Last week, we celebrated Founders Week through a series of events designed to honor the history of the institution and affirm our mission to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. From honoring those no longer with us to commending East Tennessee State University’s unsung heroes, the week’s activities offered a poignant reminder of our purpose and the importance of community.
At the end of the week, I had the privilege of delivering the annual “State of the University” address. During the presentation, I shared stories of the meaningful, positive impact our students, faculty, and staff are making worldwide. I also provided an overview of the university’s financial health, previewed new and upcoming initiatives, and gave updates on efforts in progress across campus.
The takeaway: this is a historic moment, offering us the chance to propel our institution forward and establish ETSU as a leading university for the next century. Across the nation, we hear stories of higher education institutions in crisis. Yet, at East Tennessee State University, we are growing, thriving, and strengthening our relationships.
We are able to do so because we have taken a proactive and forward-thinking approach to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of our students and the communities we serve. Our Board of Trustees, working together with leaders across campus and throughout our region, have established a strategic vision for our university that is driving innovation and excellence across all facets of our institution. We have set bold goals and high standards — and each of you has a role to play in helping us achieve them.
Many changes are underway across campus. From breaking ground on new construction to launching new business operations systems, from developing a new general education curriculum to creating new academic programs, we are constantly in motion. Change of this scope and scale is invigorating, but it can also be challenging. It offers us the opportunity to be creative but also tests our resolve and ability to adapt.
No university is better suited to meet these demands than East Tennessee State University. This is a campus community that is driven, resilient, and unafraid of hard work. It is a place where people support one another and believe in something bigger than themselves. And it is a place where we defy stereotypes and beat the odds.
I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of a community like this. As we reach the semester's midpoint, I know many of you may feel fatigued. I urge all of you to rest when you need it but to continue dreaming, working, and supporting one another. We are building something truly remarkable here. Keep going.
This year’s presentation emphasized ETSU’s mission to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond and included numerous examples of the university’s positive impact. From medical faculty powering trauma care in the region to students donating more than $1 million to local charities over the past five years, ETSU students, faculty, and staff are working hand-in-hand with community members to uplift the Appalachian Highlands.
Go Beyond the Classroom
ETSU Elevates
Congratulations to the nine student teams who presented their ideas to address community challenges in the ETSU Elevates Pitch Competition. The event invested $25,000 into the region, with students collaborating with community partners on various projects to address economic, social, or environmental issues. Sarah Mohammed, focusing on Black Mental Healthcare Access, won first prize and the Audience Choice Award. She collaborated with the Northeast Tennessee Association of Black Social Workers. Abby Simpson, who introduced the "Looking Ahead" project for high school graduates, secured the second prize, partnering with Hawkins County Schools. The third prize went to Leah Loveday, Rebecca Pearson, and Lillian Hollenbeck for their "PEER-iod Education" initiative, aimed at educating adolescents about menstrual health. They worked with RISE: Healthy for Life. Learn more about ETSU Elevates at etsu.edu/elevates.
Campus Conversations
Do You Give a Buc?
In this episode of Campus Conversations, I sit down with Desmond Pierce from ETSU Athletics to discuss the “I Give a Buc” campaign and the “Be Great” initiative.
Student Spotlight
Ashlyn Mills Hated School. Now, She’s On Her Way to Being a Teacher.
As a child, ETSU senior Ashlyn Mills had little interest in teaching.
“School was a terrible experience for me, which led to me completing high school online. During that time, I volunteered at the elementary school my mother worked at,” said Mills. “She recommended I volunteer in the special education classroom her friend taught, and I reluctantly did. I fell in love instantly.”
Mills is one of the many who found a passion working with those with a variety of intellectual, developmental, learning, emotional, and physical disabilities and sensory impairments. And in many areas of the United States, the need for such educators is startling: the U.S. Bureau of Labor projects more than 33,000 openings each year in the coming decade. Follow Ashlyn’s journey.
Real-World Impact
ETSU to host ‘Upper East Tennessee Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Summit’
ETSU’s inaugural “Upper East Tennessee Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Summit” conference, presented by the Office of Professional Development, will be held Friday, Oct. 27, at the James and Nellie Brinkley Center. The conference, which takes place during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, aims to train and educate community members in the prevention of and response to sexual assault and in advocacy and treatment for victims.
Registration is $79 ($30 for students), and includes breakfast, lunch, and breaks. ETSU employees may use their employee audit benefit to pay for registration. CEUs and POST accreditation will be offered. For registration or more information, call the Office of Professional Development at 1-800-222-3878 or visit etsu.edu/graduate-continue-education/professionaldevelopment.
ETSU Foundation
Going Beyond Exceptional
The ETSU Foundation reported more than $14.2 million in new gifts and pledges during the 2022-23 year. These gifts are used to fund scholarships, create new opportunities for ETSU students and faculty, and support other major university initiatives such as academic programs, building and renovation projects, athletics, and more. You can review the work of the ETSU Foundation and the University Advancement team in “Going Beyond Exceptional,” the ETSU Foundation’s 2022-23 Annual Report.
The inaugural ETSU Great Lecture Series kicked off Friday, Oct. 13, with a lecture featuring ETSU faculty members Dr. Alissa Lange and Dr. Mary Mullins. The new lecture series celebrates and showcases the work of faculty members who have recently been promoted to full professor at ETSU.
Follow @ETSUPrez
#BucsGoBeyond
From My Notepads is a twice-monthly newsletter published by the office of ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland. The newsletter's title is a reference to the legal notepads Dr. Noland constantly carries to jot down thoughts, ideas, and notes.
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