Tusculum School of Nursing graduates achieve 85 percent first-time pass rate on national exam

Recent test results for graduates and program enhancements by faculty and administrators are advancing the quality of Tusculum University’s School of Nursing.

Tusculum’s 2018 Bachelor of Science in nursing graduates have achieved an 85 percent first-time pass rate, an increase from previous years, on the rigorous National Council Licensure Examination. The overall pass rate, which includes first- and second-time test takers, is 92.6 percent. Nursing graduates who attain the needed scores on the exam earn the designation of registered nurse and are eligible for employment as a professional nurse.

Dr. Lori Anderson, the nursing school’s dean, attributed the percentages to the backing the university provides and the students’ commitment to achieve success on the exam.

“I hear comments all the time about the extra support from Dr. Andrew Buzzelli, whether it was initiating a review course or ensuring faculty members were helping the students as much as possible,” Dr. Anderson said, referring to Tusculum’s executive vice president of the College of Health Sciences. “That reinforcement gave the students more confidence when they took the exam and made a tremendous difference in their ability to pass their boards.”

Dr. Buzzelli credits the students and faculty, saying they have taken additional ownership of the nursing program. He said they recognized Dr. Anderson’s arrival as the new dean was an opportunity to take the nursing school to the next level and were motivated to contribute to this new era.

“Our president, Dr. James Hurley, demonstrated his leadership by authorizing the hiring of Dr. Anderson as our new nursing school dean,” Dr. Buzzelli said. “He also committed to allocating necessary financial resources to provide additional instructional aid for the students. With those funds, we brought in a team that specializes in preparing nurses for the national exam.”

Dr. Buzzelli said the nursing exam results bode well for Tusculum’s application for accreditation of the Niswonger College of Optometry. It also builds further momentum for the university’s new College of Health Sciences, he said.

Reflecting on the nursing school, Dr. Buzzelli and Dr. Anderson describe considerable energy among the students and faculty. Dr. Buzzelli said the nursing school was fortunate to hire a dean of Dr. Anderson’s caliber and noted that faculty members have thrived under a shared governance model she has enacted.

For her part, Dr. Anderson said one reason she accepted the position was the desire by everyone within the college to see the nursing program move forward. She highlighted how some faculty members have created a new program called Meaningful Mondays, where they spend time with students after class to enhance learning and share test-taking strategies. She said Tusculum benefits from having small student-faculty ratios, which allows for more one-on-one interaction.

“It’s impressive and enjoyable to watch faculty members have discussions about opportunities to create the best learning environment for the students,” Dr. Anderson said. “They have wonderful ideas that will benefit the students greatly. I’m also working with the students, and that’s been a terrific experience, too.”

Having achieved improvement on the national exam, Dr. Buzzelli and Dr. Anderson are setting their sights on even better results. Dr. Anderson and faculty members have decided they will set aside two hours a week of independent study in the spring for seniors that will prepare students in greater depth to take the test.

In another positive development, one of the nursing school’s book companies has donated an electronic review course for the students.

“We will continue raising the bar until we achieve an ongoing 100 percent pass rate at Tusculum University,” Dr. Buzzelli said. “I am confident we will accomplish this goal because of the relentless efforts of our faculty and students and their desire to have a first-class nursing school.”

Tusculum University Community Chorus holding free Christmas concert

With the Christmas season now in full swing, many people are enjoying the music that highlights the beauty and wonder of this time of year.

The Tusculum University Community Chorus will contribute to the holiday spirit with a concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3. The event will be held in the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Theater on Tusculum’s Greeneville campus.

Conducted by Kathryn May, the concert will provide an opportunity for people to relax and hear some classic Christmas songs and other seasonal selections that will bring joy to the audience as Christ’s birth approaches. Among the songs that will be performed are:

  • “Silent Night”
  • “The Heavens are Telling from Creation”
  • “Days of Beauty”
  • “Hacia Belen Va Una Burra”
  • “O, Come All Ye Faithful”
  • “The 12 Days of Christmas”

“Our chorus is excited about sharing this evening of uplifting music with members of the Tusculum University family and the community,” May said. “We look forward to this concert every year and know it will help the audience appreciate what Christmas means for all of us.”

The concert is free. All seats are general admission.

For more information, please call TU Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620.

Tusculum enhancing campus holiday experience with Progressive Tour before Christmas Concert

Tusculum University will capture the joy of the holiday season with an engaging Progressive Tour on campus that will deliver a wonderful historical experience for participants at Tennessee’s oldest higher education institution.

The university is hosting the festive “Follow Me through Tusculum’s Past” Thursday, Dec. 6, starting at 5:15 p.m. and concluding at 7 p.m. It will be immediately followed by the highly anticipated annual Christmas Concert performed in the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center by the Tusculum Band, which includes the handbell choir, the jazz band and the concert band.

All activities are free and open to Tusculum’s faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as community members. Children are welcome.

“We’re thrilled to offer our Progressive Tour, which will enable participants to enjoy the campus in a new and exciting way,” said Jill Salyers, Tusculum’s vice president of institutional advancement and marketing & communications. “This is such a meaningful time of year as we await Christ’s birth, and our Progressive Tour will bring additional fulfillment to people’s holiday experience.”

The event begins at Annie Hogan, where guests will be greeted by carolers dressed in period costume inside and outside the building. Inside, visitors can enjoy delicious finger foods.

Guests will then proceed to Virginia Hall, where Dr. Madison Sowell, Tusculum’s provost and vice president of academic affairs, will read “Christ Comes.” This inspiring Christmas message was first read at a Christmas service Dec. 12, 1954, on the Tusculum campus.

Next, participants will move to McCormick Hall, where Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president, will discuss the history of celebrating Christmas at Tusculum. Afterward, guests will head to the Thomas J. Garland Library, where they can view decorations and see displays of gingerbread houses created by Tusculum students.

The final stop on the Progressive Tour will be the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, otherwise known as the Old College. Along the way, students will provide popcorn to guests. Once participants arrive, they will be able to visit and take pictures with Santa Claus and receive a treat.

Guests will conclude the Progressive Tour by returning to Annie Hogan, where they can have hot chocolate and hot cider before the concert begins.

The concert, directed by David Price, will include a large selection of songs, split among performances by the concert band, handbell choir and jazz band. Songs include “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Good Christian Friends Rejoice,” “A Child is Born,” “Deck the Halls with All Kinds of Funky,” “So They Say It’s Christmas” and “The Bells of Christmas.”

In addition to music, the concert will include narrations from the book “The Year of The Perfect Christmas Tree.”

For more information about the Progressive Tour, please call Nicole Rader, Tusculum’s director of alumni engagement, at 423-636-7303 or email nrader@tusculum.edu. To learn more about the concert, please call David Price, Tusculum’s director of music programs, at 423-636-0550 or email daprice@tusculum.edu.

Tusculum Alumnus honored by Kingsport Chamber of Commerce

We are pleased to share Larry Estepp, an alumnus of Tusculum University and a former longtime member of the institution’s Board of Trustees, has earned the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Member Award.

The prestigious award goes to an individual who has made an enormous contribution to the chamber and the community throughout his or her life.

Estep serves as president of Citizens Bank in the Tri-Cities and has distinguished himself throughout his career. Prior to joining Citizens Bank as executive vice president for commercial lending, he provided stellar leadership as a regional president for First Tennessee Bank.

Tusculum benefited from his business acumen during his 12 years on the Board of Trustees. He also received a bachelor’s degree in organizational management from the university.

“We congratulate Larry on this well-deserved honor and wholeheartedly endorse his selection,” said Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president. “He contributed significantly to Tusculum’s continuing development as a premier academic institution, and we will always be grateful for his service to our university.”

Tusculum chemistry and biology students begin new undergraduate research program

Annie McCullough, left, and Pau Peiró Vila, who are junior chemistry majors, perform research at Tusculum University.

Undergraduate chemistry and biology students at Tusculum University are exploring new frontiers typically associated with the masters and doctoral levels that might present solutions to varied subjects impacting the world.

This semester, Tusculum‘s natural sciences department kicked off a more formalized research program, which prepares students for further studies at advanced stages of their academic and professional careers. The inaugural group consists of three chemistry majors and two biology majors who are putting their knowledge and talent to work in the Meen Center’s research labs.

The topics being explored are renewable energy and cancer. Specifically, the group is looking into designing and making new materials for solar energy conversion and new drugs for chemotherapeutic applications.

“We have developed this program to prepare students fully to enter a comprehensive research program at the masters and doctoral levels or to pursue a career in industry immediately after graduation from Tusculum,” said Dr. Dennis Ashford, an assistant professor of chemistry at the university. “We are training them to develop critical thinking skills and presentation capabilities and to become independent scientists. This is an excellent opportunity for the students, and we are thrilled to be able to incorporate it in our offerings.”

Recently, the natural sciences department earned a $5,000 grant from the East Tennessee Foundation to pay for supplies, such as chemicals and instrumentation, for the undergraduate researchers. Dr. Ashford said he has submitted another grant application and is looking for others that will empower Tusculum to grow the research program.

Tusculum’s involvement will be ongoing, with the initial group of students handing off their work to their successors. Dr. Ashford said the department wants students to present their results at regional and national conferences and to publish in peer-reviewed professional journals.

“We are seeking to increase the knowledge base in renewable energy and cancer research with our audiences,” he said. “We are, of course, also hopeful our students’ work will lead to breakthroughs in these areas and any others we study in the future. It’s impressive to imagine research that originated at Tusculum could influence the health and well-being of our fellow humans.”

The research program enables students to learn chemistry and biology concepts in class and then experience them firsthand in the research lab. Annie McCullough and Pau Peiró Vila, who are junior chemistry majors, said the program will give students an advantage when they apply for graduate schools and jobs because they will be able to highlight their experience with chemicals, lab equipment and research methods.

Peiró and McCullough are tackling renewable energy.

“I think it’s such a big field that’s so important, but I think it’s overlooked a little bit,” McCullough said. “It’s interesting to research this topic and see what can be accomplished or how things could be better addressed. We might not save the world, but there is still a lot of value in examining this subject in greater depth.”

Carter Delsorbo, a junior majoring in biology with a pre-medicine concentration, is working on the design of new photodynamic chemotherapeutic medications.

“If this drug works, chemotherapy will be a much less challenging experience for people who have been diagnosed with cancer,” Delsorbo said. “Patients will not experience the effects of chemotherapy nearly as much, and it could increase their chances for survivability. I’m enjoying my participation in this project, which could transform the care of cancer patients.”

Peiró views the program as a great opportunity to hone his skills and to use them to make a positive difference in people’s lives.

“We’re learning about the things we can do,” he said. “We are improving our abilities, and maybe we will be fortunate and find something that no one ever saw before. With research, you never know what you’re going to discover, but I am excited about all of the possibilities.”

McCullough recognizes her group is a trendsetter for the program and hopes the five researchers will inspire future students in the natural sciences department to know research might be an option for them. She said it can even serve as a recruiting tool for the university.

If he pursues a medical career, Delsorbo knows his experience with Tusculum’s research program will help him better appreciate the reasons it takes awhile for medicines to make their way through the development and approval process. But most of all, he sees long-term positive results for Tusculum now that it has initiated this program.

“This could evolve into something that could be the hallmark of the whole university,” Delsorbo said.

For more information, please watch the following video on Tusculum’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/6wHJcrfeNgg.

 

CONTACT: Jim Wozniak
Email: jwozniak@tusculum.edu
Phone: 423-636-0552

Theatre-at-Tusculum holding tryouts for “Little Shop of Horrors”

Theatre-at-Tusculum has scheduled auditions for an upcoming production of “Little Shop of Horrors” on the Tusculum University campus.

The auditions will take place Tuesday, Nov. 27-Thursday, Nov. 29, in the Behan Arena Theatre on the lower level of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center. Each day, registration begins at 6 p.m., and auditions start at 6:30 p.m.

Male and female roles are available for teenagers in at least ninth grade as well as for adults. Participants in the tryouts are not required to bring prepared audition pieces.

Brian Ricker will direct “Little Shop of Horrors,” with show dates set for March 1-3 and March 7-10 in the Behan Arena.

For more information, please contact TU Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620 or Ricker at baricker@tusculum.edu.

Tusculum alumnus Justin Phillip Reed wins National Book Award for poetry

Photo credit: The photo of Justin Phillip Reed was taken by Nicholas A. C. Nichols.

Photo credit: The photo of Justin Phillip Reed was taken by Nicholas A. C. Nichols.

A Tusculum University alumnus has achieved acclaim in the United States and has demonstrated the exceptional literary training available from the institution by winning the National Book Award for poetry.

Justin Phillip Reed, a 2013 graduate, earned the prestigious honor Wednesday, Nov. 14, for his collection Indecency. He had been one of five finalists to achieve this recognition and now he joins some of the best-known authors in the country’s history as recipients of a National Book Award.

“This is well-deserved recognition for outstanding work created by one of our youngest alums, who is already leaving an impressive mark on the literary world,” said Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president. “We’re thrilled Justin has attained this stature so early in his career, and we’re extremely proud of our English faculty, who helped shape his immense skills and prepare him to reach these heights. This honor is a prime example of the quality of Tusculum University and the lengths to which our degrees can take you.”

The National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization that administers the awards, described Indecency this way:

“Questions of systemic hostility and the struggle against oppressive institutions live at the heart of Justin Phillip Reed’s Indecency, which seeks to intimately confront issues of masculinity, sexuality, racism, and more, working to both critique and lament a culture of exploitation.”

Previous National Book Awards winners include well-regarded writers as William Faulkner, Norman Mailer, Toni Morrison, Katherine Anne Porter and John Updike.

Reed earned a bachelor of arts degree in English, with a concentration in creative writing, from Tusculum. He then obtained his master of fine arts in poetry from Washington University in St. Louis, where he was junior writer-in-residence.

“I would emphasize that all of the classes I took in the writing program at Tusculum were really rigorous,” Reed said. “The program attempts to build an appreciation for and an ability to create using various genres and modes of writing and to develop a critical eye. That is not a common experience among my peers. All of my writing workshop classes at Tusculum continue to influence the way I write and read all kinds of poetry.”

He now lives in St. Louis, and his writings appear in publications such as African American Review, Best American Essay, Callaloo, the Kenyon Review and Obsidian. He was the inaugural St. Paul de Vence James Baldwin writer-in-residence and has received fellowships from the Cave Canem Foundation, the Conversation Literary Festival and the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis.

During the award ceremony, Reed discussed the importance of gratitude.

“Thank you endlessly,” he said. “Every day, I mean to be grateful until gratitude sometimes overwhelms me. I have known such patient and persistent teachers, and in this moment, I want to effloresce with thanks to all teachers – your teachers, my teachers.”

Reed returned to Tusculum in April to read from Indecency during the Old Oak Festival, and about 50 alumni came to listen to him. Wayne Thomas, dean of Tusculum’s College of Civic and Liberal Arts, was one of Reed’s teachers and introduced him at that event.

“He had an innate talent, he worked really hard and he was consistently thoughtful,” Thomas said of Reed during his Tusculum years. “I tell my students there are three important qualities to being an effective writer–show initiative, do what you’re asked when you’re asked and pay attention to detail. Justin had all of those attributes, and it has paid off for him nicely.

“In the English Department, we have talked for a long time about how he was destined for success. The fact that he won this award so early in his writing career is surprising, but the fact he received this award is not shocking for those of us who have known him for a long time.”

Reed’s career ambitions evolved during his time at Tusculum.

“Originally, I was a graphic design major, but when I had Wayne Thomas for a class, he brought me into the journalism program, where we worked on the student newspaper,” Reed said. “That gave me creative agency. He affirmed my voice and made me feel I had something to say that people would want to hear.”

Fast forward to later in Reed’s enrollment at Tusculum and Thomas encouraged him to pursue a creative writing curriculum. He initially thought his interest was in fiction writing, but when he took an intermediate creative writing class and began reading poets, that inspired him to move in that direction. Thomas introduced him to the works of poet Carl Phillips, who teaches at Washington University.

Heather Elouej, an associate professor of English at Tusculum, taught Reed and received her master of fine arts from Washington University as well. Together, she and Thomas helped guide Reed to pursue Washington University, where he could study under Phillips, as the next step in his growth as a writer.

Elouej was ecstatic to learn Reed won a National Book Award.

“This young man’s immense success is such a boon for Tusculum,” Elouej said. “The light of his talent shines on this institution and is a testament to the fine work the English faculty and programs here are doing to recruit, retain and cultivate student successes. He has returned to our campus several times to offer readings and talks and to spend time with the professors that believed in him, pushed him and celebrated him. Oh, what an honor for Tusculum his honor is.”

Another of Reed’s professors, Desirae Matherly, was similarly thrilled.

“He was a pleasure to teach, compassionate to everyone around him and a model for other students,” she said. “He just kept excelling, had an essay selected in Best American Essays a couple of years ago and has become successful more quickly than most writers his age. Some might achieve in one genre, but he has done so in two.”

To learn more about the author, please visit www.justinphillipreed.com. The National Book Awards ceremony can be viewed at https://www.nationalbook.org/watch-the-2018-national-book-awards-ceremony-live/, with Reed’s category starting at about the 2:08 mark.

Tusculum completes first phase of accreditation process for Niswonger College of Optometric Medicine

The Niswonger College of Optometric Medicine at Tusculum University has taken another step forward with a national oversight agency concluding the program has completed the first phase in the accreditation process.

The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education has granted the Niswonger College of Optometric Medicine the pre-accreditation classification of “Stage One Applicant.” That clears the way for Tusculum to advance to Stage Two, which consists of a self-study and other requirements. The university must complete three stages before the Niswonger College of Optometric Medicine can recruit and enroll students.

“This is a significant achievement in our commitment to address ocular disease, which is a major issue in Appalachia,” said Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president. “The Niswonger College of Optometric Medicine will be transformative not only for the university but also the region. We’re grateful to the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education for advancing us to this stage and look forward to further conversations with this agency as we move forward with this necessary health care initiative.”

The university has identified fall 2020 as its start date, pending Accreditation Council on Optometric Education approval, for enrolling the first class of 70 students in the four-year program. When the Niswonger College Of Optometric Medicine begins classes, it will hold preliminary approval status for accreditation. The program cannot apply for full accreditation until it has graduated its inaugural class.

In determining Stage One applicant status, the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education evaluated the Niswonger College Of Optometric Medicine’s proposal based on several criteria, including public need, resources available to the program and career opportunities for graduates.

“Tusculum University is extremely proud to have passed this first, very challenging and critical step in the process toward eventual accreditation,” said Dr. Andrew Buzzelli, an optometrist and founding dean of the Niswonger College of Optometric Medicine. “Our creation of the College of Health Sciences has been a bold venture, and the university has shown its determination and ability for it to succeed by immediately starting a new college of optometric medicine.

“The Board of Trustees has chosen to marry our 225-year legacy of civic engagement to our desire to provide not only health care education but also health care accessibility to Northeast Tennessee, Appalachia and other parts of rural America.”

Dr. Buzzelli said Tusculum is diligently working on submission of the self-study to become a Stage Two applicant. This is a robust report that will address how Tusculum will meet a wide variety of standards applying to faculty, facilities, policies, processes, curriculum, resource availability and other matters to ensure the Niswonger College Of Optometric Medicine will be ready for students on the first day of classes.

“Dr. Hurley has full confidence in our ability to develop an innovative program that will equally serve the great profession of optometry, Tusculum’s exceptional civic arts learning environment and the outstanding residents of the communities our university serves,” Dr. Buzzelli said. “We have worked nonstop since we shared the exciting news that we are bringing a college of optometric medicine to Tusculum, and we will be thrilled to host our first white-coat ceremony on campus once we have secured the necessary approvals.”

Tusculum University, the first higher education institution in Tennessee and the 28th oldest in the nation, provides a comprehensive education in a Judeo-Christian environment, grounded in a civic, liberal and medical arts curriculum with pathways for career preparation, personal development and civic engagement. About 1,800 students are enrolled on the main campus in Greeneville, at locations in Knoxville and Morristown and in online programs.

Information for the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education is: Address: 243 N. Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141—telephone: 314-991-4100.

Tusculum University celebrates Veterans Day with stories from local D-Day participant

Tusculum University President, Dr. James Hurley, Arthur Ricker and Tusculum student, Kyler Johnson

With patriotic flair, Tusculum University celebrated Veterans Day Friday, Nov. 9, and honored the military service of a Greene County man who had a front-row seat to key moments in World War II.

Dr. James Hurley, the university’s president, issued a proclamation declaring Friday as Arthur Ricker Day at Tusculum. The document recognized Ricker’s contributions to the military, which included landing on Utah Beach during D-Day and serving as part of the liberation forces at Dachau concentration camp.

Ricker, 97, a resident of the town of Tusculum, was the focus at the afternoon Veterans Day event, sharing stories about his experiences while serving his country as a member of the Army.

He recalled his 11-day trip by boat to England, first to Liverpool before his transfer to the southern coast of that country. That put him close to water so he and his fellow servicemen could receive amphibious training, which he described as preparation for possibly the most dangerous combat one can face.

In 1944, he would join in one of the famous events of the war – D-Day.

“We were scheduled to land at Utah Beach on the fifth of June,” he said. “During the night, they had a bad storm in the North Atlantic, and Eisenhower postponed the invasion for another day to June 6. We landed on Utah Beach, Normandy, about 6:30 in the morning. It was just beginning to become daylight.

“We could see the paratroopers drop in at a distance. Most of these paratroopers dropped in water because the Germans had floodgates in the English Channel where they could flood this land at high or low tides. The paratroopers had chutes that were very difficult to get off, and they had approximately 90 pounds of weight on their backs. Many of them drowned because it took too long to get these chutes off.”

Ricker recollected the primary objective was to move through the English Channel and target a seaport the Germans held called Cherbourg. The Allies captured Cherbourg June 25, 1944.

Later, he was in southern France and crossed the Rhine River, went through a huge valley and entered a small village in Germany called Dachau.

“There was a very huge concentration camp, and I approached an inmate and tried to communicate with him. Of course, we had a language barrier. Off in the distance, I noticed something very unusual – it was furnaces. So I took it on my own to go off and explore this furnace. I looked at it. There were legs, arms and skulls.”

As he reflected on his service, he attributed his survival during the war to his mother’s prayers and thanked God that his life was spared. Taking a broad view, he said Americans live in a great country and should be proud of it, honor it, respect it and love it with all their mind.

Ricker’s talk impressed the audience, including Tusculum student Kyler Johnson, who served as the event’s emcee.

“Truly, Mr. Ricker, you do very well represent the Greatest Generation, and I only hope and pray that mine can even come close to serving this country in the manner that yours did,” Johnson said.

“One of the things that really resonated with me was that Arthur shared in his talk that he didn’t want recognition,” Hurley said. “The second thing that I learned in that lesson was you have to earn honor. I don’t know that I’ve learned more valuable lessons in my life than those two things.”

Congressman Phil Roe, R-1st, who chairs the House Veterans Affairs Committee, highlighted how all U.S. veterans cemeteries in this country and abroad are overseen by his committee. In May, he was asked to visit World War I and World War II cemeteries in Europe and said it was one of the most moving experiences of his life. He said he went to places such as Flanders Field and the Battle of Belleau Wood and said he cannot imagine what these servicemen experienced under the risk of potentially being shot.

“These are the shoulders this nation is built on,” Roe said. “These are the men that protect the constitution of the United States of America. These are the men that give us our freedoms. We could not be here if it were not for men like Mr. Ricker. I can’t thank him enough and the millions of men and women that allow me to live in a free country and to live and breathe in this great nation.

“So Mr. Ricker, I salute you, America salutes you and may God richly bless you.”

Veterans Day event to feature soldier who participated in D-Day

A World War II veteran who participated in D-Day and helped liberate a concentration camp will be guest speaker during Tusculum University’s Veterans Day celebration Friday, Nov. 9, at 4 p.m. at the Thomas J. Garland Library.

Arthur Ricker, who served in the Army, landed on Utah Beach during D-Day and later served as part of the liberation forces at Dachau concentration camp. He will share his stories about these elements of his service, providing an opportunity for the audience to hear a firsthand account about Ricker’s place in history.

“We are thrilled to have Arthur celebrate Veterans Day with us and are thankful we will have the opportunity to hear his stories,” said Dale Laney, Air Force chief master sergeant, retired, who serves as Tusculum’s director of veterans services. “The audience will benefit from listening to his experiences and taking to heart the lessons from this important period in history.”

During the event, Kyler Johnson, a Tusculum student and member of the Bonner Leader Program, will explain what Veterans Day is. Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president, will also deliver remarks.

Congressman Phil Roe, R-1st, is scheduled to attend the ceremony.

The public is invited to attend. For more information, please contact Laney at 423-636-7371.

Career and Graduate Fair scheduled for November 7

Tusculum University is holding a career fair Wednesday, Nov. 7, for students and alumni seeking employment opportunities with businesses in the East Tennessee area.

The event, which will be held from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Chalmers Conference Center of the Scott M. Niswonger Commons, will also give students and alumni who are interested in pursuing graduate-level degrees the ability to discuss options with higher education institution representatives.

“This is an excellent way for our students and alumni who are exploring their next professional and academic steps to engage with members of these organizations to determine whether there might be a mutual fit,” said Robin Lay, Tusculum’s director of career services. “Our students and alumni bring a lot of talent to the table, and they will benefit from speaking with a large number of excellent organizations that could put them on the path to long-term success.”

Tusculum has secured the presence of 46 organizations for the event. These include some of the larger companies in the region, such as Food City, Ballad Health, Covenant Health, Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance Inc., 21st Mortgage Corp. and SumiRiko Tennessee Inc., as well as K-12 school systems. Among the others on the roster are smaller organizations such as Holston Home for Children, Helen Ross McNabb Center, the Greeneville Reds, Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park and Youth Villages.

In addition to Tusculum, higher education institutions that will be present are Lincoln Memorial University, King University and Milligan College.

Students and alumni seeking a job or an internship in the next year should be prepared for a brief screening interview and should dress professionally and bring multiple copies of their resume. Students in earlier years of study can use the fair as an opportunity to network with these employers and learn more about what skills they might need to secure a job or an internship. Those who are looking at graduate school options will be able to learn more about these institutions’ offerings through the fair.

For more information, please call Lay at 423-636-7447.

Theatre-at-Tusculum presents Disney’s “Tarzan” for seven performances

Theatre-at-Tusculum will present an entertaining and energetic stage production of Disney’s “Tarzan” for seven performances in November.

The musical is based on the 1999 animated film of the same name, which featured music and lyrics by legendary musician Phil Collins, and the book by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Performances will take place at the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Theater on the Tusculum University campus. Show times are 7 p.m. Nov. 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 and 2 p.m. Nov. 4 and 11.

The musical is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International and is being directed by Tusculum’s artist-in-residence, Marilyn duBrisk. The production team includes familiar and new faces with Brian Ricker as assistant director, Kasie Shelnutt as musical director and Elizabeth Sparks as choreographer.

Erin Schultz, Tusculum’s Arts Outreach costume artist, whose work is supported by the Tennessee Arts Commission, designed the costumes. Trenda Berney oversaw makeup design. Frank Mengel led set design work, with lighting design provided by Beth Wilson-Schnura and sound effects curated by Dave Johnson. Stage managers are Jim Holt and Brian Ricker, with box office and house management led by Jennifer Hollowell.

The production features local theater veterans and many new faces to the Tusculum stage. Tusculum students Carter DelSorbo, Trevor Kahland and Colton Grindstaff will lead the cast of more than 70 as adult Tarzan, Kerchak the silver-back gorilla and the human villain Clayton, respectively.

The cast includes other Tusculum students and several members from the East Tennessee region. DelSorbo’s real life mother, Chirsta DelSorbo, will portray Tarzan’s ape mother, Kala. Local favorite Parker Bunch will play adult Tarzan’s ape friend, Terk, and Craig Robertson, a newcomer to the Tusculum stage, will portray Young Terk.

In addition to the jungle menagerie, human characters in the production include the lead roles of Jane, portrayed by Sarah Sanders, and Porter, Jane’s father, played by Josh Beddingfield. Snipes, Clayton’s second in command, is portrayed by Simon Johnson, who leads an expedition crew of Theatre-at-Tusculum veterans – River Donnelly, Michael Fillers, and Michael Willis.

Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors 60 and older, and $5 for children 12 and younger. They may be reserved by calling Tusculum University Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620 or by emailing jhollowell@tusculum.edu. People should include their name, a contact telephone number, the date, the number of tickets and the type of ticket. Seating is general admission.

Patrons can pick up and pay for tickets at the box office the day of the performance, or they can schedule a time to come to the Arts Outreach office. Payments are with cash or check only.

The box office is located in the lobby of the Annie Hogan Byrd, with the Tusculum Arts Outreach offices to the right of the lobby. The box office opens 90 minutes before each show. The theater will open 60 minutes before the start of the performance.

Theatre-at-Tusculum is under the auspices of Tusculum University Arts Outreach which is led by Artist-in-Residence Marilyn duBrisk, Assistant Director Brian Ricker, Coordinator Jennifer Hollowell; Technical Director Frank Mengel and Costume Director Erin Schultz. It is supported in part by a grant from the Tennessee Arts Commission, Hearts for the Arts and many generous donors. For more information about Theatre-at-Tusculum or other Tusculum University Arts Outreach programs please call 423-798-1620, visit http://art.tusculum.edu, or connect via Facebook at Tusculum University Arts Outreach.