NEWS & CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

Tusculum College is looking for women who have made a significant impact in the life of the community and have not been widely recognized for it. Nominations are being sought for the annual Woman of Courage Award.

Nominations for the award should include not only the individual’s name, but also a narrative and any additional information about why the person is deserving of the award (i.e. what significant contribution the nominee has made to the community) and a person(s) or organization(s) to contact for more information about the nominee.

Criteria are that the applicant must demonstrate a long-term commitment to improving the local community, must exhibit efforts to change their community and world in a positive way, must reside in Greene County, must be a female and may not be a member of the Tusculum College Center for Civic Advancement. In addition, she may not be an immediate family member of any student involved in the award process.

Sponsored by the Center for Civic Advancement, the award was first presented in 2004. The project provides students practical experience in research, interviewing, planning and organizing events, as well as working together to achieve a common goal in bringing recognition to a deserving individual. Students will also explore the gender dynamics that have contributed to the nominees’ lives.

Nominations with the nominee’s name, address, phone number and a few paragraphs about why they are deserving of the award should be sent as soon as possible to: akeaton@tusculum.edu or nominators may call 423.636.7300 ext. 5692.

Individuals making the nominations are asked to please include their contact information so they can be reached if more information is needed. The deadline for entries is 5 p.m. on Monday, February 22.

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“Wellness and Learning - Finding the Link in Southern Appalachia” is the topic of an expert panel discussion that will be sponsored by the Niswonger Foundation for the benefit of Tusculum College students, staff, faculty and anyone interested in participating.

The event will be Tuesday, February 16, at 7 p.m. and will be held at Annie Hogan Byrd Auditorium.

The panel of experts include: Dr. Randy Wykoff, dean of the College of Public Health at East Tennessee State University; Oliver “Buzz” Thomas, president of Great Schools Partnership and former director of the Niswonger Foundation; Dr. Kimberly Ferguson, director of the Hancock County school-based health centers, and Dr. John Boyd, principal of Science Hill High School.

Topics to be addressed include the current level of health and educational achievement in Northeast Tennessee, the possible directions for the future and the role that the next generation of citizens can and must play in improving the region.

Tusculum College students will earn Arts and Lecture credit for participating.

For more information call 798-7837.

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The second session of the Theologian-in-Residence series at Tusculum College on Tuesday (Feb. 9) brought an insightful look into the life and ideas of Clarence Jordan, the author of the “Cotton Patch” versions of the New Testament and a co-founder of an organization that has become Habitat for Humanity International.

The session began with the performance of “Clarence Jordan and the God Movement” by Dr. Al Staggs, a performance artist and former minister who is leading the 2010 Theologian-in-Residence lecture series. The annual event, attended by about 130 on Tuesday, is co-sponsored by the Holston Presbytery and Tusculum College with sessions on each Tuesday in February.

Jordan, who was a farmer, Baptist minister and Biblical scholar, did not seek to in the limelight, but earned the respect of many and was invited to speak at churches and other organizations across the nation, Staggs said.

However, Jordan did not receive that same respect from those in the communities around Koinonia, a Christian interracial farming community he helped form in 1942 near the town of Americus in southern Georgia.

Jordan and Martin England, a former missionary, formed the farming community, whose name comes from a Greek word meaning communion or fellowship that was used in Acts 2 to describe the earliest Christian community. The founders were committed to embodying the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount in the farming community, and at Koinonia, all persons were treated as equal, violence was rejected, ecological stewardship was a priority and there was common ownership of possessions. The families lived in individual houses on the farm and worked together to make the farm productive, sharing in its bounty.

Jordan’s life and theological ideas were guided primarily by Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Staggs explained. He could not be neatly categorized as a liberal, moderate or conservative and took each group to task as he realized that each was very selective in interpretation of the Bible.

Jordan wrote the “Cotton Patch” versions of the New Testament to help people, particularly Southerners, understand the gravity of Scriptures and how they applied to people’s lives in the here and now, not just in ancient times, Staggs said.

Christians should not only grow in their walk with Jesus and show the changes in their heart by their own actions, Jordan felt, but their actions should also cause positive changes in those around them and they should work to make what is moral, legal.

During a period of discussion following the play, Staggs said, “Clarence Jordan gives me a sense of hope that there is a possibility for me to grow and change.”

When asked about how Jordan’s views evolved, Staggs said that he did not find that much change in his beliefs over his lifetime. Jordan had a spirit of humility, he continued, and did not seem to lose sight of his focus in his ministry and Christian life.

Jordan’s ideas about poverty, greed and race relations were explored as part of Staggs first-person portrayal of Jordan in the play. Throughout his life, Jordan was able to diffuse those violently opposed to his ideas with humor, Staggs said, and the play exemplified that humor.

Part of the monologue involved “big preachers” on television and the subjects that Jordan wished that they would address, such as racism, greed and war and peace.

Koinonia was a regular target of harassment by racist groups such as the Klu Klux Klan, was refused service by white businesses in nearby communities and was the subject of boycotts in purchasing produce by locals, Staggs explained. Jordan and other families in the community were also thrown out of their church and children of the families were ostracized by their schoolmates.

During the play’s monologue, Jordan recalls that as a child he used to wonder if God had favorites, if God loved white children more than black children because they seemed to have better lives. However, he continued, he later learned that the poorer condition of the black children was not because God loved black children less but because black children were loved less by society. But, Jordan asserted that all races were equal as all people are saved by grace, and there is perfect equality at the foot of the Cross.

It is also a paradox, Jordan pointed out, that slavery had existed and racism is part of the fabric of the culture in a part of the country known as the “Bible Belt.”

The play also devotes time to Jordan’s views of greed and Christians’ responsibility to care for others. Greed is talked about more in the Bible than sexual immorality, Jordan noted. A Christian’s perspective should be to look out for other people and their needs, he believed, but capitalism has made Americans very individualistic and not as prone to be concerned about others, particularly the poor and oppressed.

The play also includes Jordan’s views about war and peace. He was a true pacifist, who refused to fight in World War II, Staggs explained. Jordan was in the ROTC in school, but one day during drills, Jesus’ admonition in the Sermon on the Mount to love enemies came to his mind and he quit the ROTC as a result. That command to love enemies became the basis of his pacifism.

Staggs noted that Jordan was not critical of soldiers, but of the politics behind waging war, which he felt was done with a profit motive.

These views of Jordan’s might lead one to believe that he was not patriotic or did not love the United States. That was not true, Staggs said, as Jordan did love this country, but also felt that a Christian’s highest allegiance was to Jesus and the kingdom of God, not a nation.

The Theologian-in-Residence lecture series continues on Tuesday, Feb. 16, when Dr. Staggs’ topic will be “Laughter of Life,” exploring the importance of humor to physical, emotional and spiritual health. The session will begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at about 1:30 p.m. Lunch is included during the session.

There is no admission fee for the series, but reservations are required. To make reservations, please call 423-636-7319 or e-mail adean@tusculum.edu.

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Tusculum College’s Green Team will be hosting an inter-campus Recycling Competition, Monday, February 22 – Friday, February 26.

The week-long recycling contest will see which residence hall can collect the most recyclable materials. Students are encouraged to show school spirit and pride in the Earth by participating.

The winning residence hall will receive a pizza party as well as a trophy for all their hard work.

The Tusculum College Pioneer Green Team meets every Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Center for Civic Advancement, located on the second floor of Rankin Hall.

For questions about this event or the Pioneer Green Team, contact: kgust@students.tusculum.edu.

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               Direct costs to students enrolled at Tusculum College in the 2010-11 academic year will rise, but at the lowest rate in many years according to Tusculum College President Dr. Nancy B. Moody.

            “The direct cost of tuition, room and board is only going up 2.4 percent for the next academic year,” Moody said. “This is the lowest amount the College has increased in years, which is very significant considering the current economic situation on a national and regional level.”

By comparison, the average tuition and fees at Tennessee private institutions similar to Tusculum College increased an average of 4.89 percent last year, according to reports from the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA.)

Moody said that campus officials are communicating with existing and potential new students to assure them that while other institutions are seeing much higher increases, at Tusculum College the rate increase will much lower than in past years and compared to other higher education institutions.

According to Jacquelyn D. Elliott, vice president of enrollment management, the direct cost of tuition, room and board will increase a total of $655 for the next academic year, bringing tuition costs to $19,920 and room and board expenses to $8,000.

According to TICUA reports, Tusculum and other Tennessee private colleges offer excellent value compared to their peers nationally.

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Twenty-seven students from Greene County will be competing in the District History Day event in Knoxville on Monday, March 1.

The students advanced to the district competition by placing either first or second in their respective categories in the Northeast Tennessee Regional History Day held Wednesday, Feb. 3, at Tusculum College.

The Tusculum College Department of Museum Studies hosted the Regional History Day event, which received financial support from the Andrew Johnson Heritage Association. The Tusculum Department of Museum Studies is the regional coordinator for National History Day events.

While on campus, the students visited the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library. The event ended with an awards ceremony that included an address encouraging the students to continue their study of history by Dr. Angela Keaton, assistant professor of commons and history at Tusculum.

The winners from the district then go on to the state competition.

Projects advancing to the district event are (by category):

Indvidual exhibit: sixth grade - first place, “Innovative Sight: The History of Spectacles” by Sandi Inscore (Mosheim Middle School); seventh grade - first place, “The Edison Phonograph” by Jonathan Nicholson (Mosheim), and second place, “Programmable Logic Controller” by Luke Keasling (Mosheim); and eighth grade - first place, “Atari 2000: History of the Future” by Chance Powell (Chuckey-Doak Middle School), and second place, “Need for Speed” by Lauren Dunbar (Chuckey-Doak).

Group exhibit: sixth grade - first place, “Reaping Across America” by Amee Hankins and Caleb Moon (Chuckey-Doak); seventh grade - first place, “Protecting the Present, Preserving the Past, Transforming the Future” by Alexus Gibson and Michala Myers (Chuckey-Doak), and second place, “Are You Prepared?” by Dylan Carter and Noah Wagner (Mosheim); and eighth grade - first place, “Shall Not Deny My Vote” by Katie Bishop and Maddy Hensley (Chuckey-Doak), and second place, “Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread” by Matt Dickinson and Ethan Myers (Mosheim).

Documentary: first place, “Prosthetics: From Inability to Ability” by Meghan Lamb and Erica Reynolds (Mosheim), and second place, “The History of Basketball” by Braxton Potter, Jacob Peters and Cole Christopher (Mosheim).

Performance: first place, “Orville and Wilbur Wright: The Invention of Flight” by Daniel Beddingfield, Austin Fillers, and Kelley Russ (Chuckey-Doak); and second place, “Wright Brothers” by Nathan Blaylock, Taylor Dean and Jeff Hensley (Chuckey-Doak).

The preceding winners will participate in the junior category competitions for grades 6-8. A Greene County student will also be participating in the senior exhibit category for high school students. Matt Hensley, a ninth grader at Chuckey-Doak High School, advances to the district competition with his first place exhibit, “Cyrus McCormick: Inventive Genius.”

A special award was presented for best use of primary sources in a project to Meghan Lamb and Erica Reynolds for their documentary “Prosthetics: From Inability to Ability.” Each student received a $25 cash award as part of the honor, which was sponsored by the Tusculum College Department of History.

The Department of Museum Studies at Tusculum coordinates the Regional History Day as well as providing resources throughout the school year to assist students and teachers in the process of creating projects. This year, this effort has been significantly enhanced by the addition to the department of Darlene McCleish as National History Day resource coordinator. The part-time position was created through grant funds from the Andrew Johnson Heritage Association and the Niswonger Foundation.

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 19^th 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 19^th century and CHARACTER COUNTS! The President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library houses a special collection of items relating to the 17^th 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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Tusculum College President Dr. Nancy B. Moody will complete her term as chair of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) Executive Committee in February.

Moody took over the role in April 2008 and will completed her term in office at the February 2010 meeting.

TICUA engages Tennessee’s private colleges and universities to work collaboratively in areas of public policy, cost containment and professional development to better serve the state and its citizens. As chair, Moody led the organization’s executive committee, convened and presided over TICUA board meetings and the Nashville-based organization’s annual meeting.

“Under Dr. Moody’s leadership TICUA has become one of the state’s most respected leaders in higher education policy. During her tenure as Chair of TICUA, students attending Tennessee’s private colleges have benefited from more than $120 million in state funded student aid,” TICUA President Dr. Claude Pressnell stated. 

“Her passion for helping students and advancing the cause of independent higher education was a driving force behind her success,” Pressnell added.

Moody is the 27^th president of Tusculum College and the College’s first female president. As president, she continues a tradition of genuine care and concern for small, private school educational opportunities for students. Moody is also a strong supporter of educational programs for working adults and a strong advocate of Tusculum College’s civic arts program.

In addition to her active role with TICUA, Moody currently serves on the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation Board of Directors and is a member of the NCAA Division II President’s Council. She is an active participant on the boards of the Appalachian Colleges Association and the Tennessee Center for Nursing, Inc.

Moody received associate and baccalaureate degrees in nursing from Eastern Kentucky University, a master’s of science in nursing from Texas Woman’s University and a doctorate of science in nursing from the University of Alabama’s School of Nursing at Birmingham.

She is married to Tom Moody, a self-employed public accountant. She and Tom are the proud parents of grown children, daughter, Mykel, and son, Adam.

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The GED exam scheduled for Wedensday, Feb. 10, in Virginia Hall, Room 216 will be held as scheduled. Exam takers are urged to keep driving conditions in mind, but for those who are able to make it to campus, the exam will be given beginning at  5 p.m.

Tusculum Colleg tutoring sessions for the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 10 have been cancelled.

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Theatre-at-Tusculum will present the award-winning and critically acclaimed musical revue “A… My Name is Alice” during the last two weekends of February.

The production, featuring more than 20 songs and sketches, will be performed at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, Feb. 19-20 and Feb. 26-27 and at 2 p.m. on Sundays, Feb. 21 and 28. All performances will be in the David Behan Arena Theatre on the lower level (side entrance) of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts Building on the Tusculum College campus.

The show gets its unusual name from the way in which each of the cast members introduces herself by reciting an adult update on the children’s ABC nursery rhyme.

“Alice” explores the many facets of women’s lives with insight, empathy and self-deprecating humor. Sophisticated, bawdy, funny and insightful, the revue portrays friends, rivals, sisters, mothers, business professionals and more. Due to the adult content of the some of the scenes, the production is not recommended for ages 13 and under.

Conceived by Joan Micklin Silver and Julianne Boyd and written by a variety of writers, lyricists and composures, “Alice” was first introduced in 1984 at the American Place Theatre in New York as part of its Women’s Project and enjoyed a long run at the Village Gate Off Broadway.

Theatre-at-Tusculum’s Director Marilyn duBrisk has enlarged the original cast of five women to include 17 women and four men. The cast includes nine Tusculum college students – Paige Hudson, Allison Harris, Sabine Azemar, Kayla Desiree Jones, Amanda
Lee Huylebroeck, Julian Robinson Parks, Billie Jennings, Brianna Cox and Brian Ricker. Other cast members include locally known actresses Angela Bride and Paige Mengel.

Production staff includes vocal director Angie Clendenon, accompanist Susan McNabb, costume director Barbara Holt and Frank Mengel, staging. The sets, lights and costume crew are Tusculum College students. Suzanne Greene is serving as stage manager.

Admission is $12 for adults and $10 for seniors 60 years of age and over. For more information, contact Tusculum College Arts Outreach at 423-798-1620, e-mail jhollowell@tusculum.edu or visit http://arts.tusculum.edu.

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In an effort to support the American Red Cross and its relief efforts in Haiti, Campus Security is sponsoring a fundraiser yard sale at Tusculum College on Saturday, February 27. The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Pioneer Gym.

According to Campus Safety Officer Josh Jordan, anyone wishing to assist with the event can do so by either making a cash donation or by donating gently used items for the yard sale. The day of the sale will be coordinated by Campus Safety along with assistance from Student Affairs, the Center for Civic Advancement and the Bonner Leaders.

Jordan said that items for donation should not be brought to campus until the week of Feb. 22. Persons bringing in items that week should contact Campus Safety, and they will pick the items up for storage until the yard sale on Saturday.

The yard sale will be advertised and open to the public, but all Tusculum College staff, faculty and students are encouraged to visit and shop.

All proceeds from the sale will be donated to the American Red Cross’ Haiti relief efforts and remaining items after the sale will be donated to local charities.

For more information on the project or to make a cash donation, contact Jordan, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Ext. 5318.

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