Tusculum College to encourage adult students to “Finish Strong” through full tuition essay competition

Tusculum College wants all students to “Finish Strong” and is offering for the second time a full tuition scholarship to one lucky contest winner.

“We are pleased to announce the launch of an exciting scholarship contest representing a great opportunity for the winner to complete their undergraduate degree through one of our Graduate and Professional Studies programs,” said LeAnn Hughes, vice president for enrollment management and marketing and director of the Graduate and Professional Studies program at Tusculum College. “The Tusculum College Finish Strong Scholarship Giveaway recognizes the hard work and sacrifices our adult students put forth when returning to school to finish their degree.”

“Getting people back to school to finish their degrees is life changing,” said Lindsey Seal, director of Graduate and Professional Studies enrollment. “Through this essay contest, we will learn the individual stories of our students and be able to share them with others who wish to follow in their footsteps. The bonus is that one lucky participant will receive a full tuition scholarship as a prize.”

The winner of last year’s Finish Strong contest was Aimee Teffeteller of Maryville. Teffeteller is currently enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program and plans to major in education. “Winning the Finish Strong scholarship has been such a blessing,” said Teffeteller. “It has enabled me to finish my degree without the financial burden that comes with continuing one’s education. I am so thankful to have been given this opportunity.”

The Finish Strong Scholarship Giveaway is provided by Tusculum College in partnership with Food City and WIVK-Radio. Both Food City and WIVK will promote the contest in the greater Knoxville area during the term of the event.

The Finish Strong Scholarship Giveaway will begin on Thursday, Sept. 1, and will end on Friday, Sept. 30. The contest is open to all legal U.S. residents age 18 or older with a valid Social Security number at the time of entry. The winner must submit the following: an application for admission and be accepted to an undergraduate degree program at Tusculum College, an essay and official transcripts of all college level work from regionally accredited schools demonstrating a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average and the equivalent of 54 semester hours or an associate’s degree. Currently enrolled Tusculum College students are ineligible to win.

The required essay should describe how obtaining an undergraduate degree from Tusculum College will transform the entrant’s life.

There is no charge or fee to submit the essay or enter the contest. The essay submitted must contain between 250 and 500 words to be considered a valid entry. In addition to the required essay submission, entrants are encouraged to promote actively their participation in the Scholarship Contest via social media, using #finishstrong. Social media participation is not part of the criteria for eligibility or for judging the best essays.

One grand prize will be awarded. The grand prize package consists of a tuition-paid scholarship to one of Tusculum College’s undergraduate degree-completion programs which can be redeemed at any of the Knoxville, Morristown or Greeneville locations and can be applied to pay all of the regular tuition charges for an undergraduate degree-completion program in business administration, management, interdisciplinary studies (education, K-5) and psychology, behavioral health concentration.

Enrollment into one of the four undergraduate degree programs is subject to availability at the respective class location. The winner is responsible for paying all other charges, fees and amounts payable by a student enrolled in the program and will not be eligible to receive any additional institutional-based scholarships.

The prize may be combined with other forms of financial aid available through Tusculum College.

To enter, the essay must be submitted in writing to the Tusculum College admissions office. Entrants may visit Tusculum College’s “Finish Strong Scholarship” website at www.tusculum.edu/finish to submit the online entry form.

A complete copy of the rules may be obtained at the Tusculum College Admissions Office, 60 Shiloh Road, P.O. Box 5051, Greeneville, TN 37743, during normal operation hours, Monday through Friday, or by sending a self-addressed stamped envelope to the above address.

Dr. Tricia Hunsader named Dean of School of Education at Tusculum College

Dr. Tricia Hunsader has been named Dean of the School of Education at Tusculum College. Dr. Hunsader will also serve as professor of education.

“I am confident that Dr. Hunsader will provide key leadership to move Tusculum College forward and that she will guide our School of Education to continue to be a model for teacher education. She will be a strong mentor to our faculty in the program,” said Dr. Ron May, vice president for academic affairs at Tusculum College.

Dr. Hunsader is a graduate of the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in finance, a Master of Arts in elementary education, and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a specialization in elementary education and specialization in mathematics education.

Dr. Tricia Hunsader

Dr. Hunsader came to Tusculum from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee where she served as coordinator of assessment for the College of Education, chair of the Quality Enhancement Plan Committee, president of the Faculty Senate and vice president of the USF System Faculty Council.

Prior to her academic career, she worked as an asset manager for a commercial real estate investment group, an elementary and high school mathematics teacher and controller and event coordinator for Hunsader Farms.

Dr. Hunsader has co-authored two books and has published more than 20 articles and book chapters. She has presented her research in mathematics assessment nationally and internationally and serves as a reviewer for national and international mathematics education journals.

Dr. Hunsader is married to Michael Hunsader, a third-generation farmer. They have five grown children (four sons and one daughter), and two grandsons, most of whom live and work on Jeter Mountain Farm in Hendersonville, North Carolina, a 400-acre tomato and apple farm and event venue.

 

Tusculum College named Best Bang for the Buck college

Tusculum College has been ranked 23rd among the Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the Southern category of the 2016 Washington Monthly College Rankings.

Additionally, Tusculum was named 78th among all colleges and universities that offer master’s degree programs.

Washington Monthly rates institutions based on three criteria: social mobility, research and civic engagement. The ranking also includes colleges that are doing the best job of helping students attain marketable degrees at a reasonable cost.

Earlier this year, Tusculum College was ranked among the top colleges in the State of Tennessee in the first-ever rankings of American colleges and universities by The Economist.

“There are so many considerations when choosing a college home,’ said LeAnn Hughes, vice president of enrollment management and marketing and director of the Graduate and Professional Studies program at Tusculum College. “Considering value is a critical component. When you choose Tusculum College, it is an investment you make in the rest of your life.”

Hughes added 75 percent of recently surveyed alumni reported obtaining a position in their field of study within nine months of graduation. Additionally, 95 percent of recently surveyed alumni reported that Tusculum prepared them well for their current job or graduate studies.

“From the very beginning students at Tusculum are supported by our robust Career Services Office,” said Hughes. “Through the Pioneer Certified program students gain valuable experience related to job hunting, portfolio development, interviewing, networking, internships, meal etiquette, job shadowing, career fairs and professionalism.”

The full rankings can be found at www.WashingtonMonthly.com/college_guide/.

For more information on Tusculum’s programs, contact an enrollment representative at 800.729.0256.

 

Pioneer tailgate makes 2016 debut this Thursday

Back for its fourth straight year, the Pioneer Tailgate returns this Thursday to the Tusculum College campus when the Pioneers open the 2016 football season when they take on the UVa-Wise at the Niswonger Sports Complex and Pioneer Field.

The Pioneer Tailgate begins at 4:30 p.m. next to the main entrance of the stadium and will include live music, games, food and fun for all ages will take place all the way until the 6 p.m. kickoff between the Pioneers and Cavaliers.  Live music at the Pioneer Tailgate will be provided DJ Dadre.

There will be a Kids Zone with games and events for children of all ages.  There will also be Corn Hole Can Jam and other activities for the adult fans.

Immediately following the football game, there will be a fireworks show.

The Pioneer Tailgate will be held prior to each Tusculum College home football game this season with fun and music for the entire family.

For more information, contact associate athletic director Randy Loggins at (423) 636-7300, ext. 5292 or email at rloggins@tusculum.edu.

 

Tusculum students to provide a day of service in the community

Tusculum College students will demonstrate the college’s commitment to both learning and serving on Wednesday, Sept. 14, as they spend a day helping others and improving the community.

All freshmen and first-year transfer students will participate in Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day as part of the Tusculum Experience course. Many other students, faculty, staff and alumni have also made plans to volunteer. Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day is one of the longest-held traditions on the Tusculum campus and involves students spending time in service to others. Some of the projects that the students will undertake include working with local non-profit organizations and schools.

“Community engagement is a key element of the Tusculum College experience,” said Ronda Gentry, director of the Center for Civic Advancement and coordinator of the event. “Nettie Day serves as an introduction to our new students and a reminder to our entire community of the importance and value of community involvement.”

This year, Nettie Day participants will fan out into the region helping numerous organizations, including Rural Resources, the Greeneville/Greene County Humane Society, local parks and several schools. Service activities will be conducted at all the Tusculum sites and campus in Greeneville, Knoxville and Morristown.

Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day, which is conducted under the auspices of the Center for Civic Advancement, honors the memory and altruistic way of life of Nettie Fowler McCormick, widow of reaper inventor Cyrus McCormick, who was a 19th century supporter and advocate of Tusculum College. The McCormicks, staunch Presbyterians from Chicago, learned of Tusculum College through Tusculum graduates who attended their McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and became some of the most significant donors in the college’s history.

Nettie McCormick is recognized as the college’s first Benefactor, a term that in Tusculum usage denotes a donor whose cumulative gifts total at least $1 million. Nettie McCormick funded construction of several of Tusculum’s historic structures, including Haynes Hall, Rankin Hall, Welty-Craig Hall, Virginia Hall and McCormick Hall, which is named after the McCormick family.

McCormick Day, now often informally called Nettie Day at the college, began as a day of cleaning the campus in reflection of Nettie McCormick’s insistence on clean living environments. The day has evolved to take on a more generalized community service emphasis.

This year’s Nettie Day is made possible through a gift from the estate of Nancy and Leon Leslie. Leon “Moose” Leslie was a key member of the last football team at Tusculum College prior to it being reinstated in the 1990s. He graduated from Tusculum in 1951 with a major in economics. He married his Westwood, New Jersey high school sweetheart, the former Nancy Hill. Mr. Leslie was elected a trustee of his alma mater in 1990 and served with distinction on the Athletic Committee until his death in 1996. Mr. and Mrs. Leslie served in the Bicentennial Campaign as members of the East Coast Advance Gifts Committee. In recognition of their generous support of Tusculum College throughout the capital campaign, the Leslie Resident Apartment in Craig Hall was named in their honor.

 

 

Each year, Tusculum College students help in the community on "Nettie Day"

 

Tusculum College begins recycling program

Students, faculty and staff at Tusculum College will have the opportunity to recycle mixed paper on campus beginning in September.

Led by the student organization, the Green Team, the new program developed through a partnership with the college’s facilities management department, the Center for Civic Advancement and the Town of Greeneville.

According to Courtney Washburn, program coordinator for the Center for Civic Advancement, the program will provide the campus with the opportunity to recycle mixed paper.

“We are launching a small and focused recycling program in an effort to create sustainable change,” said Washburn. “We expect to see the program grow and expand in availability and acceptable materials as it becomes ingrained within the Tusculum culture and community.”

According to Washburn, marked mixed paper recycling bins are being placed at three locations on campus: the Niswonger Commons, the Thomas J. Garland Library and McCormick Hall. These bins may be used by anyone on campus and will be clearly marked as mixed paper recycling containers. Students from the Green Team will service the bins once a week and take them to collection containers serviced by the Town of Greeneville.

Items that may be placed in the bins include  non-confidential documents and items such as newspaper, mixed office paper, notebook paper, magazines, phone books, envelopes (including window envelops) and sticky notes.  Paper may contain staples; however no paper clips, binder slips or spiral binding may be placed in the bins. Cardboard, cardstock and paperboard, such as cereal boxes, are not being collected at this time.

“We are beginning with mixed paper because on a college campus, it is the largest volume of recyclable material,” said Washburn. She added, however, that as the program grows, waste audits will be conducted to determine what materials would have the most impact when diverted from the college’s waste stream to recycling collection.

Funding to initiate the recycling program came from the Tusculum College Student Government Association.

For more information on the program or to arrange for a large volume mixed paper pick up, contact Washburn at cwashburn@tusculum.edu.

 

Tusculum College receives 2016 Veteran Reconnect grant

Tusculum College is one of six colleges and universities to receive a 2016 Veteran Reconnect grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The six campuses will receive nearly $1 million in funds, with Tusculum College receiving $185,470 for its veterans programs.

The THEC grant is part of the State of Tennessee’s larger efforts to support and encourage adult learners, many of whom are veterans, studying at Tennessee institutions.

The most recent round of the Veteran Reconnect program, which was awarded through a competitive proposal process, aims to build on proven practices to support veterans on campuses and will provide funding for a 22-month grant period.

“This grant will allow us to move forward with plans for expanding our reputation for being a veteran-friendly institution,” said Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of Tusculum College. “We want to provide a wide range of services to a growing number of veterans and their dependents that will insure college and career success on a much larger scale than currently possible. In recent years, the enrollment of military veterans at Tusculum College has significantly increased and we see that trend continuing.”

Tusculum College will use Veteran Reconnect funds to develop, create and hire the position of Director of Veterans Affairs. In addition, the college will enhance the services of its Veteran Education Program by providing veterans with streamlined enrollment, promotion of student veteran resources, financial advisement, implementation of faculty and staff training to increase awareness of veterans’ needs and workforce partnerships.

“Every student enrolled in college has a unique set of needs and that is especially true for veteran students,” said THEC Executive Director Mike Krause. “Veteran Reconnect is assisting veterans on Tennessee campuses to both connect with their campus and with their fellow servicemen.”

The programs funded through Veteran Reconnect will increase campus services for student veterans and provide veteran-specific resources, such as the expansion of campus veteran centers or professional development for faculty and staff on the specific needs of students with military experience.

Community partners supporting the grant include ABC Family Dentistry, DTR Tennessee Inc., the General Morgan Inn, Landair, Laughlin Memorial Hospital Inc., Parker Hannifin Corporation Hydraulics Group, the Town of Greeneville, and the United States Army Reserve Center.

 

Tusculum College informs public of pet exercise zones

In an effort to control animal waste and protect campus property, while still allowing the community to enjoy access to the beauty of the campus during an evening stroll, Tusculum College has established Pet Exercise Zones on its campus.

“Tusculum College allows pets on its campus under limited circumstances,” said Steve Gehret, vice president of finance and chief financial officer. “This policy applies both to the Tusculum College community and the general public.”

The college does permit pet owners to walk their pets on campus in designated Pet Exercise Zones. Animals are not permitted outside these designated areas or inside any Tusculum College building. Pets are not permitted at any game, practice field or stadium.

In an effort to better maintain the campus, pet owners are required to keep their animals within the confines of one of the two designated pet areas on campus, which include the area south of the Facilities Maintenance building called “the wetlands” and the area south of the Indoor Practice Facility Drive at the edge of Tusculum College property.

Any guide or signal dog individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, and the work is directly related to the individual’s disability, is an exception to these regulations, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Those visitors who choose to bring pets to campus must be cleared by the office of campus safety.

 

Viking offering special for Pioneer Alumni Cruise in April

Visit sites in Holland, Germany, France and Switzerland while cruising the Rhine and enjoy seeing memorable sites of the Old World, including the Heidelberg Castle, above.

Make plans to be part of the inaugural trip in Tusculum’s new travel program, the  Pioneers to Europe Cruise.  Spend eight days on the mighty Rhine River aboard a Viking River Cruise longship, visiting four countries.

Room rates are priced per person/double occupancy beginning at $2,630.50.

Alumni who make reservations by Friday, Aug. 26, can take advantage of Viking River Cruise’s 20th Anniversary Sale. Act quickly to take advantage of this discount!

The discount is valid on new bookings only, and  offers $1,000 off per couple ($500 per guest) on 2017 river cruises in Cat D & above. This promotion can be combined with all current discounts/offers and Viking Referral Rewards, but not in combination with standard Viking Explorer Society Travel Credits.

Viking Air’s incredible August air rates can also be combined with this sale. Economy fares are available at $100 per person out of Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, Washington D.C. Other departure gateways are also available.

Reservations under Viking’s 20th Anniversary Sale must be paid in  full by Aug 26.

For more information, contact Kristin Small, Cruise Planners, at 855-278-9377  or 423-525-7287, or visit this site.

 

 

Alumni Night at the Astros set for Aug. 25, Inky Johnson presentation Aug. 27

Alumni, friends of the College, students, parents, faculty staff and the community are invited to campus this week for two special events: a presentation by motivational speaker and former University of Tennessee student-athlete, Inky Johnson, and “Tusculum College Night at the Astros.”

Thursday, Aug. 25,  is also “Tusculum College Night at the Astros,” and alumni, students, parents, faculty and staff are all invited to enjoy an evening at the ball park.

Each Tusculum alumnus, parent, faculty member and staff member to RSVP will receive free tickets to the Greeneville Astros baseball game that night at Pioneer Park on campus (limit two per family). Additional tickets will be available at a discounted rate, $4 per person. Admission for Tusculum students is free with a student ID.

The Astros will be taking on the Danville Braves at 7 p.m. in Appalachian Minor League conference play. The Astros will have a special promotion that night – $1 Dog Night, Thirsty Thursday – Hot dogs are only $1.00. Discounted souvenir sodas are available at concessions stands.

Please RSVP for “Tusculum College Night at the Astros” by Monday, Aug. 18, by calling 423-636-7303 or emailing jbparker@tusculum.edu.

Johnson’s motivational and inspirational program will be at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27,  in the Pioneer Arena inside the Niswonger Commons.  Admission to the event is $10 per person and will be sold at the door on the day of the event beginning at 4 p.m. Tusculum College students, faculty and staff will be admitted free. Students, faculty and staff in the Greeneville and Greene County school systems will also be admitted free. The event is co-sponsored by Mortgage Investors Group – Office of Nick Hirschy (NMLS Unique Identifier # 491929, TN License # 124766) and South State Contractors, Inc. The presentation had originally been scheduled for Thursday but had to be changed due to some unforeseen scheduling conflicts.

Inky Johnson’s Background

September 9, 2006, started as a normal college football game at UT’s Neyland Stadium. For Inky Johnson, though, the game changed his life as a routine tackle turned into a life-threatening injury. Nothing has been normal for Inky ever since. Not with a paralyzed right arm. Not with daily pain. Not with constant physical challenges.

His dream had always been to play professional sports, and one might imagine that his injury would have crushed his spirit. But it didn’t.

Inquoris “Inky” Johnson could be described as the survivor of an underprivileged past. He could be described as a refugee of poverty and violence. He could be described as a success story stained by tragedy.

But look deeper and discover something else. Discover a man who asked, “Am I really failing, or is God prevailing?”  Johnson is a  a man gripped by the promise that God has purposes and plans far beyond our own. Audiences have found inspiration from his story and his relentless determination.

Johnson has a master’s degree in sports psychology from the University of Tennessee. He devotes much of his time to mentoring athletes and underprivileged youth.

 

Tusculum College Community Chorus seeks members

Community members, faculty, staff and students are invited to join the Tusculum College Community Chorus for the 2016-2017 academic year.

The Community Chorus has availability in all voice parts, especially in bass and tenor.

An organizational meeting and first rehearsal will be held on Monday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Behan Arena Theatre downstairs in Annie Hogan Byrd Auditorium at Tusculum College (enter on the parking lot side, lower level).

The TCCC performs two major concerts per year and this year will appear with the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra in December. An international chorus performance is scheduled for Ireland and Scotland in June 2017. More information will be provided about this optional travel experience at regular rehearsals, Monday evenings at 7 p.m.

Anyone interested in participating is encouraged to contact Kathryn May at kmay@tusculum.edu or mayk@gcschools.net. May also directs the choral program at Greeneville High School and at Salem Presbyterian Church.

 

Former Pioneers continue their baseball dreams professionally

Several former Tusculum College baseball student-athletes are continuing to pursue their dreams playing the game professionally throughout the world.

Pioneers still playing professionally are Placido Torres, Devan Watts, Brandon Dickson, Maikol Gonzalez, Alexi Colon, Cody Coffman, Matt Henriksen and Cameron Carney.

Torres pitched a pair of complete game victories in his two postseason starts this year for the Pioneers.

Placido Torres, who was drafted in the eighth round by the New York Mets in June, is pitching for the club’s rookie league affiliate in Kingsport.  The 2016 consensus NCAA Division II National Pitcher of the Year has made nine relief appearances out of the Mets’ bullpen where he has a 1-1 record and a 3.97 ERA.  Torres got off to a slow start with the K-Mets, but is returning to his stellar form of late, posting a 1.59 ERA in his last five outings with nine strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work.

Torres, a product of North Brunswick, NJ, captured every NCAA Division II Pitcher of the Year accolade in the finest season ever recorded by a Tusculum hurler. He swept the three national pitcher of the year awards by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) and the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CAA – selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America).  He was also tabbed the 2016 recipient of the Brett Tomko Award, which recognizes the DII National Pitcher of the Year as selected by D2 Baseball News. Torres was also named the 2015-16 Tusculum College Male Athlete of the Year and the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) Male Athlete of the Year. He posted a perfect 11-0 record in his 14 starts where he pitched seven complete games, including a Tusculum-single-season record four shutouts. He led all three NCAA divisions with a school single-season record 162 strikeouts.  His seasonal strikeout total is the second most in SAC history and the 10th most in NCAA II history.

Devan Watts was selected in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves.  He was assigned to the Braves’ rookie league affiliate in Danville (Va.) where he pitched in only four games and didn’t allow a run in his four innings of relief while also posting a save.   Watts, a right-hander from Mooresville, NC, was promoted to Class-A Rome (Ga.) where he has continued his mound dominance for the Braves.  He has appeared in nine contests and has a sterling 1.69 ERA with a 1-1 record and is tied for the team lead with five saves.  He has recorded 12 strikeouts in his 10.2 innings of work. In Watts’ two seasons at Tusculum, the 2015 All-Region and All-SAC choice has recorded 14 saves and a 6-7 record in his 99.2 innings of work in his 43 relief appearances.  He accounted for a 2.98 career earned run average with 121 strikeouts and 25 walks.  His 14 saves are the fourth most in Tusculum history.

Brandon Dickson, a right-handed pitcher from Montgomery, AL, currently has an 8-9 record with a 4.32 earned run average in his fourth season with the Orix Buffaloes in the Nippon Professional League in Japan.  In 2016, he has appeared in 19 games and pitched in 118.2 innings and has recorded 93 strikeouts against 58 walks. Dickson is in his 11th professional season, including the first seven within the St. Louis Cardinals organization, which signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Tusculum in 2006.  He played two separate stints with the parent club in 2011 and again in 2012.  He appeared in eight games for St. Louis, posting a 4.91 ERA in his 14.2 innings of work with no decisions.  He posted 13 strikeouts and made his lone major league start on Sept. 1, 2011, against the Milwaukee Brewers.  In his only season at Tusculum (2006), Dickson went 5-2 with a 3.39 ERA. His 24 mound appearances are tied for the second most in a season at Tusculum.

Alexi Colon is playing in his fifth professional season and fourth in independent ball.  He started this year with the Lincoln (Neb.) Saltdogs of the American Association where he played the first 10 games of the season.  He was later dealt to the River City Rascals, where he has emerged as one of the power hitters in the league with his 12 home runs, which are fourth-most in the Frontier League.  His 43 walks this season are the fourth most in the league while playing for the O’Fallon, Missouri club. From 2013-2015, he played for the Schaumburg (Ill.) Boomers, where he led that club to a pair of Frontier League titles in 2013 and again in 2014.  Colon, a two-time All-SAC and All-Region selection, completed his two-year career at Tusculum as its third-leading home run hitter, belting 33 round-trippers.  In 2012, Colon finished second in the nation with 21 home runs, which were tied for the second most in Tusculum school  history and ninth most in South Atlantic Conference history.

Maikol Gonzalez is a nine-year veteran of professional baseball and is in his first year with the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the American Association.  He is batting .276 in his 72 games where he has 81 hits, including 10 doubles, two triples and three home runs.  He leads the team with his 22 stolen bases (26 attempts) and has 33 RBI with 47 walks against just 38 strikeouts in his 293 at-bats. He played the 2015 campaign with Joplin in the American Association where he batted .305 with eight home runs and 44 RBI with the Blasters.  Gonzalez stops in the American Association also include Joplin (Ill.), Lincoln (Neb.) and three seasons in El Paso (Texas). Gonzalez, a native of Maraca Ibo, Venezuela, played two seasons at Tusculum from 2007-2008 where he hit for a school record .457 in his 113 career games and was a two-time consensus All-American.  He still holds the school record for career triples and career on-base percentage (.522).  His 49 career stolen bases are second in Pioneer history, while his 13 career sacrifice flies are fourth-most.

Matt Henriksen is playing his third season with the Alpine Cowboys of the Pecos League.  In 2016, the Hingham, MA product is batting .338 with 44 hits, including five doubles and six home runs.  In his 43 games, he has accumulated 38 RBI with 22 walks and has three stolen bases to his credit. Henriksen played at Tusculum from 2010-2013 where he finished his career with a .320 batting average and is listed in the top-10 in 10 statistical categories in the TC record book.

Cody Coffman is playing in his first season with the Roswell Invaders in the Pecos League.  He is batting a hefty .418 with 22 doubles, 22 home runs and 76 RBI in his 64 games.  He has totaled 100 hits and scored 80 runs, while earning a spot on the North Division All-Star Team. Coffman, a native of Cape Coral, FL, played two seasons at Tusculum from 2011-2012 where he batted .391 with 141 hits in 361 at-bats.  During Tusculum’s 2012 SAC title run, he earned All-America honors as a utility player as he logged playing time at catcher and first base.  He led the Pioneers with his .417 batting average, which is the eighth-best by a Pioneer. He finished fourth in the country with his 90 hits (4th in TC history), including 19 doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 62 RBI.  He scored 52 runs, while drawing 41 walks against just 17 strikeouts

Former Pioneer pitcher Cameron Carney joined Henriksen on the Alpine Cowboys roster.  Carney, a native of Niagara Falls. NY, has not made an appearance for Alpine since joining the team. Carney made 17 appearances this past spring for the Pioneers, including seven starts where he posted a 4-0 record and a 4.40 earned average.  He combined on a pair of shutouts and posted a save against Catawba.  He pitched in 47 innings where he tallied 44 strikeouts against 10 walks and limited the opposition to a .272 batting average.  In his two years at Tusculum, he finished with a perfect 5-0 record in his 29 appearances, including two saves and a 5.38 ERA.  He tallied 65 strikeouts against 20 walks.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

’00s

Lauren Abramson Baes ’02 of Franklin, TN, is entering her second year as the head athletic trainer at Father Ryan High School, the largest private high school in Tennessee. Baes and her fellow staff members oversee 600 athletes and 26 sports teams. In June 2016, the school was awarded the 1st Team Safe Sports Award from the National Athletic Trainer’s Society. This award is given to secondary schools that demonstrate they are keeping their athletes safe with certain procedures and protocols in case of injuries or emergencies. Father Ryan High School is only the 15th school in the state of Tennessee to receive this award.

 

Becca Boyd ’08 of Knoxville, TN,  has been named vice president and director of human resources for SmartBank in Pigeon Forge, TN. Boyd has 17 years experience in the human resources field. Prior to joining SmartBank, she had served as director of human resources for Weigel’s.

 

’10s

Marissa Williams ’15, a native of Canton, MI, has been named an assistant coach in the men’s and women’s soccer program at Carson-Newman University.  Williams had a highly-decorated career at Tusculum, where she was the Pioneers goalkeeper for four years. Williams holds the school records for shutouts and saves in women’s soccer. She was also selected to the NSCAA All-Region team multiple times, was an All-Conference player as a senior and was named Academic All-District by the CoSIDA.

 

Mr. Thomas Seth Bragdon ’16 is teaching biology at Jefferson County High School in Dandridge, TN.

 

 

 

 

Dorothy Smith Clinard ’63 of West Loudon, TN, passed away on August 12, 2016, at The Neighborhood of Tellico Village, which had been her residence for the past two years. Mrs. Clinard’s husband, Turner, served as minister of the Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church from 1952-65. After earning her degree, Mrs. Clinard taught in the Greeneville School System until 1965, when the family moved to Emory, VA. In Virginia, she taught in elementary schools in Marion, VA, and earned a Master’s degree from the University of Virginia. Following the death of her husband in 1980, Mrs. Clinard moved to Talbott, TN, and fulfilled a life-long dream by living in a self-designed log cabin on Cherokee Lake. She lived there for more than 30 years, where she spent her days having her husband’s books published, caring for her beloved pets, hosting get togethers for family and friends and practicing her hobbies of scrapbooking and antique collecting. An expert at decoupage, Mrs. Clinard turned junk into treasure and sold many of her creations at a local artists’ co-op. Her survivors include son and Tusculum alumnus Norman Clinard ’66.

 

Jean Weems Barnes  ’67 ’88 of Greeneville, TN, passed away August 3, 2016. Ms. Barnes was a teacher in the Greeneville City School System, retiring in 2013. Motivated by her love for children and enjoyment of being around others, she continued part time in various capacities in the school system. Ms. Barnes was a member of Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church and served her church in many ways as she grew in her faith. Her greatest enjoyment in life was visiting with her grandchildren. Her survivors include Tusculum alumni, sister, Jane Weems Stroud ’78 and niece-in-law Linda Stroud ’89.

 

Herbert William Eigenrauch Jr. ’67 of Aberdeen, NJ, passed away on August 4, 2016. After graduating from Tusculum, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served from 1967 to 1971 in Okinawa and Korea. It was in Korea, that Mr. Eigenrauch met his future wife Kim, before heading back to New Jersey to start a new family. Upon arriving back in the U.S., he began a career that lasted 30 years as a sales manager for Supply King in Neptune, NJ, before he retired in 2004. At the time of his passing, Eigenrauch was a school bus driver with Helfrich & Sons, serving students of Holy Cross Catholic School in Rumson, NJ. Mr.  Eigenrauch had a true lust for life, with the simplicities that brought him the most joy. These joys were derived from his hobbies that included gardening, cooking, bird watching, traveling and conversing with friends and family daily, usually about the Mets and Jets or the children along his bus route, whom he adored. He never took his responsibilities to these children and their safety lightly and was proud to be the smiling face that greeted them each morning. In recent years, Mr. Eigenrauch reconnected with his Tusculum friends and created many more shared times and memories to be cherished with them. He was a member of the Tres Dias, an interdenominational Christian leadership movement, which served as the perfect outlet for his guitar playing, where he charitably gave of his time and efforts. In addition, he was an active member of VFW Post 4303, where he frequently spent time with friends. The greatest joy in Mr.Eigenrauch’s life were his grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family have asked that donations  be made to the Class of 1967 Tusculum College Memorial Scholarship Fund in memory of Herbert W. Eigenrauch, Jr.

 

Mayme Kay Hampton Banasiak ’01 of Harrison, TN, passed away July 18, 2016. Mrs. Banasiak was a career educator, retiring from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Math Department in 2014. She was an active member of Northminister Presbyterian Church in Chattanooga, where she served as an elder, sang in the choir, served on the Session, volunteered in multiple ministries, served on several committees with the Presbytery of East Tennessee and had a strong passion for Christian education.