GREENEVILLE – Happiness filled Pioneer Arena as Tusculum University honored students, faculty and staff as the academic year nears the end.
Dr. Scott Hummel, right, stands with Emma Harriman, the recipient of the President’s Award.
Tusculum held its Honors Convocation Friday, April 19, and presented awards for academic achievement, civic engagement, school spirit and other forms of excellence by students. The ceremony also enabled the Student Government Association to present the Outstanding Service to Students Award to a professor, a staff member, a cafeteria worker and community members.
“The close of an academic year enables us to reflect and celebrate exceptional performance within the Tusculum family,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, the university’s president. “We rejoice in seeing so many of our students embrace our mission as they become career-ready professionals who will positively influence their communities. They are impressive in the way they wisely utilize their time as Tusculum students to develop their hard and soft skills.
“Our theme this year has been ‘Called for a Purpose,’ and all of our students’ hard work, accomplishments and awards demonstrate that they are being well equipped to answer their calling and fulfill their purpose.”
Among the honors for the students was the President’s Award, which Dr. Hummel awarded to Emma Harriman, who graduated in December with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. This is the highest award at the university and recognizes the student who has contributed the most to the university and has been the most outstanding achiever combined for academic accomplishment, extracurricular activities, campus leadership and personality. The award takes into account the student’s total experience at Tusculum.
Dr. Hummel cited Harriman’s academic prowess, her receipt of the Trustee Honors Scholarship, her selection as a Ledford Scholar of the Appalachian College Association, her presentation of research at a national meeting of professional mathematicians, an internship and her service as president of the Mathematics and Computer Science Club. She was also captain of the women’s soccer team for two years, played goalie and demonstrated civic engagement as a volunteer with Samaritan’s Feet.
Dr. Tricia Hunsader, left, Tusculum’s provost, stands with Dr. Nick Davidson, chair of the Sport Management Department.
In addition, Dr. Tricia Hunsader presented the Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership Award to Dr. Nick Davidson, chair of the Sport Management Department. Fellow faculty make the selection. Among his accomplishments are service as the faculty athletic representative, co-coach of the esports club, chair of the Athletics Advisory Committee and membership on the Students of Concern Assistance Team.
“Dr. Davidson has earned the trust and respect of his colleagues in only three short years as an assistant professor,” Dr. Hunsader said. “We are proud of him and grateful he has chosen to practice his considerable abilities at Tusculum.”
Senior Honor Key Awards
The Senior Honor Key Awards requires the recipient to have earned a grade point average of at least 3.25 in the student’s major. The award also emphasizes the student’s capacities, special abilities, achievements and aptitude in the major, as well as personality or personal characteristics.
The recipients for the College of Business were Mary Winfrey for accounting, William Quinn for economics, Nils Rasmus Nylander for entrepreneurship, Jacob Kent for management, Lucy Brewer for marketing and Andrae Robinson for sport management.
Those selected for the College of Civic and Liberal Arts are Lilli Gall for art and design, David Bowlin for communication, MacKenzie Evans for criminal justice, Zach Mitchell for English, Samantha Nelson for history, Atlas Fagundes for the education 6-12 concentration of history, Sydney May for museum studies and Morgan Pacione for political science.
The winners for the College of Education are Colby Landry for sport science, Abigail Lockwood for sport science pre-physical/occupational therapy, Katie McLamb for interdisciplinary studies K-5 and Kaylee Hubbard for special education interventionist K-8 and comprehensive K-12.
The recipients in the College of Science, Technology and Mathematics are Emma Harriman for mathematics, Gracie Akins for biology, Konrad Sehler for chemistry, Mirna Jacinto-Ramirez for environmental science and Cristine Moore for psychology.
The nursing key award went to Claire Smeltzer.
Awards issued by three colleges
The College of Business presented the Walter R. Johnson Award to Johanna Palacio and the Master of Sport Management Student of the Year to Zach Wilson
The College of Education presented the Outstanding Undergraduate Award to Alexandria McBrien, the Outstanding Master of Arts in Teaching Award to Katherine Love-Pride, the Outstanding Master of Arts in Education Award (Dr. Shirley Beck Award) to Tallia Judge, the Outstanding Master of Arts in Organizational Training and Performance Management Award to Danielle Jason, the James E. Ward Future Professionals Award to Helena Watts, and the David Bow Award to Connor Jordan.
The College of Science, Technology and Mathematics presented the Barnett, Conley and Davis Award in Natural Sciences and Mathematics to Keylon Reynolds, the Doug Ratledge Environmental Science Scholarship to Maddie Creswell, the Undergraduate Research Excellence in Psychology Award to Adrian Robinson, the Outstanding Achievement in Psychology Behavioral Health Award to Ashley Forbes and the Psi Chi Honors Award to Emma Bradley.
Pioneer I’s Awards
These are the recipients of the Pioneer I’s awards. Left to right are Samantha Nelson, Joseph Medeck, Jakob Svendsen, Emily Sappington, Andrae Robinson, Mary Winfrey and Maggie Vickers.
Students who best represent one of the seven qualities that indicate they are pioneer-ready earn a Pioneer I’s Award. All of the qualities collectively spell out the work “Pioneer.” Here are the characteristics and the recipients:
- Proactive: Doing things without being told, being goals-oriented and looking for opportunities to improve and help others – Samantha Nelson
- Interactive: Being honest and direct, listening carefully to others, being genuine and empathetic and connecting and supporting others – Joseph Medeck
- Organized: Managing time effectively, maintaining focus on the task at hand and paying attention to detail – Emily Sappington
- Nettie-Like: Volunteering to help others and seeking to improve the lives of others by serving in the community – Maggie Vickers
- Engaged: Exhibiting interest, even with body language; minimizing distractions; expressing themselves well; being motivated and a self-starter; and working well with others – Mary Winfrey
- Ethical: Sharing credit, being compliant with policies and expectations, showing respect for others and demonstrating honesty and integrity – Jakob Svendsen
- Responsible: Valuing and demonstrating accuracy, completing tasks timely, requiring minimum supervision, being punctual, having good attendance and taking responsibility for actions – Andrae Robinson
Additional awards and recognition for students
The Bonner Leader Program Award went to Isabelle Delbridge. This award recognizes a student who has exhibited exemplary long-term dedication to the six key Bonner Program Commitments: community-building, civic engagement, diversity, international perspective, social justice and spiritual exploration.
In addition, the Civic Engagement Award for an outstanding group or project was presented to the Science Club, represented by Skylar Georges, president, and Trejen Fox-Birdwell, vice president. The Civic Engagement Award for an individual went to Joseph Medeck.
Students who graduated in December and will graduate in May and are members of the Alpha Chi Honor Society were recognized. They are Jules Aiken, Nicole Bailey, Lilli Gall, Gwen Gustafson, Sydney May, Alexandria McBrien, Charlyn Miller, Morgan Pacione, Mercy Phillips and Keylon Reynolds. To be part of Alpha Chi, students must be either juniors or seniors who rank in the top 10 percent of their classes academically.
Inmaculada Felipe Delgado, left, earned the Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award. She stands with Dr. Troy Goodale.
Inmaculada Felipe Delgado earned the Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award, which honors the highest academically ranked sophomore based on grade point average.
The university also highlighted graduating seniors who are members of Tusculum’s Kappa Delta Eta chapter of Beta Beta Beta, an honor society for students, particularly undergraduates, who are dedicated to improving the understanding and appreciation of biological study and extending boundaries of human knowledge through scientific research. They are Gracie Akins, Aly Freeland, Breanna Mathes, Adrienne O’Brien, Keylon Reynolds and Kira Spaulding.
Emma Bradley was recognized for being a Ledford Scholar. She will perform stipend-funded research on the subject “Police Traits: Learned or Inherent.” The School Spirit Award went to Jessica Silvers.
The university honored all of the students who achieved the President’s, Dean’s and Charles Oliver Gray Scholars Lists. The President’s List contains students who have completed 12 hours in a fall or spring term and earned a 4.0 GPA. The Dean’s List features students who have completed 12 hours in a fall or spring term and earned a 3.50-3.99 GPA. The Charles Oliver Gray Scholars List includes students who have maintained President’s or Dean’s List standing for two consecutive terms.
The Student Government Association installed its officers for the next academic year – Mary Winfrey, president; BriAnna Higgins, vice president; Isabella Headland, secretary; and AnnaLee Simpson, treasurer.
The university recognized all of the presenters at the Academic Symposium, which took place the same day as the Honors Convocation. That list of 34 students is available at https://www3.tusculum.edu/news/tusc-family/2024/25317/.
Recognition of faculty, staff and community members
Chuck Sutton, left, presented the Outstanding Service to Students Award for community members to Dr. Chris Shumate, second from the left; Theresa McRary, second from the right; and Jackie McRary, right. Sutton also presented the School Spirit Award to Jessica Silvers, middle.
The Outstanding Service to Students Awards went to Dr. Chuck Pearson, left; Nancy Leonard, second from left; and Bobbie Clarkston, third from the left. On the right is Maggie Vickers, the Student Government Association’s president.
The SGA awarded the Outstanding Service to Students Awards to Dr. Chuck Pearson, chair of the Natural Sciences Department, for faculty; Bobbie Clarkston, assistant athletic director for academics, for the staff, Nancy Leonard, who works the check-in line in the cafeteria; and Jackie and Theresa McRary from Thrive Church for the Community Member Award. Dr. Chris Shumate, Tusculum’s assistant vice president of student affairs and campus minister and pastor of adult discipleship at Arrowhead Church in Greeneville, also received a Community Member Award.
Chad Grindstaff, director of the Facilities Management Department, earned the GEM of the Year Award. Each month during the academic year, a faculty or staff member is selected for the President’s GEM Award. That person goes beyond the call of duty: makes the Tusculum family stronger; contributes to the university’s caring Christian environment; and exemplifies the university’s mission, vision and values. The GEM of the Year is picked from the list of monthly winners.
Tusculum honored the faculty members whose rank will be higher in the fall semester due to promotion. They are Dr. Faisal Al-khateeb, who will become professor of computer science; Dr. Wei Hu, who will become associate professor of mathematics; and Joel Shelton, who will become assistant professor of mathematics.
“This is a terrific event that we hold annually to fully appreciate the breadth and depth of academic and extracurricular success at Tusculum,” Dr. Hunsader said. “The Honors Convocation reminds us that our students, faculty and staff are collaborating to prepare the next generation of leaders, who will use their pioneering spirit to transform communities. We commend them for their performance and are excited about the futures of our students.”
To learn more about the university, please visit www.tusculum.edu.