GREENEVILLE – A dynamic Tusculum University leader with experience in the law, teaching and academic advising has been promoted to dean of students.
Erin Frizzell, sitting outside the Meen Center, has been promoted to dean of students.
Erin Frizzell, who is also a Tusculum alumna, will be responsible for student wellness and conduct, intramurals and student work-studies and will serve as the university’s Title IX coordinator.
She will work in the Office of Student Affairs and collaborate with fellow staff members and other stakeholders at Tusculum to ensure students receive the holistic support they need in a caring Christian environment so they become career-ready professionals.
“We are excited to find someone with breadth and depth of experience who could perform these important and wide-ranging duties successfully at Tusculum,” said Chuck Sutton, vice president of student affairs and retention. “Erin has demonstrated throughout her career excellent leadership qualities, a commitment to student success and an understanding of the legal system. All of these qualities will greatly benefit students and the university.”
Frizzell has several goals. Through collaboration and engagement, she seeks a culture of belonging and excellence that permeates every aspect of campus life.
“I want to see campus always thriving – movement during the day, intramural sports in the evenings, smiles and laughter when you pass by a group of students and full classrooms where sacred learning takes place,” she said. “My vision extends beyond the physical vibrancy of campus life. I aim to foster a campus community where students feel connected, supported and empowered to grow academically, socially and emotionally.”
As dean, Frizzell will make it a priority to back students by attending many of their activities. She also plans to ensure Tusculum remains a warm place to attend colleges with greetings and smiles for the students. She said Tusculum must love and listen to the students. At the same time, she will hold them accountable for actions that do not meet proper standards.
“Any parent will tell you that discipline is not always pretty,” Frizzell said. “But it’s necessary, and your children will thank you for it one day when they’re well-balanced and intentional with their actions, their words and their mindset. My approach to discipline is a mixture of love and consistency.”
Frizzell most recently served since 2022 as director of Upward Bound at Tusculum. This program supports high school students whose parents or guardians do not have a bachelor’s degree and who meet income eligibility requirements.
Erin Frizzell stands outside Virginia Hall.
In that role, she served as director for the academic advising of more than 90 students in Greene, Hamblen, Unicoi and Washington counties. As part of her duties, she developed daily programming and the academic classes for the annual Summer Academy held at Tusculum. From 2021-2022, she was an Upward Bound advisor for more than 30 students in Hamblen County, a duty she kept when she became director.
Frizzell’s career also includes a year teaching government and American history at Science Hill High School in Johnson City.
Prior to serving students, Frizzell was a domestic violence victim’s advocate and paralegal for Legal Aid of East Tennessee for 10 years. She completed intake and safety screenings for domestic and sexual assault victims and drafted family law pleadings. She also trained law enforcement officers, judiciary personnel and domestic violence and sexual assault agencies on changes to the law.
She began her career as a district and U.S. Capitol legislative aide for Congressman Gresham Barrett for three years. She handled veterans and social security matters.
Frizzell is excited to take this next step in her career. She began to see a path to a larger role with college students when she began teaching a Tusculum Experience orientation class at the university. The environment felt right for her to work more fully with Tusculum students. Her enrollment in the Doctorate of Education in educational leadership and policy program at the University of Tennessee in August also made her recognize that her career would change direction.
“Any good leader is a life-long learner looking for opportunities to develop,” she said. “I’ve taken every opportunity I could to immerse myself into the university community, and I have done well in that environment. I believe God has opened this door to grow my career and to grow personally. Tusculum has my heart, and I am honored to serve the university in a closer capacity.”
Frizzell holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Clemson University and a Master of Arts in Teaching, with an endorsement for history grades 6-12, from Tusculum.
To learn more about the Office of Student Affairs, please visit https://site.tusculum.edu/student-affairs/. Additional information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu.