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Student excellence in academics and service were recognized during Tusculum College’s annual Honors Convocation Thursday, April 24.<\/p>\nStudent excellence in academics and service were recognized during Tusculum College’s annual Honors Convocation Thursday, April 24.<\/p>\n
The two top honors for student presented by the college are the President\u2019s Award and the Bruce G. Batts Award. The President\u2019s Award was presented to Brody Wells, a senior majoring in mathematics education from New Tazewell, Tenn. At Tusculum College, Wells has made himself known largely through his faith-based activities in the college community. He has organized many events and programs for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also is involved with the Disciple\u2019s Point church services on campus each Sunday.<\/p>\n
He works weekly with a disadvantaged youth through a Big Brother program in Johnson City. Wells also works as a tutor on campus with the tutoring services program offered through Student Support Services. A former member of the Pioneer football squad, he has been on both the South Atlantic Conference Honor Roll and the Tusculum College Athletic Director\u2019s Honor Roll. The Bruce G. Batts Award was presented to Sarah Philipp, a senior majoring in athletic training education from Hendersonville, N.C. Philipp has earned academic honors each semester at Tusculum and was selected to join the Alpha Chi National Society when she was eligible. An active student, Philipp has been a member of the Athletic Training Students\u2019 Society throughout her time at Tusculum and has served in the highest leadership positions for the past two years. She has been a lab assistant in the Athletic Training Program at Tusculum, a student representative on faculty position search teams, and a Red Cross First Aid and CPR instructor.<\/p>\n
Philipp is an athletic training peer educator and currently mentors three freshman observation students. She is the first athletic training major at Tusculum College to be selected a Bonner Leader, for whom she co-chairs the Service on Saturday program. Jane Sandusky of the Athletic Training department says of Philipp that she is \u201can excellent mentor and role model for our younger students\u201d and \u201cworks well with all personality types. She strives to see the best in people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Also presented were faculty, staff, and community awards whose recipients were selected by a student vote. Receiving the Outstanding Service to Students Award, a faculty honor, was Jeff Lokey of Johnson City, Tenn., an assistant professor of management. In presenting the award, Dr. Drucilla Miller, chairman of the Greene County Partnership, said that Lokey has received evaluation comments from his students that any professor would be happy to receive, including, \u201cHis class taught me a lot about the world and America.\u201d \u201cNeeds no improvement. One of the best classes I have had at Tusculum.\u201d \u201cI learn more in this professor\u2019s classes than any other.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lokey has been a part of the Tusculum faculty for more than 20 years, and in that time he has defined the concept of an \u201cengaged faculty member,\u201d Miller said. He has directed Tusculum\u2019s Commons Program and has served on other faculty governance committees.<\/p>\n
The Staff Award was presented to Jill Jones of Greeneville, Tenn., director of academic advising. Jones, as an alumnus of Tusculum who experienced the transition from a traditional calendar to the block system, is well suited to advise students in regards to their academic requirements, said Student Government Association President Duane Randolph in presenting the award. Jones returned to her alma mater as an admission representative before taking the position in academic advising. Randolph said that Jones takes the time to make a difference in the lives of students.<\/p>\n
The Community Award for exemplary service to students was presented to prominent Greeneville businessman and philanthropist Scott M. Niswonger. At Tusculum, Niswonger has provided leading support in virtually every major project of recent years and is among the college\u2019s \u201cBenefactors,\u201d meaning those whose lifetime giving has equaled or exceeded $1 million. Niswonger, who holds an undergraduate degree and an honorary doctoral degree from Tusculum College, funded the Niswonger Sports Complex, giving Tusculum some of the best athletics facilities of any small college in the Southeast. He was a key supporter of the recent expansion and renovation of the Library at Tusculum College, and his name is enshrined in the name of the Niswonger Commons, the biggest and most diverse campus building.<\/p>\n
Niswonger earned a business degree from Tusculum in 1987. His second degree from Tusculum was an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters presented to him in 2006 in recognition for his outstanding support of Tusculum College through not only extraordinarily generous financial contributions, but also his personal service and expertise as a leading member of the College\u2019s Board of Trustees since 1994. In Greeneville he has given support to many worthy community projects, including building the Niswonger Performing Arts Center, which brings many artistic and educational resources into our community.<\/p>\n
Academic Honors<\/strong> Recognized as Honor Students for having the highest grade point average of their class (all have a 4.0 grade point average) were Jeremiah John Peterson of Unicoi, Tenn., Danielle Armstrong of Blountville, Tenn., and Simon Dietrich Holzapfel of Nuernberg, Germany.<\/p>\n Senior members of the Alpha Chi National Honor Society were also recognized. Upperclassmen who are ranked in the top 10 academically of their classmates are invited to join the honor society. Recognized were: The Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award presented to the highest academically ranked member of the junior class was given to Jeremiah Johnson of Unicoi, Tenn.The Honors Program Award was presented to Divya Singh of Haryana, India, who is the first graduate of the Honors Program of which she has taken a leadership role in addition to her many other service activities and contributions to the Tusculum community.<\/p>\n The Dr. Shirley Beck Award for an outstanding Master of Arts in Education major was presented to Tracy Whitney<\/p>\n The Outstanding Education Student Award was presented to Alexis Rowles of Simpsonville, S.C.<\/p>\n The David Behan Award for outstanding Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management major was presented to John Craft of Greeneville, Tenn. Presenter Dr. Geir Bergvin, the director Tusculum\u2019s School of Business, noted that Craft had entered the program for personal fulfillment, but quickly learned what he was learning could help him professionally as well. An excellent student, Craft has balanced his academics with his career as a fireman in the Greeneville Fire Department, his family responsibilities, and his leadership role in the Greeneville Firemen\u2019s Association.<\/p>\n The E.H. Sargent Award in Science was presented to Sharad Mani of Manchester, Tenn. In choosing the recipient, science faculty members consider overall grade point average, total hours in science and variety of areas covered in the sciences.<\/p>\n The Doug Ratledge Environmental Science Scholarship, which is presented to an outstanding Environmental Science or Field Guide\/Naturalist major, was given to Lacey Coile of Greeneville, Tenn.<\/p>\n The Warren Lynn Drain Award was presented to Joshua Hinkle of Mohseim, Tenn. A graduating senior determined most outstanding in Business and Economics is presented the award and GPA and achievement are the criteria for the choice of recipient.<\/p>\n Two Theatre Arts Awards were presented. Heather Dalton of Parrottsville, Tenn., who had roles in both Theatre-at-Tusculum productions this academic year and has been involved in the theater throughout her time at Tusculum. Brian Ricker of Greeneville, Tenn., was also presented the award. Ricker also had lead roles in the two productions this year and has starred in productions since high school.<\/p>\n Emory Cain of Cleveland, Ga., received the TAHPERD (Tennessee Association Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) Outstanding Major Award. The award winner is also recognized at the association\u2019s annual convention.<\/p>\n Nicole Ferris of Lebanon, Ohio, was presented the NASPE (National Association for Sport and Physical Education) Award. The award winner is also recognized at the national convention.<\/p>\n The Pinnacle Award for highest scores on annual comprehensive examinations taken by athletic training education majors was presented to Jason S. Seaton of Midway, Tenn.<\/p>\n Service Awards<\/strong> The Bonner Leaders Program Award was presented to Jeremiah Peterson of Unicoi, Tenn. Peterson was part of a Service-Learning class trip to Belize in spring 2007, and returned to Belize during the 2007 fall semester break to meet with school and business officials about Tusculum forming a partnership with the small village of San Jose. Peterson returned to Belize in April with another Service-Learning class, completing further research into the business and educational conditions and issues for the village. He is now completing an analysis and business plan for the sugar cane processing industry in San Jose.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The two top honors for student presented by the college are the President\u2019s Award and the Bruce G. Batts Award. The President\u2019s Award was presented to Brody Wells, a senior majoring in mathematics education from New Tazewell, Tenn. At Tusculum College, Wells has made himself known largely through his faith-based activities in the college community. He has organized many events and programs for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also is involved with the Disciple\u2019s Point church services on campus each Sunday.<\/p>\n
\nSenior Honor Key Awards were presented to students who have earned a 3.25 grade point average or higher in their major, shown achievement and aptitude in the major, and possess strong character. The following are the award recipients and their degree programs:
\nAthletic Training \u2013 Sarah E. Philipp of Hendersonville, N.C.
\nBiology — Aundrea Gunter of Greeneville, Tenn.
\nBusiness Administration \u2013 Adam Miller of Hampton, Tenn.
\nEconomics Concentration \u2013 Milton Grant, Jr. of Kingston, Jamaica
\nEnglish — Ashley Douglas of Clinton, Tenn.
\nEnvironmental Science — Jason Fortner of Blountville, Tenn.
\nField Guide\/Naturalist — Ramon Pierce of Morristown, Tenn.
\nHistory — M. Duane Randolph of Crossville, Tenn.
\nMass Media — Chris Ann Campbell of Clarendon, Jamaica
\nMedical Pre-Professional \u2013 Valerie Mullins of Limestone, Tenn.
\nMuseum Studies — Josh Ashby of Dundee, N.Y., and Sarah Julia Jones of Greeneville, Tenn.
\nPolitical Science — Divya Singh of Haryana, India
\nPre-Pharmacy \u2013 Candace Allwardt of Pembroke Pines, Fla.
\nPre-Physical Therapy \u2013 Kortney McCalla of Cincinnati, Ohio
\nPsychology \u2013 Elizabeth \u201cLibby\u201d Bell of Cleves, Ohio<\/p>\n
\nCandace Allwardt of Pembroke Pines, Fla.
\nElizabeth Bell of Cleves, Ohio
\nJudith (Jenna) Breckenridge of Greeneville, Tenn.
\nChris-Ann Campbell of Clarendon, Jamaica
\nAmy Carlson of Newport News, Va.
\nLeslie Carson of Jonesborough, Tenn.
\nRachel Collette of Chuckey, Tenn.
\nBrandy Gilliam of Lake City, Tenn.
\nBronwyn Hartley of Del Bonita, Alberta, Canada
\nStacy Landers of Afton, Tenn.
\nRyan Lewis of Greeneville, Tenn.
\nDustin Morrow of Lexington, Ky.
\nValerie Mullins of Limestone, Tenn.
\nSarah Philipp of Hendersonville, N.C.
\nSonya Ramsey of Greeneville, Tenn.
\nAlexis Rowles of Simpsonville, S.C.
\nDivya Singh of Haryana, India
\nKimberly Wilcox of Chuckey, Tenn.
\nTamara Wynn of Hendersonville, Tenn.<\/p>\n
\nThe Service-Learning Award was awarded to David Salinas of Brownsville, Texas. Salinas was part of a group of Tusculum students who went alternative spring break trip to New Orleans to help in the hurricane relief and rebuilding effort. Salinas was so impacted by the experience that he stayed an additional week on his own to help in the effort. During the fall 2007 semester, he re-arranged his class schedule to be able to take a Service-Learning Immersion course that included a trip to New Orleans. Before going on the trip, Salinas was not only a student in the class but also a teacher of his fellow classmates as he shared about the conditions they would find in the city.<\/p>\nStudent excellence in academics and service were recognized during Tusculum College’s annual Honors Convocation Thursday, April 24.<\/p>\n