NEWS & CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

Former Tusculum College colleagues, family members and friends gathered Saturday morning to pay tribute to the memory of Jean Hixon, a long-time staff member of the college, by dedicating a tree in her name on campus.

Hixon, who was a native of Parrottsville, served as a staff member in the college’s academic program for working adults, now called the Graduate and Professional Studies (GPS) program, from its inception in 1984 until her death in 2007. She began working for the college as a division accountant and was executive administrator and assistant registrar of the program at the time of her passing.

As a tribute to the impact that Hixon had in their lives both professionally and personally, staff members of the GPS program in Greeneville coordinated an effort to plant the tree. The tree, an Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry, was placed in the flower garden outside from what was Hixon’s office in Virginia Hall.

That impact was the focus of comments by those who spoke in a brief ceremony to dedicate the tree. Jamie Hamer, assistant director of enrollment and advising, Southeast, and coordinator of marketing for GPS, researched scriptures from the Bible to describe Hixon’s wisdom and her understanding and compassion, including passages from Proverbs.  When asked how he and his fellow GPS staff members think of Hixon, Hamer said their reply would be family.

Jeff Lokey, assistant professor management who worked with Hixon in the adult program, spoke of her dedication and hard work that was accompanied by a concern and love for people. He recalled that when his son was small, his son would not leave his side when he brought him to work except to go visit Hixon. As the years went by, Lokey said that Hixon would ask often about how his son was doing.

Lokey also recalled the period when the private company that operated the program in its early days for the college was planning to end its relationship with Tusculum. He and Hixon were appointed to represent their respective parts of the staff in negotiations over compensation. As they headed to the negotiations, Lokey said he wondered how well the kind and gentle Hixon would do as a negotiator. In the end, he recalled that she negotiated for better pay and benefits for her group than he did for his.

Dr. Donal Sexton, professor emeritus of history, said that Hixon always went out of her way to greet people, and she was the reason that he found it pleasant to stop by and see how things were going in the GPS program.

Mary Sheffield of Morristown, a 2007 graduate of the GPS program, said, “I am living my dream because of Jean Hixon.”  Sheffield read an acrostic poem she had written about Hixon and the impact she had in her life.

When she began the process of returning to school after beginning her family, Sheffield said she discovered that credit from an American history course she had previously taken was not transferring and called about it. She spoke to Hixon and found a person who was kind, wanted to help and listened to her describe her fears about returning to school. Sheffield kept in regular contact with Hixon and said the GPS staff member was always ready to listen and offer words of encouragement.

As the ceremony concluded, Hixon’s sister and brother-in-law, Ann and James Hall, untied a ribbon from the tree.

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The Tusculum College Board of Trustees met on Saturday, October 17, on the Greeneville campus and among other action items approved the 2009-10 budget and elected officers for the year.

Officers elected include: Chair, Kenneth A. Bowman; Vice Chair, Edward J. Kormondy; Treasurer, Donald R. Raber, and Secretary, Mark R. Williams.

Bowman, who currently resides in Alcoa Center, Penn., has been a member of the Board since 1998 and chairman since 2006. He is a coating technology manager for Alcoa Technical Center and a member of the Tusculum Class of 1970.

“I am happy to continue serving my Alma Mater as Chairman of the Board of Trustees. It is an honor to serve, and I look forward to leading the institution in the year to come.”

Kormondy, a member of Tusculum Class of 1950, is Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Hawaii-Hilo in West Oahu and currently lives in Los Angeles, Calif. He has been a member of the board since 1998. Raber joined the Board in 1997. He is president of Aldebaran Financial, Inc. in Kingsport, Tenn. Williams, of Greeneville, joined the Board in 2001. He is a broker with Century 21 Legacy. Kormondy, Raber and Williams are each continuing in their role from the previous year.

In addition to approving the new budget, Bowman noted that Dr. Nancy B. Moody, president of the College, reviewed actions taken to support the College’s strategic plan since the May Board meeting and presented “dashboard indicators” for Board consideration. According to Moody, these indicators will be used to track and evaluate progress toward the College’s goals and will be monitored by the President’s Cabinet on a weekly basis.

Presentations about Tusculum College’s international initiatives were given by Dr. Greg Church, assistant professor of biology and Dennis Lingerfelt ‘03, assistant professor of computer science, as well as student Lynnsey Jett. Jett, a senior, history education major from Jefferson City, recently returned from a semester abroad, studying in London. Church and Lingerfelt recently participated in a faculty trip to Italy as part of the College’s Global Studies program.

In other action, the Board also granted approval for the December 2009 graduates. Winter Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for Saturday, December 19, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Pioneer Arena.

Dr. David Baker, senior vice president of field services for The DirectTV Group, was voted in as a member of the Board of Trustees. Baker received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University, where he graduated cum laude. He earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University and then a doctorate in mineral economics at the Colorado School of Mines. Baker has received the General Motors President’s Council Award for Leadership, the Weyerhaeuser Achievement Award and the R.E.D. Woolsey Diamond Award. He is a member of the Financial Executives International Group, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. He is also a member of the American Production and Inventory Control Society and the Association for Computing Machinery. Baker currently resides in Weston, Fla.

The Board also welcomed Dwight B. Ferguson, Jr. as a new member. Ferguson was approved at a called meeting of the Board in August. Ferguson, retired, is a resident of Jonesborough. From March 1992 until January 2009, Ferguson served as president and chief executive officer of Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., located in Erwin. He and his wife, Beverly, have four adult children and attend Jonesborough United Methodist Church.  

The following members were reappointed for an additional term: James F. Durham of Gallatin, James (Bill) W. Hickerson of Greeneville, Hugh O. Jaynes of Knoxville, Scott M. Niswonger of Greeneville, Raber and William E. Story of Winter Park, Fla.

Outgoing board members Miles Burdine, Courtney Hutcherson and Dr. Craig Shepherd were honored with resolutions of appreciation.

Burdine, a trustee since 2006, was a driving force in the establishment of the Kingsport President’s Advisory Council for the College and continues to serve as an active member of the group. He is executive vice president and CEO of the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce. He has served as a member of the Buildings and Grounds, Enrollment, Institutional Advancement and Finance and Investments committees.

Hutcherson, president and chief executive officer of Appalachian Forest Products, LLC, has served as a member of the Athletics Committee and the Student and Religious Life Committee. He has been a dedicated supporter of the College and its programs, and his support has impacted the lives of many Tusculum College students. He joined the Board of Trustees in 2006.

Serving as a Trustee since 2006 as well, Shepherd has been an active supporter of the College for many years. He has served as chairman of the Pioneer Club Campaign for the past three years. As a Tusculum College Trustee, Shepherd, a dentist practicing with the Tusculum Dental Care clinic, has served as a member of the Institutional Advancement and Academic Affairs committees.

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Two new board members were recently named to the Tusculum College Board of Trustees. Dr. David W. Baker and Dwight B. Ferguson, Jr. are the newest members to help guide the college through service on the Board of Trustees.

A resident of Weston, Fla., Dr. Baker currently serves as senior vice president of field services for the DirecTV Group, Inc., where his areas of expertise include operations management, turnaround and restructuring, board and shareholder relations, leadership and teambuilding, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, as well as risk management, business strategy and development and international and joint venture operations.

In his position, he is responsible for Managing DirecTV’s $1.6 billion home installation and service network, with 17,000 technicians in 50 states. He has previously worked as an executive with On Command Corporation and Nightingale and Associates. Dr. Baker’s career includes more than 20 years with The DirecTV Group and its former parent company. Between 1998 and 2006, he held leadership positions with DirecTV Latin America and DirecTV Japan, as well as several senior-level financial and operational roles.

Baker received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University, where he graduated cum laude. He earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University and then a doctorate in mineral economics at the Colorado School of Mines.

He has received the General Motors President’s Council Award for Leadership, the Weyerhaeuser Achievement Award and the R.E.D. Woolsey Diamond Award. He is a member of the Financial Executives International Group, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences and the Institute of Industrial Engineers. 

He is also a member of the American Production and Inventory Control Society and the Association for Computing Machinery.

Ferguson, retired, is a resident of Jonesborough. From March 1992 until January 2009, Ferguson served as president and chief executive officer of Nuclear Fuel Services, Inc., located in Erwin. 

Ferguson began his career with a degree in accounting earned with distinction from the University of Virginia. After graduation he moved to Atlanta, accepting a position in public accounting with the international firm of Main Lafrentz & Co. 

In 1971, he became a certified public accountant and moved into industry, working in a number of positions, among them controller, group controller and chief financial officer.  In 1987, Ferguson joined Nuclear Fuel Services.

Ferguson has been actively involved in the community, having served on a number of non-profit boards. He was instrumental in establishing the “Goal Card” program which serves Washington, Carter and Unicoi counties by providing incentives for academic performance. He received the Tennessee Education Association 2005 “Friend of Education” Award on behalf of Nuclear Fuel Services in Nashville for recognition of involvement in schools through a myriad of programs.

He pioneered the first program in Tennessee that assures that every graduating student from Unicoi County High School will have the financial support to further his or her education at a local community college and new instructional methods that have improved learning for school students in Unicoi County, including Direct Instruction for language arts and a fun and innovative program for math students called Calculating Caterpillar.

He and his wife, Beverly, have four adult children and attend Jonesborough United Methodist Church.  

Both Baker and Ferguson attended their first Tusculum College Board of Trustees meeting in October.

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Danielle Armstrong of Bristol, Tenn., has been honored as the first “Student of the Block” for the 2009-10 academic year at Tusculum College.

The college’s Office of Student Affairs presented the “Student of the Block” Award to Armstrong during a brief ceremony on Oct. 8. Armstrong was presented a plaque detailing her accomplishments that will be displayed on the “Wall of Honor” in the Niswonger Commons and then rotate to other academic buildings. The award was instituted to honor students for academic excellence and leadership on campus. Faculty and staff members submit nominations for the award.

In his nomination of Armstrong, David Smith said, “On top of all the accolades, Danielle has earned as a fantastic employee and student, she is a wonderful person who always has time to greet new students and welcome them to campus.” Smith is assistant director of Student Support Services and TRIO Programs, and Armstrong serves as a mentor for Student Support Services.

In presenting the honor, Dean of Students Dr. David McMahan noted that Armstrong was the epitome of an engaged student at Sullivan Central High School and has continued that tradition of engagement in her college career. She is an English and science subject tutor, a Student Support Services mentor, a contributing writer to the student newspaper and a writer for the “Tusculum Review,” the college’s literary magazine.

Armstrong is serving for the second year as a resident assistant in the college’s Residence Life program, is a resident assistant for the Upward Bound summer camp and is a freshman orientation leader.

McMahan noted that Armstrong is one of those individuals whose leadership is not marked with words, but with attitudes and action. “While Tusculum will lose a valuable member of the student body when Danielle departs in the spring of 2011, the world will gain a dedicated and wonderful member of the creative writing community,” he said. “Her quiet leadership has truly been marked in her actions and return to the campus which she believes has given her so much.”

A strong creative and artistic talent led Armstrong to her current major, creative writing. The junior notes that the decision came after searching for her academic niche. “I changed my major several times . . . pre-physical therapy to art education to journalism and professional writing to creating writing,” she says. “I did not want to become a doctor; I didn’t want to just report the facts, and I enjoy writing and being creative.”

Armstrong chose to follow her passion and aspires to earn advanced degrees in fine arts in order to become a college professor and author in years to come. Encouraging Armstrong’s dreams has been her favorite professor, Dr. Taimi Olsen, who taught “Classical Mythology,” one of her favorite classes.

She has also participated in a research project involving the English and Psychology department and was a co-presenter about the project with other students at an Appalachian College Association (ACA) symposium with psychology professors, Dr. Brian Pope and Dr. Tom Harlow.

When asked what advice she can give to fellow college students, Armstrong replied she would encourage them to become involved and engaged with the campus community to find where they belong. “Initially, I was homesick and went home a lot, but the more involved I got, the less time I had to go home,” she said.

In her first semester at college, Armstrong was not involved and did not know many people on campus. However, her best friend from high school, Tiffany Colbaugh, was also a student at Tusculum and knew many people through her work-study position in the Student Affairs Office. “I tagged along with Tiffany and eventually got to know more people. I became very involved in my second semester as a tutor and writer for the paper – I found out where I belonged,” she said.

Her many memories of friends and activities are what Armstrong describes as the backbone of her Tusculum experience, whether it was a student trip to King’s Island, enjoying watching fellow students slide down the many hills on campus on snowy days or watching the band competition each fall. “I would not have been happier anywhere else,” she said. “The campus is small, the classes are small and I enjoy the one-on-one attention I receive. I truly enjoy the small private school environment.”

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Ruth Thomas, associate professor emeritus of music at Tusculum College, has been nominated as a Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Fellow for the State of Tennessee. 

Thomas’ recognition is an honor bestowed by her peers. With the nomination, Thomas’ former students, peers and friends can make a donation to the Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fund in her name. The Foundation Fund supports programs that nurture the creation, performance, study and teaching of music, according to Deane K. Gray of the Smoky Mountain Music Teachers Association and the Tennessee Music Teachers Association Executive Board. 

“We are excited to honor Ruth for a lifetime of dedication to her students, to her community and for her exemplary service to the Tennessee Music Teachers Association and to the Music Teachers National Association,” said Gray.

Thomas joined the College’s music department in the mid-1960s with her husband, Arnold, who passed away in recent years. The two decades that the couple served the College was marked by the success of the well-respected choral program that significantly touched the lives of students.

As a team, the husband and wife directed the Tusculum College Singers, creating three choirs from a small group of singers: the mixed chorus, men’s chorus and women’s chorus. She accompanied the men’s and mixed choruses on piano and directed the women’s chorus. According to former students, Thomas was always calm and cheerful - a trait which was needed during last-minute rehearsals before choir tours.

Teaching such classes as music theory and history, she also found time to teach piano in a studio at Tusculum, which she continues to this day. Her students found she had high expectations and helped them achieve results that they had not thought possible. Her attention to detail in playing music was not just valuable in regards to piano, but also one that benefited her students later in life.

Tusculum College has not been the only benefactor of Thomas’ talent and dedication. She was the founder and former conductor of the Greater Greeneville Chorale. She is also the long-time pianist and organist at Greeneville Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

Contributions can be made at the MTNA Web site at www.mtnafoundaton.org and designated for “Ruth Thomas Fellow” fund. Contributions can be made in any amount, but must be made by January 31, 2010.  A minimum of $1,000 must be sent in her name in order for her to be named Fellow.

Each year new MTNA Fellows are recognized at the national conference.  The March 2010 conference will be held in Albuquerque, N.M. New Fellows are honored at the closing Gala, and are recognized in “American Music Teacher” magazine.

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A tree-planting ceremony is planned for Saturday, October 17, at 10 a.m. at Tusculum College in memory of Jean Hixon, who worked with the College’s Graduate and Professional Studies program from 1984 until her passing in 2007.

The event is being organized by staff members of the GPS program in Greeneville and is open to anyone who would like to join in celebrating the life of Hixon. The tree, donated by the staff members, will be planted in the flower garden outside of Virginia Hall just outside what at one time was Hixon’s office.

According to Chance Gillespie, one of the organizers of the event and GPS enrollment representative, “Hixon was known for her kindness, strong devotion to Tusculum College and affection for her co-workers, who regarded her as ‘family.’”

Hixon began working for the College in 1984 as division accountant for the working adult learning program when it was operated by a private company contracted by Tusculum.  When the College took over management of the program, she became a direct employee as admissions coordinator.  At the time of her passing, she was executive administrator and assistant registrar.

A native of Parrottsville, Tenn., Hixon was a graduate of East Tennessee State University and had taught business in the Greene County School System, worked for an insurance agency and a construction firm and served in the financial aid office at Carson-Newman College before coming to Tusculum.

She was active in her church and the United Methodist Women organization. She was also a member, officer and committee person of the Tennessee Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, the Southern Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators and the American Association of University Women.

The event is open to the public, but an RSVP is requested. RSVP to Kelly Edens, admissions support coordinator, at 423-636-7330. Refreshments will be provided.

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A Tusculum College student’s service trip to Belize this summer has inspired the creation of a scholarship fund to give youth in the Central American country the opportunity to go school.

Boazin Katina, a senior education major, taught at the Faith Nazarene School in San Ignacio this summer, which serves grades one through six. As part of his service project, he was provided $250 to give to the school in some way. Although the school’s principal suggested using the money for a sign, Katina wanted to use it in some way to help the students and decided to create a scholarship fund instead.

“I wanted to do something that would help the kids,” he related during a presentation Thursday about his project, explaining that many students’ families had to pay tuition for their children to attend the school. While there are some government-operated schools in Belize, most are church-sponsored, private schools.

While at the school, Katina said he asked students about their aspirations and replies ranged from lawyer to homemaker to even American football player. “They have dreams,” he said. “The way for them to realize their dreams is to have an education.”

He explained that once students in Belize reach the sixth grade they take an exam to determine if they can go what is referred to in that country as “college,” but is comparable to an American high school. The government provides scholarships for students who make a high enough score to continue their education but don’t have the resources to do so.

Katina is seeking additional support for the scholarship fund and has set up an account here to accept donations. It takes $200 in American currency to sponsor a child in school for a year in Belize, he said.

In addition to an avenue for Tusculum College students and those in the community to get involved in the project, the scholarship also provides a way for service to the school to continue and not be confined to just a summer service project, he said. Perhaps in the future, the scholarship can grow to give students assistance throughout their educational careers, Katina continued, and perhaps bring them to Tusculum to attend college.

Katina’s trip to Belize was coordinated with the ProBelize organization, which includes education as part of its mission to help improve the lives of those in the country. The education component was one reason he chose the organization, which provided the $250 to Katina for use during his service project. He chose Belize as a destination partly because of the fact that it is a Third World country and he is from a Third World country in Africa. “Being from a Third World country, I felt I would be familiar with the challenges the school would be facing.”

He did face some adjustments in traveling to Belize because he has lived in the United States for the past several years. Katina became a naturalized U.S. citizen earlier this year.

The climate was warmer than even what he had known in Africa, he said. In the schools, there was no air conditioning. “There was one fan directed on the teacher, which didn’t seem fair,” he said.

Students and teachers face many challenges, Katina said. Classes of around 30 students are crowded into small classrooms with one teacher, he continued, and there are no special education teachers. He recalled that there was one student in a wheelchair who had to be carried up to the classroom on the second floor because the building was not handicapped accessible.

Teachers and students also had no textbooks. “If a person teaches algebra, he must do it from the top of his head,” he said.

Grading exams takes much work for the teachers, since they don’t have standardized tests and answer sheets that can be scanned, he said. Katina helped teach during the last two weeks in the academic year.

The people in Belize were friendly and helpful to him, he said. He lived with a host family during his stay.  The trip afforded him the opportunity to see a different side of the country than what is shown in tourism brochures. He recalled that another student volunteer left after two days at the school because she was frustrated that it was not the Belize she had seen in brochures and on television.

Another of Katina’s goals as a follow-up to the trip is to establish a pen-pal program between members of the Greeneville-Greene County Boys and Girls Club and students at the Saint Nazarene School. The program would be a good way for the students in both countries to learn about each other and their cultural differences, he explained.. Katina had a pen pal from England when he was a student and enjoyed their exchanges and what he learned of a different culture.

Although the students in Belize were very westernized, Katina said, there are some differences in how they view races and cultures from how it is viewed in the United States. Leaving the school was sad, he said. “Students would tell me to ‘remember me’ or ‘don’t forget about me,’” he recalled.

Katina’s service project was funded by an annual award provided by the college’s Warren W. Hobbie Center and Center for Civic Advancement. Those who would like to give towards the scholarship are asked to make a check out to “Tusculum College” with “Belize Scholarship” in the memo line and send it to the Center for Civic Advancement, P. O. Box 5041, Greeneville, TN 37743.

Proposals are being accepted through Oct. 30 for the $1,500 award for an in-depth, independent civic service project.  Any Tusculum College student who meets the service-learning pre-requisites and enrolls in SVLN 450 is eligible for the award. The project must be done within one year of the receipt of the funds.

The written proposals must include a description of the project, explanation of the community need to be addressed, details of how the community need was identified, a time line and budget, a plan for reflection, identification of community and faculty mentors and description of the goals of the project and the intended outcome, outlining how it will benefit both the student and community. Proposals must be sent electronically to Dr. Angela Keaton at akeaton@tusculum.edu. Any questions about the process and award can be sent to Dr. Keaton as well.

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The Museums of Tusculum College have two new staff members to help with educational efforts, Dollie Boyd and Darlene McCleish.

Leah Walker, who joined the museum staff last year, has been promoted to site and events manager.

Dollie Boyd has joined the Museums of Tusculum College as manager of school programs. She will be responsible for the development and implementation of on-site and outreach curriculum-based school programs offered through the Doak House Museum. The museum offers a variety of educational programs throughout the academic year for school groups and home-schooled children. It hosts thousands of children annually.

A native of Sewanee, Tenn., Boyd taught grades 9-12 from 1994 to 2007, served as a graduate research assistant at the Albert Gore Research Center and was an interpretive ranger at Tims Ford State Park. She earned her bachelor’s degree in speech and theater with minors in education and history from Middle Tennessee State University and is a candidate for her master’s degree in history/public history from MTSU. Boyd has also made several professional presentations including to the National Council of Public History and Phi Alpha Theta Regional Conference.

Darlene McCleish has joined the museum staff as National History Day resource coordinator. She will provide assistance to teachers and students working on National History Day projects by providing classroom instructional aid, one-on-one guidance and/or helping to insure they have resources to develop successful projects and activities.

McCleish recently retired after 30 years of teaching in the Greene County School System. She has received several professional recognitions including Greene County Teacher of the Year Grades K-4 in 1999, 2002 and 2004. Most recently she served as the Battle of Blue Springs Education Day coordinator and co-authored the teacher’s guide.

This new part-time position is funded through grants from the Andrew Johnson Heritage Association and the Niswonger Foundation.

The Department of Museum Program and Studies has coordinated the regional National History Day for the past several years and has provided support to participating schools throughout the school year. The program helped start the local events at Mosheim Elementary School. Students from Mosheim Middle and Chuckey-Doak Middle have advanced to the national event. The Andrew Johnson Heritage Association has provided financial support for the National History Day events and provided aid for student travel as they have advanced through the levels of competition.

Leah Walker has accepted a new assignment as site and events manager at the Doak House Museum. In this role, she is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the museum, special programs such as “Lessons from the Lawn,” and partnership programs with the International Storytelling Center and Greene County Partnership.

In addition, Walker will oversee the Girl and Boy Scout programs, the museum’s Volunteer Program and operation of the museum shop. She will also undertake investigation and development of new group programming opportunities.

A graduate of Tusculum’s baccalaureate museum studies program, Walker returned to her alma mater last August as museum educator, responsible for an array of school programming and camps during a period of transition. She earned her master’s degree in storytelling from East Tennessee State University and spent a year with the National Park Service in Death Valley, Calif., where she was involved in site operations and interpretation of Scotty’s Castle.

To reach any of these staff members, please call the Doak House Museum at 423-636-8554. They can also be reached by e-mail, Boyd at dboyd@tusculum.edu, McCleish at mcleishd@gmail.com and Walker at lwalker@tusculum.edu.

The Museums of Tusculum College administer the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library and the Doak House Museum on campus. The Doak House Museum, the 19th century home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, co-founder of Tusculum College, hosts thousands of school children from the region for a variety of educational programs related to the 19th century and CHARACTER COUNTS! The President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library houses a special collection of items relating to the 17th president, the college’s archives and volumes from the institution’s original library.

The museums are also two of the 10 structures on the Tusculum campus on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum department also offers one of the few undergraduate degree programs in museum studies in the country.

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