GREENEVILLE – When USS Greeneville personnel begin their service aboard this Navy nuclear submarine, they not only defend the nation and represent the home of President Andrew Johnson but also are invited to further their education with a degree from Tusculum University.
Ben Hankin, center, gathers for a photo in the Thomas J. Garland Library at Tusculum University. Joining him are Tiffany Greer, left, vice president of institutional advancement, and Bob Rediske, an alumnus of the USS Greeneville.
Tusculum provides an academic scholarship that covers the tuition for crew members and their dependents. The scholarship has been in place for most of the 30 years since the ship was commissioned and is available to anyone who wants to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree.
“We are proud to support all personnel on the ship and their families by providing this scholarship,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “These enlisted men and women perform excellent work in defense of our nation, and it is our honor to assist them and their loved ones with their education. We are excited to help them build further skills in the military or fulfill their purpose and calling in some other way.”
Current student using the scholarship
Cmdr. Ben Hankin, who served as the executive officer onboard the USS Greeneville from 2022-2024, and has been in the Navy for 22 years, is the latest one to utilize the scholarship. A Stonington, Connecticut, resident, he is scheduled to graduate from Tusculum with a Master of Business Administration in August 2027 and plans to leverage that degree to further his career. He is grateful for the support Tusculum is providing.
Hankin came to Greeneville for the recent reunion of those who have served on the ship, and while he was in town, he visited campus.
During his time on the USS Greeneville, Hankin was second-in-command. His two years were mostly spent performing an end-of-life overhaul at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on the border of Maine and New Hampshire. He described that project as a massive refurbishment of the submarine, including new fire control and sonar systems, updated electronics as well as a full groom of every system onboard.
When he began his service on the ship, Hankin received a packet that outlined the myriad things Greeneville and others were doing for the ship, including the Tusculum scholarship.
He then met leaders of the USS Greeneville Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides assistance to the ship, its crew and their family members. Those individuals and a number of leaders from Greene County, including Dr. Hummel, subsequently came to the USS Greeneville for a change-of-command ceremony.
The USS Greeneville is underway from Portsmouth for sea trials.
Ben Hankin stands in his stateroom in the USS Greeneville.
Hankin continued to share the news with all new sailors about the support from the community and the university.
“I didn’t have time to pursue the degree while I was on the boat,” he said. “But when I finished my time onboard, I said, ‘Hey, now I have the time and the means.’ It is probably one of the best, if not the best, hometown relationship I’ve experienced on four submarines. This scholarship is just one of the things we’re super grateful to have.”
As he contemplated the next step after finishing his service on the USS Greeneville, he concluded that an MBA provided an excellent foundation for trying something new and can open a lot of doors. He researched Tusculum’s MBA further and learned he could complete the degree fully online with asynchronous classes. He contacted Jill Oberfeitinger, Tusculum’s director of academic advising, and discovered master’s degrees were covered in the scholarship, so he told her he was ready to apply.
This road to the MBA works well for this married father of six, who can complete coursework in the late evenings and on weekends. He also has supportive professors, who provided him with flexibility to complete class assignments due to his naval responsibilities.
Hankin especially enjoys the connections he has developed with the professors because the classes are a smaller size compared to his large undergraduate institution. He also said the material is relatable and the skills he has developed are extremely marketable. The lessons are just as applicable to him as a leader or follower in the military as they are to a business executive or manager.
“I’ve been able to use a lot of the skills and a lot of the concepts I’ve learned in the MBA program as I perform my military duties,” he said.
As he continues his Navy service, the military has an option to move into a different path, including financial management. One of the options is to become an acquisition professional, where he would become involved in securing funding from Congress for the submarine force. This type of position requires a financial degree, and Tusculum’s MBA will position him to head in that direction.
“I’m specifically using this degree to get an additional designator so I can apply for this program and help secure submarine force funding well into the future,” Hankin said. “I’m using this to further my career in the military as much as I possibly can.”
Alumnus who received the scholarship
Another recipient of the scholarship is Josh Rediske, whose father, Bob, was among the first crew members to serve on the USS Greeneville. Josh was a traditional undergraduate student who moved 6 ½ hours away from home to attend Tusculum and earned a Bachelor of Arts in management accounting in 2001.
When he learned about the scholarship, Josh saw an opportunity for his future and immediately knew he was going to apply. He was the first person to receive the scholarship.
“In addition to the significant financial benefit, the scholarship provided me with many life benefits,” he said. “Being away from home, I had to get out of my comfort zone, grow up and mature. I met new friends and was introduced to a different culture and way of life. I had to open my mind.”
Looking back on his experience at Tusculum, Josh said the academics provided him with the education he needed for a career. He is now an accountant for a health system and has a bookkeeping and tax business.
Those who qualify for the scholarship and are interested in obtaining it can learn more by contacting Tusculum’s Office of Financial Aid at 423-636-7377 or financialaid@tusculum.edu. More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.