{"id":32862,"date":"2026-09-04T19:19:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-04T23:19:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/?p=32862"},"modified":"2026-09-04T19:20:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-04T23:20:39","slug":"tusculum-university-celebrates-232nd-birthday-with-charter-day-receives-a-visit-from-a-descendant-of-one-of-the-founders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www3.tusculum.edu\/news\/news\/2026\/tusculum-university-celebrates-232nd-birthday-with-charter-day-receives-a-visit-from-a-descendant-of-one-of-the-founders\/","title":{"rendered":"Tusculum University celebrates 232nd birthday with Charter Day, receives a visit from a descendant of one of the founders"},"content":{"rendered":"

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Now 232 years old, Tusculum University<\/a> continues to make a profound difference in the lives of students who come from East Tennessee and around the world.<\/h3>\n
\"Tusculum

Tusculum University employees and community members look at the Greeneville College charter.<\/p><\/div>\n

The university celebrated this special birthday Thursday, Sept. 3, during the Tusculum Family Reunion at lunch for faculty and staff members. As part of the festivities, they played a game of Tusculum and national trivia. Later that day, Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history<\/a> and museum studies<\/a>, answered questions from community members and the Tusculum family. While they were present, participants enjoyed cake and were able to view photos from different eras in the university\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

At both events, people were able to view the charter for Greeneville College, a predecessor name for Tusculum. This document was signed Sept. 3, 1794, two years before Tennessee became a state. Greeneville College was the first chartered college in what becomes Tennessee.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are proud to have achieved this special milestone in Tusculum\u2019s impressive and meaningful history,\u201d said Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum\u2019s president. \u201cThe foundation laid by the Rev. Hezekiah Balch and then the Rev. Samuel Doak and the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak continues to inspire us. As we have grown, we are proud to have helped so many students discover their purpose and become career-ready professionals with degrees that enhance their quality of life while contributing to our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tusculum\u2019s history<\/strong><\/p>\n

Greeneville College was created pursuant an act of the General Assembly of the Southwest Territory, together with the Legislative Council and the territory\u2019s governor. \u201cAn act to establish a college in Greene County, in the Territory of the United States South of the Ohio\u201d passed in Knoxville on Sept. 3, 1794. William Blount, the territory\u2019s governor, was one of the act\u2019s signers.<\/p>\n

\"This

This is the back side of the charter.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"This

This is the front side of the charter.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe act created Greeneville College as a legal entity that had the authority to grant baccalaureate degrees,\u201d Dr. Noll said. \u201cI think it is useful to reflect on the past \u2013 why we were created and how we fit into broader society. It is important to understand how we are a continuation of that legacy and how we are doing the same basic thing in a modern world that is different from 1794.\u201d<\/p>\n

Twenty-four years after Greeneville College was chartered, the Rev. Samuel Doak and his son, the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, founded Tusculum Academy in 1818. The inspiration for the name of Tusculum can be traced through Samuel Doak and Balch\u2019s alma mater, the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University, to a small community near Rome called Tusculum.\u00a0The estate of the president of that higher education institution in New Jersey was named Tusculum.<\/p>\n

Tusculum Academy was rechartered as Tusculum College in 1844. Tusculum College merged with Greeneville College in 1868. The institution was known as Greeneville and Tusculum College before becoming Washington and Tusculum College and then Tusculum College. It was renamed Tusculum University in 2018. Throughout its history, Tusculum has been affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. Tusculum\u2019s motto is \u201cSit Lux\u201d \u2013 \u201cLet There Be Light.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tusculum is the first institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) to admit women and the first in Tennessee to educate an African American, John Gloucester. The institution innovated in the 1980s and 1990s with a renewed commitment to civic engagement and a move to bring higher education within reach of working adults across the region. Tusculum has a historic district \u2013 which includes nine buildings and the Tusculum Arch \u2013 that is listed on the\u00a0National Register of Historic Places.<\/p>\n

While he was serving as U.S. president, George Washington donated $100 to Greeneville College. In honor of that special achievement in the university\u2019s history, Tusculum kicked off a fundraising campaign on Charter Day that will last through Sunday, Oct. 18, called \u201cGive Like George Washington.\u201d<\/p>\n

People are invited to donate $100 or any other amount they would prefer by going to www.tusculum.edu<\/a>, selecting \u201cother\u201d in the drop-down menu and specifying a donation to \u201cGive Like George Washington.\u201d Anyone with questions can email Tiffany Greer, vice president of institutional advancement, at tgreer@tusculum.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Washington was not the only president who has given funds to Tusculum. President Andrew Johnson donated $20 to the construction of the Old College building, which houses many of his presidential papers.<\/p>\n

A Balch descendant at Tusculum<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the people who attended the Charter Day session with Dr. Noll was Shannon Minnick, a Greeneville resident who is originally from Memphis. She is the great-great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Balch, founder and first president of Greeneville College. She learned of her relationship to Balch, who she descends from her dad\u2019s side of the family, from her mother when Minnick moved to Greeneville.<\/p>\n

\"Tusculum

Tusculum University employees and community members pose with the cake for Charter Day. Left to right are Tiffany Greer, Tim Massey, Shannon Minnick, the Rev. E.J. Swatsell and Dr. Peter Noll.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Shannon

Shannon Minnick holds the charter for Greeneville College.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI thought that connection was very compelling,\u201d Minnick said. \u201cHe was a major figure in education, and I enjoy learning about history and other subjects, so it didn\u2019t really surprise me that I had a relative who was in the education field. It is quite an honor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Minnick said she began researching Balch before she moved to Greeneville five years ago. She is still engaged in the process of learning more about him and plans to come to the Old College building, the oldest academic building on campus, to review some of the documents about Balch and the university. She is a big proponent of knowing about one\u2019s family. She is also a new member of the Greene County Genealogical Society and the Greene County Heritage Trust and has submitted an application to join the Daughters of the American Revolution.<\/p>\n

She finds it fascinating Balch was able to start a university that has been able to survive the Civil War and the Great Depression and still thrives after 232 years. She said that is a testament to Balch\u2019s personality and foresight.<\/p>\n

Minnick has three daughters, and she has told them the story about Balch and the university. She brought two of them to Tusculum to show them the campus, and they also visited Harmony Cemetery and took photos at Balch\u2019s grave. She loves what she has seen at Tusculum.<\/p>\n

\"The

The Rev. E.J. Swatsell cuts the cake.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cit\u2019s a beautiful campus that is steeped in history,\u201d Minnick said. \u201cThere\u2019s so much here. I\u2019m very proud to be part of the family that kicked this off many years ago. To be part of it is just amazing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n

America 250\/Tusculum 232<\/strong><\/p>\n

Charter Day was the first event in the university\u2019s America 250\/Tusculum 232 Celebration throughout the fall semester. The series of events are designed to highlight various aspects of American history, including those that occurred in East Tennessee, and Tusculum\u2019s contributions to the nation\u2019s success. People can review all Tusculum has planned for the fall by visiting https:\/\/iasite.tusculum.edu\/america-250-tusculum-232-events\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are thrilled to launch America 250\/Tusculum 232 so the community to explore our nation\u2019s impactful history and Tusculum\u2019s connection to it,\u201d said the Rev. E.J. Swatsell, chair of the committee organizing this celebration, who also serves as the university\u2019s director of spiritual life and special projects. \u201cThis series of events will enrich people\u2019s lives and demonstrate the importance Tusculum places on civic engagement. We encourage everyone to join us on our historic campus and share with us your stories about American history and Tusculum University.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

GREENEVILLE<\/strong> \u2013 Now 232 years old, Tusculum University<\/a> continues to make a profound difference in the lives of students who come from East Tennessee and around the world.<\/h3>\n

The university celebrated this special birthday Thursday, Sept. 3, during the Tusculum Family Reunion at lunch for faculty and staff members. As part of the festivities, they played a game of Tusculum and national trivia. Later that day, Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history<\/a> and museum studies<\/a>, answered questions from community members and the Tusculum family. While they were present, participants enjoyed cake and were able to view photos from different eras in the university\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

At both events, people were able to view the charter for Greeneville College, a predecessor name for Tusculum. This document was signed Sept. 3, 1794, two years before Tennessee became a state. Greeneville College was the first chartered college in what becomes Tennessee.<\/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 University celebrates 232nd birthday with Charter Day, receives a visit from a descendant of one of the founders :: 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-university-celebrates-232nd-birthday-with-charter-day-receives-a-visit-from-a-descendant-of-one-of-the-founders\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Tusculum University celebrates 232nd birthday with Charter Day, receives a visit from a descendant of one of the founders :: Tusculum University\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"GREENEVILLE \u2013 Now 232 years old, Tusculum University continues to make a profound difference in the lives of students who come from East Tennessee and around the world. The university celebrated this special birthday Thursday, Sept. 3, during the Tusculum Family Reunion at lunch for faculty and staff members. As part of the festivities, they played a game of Tusculum and national trivia. Later that day, Dr. Peter Noll, professor of public history and museum studies, answered questions from community members and the Tusculum family. While they were present, participants enjoyed cake and were able to view photos from different eras in the university\u2019s history. At both events, people were able to view the charter for Greeneville College, a predecessor name for Tusculum. This document was signed Sept. 3, 1794, two years before Tennessee became a state. Greeneville College was the first chartered college in what becomes Tennessee. 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