Youth auditions for ‘My Son Pinocchio JR’ scheduled Nov. 28 and 29

Youth ages seven to 18 are sought for the cast of “My Son Pinocchio JR,” the February 2017 production for Theatre-at-Tusculum and Actors Coming Together.

“My Son Pinocchio JR” is part of the popular Broadway Junior Collection of live-theater musicals and will be directed by Marilyn duBrisk with an all youth cast.

Auditions are scheduled Monday, Nov. 28, and Tuesday, Nov. 29, in the Behan Arena Theatre, located on the lower level (side entrance) of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on the Tusculum College campus. Registration begins at 3:30 p.m. with auditions starting at 4 p.m. and lasting until about 6 p.m. both days. Possible callbacks will be held 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. Those wishing to audition are not required to attend both audition dates but are asked to be available for possible callbacks on Dec. 1 if needed.

Auditions will consist of a singing portion, a choreography portion and readings from the show’s script. No prepared audition pieces are required but those wishing to audition are asked to wear comfortable clothing and shoes with closed toes.

The production features a cast of approximately 30 actors, singers and dancers. Characters include Geppetto, Pinocchio, Stromboli-the Puppet Master, The Blue Fairy and four “Fairies-In-Training.” Supporting roles include: Signora Giovanni, Pinocchio’s teacher; Professore Buongrazzoa, a mad scientist; Junior, his assistant and The Ringleader who runs Pleasure Island. In addition a large ensemble is needed for Town Children and Town Parents, Children of Idyllia and the Roustabouts and Delinquents of Pleasure Island.

Performances are scheduled for Feb. 17-19 and 23-26 with rehearsals beginning in January. Those wanting to audition are asked to be prepared to list any scheduling conflicts between Jan. 5 and the production show dates.

A tentative rehearsal schedule will be posted during auditions and will include some mandatory rehearsal dates and the mandatory performance dates. Rehearsals will take place on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and some Sunday afternoons from 2 p.m to 4 p.m. Specific times and days are dependant upon the individual role.

Show director duBrisk will lead the auditions along with her production team: assistant director Brian Ricker, musical director Angie Clendenon and choreographer Kim Berry, with help from the show’s accompanist, Kasie Shelnutt.

“My Son Pinocchio JR” has its roots in the classic Walt Disney animated feature film “Pinocchio,” which premiered in 1940. The musical includes the songs “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings” by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington from the animated film. Unlike the animated film the stage production is told from the perspective of Geppetto rather than Pinocchio, similar to the 2000 Disney live-action television movie “Geppetto” starring Drew Carey.

The stage musical includes music and lyrics by Oscar and Grammy winning composer Stephen Schwartz (Broadway’s “Wicked,” and Disney’s “Pocahontas,” “The Prince of Egypt” and “Enchanted”) and book by David Stern.

For more information regarding auditions, the production or other Arts Outreach programs, please call 423-798-1620.

 

Update on construction of the new Tusculum College science and math building

The finishing touches are underway on the construction of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math at Tusculum College. Interior work continues with flooring, electrical and furniture installation well underway.

According to David Martin, director of facilities at Tusculum College, construction will be completed in the next few weeks and plans are to being moving into the building over the Christmas break. Classes will be held in the new facility beginning in January with the start of the spring semester.

The Meen Center for Science and Math is 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 the Master of Science degree in Nursing.

The facility is possible in part to the late Verna June Meen, whose $3.875 million gift towards funding the facility in memory of her husband, Dr. Ronald H. Meen, allowed the leadership of the college to move forward with plans for the facility.

Much of the laboratory equipment has been installed as the finishing touches are added to the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math at Tusculum College.

The finishing touches on the exterior of the building are under way including sidewalk construction.

 

 

Canned food drive effort to be held at basketball games Nov. 19

Tusculum College basketball fans will have the opportunity to help two local non-profit organizations at the upcoming Nov. 19 home games.

At both the men’s and women’s basketball games, fans can gain free admission with the donation of four non-perishable food items. The women’s game begins at 2 p.m. in Pioneer Arena on the Tusculum campus while the men’s game follows at 4 p.m. Both teams will be taking on Wingate University in South Atlantic Conference action.

The collection is part of a campus-wide canned food drive sponsored by the Psychology Club and the Center for Civic Advancement at Tusculum.

Donations will be distributed to the Greeneville-Greene County Community Ministries Food Bank and the Tabernacle Mission Soup Kitchen.

Tusculum College named to Top Military-Friendly School List

For the seventh year in a row, Tusculum College has been named to the Military Friendly Schools® list. The 2017 list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members, veterans and dependents and to ensure their academic success. Schools on the list earn the right to use the Military Friendly School logo.

Schools on the list range from state universities and private colleges to community colleges and trade schools. The common bond is their shared priority of recruiting students with military experience.

“Tusculum College strives to help our veterans find the right program and format to best suit them in completing their college degree in both our residential and Graduate and Professional Studies programs,” said Melissa , interim vice president for enrollment management and marketing at Tusculum College.

She added, “It is a priority of Tusculum College to provide access to any veteran who is seeking higher education opportunities and to make that access as simple and affordable as possible. We are pleased with the number of veterans who choose Tusculum College because of the personalized program that helps them every step along the path to graduation.”

The Military Friendly Schools list is a key resource in letting veterans know which schools will offer them the greatest opportunity, flexibility and overall experience. Ripley added that this is especially important now with so many schools competing for military students.

Tusculum College started participating in the Yellow Ribbon program in August 2009. Under the program, the school matches dollars put in by the Veterans Administration so veterans or their spouse or dependents can work toward their advanced degree, as well as qualify for money to help with housing. There are more than 44 students enrolled in Tusculum degree programs who are receiving the Yellow Ribbon benefits.

“Through the Yellow Ribbon program the college acknowledges the commitment of those who have served our country by providing them with financial support to complete their education,” said Tusculum College President Nancy B. Moody. “With the variety of locations, programs, majors, degrees and scheduling options offered at Tusculum College, we are uniquely suited to serve those whose educational path was interrupted or who are considering beginning or continuing their higher education.”

The Yellow Ribbon program is applicable towards all Tusculum College degree programs, which include traditional undergraduate programs, as well as the Graduate and Professional Studies programs. Tuition benefits under the program are also available to both full and part-time students.

In addition, Tusculum College has a long standing relationship with the United States Navy through its partnership with the U.S.S. Greeneville submarine. Since its christening, Tusculum College has partnered with the crew members, offering an annual scholarship to crewmen and/or members of their family. To date, four people benefiting from that relationship have become Tusculum College alumni and there are currently four students receiving this scholarship in the residential program.

Tusculum College has long offered assistance to veterans returning to higher education and Veterans Affairs Coordinator Pat Simons is available to specifically support veterans with their admissions and financial aid questions. For more information on the Yellow Ribbon program or other assistance provided by the college, contact Simons at 423-636-7300.

Additionally, Jerry Sullivan serves as Tusculum College’s enrollment representative military liaison. He is responsible for the recruitment and marketing of Tusculum College to active duty military, veterans and their dependents. He serves as a point of contact for all military personnel, coordinating with other departments to provide academic and financial advice for current and prospective students. Sullivan may be contacted at 800-729-0116.

Criteria for making the Military Friendly Schools list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, results in recruiting military and veteran students and academic accreditations.

 

Tusculum College receives Tennessee Higher Education Commission grant for improved teacher quality efforts

Tusculum College has received a $74,991 grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to fund a regional educational effort to improve skills of high school mathematics and computer science teachers.

The grant will be used to fund the Tusculum College Python TEAM2 project, which is designed to enhance the content knowledge, pedagogical skills and pedagogical content knowledge of high school mathematics and computer science teachers in the high-needs school districts surrounding Tusculum College’s home campus in Greene County and its instructional sites in Hamblen and Knox counties.

Project participants will benefit from five on-site days of professional development in Tusculum College’s Meen Center for Science and Math along with a 10-month online credit-bearing course in the Python computer language. The content focus will be on the use of Python computer programming to solve mathematical problems. Participants will explore mathematical concepts, learn the Python programming language and develop programs to solve the kinds of problems they teach in their high school classrooms.

According to Dr. Tricia Hunsader, dean of the School of Education and professor of education, participants’ growth in content knowledge related to mathematics concepts, programming basics and the Python computer language will be assessed via a pre-test and post-test. Participant surveys will assess teachers’ perceptions of the learning experiences and their growth in content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and pedagogical content knowledge.

“The primary content objectives are to increase high school mathematics and computer science teachers’ knowledge of and practical skills in fundamental mathematical concepts directly applicable to computer programming, essential structures and algorithms used in object-oriented programming, the writing of Python code to solve mathematical problems and numerical methods applicable to the high school mathematics curriculum,” said Dr. Hunsader.

The program is a partnership among Tusculum College’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science within the School of Arts and Sciences, Tusculum College’s School of Education and regional high-need school systems, which include Greene County, Greeneville City, Hamblen County, Hawkins County, Jefferson County, Knox County and Washington County school districts.

THEC administers this federal program, which was established to provide grants for colleges and universities to develop and implement workshops for K-12 teachers in the areas of mathematics, science and humanities. The purpose is to establish a collaborative planning partnership between higher education and K-12 education for teacher preparation and continuing professional development. – See more at: https://www.tn.gov/thec/article/itq#sthash.VkHDDXu5.dpuf

 

Tusculum College program offers free tax assistance

Certified-IRS volunteers at Tusculum College will be available to provide income tax assistance through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.

The Tusculum College Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program is an IRS grant program that offers free tax preparation to qualifying taxpayers in Greeneville and the Tri-Cities region. All volunteers for the program are trained and certified by the Internal Revenue Service.

According to Dr. Harold Branstrator, associate professor of management at Tusculum College, although the program has been around for quite some time, this year marks the first year for the VITA program at Tusculum College. The Tusculum College VITA program is intended to assist a variety of taxpayers who need help in filing their own tax returns.

Person who qualify include those who generally earn less than $54,000 per year, persons with disabilities, limited English-speaking taxpayers and other urban and rural residents.

Participants in the program will be assisted by well-trained IRS-certified student volunteers.

Dr. Branstrator, a former IRS employee, oversees the VITA Program at Tusculum College. The program prepares students who are trained extensively and certified by the Internal Revenue Service to prepare returns for the citizens of Greeneville and the surrounding area. Additionally, said Dr. Branstrator, through the program, student volunteers learn valuable skills in tax preparation, professionalism and interviewing, while serving the community.

 

Tusculum Commencement ceremony to feature Dr. Ron May

Dr. Ron May, vice president of academic affairs at Tusculum College and a 1968 graduate, will be the speaker at Tusculum College’s winter commencement exercises on Saturday, Dec. 10.

Dr. May will deliver the address to students at both ceremonies in the Pioneer Arena in Niswonger Commons on the Greeneville campus. The morning ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. The afternoon ceremony will begin at 2 p.m.

Dr. Ron May

“Dr. Ron May joined Tusculum College in 2014 and has helped guide us through a significant period of change in the academic arena,” said Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of Tusculum College. His leadership has been invaluable as we steer the college through difficult times in higher education. He will most certainly leave Tusculum in a better place.”

Dr. May has had a distinguished career in higher education, retiring in June 2014 as president of Ancilla College in Donaldson, Indiana. In his career he has taught public school, as well as served as a college professor, department head, dean, vice president and twice as a college president, at Ancilla and at Louisburg College in Louisburg, North Carolina. Dr. May also holds faculty rank as professor of education.

In his career, Dr. May has been recognized by numerous organizations, including by the Leadership Marshall County program with their Leader of the Year Award in 2011. He served Tusculum College as dean of faculty from 1985 to 1988. He also served for a time as the president of the Tusculum College Alumni Association.

Dr. May earned a Doctorate of Education from Indiana University, a Master of Arts in Teaching from East Tennessee State University and an Associate of Science from Vincennes University. He returned to serve as interim vice president of academic affairs in June 2014.

 

Tusculum College participating in White House Healthy Campus Challenge

Making sure students have access to affordable health insurance is the primary focus of Tusculum College’s participation in the White House Healthy Campus Challenge.

The Healthy Campus Challenge aims to engage college and university campuses, and in particular community college campuses, across the country in enrollment efforts of the Affordable Health Care Act.

Groups on participating campuses will implement focused activities to reach the uninsured both on campus and in the surrounding community, during the open enrollment period.

“We are aware that we have students on campus who do not have health insurance and have felt the need to address this issue prior to the announcement of the White House Challenge,” said Rev. Dr. Ronda Gentry, director of the Center for Civic Advancement at Tusculum College. “The challenge fits in well with what we were making plans to address, so it is a natural fit for Tusculum College.”

She added that additional activities will be held addressing how to live a healthy lifestyle that will provide opportunities to discuss insurance and its importance.

Tusculum Colleges efforts will include undertaking in-person enrollment activities on campus, sending e-mails to students and faculty reminding them of the opportunity to enroll in coverage, using social media platforms to highlight open enrollment for students, faculty and staff, as well additional educational programming on how to access insurance options.

Efforts began on Wednesday, Nov. 2, with the incorporation of healthcare-related activities into Tusculum’s S.P.I.E.S. program, a campus-wide Individual Wellness through Community Engagement initiative. The acronym S.P.I.E.S. stands for social, physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. During the S.P.I.E.S. event, staff talked with the approximately 250 students in attendance about the healthcare exchange and walked interested students through the application process. Additional activities were designed to educate students on simple exercises they can add to their day, as well as how to eat healthy on a college student budget. Students also participated in group biking, trail hike, lawn games or yoga activities.

The 2016 White House Healthy Campus Challenge builds on the successful 2015 White House Healthy Communities Challenge, in which Milwaukee – the challenge winner – saw about 38,000 people newly select a plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace during the open enrollment period.

 

Students participated in a healthy lifestyle event at Tusculum College on Wednesday that included learning about health insurance options and is part of the college’s participation in the White House Health Campus Challenge.

 

Organic progression – alumna serves after graduation

Finishing college and heading into the world of work is a different experience for each of Tusculum’s alumni, but for many, such as Kristen Lane ’14, the transition was organic in its development and in her continued work with Tusculum College’s environmental science program.

Lane, currently serves as an AmeriCorps intern for the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance, and continues to work with Tusculum College science departments, as well as Tusculum students in other programs volunteering in environmental programs in the community. Additionally, she credits Tusculum faculty with helping her make the connections to put her in the right place at the right time for the intern opportunity.

“Dr. Keller was very involved with the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance and helped me to get my foot in the door,” said Lane, adding that as a field guide naturalist major, she had a lot of interaction with the faculty during her time at Tusculum that led to long-term relationships.

Kristen Lane gets to return to campus often, working with students from the College and those from local schools at the Paul E. Hayden Educational Wetland or sharing information with Tusculum students about the volunteer opportunities available with the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance.

Dr. Melissa Keller, assistant professor of biology and former professor Dan Barnett was instrumental in helping Lane land that first position and in serving as resources for her in her first few months after graduation.

As part of her service, Lane is responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating service learning projects with target outcomes to a wide range of participants, maintaining and expanding community partnerships and capacity building for the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance. She also handles volunteer coordination and management, which is another path that keeps her in contact with the Tusculum community.

“Many of the skills I developed at Tusculum,” said Lane. “In addition to the academic base, I developed a lot of skills through my participation in student organizations on campus, things like being self-directed, detail oriented and thinking creatively.”

During her years at Tusculum, Lane led the Pioneer Green Team, an environmental student organization, as its president and found herself planning events, recruiting volunteers and setting up strategies for educating the public, all of which is in her job description at the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance.

“Being involved with several on campus organizations and being a national service member has given me experience in public speaking, reaching, networking, organizing volunteers, developing community partnerships, maintaining public relations and leading and cooperating in team environments,” she said. In addition to the Green Team, she was a representative for Voices Against Violence and served as both representative and senator for the Student Government Association.

In her AmeriCorps position, she puts her skills toward grant writing and projects involving restoration work, but there is also a strong educational component, working with elementary school students at the wetlands and giving community presentations. She also calls on her relationships often that she built while attending Tusculum.

“We have a strong partnership with Tusculum College, particularly the science areas and the biology and environmental science classes,” she said.  She also calls on Tusculum often for volunteer work because of the community engagement focus, particularly with service learning courses.

“The Earth Day program that I coordinated as president of the Pioneer Green Team is very similar to projects I do now, like the Energy Fair. My experience in planning a project was very helpful.  I learned how to do things on my own time and it was a great experience that is similar to the way I work now.”

While at Tusculum, Lane was the recipient of the Doug Ratledge Environmental Science Scholarship, awarded to an outstanding student majoring in environmental science or the field guide naturalist program. Serving with the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance, she also gets to share her love for environmental science with others.

Her advice to current students is to build relationships with faculty. “If you haven’t built these relationships after four years you may have missed the boat,” said Lane. “The faculty are great resources for networking in your field.”

She also encourages building leadership skills through clubs and organizations, which she says is a great way to learn how organizations work, as well as a safe way to learn and try things and see what works.

“For those that have never heard of the AmeriCorps program, it is very similar to the Peace Corps but on the domestic front,” said Lane. “AmeriCorps offers a living stipend and educational stipend upon successful completion of service, which can be full or part-time. It’s an honor to be a part of this program, and I would recommend it to undergraduates looking for professional experience and meaningful service to the community.”

A note from the president to Tusculum parents

 

 

 

First and foremost, I want to thank each of you for all you do to move Tusculum College forward. I also want to share exciting news about our new Vice President for Academic Affairs, who will join us spring semester after the retiring of Dr. Ron May.

Dr. Jason Pierce

Dr. Pierce comes to Tusculum from Mars Hill University, where he has served most recently as interim vice president for academic affairs and enrollment management. In his career, Dr. Pierce has served in both academic and administrative roles at Mars Hill University, serving as assistant and associate vice president for academic affairs, chief information officer, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges accreditation liaison and as director of institutional effectiveness.  He has served as chair of the division of humanities, as chair of the department of English and as webmaster. He also taught English as an assistant and an associate professor. Dr. Pierce earned his doctorate in English from the University of South Carolina. He also holds a Master of Arts in English from the University of Maine and a Master of Letters in Scottish literature from the University of Saint Andrews, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maine. We also welcome his wife, Dr. Joanna Tapp Pierce, a faculty member at Mars Hill for seventeen years.

We are on track to move into the Meen Center for Science and Math over the Christmas break. We are very excited about offering classes in the building in Spring Semester. 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 significantly different. The new facility 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.

Construction of the Ronald H. and Verna June Meen Center for Science and Math has reached the final stages.

As we approach Thanksgiving, I am reminded that this is truly a time to give thanks for all of the bounties that we have. I give thanks for many things but particularly for the wonderful students of all ages who have chosen Tusculum College.

 

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Nancy B. Moody, PhD

President

Kim Kidwell named director of the Tusculum Fund at Tusculum College

Kim Kidwell has been named director of the Tusculum Fund at Tusculum College. She will assume her new duties on Dec. 1.

Kidwell joined Tusculum College in 2007. Her office is located in McCormick Hall on the Greeneville campus. As director of the Tusculum Fund, Kidwell will be responsible for planning, execution and oversight of the college’s annual fund. She will be responsible for identifying, cultivating and soliciting prospective donors for various campaigns that provide funding support for the institution.

“We are excited to announce that Kim Kidwell is returning to our Advancement staff as director of the Tusculum Fund,” said Heather Patchett, vice president of Institutional Advancement. “Kim has amazing relationship skills and was much missed by many of our alumni when she took her position in the Business Office. Her organizational abilities and her dedication to Tusculum College and its students are just of the few things that will help us move our programs forward.”

Kim Kidwell

According to Patchett, Kidwell has demonstrated excellent skills for developing and nurturing relationships with alumni and other donors.  In her role, she will be focusing on acquiring new donors, increasing the giving of current donors and working with current students and young alumni to build an awareness of the importance of giving.

She is also a highly analytical and a detail-oriented problem solver with a strong background of accounting, finance and development. She has extensive experience in implementing and managing not-for-profit programs; successfully managing and expanding existing programs; promoting, funding and organizing programs and events; conducting research; managing databases; managing staff, volunteers and volunteer teams; and preparing reports and presentations.

A 1999 graduate of Tusculum, this will be Kidwell’s return to fundraising at Tusculum College.  For the past four years she has served as payroll specialist in the Business Office.  Prior to that, she held positions in fundraising including director of the Tusculum Fund, associate director of development and development director.

“My time at Tusculum College has given me valuable experience, particularly in development,” said Kidwell. “I am passionate in working with the Tusculum College donors, as well as the faculty and staff to achieve the fundraising goals of the college.”

Kidwell resides in Afton with her two children, Macy and Talon. They are members of First Baptist Church.

 

Tusculum students secure $3,000 grant for elementary school library

Students at Camp Creek Elementary will soon have some new reading material at their disposal, as a grant written by students in a Tusculum College grant writing course has made possible the purchase of new books for the school’s library program.

“We are so excited about the grant, and so appreciative of the students at Tusculum College for doing this for us,” said Jennifer Reeves, the Camp Creek Elementary School librarian. “The vast majority of the money will go toward the purchase of new book titles for students in the school to read and check out.”

Reeves said that with limited funds each year, it is hard for them to keep current titles in the library, and it is disappointing to not have an exciting new series when a student comes in and asks for it.

The grant is from the Dollar General and also allows some of the funds to be used for library programming.

Dr. Michael Bodary, associate professor of English who taught the grant writing course offered at Tusculum College, explained why he enjoys teaching it. “Tusculum has an ongoing commitment to civic engagement, so I am constantly looking for opportunities where students can apply what they learn in the classroom to help better the lives of those around them. With one success under their belts, I hope these students are encouraged to write more grants after they graduate—or even explore grant writing as a career.”

Tusculum students who worked on the grant were journalism and professional writing majors Madilyn Elliott Whitley from Hampton, who graduated in May, Meg Franklin of Newport, and Jonathon Dennis of Rome, Georgia.

“What made our grant different was how out-of-the-box it was, I think,” said Whitley. “Reading doesn’t just mean novels and stories, so we played on that. This program gets kids reading nontraditional material, like video game guides and magazines, and has people in ‘dream jobs’ telling them how reading is important in every career field. We wanted to break the mold of reading programs, and I think that contributed to it getting funded.”

She added, “I chose to work on this grant because reading is and always has been a priority to me. I come from a school like Camp Creek, where the library had little money to spend on new books. Sometimes libraries are the only access kids have to reading, and it is vital that we give kids every opportunity to read, expand their horizons, and figure out who they want to be. Dollar General is doing a great service in funding literacy programs, and I’m just grateful that I was able to help connect them to a local school.”