NEWS & CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

More than 70 alumni and friends of Tusculum College gathered on Saturday, September 25, in Princeton, N.J., to celebrate Tusculum’s connection to the area and reconnect those ties to the college.

The reception was held at “Tusculum House,” at the generous hospitality of its current owner, Ms. Avril Moore. This regal home is significant in both the histories of Tusculum College and Princeton University.

Among those attending were Tusculum President Nancy B. Moody, Mr. Tom Moody and Susan D. Vance, interim vice president for Institutional Advancement, who served as host and hostesses along with Moore.

During a brief program in which Dr. Moody updated the group on progress and future plans for the college, she presented Moore with a Tusculum gift basket and Tusculum afghan as a thank you for her invitation to host the event and for her wonderful hospitality.

The event, hosted on the back patio of the Tusculum House featured a variety of foods, beverages, including a whiskey tasting event, and a band. Historic tours of the home were given and the Witherspoon Barn, which dawned handmade quilts, and the Witherspoon Cellar were open for visitation.

“This was one of our most successful alumni events,” said Dr. Moody. “The combination of the opportunity to visit the historic location and the active alumni we have in the Princeton area came together for a one-of-a-kind event that was truly memorable for all.”

“We had about 70 people in attendance including two current Board members and three prior members of the Board,” said Moody. “We had many alumni, two representatives from the Charlotte Newcombe Foundation and an entrepreneur from Princeton who is contemplating starting a business in Greeneville.”

“One of the highlights was the tour, in which so much history was shared, and we learned so much about Rev. John Witherspoon,” said Vance.

Moody added, “We received a true history lesson from both Avril and her father, Thomas H. Barton, whose ancestry go back to Tennessee.”

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Nine traditional musicians gathered together Friday evening (Sept. 24) for “Pickin’ at the Doaks,” the informal traditional jam session held monthly at the Doak House Museum on the Tusculum College campus. The musicians took turns suggesting tunes to play at the session, which attracted a good crowd of music fans to the museum. “Pickin’ at the Doaks” was originally intended to be a summer program, but will be extended through the end of the year. The next “Pickin’ at the Doaks” will take place on Friday, Oct. 22, at the Doak House Museum. There is no admission charge for the event, and music fans are encouraged to bring their own seating or blanket to enjoy the music as available seating is limited.

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Tusculum College will be sending out its annual Alumni Survey later this month and is asking alumni to make every effort to take a few moments to provide input on the survey as a benefit to the college.

According to Greg Hawkins, assistant vice president for institutional research, the Alumni Survey is an important benchmark that helps college leaders to plan for the future.

The survey, which will be sent by email and will include a direct link to the online survey, will take approximately 15-20 minutes to complete, according to Hawkins. It can also be accessed through the Institutional Research page of the Tusculum College website at http://www.tusculum.edu/research/.

“This survey is critical in helping college leaders continue their long-term planning for the institution,” said Hawkins. “It helps us determine to what extent we are fulfilling our mission.”

The mission of Tusculum College is “to provide a liberal arts education in a Judeo-Christian and civic arts environment.” Hawkins added that the college is continuously striving to prepare students for their futures, professional, personal and as servant leaders in their communities.

Questions on the survey range from how well graduates feel Tusculum College prepared them for their professional lives to how active they continue to be in service to their communities.

“It is important that we know how well we have done with our previous graduates so that we can continue to improve what we are offering our students today.”

For more information or to ask questions regarding the survey, contact Hawkins at 423-636-5513 or email to ghawkins@tusculum.edu.

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What is the relationship between an ancient Roman philosopher and statesman and a small, private college in East Tennessee?

That question will be answered in a lecture Tuesday, Oct. 5, at Tusculum College in a presentation by Dr. Bill Garris. The presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Behan Arena Theatre in the lower level of the Annie Hogan Byrd Fine Arts building on campus.

The presentation is part of Tusculum College Acts, Arts, Academia/Cicero Lecture Series and is also one of the activities celebrating the Inauguration of Dr. Nancy B. Moody, which will take place on Friday, Oct. 8.

The lecture by Dr. Garris, assistant professor of psychology at Tusculum, is fittingly part of the Inauguration celebration schedule of events as it looks at subjects at the core of Tusculum’s curriculum and history. With a dynamic approach, Dr. Garris will explore the themes and values present in Cicero’s life and explain how they form the foundation of a Tusculum education.

Tusculum College is named for a hilltop city in ancient Rome, that has a history intertwined with the lives of its residents.  Two thousand years ago, one of its most notable residents, Marcus Tullius Cicero, found in Tusculum a sanctuary where thoughtful statesmen could find refuge, study, and write, while governmental breakdown and societal dissolution ravaged the population centers of Rome.

Although the original buildings and amphitheater of ancient Tusculum lies in ruins, Tusculum College carries forward the spirit of refuge, study and civic engagement as it develops students in Cicero’s virtues and practical wisdom.
Dr. Garris has been an active part of the Tusculum community since joining the college in 2008. He is the director of the college’s Quality Enhancement Plan to improve student learning in the area of problem solving with reflective judgment, which was reviewed by a committee from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools - Commission on Colleges last spring without any recommendations for changes.

Dr. Garris received his doctorate in human development and family studies from Iowa State University, a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy from Reformed Theological Seminary and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Wofford College.
Admission is $6 per person and can be paid at the door (cash or check only please).

For more information, please call Tusculum College Arts Outreach at 423.798.1620, e-mail jhollowell@tusculum.edu or visit http://arts.tusculum.edu.

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Drawings, prints, paintings, ceramics and sculpture by Tusculum College students will be featured in an exhibition during the month of October in the Allison Gallery on campus.

The exhibit will open on Oct. 1 and be on display from noon to 4 p.m. on weekdays throughout the remainder of the month in the Allison Gallery. The gallery is located in the Rankin House between the President’s House and the Tusculum Eatery on Erwin Highway across from main part of campus.

The opening reception will be 3:30 - 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 4. The reception is also part of the special activities on campus to celebrate the inauguration of Dr. Nancy B. Moody, the 27^th president of the College.

Tusculum has more than 35 students majoring in art and design, and the exhibit will provide an opportunity for the community to see the quality of work completed by the students during their courses.

On display will be works completed by students during the past academic year in a variety of classes, including Drawing I and II, Painting II, Printmaking I and II, Ceramics I and II, Sculpture I and II and Basic Design.

The drawings include charcoal, pastel and mixed media on paper or drafting film. Prints to be displayed are linocuts, wood engravings and etchings. The paintings are oil on canvas.

The sculptures in the exhibit will include metal sculptures displayed on the front lawn of the Rankin House as well as smaller wooden sculptures to be on exhibit inside the gallery. A variety of ceramics by the students will also be on display.

Below are some examples of the artworks to be on display, which includes works by Ashton Hardeman, Cindy Barrett, Danielle Armstrong and Tylan Adams.

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“Pickin’ at the Doaks,” a fun and informal traditional music jam session, will conclude for the summer on Friday, Sept. 24, at the Doak House Museum. Musicians are invited to bring their instruments and participate. Music will begin at 6 p.m. and continue until dark on the lawn of museum on the Tusculum College campus. Music fans are invited to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the traditional music. There is no admission for the event. This is the first year for the program, which has been well received. Video from previous performances and photos can be found at the Doak House Museum’s Facebook page.

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About 460 Tusculum College students could be found Thursday morning throughout the community landscaping, painting, promoting voter registration and helping others in many ways.

The students’ efforts were part of Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day, one of Tusculum College’s longest enduring traditions. Named for Tusculum’s first benefactor, Nettie Fowler McCormick, the day was initially observed on campus as a time in which students concentrated on cleaning their residence halls and campus. The observance continued to evolve and now centers on providing service in the community, an emphasis of Tusculum’s curriculum.

Freshman and transfer students participated in “Nettie Day,” as it is affectionately called on campus, as part of their Tusculum Experience course and were joined with a number of upperclassmen volunteering their time. The students worked at 22 different sites throughout Greene County as well as one in Washington County.

One group assisted Greene County Habitat for Humanity in preparing its new Habitat ReStore and office location for opening. The group of 31 students donated their time as “sweat equity” to one of the Habitat families. The group’s total of 62 hours will be counted towards the hours that a family is required to provide toward the construction of their home or other Habitat projects.

Another group of students could be found in downtown Greeneville promoting voter registration. While one small group of students set up a table in front of the Greene County Courthouse to offer voter registration information and forms, other groups walked through downtown handing out information. The project was undertaken by the Murdock Circle, a living learning community of freshmen.

The project for one class was cleaning New Hope Cemetery in preparation for its upcoming rededication ceremony. The cemetery, near the intersection of Old Shiloh Road and New Hope Road, is all that physically remains of a Presbyterian church started by former slaves following the Civil War and has been the focus of work by several classes of Tusculum students over the years. Another group helped reset tombstones and trim around markers at historic Old Harmony Cemetery in downtown Greeneville.

Students sent to Rural Resources completed a variety of tasks - cleaning and preparing its greenhouse for the next growing season, cleaning out and washing vehicles including the Mobile Farmers Market, building a new fence area for livestock and cleaning out brush near the animal pins.

Another group worked at the new Safe Harbor Home store to create artwork to be displayed in the store, which will support the newly formed non-profit organization that will serve victims of domestic violence.

Other work sites included the Child Advocacy Center, the Crumley House Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center, Doak Elementary School, Greene Valley Developmental Center, Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society, Holston United Methodist Home for Children, Mustang Alley Horse Rescue and Plaza Towers.

One project kept students on campus. A rain garden was created at one of the residential houses on campus in conjunction with the Middle Nolachuckey Watershed Alliance, which funded its creation. The rain garden replaces a storm drain from the house and prevents erosion caused by storm water coming from the drain.

Other projects on campus included weeding and cleaning flower beds at the entrance of the Niswonger Commons and around the Charles Oliver Gray Complex. Students also helped create educational materials for programs at the Doak House Museum and weeded around the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library.

Nettie Day was coordinated by Tusculum’s Center for Civic Advancement with the Bonner Leaders student service organization providing assistance with logistics and the opening ceremony as well as volunteering at sites.

Students were sent out after the opening ceremony, which featured an address by the Honorable Marcia Parsons, U.S. bankruptcy judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee. In recognition of U.S. Constitution Day on Sept. 17, Parsons discussed the formation of the Constitution, which required compromise to create what is the longest lasting document of its kind in the world.

As the preamble to the Constitution states, it was created by the people and “all of us in this room are the people,” Parsons said. “We must too pledge and work to protect and preserve the Constitution.”

Amber Sharp, president of the Bonner Leaders organization, also spoke during the ceremony, telling the students she had learned through her service experiences in college that while one individual cannot do everything, that individual can do something and that every act of kindness matters.

Laura Rees, vice president of the Bonner Leaders, recalled that her experience in her first Nettie Day helped her discover her passion, which led to a change of majors and career direction. Rees challenged the students to take the opportunity through their service projects to learn something new about themselves.

For more photos from “Nettie Day,” please visit Tusculum College’s Facebook page.

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Members of the Bristol History Club visited President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library on the Tusculum College campus on Monday, Sept. 13, to learn more about Andrew Johnson and the College’s history. The members were provided an overview of Tusculum’s history and a tour of the museum’s exhibit by George Collins, museums program advisor. The Andrew Johnson items were of particular interest to the members, and one in particular, Betsy Carrier, at left. Carrier’s family has donated a number of items to the museum from the Johnson family, including items from the time that Johnson spent in the White House. Carrier’s grandfather married Johnson’s granddaughter and moved into a house in Bluff City that was built by his mother-in-law, Mary Stover, who had lived in the White House during Johnson’s presidency. The Bristol History Club is the oldest women’s club in Bristol, established more than 100 years ago.

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Pioneer Club Hospitality Event planned for the Volleyball game this evening has been cancelled. Details on the rescheduled time will be posted soon. Game is still on and begins at 6:30 p.m. in Pioneer Arena.

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Tusculum College students will demonstrate the school’s commitment to both learning and serving Thursday, September 16, as they spend a day helping others.

Freshmen and transfer students will participate in Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day on Sept. 16 as part of the “Tusculum Experience” course. Nettie Fowler McCormick Service Day is one of the longest traditions on the Tusculum campus and involves students spending time in service to others.            Some of the projects that the students will undertake include working one-on-one with victims of brain injury, painting at a local school, cleaning historic cemeteries, creating promotional material for a new organization and socializing dogs and cats at a local shelter.

In addition to service to others, activities will also have a focus on the U.S. Constitution in celebration of Constitution Day, which is Sept. 17.

During an opening ceremony, the Honorable Marcia Parsons, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee, will address the students about civility and service and their ties to the Constitution and its formation. She will be discussing the comments made by Ben Franklin at the end of the Constitutional Convention and his challenge for the participants to think about the greater common good rather than personal concerns.

Judge Parsons has served on the bench since 1993. Prior to being appointed judge, she was the standing Chapter 13 Trustee for the Northern and Northeastern Divisions of the Eastern District. From 1981 through 1990, she was in private practice, first with the Chattanooga law firm of Stophel, Caldwell & Heggie and subsequently with the Knoxville firm of Wagner, Myers & Sanger. She received her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1980, where she served on the Editorial Board of the Tennessee Law Review.

Nettie Fowler McCormick Day, which is conducted under the auspices of the Center for Civic Advancement, honors the memory and altruistic way of life of Nettie Fowler McCormick, widow of reaper inventor Cyrus McCormick, who was a 19th century supporter and advocate of Tusculum College. The McCormicks, staunch Presbyterians from Chicago, learned of Tusculum College through Tusculum graduates who attended their McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and became donors to the Northeast Tennessee school.

Nettie McCormick is recognized as the college’s first Benefactor, a term that in Tusculum usage denotes a donor whose cumulative gifts total at least $1 million. Nettie McCormick funded construction of several of Tusculum’s historic structures, including Haynes Hall, Rankin Hall, Welty-Craig Hall, Virginia Hall and McCormick Hall, which is named after the McCormick family.

McCormick Day, now often informally called Nettie Day at the college, began as a day of cleaning the campus in reflection of Nettie McCormick’s insistence on clean living environments. The day has evolved to take on a more generalized community service emphasis.

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