GREENEVILLE – An alumnus and longtime employee of Tusculum University who has an extensive record of teaching and mentoring has been promoted to dean of students at the higher education institution.
Steve Anderson
Steve Anderson will take the lead on assistance and support initiatives for students of concern and oversee the judicial process, work-study programs and intramural staff. He will also collaborate with faculty and staff members across the university to address matters that could impact student performance and well-being.
“We are pleased to elevate Steve to this important position because of his longtime commitment to student success,” said Chuck Sutton, vice president of student affairs and retention. “Steve is well known and respected across campus, and he will play an integral role in helping students overcome challenges and achieve their calling and purpose. He has a big heart for students and will be a tremendous asset in our holistic approach to education.”
Anderson, who has received two degrees from Tusculum, transitions from his role as outreach and retention coach for Student Support Services at the university. This is a federally funded program that assists students whose parents or guardians do not have a bachelor’s degree, who meet income-eligibility guidelines and who have disabilities. The program provides academic advising, tutoring, mentoring, financial aid and scholarship support, financial literacy guidance, cultural and social activities and visits to graduate schools.
He worked for SSS since 2018. He was responsible for recruiting students to join the program and helping to maintain and improve their retention at Tusculum. He also oversaw the mentoring program, which trains SSS participants to assist others who join SSS.
“In Student Support Services, we are working with 200 students, but it’s difficult to not want to help others who do not qualify for that great program,” Anderson said. “As dean of students, I have the opportunity to make a greater impact on the student population. I can address the needs of students on a larger scale while trying to enhance student engagement on campus.”
Anderson has several goals for his new position. They are:
- Growing the voices of students and encouraging them to take the lead and create programming and events they want to see
- Continuing to increase retention and student engagement rates
- Expanding the type of programming for students, such as podcasting
- Increasing community involvement on campus
- Creating a culture of love of God, self and others
He said Tusculum has many strengths in its approach to students.
“I believe that students are the bloodline of Tusculum University,” Anderson said. “I see Tusculum giving students opportunities to grow in all aspects in their academic and personal journey. Giving them a voice to create programming that enhances and empowers students is one of the ways Tusculum excels. Providing opportunities for servant leadership on campus and in the surrounding communities creates a culture of service and love for others.”
Before he joined the Tusculum staff, Anderson served as a middle school and high school math teacher at Cincinnati College Preparatory Academy for 14 years. He taught Pre-Algebra 1 and 2, Algebra 1 and 2, geometry and an ACT/SAT math course.
Additionally, he was a summer camp counselor for Wyoming Youth Services in Ohio for three years, assisting children ages 8 – 14. He led structured activities such as games and arts and crafts and monitored children on field trips.
During his career, Anderson has been named a teacher of distinction and a teacher of the year and participated in the Emerging Leadership Institute with Tennessee TRIO. TRIO is the umbrella organization under which SSS and other first-generation, income-eligible programs fall.
Anderson teamed with Sutton to help establish an Omega Psi Phi chapter at Tusculum that is dedicated to service, manhood, scholarship, perseverance and the uplifting of others. He has also mentored domestic violence victims in the community and conducted voter registration drives.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, K-8, from Tusculum in 2004. During his undergraduate studies, he also played on the men’s basketball team, was a member of SSS and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and served as a resident assistant.
Anderson received a Master of Arts in Education, with a concentration in curriculum and instruction, from Tusculum in 2022. He graduated summa cum laude.
“We are excited to see Steve’s leadership as dean of students and know he will make a profound difference in people’s lives,” Sutton said. “He has an outstanding ability to develop a rapport with students and will use that skill to help them take appropriate steps in their lives. Students will benefit greatly from Steve’s investment in their future.”
Additional information about the Office of Student Affairs is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/student-affairs/. To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.