GREENEVILLE – Enthusiasm for the start of the academic year continues to grow at Tusculum University as faculty and staff near the homestretch of preparation for the arrival of students.
Garcian D’Cruz, the head men’s and women’s tennis coach, shows some of his work.
Donald Arwood, who works in the Facilities Management Department performs some trimming on campus.
Employees gathered Wednesday, July 31, for the annual Community Work Day on campus. This event provides an opportunity for faculty and staff to trade their office setting for the outdoors and help make the gorgeous campus look even more attractive by performing landscaping activities. They also headed inside the residence halls and other campus buildings to perform various final touches and washed the university’s vehicles.
The event drew 92 faculty and staff from a wide array of offices and departments.
“Our faculty and staff love our students and look forward to seeing them back on campus this year,” said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president. “Community Work Day is an outstanding example of teamwork with our facilities and reflects the collaborative spirit exhibited by our faculty and staff during the year to help our students succeed. I am grateful for the wonderful turnout and know our students and their families will appreciate the effort.”
Also providing assistance during Community Work Day were many team members from Watauga Orthopaedics. That regional practice is opening a walk-in clinic Monday, Aug. 5, on campus, and Dr. Hummel said the help the group provided during Community Work Day reinforced that Watauga Orthopaedics will be a valuable addition to Tusculum.
Kelsey Trom, associate professor of English, shows some of her landscaping work.
Michala Hash, an assistant women’s basketball coach, washes one of the university vehicles.
Students will soon begin to arrive in stages, with the largest number of new Pioneers moving into the residence halls Thursday, Aug. 22. These new students will immediately become engaged in Pioneer WOW, which consists of nine days of activities to help these new students become acclimated to college life. The busiest period for Pioneer WOW lasts through Saturday, Aug. 24, before students settle into the start of the semester. Returning students move into the residence halls starting Saturday, Aug. 24.
Classes begin Monday, Aug. 26.
Everywhere someone turned on campus during Community Work Day, there was an individual faculty or staff member or a group trimming bushes and trees and clearing unwanted growth. In the buildings, faculty and staff tackled items such as cleaning windows, walls and student desks as well as wiping stairwells.
Carrie Maggert, Tusculum’s vice president of operations, appreciated the assistance from the faculty and staff.
“Our Facilities Management Team does a tremendous job of maintaining our beautiful campus,” she said. “Having the support from Tusculum family members is extremely helpful during this time of year as we eagerly await the arrival of our students. We are proud of our university and honored to serve our students, and this is evident in the way everyone pulled together during Community Work Day to accomplish our goals.”
Ed Breese, Tusculum’s marketing director, cleans a desk in a residence hall room.
: Community Work Day attracted about 100 people to make the campus look even nicer.
Many students are making their final preparations to move to campus, commute or study online during the fall semester as they pursue their degrees. The university still has openings for the fall and welcomes anyone who wants to pursue an associate, bachelor’s or master’s degree to apply.
Tusculum has launched Operation 11th Hour to help those students still become enrolled at the university by the start of classes. It is a response to the challenges brought by revisions in the FAFSA program of the federal government and other situations some students might have encountered.
This initiative helps new students apply to Tusculum, receive an admission decision and have their financial aid package awarded as quickly as possible. The most important and immediate steps for these students are to apply for admission to Tusculum at https://site.tusculum.edu/apply-visit/apply/ and complete the FAFSA form at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Prospective students can email Tusculum’s Office of Admission at admission@tusculum.edu or call 423-636-7312 for assistance.
More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.