GREENEVILLE – Graduation served as a stepping stone Saturday, May 9, for Tusculum University students who will now enter the job market as career-ready professionals or prepared to continue their academic studies at a higher level.
Environmental science students gather for a photo before the start of graduation.
Dr. Scott Hummel addresses the audience.
The commencement ceremony for about 175 students from 21 states and 13 countries produced the standard jubilant response from their family, friends, teammates and classmates and smiles from graduates. The event marked the end of this chapter of their lives, one filled with active and experiential learning in a caring Christian environment that has positioned them to make their mark on their communities.
“These graduates have received an outstanding education that has enabled them to grow as individuals and discover their calling and purpose,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “We are proud of these new alumni for seizing the opportunity to transform their lives by coming to Tusculum and then diligently working to complete the requirements and obtain their degree. Inevitably, these students experienced challenges along the way, but they persevered and developed the hard skills and soft skills that will serve them well.”
Comments from the board chair
Dr. Greg Nelson, chair of Tusculum’s Board of Trustees, also attended graduation and thanked the faculty members for their one-on-one interactions with the students that brought them to the point of earning a degree. He welcomed the students to their graduation and told them that a lot of people have worked behind the scenes to help them achieve graduation.
“We are elated that you are here,” Dr. Nelson said. “We acknowledge and honor the hard work that you have done, and we are so happy that we have brought you to this point and been involved in your life at this time. We look forward to hearing more about you as you continue your journey in this life with your Tusculum degree.”
Dr. Nelson also shared a belief that this will not be the last Tusculum hears of these new alumni.
“Perhaps you will be back in the fall for a master’s degree,” he said. “We’ll see you soon. Perhaps you will be back wearing a golden or silver robe in 25 or 50 years. I think a few of you may be on the Board of Trustees, and maybe one of you will be up here giving greetings in the future because you’re giving back in that way to this university.”
Undergraduate speaker
Dr. Greg Nelson speaks to the graduates.
Jerry Ricker, right, the undergraduate student speaker, receives his congratulations from Dr. Scott Hummel after walking the stage.
For traditional undergraduate students such as Jerry Ricker, choosing Tusculum opened the doors to a comprehensive collegiate experience he fully embraced. Ricker was one of the most engaged students on campus as he earned a bachelor’s degree in sport science pre-physical therapy/occupational therapy. Not only did he graduate cum laude, his undergraduate days were filled with multiple other activities.
Ricker was captain of the cross country team and a member of the track and field team. He was a resident assistant, a Pioneer Peer and a member of the Student Government Association. A first-generation student, meaning his parents did not have a bachelor’s degree, he participated in Student Support Services.
This is a federal grant program designed to help those in that category obtain their graduate degree and consider graduate school. He was actively involved, serving as a mentor and a tutor in that program. He was also a resident director for the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Summer Academy on campus.
Ricker served as the undergraduate speaker during the graduation ceremony.
“Around campus I have many titles and roles that have all added up to a successful college career,” he said. “But I don’t think it would be right to claim any of those successes without also acknowledging the people who have helped us to get here. They are professors who challenged us, mentors who believed in us, coaches who pushed us and families who never stopped supporting us – even when they had no idea what our major actually was.”
He also paid tribute to his father, who has worked and sacrificed to give him the chance to walk the stage.
During the intense final leg of his undergraduate studies, when he had a lot of writing to complete, Ricker found himself reflecting on his time at Tusculum.
“In all my thinking I’ve kept coming back to one of my favorite quotes from a book I’ve read recently called ‘A Little Life,’” Ricker said. “In that book, Hanya Yanagihara wrote, ‘And then I went to college, and I met people who, for whatever reason, decided to be my friends, and they taught me – everything, really. They made me, and make me, into someone better than I really am.’ That quote describes my experience perfectly. You have all made me better than I really am, and I hope that I have been able to do the same for you.”
A group of students enjoys a moment before the start of graduation.
Ricker said he has seen how the last four years have made graduates more confident, resilient and ready to meet whatever they will face in the future.
“Maybe college is a collection of moments – late night conversations, meals in the caf, random ping pong games, professors who saw more in us than we saw in ourselves, teammates, roommates and friendships that have changed us forever,” he said. “Tusculum gave us an education, yes, but more importantly, it gave us each other. It gave us the people who helped shape who we are. And while today may feel like an ending, I think it’s also proof that wherever we go next, we carry pieces of this place and these people with us.”
Ricker is not through with Tusculum. He will pursue a Master of Arts in teaching and serve as a graduate assistant for the cross country team.
Studying at Tusculum has provided the forum for other undergraduate students to leave an imprint as well. Graduates are departing having won multiple writing awards, re-established the business club, presented research at Tusculum’s Academic Symposium and national events, participated in quiz bowl tournaments, obtained internships and chosen to become baptized. Many of these students also represented Tusculum on the court, the field and the diamond as a member of an athletic team.
These experiences demonstrate that a Tusculum education provides opportunities for success in the classroom, in extracurricular activities and in faith development, Dr. Hummel said.
Graduate speaker
Representing the graduate students was Laycie Cunningham, who earned a Master of Arts in organizational training and performance management. She is married, has two daughters and works full time as a program manager for a local health care system. She would like to use her master’s to enter the corporate training space.
“For me, standing here is the result of years of hard work and sheer determination to ensure a beautiful life for my family,” Cunningham said. ”During my master’s program, I worked two, sometimes even three, jobs to make ends meet. I stayed up late and woke up extra early to focus on my studies as the rest of the world slept. There were days when I wondered if I could do it all, but I kept pushing forward because I knew what was at stake.”
These graduate students join together for a photo before the graduation ceremony.
Dexter Lim, left, hoods a Master of Arts in Education degree recipient.
Laycie Cunningham, the graduate student speaker, delivers her remarks.
Cunningham credited her mother who instilled self-discipline, the value of an honest day’s work and the importance of education. Her mother taught her that education opens doors and that obstacles provide lessons. She also said family, classmates and professors helped her through the difficult times during her pursuit of this degree.
“Each made this journey much easier,” she said. ”Their support, encouragement and belief in me gave me the strength I needed when I needed an extra push. They listened, they guided, and they created an environment where I felt seen and valued. I am so grateful for the community I found here.”
Cunningham told fellow graduates to remember they are not alone.
“Trust that God is there and that every step you take is guided by His wisdom, even when the road ahead seems uncertain,” she said. “Lean into His strength when you face challenges and celebrate His blessings in every achievement, big or small. May you walk away from this stage with the confidence that you are equipped for every good work, and that with faith, perseverance, and an open heart, you can overcome any obstacle and shine your light wherever you may go.”
Dr. David Cook, provost and vice president of academic affairs, is excited to see the graduates put their Tusculum degrees into action.
“Our professors and staff have poured into these students to help them achieve their academic goals, and we encourage our graduates to use their degrees and God-given abilities to make a difference,” he said. “We hope they use their skills to be leaders in their communities and serve the Lord in all of their future endeavors. We will be praying for our graduates and pulling for them as they embark on the next phase in their lives.”
People can watch the full graduation ceremony at https://bit.ly/3P8gIQw.
More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.