one other graduate level health-related program.

Interior finishing and window installation at the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math