GREENEVILLE – A hallmark of Tusculum University during its 225-year history has been its deep and abiding connections with the communities it serves.
Through civic engagement, Tusculum has strengthened these bonds and worked closely with various organizations to achieve mutual goals. A major element of these relationships is welcoming groups to the Greeneville campus to experience the beauty and history of Tennessee’s first institution of higher education and to grow in service.
This will be the case when The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds a youth conference at Tusculum from Thursday, June 20-Saturday, June 22. The event will bring more than 250 teenagers to the campus, ranging from 13-18 years old.
“As a faith-based institution with a focus on building community ties, we’re thrilled to share our campus for this conference,” said Dr. Madison Sowell, Tusculum’s provost and vice president of academic affairs. “We’re focused on educating people at all stages of their lives, and we’re pleased when organizations choose us as a location to advance knowledge. We hope the youth members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints grow in their faith while they are with us and continue to enjoy God’s love.”
The conference will feature a plethora of activities for attendees, including classes, family time, a question-and-answer session, a service project, a concert, a talent show and a dance. One of the highlights of the three-day event will be the assembling of 3,000 emergency hygiene kits.
During their time at Tusculum, attendees will visit the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Center, which houses the university’s chapel. They will also have the opportunity to stay in a Tusculum residence hall, eat in the university’s cafeteria, takes classes in the Thomas J. Garland Library and the Chalmers Conference Center. In addition, they will be able to have fun in the Pioneer Arena and the old gym in the Scott M. Niswonger Commons.
The Tusculum campus has been busy during the summer break before the start of the 2019-20 academic year. The university’s Upward Bound program is in the midst of hosting 131 students from Northeast Tennessee for a six-week program in which participants take classes and engage in fun activities that simulate the college experience and prepare them to earn a four-year degree.