The house is located on Cherry Hill Road near the modern day Princeton campus. Dr. Moody and Vance had the opportunity to visit the site and take a few photographs on their trip. The house is no longer owned by Princeton University, but is a private residence.

The Tusculum house was the summer home and farm of Princeton President John Witherspoon, who only agreed to take the position as president if the college would provide him a house at least one mile from campus. Although its current property boundaries do not coincide with those prevailing in Witherspoon’s day, they do retain a sense of the agricultural open space that surrounded the house originally.

 Tusculum College founders Hezekiah Balch and Samuel Doak, both studied at the College of New Jersey, which is now Princeton University. Tusculum Academy, one of the earlier incarnations of the College, was named by Doak and his son, Samuel Witherspoon Doak, after the home in New Jersey which was then the home of President Witherspoon. Witherspoon was a noted Presbyterian scholar and an original signer of the Declaration of Independence.

 Witherspoon had taken the name for his Princeton home from Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman orator, philosopher, statesman and educator. Cicero, Rome’s greatest orator and perhaps its most articulate philosopher, wrote his five books on the subject of happiness, “Tusculanae Disputations,” while staying at his villa, named Tusculum, in the mountains of Tuscany.

Tweet This Post

Tweet This Post

Tweet This Post

Vance, who has been with Tusculum College’s Institutional Advancement Office since 2003 and has served as interim vice president since February 2007, participated in the intensive program focusing on cutting-edge theoretical explorations of institutional advancement best practices. While there, Vance was provided practical experience in applying theories derived from the social and behavioral sciences to the practice of institutional advancement on a college campus.

Vance said the Peabody Institute program was a significant professional development opportunity because it was designed for the professional in the institutional advancement field and allowed for exploration of various functions of the College, with the perspective that a deep, theoretical understanding of how colleges and universities work and how that understanding can build stronger advancement organizations.

“I am firmly committed to the support of the faculty and staff at Tusculum College for educational opportunities that support their work at Tusculum College,” said Tusculum College President Dr. Nancy B. Moody.

According to Moody, the Institute provides a short-term, intensive educational experience for professional educators and administrators during the summer. Each institute draws from social science disciplines and professional fields of study to inform the creation of a comprehensive, yet focused curriculum designed with the same expectations for rigor and depth as Peabody College degree programs, based on the philosophy that good practice is best derived from, and informed by, a strong theoretical base.

Vance, a 1991 graduate of Tusculum College, is a “Summer Fellow of Peabody College” and one of 17 alumni, as this is only their second year for the Institutional Advancement Leadership program.

“I feel that this was a good investment for Tusculum College as we move forward in the area of Institutional Advancement,” said Moody.

Susan noted that “This was an invaluable opportunity to engage in a professional development experience, unique in its rigor and design. As a Summer Fellow, I expanded my understanding of how educational organizations function and the theoretical perspectives which undergird good practice and leadership. After my time at the institute, I feel as though I possess a set of tools to enhance the effectiveness of Tusculum College that will propel me in my career.”

The program also featured opportunities to hone other skills that are utilized by those, like Vance, who hold cabinet-level positions and who are often charged with leading advancement divisions and participating in strategic decision-making for the whole of the College and management of the entire educational organization, said Vance.

“What we learned over the course of the week will enhance my ability to make decisions for Tusculum College grounded in theory and supported by data,” said Vance. “I have a better understanding of why specific techniques work and the capacity to tie this knowledge to real-world strategic decisions which will increase the effectiveness of the College.”

Individual sessions offered at the Institute, which ran June 15-18, consisted of in-depth examinations of each of the functional areas of university management, discussions surrounding the application of theoretical literature to the practice of institutional advancement and group discussion/presentations. Specifically, topics within the modules included History on Philanthropy; Fund Raising Ethics and Norms; ROI (Return on Investments) and Planning; VSE (Volunteer Support of Education) Survey and Benchmarking; Leadership; Two-Way Symmetrical Communication, Issues Management and Environmental Scanning; Strategic Campaign Planning; Using Data to Increase Fund Raising Effectiveness; Engagement as a Development Tool; Annual Fund - Analysis and ROI, and Crisis Management for Higher Education.

During the course of the institute, Vance spent considerable time engaged in small group analysis designed to integrate with the lectures and discussions. This experience is designed to allow each participant to discover, develop and refine individual competencies.

Tweet This Post

The Morristown event is set for Friday, June 26, at The Country Club from 5:25 p.m. to 7:25 p.m. The event will feature a celebration reception with a chance to meet and mingle with others associated with the GPS program, as well as a brief overview of the current professional studies mission and programs.

“We hope to see all the alumni of the GPS program for the Morristown area come out and celebrate this milestone for a program that has helped so many attain their dream of higher education,” said Peggy Brewer, president of Twi-Lite, Inc. and a 1989 graduate of the GPS program. Brewer has served on the planning committee for the event.

The event is planned for all GPS graduates, including those who participated in the TALL and TAG programs, as well as for faculty, staff, current students and all who have helped this program develop into one of the top adult education programs in the state over the past 25 years.

Since 1984, more than 10,000 working adults have realized their dreams by earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree at Tusculum College. The program is specifically designed with working adults in mind, allowing them to continue to work while achieving their dream of higher education.

“We are celebrating 25 years of making dreams of a college education come true for non-traditional students,” said Dr. Lisa Johnson, director of the Graduate and Professional Studies Program in Northeast Tennessee and assistant professor of education at the College.

“Tusculum College has helped many of us complete our degrees while working full-time. For 25 years this program has helped working adults advance their education. And, this year, we celebrate the success not only of the program, but of the students,” said Sherri Storer, site director of the Morristown Center and enrollment representative, as well as a GPS graduate in both in 2003 and 2006. Storer has also participated on the planning committee for the Tri-Cities event.

The event is free of charge, however, registration is encouraged.

The Graduate and Professional Studies portion of the Tusculum College Web site has been redesigned to provide information on all the 25^th Anniversary events and to allow for online registration. On the site, visitors are able to get information on each of the events, register for one or more events and see a list of those who are planning to attend each event. For more information about the celebrations, to make reservations or get updates on the events, please visit www.tusculum.edu/adult/anniversary.html.

“This is a year-long celebration of all the successes of the Graduate and Professional Studies program, and there are many exciting things planned,” said Teal Simpson, also a member of the planning committee and a 1998 and 1999 graduate of the GPS program. Simpson is a benefits consultant for Strate Insurance Group, Inc.

A reception was held at the MeadowView Convention Center in Kingsport on June 20, and a tailgate party and football game event in Greeneville is set for October 17.

For more information about the GPS celebrations contact Cody Greene, coordinator of development and alumni relations at Tusculum College at 423-636-7303 or email ccgreene@tusculum.edu.

Tweet This Post

The conference, which was held June 1-5, focused on active learning, significant learning and effective grading. The participants spent the week in class and then while at the conference began incorporating the new teaching and learning methods into the curriculum of their existing courses. Presentations of the new curriculum were shared at the end of the conference.

The Teaching and Learning Institute provides hands-on experience with a variety of techniques for classroom instruction and assessment, particularly applicable to the learning styles of today’s college students.

Attending from Tusculum College were Anne Reever Osborne, assistant library director for distance learning; Dr. Taimi Olsen, professor of English; Dr. Kirpal Mahal, professor of physical education; Dr. Michelle Freeman, associate professor of business administration; Dr. Tom Harlow, assistant professor of psychology; Barth Cox, assistant professor of film and broadcasting; Dr. Nancy Thomas, associate professor of English, and Dr. David Key, assistant professor of history.

While the group worked independently, many of the courses focused on overall techniques that could be integrated into any classroom experience, said Osborne. “It was a chance to recharge - to rethink the way things are done.”

The program had something to offer for both new instructors and those who have been teaching for many years, according to Mahal, and he pointed out his appreciation to Dr. Kim Estep, provost and vice president of academic affairs and Dr. Lisa Johnson, director of the school of education and the director for Graduate and Professional Studies in Northeast Tennessee, for encouraging and recommending him to attend the institute.

“Even though I have three teaching and two coaching certifications from prestigious universities/institutions in India and have taught for numerous years, I learned a lot at the ACA Teaching and Learning Institute. I would like to say that if a faculty member wants to learn, change and become an effective teacher, this institute is worth the time and effort,” said Mahal.

Estep said 27 Tusculum College faculty have participated in the Teaching and Learning institutes since its inception in 2003.

“This is an opportunity to learn from scholars in the field of student learning and learning assessment, to network with faculty at similar institutions and to engage in exciting new projects to revitalize their work in the classroom. The Institute helps our faculty stay on the cutting edge of the discipline of teaching and learning, which is fundamental to carrying out our mission as a student-centered college,” said Estep.

“Kudos to Tusculum College and to the ACA organization for providing this opportunity, said Thomas. “I especially appreciated the chance to interact with and learn from ACA colleagues. I have pages of notes and stacks of information on effective grading/assessment and integrated course design that I will use to update my teaching strategies.”

Tweet This Post

The museum on the Tusculum College campus received the award for demonstrating excellence in public history programming with the work accomplished in creating and presenting “Andrew Johnson: Heritage, Legacy and Our Constitution,” in September 2008.

The presentation included an education program for the community celebrating the Bicentennial of Andrew Johnson and the 221st Anniversary of the U.S. Constitution that featured the 113th U.S. Army Band. About 900 people attended the stirring performance by the band and the telling of the story of Johnson’s rise from ordinary circumstances to the nation’s leader by Chris Small, founder of the Lincoln Project and a Lincoln reenactor.

The award also recognized the museum for hosting and coordinating a symposium held on the campus of Tusculum College, which featured four historians in a discussion of the life and accomplishments of Andrew Johnson. Speakers included Dr. Eric Foner, one of this country’s most prominent historians who is considered the leading contemporary historian of the post-Civil War Reconstruction period.

The award was presented during the East Tennessee Historical Society’s annual membership meeting on June 2. Since 1982 the East Tennessee Historical Society has recognized individuals or organizations that have made special contributions toward the preservation, promotion, and/or interpretation of the area’s history.

Celebrating 175 years of service in 2009, the East Tennessee Historical Society is widely acknowledged to be one of the most active history organizations in the state and enjoys a national reputation for excellence in programming and education.

The keynote speaker for the annual membership meeting was Walter T. Durham, the Tennessee state historian, who also has ties with Tusculum College.  Durham has contributed materials for a rare book collection in the Thomas J. Garland Library named in his honor and his wife, Anna Coile Durham, is a descendant of Tusculum College’s founders, the Doaks, and briefly attended the college. Their son, Jim Durham, is a graduate of the college and serves on the Board of Trustees.

The award from the East Tennessee Historical Society is the second recognition that has been received for “Andrew Johnson: Heritage, Legacy and Our Constitution.” The event also received an “Award of Excellence” form the Tennessee Association of Museums earlier this year.

The Andrew Johnson Bicentennial was a year-long focus for the President Andrew Johnson Museum and the Doak House Museum, both operated by the Tusculum College Department of Museum Program and Studies. The Doak House Museum’s educational programming for school children focusing on the Bicentennial received a Pinnacle Award in Special Projects from the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association last month and also received an Award of Commendation from the Tennessee Association of Museums. The Doak House Museum also received a Pinnacle Award in Multimedia for its new interactive Web site.

The Doak House Museum, the 19th century home of the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak, co-founder of Tusculum College, hosted more than 10,000 school children from East Tennessee last year for a variety of educational programs related to the 19th century and CHARACTER COUNTS!  The Andrew Johnson Museum, located in the oldest academic building on campus, houses a collection of books, papers and memorabilia of the 17th president of the United States.  The museum also houses the Charles Coffin Collection from the original college library and the College archives containing documents related to the history of Tusculum.  The museums are also two of the 10 structures on the Tusculum campus on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Department of Museum Program and Studies also offers one of the few undergraduate degree programs in museum studies in the country.

Tweet This Post

If you have a Facebook account, we urge you to show your support by becoming a fan of our page. In addition to helping us reach our goal, you can keep up with events and happenings at the College through the page and reconnect with Tusculum alumni, faculty, staff  and friends, as well as support potential new students.

So just click away and support Tusculum College! Tusculum College’s Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greeneville-TN/Tusculum-College/17035641990.

Tweet This Post

Tweet This Post

The Tri-Cities event is set for Saturday, June 20, at MeadowView Convention Center from 7:25 p.m. to 9:25 p.m. The event will feature a celebration reception with a chance to meet and mingle with others associated with the GPS program, as well as a brief program that will feature Tusculum College President Dr. Nancy B. Moody.

“We hope to see all the alumni of the GPS program for the Tri-Cities area come out and celebrate this milestone for a program that has helped so many attain their dream of higher education,” said Brandon Redwine, a procurement professional for the Global Chemical and Energy group at Eastman Chemical Company and a 2003 graduate of the GPS program. Redwine has served on the planning committee for the event.

The event is planned for all GPS graduates, including those who participated in the TALL and TAG programs, as well as for faculty, staff, current students and all who have helped this program develop into one of the top adult education programs in the state over the past 25 years.

Since 1984, more than 10,000 working adults have realized their dreams by earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree at Tusculum College. The program is specifically designed with working adults in mind, allowing them to continue to work while achieving their dream of higher education.

“We are celebrating 25 years of making dreams of a college education come true for non-traditional students,” said Dr. Lisa Johnson, director of the Graduate and Professional Studies Program in Northeast Tennessee and assistant professor of education at the College.

“Tusculum College has helped aspiring professionals complete both undergraduate and graduate degrees while working full-time, raising a family and seeking job advancement. For 25 years this program has helped working adults advance their education.  This year, we celebrate the success not only of the program, but of the students,” said Rev. Lester D. Lattany, a member of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees, a GPS graduate in both in 1987 and 1991 and president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Washington County Tennessee. Lattany has also participated on the planning committee for the Tri-Cities event.

The event is free of charge, however, registration is encouraged.

The Graduate and Professional Studies portion of the Tusculum College Web site has been redesigned to provide information on all the 25^th Anniversary events and to allow for online registration. On the site, visitors are able to get information on each of the events, register for one or more events and see a list of those who are planning to attend each event. For more information about the celebrations, to make reservations or get updates on the events, please visit www.tusculum.edu/adult/anniversary.html.

“This is a year-long celebration of all the successes of the Graduate and Professional Studies program, and there are many exciting things planned,” said Cindy Necessary, also a member of the planning committee and a 2001 and 2004 graduate of the GPS program. Necessary is a human resources representative at Brock Services, Ltd.

A reception event is planned for the Country Club in Morristown on June 26, from 5:25 p.m. to 7:25 p.m. and a tailgate party and football game event in Greeneville is set for October 17.

For more information about the GPS celebrations contact Cody Greene, coordinator of development and alumni relations at Tusculum College at 423-636-7303 or email ccgreene@tusculum.edu.

Tweet This Post