NEWS & CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

The Doak House Museum is offering opportunities for area youngsters to fill part of their summer vacations with a lot of fun through exploration of history.

The museum, located on the Tusculum College campus, will offer two sessions of its “Ready, Set, Explore!” summer camp in June.

The “Ready, Set, Explore!” summer camp is for children ages 6-12. The first camp will be offered Monday through Thursday, June 7-10. A second camp session will follow Monday through Thursday, June 21-24.

The camps will allow students to learn how history shapes the society of today through a variety of hands-on activities. Students will discover how history is used in daily life, learn how archeologists find clues from the past, become a history detective by learning how to “read” a building, make arts and craft projects and participate in fun and games that students from the 19th century would have enjoyed.

Cost for each of the camps is $85 per participant. If more than one child is attending from a family, the charge for the second and each additional child is $75. Campers are to provide their own sack lunch. Snacks are included in the tuition cost. For more information about the camps, please contact the Doak House Museum at 423-636-8554 or e-mail dboyd@tusculum.edu.

The Doak House Museum is one of two on campus administered by the college’s Department of Museum Program and Studies. The museum is the 19th century home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, co-founder of Tusculum College, and hosts thousands of school children from the region for a variety of educational programs related to the 19th century.

The Museums also administer the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, which 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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Like to play or listen to traditional music?

Musicians and musical fans are invited to “Pickin’ at the Doaks’,” a fun and informal traditional music jam session at the Doak House Museum that will take place the fourth Friday of every month from May to September.

The first “Pickin’ at the Doaks’” event will be this Friday, May 28. Music will begin at 6 p.m. and continue until dark on the lawn of the Doak House Museum on the Tusculum College campus. There is no admission charge to this family event.

Musicians are encouraged to bring their banjo, fiddle, guitar, dobro, mandolin, washboard, spoons, jug and jaw harp and join in the jam session. The event is acoustic only, so musicians are asked to limit selections to traditional music.

Everyone is encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket for seating.

“Pickin’ at the Doaks’” events are also scheduled for Fridays, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27 and Sept. 24. All of the events will be held at the Doak House Museum except the June 25 event, which will be held on the lawn of the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library on the Tusculum campus.

The Doak House Museum is one of two on campus administered by the college’s Department of Museum Program and Studies. The museum is the 19th century home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, co-founder of Tusculum College, and hosts thousands of school children from the region for a variety of educational programs related to the 19th century.

The Museums also administer the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, which houses a special collection of items relating to the 17th president, the college’s archives, special themed exhibits 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 has named a new member to the Board of Trustees, granted a former faculty member emeritus status and approved the promotion of four professors after approval by the Board of Trustees at their May meeting on Saturday, May 22.

In addition, officials discussed continued growth on the residential campus in Greeneville and approved a preliminary budget for 2010-2011.

Ann E. Parker Westervelt, a 1971 graduate of Tusculum College, was elected to the college’s Board of Trustees. Westervelt is a resident of Ticonderoga, N.Y. and has her master’s of education for the deaf from Smith College in Massachusetts.

Prior to her retirement, Westervelt spent a career in education working with the deaf and hearing impaired. She has also continued to be civically engaged, serving on various committees at the First United Methodist Church in Ticonderoga, serving as a Girl Scout leader and participating in the Carillon Garden Club and the Friends of Black Watch Library organization.

“We were very pleased when Ann accepted our invitation to join the Board of Trustees,” said Chair of the Board Kenneth A. Bowman, who is a 1970 graduate of the college. “Ann has been a supporter of arts programs throughout her life and a strong believer in service to the community. She brings great perspective to our board, and all of us look forward to working with her.”

Westervelt will attend her first meeting in October.

The Tusculum College Board of Trustees approved the designation of faculty emeritus for Wess duBrisk at the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Committee, the provost and the president. Having come to Tusculum College in 1984, duBrisk chaired the Mass Media Department (now the Film and Broadcasting Department) for 22 years before his retirement in 2005. As director of a one-person program, he taught a wide variety of courses, including “Television/Video Production,” “Art of Photography,” “Introduction to Mass Media,” “Radio Production” and “Photojournalism,” to name a few.

As an educator, duBrisk exposed his students to many real-life situations, including taking his class to a CNN broadcast of ‘TalkBack Live.” Recently duBrisk was the recipient of the National Living Faculty Award given by the Tusculum College Alumni Association (2005).  Both inside and outside the classroom, he took to heart the civic arts mission of Tusculum College and was awarded a grant through the Learn and Serve America Higher Education.  Besides serving as chair of the Mass Media Department, he also chaired the Tusculum College Faculty Affairs Committee.

In other board action, four professors were approved for promotion in the 2010-2011 academic year. They include Dr. Ian VanLare who was promoted to professor. Dr. VanLare joined the faculty of Tusculum College in 1999 and holds a doctorate in biology from Virginia Polytechnic and State University.

VanLare recently published a peer reviewed article in the “Journal of Canadian Microbiology” and has an additional article under consideration for publication. He served as co-author of a grant through the Appalachian Colleges Association to support improving quantitative literacy. He has served as a member of the Faculty Affairs Committee, which he chaired in 2008-2009. He has also served as chair of the Biology Department for nine years and led a faculty study trip to Costa Rica in 2009.

Also promoted were Dr. Tom Harlow to associate professor of psychology, Dr. Elizabeth Loveday to associate professor of education and Dr. Rhonda Fawbush Smith to associate professor of management.

Harlow has been with the college since 2006 and is very active in student-faculty research, mentoring dozens of students as they developed poster presentations for the Southeastern Psychological Association.

Loveday came to Tusculum in 2007 from Carson-Newman College and is a well-known consultant for schools in Athens, Alcoa and Sullivan counties where she conducted teacher training in reading pedagogy.

Smith holds a law degree and a master’s of accountancy from the University of Tennessee and serves as director of the college’s School of Business. She initiated a vigorous annual assessment process, which for the past several years has been the strongest institutional effectiveness program at Tusculum.

The Board of Trustees also received a report from the Student and Religious Life Committee regarding growth in the demand for residential housing due to an anticipated increase in the number of incoming students and increased retention of students in the Residential College. These infrastructure concerns are being addressed to accommodate the anticipated growth on the Greeneville campus.

In the past year, housing space on campus has been at or near 100 percent capacity and it is expected that additional housing options will need to be considered for Fall 2010. Options under consideration include the opening of new residential houses and reorganization of existing residence halls in order to accommodate the additional students.  None of the residence halls will be adjusted over the designated capacity.

It was reported that parking and green space on campus are sufficient to accommodate the increased number of residents and housekeeping schedules can be adjusted to handle the increase as well.

Discussion of new residence hall construction will be continued at future committee meetings.

The Board approved a preliminary budget for 2010-2011 at the recommendation of the College Cabinet, comprised of the president and the senior administration for all areas of the college.

Additional revenue will be allocated to new and replacement positions, physical plant renovation and expenses and initiatives identified in the 2009-2014 Strategic Plan to meet strategic and programmatic needs.

Also at the meeting, President Moody recognized those who are retiring prior to the next academic year. Those recognized and invited to participate in a Board of Trustees luncheon on Friday, May 21, were George Collins, director of museum program and studies; Carolyn Gregg, associate professor of education and assessment coordinator and certification officer for the Education Department; Tony Narkawicz, director of institutional research; and Dr. Jim Reid, professor of political science.

The Tusculum College Board of Trustees will next meet on October 6-7.

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Tusculum College alumnus Brian Hand was recently named Adult Learner of the Year by the East Tennessee College Alliance.

Brian Hand, who graduated with a bachelor’s of arts degree in education from Tusculum College in December, received the award at the group’s Lifelong Learning Luncheon held in Knoxville.

The East Tennessee College Alliance is comprised of 10 non-profit post-secondary institutions in the East Tennessee region.

Hand, who currently lives in Morristown, was born and raised in Great Falls, Mont. and attended classes at the Tusculum College site in Morristown. He was selected to represent the Graduate and Professional Studies program as a commencement speaker in December and has been featured in several college GPS enrollment promotions.

Brian left a lifelong career in law enforcement to return to school. His desire is to begin a second career as an elementary educator in Hamblen County.

Hand served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. He is married to Raquel Hand, and the two are proud parents of Megan, age 9, and Kayla, age 7.

The mission of ETCA is to identify work force development needs of the business community and to provide the appropriate educational opportunities to the non-traditional working student.  For more information on ETCA visit the website at www.etnca.org.

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Tusculum College guard Jasmine Gunn’s jersey will be displayed at the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Knoxville.

Gunn’s jersey will be on display in the Hall’s “Ring of Honor” in recognition of her outstanding play during the 2009-2010 basketball season.  Gunn becomes the first player in the program’s storied history to achieve this special honor.

A native of Nashville, Tenn., Gunn posted a tremendous season for Tusculum, leading the Pioneers (23-10) to their third straight 20-win season and the program’s first NCAA Division II Southeast Region Championship. The two-time WBCA All-American ranks eighth in the nation in scoring (21.6 ppg), 27^th in steals per game (2.8 spg) and 38^th in assists per contest (4.8 apg).

The 2010 consensus All-American put her talents on display during Tusculum’s magical postseason run, averaging 26.7 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per contest in the seven-game span to finish the season with 713 points, which is the third-highest single-season total in program history. The 2010 Southeast Region and South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year turned in one of the most impressive performances of her career on Mar. 13 against No. 20 Francis Marion in the NCAA Regional semifinal, pouring in a SAC-record 45 points on 11-of-15 shooting, while setting a pair of NCAA Tournament marks with 23 free throws made and 29 attempts at the charity stripe.

“What an incredible accomplishment for Jasmine, Tusculum Women’s Basketball and Tusculum College,” said Head Coach Adell Harris.  “She is a special individual that elevates everyone around her and now she has helped put Tusculum Women’s Basketball on a stage reserved for the “elite” in our game. The recognition is well deserved and well earned. I’m very proud of her.”

The Antioch High School graduate scored 20 points or more on 19 occasions this season, including five 30-point performances, while notching four double-doubles and the program’s first triple-double in recorded history. Gunn also established a program- and SAC-record with 216 free throws made this season, going a perfect 8-for-8 at the charity stripe in the Southeast Region Championship game against Lander to eclipse the previous conference mark.

Gunn has received numerous individual accolades this season, including region and conference player of the year honors while being named to the WBCA/State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team and the Women’s Division II Bulletin All-America First Team. The 4-11 guard was also named the Most Valuable Player of both the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Tournament and the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament.

Gunn has jumped nine spots on the program’s all-time scoring list this season, currently sitting fifth in school history with 1,619 career points through 95 games. The three-time All-SAC performer also dished out 158 assists this year to climb into third in program history, and sixth on the SAC’s all-time list with 528 career helpers. Gunn is currently ranked in the top 10 in nine categories in the program record book, including assists per game (1st/5.6), free throws made (3rd/492), free throws attempted (3rd/625), and steals (3rd/220).

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“Light, Color, Motion,” an art day camp for home-school students, will be offered by the Doak House Museum at the end of May.

The day camp, designed for students ages 12-16, will be offered Monday through Thursday, May 24-27, at the museum on the campus of Tusculum College.

Participants will learn about the art and artists of the 19th century with a focus on the Impressionism movement, its artists and their influences. Impressionism, which began in France, rose to prominence in the art world during the 1870s and 1880s. Among the leading Impressionistic artists were Claude Monet, Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renioir.

Participants in the camp will learn how art fit into a classical 19th century education, discover the inspiration and techniques of the Impressionists, make art “en plein aire” (in the open air), learn how to properly mount and display works, make beautiful art to take home and create a show of student work for friends and family.

The camp will be led by Dr. Fran Church, art program coordinator in the Fine Arts Department at Alabama A & M University. Dr. Church holds a bachelor’s degree in art and art history from Middle Tennessee State University and two graduate degrees from the University of Oregon, where she completed a doctorate in art education in 1993. She has taught art lessons to students on every grade level and has almost 20 years experience in college instruction. Dr. Church has exhibited her papier-mâché and mixed media sculpture in juried shows in Alabama, Tennessee and Oregon.

Cost for the camp is $85 per participant. If more than one child is attending from a family, the charge for the second and each additional child is $75. Campers are to provide their own sack lunch. Snacks are included in the tuition cost.

For more information about the camp, please contact the Doak House Museum at 423-636-8554 or e-mail dboyd@tusculum.edu.

The Doak House Museum is one of two on campus administered by the college’s Department of Museum Program and Studies. The museum is the 19th century home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, co-founder of Tusculum College, and hosts thousands of school children from the region for a variety of educational programs related to the 19th century.

The Museums also administer the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, which houses a special collection of items relating to the 17th president, the college’s archives, special themed exhibits 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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Discover one of Greene County’s historic treasures and maybe find a few treasures of your own at the Doak House Museum “Trail Sale” on Saturday, May 15.

The Doak House Museum, the early 19th century home of one of Tusculum College’s co-founders, will be hosting the special event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. that will feature the sale of a variety of items from collectibles to crafts as well as tours of the historic home.

The “Trail Sale” will take place along the historic wagon trail, whose route wound between the front of the Doak House and Frank Creek.

Featured in the trail sale will be a variety of “gently used” items that have been donated for the event including collectibles, housewares, decorative items, crafts, Christmas ornaments, books and a variety of other items.

The Trail Sale will also include items from the Doak House Museum Shop, which features children’s toys, decorative items and old-fashioned sweet treats.

Tours of the historic home will also be available during the Trail Sale. The house was built in the early 1830s and was the home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak and his family. Rev. Doak and his father founded Tusculum Academy, which later became Tusculum College. A large portion of the modern campus covers property that was once part of Rev. Doak’s farm.

All proceeds from the sale will be used to fund the Doak House Museum’s curriculum-based educational programs, camps and special events such as the recent “Lessons from the Lawn,” which introduced students from three counties to what life would have been like on an 19th century farm. Through its educational programs, the museum serves more than 8,000 school children from the region each year.

The Doak House Museum, along with the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, are managed by the Department of Museum Program and Studies of Tusculum College, which also oversees the archives of the oldest college in Tennessee and offers one of the few undergraduate museum studies degree programs in the country.

The Museums of Tusculum College are now on Facebook and Twitter. Visit these social media sites for instant updates on programs and events on the individual pages for the Doak House Museum and the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library.

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There was much to celebrate on Saturday, May 8, for 231 individuals who received degrees during Tusculum College’s spring commencement ceremony. Smiles were prevalent on stage and in the standing room-only Pioneer Arena.

Seventy-eight students earned Bachelor of Science degrees in organizational management and 115 earned Bachelor of Arts degrees.  In addition 38 earned Master of Arts degrees.

Walking with this spring’s graduates were representatives of the Tusculum College Class of 1960 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, “I encourage you to savor the occasion and to recognize all of those in this room who have sacrificed so that you could achieve your dream.”

Glenn Vicary, a pre-med major from Oak Ridge addressed the crowd as a representative of the Residential College program. Vicary has been accepted to the pharmacy graduate program at the University of Louisville.

He told the group, “Life is defined by what is achieved, and fellow students, we have achieved a college education. Every one of us came to Tusculum College hoping to earn a college degree, but none of us knew what it would encompass in the next four years.  The amount of work was often tedious, intense and sometimes overwhelming. We learned to help each other and a sense of community has arisen within our class.”

He encouraged the class to continue to achieve with action, adding, “Our lives will lead is in different directions, with some of us going on to further education, while others are going out into the workforce. Just like your career at Tusculum College, spend your life achieving great things, not just saying you will.”

William Keene of Knoxville spoke on behalf of the college’s Graduate and Professional Studies program. Keene, who received his master of arts in education degree, focused on his long and winding journey toward completion of his degree.

Keene began his road to higher education later in life, after joining the U.S. Air Force. He returned to earn his bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts and believed his school days were completed.  However, a twist in his career path placed him in the company of co-workers who wanted to enroll in the master’s program and encouraged him to “be an example.”

It was a long road, but something he would cherish, he told the crowd. “I worked hard for this. Like many of you here today, my family sacrificed so I could succeed.”

Also speaking was Dr. Stephen R. Weisz, chaplain and associate professor of religious studies. Weisz presented a sermon titled, “Be Patient.” Weisz encouraged the graduates to “be patient in things big and small” because in “the real world, things don’t happen overnight.”

He added that they should “see life as an opportunity to cherish each day.”

In addition to the presentation of the undergraduate and graduate degrees, Dr. Moody presented an honorary doctorate of humane letters to Dr. Russell L. Nichols, who served as interim president at the College from 2007-2009.

Having served as interim president during a time of transition for the college, Dr. Nichols earned the respect, friendship and admiration of those associated with the college during his tenure, said Moody.

Currently serving as interim chief executive officer of Concordia University in Michigan, Nichols also retains the title of president emeritus at Hanover College in Indiana, an institution he served as president for 20 years. At Tusculum, Nichols focused on ensuring financial stability, while at the same time he helped develop an international program and study-abroad opportunities for students and led the efforts to create the college’s Center for Global Studies.

Moody added, “While at Tusculum, Dr. Nichols gained high praise from staff, faculty, students and community members for his guiding hand in keeping the College on course as the search for a new sitting president was conducted. He was a focused leader who guided the college’s efforts in strategic planning and college-wide efforts to ensure a viable, dynamic institution for many generations to come.”

Also on the program was recognition of three outstanding faculty members, who were presented Teaching Excellence and Campus Leadership awards. Recognized were Dr. Bill Garris, assistant professor of psychology; Dr. Rhonda Smith, director of the School of Business and professor of management, and Dr. Melanie Narkawicz, associate professor of research.

See the Commencement Program online - click here.

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During their last hectic week before graduation, seniors took the time for fellowship with friends, to remember their time at Tusculum College and to pass their legacy on to underclassmen.

On May 3, 60 students gathered for the Lantern Festival, one of the longest-running traditions of the college. Seniors Vanessa Fyffe and Glenn Vicary addressed their classmates, reminiscing about their time and experiences at Tusculum.

The ceremony was held at the Thomas J. Garland Library after the seniors participated in a processional march from the Niswonger Commons. The processional, according to Dean of Students David McMahan, symbolizes the seniors “showing the light” to those who follow in their footsteps.

McMahan explained the symbolism to the gathered crowd of approximately 75 students, faculty and staff, adding the in this context, Tusculum College’s motto of “Sit Lux,” which means “let there be light” is interpreted as the students represent the light.

Fyffe and Vicary each told their personal experience and placed a “call for boldness in leadership” to the juniors, and introduced the passing of the “light” in the form of their lanterns. Dressed in their commencement robes, seniors individually came forward and presented their lanterns to the underclassmen, telling why they had chosen the student to receive the lantern, the symbol of the senior’s legacy.

“You represent individuality, creativity and strength,” said senior Brian Ricker to junior Elizabeth McDonald, “The three things that embody my time here.”

Senior Estefania Chavez passed her light to junior Simon Hozapfel and encouraged him to continue in service and be a role model for others to come, and Mary Ann Vizcarrondo passed her light to younger sister Adriana Vizcarrondo, “her sister and best friend.”

After the emotional ceremony, students celebrated as a group and formed a giant “T” on the library stairs with the lighted lanterns.

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Amber Sharp has been honored for her academic achievement and campus leadership as “Student of the Block” for the eighth block at Tusculum College.

Sharp is a junior athletic training major hailing from Tazewell, Tenn. A 2007 graduate of Claiborne County High School, she has always possessed a love for the full student experience, taking part in many student organizations and programs during her high school career, which include Business Professionals of America, the National Honors Society, Student Council, serving as a teacher’s aide, participating in the journalism program and attending Skills USA.

Continuing her commendable level of engagement, Sharp balances her many responsibilities as a student in the rigorous athletic training program 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 (student living and learning community.)

Amanda Waddell, director of career services, who co-nominated Sharp along with Dr. Troy Goodale, assistant professor of political science, noted in her nomination, “Amber is a shining example of what we wish to instill in each of our students. She is responsible, reliable, civic-minded and academically driven, and I can think of no student more deserving of this recognition.”

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