{"id":32834,"date":"2026-08-27T16:39:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-27T20:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=32834"},"modified":"2026-08-27T16:39:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-27T20:39:54","slug":"tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/","title":{"rendered":"Tusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme “We are one” as it celebrates past success and sets goals"},"content":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 As Tusculum University<\/a> embarks on the new academic year, the president is highlighting how the theme the higher education has adopted \u2013 \u201cWe are one\u201d \u2013 is evident in the study body.<\/h3>\n
\"These

These students prepare to enter convocation after receiving applause from faculty members.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Dr.

Dr. Scott Hummel addresses students, faculty and staff during the Opening Convocation.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. Scott Hummel shared that message Wednesday, Aug. 26, during Tusculum\u2019s Opening Convocation, an annual ceremony to mark the start of classes. The university adopts a theme based on scripture every academic year, and the one for 2026-2027 reinforces interconnectivity outlined in Galatians 3:28 \u2013 \u201cThere is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,\u00a0nor is there male and female,\u00a0for you are all one in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis particular passage is important as an annual theme for us because it emphasizes our unity,\u201d Dr. Hummel said. \u201cIt emphasizes our oneness. It certainly recognizes all of the ways we are different, but within that, it recognizes that we have so much more in common. We are Pioneers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Hummel touted one of the many strengths of studying at Tusculum. That is the presence of students from different countries and the way that connection to people from so many places enriches personal lives. This year, Tusculum has 155 international students, about 15 more than at the start of the academic year in 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat an incredible privilege it is to be in a place where you can be exposed to a world full of varied cultures, languages and religions,\u201d Dr. Hummel said. \u201cWhen I look into the audience, I see different races and nationalities and people who might have different political philosophies or belong to different political parties. And yet, we are all Pioneers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Hummel also tied the theme into civic engagement, a core element of the university\u2019s mission. He noted that society in so many ways seeks to divide people, and he urged students not to fall into that approach. He talked about the way algorithms are designed to feed into one\u2019s confirmation bias and convey that someone with a different viewpoint is wrong.<\/p>\n

\"Students

Students complete the walk through faculty members who applauded them.<\/p><\/div>\n

He said Tusculum takes a different approach through civic engagement. He shared that engagement does not mean rescinding one\u2019s beliefs or philosophies but rather listening respectfully to someone who has another perspective and understanding that person\u2019s frame of reference. He urged students, faculty and staff to speak with others who come from a different belief system.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuite frankly, this world and this country need more people to graduate who are civically engaged and know what it means to value our varied backgrounds and viewpoints, our unity and our shared purpose and shared mission,\u201d Dr. Hummel said. \u201cWe are one, and you will accomplish more, not just as an individual student and not as a solo player but as part of an entire university. Together, we are smarter, together we are better, together we will succeed. We are one. We are Pioneers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tusculum will come together on many fronts this year. One of the earliest examples will be Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day<\/a> in September, during which students, faculty and staff spread out into the community to perform service work. Throughout the year, students will have an opportunity to support each other in faith development<\/a> by attending weekly chapel services or participating in other ministries. The Tusculum family will be able to cheer the university\u2019s athletic teams. At the end of the year, students will present their research projects to their peers, faculty and staff at the Academic Symposium on campus.<\/p>\n

Tusculum marked convocation in style with faculty members dressed in regalia and applauding students as they walked into the ceremony. Convocation highlighted the high energy flowing through the campus as Tusculum, the oldest higher education institution in Tennessee, prepares to celebrate its 232nd anniversary Thursday, Sept. 3.<\/p>\n

Classes began Monday, Aug. 17.<\/p>\n

The value of a Tusculum education<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Dr.

Dr. David Cook speaks during convocation.<\/p><\/div>\n

Dr. David Cook, provost and vice president of academic affairs, discussed the value of a Tusculum education and referenced Tusculum\u2019s caring Christian environment.<\/p>\n

\u201cFaculty and staff want to know your name and invest the time and energy to get to know you,\u201d he told students. \u201cYour professors will notice if you are not doing well academically, and they will be willing to go the extra mile to provide the support you need. Your advisor will meet with you every semester to make sure you are on track to graduate. What has set Tusculum apart for 232 years is that you the students, your struggles, your successes, and your futures, matter to us. We have been praying for you as you arrived last week and we will continue to pray for you throughout your time at Tusculum.\u201d<\/p>\n

While convocation is focused primarily on looking forward, Dr. Cook took time to celebrate many achievements in the past year, including multiple demonstrations of faculty expertise and several accomplishments on the playing field, such as two national championships by the Tusculum\u2019s women\u2019s track and field team<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A student leader\u2019s perspective<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"John

John Ross shares a message for the students.<\/p><\/div>\n

John Ross, president of the Student Government Association, urged students to give it their all by joining an organization that interests them and trying something new. He encouraged students to build community. \u2013 saying hello to someone they do not know, attending a game for a Tusculum team other than their own and checking on someone who might be having a bad day.<\/p>\n

He said patience, understanding, kindness and a willingness to listen will be valuable attributes for students to display. The many decisions students make each day will enable others around them to feel seen, valued and respected.<\/p>\n

Students should also make their mark, Ross said. They should take the lead on an initiative and find a way to create, change and improve things while standing up for their beliefs. He recommended that they try to leave something better than they found it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll of us will leave Tusculum someday,\u201d Ross said. \u201cWhen that day comes, I don\u2019t want you just to say, \u2018I graduated from Tusculum.\u2019 Let\u2019s also be able to say, \u2018I was part of the school.\u2019 This is your time. Get involved. Build community. Support one another. Your four years will go by way faster than you think. Make it count.\u201d<\/p>\n

Important words for the faculty<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Joel

Joel Shelton gives a charge to the faculty.<\/p><\/div>\n

Joel Shelton, an assistant professor of mathematics and the faculty chair, gave a charge to the faculty. One of the points in his message was that faculty usually see what is happening on the surface of students \u2013 their grades, their demeanor in class and the questions they ask.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we rarely see is everything underneath \u2013 the job they worked the night before class, the family they are helping to support, the version of themselves they have not fully grown into yet,\u201d he said. \u201cThe surface is, of course, real and worth observing, but it is not the whole story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shelton reminded his colleagues that faculty members need to know what is happening with a student before he or she is ready to share it.<\/p>\n

\u201cUse your intuition,\u201d he said. \u201cNo exam catches that, and no advising checklist catches that either. That part remains with us, the faculty. We also have to encourage students in the right moment \u2013 not the week after, not after exams have been graded, but in the moments when our students need it. You never know what a simple word of encouragement can do for a student. be the professor they remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

More information about the university is available at www.tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 As Tusculum University<\/a> embarks on the new academic year, the president is highlighting how the theme the higher education has adopted \u2013 \u201cWe are one\u201d \u2013 is evident in the study body.<\/h3>\n

Dr. Scott Hummel shared that message Wednesday, Aug. 26, during Tusculum\u2019s Opening Convocation, an annual ceremony to mark the start of classes. The university adopts a theme based on scripture every academic year, and the one for 2026-2027 reinforces interconnectivity outlined in Galatians 3:28 \u2013 \u201cThere is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,\u00a0nor is there male and female,\u00a0for you are all one in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis particular passage is important as an annual theme for us because it emphasizes our unity,\u201d Dr. Hummel said. \u201cIt emphasizes our oneness. It certainly recognizes all of the ways we are different, but within that, it recognizes that we have so much more in common. We are Pioneers.\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":[131,91,7,19,142,169,146,1,6,148,147,149,172],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nTusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme "We are one" as it celebrates past success and sets goals :: 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\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme "We are one" as it celebrates past success and sets goals :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREENEVILLE \u2013 As Tusculum University embarks on the new academic year, the president is highlighting how the theme the higher education has adopted \u2013 \u201cWe are one\u201d \u2013 is evident in the study body. Dr. Scott Hummel shared that message Wednesday, Aug. 26, during Tusculum\u2019s Opening Convocation, an annual ceremony to mark the start of classes. The university adopts a theme based on scripture every academic year, and the one for 2026-2027 reinforces interconnectivity outlined in Galatians 3:28 \u2013 \u201cThere is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free,\u00a0nor is there male and female,\u00a0for you are all one in Christ Jesus.\u201d \u201cThis particular passage is important as an annual theme for us because it emphasizes our unity,\u201d Dr. Hummel said. \u201cIt emphasizes our oneness. It certainly recognizes all of the ways we are different, but within that, it recognizes that we have so much more in common. We are Pioneers.\u201d Read the full article...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-08-27T20:39:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/convocation-5-5-300x298.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jim Wozniak\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jim Wozniak\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/\",\"name\":\"Tusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme \\\"We are one\\\" as it celebrates past success and sets goals :: Tusculum University\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-08-27T20:39:54+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-08-27T20:39:54+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/21b61c94e78ce303ab780be8b1e62dd7\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"News and Information\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"News\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Tusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme “We are one” as it celebrates past success and sets goals\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/\",\"name\":\"TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY NEWS\",\"description\":\"News for Alumni, Parents and Friends\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/21b61c94e78ce303ab780be8b1e62dd7\",\"name\":\"Jim Wozniak\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4d61ad3ea2d16960d99f5aea77c2329e?s=96&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/4d61ad3ea2d16960d99f5aea77c2329e?s=96&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jim Wozniak\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/author\/jwozniaktusculum-edu\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Tusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme \"We are one\" as it celebrates past success and sets goals :: Tusculum University","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-starts-the-academic-year-focused-on-the-theme-we-are-one-as-it-celebrates-past-success-and-sets-goals\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Tusculum starts the academic year focused on the theme \"We are one\" as it celebrates past success and sets goals :: Tusculum University","og_description":"GREENEVILLE \u2013 As Tusculum University embarks on the new academic year, the president is highlighting how the theme the higher education has adopted \u2013 \u201cWe are one\u201d \u2013 is evident in the study body. 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