{"id":31877,"date":"2025-08-28T21:52:53","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T01:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=31877"},"modified":"2025-08-28T21:52:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T01:52:53","slug":"opening-convocation-highlights-past-success-and-call-to-excel-as-new-academic-year-begins-at-tusculum-university","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/opening-convocation-highlights-past-success-and-call-to-excel-as-new-academic-year-begins-at-tusculum-university\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening Convocation highlights past success and call to excel as new academic year begins at Tusculum University"},"content":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 From the excitement of welcoming students with applause to sharing messages of success and opportunity, Tusculum University<\/a> celebrated the start of the new academic year during its annual Opening Convocation.<\/h3>\n
\"Students

Students arrive for the Opening Convocation to applause from faculty and staff members.<\/p><\/div>\n

Students, faculty and staff gathered in Pioneer Arena Wednesday, Aug. 27, for the inspirational ceremony. Through coursework and social and spiritual activities, the students will develop holistically in a caring Christian environment as they become career-ready, civically engaged professionals. Their success will come not only through their own diligence but with one-on-one support and mentoring from faculty and staff.<\/p>\n

Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum\u2019s president, highlighted the university\u2019s theme for the year: \u201cExcelling in faith, in knowledge and love\u201d from 2 Corinthians 8:7 in his remarks.<\/p>\n

\u201cBoy, did we see a lot of examples of excelling in the last academic year,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a long list of examples of accomplishments in research; presentations at different conferences; and other student, faculty and athletic achievements. That inspires us to produce even more excellence this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, Dr. Hummel encouraged students to start thinking about delivering presentations at the annual Academic Symposium in April. He urged them to make the most of their classes and their connections with faculty members to develop a project demonstrating excellence that they can show at the symposium.<\/p>\n

\"Dr.

Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum\u2019s president, delivers remarks during Opening Convocation.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Hummel shared that excellence takes determination, commitment, resilience, hard work and practice. He said he has discovered that things become more natural for students after they put in a lot of hard work. He reinforced his message with biblical verses from Proverbs 14:23 \u2013 \u201cAll hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.\u201d \u2013 and Colossians 3:23 \u2013 \u201cWhatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellence isn\u2019t accomplished in a day,\u201d Dr. Hummel told students. \u201cYour education will not be accomplished in a day, but today, be committed to excellence. Tomorrow, be committed to excellence. And then day after day, you will be prepared and you will graduate with excellence as part of your routine.\u201d<\/p>\n

As part of encouraging excellence and expressing gratitude to the students, Tusculum faculty members greeted them as they entered the Opening Convocation with applause. Tusculum has traditionally honored graduates in this manner as they departed the commencement ceremony. A few years ago, the university decided to add applause for students to the start of Opening Convocation.<\/p>\n

Recognizing achievement<\/strong><\/p>\n

Once everyone was inside the arena, Dr. David Cook, provost and vice president of academic affairs, shared multiple examples of faculty and student milestones and success in the 2024-2025 academic year. They included<\/p>\n