{"id":32219,"date":"2025-12-18T21:47:57","date_gmt":"2025-12-19T02:47:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=32219"},"modified":"2025-12-18T21:47:57","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T02:47:57","slug":"local-dual-enrollment-student-earns-an-associate-degree-from-tusculum-university-before-her-high-school-diploma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/local-dual-enrollment-student-earns-an-associate-degree-from-tusculum-university-before-her-high-school-diploma\/","title":{"rendered":"Local dual enrollment student earns an associate degree from Tusculum University before her high school diploma"},"content":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Lily Burgner is setting an impressive pace with her academic studies.<\/h3>\n
\"Lily

Lily Burgner, right, shakes hands with Dr. Scott Hummel at her Tusculum graduation.<\/p><\/div>\n

A senior at Chuckey-Doak High School who will not graduate until May, Burgner has already earned a degree from Tusculum University<\/a>. She graduated Saturday, Dec. 13, from Tusculum with an Associate of Arts in general studies as a dual enrollment<\/a> student.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t going to pursue an associate degree at first, and then I was about a half a semester in and I decided I might as well go ahead and obtain it,\u201d Burgner said. \u201cI thought it would be pretty cool. I could get a jump on things. If I can and I have the opportunity, I might as well take it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burgner recognized that not a lot of people have the opportunity to accomplish what she did. As a first-generation student<\/a>, meaning her parents do not have a bachelor\u2019s degree, she felt she had something to prove.<\/p>\n

She took some of her Tusculum classes online but took many of them in person. She has really enjoyed attending a college of Tusculum\u2019s size because she is able to interact with her professors one-on-one. Burgner said faculty members who have meant a great deal to her are Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history<\/a> and museum studies<\/a>; Dr. Chuck Pearson, assistant dean of math<\/a> and science; and Dr. David Smith, executive director of TRIO programs, who periodically teaches a class.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have genuinely changed my life and helped me grow as a person, not just academically but also socially,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The associate degree will not mark the end of her studies at Tusculum. Burgner will now turn to earning her bachelor\u2019s degree in mathematics. She really enjoys mathematics and has learned about many careers that are available for students with a degree in that subject.<\/p>\n

During her studies so far at Tusculum, Burgner has been actively involved on campus. She was part of a group of students in 2025 who gave one of the presentations during the Academic Symposium. Then, she served as assistant poetry editor of this year\u2019s volume of \u201cThe Tusculum Review,<\/a>\u201d the university\u2019s international literary journal. She was thrilled to be a staff member and said it was special to work with the authors who write for the publication.<\/p>\n

\"Lily

Lily Burgner speaks at the launch of \u201cThe Tusculum Review\u201d in November.<\/p><\/div>\n

The assistant editors, who are Tusculum students, read submissions from authors who wanted to appear in \u201cThe Tusculum Review,\u201d perform the layout of the ones being published and correspond with the authors. Burgner recognized the importance of the work that would be in \u201cThe Tusculum Review\u201d and her responsibility to help ensure the work was good, right and looked nice. It helped push her to realize she was entering adulthood.<\/p>\n

Burgner was one of the students at the launch of \u201cThe Tusculum Review\u201d in November who discussed their interviews with the authors and artists in the publication. She also wrote one of the profiles of those writers and artists.<\/p>\n

Kelsey Trom, editor of \u201cThe Tusculum Review\u201d and professor of English<\/a> at Tusculum, praised Burgner for her work.<\/p>\n

\u201cLily was central to all\u00a0the work we did to bring the journal to readers this fall: templating all the poems in Adobe,\u00a0corresponding with the poets, keeping me organized, hosting and\u00a0introducing authors at our events,\u00a0coordinating student editor wardrobes for the launch and\u00a0marshaling our biggest mailing ever,\u201d Trom said. \u201cLily is already a good collaborator and\u00a0editor.\u00a0As a writer, Lily is ambitious and prolific. As a literature student, she says the kinds of thoughtful things about assigned\u00a0texts that make you certain Gen Z will be OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

Burgner seamlessly fits into the collegiate space while she is still in high school.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people are scared to go into college, but in my experience, it is one of the simplest transitions you can make,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s a lot less overbearing and overwhelming, and you have a little more freedom. And Tusculum being small definitely helped with that because you get to know your professors. You don\u2019t walk into a lecture hall with 100 people. You sit there and make eye contact with them, and they ask what you did over fall break.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Lily

Lily Burgner, third from the left in the front row, poses with fellow Tusculum students, a professional artist and a professor at the launch of \u201cThe Tusculum Review\u201d in November.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Heather Henson-Ramsey, assistant vice president of academic affairs, said Burgner\u2019s achievements have been noteworthy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe love offering the dual enrollment program because it gives students a chance to complete their academic studies quicker while still studying with expert professors who are focused on mentoring them and giving them individualized attention,\u201d Dr. Henson-Ramsey said. \u201cIt is particularly enjoyable to see students such as Lily embrace the collegiate environment and make the most of their time by being highly engaged. We commend Lily for using her time at Tusculum effectively and look forward to seeing additional accomplishments from her as she finishes her bachelor\u2019s degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

To apply for the dual enrollment program, please visit https:\/\/site.tusculum.edu\/apply-visit\/apply\/<\/a>. Interested individuals can also contact Tusculum\u2019s Office of Admission at admission@tusculum.edu<\/a> to learn more and discuss options. Additional information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Lily Burgner is setting an impressive pace with her academic studies.<\/h3>\n

A senior at Chuckey-Doak High School who will not graduate until May, Burgner has already earned a degree from Tusculum University<\/a>. She graduated Saturday, Dec. 13, from Tusculum with an Associate of Arts in general studies as a dual enrollment<\/a> student.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t going to pursue an associate degree at first, and then I was about a half a semester in and I decided I might as well go ahead and obtain it,\u201d Burgner said. \u201cI thought it would be pretty cool. I could get a jump on things. If I can and I have the opportunity, I might as well take it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read the full article…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[131,91,7,19,142,169,146,1,148,147,149,172],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nLocal dual enrollment student earns an associate degree from Tusculum University before her high school diploma :: Tusculum University<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2025\/local-dual-enrollment-student-earns-an-associate-degree-from-tusculum-university-before-her-high-school-diploma\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Local dual enrollment student earns an associate degree from Tusculum University before her high school diploma :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREENEVILLE \u2013 Lily Burgner is setting an impressive pace with her academic studies. A senior at Chuckey-Doak High School who will not graduate until May, Burgner has already earned a degree from Tusculum University. She graduated Saturday, Dec. 13, from Tusculum with an Associate of Arts in general studies as a dual enrollment student. \u201cI wasn\u2019t going to pursue an associate degree at first, and then I was about a half a semester in and I decided I might as well go ahead and obtain it,\u201d Burgner said. \u201cI thought it would be pretty cool. I could get a jump on things. 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