Tusculum University

Abundant trees and other elements of nature at Tusculum University create an environmental laboratory throughout our campus. Our arboretum, wetland and nature trail are just some of the items that enhance the active and experiential learning available to our students and the community.

This week, we celebrated the recertification of our Level I arboretum. We were thrilled not only to rejoice in this latest achievement but also to incorporate local high school students in the event. The students, who are taking part in the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Summer Academy on campus, joined us in revealing the sign and then measured trees in the arboretum. Preparing them for the task was Dr. Melissa Burt, assistant professor of environmental science.

You can read more about this news at https://www3.tusculum.edu/news/news/2026/tusculum-universitys-level-1-arboretum-recertified-remains-a-valuable-resource-for-students-and-the-community/.

Lots of learning is happening on our campus by local high school students! We have completed three weeks of the Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science Summer Academy. The students are taking a wide array of classes and having fun as they absorb additional knowledge.

We are enjoying having the students at Tusculum! Participants attend classes in the morning, work on specialized projects in the afternoon and engage in activities in the evening during the first five weeks. They will conclude the academy with an educational trip to the nation's capital.

Upward Bound and Upward Bound Math and Science serve students whose parents or guardians have not earned a bachelor's degree and who meet income-eligibility requirements. The primary goal is to encourage these students to go to college, but they also learn valuable life skills in the process.

Some of the photos in this gallery were taken by Shawny Humphreys, one of the academy participants.

We encourage alumni and community members to have Saturday, Oct. 17, marked on their calendars. That will feature a full day of activities for our annual Homecoming celebration!

That day will feature staples, such as the Homecoming football game and the delightful parade. It will also include plenty of activities for alumni, enabling them to reconnect with their fellow Pioneers from their college days and learn more about the all of the exciting initiatives at their alma mater!

We will hold the annual Alumni Association meeting and the memorial service to remember those former students who have passed away in the last year. We are also planning an evening gathering for all alumni to have fun together and have more time to reminisce!

Full details about Homecoming, including events on other days of that week, will be shared as they are finalized. But we wanted to be sure everyone had Saturday, Oct. 17 booked! We look forward to seeing everyone!

We are one week away from the start of Pioneer Skills Camp and want to be sure children who are interested in this weeklong gathering sign up!

We are taking registrations through Friday, June 12. You can sign up by visiting https://tusculumuniversitycamps.totalcamps.com/shop/EVENT.

This camp will be held Monday, June 15-Friday, June 19 on the grounds of our historic Doak House Museum. It is geared toward children who are 10-12 years old. Campers will learn and practice pioneer skills, ranging from fire starting and cooking to fishing and building a campsite!

We also remind you that Theatre Camp is just around the corner as well. We will have one week of camp from Monday, June 22-Friday, June 26, and another from Monday, June 29-Friday, July 3. Each week of that camp will have two sessions geared toward different age groups.

Theatre Camp will enable participants to learn about the on-stage and backstage elements of a production as they create their own play. They will help write and act in the play, develop costumes and build sets. More information about Theatre Camp and the ability to sign up are available at https://tusculumuniversitycamps.totalcamps.com/shop/EVENT.

You can also read more in a news release at https://bit.ly/49JxMn4.

Be sure to join us!

First- and second-year undergraduate students who want to grow in their faith and connect with classmates who hold the same interest can accomplish their goals by residing in the Discipleship Living-Learning Center at Tusculum University.

The center currently contains three university-owned houses – two for males and one for females – that enable students in the early stages of college to live in community. They pursue spiritual growth together and encourage one another through discipleship, prayer, Bible study and daily life.

The students also receive assistance from peer mentors and the Rev. E.J. Swatsell, director of spiritual life and special projects. The peer mentors are older students who build relationships with the newer students, pray with them, encourage them through challenges and help them navigate college life from a Christ-centered perspective.

Students who live in the center receive a $2,000 scholarship per year.

As a faith-based institution that educates students in a caring Christian environment, we encourage students who want to enrich their connection to God to become part of the center.

You can learn more about the center and apply to live there at https://web.tusculum.edu/dllc/.

We are proud of Cyrus Fees, a 2008 graduate, for his civic engagement and leadership in the community, principles Tusculum holds dear. This year, he is serving as president of The Rotary Club of Johnson City, TN., and he and his leadership team are achieving strong results.

Recently, the club earned the Platinum Excellence in Public Image Award from Zone 33/34 of Rotary International.

"We worked very hard this year to raise the visibility of Rotary in our community, and it paid off not only with this EPIC award but in terms of membership growth," Fees said in a Johnson City Press story. "We saw an over 12% increase in membership."

The story also noted the club's extensive involvement in several community initiatives.

We are thrilled see Fees making a positive difference. He enjoys a successful career, owning Vision Quest VR in the Mall at Johnson City in addition to being a world-renowned ring announcer for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

In 2025, he and fellow alumnus Keddrain "KD" Bowen competed as a team on the television show "Flip Side." Fees also spoke during the spring semester to Tusculum students about the job search.

Are you a working adult who is seeking to change directions and enhance your standard of living? Open the door to new possibilities with an associate and/or bachelor's degree from Tusculum University!

Our classes are available online, providing you with the flexibility to complete your assignments at your convenience. It is a great way to balance family needs and work obligations while you position yourself for a career.

Our professors and staff members will help you every step of the way. We understand the needs of working adults and will support you as you seek your degree.

If your parents did not earn a bachelor's degree, you can even qualify to be a member of Tusculum University Student Support Services. The program provides academic advising, tutoring, mentoring, financial aid and scholarship support, financial literacy guidance, cultural and social activities and visits to graduate schools.

We encourage you to envision your future and entrust your pursuit of a degree to Tusculum. You can start a conversation with one of our enrollment representatives at [email protected] and apply at https://site.tusculum.edu/apply-visit/apply/.

If you want to advance with your employer or perhaps take your career in a new direction, Tusculum University can assist you with one of our master's degrees.

We can assist students at all stages of their professional lives. Our professors will provide mentoring, encouragement and one-on-one support throughout your studies. Their expertise and guidance will position you for success as your career progresses.

We encourage you to learn more by visiting https://site.tusculum.edu/apply-visit/apply/graduate/. Our admission team will be happy to answer your questions and help you navigate the application process. You can email our representatives at [email protected].

Picture yourself as a master's degree student at Tusculum!

Congratulations to Dr. Emily Davis on her promotion to assistant dean of our Sport Studies Division! Dr. Davis is an impressive young professional who has already made a positive impact on academic programs and in her service with many local schools.

Now, she will oversee the sport science and sport management programs and serve on the Academic Council. The Sport Studies Division offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sport management and bachelor’s degrees in sport science, sport science pre-physical/occupational therapy and sport science pre-athletic training.

Dr. Davis is also an athletic trainer. She has been an athletic trainer at local high school and middle school games. She has worked at Tusculum games when the university’s athletic training staff needs extra coverage.

Our sport science and sport management programs are rigorous and offer extensive active and experiential learning that prepares our students to be career-ready professionals. Imagine yourself as one of our students in these programs.

You can read more about Dr. Davis and these programs at https://www3.tusculum.edu/news/news/2026/tusculum-university-promotes-impressive-young-professional-to-serve-as-assistant-dean-of-the-sport-studies-division/.

Investing in our students produces excellent results.

The active and experiential learning approach to education at Tusculum enables them to conduct undergraduate research that prepares them for their careers or advanced degree programs. Our alumni are accomplishing impressive things with their degrees.

Our smaller size as an institution gives students the opportunity to become leaders in extracurricular programs at an early stage of their studies, bolstering their résumés and building that skill.

Students also have the opportunity at Tusculum to participate in initiatives, such as our Discipleship Living-Learning Center, that help them grow in their faith. They are encouraged at our faith-based university to draw closer to God.

Tusculum is in the midst of a $13.5 million, four-year fundraising campaign to support our students. It's called Frontiers. The breakdown for the Frontiers campaign is $8 million to increase scholarship support, $4.5 million to bolster the student experience further and $1 million to back future projects and programs.

We would welcome and be grateful for your support of this important campaign! To donate, please visit www.tusculum.edu/giving and select the Frontiers campaign from the drop-down menu.

Your investment in our students transforms lives.