NEWS & CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

Kiarra Ervin of Chattanooga was honored as the “Student of the Block” for Block Eight at Tusculum College for her academic achievements and contributions to the campus community.

Ervin, who graduated in May with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration with a concentration in accounting and a minor in business administration management, was described as an individual with perseverance, motivation and ambition in the award presentation on May 3.

The Student of the Block Award is presented each block by the Office of Student Affairs to recognize students for academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community. A plaque honoring Ervin’s accomplishments will be displayed in the Niswonger Commons and other campus buildings.

Ervin chose to attend Tusculum because of its block schedule and the desire to attend a small school that was away from home, but not too far. Wanting to experience the college community, Kiarra became involved on campus. She was a peer tutor for the Tusculum College Tutoring Center, helping her fellow students with accounting, business, economics, algebra and sociology courses. She was also a mentor and member of the Student Support Services, and the president of HerStory, a student organization she founded.

She excelled academically, maintaining a 3.77 grade point average and was consistently named to the college’s academic honor lists. “I am proud of becoming a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society because it shows that my hard work in the classroom paid off,” she said. “I have worked hard to keep my grades high and to know that I am a part of a nationally recognized organization is rewarding.”

She credits Tusculum with teaching her the skill of time management with the challenging block schedule, learning about different cultures through the diverse student body and having faculty and staff members who care about students as individuals and encourage them in their ability to accomplish their goals.

Dr. Michelle Freeman, associate professor of business and faculty moderator, Bonnie Weston, senior student life coordinator, and the staff of Student Support Services are noted by Ervin as influential people in her time at Tusculum.

Recognizing her intellectual ability, Dr. Freeman encouraged Ervin to major in accounting. “Dr. Freeman is a very intelligent and caring woman who has given me advice and many kind words I greatly appreciate,” Ervin said. “This past year, I lost a family member and she was very understanding of the situation and how it affected me. I really appreciate her for what she has done for me.”

Ervin met Bonnie Weston on her very first day of campus. “She has really been an encouraging person in my life, both personally and professionally,” Ervin said of Weston. “She has given me advice on issues that have come up in my life. She has encouraged me to break out of my shell and become a leader. She knew that I had potential and she brought it out of me by encouraging me to create an organization, HerStory. She is helping me with my goals and plans for my life after Tusculum College. I think she will be an important person in my life after I graduate.”

The staff members of Student Support Services helped Ervin learn to be a mentor and a role model, she said, by giving her the opportunity to show her leadership and problem solving skills by being a mentor to about 10 students for the entire academic year. “It was such a rewarding experience because I could help an underclassman become more comfortable in the transition from high school to college,” she said.

The daughter of Darlene Mitchell and sister of fellow Tusculum student, Karnika, who also graduated in May, Ervin credits her mother as a strong influence on her life as a single parent who worked hard but still had time for her children’s extracurricular activities. Ervin’s grandparents, Bobby and Ramona Goines, have also been an important part of her life.

Ervin’s mentor, “Coach” Lurone Jennings, Sr., “has been in my life since I was a little girl,” she said. “I grew up attending a summer literacy program that he directed, and he has been at every milestone in my life. He allowed me to work in the same program I attended, giving me the opportunity to give those students the same inspiration and motivation that he gave me growing up.”

A high school teacher, Anquia Bowden, has also been a major influence in Ervin’s life and a continuing source of encouragement.

Ervin’s future plans include continuing her education to obtain a master’s degree in accounting. Her goal is to become a certified public accountant and open her own practice.

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There was much to celebrate on Saturday, May 7, for 262 individuals who received degrees during Tusculum College’s spring commencement ceremony.

Ninety-six students earned Bachelor of Science degrees in organizational management and 129 earned Bachelor of Arts degrees. In addition 37 earned Master of Arts degrees.

Walking with this spring’s graduates were representatives of the Tusculum College Class of 1961 who are celebrating their 50^th anniversary year. Representatives walked in the procession, clothed in golden caps and gowns and were recognized during the ceremony by Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of Tusculum College.

The new graduates were addressed by Moody, who recognized the commencement ceremony as “an occasion of celebration and completion.” Adding, “Each of you have made sacrifices, adjustments and also made tough decisions. This is a testament to your own efforts and also to your persistence. Today is your reward. Be proud of yourself and your accomplishments.”

Simon Holzapfel, a sports management major from Nuremburg, Germany, addressed the crowd as a representative of the Residential College program. Holzapfel has been accepted to the graduate program at Eastern Kentucky University.

He told the group, “I am deeply indebted to some of the faculty members. Each one of them has taught me valuable lessons, may it be through classroom lectures or outside of the classroom. Many have pushed me beyond my comfort zone and by doing so extended it.”

In particularly he singled out Dr. Kirpal Mahal, professor of physical education.

“He has taught me so much about the physical education and sports science professions, about people and about life in general that I don’t know anymore what I have learned from him. I have absorbed countless hours of conversation, mentoring, and counseling with him to the point where I cannot tell the difference anymore between what I already knew and what he has taught me,” said Holzapfel.

Robin Moore of Gatlinburg spoke on behalf of the college’s Graduate and Professional Studies education program. Moore talked about finishing her degree and the confidence it has instilled in her that was not there before.

“I know that, without this experience, I would still doubt myself. I would still see that academic misfit that just never quite could make it in school. Instead, I can look back upon my life’s experiences and know that they have made me the person I am today,” she said.

Amanda Bunch of Knoxville spoke on behalf of the Graduate and Professional Studies program in Organizational Management.

She told her fellow graduates, “I want you to look back on all of your hard work and dedication and use all these skills to tackle any challenges you may face in the future. You now know you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.”

Clyde Shumate of Johnson City spoke on behalf of the master’s of education program. He spoke to his peers in the teaching profession, encouraging them to always do what’s best for their students.

“Doing what’s best requires teachers to plan, evaluate, teach and engage the students in the learning process. This takes hard work from both sides and many children will resist hard work, which is why we must motivate them. Every day teachers are in a battle to engage every child, to educate and graduate them as productive, responsible citizens. That’s the goal-that all will graduate and become successful.”

Representing the master’s program in Organizational Management for the Graduate and Professional Studies program was Belinda Kenny of Friendsville. Kenny talked about the difficulty of returning for her master’s degree 23 years after completing her bachelor’s degree.

“My family has endured a dirty house, uncooked dinners, limited time for family events, and even a little testiness as I attended class every Wednesday night in Morristown for one and a half years,” she said.

“Being an adult learner in a graduate program has taught me about commitment, faith and determination. It has taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to do as long as I commit to doing my best and working hard…as long as I keep my eyes on my goal and not the pressures of the day…as long as I believed that the God who got me in this mess would get me out of it.”

Also speaking was Mark Stokes, director of religious life, church and community relations. Stokes presented a sermon titled, “Simple Words.” He encouraged the graduates to use thank you notes to express their thanks to everyone in their life that has made an impact.

“Especially on this day,” he said, “You know there have been many who have assisted you. Use simple words to express your thanks.”

In addition to the presentation of the undergraduate and graduate degrees, two faculty awards were presented.

Receiving the Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership award for the Residential College was Jane Sandusky, assistant professor of athletic training. Receiving the award for the Graduate and Professional Studies program was Dr. Stella Schramm, professor of management.

Also on the program was a presentation by the graduating class from the Residential College. Marci Moore, a business education major from Parrotsville, presented a check for $500 to Dr. Moody on behalf of the Senior Class Gift Committee. The money was raised to pay for the new entrance signs at the Gilland and Shiloh road entrances to campus.

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Six students from Tusculum College recently explored the culture, natural diversity and educational system of Belize.

Four biology students and two education students traveled to the region around San Ignacio in Belize during March to immerse themselves in the diverse culture and natural environment of the Central American nation.

“Sometimes you go with a plan, but it doesn’t go that way and sometimes it is way better than you planned,” said Rebecca Hunley, one of the education students. “This trip was like that.”

Hunley, who is in the master’s degree program at Tusculum, worked at the Bullet Tree Primary School with teachers and administrators. “The school was in the middle of nowhere,” she recalled during a presentation about the trip. “There were no lights in the classroom.”

Students were packed into the classrooms and there was a lack of basic resources, she said, but the school had been able to create a small computer lab.

It was in the computer lab one day that she had an unexpected reminder of home. Going into the lab, she was surprised to see the teacher there instructing the students about low and high tides using her district’s website.

Hunley is a biology teacher in the Jefferson City School System. “Our district’s website is known nationally, but I did not know it was known internationally.”

During her presentation, Hunley noted that the educational system is very different in Belize than in the United States. Students must pay some fees to attend primary school for supplies, she explained. However, to attend school past the primary level, students must pay tuition of $1,500 a year, which many families cannot afford.

If a child cannot continue their education, they enter the workforce, she said.

As a biology teacher, Hunley said she received an additional benefit as she accompanied the biology students on some of their activities.

The four biology students, accompanied by Dr. Greg Church, associate professor of biology, explored a variety of habitats while in Belize.

The group also visited a Mayan temple ruin. “We were driving in the city,” said Morgan Baese, of Chattanooga, said, “and all of the sudden we turned onto a road that looked like we were entering a forest and it was right there.”

The students visited the Iguana Conservation Project, in which they were able to learn more about the species, handle some of the lizards and closely view some of the exotic bird species that live in Belize.

How close they were able to get to the animals was also surprising during the students visit to the Belize Zoo, said Ben Hale of Morristown. The animals were used to people and would come up to the fence of their enclosures, he said, adding that the students got to go into some of the bird habitats.

Visiting the Belize Botanical Gardens, the students explored the lush vegetation that grows in the country and also tried many of the different type of fruits that grow there.

The students spent two days caving, which included exploring the beautiful rock formations inside St. Herman’s Cave, which is part of the Blue Hole National Park, and learned about ecology of life along the river during a long kayaking trip.

In the evenings, the students immersed themselves in the culture of Belize. They attended a local fair, tried local cuisine and saw a performance of Garifuna drummers.

Tusculum’s Center for Global Studies is planning international study trips for the next academic year, which includes a possible trip by a service-learning class to Belize.

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The Tusculum College Chapter of the Alpha Chi National Society is marking its 50^th anniversary this year as an organization on campus.

The Tusculum chapter was the first Alpha Chi chapter to be established in Tennessee, and to commemorate the anniversary, a new plaque with information about the chapter was installed in the Niswonger Commons on campus Thursday, April 29.

The plaque was presented by Jason Seaton, president of the chapter, to Tusculum President Dr. Nancy B. Moody during the college’s annual Honors Convocation. Following the ceremony, members of Alpha Chi gathered in the Niswonger Commons for a brief ceremony to hang the plaque.

Alpha Chi membership is open to juniors and seniors in any academic discipline who rank in the top 10 percent of their classes academically. The invitation to join the honor society, extended by the college’s faculty, recognizes previous accomplishments and provides opportunity for continued growth and service.

Alpha Chi has been a respected college honor society since its beginning in 1922 and is an active member of the Association of College Honor Societies. The society’s purpose is to promote academic excellence and exemplary character among college and university students and to honor those who achieve such distinction. Its name is derived from the first letter of the Greek words meaning truth and character, and its motto is “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” taken from John 8:32 in the Bible.

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Student excellence in academics and service were recognized during Tusculum College’s annual Honors Convocation Thursday, April 28.

The two top honors for students presented by the College are the President’s Award and the Bruce G. Batts Award. Simon Holzapfel, a native of Nuremberg, Germany, was presented the President’s Award and Amber Sharp, of Tazewell, Tenn., was presented the Bruce G. Batts Award.

Presidents Award

The President’s Award is presented to the graduating senior who has contributed the most to the College and who has been the most outstanding achiever in the combined areas of academic work, athletics, campus leadership and personality. The selection is made on the basis of the student’s total four-year record at Tusculum.

In presenting the award, Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody said that Holzapfel “has excelled in what he has endeavored, whether it is in the classroom, in athletic competition or involvement in campus life.”

Holzapfel has maintained a 4.0 grade point average throughout his time at Tusculum, earning him places on the college’s academic honors lists as well as various academic awards. His excellence in the classroom as a sport management major has also earned him the South Atlantic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year for Men’s Cross Country for the past two years, and he was named to the ESPN Academic All-American Team two years.

Holzapfel’s success athletically equals his success in the classroom. He is a two-time South Atlantic Conference Runner of the Year. He won 16 individual titles during his career, including six in a row last fall.  Holzapfel closed his career with a streak of 21 consecutive top-10 finishes, a run that spanned three seasons. He also holds the records for the top 11 8,000-meter running times in school history and 14 of the best 20 in school history.

Bringing attention to Tusculum statewide, Holzapfel was honored last November with the James E. Ward Outstanding Major award from the Tennessee Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance, the first Tusculum student to receive the statewide award. Earlier this year, he was one of three college students selected nationwide to serve as delegates to the Alliance Assembly, the governing body of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD).

Active in life on campus, Holzapfel has been involved in the Student Government Association, President’s Society, Track and Field Club, Pioneer Green Team, Alpha Chi Honor Society and the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Council. He has served as a peer tutor and a resident assistant.

During the Honors Convocation ceremony, Holzapfel also received the TAHPERD (Tennessee Association Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) Outstanding Major Award and the NASPE (National Association for Sport and Physical Education) Award.

Batts Award

Presented in memory of a beloved educator at Tusculum who helped define the college’s civic arts curricular focus, the Bruce G. Batts Award is presented to a student who clearly demonstrates the qualities that reflect the civic arts ideals.

This year’s recipient, senior Amber Sharp, has excelled academically in one of the most rigorous majors at Tusculum, athletic training. Sharp has balanced her many academic responsibilities with co-curricular activities, which include the Student Alumni Association, the Bonner Leader program, the President’s Society, the Athletic Training Student Society, Iota Tau Alpha, the National Athletic Training Association, the Southeastern Athletic Training Association and serving as a mentor for the Murdock Circle, a student living and learning community.

Sharp is serving as a co-president of the Bonner Leaders this year. As a Bonner Leader, she has coordinated successful fashion shows to benefit Greene County Habitat for Humanity. She was awarded a grant through the Bonner Foundation two years ago to create videos about Bonner activities on the Tusculum campus and in the community to promote the program.

Sharp also received the Bonner Leaders Program Award during the ceremony for her commitment and efforts with the organization.

Student-Chosen Awards

Also presented were faculty, staff and community awards whose recipients were selected by student vote. Receiving the Outstanding Service to Students Award, a faculty honor, was Dr. Brian Davis, assistant professor of mathematics.

In presenting the award, Chuck Whitfield, chairman of the board of the Greene County Partnership, said that Davis “has made a mark in a short time at Tusculum College, gaining the respect and affection from students in the Tusculum College math program. Dr. Davis is able to bring this conceptual field of study to life for the students.”

The Staff Award was presented to Bonnie Weston, student life coordinator for multicultural affairs. In presenting the award, Student Government Association (SGA) President Erika Witt commended Weston’s dedication to assisting students and expressed personal appreciation for the assistance Weston had given her in her SGA duties.

The Community Award for exemplary service to students was presented to Cecil Mills, Jr., assistant district general for the Third Judicial District and pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Greeneville. SGA Senator Vinton Copeland, who presented the award, described Mills as a mentor and said he found a local spiritual home at Friendship Baptist Church. Copeland also noted Mills’ professional accomplishments, his varied community involvement, his numerous honors and his ministerial service. Mills was unable to attend the ceremony and the award was accepted by his daughter, Heather Gomez.

Academic Honors

Senior 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:

Art and Design - Tylan Adams of Greeneville, Tenn.;

Accounting - Luke Fullen of Greeneville, Tenn.;

Athletic Training - Jessica Figler of Merritt Island, Fla.;

Biology  - Cindy Barrett of Surgoinsville, Tenn.;

Business Administration - Kiarra Ervin of Chattanooga, Tenn.;

Business Education , 7-12 - Marci Moore of Parrottsville, Tenn.;

Environmental Science - Jessica Shipley of Greeneville, Tenn.;

History - Jillean Roberts of Greeneville, Tenn.;

Human Growth and Learning, Early Childhood PreK-3 - Karnika Ervin of Chattanooga, Tenn.;

Human Growth and Learning, Elementary Education K-6 - Amber Willis of Fall Branch, Tenn.;

Mathematics - Logan Goodin of Maryville, Tenn.;

Mathematics Education, 7-12 - Josh Ellis of Rockledge, Fla.;

Physical Education - Robert Troutman of Mt. Washington, Ky.;

Physical Education K-12 - Tyler Collins of Flowery Branch, Ga.;

Psychology - Dustin Collins of Bluff City, Tenn.;

Sport Management - Cory Pratt of Morristown, Tenn., and

Sports Science - Cody Stites of Festus, Mo.

Recognized as Honor Students for having the highest grade point average of their class (all have a 4.0 grade point average) were:

seniors - Simon Holzapfel and Derek Murrell of Bulls Gap;

junior -  Jennifer L. Grant;

sophomores - Addie M. Hancock of Mooresburg, Tenn.; Ashley N. Sarmiento of Dayton, Ohio; Elizabeth A. Wright of Powell, Tenn., and Luis Zamora of Santiago, Chile, and

freshmen - Anjelica R. Bailey, Antonio J. Bujana, Ryan J. Byars, John Z. Conlon, Emma L. Fain and Billy W. Leach.

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:

Emily Broyles of Chuckey, Tenn.;

Kiarra Ervin of Chattanooga, Tenn.;

Brandon Gann of Newport, Tenn.;

Devona Hamm of Adamsville, Tenn.;

Simon Holzapfel of Nuremberg, Germany;

Elizabeth McDonnell of Memphis, Tenn.;

Marci Moore of Parrottsville, Tenn.;

David Roncskevitz of Franklin, Tenn.;

Jason Seaton of Midway, Tenn., and

Amber Willis of Fall Branch, Tenn.

The Alpha Chi Academic Excellence Award, which honors the highest academically ranked member of the junior class, was presented to Derek Murrell of Bulls Gap, Tenn.

Students who were chosen for the Curtis and Billie Owens Literary Prizes were honored. Students submit original, creative works in the annual writing competition, which were judged this year by award-winning poet John Hoppenthaler. The winners were: poetry - Ben Sneyd of Unicoi, Tenn.; fiction - David Roncskevitz of Franklin, Tenn.; creative non-fiction - Elizabeth McDonnell of Memphis, Tenn., and scriptwriting - Brittany Connolly of Greeneville, Tenn.,

The Dr. Shirley Beck Award for an outstanding Master of Arts in Education major was presented to CWO2 Clydie H. Shumate USN (Ret.) of Johnson City, Tenn. Shumate is a teacher at Cherokee High School in Hawkins County.

The Outstanding Education Student Award was presented to Melissa Church, a student in the bachelor’s degree program in Human Growth and Learning in the Graduate and Professional Studies program.

A new award was presented in memory of Jean Hixon, a long-time member of the Graduate and Professional Studies staff. The award was presented to Gary Glover for the Northeast Tennessee region and Bernice McClure for the Southeast Tennessee region. Hixon’s sister Anne Hall and her husband, James Hall, presented the award.

The E.H. Sargent Award in Science was presented to Derek Murrell of Bulls Gap, 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.

The Warren Lynn Drain Award was presented to Adriana Vizcarrondo,a native of Anaco, Venezuela.  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.

The Theatre Award was given to Emily Paige Hudson of Hixson, Tenn., for her participation and dedication to the theater program at Tusculum College. Hudson has appeared onstage in Theatre-at-Tusculum productions as well as working backstage building sets.

The Pinnacle Award for highest scores on annual comprehensive examinations taken by athletic training education majors was presented to Chelsea Morris of Taylorsville, N.C.; and Jason Seaton of Midway, Tenn.

Service Awards

The Service-Learning Award was presented to Mara Rutherford of Morristown, Tenn. Rutherford was part of a service-learning course last fall that worked at Rural Resources. Robin Fife, assistant professor of social science, said that Rutherford was always willing to do whatever needed to be done and was instrumental in a project that resulted in the creation of a mobile handwashing unit for Rural Resources.

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The Reformation and the Renaissance became more than concepts in a textbook for a group of Tusculum College students who discovered the art and architecture of the periods in a recent trip to Italy and Germany.

The group of Tusculum students were primarily students in a “Cultural and Literary Heritage of the West” course that includes study of the Reformation and Renaissance. The students shared their experiences on the March trip during a presentation April 18.

“It is amazing for the students to see in person what they would later be seeing in the textbook,” said Dr. Nancy Thomas, associate professor of English, one of the professors that accompanied the students and teaches the Humanities course.

As an instructor, the trip also had benefits, Thomas said. The Reformation and Martin Luther are two of the significant topics covered in the Humanities course, she noted. “Going to Germany, seeing the places he had been and going to his museum fleshed him out. He is real to me now.”

Dr. Joel Van Amberg, assistant professor of history who also accompanied the students, encouraged those at the presentation to travel abroad. “You will learn things you didn’t anticipate and be stretched in ways that you did not expect,” he said. “The unexpected is the most exciting thing of foreign travel, the broad range of experiences you get when you go abroad.”

The trip began in Rome, where the students visited such sites as the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pantheon and the Circus Maximus. “The most amazing part of Rome is the architecture,” said Marcus Taylor, an English major from Kodak, Tenn. “You can’t imagine what it is like until you are actually there.”

At the museum at the Vatican, the students were able to see masterpieces of the art in various forms. “One of the things that amazed me was the tapestries, the sheer magnitude of them,” said Ben Sneyd, an English major from Unicoi, Tenn. “You can look at them in a book, but you will never understand about the size or magnitude and never really see the detail and understand the work that must have gone into them until you see them.”

The students’ next destination was Florence, where they continued to explore the art and architecture of the Renaissance. One of the sites they noted was the Florence Baptistry where the saw Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise, two solid bronze doors containing panels with intricately designed illustrations of events from the Old Testament.

Traveling on an overnight train, the students headed to Germany and Wittenberg, which was very different than what they had experienced in Italy. “Rome and Florence were big cities and then we get off the train in Germany at a stop with just some gravel and a bench,” said William Hogg, a political science major from Pikeville, Ky. “Wittenberg was a very quaint town.”

The students noted that Germany was cleaner than the Italian cites and the people were more friendly.

In visiting the various sites related to Martin Luther, Isiah Lyman said they were able to see how he grew as a person through the various stages of his life.

While in Germany, the students also visited Coburg where they able to visit a castle. “It was amazing to see a castle up close and see the way it looked,” said Lyman, a history major from Boiling Springs, S.C.

One of the rooms in the castle had a display of weapons with a wide variety of swords and the cannons and ammunition used to defend the castle walls, said Codie Fleming, a political science major from Washington, Ga.

Dr. Thomas, Dr. Van Amberg and the students expressed their appreciation for those who had made the trip possible at the college and the travel professionals who found them clean and comfortable youth hostels to stay in along the journey.

International trips are in the planning stages for the next academic year, said Dr. Geir Bergvin, director of Tusculum’s Center for Global Studies. Planned are trips to Ecuador and Spain, a fall trip to London and service-learning trip to Belize.

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Gareth Rowlands, a senior majoring in middle childhood education, has been recognized as “Student of the Block” at Tusculum College for the Seventh Block.

Rowlands was honored at a ceremony Thursday, April 21, in the Niswonger Commons. The Student of the Block Award is presented each block by the Office of Student Affairs to recognize students for academic achievement, leadership on campus and contributions to the college community. A plaque honoring Rowlands’ accomplishments will be displayed in the Commons and other campus buildings.

The native of Benllech, Wales, was described as the embodiment of the core values and skills that Tusculum wants to instill in its students - personal integrity, civic responsibility, a strong sense of community, appreciation for critical thinking and reflective judgment and commitment to continual growth.

Rowlands has maintained a 3.22 grade point average within the rigorous education major while balancing a heavy extracurricular load. His aspiration is to become an educator in order to positively affect the lives of youth as a teacher and coach as others did for him. He credits Pauletta Johnson, director of field experience and assistant professor of education, as a helping hand along his educational journey. “Dr. Johnson is always straight to the point and always willing to help,” he said. “She has always gone above and beyond any request given to her and is an asset to Tusculum.”

What brought Rowlands to Tusculum is football. He came to campus to continue his athletic career as a kicker/punter for the Pioneer football team. Shining in his position, Rowlands garnered numerous awards including the Don Hansen All America first team, the Daktronics NCAA II All-America first team, Associated Press Little All-America second team, 2010 D2Football.com All-America second team and an invitation to play in the 2011 Cactus Bowl, the NCAA Division II Senior All-Star game. He holds the school records for consecutive field goals and consecutive extra points.

With this success, Rowlands remains the same humorous, light-hearted, intelligent and compassionate person he was when he arrived on campus. He said that involvement with the football team “has not only allowed me to improve my athletic abilities, but has allowed me the opportunity for personal growth. Being on the team has made me realize the importance of family and teamwork. I have realized that the vast majority of work that goes on behind the scenes, and you only get good results based upon the amount work that is put in.”

Looking for a challenge and an opportunity to become more involved on campus, Rowlands began serving as a resident assistant. “Gareth is one of those rare RAs who knows a great deal of the student body and can manage a situation with ease because of his positive rapport with students,” said Bonnie Weston, senior student life coordinator. “His ability to manage his commitment to the residence life program, his other commitments with football and the Boys and Girls Club of Greeneville/Greene County never ceases to amaze me, and I fully appreciate the work he has put in to make our campus community what it is today.”

Rowlands works with the Boys and Girls Club, mentoring the youth and has become a favorite of the employees of the organization. “Gareth has worked approximately 480 hours at the Boys and Girls Club where he represents Tusculum as a positive role model in the Greeneville community,” said Bette Dowd, former assistant certification officer and COG office coordinator, who nominated him for the award. “He is well admired by the children of Greene County as well as the professionals he works with.”

Campus Safety Captain Josh Jordan, who also nominated Rowlands for the honor, also pointed to his efforts at the Boys and Girls Club as well as what he has done on campus. “He has done a lot for the Tusculum and greater Greeneville community,” Jordan said.

Looking back on his time at Tusculum, Rowlands cherishes most his memories of being a member of the football team and meeting his girlfriend. His advice to his fellow students is to “enjoy it while it lasts and never leave your own fate in someone else’s hands.”

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Students from Tusculum College’s Athletic Training program will hold a benefit car wash on Saturday, April 23, from noon to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at Big Lots on the 11E Bypass.

Donations will be accepted. All proceeds from the car wash will go to the Athletic Training student program.

The Athletic Training program is one of the most rigorous academic programs at Tusculum College. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). It is designed for those students who want to meet the course work and clinical requirements established by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association Education Council, the Board of Certification and CAATE. In addition to course work, students must complete six semester-length clinical rotations working under the supervision of a BOC-certified and state-licensed athletic trainer, who is an Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI).

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Expanding Tusculum College’s Community Garden, at left, and tree tours of the campus, at right, were part of the Earth Day Extravaganza on Thursday, April 14. The event, focusing on environmental education and sustainability, was open to the public. Sponsored by the Pioneer Green Team, the event was centered in two primary areas. One was on the lawn outside of McCormick Hall on campus, where there were a number of displays providing information about topics as varied as preserving local wildlife to the dangers of radon, as well as children’s craft activities. Setting up displays were Rural Resources, Bays Mountain, the Cherokee Chapter of Trout Unlimited, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Coca-Cola and the U.S. Forest Service, which also brought along Smokey the Bear. Student volunteers worked all day at the other central location, the college’s Community Garden at the Honors Residential House near Doak Elementary School. The students planted a number of new flowers, shrubs and trees at the garden and added decorative stone pavers.

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A Tusculum College professor and student recently served as volunteer assistants at the Major of the Year Award and Reception Ceremony of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE).

Dr. Kirpal Mahal, professor of physical education, and Kate Prisco, a junior from Rogersville, volunteered to help at the ceremony for the association, which is the leading authority for physical education standards. The ceremony was held during the 126^th Convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), which was held in San Diego from March 30 to April 3.

This was the first time that Prisco attended the AAHPERD convention. She said serving at the NASPE ceremony was a great experience in that she was able to meet a number of professionals and learn about their work. As a volunteer, Prisco said she felt like an important part of the event and the association, which she described as open-minded with the right goals, enthusiasm and drive to get professionals active in its mission.

Dr. Mahal commended Prisco for the professional manner in which she performed her duties at the ceremony and the way she presented herself and represented Tusculum College very well.

During the NASPE ceremony, Tusculum senior Simon Holzapfel, from Nuremberg, Germany, along with 90 other undergraduate students in the physical education and exercise science fields from various universities, was awarded the NASPE Major of the Year Award. Holzapfel said it is a great honor to be the recipient of this award as only one student is nominated annually for the honor by the faculty of Tusculum’s Physical Education and Sport Studies Department.

Dr. Mahal accompanied a group of Tusculum students majoring in physical education or sports studies to the convention, including Elisa Andriano of North York, Ontario; Calvin Britt of Augusta, Ga.; Dean Hopewell of Leicester, England; Cassandra Melnike of Pickering, Ontario; Angie Michaud of Surgionsville, Tenn., Holzapfel, and Prisco.

At the convention, the students had the opportunity to meet and mingle with scholars and professional leaders in sports, health and physical education fields. The convention offered around 700 sessions, presentations and events on a variety of topics related to the students’ fields of study.
The students had the unique opportunity to tour to the U.S. Olympic Training Center at San Diego. The facility is one of only three Olympic training centers in the U.S. and is a gift from the San Diego National Sports Training Foundation, a group of dedicated business and community leaders, as well as volunteers, who raised the funds to build the center. The complex is mostly outdoors and covers 155 acres.

Dr. Mahal, Holzapfel, Michaud and Prisco also attended a social event sponsored by Springfield College, meeting its faculty and alumni. Springfield College, located in Massachusetts, is one of the nation’s most prestigious institutions in exercise science and physical education.

Holzapfel was one of only three student delegates selected to represent the entire student membership of AAHPERD and attended the Alliance Assembly, its governing body, on April 2. The delegates voted for the next president-elect of the Alliance, Irene Cucina, and approved motions including that “the Alliance work toward one unified national organization with a focus on comprehensive physical education, physical activity, and health.” This vote will result in the five organizations that comprise AAHPERD being transformed into one comprehensive organization.

Attending the convention was an exceptional experience for most of the Tusculum students. Prisco said she had an excellent experience attending sessions, presentations and meeting other professionals of various physical education and sports-related fields. She said it was inspiring to see so many people working passionately for the same goal of increasing the public’s activity level and improving their health.

The students also expressed appreciation for Dr. Mahal’s initiative and efforts that made the trip possible to provide the students with such an important learning experience and part of their professional development.

Dr. Mahal and the students also expressed appreciation for the financial support from the Tusculum administration, the Teaching and Professional Growth Committee and the Physical Education and Sports Studies Department.

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