Cristi Holcombe `designs` a career from a childhood hobby

Transcription

FALL 2015
Making
Room:
Cristi Holcombe
‘designs’ a career
from a childhood
hobby
IN
•
•
•
•
T HIS
ISS U E
Well Worth the Wait
From Our Town to On the Town
A
dvocating Appalachia
T
alking the Talk and Walking
the Walk, Backwards
Rome E X P E R I E N C E
Since 2009, the city of Rome has become a classroom and learning laboratory
for students at ETSU and the backdrop for what some have described as the
experience of a lifetime.
Earlier this spring, 40 students took part in the ETSU at Rome program, which
allows participants to take classes and conduct research and field studies during
the month of May while living in Rome and being immersed in the Roman culture.
“Throughout our Committee for 125 visioning process, we held a series of
roundtables with local business leaders and asked them what ETSU should do to
better prepare our graduates, and all of them said that it was important for our
students to have more of a global perspective,” said Jeremy Ross, who directs the
program. “The ETSU at Rome project provides that experience and allows our
students to develop an international portfolio and has even opened doors to other
internship opportunities.”
Ross, ETSU’s Chief of Staff for External Operations, said students spend a couple
of hours in the classroom each morning and then take tours during the afternoon
or complete field projects related to the course topics.
Each year, many of the participants are from the College of Business and
Technology, and, this past year, Professor Joel Ryman led the executive MBA
program in Rome with approximately 20 students.
In addition to the 40 students, the 2015 group also included some 15 donors.
Ross said that many of the students who have participated in the project in the
past had never left East Tennessee or traveled by plane prior to going to Rome.
22
~ Dr. Susan Epps is Associate Professor in Allied Health Sciences at ETSU.
E AS T T EN N ES S EE S TATE UNIVE RS IT Y
ETSU works in
partnership with
the University of
California and ACCENT,
an independent study
abroad program
provider, to offer the
course each summer.
“Along with the
ETSU International
Scholarship
Program, our donors
generously give to this program to help mitigate the cost of the experience for our
students,” Ross said. This year, the students were supported by Mitch and Barbara
Cox, Susan Epps, Jennifer and Bob Feathers, Steven and Ashley Grindstaff, Louis
and Lucy Gump, Matthew Harrison, Jim and Sonia King, Tom and Chris Kwasigroch,
Alan and Laura Levine, Andrew and Barbara Massimilla, Brian and Donna Noland,
Jimmy Rhein, Jeremy and Lauren Ross, Dan Simerly, Patrick and Carol Sloan, Kel and
Forooz Smalley, Norris and Donna Sneed, Kevin and Jordan Varney, Stan and Pam
Vermillion, and Fred Warren. n
For more information about enrolling in the summer 2016 ETSU at Rome program
or to sponsor a student, contact Ross at rossjb@etsu.edu or 423-439-6167 or visit
www.etsurome.com.
...Graduation begins today!
...It matters where you start!
...It matters where you live!
Choose on-campus living!
T O D A Y
The
As for picking out the charms, she admits it’s getting harder now, but
with so many to choose from, it’s still possible to find one that represents
each student in some way. Maybe she should be a charm consultant and give
Pandora a list of charms it needs to make—just for the students who will be
walking across the stage in years to come.
Or maybe Foley should be the inspiration for another commercial. Picture
it now: Students are walking across a stage in caps and gowns.The camera
closes in on a faculty member who moves the sleeve of her gown to reveal a
charm bracelet. As each student walks across, she touches a different charm
and whispers,“He was a music major, so this treble clef is for him.That one is
going to medical school to be a heart surgeon, so this one with the heart is for
her.The books are for the English major.The charm with the flowers is for the
biology major.…”
Author’s Note: I like this idea so much that I’m stealing it. My mother’s
family’s business, Starnes Jewelers in Albemarle, North Carolina, carries
Pandora bracelets and charms, so next time I’m home, I’m picking out charms
for each of the master’s students whose thesis or capstone committee I’ve
chaired, to put on the Pandora bracelet my dad started for me several years
ago. Hopefully I’ll get the family discount, too. n
E T S U
one, the airplane,
that student was
going places.
This student is a
volunteer with
the Appalachian
Bear Rescue, so
Photo by Jim Sledge.
yes, her charm is
a bear.”
Foley laughed as she told about the year she had four students graduating
and it was on Mother’s Day weekend.“I had waited to the last minute and
when I went to Dempsey’s, where I get the charms, there was a line. I stood in
line to get the charms and got back to campus in time for our reception and
the students all wanted to know what their charms were. Oh my gosh! What if
I hadn’t gotten them?”
She says her goal is to have two students per graduation, but one year
she had eight.That was one expensive graduation. Dempsey’s was probably
thrilled to see her coming.
She has now started on bracelet number three. She plans to wear the first
two as a necklace now because three bracelets is a lot on one arm, though she
might not need to weight-lift at the gym if she goes for three!
convenience
engage
friends
d
hip
scholarship
it
spir
valu
leade
e
rship
CONNECTED
Successful journeys
begin here.
Contact us for more information and to schedule a tour!
www.etsu.edu/housing • 423-439-4446 • housing@etsu.edu
23
Embracing Change:
T O D A Y
The Career
Path of
E T S U
Photo by Larry Smith.
Karen King
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24
East Tennessee State now has a
Chief Information Officer and Vice
Provost for Information Technology
Services — Dr. Karen King. The logical
expectation might be that she was a
technology-loving, computer-oriented
person all her life. That would be the
wrong assumption. King took a unique
path by beginning her career in – dental
hygiene.
When the D.P. Culp University Center was new, back in 1975, King was hired as
a receptionist in the building.
“I became interested in studying dental hygiene,” she says,“and worked
full-time while studying for the associate degree required for licensure. Next, I
earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Education, still working part-time.”
After a few years employed by a periodontist in private practice, she
returned to ETSU as a clinical instructor in dental hygiene.“I really enjoyed
that,” King says,“but I knew I needed more education to advance my career.”
King enrolled in the Medical College of Georgia and earned a master’s
degree in Health Education. Unfortunately, when she completed the program,
there were no teaching positions available at ETSU.
“I went to teach at Lamar University in Texas,” she notes,“but took the first
opportunity to return to ETSU. I was ready to leave the hot, flat, oil derrickfilled region of Texas for the mountains at home.”
She returned to ETSU and rose to the position of full professor.“There were
ever-increasing technology changes,” King says.“One of those changes was a
projector that used floppy disks that we were able to acquire through a grant.
The projector was nearly as big as a table.”
Online education began to take shape at that time.“David Currie and I
started developing online courses, but I realized that I would need even more
education to meet the challenges technology was bringing to campus.”
To reach her goal, King entered Nova Southeastern University in a
blended program of online courses and long weekends at the campus.“I
visited Ft. Lauderdale for classes and whenever I needed to consult about my
dissertation. I don’t think I ever even saw a beach while I was a student there.”
With her doctorate in Computer and Information Science in hand,
King began working in academic technology support in the ETSU Office of
Information Technology.
“In 2008,” she says,“I began overseeing distance learning.The field has
shown a phenomenal 93 percent growth at ETSU. Currently, over 6,000
students have taken at least one online course, with 1,000 of them taking
exclusively online courses and another 1,000 taking mostly online courses.”
Recently, the Office of Information Technology merged with King’s duties
as the guiding hand behind e-Learning, creating the new position she holds.
And it all started with an associate degree in Dental Hygiene.
Another way King contributes to the university has been through her
participation in the annual Alumni Golf Tournament. An avid golfer, she has
plaques on her wall commemorating her role as part of the winning co-ed
team, with her brother, and for women’s longest drive.
“My father played football at ETSU,” she says,“and later coached football
and golf. He was my golf instructor.
“I am part of a family tradition. My father is an ETSU graduate. So is
my daughter. And my cousins—about a million—first, second, and third
cousins.”
King has what it takes to master a new and challenging job.“I love to look
at things and reorganize them,” she explains.“I like trying something new and
figuring out the uses of new technologies. Change is a good, and inevitable,
thing. And the human element is enjoyable, too—providing high quality
services to everyone on campus.”
Of her strong ties to the university, King says,“I love it here. ETSU has given
me wonderful chances.” n
~ Carol Fox came to the ETSU Office of University Relations as a graduate assistant
in 1996 and has remained on the staff in various capacities since that time.
25
A $1.2 million estate gift to ETSU will benefit
undergraduate students in the Claudius G. Clemmer College of Education. The
bequest comes from the estate of the late Inez DeLaughter, who created the
scholarship endowment in memory of her sister, the late Nelle Jessee. Jessee
received a B.S. degree from East Tennessee State in 1952, followed by an M.A.
in 1962. She taught for many years in the Titusville School System in Titusville,
Florida.
March 10:
ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine is ranked eighth in
the nation for rural medicine training by U.S. News & World Report.
March 25: Roadrunner Markets and Dunkin’ Donuts announce
that they will contribute $1 million toward ETSU’s new football stadium.
April 3: ETSU biologist Dr.
Aruna Kilaru receives a four-year
National Science Foundation grant in
the amount of $679,993 to study how
mosses react to stressful conditions
and what that may reveal about the
adaptability of many other plant
species.
April 3:
Dr. Jesse Graves,
Assistant Professor in ETSU’s Department
of Literature and Language, is named
the recipient of the Weatherford Award
in Poetry by Berea College and the
Appalachian Studies Association.
April 6:
ETSU announces that its Army ROTC cadets earn the first
place award from the Pershing Rifles Society, facing 45 other programs, in
the color guard category and second place in both squad regulation drill and
platoon regulation drill.
April 7:
ETSU announces
that an article co-authored by Dr.
Matt McBee, Assistant Professor of
Psychology, is the most-read article
in the journal High Ability Studies
during 2014. The article was also
among the top 15 most downloaded
articles in journals published last
year by Routledge, a global publishing company in educational psychology. 26
April 11:
Spotless
During the Mountain States Health Alliance BlueGold Game at Kermit Tipton Stadium, philanthropist Scott Niswonger of
Greeneville makes a “leadership challenge”—a $1 million financial gift to
the ETSU football stadium project.
April 24:
The Johnson City Community Health Center, a nursemanaged clinic operated by ETSU, is one of two facilities in the nation
to receive a $50,000 grant to advance a medical-legal partnership that
addresses patients’ health and economic stability. The grant is funded
through the National Nursing Centers Consortium Medical-Legal Partnership
Foundation and the Kresge Foundation.
“Is this new turf?” The question
circulated around ETSU’s Mountain States
Health Alliance Athletics Center on Friday, May
8, as soon-to-be graduates filed in to rehearse for
the next day’s commencement ceremony.
May 8:
ETSU’s Quillen College of Medicine graduates 71 students, the
largest graduating class in the school’s 40-year history.
Longtime members of the commencement staff and Registrar’s Office employees, used
to seeing an aging, wrinkled green tarp covering the floor, marveled at its seemingly new
replacement.
The fact is, the turf is not new at all. Quite the contrary. It was purchased for the football
program in the early 1990s. When the program was discontinued in 2003, the well-worn
artificial playing field was rolled up for storage.
(Continued next page)
May 14:
The ETSU Foundation hears reports that giving and pledges
directed through the Foundation during 2014-15 reached the highest level in
over five years, and total fundraising efforts have increased 46 percent over
last year. According to Foundation officials, university and Foundation giving
to date during the 2014-15 fiscal year was $14.8 million.
May 15:
Dr. Deling Yin, a professor at ETSU’s Quillen College of
Medicine, receives a federal grant to study the effect of stress on the immune
system. The $340,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health will allow
Yin to continue research he has been working on for more than a decade.
May 18: Dr. Angela Radford Lewis,
Associate Vice Provost for Undergraduate
Programs, Curricula, and Services at ETSU, is
selected to receive the 2015 Distinguished Service
Award from the American Association of Family
and Consumer Sciences. According to AAFCS, this
is the most prestigious award given within the
family and consumer sciences profession.
May 20: ETSU’s Center for Appalachian Studies and Services receives
the 2015 Pinnacle Award for Special Projects for “The DeVault Tavern: An
Interdisciplinary Exhibition, Programming and Publication.”
T O D A Y
March 4:
E T S U
Clean and
Green and
DATELINE: ETSU
Ritter, Formerly of
Purdue, Joins ETSU
as Advancement VP
Pamela S. Ritter has been named ETSU’s Vice President for
University Advancement. Ritter comes to ETSU from Purdue
University, where she spent the past 27 years as a seniorlevel fundraiser working in major gifts, corporate relations,
alumni relations, and administration.
As Senior Director of Corporate Relations at Purdue since
2004, she led the corporate relations effort toward raising
$450 million of the successful $1.7 billion “Campaign for
Purdue” project. She also managed the corporate relations
team in raising an average of $30 million in gifts as well as
$20 million in in-kind gifts for the past 11 years.
From 2004-09, Ritter managed Purdue’s Office of
Corporate Relations and regional advancement offices in
Chicago and Indianapolis. She joined the Purdue University
team in 1987.
Ritter holds a B.S. degree in Health Education from
Western Michigan University and an M.S. in Health
Administration from Purdue. Prior to working in fundraising,
Ritter spent four years as a schoolteacher in Indiana and
was a district representative for the American Cancer
Society. n
27
28
~Fred Sauceman, ’78, ’80, is Executive Editor of ETSU Today.
When East Tennessee State
University graduate students
Matthew Himel and Andrew
Avery starting hearing about
the return of ETSU football, their
questions and curiosity did not
focus on what the future would
hold for the new team. They
wanted to look back.
That interest led to the “Countdown to Kickoff” exhibit at the Reece Museum.
With the help of the ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, the
Archives of Appalachia, and the private collections of former players, coaches,
trainers, and staff, Himel and Avery were able to assemble a plethora of
artifacts to complete an extensive and engaging look back at ETSU football’s
history. “Originally, I came up with the idea when I saw that we were bringing the
football program back, and that made me curious about the program we had
before 2003,” Himel said.“That led me to talk with Andrew about working
together to develop this ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ exhibit as a way to look back
at those previous 80-plus years of history.” For his part, Avery said the project is about informing those he passes on
campus every day—ETSU students. “Enough time has passed that there is a vague idea that there was a
football program, but there wasn’t a really good way to bring the past back
up for current students,” Avery said.“This exhibit supplied some context
for current students, alumni, and future students that there was a very
competitive program here in the past.” As graduate students majoring in history, both Himel and Avery knew
what they were looking for when it came to archives and memorabilia, but
Countdown to
Kickoff Exhibit
Heightens
Football
Excitement
actually finding those items became the real challenge. Ultimately, searching through old storage rooms inside the Mountain
States Health Alliance Athletic Center and relying on the generosity of
individuals who still possessed long-forgotten artifacts became crucial to
completing the project. In particular, the private collection of longtime ETSU
athletic trainer Jerry Robertson proved invaluable. “The biggest challenge from the very beginning was getting the artifacts
and all the memorabilia from different decades,” Himel said.“We found a lot
of items from the 1990s and from the Grantland Rice Bowl era, but things
from those years in between and before the 1969 season were the hardest to
find. But the more we talked to people and the more items we were able to
get, we found that all the decades were being represented.” Himel added,“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Jerry Robertson
because he provided at least a quarter of the things we have in the exhibit.
He opened a lot of doors for us, and what we were able to do would not have
been possible without him.” Himel and Avery also commended the staff at the Reece Museum—in
particular Randy Sanders, the museum’s director—for providing logistical
support and guidance when it came time to develop the look and feel of the
exhibit. “We want to thank the Reece Museum specifically, because Matt and
I had never done a museum exhibit before,” Avery said.“We gathered the
artifacts, but the staff were great about coming in and helping with the
installation of the items.”
Having originally conceived the idea of the football exhibit, Himel said he
had some specific hopes for the project. “We hope that it conveyed the idea that there was a significant football
program at ETSU before this upcoming season, that it was an integral part of
the university before, and that it will be again,” Himel said.“I think this was a
great launching pad for people to see what the program was in the past and
what it can be in the future.” n
~ Michael White is Associate Athletic Director for Communications at ETSU.
T O D A Y
The turf’s like-new appearance is the work of Bob Pakrul and the staff at
Johnson City’s Spotless Carpet Cleaners. They were given the assignment to
clean away years of accumulated grime and Gatorade. It took 12 days and
four Spotless trucks full of equipment and personnel.
When the decision to clean the turf was made, the university didn’t have
to look far for the right man to do the job. Bob Pakrul is one of the most
visible businesspeople in the Tri-Cities. His memorable commercials run on
area television stations daily.
Pakrul is known for being doused with water while a stuffed frog on his
shoulder sings out the Spotless theme, or drilling innocently into a wall, only
to be blasted in the face with a stream of water.
“When we were choosing a mascot for the business, we figured frogs and
water go together, and drying homes and offices is a major part of our work,”
Pakrul says. Even more importantly, he points out that a frog always moves
forward. It never goes backward. That describes the trajectory of the former
ETSU graduate student’s business, dating back to 1975.
“That was a tough time to get a job,” Pakrul says. So he formed Spotless,
as a carpet-cleaning business. But it wasn’t long before he learned that about
90 percent of carpet cleaners were going broke their first year, because of the
seasonal nature of the business. To make ends meet, he added janitorial work.
Three years later, Pakrul discovered a niche market in floor cleaning. Soon he
was cleaning a million square feet a month.
But that niche market played itself out eventually. Pakrul retooled
Spotless again, learning fire and smoke restoration work from some of the
E T S U
foremost experts in the world. In 2000, he reinvented the company
again, entering the field of water restoration. That’s where the
frog enters, and that’s also where Pakrul’s most prestigious
recognition comes in.
On January 10, 2009, lightning struck the
20,000-square-foot home of car dealers Steve and Ashley
Grindstaff, on the edge of Boone Lake. It took some 24
firefighters 2 ½ hours to contain the fire, using about
70,000 gallons of water. Spotless saved and restored
millions of dollars in furnishings and much of the
structural integrity of the mansion. For that extensive
work, Spotless earned the 2010 Phoenix Award from
the Restoration Industry Association.
“We received congratulations from all over the
world,” Pakrul said.“Hardwood floors used to be stripped
out of a damaged house and thrown away. Now we can
dry them. In the Grindstaff home, we refinished 15,000
square feet of hardwood floors, bringing those floors back to
normal. We saved a tremendous amount of material that would
normally be disposed of.”
Pakrul, a Linden, New Jersey, native whose paternal grandfather
came to America from Russia, was the first in his family to go to college.
Throughout his career at Spotless, Pakrul has insisted that his staff attend
classes and training sessions as soon as possible after they are hired. His son
Matt, described by his dad as the “co-captain,” is learning every phase of the
complex business of cleaning and restoration.
“My parents did a good job raising me,” Pakrul said.“A good work ethic—
that’s what I took away from my folks.”
Neither as an undergraduate at Milligan College nor as a graduate
student at ETSU did Pakrul take courses in marketing or advertising. But his
sometimes outlandish yet always endearing television presence has made
him one of the Tri-Cities’ best-known personalities.
“If you make people laugh, they’ll remember you,” Pakrul says.“If you can
laugh at yourself, that’s even better. I’ve been able to laugh at myself and still
get a serious message across: If this happens to you, call us.”
A floppy, oversized Uncle Sam hat, an Albert Einstein wig, a frog who
needs his dentures cleaned, and a bucket of water. Those are some of the
props that have led people to ask Bob Pakrul to sign autographs and pose
for photographs. In his “historical series” of television commercials, he
paraphrases Patrick Henry,“Give me liberty AND give me clean carpet.”
Most of the students who walked across that clean green turf to receive
their diplomas on May 9 likely had no idea who cleaned it, but odds are, every
one of them can sing the Spotless frog song. n
29
The Vision of
Steve Forbes
30
Having been named the 16th head coach in the history of East Tennessee State
University basketball on March 30, 2015, Forbes started to recall the winding
path that had ultimately led to this moment—this job. It was a journey that
began over three decades earlier with nothing but a standard typewriter.
“In the spring of my senior year of college, I didn’t have a computer so I
hand-typed probably 150 letters and mailed them to 150 or more basketball
coaches around the country looking for a graduate assistant job,” Forbes
said.“At the time, I didn’t have a computer but one day I went downtown to
an office supply store and rented a typewriter that had memory in it, and I
remember how nice it was I could touch a button and it would type the letter
again. I got all rejection letters except for one.”
Forbes never forgot that experience, and it served to shape his own style
as a coach, a leader, and a human being.
“Everyone rejected me and to be honest I kept those letters forever,
and I wish I hadn’t gotten rid of them,” Forbes said.“I kept them because I
remember when I became head coach at Barton County Community College
and had all these really good players on the team, all these same coaches
would come in to recruit my guys and I would remind them I still had all
those rejection letters. Because of that experience, I try really hard to respond
to anything I get in the mail. I try in a personal way to let them know I
received the letter. That’s how I want to be with other people.”
Forbes’ drive to succeed ultimately led to a coaching career that has been
defined more by its successes than its failures. At the junior college and NCAA
Division I levels, he has consistently been part of championship teams and
winning programs.
Forbes fell in love with the game of basketball when he was in fourth
grade. That’s when his father brought home his first basketball goal and
placed it over the family’s garage. After playing for hours in the driveway,
witnessing Bill Walton’s UCLA teams, and spending his Saturday nights
watching replays of Pac 8 games, the young boy from Lone Tree, Iowa, began
to dream of coaching players like Walton.
Though he played four sports in high school—splitting time among
football, basketball, baseball, and track—Forbes would ultimately attend
Southern Arkansas University to play baseball. While he flirted with majors in
accounting, literature, and prelaw, it was that desire to coach that led Forbes
to major in social studies, as he says,“knowing full well I wanted to teach and
coach.”
He found the right woman to be by his side for the journey, and his wife
Johnetta was quickly introduced to the life of a coach.
“On our honeymoon, Johnetta and I went on a job interview,” Forbes
recalled.“I interviewed for a GA job with Bob Hanson at Nebraska-Omaha. I
was either going to be the sports information director at Southern Arkansas
making $6,000 with no benefits, or I was going to Nebraska-Omaha to be
a GA. I didn’t get that job (at Nebraska-Omaha), so I went back to Southern
Arkansas where I had graduated and was an SID for a year, while Johnetta
became a fourth-grade teacher. We lived in a one-bedroom cabin with no
heat—just a fireplace. That’s how I got started.”
Moving on to Southwestern Community College in Sylva, North Carolina,
he had the opportunity to be an assistant coach for both the baseball and
basketball teams, and after a couple of years, he ultimately ended up with
the head coaching job for men’s basketball. What followed were stops at
Barton Community College, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, Illinois State, Texas A&M,
Tennessee, Northwest Florida Community College, Wichita State, and now
ETSU.
There have been unforgettable seasons, like helping take Tennessee to
the number-one ranking in the country and a trip to the Sweet 16, watching
Wichita State go 35-1 two seasons ago, and guiding his Northwest Florida
teams to back-to-back national championship appearances. However, in the
end, the real reason for his love of coaching is simple.
“I really like helping kids turn dreams into reality,” Forbes said.“I enjoy
helping young men grow up and helping them reach goals on and off the
court. My junior college experiences opened my eyes to that because those
players don’t have much, and then after two years they move on to get their
degrees, play on television, and do things they may have never imagined they
could do.
“For me, it’s about helping other people. I have won a lot of games, and if
I stopped coaching right now, people would say he was pretty successful. And
at the end of the day that’s how we’re judged. But along the way I think it’s
important that these student-athletes have a rewarding college experience.”
Forbes’ vision for ETSU is to continue to build on the winning tradition
that has already been established over the years. In fact, it was that
reputation that drew him to the Buccaneer bench in the first place.
“You’ve got a great tradition here,” Forbes said.“This program has been
to nine NCAA tournaments. There are programs that have never gone to the
tournament, or programs that haven’t gone in a long time. I do believe that
people in this area really like basketball. They will support it. And that’s all
you can ask for. Those are the people you need. There are a lot of places in the
country that aren’t that way. The people aren’t coming no matter how much
you win.”
Forbes says he wants to make coming to games at Freedom Hall a
worthwhile experience, and when he is ultimately judged for his work at
ETSU, he wants to have made a lasting impression on the program.
“I want to make it fun for the students and fans to come to the game,”
Forbes said.“I want it to be something that they can’t miss. My vision is to
win championships, and to make it a rewarding experience for everyone
involved—students, fans, faculty, administration, and everyone else.
“Cut down nets, and play meaningful games in March. That’s what
good programs do. Bad programs don’t play in March. I’ve played deep into
March many times and it’s fun and rewarding. I want these kids to have that
experience.” n
T O D A Y
CUTTING DOWN NETS
IN MARCH
Leaning forward in his chair,
elbows on his knees and hands
firmly clasped together, Steve
Forbes looked around his new
office and began to reflect.
E T S U
Photo by Ron Campbell.
~ Michael White is Associate Athletic Director for Communications at East
Tennessee State University.
31
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Individuals with a graduate degree earn an average of 40 percent more than those with a
bachelor’s degree. A graduate degree may be the next best investment in your lifetime.
ETSU graduate student theses and dissertations were downloaded over 150,000 times in 2014 alone!
We help you! Support services and staff to help students succeed.
We offer opportunities for financial support—scholarships, graduate assistantships
With online and part-time opportunities, graduate study at ETSU has never been more
accessible! More than 2200 people enrolled in graduate school at ETSU in 2014-15.
ETSU opens its doors to summer events!
Host your event on the beautiful ETSU campus located in the foothills of the
rolling Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee. Whether you are
planning a small or large event, host your event with us.
We offer a one-stop shop for planning camps, conferences, summer interns,
or alumni reunions. Amenities can include:
• Varying on-campus housing accommodations • Local events/attractions
Excellence • Flexibility • Opportunities • Career Advancement
PUT YOURSELF IN A GRADUATION PICTURE!
We can show you how.
School of Graduate Studies
309 Burgin Dossett Hall
PO Box 70720
www.etsu.edu/gradstud/
Phone: 423-439-6149
TOLL FREE: 855-750-5730
Fax: 423-423-5694
Email: gradsch@etsu.edu
• Recreational facilities and activities
• Easy access - I-26, I-81, and airport
• Meeting/lecture/presentation rooms
• Comprehensive dining options
• Large auditorium
• Technical support
Start your event planning today!
Contact Kim Young, Conference Coordinator
Phone: 423-439-7103 - Email: Edwards@etsu.edu
D.P. Culp University Center
ETSU P. O. Box 70692
Johnson City, TN 37614
www.etsu.edu/univcent • 412 J L Seehorn Road
32
33
Browder
King
Stafford
Smith
Ayers
Gardner
Mabrey
The 2015 Alumni Awards
Outstanding Alumni
Awards of Honor
Janet Ayers is the 2015 Outstanding Alumna. After receiving her
bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration at ETSU in 1986, she was
a nursing home administrator in Jonesborough and Erwin. She moved to
Nashville in 2006 and is currently President of the Ayers Foundation, which is
dedicated to improving the quality of life for the people of Tennessee with an
emphasis on education in Decatur, Henderson, Perry, and Unicoi counties.
Ayers served the Tennessee Health Care Association as president and
received its Distinguished Professional Service Award and Distinguished
Association Service Award. A former commissioner with the Tennessee Health
Facilities Commission, she is a board member of the Centerstone Research
Institute, Abe’s Garden, the Nashville Symphony, the Unicoi County Economic
Development Board, and the United Way of both Metropolitan Nashville and
Unicoi County. In 2014, she was inducted into the Nashville YWCA Academy
for Women of Achievement.
Drs. Teresa Owens Gardner and Paula Hill Meade provide access to
health care for uninsured residents of Southwest Virginia through the Health
Wagon, a free, nurse-managed health clinic consisting of two stationary
and two mobile units. As Executive Director of the Health Wagon, Gardner
supervises 19 employees and multiple volunteers, and Meade is a Family
Nurse Practitioner and Clinical Director. They have received extensive national
and international media attention for their efforts, including two interviews
on 60 Minutes and one on Inside Edition.
Gardner and Meade, who went all the way through school together
starting in elementary school, are 1989 graduates of the ETSU College of
Nursing and hold master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and
Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees from the University of Alabama.
Gary M. Mabrey III, the 2015 Outstanding Alumnus, graduated in
1973 with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Political Science and in
1974 with a Master of City Management degree. He worked for the cities of
Kingsport and Lenoir City before serving as a consultant and executive with
the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. He is now President
and CEO of the Johnson City-Jonesborough-Washington County Chamber of
Commerce, where he has worked for 28 years.
Mabrey is a member of the ETSU College of Business and Technology
Hall of Fame, the ETSU Foundation, and the Distinguished President’s Trust
and has served on the Business and Technology Board of Advisors, Athletics
Steering Committee, and Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy Board of Visitors.
He created the Gary Mabrey Community Service Award, presented each year
to a graduating pharmacy student who volunteers and exemplifies Mabrey’s
approach to community service.
34
Dr. R. Michael Browder, CEO of Bristol Tennessee Essential Services,
earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis at ETSU
in 1993. The Alabama native received his undergraduate degree in Electrical
Engineering from Auburn University and his Master of Administrative Science
degree from the University of Alabama at Huntsville before joining BTES
as Director of Engineering and Operations in 1972. He attained his current
position five years later.
Browder’s service to the university includes membership on the ETSU
Foundation, the College of Business and Technology Board of Advisors and
Dean’s Advisory Council, the Roan Scholars Leadership Program Steering
Committee, and the National Alumni Association, of which he is a former
president.
Honorary Alumni
Sonia S. King graduated from Johnson City’s Science Hill High School and
attended East Tennessee State College for a couple of years before moving to
Florida with her husband, James King. While at ETSC, she discovered a talent
Distinguished Alumnus in the Arts
Kingsport native Tim Stafford, who holds a bachelor’s degree in History and
English (’81) and a master’s in History (’84), was a member of the first ETSU
Bluegrass Band, founded by Jack Tottle in what would become the world-
renowned Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program. In 1990,
Stafford and fellow ETSU bluegrass musicians Adam Steffey and Barry Bales
joined Alison Krauss and Union Station and recorded the Grammy Awardwinning CD, Every Time You Say Goodbye.
Stafford later formed his own band, Blue Highway, which has received
two Grammy nominations, one Dove award, and nearly 30 International
Bluegrass Music Association awards over the past 20 years. Also a songwriter,
studio musician, and producer, he has written over 175 songs that have been
performed and recorded by numerous major artists. He has released two solo
CDs and has twice been named Guitarist of the Year by the Society for the
Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America. He has served two terms on the
IBMA board of directors.
T O D A Y
Meade
for business and accounting, and during her career, she was a bookkeeper,
insurance-rater, purchasing agent, insurance consultant, project manager, real
estate agent, office manager, supervisor, tax consultant, and more.
Now retired, King remains active in the ETSU Foundation, International
Storytelling Center, Salvation Army, and Johnson City Symphony Guild. She
has funded many artistic and educational endeavors through ETSU’s Mary
B. Martin School of the Arts, the ETSU at Rome program, the Jonesborough
Repertory Theatre, and the Johnson City Area Arts Council.
When Steve Smith was a boy in Grundy, Virginia, his father opened a
Piggly Wiggly grocery, and he grew up learning every aspect of managing a
store. That experience, combined with his B.B.A. degree from James Madison
University, helped him eventually to become President and CEO of K-VA-T, a
company that started with that one store but has grown to encompass 93
Food City supermarkets with 78 pharmacies and 84 fuel and convenience
stores, as well as 10 Super Dollar Discount Foods stores and one wine and
spirits store.
Smith is a member of the ETSU Foundation, and, along with Food City,
supports many organizations, including the United Way, American Cancer
Society, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and more.
E T S U
**********
The Alumni Awards are part of an annual program that began in 1970.
The tradition of presenting these awards during the spring Commencement
weekend dates back to a gathering of alumni for a candlelight ceremony to
welcome the Class of 1929 “diplomats,” as graduates were then known.
A complete view of previous award recipients can be found at www.ETSU.
edu/alumni. On campus, the Alumni Gallery on the lower level of the D. P. Culp
University Center displays permanent recognition of many award recipients.
To submit nominations for future awards, contact the ETSU National
Alumni Association at 423-439-4218 or alumni@etsu.edu.
Visit your campus, your friends and remember your great
times at East Tennessee State University!
ALL GREEK REUNION
during Homecoming September 25-27, 2015
Join your IFC, NPHC and Panhellenic brothers and sisters from 1954 to 2015 for a weekend of events celebrating ETSU and Greek relationships, past and present.
• Parade to Founders Park 6 p.m.
• Pep Rally and Concert
Founders Park 6:45 p.m.
Saturday, September 26
Friday, September 25
• 49th Annual ETSU National Alumni
Association Golf Classic
10 a.m. shotgun start
at Blackthorn
(2-person select shot)
Greek Division - $125
Military/Senior -$115
• Fraternity and Sorority
open houses
• Football game 1:30 p.m.
• NPHC Step Show
Competition
hosted by Emmanuel and
Phillip Hudson from
MTV’s Wild ‘n Out
6 p.m. at Brooks Gym
Tickets $7 advance/$10 at the door
• All Greek Reunion
8 p.m. until midnight at
The Millennium Centre. Join us after the
game, after the show
or after dinner for a
great event. Tickets are
$30 per person before
Sept. 1; $35 afterward
and $40 at the door.
Ticket price includes
hors d’oeuvres, a cash
bar; a “live dance band”
will be on hand to play
music for the generations as well as a casual
getaway area for relaxed conversation.
Sunday, September 27
• Gospel Concert
3 p.m. in Culp Auditorium
For more information visit and to register
www.etsualumni.org or
www.etsu.edu/greeklife
or call (423) 439-4218 or
(423) 439-8328.
Blocks of rooms at various local hotels
are reserved under “ETSU Alumni” for a
special rate.
Partial funding for the All Greek Reunion is provided by
35
Captain Eugene Franklin (BS ’55) was inducted into the ETSU
ROTC Hall of Fame. He has been awarded the Distinguished Service
Cross, the Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts, one with an Oak
Leaf Cluster.
Chuck Peake (BS ’56) has retired after 57 years working for
the University of Maryland and University College Europe. Chuck
graduated from ETSU with a bachelor’s degree in Economics.
Joseph J. Sams (BS ’56) and Lillie celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary on August 21, 2014. Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Sams were
joined in marriage on August 21, 1964, at the Rockledge Church
of Christ in Rockledge, Florida. Joseph graduated from ETSU with
a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts and Technical Education. He
served his country in the U.S. Army and worked for the U.S. Air Force
Eastern Test Range. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sams worked on the Gemini
and Apollo space programs at the Kennedy Space Center. Joseph is
a retired farmer.
Dr. Michael D. “Mickey” Bolus (BS ’59) earned a bachelor’s degree
in Marketing at East Tennessee State. He was a member of Lambda
Chi. Dr. Bolus is the Senior Pastor at Hopewell Presbyterian Church in
Rock Hill, South Carolina. After over 50 years of ministry, he tells ETSU
that he has finally found the time to write and has published a new
book on counseling called Our Wonderful Counselor.
1960s
Colonel Tommy C. Stiner (BS ’63) was inducted into the ETSU
ROTC Hall of Fame. He served in the U.S. Army for 29 years, including
an assignment as Director of Combined Arms Tactics at the U.S. Army
Aviation Center.
Jim E. Rogers (BS ’64, MBA ’66) was given the first Lifetime
Achievement Award in 2015 by the North Carolina Certified
Commercial Investment Member chapter. Jim graduated from ETSU
with a bachelor’s degree in Management and went on to earn a
master’s degree in Business Administration. He received the Order of
the Long Leaf Pine Award for his lifetime service to North Carolina in
December 2014. He was named ETSU Outstanding Alumnus in 2009
and was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the College of Business
and Technology. Other honors include Leadership Charlotte’s Shelly
R. Lyons Circle of Excellence Award and the Charlotte Regional
REALTORS Association Citizenship Award. Jim was a founding partner
of Cauble and Co. of Carolina.
Lieutenant General Fred McCorkle (BS ’66) was the keynote
speaker at the 3rd Annual Veterans Day Ceremony at the Johnson
City/Washington County Veterans Memorial, located at the
intersection of West Market Street and Veterans Way. He graduated
from ETSU in 1966, earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.
Norman Fleenor (BS ’67) was given the 2014 CenturyLink Faith
in the Future Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business
Management from ETSU.
Jimmy Neil Smith (BS ’69) was honored recently by the
Jonesborough Board of Mayor and Aldermen, who voted to name
the Storytelling Park after him. He is the former Mayor and founder
of Jonesborough’s Storytelling Festival and International Storytelling
Center. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from ETSU.
1970s
William “Bill” Derby (BS ’72) was given the 2014 CenturyLink
Faith in the Future Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree in
Journalism from ETSU.
John A. Mashburn (BS ’72) was honored for his decades of service
to the Johnson City Little League program when the city decided
to rename Neighborhood Field at Kiwanis Park the ArrowoodMashburn Field. He has served as an umpire for 43 years and
reported that he has no plans to retire any time soon. He earned a
bachelor’s degree in Social Work from ETSU and went on to serve his
country in the U.S. Army.
Ron T. Schwalb (BS ’72) is an entomologist who has joined the U. S.
Pest Protection In Massive Growth Initiative. He will be the Technical
Corporate Director of the program. Ron earned a bachelor’s degree in
Biology from ETSU. He previously worked for Lesco Incorporated as a
technical specialist.
Brigadier General Isaac G. Osborne Jr. (BS ’74) was inducted
into the ETSU ROTC Hall of Fame. He served in active duty from 197478, and through his work he earned the rank of Assistant Adjutant
General of the Tennessee National Guard and Deputy Commander of
U.S. Army Africa, in Vicenza, Italy.
36
Robert “Al” Hamlett (BS ’76, MA ’80) retired from the FBI in 2009
after 25 years of service. Al earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical
Education and a master’s degree from ETSU. He entered the FBI in
1984 to carry on the family tradition. His uncle, aunt, and son, Tom,
all joined the FBI at various times. Al published a book in 2012 called
Wake Up America.
Tommy Clouse (BS ’78, MED) was appointed Interim Director of
Unicoi County Schools in March 2015. He has worked in the Unicoi
County school system for over 35 years. He earned a bachelor’s
degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Education
from ETSU. He taught at Unicoi Elementary School for seven years
and also coached basketball and football. He then went on to
become Principal at Love Chapel Elementary School, where he served
for 13 years.
Tom McCormack (BS ’78) collected seven national cross country
championships this year in the 60-64 age category in the masters
division. While in school he was a member of the famed “Irish
Brigade.”
1980s
Benton “Ken” Stewart (MA ’81) has been named Regional Vice
President for Hamilton, Franklin, Coffee, Moore, Bedford, Lincoln,
Maury, Lewis, Giles, Lawrence, Marshall, Perry, Hickman, and Wayne
counties for Centerstone, a nonprofit organization and behavioral
health care provider for the Middle Tennessee region. Ken has worked
with Centerstone for over 28 years. He earned a master’s degree
from ETSU in Psychology and went on to become a licensed Senior
Psychological Examiner.
M. Tim Daley (BBA ’82) retired from Becton Dickinson after 30
years with the company. He was a Regional Sales Manager. He
earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with an
emphasis on Marketing from ETSU. He was active on campus and
was in the fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Freddie D. Lewis (BS ’82, MBA ’87) was given the 2014
CenturyLink Faith in the Future Award. He earned a bachelor’s degree
in Computer and Information Sciences and a master’s degree in
Business Administration from ETSU.
Mary P. Minor (BS ’83) is the Vice President of Marketing and Public
Relations for the YMCA of Greenville, South Carolina. She earned a
bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications from ETSU.
Dr. Stacy Cummings-Onks (BS ’86, MA ’88) has been appointed
Director of the University Advisement Center at ETSU.
John Speropulos (BBA ’86, BBA ’93) received the Mountain States
Foundation’s 2015 Spirit Award. John has more than 18 years of
experience in the real estate industry. He is currently a development
partner with Mitch Cox Companies and is President of Mitch Cox
Realtor, Inc. He also received the Mark Keesecker Humanitarian
Award in 2013.
Kevin Triplett (BS ’87) is Tennessee’s new Commissioner of Tourist
Development. He previously served as Vice President of Public Affairs
for Bristol Motor Speedway. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Mass
Communications from ETSU.
Scott E. Pleasant (BS ’88, MA ’92) is Coordinator of the Writing
Center at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina. He earned
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from ETSU. He can play
the piano, trumpet, guitar, and ukulele and frequently performs in
the Myrtle Beach area. He had a band in his teen years called The
Plez Tones.
Michael Scott Winstead (BS ’89) is Director of Schools in
Maryville, Tennessee. He is leading an initiative to provide every
student in the school system with a laptop or tablet.
1990s
Jennifer Jayne Bright (BS ’90) joined PNC Mortgage, a division of
PNC Bank, as a Supervising Loan Officer for coastal South Carolina.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from ETSU.
Dalerick Carden (BBA ’90) was named Senior Vice President, Chief
Accounting Officer, and Corporate Controller in October 2014 for
Crawford & Company. Dalerick has been with the company for nearly
20 years. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration
from ETSU, with an emphasis in Accounting.
Kenny Chesney (BS ’90) received the Academy of Country Music’s
50th Anniversary Milestone Award. He has previously won four ACM
Entertainer of the Year trophies and received the first fan-voted
Entertainer of the Year award.
Tammy Darnell (BS ’90) earned a bachelor’s degree in Mass
Communication from ETSU. She is a published author with titles
including Radical Rhymes for a Sucky Day; Laughter, Life Lessons, and
Logic; and Why Is Your Brand New Book Not Selling Worth a Crap?
(and what to do about it). Tammy began writing as a hobby but was
inspired to write as an escape from the stresses of life. She was a
devoted caregiver for her mom, who had Alzheimer’s Disease.
Bryan M. Moorhouse (BBA ’90) is an Administrator for NHC in
Greenville, South Carolina. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from ETSU.
Mark A. Stevens (BS ’91) was named Executive Editor for the South
Strand News group. He had served from 2012 to 2014 as Publisher
and CEO of the Elizabethton Star. Mark earned a bachelor’s degree in
Mass Communication from ETSU.
Katherine Diane Bowen (MED ’92) was given the 2014
CenturyLink Faith in the Future Award. She earned a master’s degree
in Education and Counseling from ETSU.
Amy M. Blaine (BS ’94, MBA ’11) has accepted a position with the
Johnson City Convention and Visitors Bureau. She earned a bachelor’s
degree in Sociology and a master’s degree in Business Administration
from ETSU. She has worked in the hospitality industry for many years,
at such places as Disney’s Wide World of Sports, Universal Orlando,
and the Economic Development Board in Unicoi County, as well as
owning her own business.
Dr. C. Fernando Bendfeldt (MD ’95) joined Southeast Women’s
Center. He is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and is a
member of the American College of Surgeons.
Dr. Anna Broome Gilbert (BS ’95, MD ’02) has taken a position
in the ETSU Department of Internal Medicine as Associate Director of
Senior Student Education. She is also Site Administrative Physician
for Internal Medicine at ETSU Physicians Group. She earned a
bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and her M.D. degree from ETSU.
Rhonda Mann (BSN ’95) has been appointed Chief Nursing Officer
at Johnson City Medical Center. She earned a bachelor’s degree in
Nursing at ETSU.
Andrew Darrin Worley (BS ’95) is Emergency Management
Specialist at ETSU. He previously served as Director of the
Elizabethton/Carter County Emergency Management Agency.
Ellen L. Reinhardt (MED ’96) was recognized by the Unicoi School
Board. She started as a resource teacher at Evans Elementary School
in 1983 and was there until 1988. Until her retirement in the spring
of 2014, she served as a special education/resource teacher at Unicoi
County Middle School.
Dr. Jeff Howard (BS ’97, MA ’02, EdD ’13) was named Dean of
Students at ETSU in November 2014. He is the sixth person to hold
that position at the university.
Shannon Emmanuel (MS ’99) is the new Community Health
Director for the American Heart Association. Shannon earned a
master’s degree in Communicative Disorders from ETSU.
Eric Vaughn (BFA ’99) was promoted in January 2015 to Director
of the Marketing Communications Department at Wellmont Health
System. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from ETSU. Eric
has worked with Wellmont for over 10 years. He served as Interactive
Marketing Manager, Art Director, Production Manager, and Graphic
Designer. He was also nominated for a Midsouth Emmy Award for
“Wellmont Connection” and was selected by The Business Journal of
Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia as a 40 Under Forty Award recipient.
2000s
Dessi Foster (BBA ’00) was one of the participants in the 6th Annual
Dancing with the Tri-Cities Stars. She earned a bachelor’s degree in
Business Administration from ETSU. Dessi is an Independent Sales
Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics and a group fitness instructor at
Lifestyles Fitness Center.
Mary Ellen Miller (MBA ’00) was given the 2014 CenturyLink
Faith in the Future Award. She earned a master’s degree in Business
Russell Wilson (BS ’00) is Vice President of Wealth Management at
Knoxville’s UBS Financial Services. He earned a bachelor’s degree in
Political Science from ETSU.
Daniel McDuffie (BBA ’01) is Vice President of Sales at Streamline
Health in Atlanta. He joined Streamline Health in 2012. He has
worked in healthcare for over 13 years. While at ETSU, he played
basketball.
Dr. Dawn Simonds Tuell (MD ’01) was accepted into the
Educational Scholarship Program of the Academic Pediatric
Association. She is one of just 24 pediatric educators to be accepted
into the program’s most recent cohort. Dr. Tuell earned her M.D.
degree from ETSU.
Holly Andora Williams (MED ’01) and Lynn Allen Lamons were
married on April 26, 2014, at Carter’s Station United Methodist
Church. Holly earned a master’s degree in Education from ETSU. She is
Rental Manager for the Greene County Fair Association.
Dr. MaryLou Apple (EdD ’02) retired June 30 as President of
Motlow State Community College, a position she had held since
2006. She was the first woman president in the school’s history.
She had previously served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at
Walters State Community College. She earned a doctoral degree in
Educational Leadership from ETSU.
Dr. Melissa L. Borthwick (MD ’02) was featured in New Hampshire
Magazine’s 2015 Top Doctors article. She earned her M.D. degree
from ETSU and practices general and family medicine at Elliot Family
Medicine in Manchester. Her grandfather and father inspired her to
pursue a career in medicine.
Mike R. Rader, Jr. (BS ’02, MA ’04) is Wide Receivers Coach and
Recruiting Coordinator at ETSU. He earned bachelor’s and master’s
degrees in Physical Education from ETSU. He was a three-year starter
on the Buccaneer football team.
Cristi Curlee Holcombe (BA ’03) was on the Emmy Awardwinning HGTV show Elbow Room. As Production Designer, she
worked with host Chip Wade to design many of the homes featured.
She worked on 39 episodes. She is an interior designer in the Atlanta
area and launched her own business, Interior Design Company,
Cristi Holcombe Interiors, in 2009. She earned a bachelor’s degree
in Applied Human Sciences, with an emphasis in Merchandising,
from ETSU.
Nathan J. Bailey (BS ’04) has joined Waddey Patterson Intellectual
Property Law. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and
Physiology from ETSU and went on to work for the Honorable Glen M.
Williams in the United States District Court for the Western District of
Virginia. He then worked at the Trial Division of the Patent Trial and
Appeal Board at the United States Patent and Trademark Office as
well as a patent boutique firm in the D.C. area.
Jason Jarrett (BA ’06) is the new Football Coach at Happy Valley
High School. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from ETSU and
has served as Assistant Coach for the past 14 years at Happy Valley.
Jason was a freshman player on the Warriors’ most successful team in
1997 with a 10-0 regular season and 12-1 overall record.
Deirdre N. Long (BS ’06) was chosen as one of the featured “25
Under 35 in 2015” in the April issue of Editor & Publisher magazine.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from ETSU.
Dieter James Smith (BS ’06) and Allison Nicole Schlather (BS
’08) were married on March 29, 2014, at First Broad Street United
Methodist Church in Kingsport. Dieter earned a bachelor’s degree in
Computer and Information Sciences from ETSU. He works at Eastman
Credit Union. Allison earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering
Technology from ETSU.
Kacie (Evans) Hauldren (BSN ’07) was named Director of the
Practical Nursing Program at the Tennessee College of Applied
Technology in Elizabethton. Kacie earned a bachelor’s degree in
Nursing from ETSU.
Rebecca Marie Schilling (BS ’07, MSW ’10) and Benjamin Tate
Blalock were married on June 28, 2014, at First Baptist Church
of Kingsport. Rebecca earned a bachelor’s degree in Family and
Consumer Sciences and a master’s degree in Social Work from ETSU.
She is working at First Broad Street United Methodist Church.
Dr. Rick Wallace (EdD ’07, MPH ’14) was awarded the Elise Draper
Barrette Award from the Boone Tree Library Association in March
2015. Dr. Wallace is Assistant Director of ETSU’s Quillen College of
Medicine Library.
Christian Williams (BS ’07, MPH ’09, DPH ’14) and Rachel Ward
(DPH ’14) have co-written a chapter in the book Public Health in
Appalachia: Essays from the Clinic and the Field. The chapter is entitled
“The Growing Problem of Diabetes in Appalachia.” Rachel and
Christian are recent graduates of the ETSU College of Public Health
doctoral program.
Justin Dickenson (BS ’08) has been named Director of Web
Development and Technical Services at Hillhouse Graphic Design. He
has served as Owner and Creative Director of Dickenson Branding,
Marketing Director of Mitch Cox Companies, and Hardware Engineer
and System Tester at Siemens.
Annie Andrews (BS ’09) is Sales Manager for Club Car of Hilton
Head in Lady Lake, Florida. Annie earned a bachelor’s degree in
Sports and Leisure Management from ETSU.
Tara L. Byrne (BBA ’09, MBA ’11) and Jordan J. I. Findlay
(BS ’09) were married on September 27, 2014, at Bald Head
Island Chapel in Bald Head Island, North Carolina. Tara earned
bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Business Administration from
ETSU. Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree in Sport and Leisure
Management from ETSU.
Lucy T. Hart (BS ’43), April 3, 2015, in Johnson City. Lucy
graduated from ETSU with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. She
worked at Tennessee Eastman Company as a chemical lab
technician for many years.
Jason R. Dubay (BS ’09) and Chelsie M. Lawson (MA ’14) were
married on September 6, 2014, in Johnson City. Jason is working
for Wellmont Health System. Chelsie is employed at ETSU and is a
member of the Junior League of Johnson City.
Courtnie Nichols (BGS ’09) was featured in TheNewsStar.
com’s “Young Professional of the Week” section. Courtnie earned
a bachelor’s degree in General Studies from ETSU. She is Director
of External Relations for the Louisiana Tech University College
of Business.
2010s
Veronica Limeberry (BA ’10, MALS ’14, MPA ’14) was named
a 2015-16 Fulbright Academic Research Fellow. She is working for
nine months at Navdanya, the Research Foundation for Science,
Technology, and Ecology in Dehradun, India, studying women in
sustainable agriculture.
John Milstead (BA ’10) is enrolled in the Ph.D. program in
History at Michigan State University. He is writing a dissertation
on how people of African descent affected citizenship, race, and
nationalism in the 19th century.
Beth Ohlsson (MA ’11) is Executive Director of the Salisbury
Substance Abuse Community Center in Salisbury, Maryland.
She has constructed a successful program working in addiction
recovery. Her program “Reaching through the Cracks: Connecting
Incarcerated Persons with their Loved Ones Through Story” has
expanded into a workshop series.
Matthew K. Smith (BS ’11) is Video Production Coordinator
within the LBMC, PC, one of the Southeast’s largest accounting
and business consulting firms. He earned a bachelor’s degree in
Mass Communication from ETSU.
Dr. Joshua R. Harris (DPT ’12) and Ashley Pruitt were married
on June 21, 2014. Joshua earned a doctorate in Physical Therapy
from ETSU. The couple resides in Crossville, Tennessee.
Dr. Catherine M. Mitchell (PHARMD ’12) and Dr. Christopher
R. Mitchell (PHARMD ’12) were married on October 26, 2013,
at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Knoxville. She is
working for CVS Pharmacy in Pigeon Forge. He is working for CVS
Pharmacy in Jefferson City.
Shaina Kaye Donihe (BSN, ’13) and Michael Neil Patrick Brown
were married on May 17, 2014, at the West View Baptist Church.
Shaina earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing from ETSU. She is an
RN at Johnson City Medical Center.
Dr. Patricia L. McPherson (RES ’13) joined the SouthEast Alaska
Regional Health Consortium as a General Surgeon in December
2014. She did her internship and residency at ETSU.
Ryan Benson Powers (BS ’13) was awarded the Mountain
States Foundation 2014 Don Brewer Scholarship. He earned a
bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from ETSU and is currently
enrolled in the doctoral program in Physical Therapy.
Mike Fink (BS ’14) earned a bachelor’s degree in Mass
Communication from ETSU. Since graduation, he has worked
with four friends in producing YouTube videos for their channel
VideoBakery. So far, they have published 59 videos. Their channel
has nearly 2 million views and 13,000 subscribers. The team
debuted its first full-length film Margot the Furnace in 2014.
Courtney E. Nicely (BA ’14) and J. Luke Bennett were married
on January 2, 2015, at The Reserve at Bluebird Hill in Lenoir City.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in Art from ETSU.
Rachel Ward (DPH ’14) and Christian Williams (BS ’07, MPH
’09, DPH ’14) have co-written a chapter in the book Public Health
in Appalachia: Essays from the Clinic and the Field. The chapter is
entitled “The Growing Problem of Diabetes in Appalachia.” Rachel
and Christian are recent graduates of the ETSU College of Public
Health doctoral program.
OBITUARIES
1940s
Kate C. Edwards (BS ’40), March 6, 2015, in Erwin. Kate was
retired from the Unicoi County School System where she taught
for over 36 years. She was also a member of the Retired Teachers
Association.
Virginia Anders (BS ’48), December 2, 2014, in Erwin. Virginia
earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She helped
establish the Unicoi County Head Start Program and taught first
grade at Martin Chapel School for over 40 years.
Bennett Kelly Howze, Sr. (BS ’48, MA) of Erwin, on December
20, 2014. Bennett earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary
Education and went on to earn a master’s degree. He enjoyed
a long and varied career. He served his country in the U.S. Navy,
taught briefly in Asheville, North Carolina, and went on to
work in teaching and administration in Unicoi and Washington
counties, South Haven, Michigan, and Bradenton, Florida. He was
a licensed electrician and worked in the construction of nuclear
power plants.
1950s
George L. Blackburn (BS ’50), January 9, 2015, in Blountville.
George earned a bachelor’s degree in Geography. He served his
country in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was stationed on
the island of Guam. He was also a retired consultant.
Nancy J. Eberle (BS ’50), September 26, 2014, in Avon
Park, Florida. Nancy earned a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration. She was a retired business teacher and worked at
Avon Park High School for over 30 years.
Clyde C. Day (BS ’50), March 1, 2015, in Marion, North Carolina.
Clyde graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He was an
instructor at McDowell Technical Community College.
Betty G. Keever (BS ’50), April 10, 2015, in Erwin. Betty earned
her bachelor’s degree in English. She spent over 39 years teaching
in Unicoi County.
Selma Franklin Maltsberger (BS ’50, MA) of Johnson City on
January 10, 2015. Selma earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology and
a master’s degree. During her career as an educator, she taught
Biology and English at both Lynn View High School and Science
Hill High School. She served as Principal of Southside Elementary
School for 17 years. She was also a longtime member of First
Presbyterian Church.
Robert Tipton Nave (BS ’50, MA) of Johnson City on January
13, 2015. Robert earned a bachelor’s degree in History. He served
in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army and later taught in Carter
County, in Florida, and in California. He was a member of the
Watauga Historical Association.
Nancy S. Buck (BS ’51), February 11, 2015, in Elizabethton.
Nancy earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology. She was a devoted
teacher and was named Tennessee Science Teacher of the Year in
1975. She was also named Elizabethton High School Teacher of
the Year in 1988-1989 and 1994-1995.
Max Counts (BS ’51), November 18, 2014, in Bristol, Virginia.
Max earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. After graduation,
he worked as an engineer for Sperry-Farragut Company. He then
went on to work for Raytheon Missile Systems Division in Bristol,
Tennessee, as Manager of Engineering Services-Design and
Drafting from 1957 until his retirement in 1991. He also taught
design and drafting courses at King College for many years.
Nell J. A. Nelms (BS ’51), February 16, 2015, in Charlottesville,
Virginia. Nell earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.
While at East Tennessee State, she enjoyed cheerleading and
dancing. She taught first grade in Johnson City and Murfreesboro.
She was an active member of First Baptist Church, Charlottesville,
Virginia.
Isaac H. Robinette, Jr. (BS ’51), November 29, 2014, in
Kingsport. Isaac earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Education.
He was a U.S. Army veteran and served his country in the Korean
War, receiving a Bronze Star. He founded the Pope-Robinette
Insurance Agency in 1958.
Mike Witt (BS ’52), September 8, 2014, in Kingsport. Mike
earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology. He served his country
in the U.S. Air Force and then began his career with Bennett &
Edwards before leaving in 1967 to establish the Edwards, Tipton,
and Witt Agency. He became sole owner of the agency in 1974.
Horace C. Rankin (BS ’54), December 27, 2014, in
Jonesborough. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.
Dr. Samuel M. Tickle, Sr. (BS ’54) of Memphis on January 2,
2015. Dr. Tickle graduated from East Tennessee State, earning a
bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He was a physician and served as
Director of Pulmonary Laboratories at the University of Tennessee
from 1968-74 and as Chairman of the Respiratory Therapy
Committee of the Methodist Hospitals from 1974-76. In 1964,
he was appointed instructor in the Department of Medicine at
the university, Assistant Professor in 1967, and Clinical Associate
Professor in 1974, retiring in 2000.
Ralph Patton Ward (BS ’54) in Kingsport, May 18, 2014. Ralph
earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts. He served in the
United States Navy and was a veteran of the Korean War. He
was an Engineering Technician at Eastman Kodak for 32 years
before retiring.
John H. Cundiff, Jr. (BS ’55, MA) of Johnson City, December 31,
2014. John earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts Education.
He was a U.S. Marine veteran of the Korean War. He spent his
working years in Orlando, Florida, where he retired from Boon
High School. He later returned to Johnson City.
Mary M. Jordan (BS ’55) of Bristol, Virginia, January 30, 2015.
Mary earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
After graduation, she went on to receive her master’s degree
from Georgia State University in 1968. She taught in several high
schools throughout Tennessee and Georgia for a total of 38 years.
She was a devoted member of Philadelphia Presbyterian Church
and later Morrow First United Methodist Church, where she served
on many church committees.
Roy Williams (BS ’55) of Bristol, Virginia, March 3, 2015. Roy
earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He served
in the U.S. Army as a cryptographer with tours of duty in Korea
and Japan. He was employed by Unisys and Raytheon and was a
longtime member of the State Street United Methodist Church. He
was also a member of the Bristol, TN-VA Rotary Club.
Lloyd Vicars (BS ’56), February 16, 2015, in Clarksville. Lloyd
earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology. He was a
veteran of the Tennessee Army National Guard and later served
with the First U.S. Army at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He was
discharged, having reached the rank of Master Sergeant. He then
went on to teach industrial arts for over 38 years and retired
in 1994.
Charles E. Lipford (BS ’58) of Elizabethton, December 26, 2014.
Charles served in the U.S. Air Force as a Radar Technician during
the Korean War. He also taught algebra at Elizabethton High
School until his retirement in 1987 and was the first teacher to
be inducted into the Imagination Library Teachers Hall of Fame.
He was a member of the Siam Baptist Church where he served
as a trustee.
Lewis R. Sims (BS ’58), November 22, 2014, in Jonesborough.
Lewis earned a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Arts. He was a
veteran of the U.S. Air Force and had retired from Tennessee
Eastman after 27 years.
Dorothy Marie Jackson Smith (BS ’58, MA) of Jonesborough,
December 26, 2014. Dorothy earned a bachelor’s degree in
Elementary Education and later a master’s degree. She was a
fourth-grade teacher at Jonesborough Elementary School for 17
years. In 1980, she was named the “MS Mother of the Year” by the
East Tennessee Chapter for her ongoing contributions to the local
multiple sclerosis organization. She was a lifelong member of First
Baptist Church in Jonesborough.
Joseph S. Thomas (BS ’58), November 15, 2014, in Asheville.
Joseph earned a bachelor’s degree in Business. He served his
country in the U.S. Navy and went on to teach at Church Hill High
School for two years before moving to Florida to teach and later
become Principal at Cleveland Court Elementary.
1960s
Charles E. Byers (BS ’60), November 28, 2014, in Cleveland,
Tennessee. Charles earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics.
He was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army after serving
his country in the Korean War. He taught mathematics at Steed
College and retired from Space Com, having served as a Systems
Analyst.
Colonel David F. Bautista (BS ’61) of Elizabethton, March
21, 2015. David earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Science. He
was a student in ROTC and later became a Commanding Officer.
He retired from the U.S. Army after 30 years of service as a First
Lieutenant guarding Fort Knox. He later received his Judicial
Doctorate from the University of Tennessee and had a private
practice in Elizabethton for 15 years. He also served as the District
Public Defender for four counties. After his retirement, he was an
Adjunct Professor of Law at ETSU. He was a lifelong member of the
West Side Christian Church.
Victor Presley (BS ’61), July 14, 2014, in Davenport, Virginia.
Victor earned a bachelor’s degree in History. He served his country
in the U.S. Army and then went on to teach at Council High School
for 22 years, retiring in 1982. He also served on the Buchanan
County School Board for four years.
Sidney A. Wallen (BS ’61), November 16, 2014, in Johnson
City. Sidney earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education.
She taught school for 31 years before retiring in 1985. She
taught elementary school in Hawkins County, Rogersville, and
Johnson City.
Dr. Harry E. Moore, Jr. (MA ’62), February 3, 2015, in
Germantown, Tennessee. Harry earned a master’s degree in
Guidance and Counseling. He was a Baptist pastor for over
20 years. He also served as Regional Director of the National
Conference of Christians and Jews for 19 years. He taught
American History at Shelby State Community College and
Southwest Tennessee Community College.
George Albert Morelock (BS ’62) of Jonesborough, November
24, 2014. George earned a bachelor’s degree in Business. He served
his country in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. He was retired from
Burlington Industries after having worked there 38 years. He
attended New Victory United Methodist Church.
Coy Wells (BS ’62), March 9, 2015, in Versailles, Kentucky. Coy
earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics. He was a veteran of the
U.S. Army and served his country during the Korean War. He was a
retired Master Claims Adjuster for Nationwide Insurance Company.
T O D A Y
1950s
Eugene M. Spiess (MA ’74) is the International Director of Lions
Club International. He earned a master’s degree in Educational
Mary Teresa Beal Doty (BS ’43) of Rogersville, on January 9,
2015. She was a retired schoolteacher after teaching for 50 years.
She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and helped
with the Shriners as well as being a member of Ebbing and
Flowing Springs United Methodist Church.
E T S U
CLASS NOTES
Ben Andrews (BBA ’09, MA ’10) is General Manager of Club Car
of Hilton Head in Lady Lake, Florida. He earned a bachelor’s degree
in Business Administration with an emphasis in Management and
a master’s degree in Kinesiology and Sports Science from ETSU,
where he was a pitcher for the baseball team for four years.
Ralph Yelton (BS ’62), February 8, 2015, in Johnson City. Ralph
earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Education. He served
his country in the U.S. Army and fought in World War II and the
Korean Conflict, earning the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and the
Silver Star. He went on to serve as a State Representative in the
Tennessee General Assembly.
Conrad Keesecker (BS ’63) of Erwin, March 21, 2015. Conrad
earned a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics. He was a high school
teacher and coach for Newport News Public Schools for over
29 years.
Auburn “Toby” Pennington III (BS ’63), February 16, 2015,
in Johnson City. Toby earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech
Pathology. He was a disc jockey and engineer at WETS Radio AM
in the late 1950s and a disc jockey for WJSO in the early 1960s. He
also owned and operated Pennington Distributors as well as the
Health Barn in Johnson City and Greeneville.
Wayne Litton Sparks (BS ’63) of Johnson City, December 15,
2014. Wayne earned a bachelor’s degree in English. He was a
longtime announcer at WJSO Radio, where he hosted “The Electric
Radio Program and Jogging Society.”
James C. Akard (MA ’64), March 27, 2015, in Blountville.
Jackie C. Christian (BS ’64), December 11, 2014, in Church Hill.
Jackie earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Science.
Patricia Buck Denny (BS ’64, MA), August 1, 2014, in
Elizabethton. Patricia earned a bachelor’s degree in English
and a master’s degree. She was a retired schoolteacher from
Dobyns-Bennett High School, where she taught for over 38 years.
She was a member of East River Park Christian Church, where she
served as secretary.
Thomas Harville (BS ’64) of Johnson City, March 26, 2015.
Thomas earned a bachelor’s degree in Education. He was a
member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Phi Delta Kappa. He
was one of the directors of the first team teaching experiment
in the Southeast. He received the Lifelong Achievement award
from the Black Faculty and Staff Association of ETSU. He was a
member of Rising Star Baptist Church and then later became a
member of Thankful Baptist Church, where he was a trustee and
Man of the Year.
Hattie J. Julian (BS ’64), September 19, 2014, in Elizabethton.
Hattie earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She
was a retired teacher from the Carter County School System and
also worked on the Carter County Board of Education.
Annis K. Morison (BS ’64), November 5, 2014, in Bristol,
Tennessee. Annis earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education.
Dr. Juanita O. Goforth (MA ’65), April 12, 2015, in Bristol,
Tennessee. She earned a master’s degree in English. She taught
English literature at King College and several other schools from
Alabama to New York and even in Germany and South Korea.
Robert W. Holt (BS ’65), December 4, 2014, in Jonesborough.
Robert earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology. He served in the U.S.
Army and retired from the FBI as a Special Agent.
Johnnie W. Slaughter (BS ’65), November 18, 2014, in
Kingsport. Johnnie earned a bachelor’s degree in History.
Amos Williams Stevens, Jr. (BS ’65) in Hampton, December 22,
2014. Amos earned a bachelor’s degree in History. He went on to
work as a principal and teacher before moving into social work.
He retired from his position as Supervisor of the Department of
Children’s Services in Carter County in 2008.
Laurena Hoover (MA ’66), December 1, 2014, in Kingsport.
Laurena earned a master’s degree in English. She taught English
for over 25 years at local high schools. She was an active member
with the Sullivan County Teachers Association even upon
retirement and had at one time served as president.
Howe H. Irwin, Jr. (BS ’66), March 29, 2015, in Johnson City.
Howe earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. He
spent much of his teaching career with Oak Ridge Schools. He
retired in Johnson City.
Sandra Sue Johnson (BS ’66, MA) of Elizabethton, February
5, 2015. Sandra earned a bachelor’s degree in Reading and a
37
Harriett Hager (BS ’67), September 2, 2014, in Johnson City.
Harriett earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology. She first
worked for the Hamblen County School system as its first speech and
hearing teacher and helped start the Speech and Hearing program
in the school system. She later worked in the Johnson City School
System where she stayed for 26 years. She retired in 2005.
Jerry D. Harr (BS ’67, MA), April 4, 2015, in Blountville. Jerry earned
a bachelor’s degree in History and a master’s degree. He served his
country in the Vietnam War. He was retired from teaching in Sullivan
County for over 30 years.
Kenneth B. Ledford (BS ’67, MA), September 22, 2014, in Johnson
City. Kenneth earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a
master’s degree. He served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. He
was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.
Margaret Nichols Jackson Battle Neth (BS ’67, MA), February
1, 2015, in Elizabethton. Margaret earned a bachelor’s degree in
Elementary Education and a master’s degree. She taught elementary
school in both Washington County and Johnson City school systems.
Joseph G. Pugh (BS ’67, MA), February 14, 2015, in Johnson City.
Joseph earned a bachelor’s degree in Art and a master’s degree. He
worked at Greene Valley Developmental Center in Greeneville.
John Garland Thayer (MA ’67) of Gray, on March 30, 2015. John
earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration. He was a
United Methodist pastor as well as an educator. He held multiple
titles during his career, including Dean, Administrator, and Teacher.
He authored a Thayer family history, a pamphlet “101 Questions and
Answers about the Constitution,” and a book of poems and stories,
Moments of Mystery and Wonder. He was an active member of Tau
Kappa Alpha Honor Society, a Ruritan member, and a Kiwanian. Captain Paul Ray Brown (BS ’68), November 27, 2014, in Fall
Branch. Paul served his country in the Vietnam War in the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology.
Donald Bradley Hutton (BS ’68) of Bristol, Tennessee, January 26,
2015. Donald earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management.
Marilynn Kay Saylor (BS ’68), December 25, 2014, in
Jonesborough. Marilynn earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. She
worked at Banking and Trust in Jonesborough while attending school
and went on to Tri-State Bolt and Screw. She retired from Harman
Ice and Cold Storage.
Dr. William H. Phelps, III (BS ’69, MA, EdD ’98), March 12, 2015,
in Bluff City. Dr. Phelps earned a bachelor’s degree in English, a
master’s degree, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership. He was a
teacher at John Battle High School.
Terry J. Sigmon (BS ’69), December 12, 2014, in Hickory, North
Carolina. Terry earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology. He served
his country in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, 1st Air Cavalry.
He went on to work as a Business Analyst at Business Service
Associates for over 30 years.
1970s
Dorothy “Ellen” Carter Armstrong (BS ’70, MED ’87) in
Rogersville, January 21, 2015. She received a bachelor’s degree in
English and Business. She went on to pursue a teaching career and
taught for 36 years. She was a member of the First United Methodist
Church in Rogersville.
William F. Casey, Jr. (BS ’71), December 20, 2014, in Altoona,
Pennsylvania. William earned a bachelor’s degree in History. He was a
retired clerk from the U.S. Postal Service Distribution Plant in Altoona,
having served 12 years. He was also a teacher in the Altoona Area
School District.
Lloyd Delph (BS ’71), December 5, 2012, in Jefferson City. Lloyd
earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Education.
Jimmy Hatfield (MA ’71), April 4, 2015, in Morristown. Jimmy
earned a master’s degree in Educational Administration.
Frederick H. Silvey (BS ’71), February 14, 2015, in Rockwood,
Tennessee. Frederick earned a bachelor’s degree in History. He
was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity while at ETSU. After
graduation, he went on to work for Harriman Welding Supply and
became President until his retirement.
Andy M. Brooks (BS ’72), March 23, 2015, in Kingsport. Andy was
President and Owner of Brooks Investments.
William E. Hull (MA ’72), April 20, 2015, in Gray. William earned a
master’s degree in Secondary Education. He taught for over 42 years
and retired from Dobyns-Bennett High School in 2004. He
38
Virginia C. Maden (BS ’72, MED ’86), January 5, 2015, in
Jonesborough. Virginia earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary
Education and a master’s degree in Education. She had a 29- year
career teaching kindergarten and 2nd grade at Lamar School. She was
a former Girls State Representative and Miss Jonesborough High. She
was an active member of Jonesborough United Methodist Church.
was retired from her position as Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs
at the ETSU Quillen College of Medicine. She was a member of Valley
Forge United Methodist Church.
Victoria Maxey (MAT ’79), November 20, 2014, in Leeds, Alabama.
Victoria earned a master’s degree in Teaching.
1980s
H. Jack Newland (BS ’72), February 11, 2015, in Gate City, Virginia.
Jack earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He was a retired
6th grade teacher from Yuma Elementary School.
Bette Baldwin (BS ’80), November 23, 2014, in Elizabethton.
Bette earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She was a
member of the Christian Science Society in Johnson City.
Martha Louise Kinzer Allman (ASN ’73) of Kingsport, January
22, 2015. Martha earned an associate degree in Nursing. She retired
from Indian Path Medical Center as the Operating Room Supervisor
after 19 years and went on to work with her daughter at Designs
Sew Beautiful in Gray. She was a member of the Jehovah’s Witness
Congregation.
Karen A. Cook (BSW ’80), March 15, 2015, in Gate City, Virginia.
Karen was an RN with Holston Valley Hospital and Medical Center.
Rev. Richard Phil Gass (BSW ’73) of Elizabethton, February 28,
2015. Richard earned a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. He served
his country in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict.
He was a retired Baptist minister and pastored churches in East
Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
Sammy Wayne Rhymer (BS ’73) of Abingdon, February 2, 2015.
He was a lifelong resident of the Bristol and Abingdon area. He
served his country in the National Guard.
William Argo (BS ’74) of Johnson City, February 9, 2015. Bill
graduated from ETSU with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing.
Teresa A. Boyer (BS ’74) of Nashville, February 4, 2014. She was
retired from the Department of Environment and Conservation of the
State of Tennessee.
Jim Conrad (BS ’74), December 16, 2014, in Bristol, Virginia. Jim
earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech Pathology. He was a longtime
reporter for WCYB-TV, Channel 5.
Debra A. Morgan (ADH ’74), April 2, 2015, in Knoxville. Debra
earned an associate degree in Dental Hygiene. She was a devoted
member of Shepherd of the Hills Baptist Church.
Oakley Jefferson Sword, Jr. (BS ’74) of Lebanon, Virginia, March
4, 2015. Oakley earned a bachelor’s degree in History from ETSU and
a master’s degree from Radford University. He worked for over 39
years as a teacher, principal, and supervisor for the Russell County
Public School System. He was an active member of the Lebanon Town
Council and a leader in the Lebanon Presbyterian Church.
Denny F. Darnell, Jr. (BS ’75), November 22, 2014, in Tazewell,
Virginia. Denny earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. He started
his career as a sportswriter for the Kingsport Times- News. He went
on to serve as Vice President and General Manager of Bristol Motor
Speedway and Director of Communications at NHRA. He then went
on to be Head of Public Relations for Dodge Motorsports as CEO of
Darnell Communications.
Leatrice A. Prescott (MA ’75), March 22, 2015, in Kingsport.
Leatrice was a teacher for over 41 years, with 27 of those as a teacher
and principal at Miller Perry Elementary School.
Angela Bradshaw (ASN ’77) of Johnson City, January 1, 2015.
Angela earned an associate degree in Nursing. A native of Johnson
City, she worked as an RN at Johnson City Medical Center. She was
a member of Evergreen Free Will Baptist and attended First Baptist
Church.
Diana J. Brookman (BSN ’77), April 12, 2015, in Kingsport. Diana
earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing.
Sharon P. Rice (BS ’80), December 12, 2014, in Bluff City. Sharon
earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She was an
elementary school teacher for over 32 years.
Deborah L. M. Seagle (BSN ’80) of Seymour, Tennessee, October 8,
2014. Deborah earned a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She began her
career at Baptist Hospital and worked in many capacities as a nurse
during her 34-year career. She also served the Baptist Heart Institute
and Cardiovascular Nursing Care. The last five years of her career
were spent as Regulatory Compliance Supervisor for Fort Sanders
Regional Medical Center.
Patty L. Street (AS ’80), March 10, 2015, in Bakersville, North
Carolina. Patty was a substitute teacher.
Jeffrey Lynn Hampton (BS ’81) of Johnson City, December 18,
2014. Jeffrey earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. He
served in the U.S. Army and took pride in his strong faith in God.
Curtis L. Hodge (BBA ’81), February 19, 2015, in Johnson City.
Curtis earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He
worked for First Tennessee Bank for over 30 years. Among his
positions was Operations Manager over data processing.
Dr. Maxwell Ernest Huff (BBA ’81) of Oneida, Tennessee,
January 28, 2015. Dr. Huff earned a bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from ETSU and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the
University of Tennessee Medical School. He was board-certified in
Family Medicine. He served as Associate Professor at UT Memphis
Medical School, Medical Examiner of Scott County, and Director of
the Scott County Ambulance Service. He also helped establish the
OMEDCO Clinic, Mountain People’s Health Counsel, and the Scott
County Rescue Squad. He was a Boy Scout leader for Troop 93, a
member of the Oneida Masonic Lodge No. 695, and a member of First
Baptist Church of Oneida.
Mitzi Moffitt (BS ’81) of Unicoi, March 25, 2015. Mitzi earned a
bachelor’s degree in Education. She was a former teacher in the
Mitchell County School System as well as a member of Middle District
Baptist Church, where she served as church pianist.
Anita M. Foster (BEH ’82, MD ’98), November 30, 2014, in
Rogersville. Anita earned a bachelor’s degree in Environmental
Health. She worked as an RN in Elizabethton, Mountain City, and
Johnson City, and after earning her M.D. degree, she worked in Rural
Health at Wellmont.
Dr. Basil Duke Barr, III (BS ’83) of Unicoi, November 18, 2014.
Dr. Barr earned a bachelor’s degree in Geography. He was an Eagle
Scout and was active with the Boy Scouts for a number of years. He
was a park ranger for the U.S. government and had worked in both
Roanoke and Asheville. After retirement, he worked as a substitute
teacher for the Unicoi County School System. He was a member of
First Baptist Church, where he was also a Sunday School teacher.
Sandra K. Rogers (AS ’77), November 19, 2014, in Kingsport.
Sandra earned an associate degree in Nursing.
Robin Shaffer (BS ’84), April 19, 2015, in Elizabethton. Robin
earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She was Director
of Crossroads Drug and Alcohol Association in Elizabethton.
Harold Dexter, Jr. (BS ’78), February 13, 2014, in Knoxville. Harold
earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. He served his country
in the U.S. Marine Corps. Afterward, he began a career with the
Knoxville Police Department and retired after 30 years of service.
James A. Caruso (BS ’85, MPH ’88) of Norton, Virginia, March
7, 2015. James earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and
Criminology and a master’s in Public Health. He was a Deputy G3 in
the Virginia Army National Guard.
Vanessa C. McQueen (BSW ’78) of Elizabethton, December
16, 2014. She was a manager with the Elizabethton Housing and
Development Agency for 25 years. She was active in the work of
The Shepherd’s Inn-Safe House Emergency Shelter. She received
many awards for her work including the Golden Rule Award from JC
Penney and special recognition by President Bill Clinton. She served
on the Worship and Hospitality committees of Elizabethton’s First
Presbyterian Church.
Betty Costner Pierce (BSN ’86), December 25, 2014. Betty earned
a bachelor’s degree in Nursing. She worked at the James H. Quillen
Veterans Administration Medical Center at Mountain Home. In 1986,
she received the Margaret Gault Opiz Award for Outstanding Nurse.
She received an Excellence in Nursing Award from the VA in 1990 and
was listed in Who’s Who in American Nursing. She was a member of St.
Mary’s Catholic Church and the National Council of Catholic Women.
Penelope A. Seddon (ASN ’78, BFA, MA), April 17, 2015, in
Kingsport. Penelope earned an associate degree in Nursing, a
bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, and a master’s degree in Art. She was
a lifelong artist and musician and worked as a nurse for over 25 years
with a certification in psychiatric nursing. She also helped found the
choir at Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church.
Dr. Penny L. Smith (MA ’78, EdD ’94), March 3, 2015, in Johnson
City. Penny was a member of Phi Delta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi. She
E AS T TEN N ES S EE S TAT E UNIVE RS IT Y
Samuel Rankin Preston (BBA ’87) of Johnson City, October 31,
2014. Samuel earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
He was a member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. As a teen, he
joined the family business, Preston Woodworking, and served as CEO
at the time of his passing. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Karen M. Ward (BS ’87), March 11, 2014, in Mountain City. Karen
was Executive Director of ALPS Adult Day Services. She was a
member of Pine Grove Baptist Church.
James T. Flint (BS ’89), November 7, 2014, in Johnson City. James
earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology. He worked
for Second Harvest Food Bank and was a member of Our Saviour
Lutheran Church.
Warren L. Graves (BBA ’89) of Morristown, December 29, 2014.
Warren earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He
was owner of the Munford Store and Salvage City. Prior to moving
to Morristown, he taught in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was an active
member of First Presbyterian Church, where he served as deacon
and usher.
1990s
Bobby L. Campbell (BS ’90), November 10, 2014, in Johnson City.
Bobby earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. He worked at
Eastman Chemical Company. He was a member of the Unicoi County
Masonic Lodge 681 and was Reverend of the Toe River Association.
T O D A Y
Linda Ruth Farmer (BS ’67) of Weber City, Virginia, February 7,
2015. Linda earned a bachelor’s degree in Art. She was previously a
news reporter for Eastman Chemical Company.
was named Tennessee English Teacher of the Year in 2004. He was a
member and past elder of Boones Creek Christian Church.
E T S U
master’s degree. She retired from the Carter County School System
as a special educator. She was a member of the Valley Forge United
Methodist Church.
Darkis Rogers (BS ’92), February 14, 2015, in Bristol, Tennessee.
Darkis earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She was a
former employee of Office Max in Bristol, Virginia. She was a member
of Cornerstone Freewill Baptist Church.
Robert T. Goodwin (BS ’94), April 3, 2015, in Jonesborough. He
earned a bachelor’s degree in Engineering Technology. Robert was
a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. He was also owner and operator of
BioQuip Services.
Eric A. Matthews (MED ’94), November 12, 2014, in Jonesborough.
Eric earned a master’s degree in Education. He was a retired
teacher with the Washington County School System. He taught at
Washington College Academy, Boones Creek Middle School, and West
View Elementary. He served his country in the U.S. Army and was a
Vietnam veteran.
Kevin R. Bratton (BS ’96), February 8, 2015, in Unicoi. Kevin earned
a bachelor’s degree in Public Health. He was a veteran in the U.S.
Army, serving in the 82nd Airborne. Kevin was Director of Human
Resources for the City of Johnson City and a member of the Society
for Human Resources Management, International City Management,
and the International Personnel Management Association.
Deborah Lynn Barnett (BS ’97) of Johnson City, January 6, 2015.
Deborah earned a bachelor’s degree in General Studies. She taught
for 27 years at Keystone and Mountain View elementary schools.
Nell E. Hilderbrand (BBA ’98), November 15, 2014, in Nashville.
Nell earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. After
moving to Nashville, she worked for several companies before
becoming Human Resource Manager at Community Health Systems.
Doris Bowery Hungate (BGS ’98) of Johnson City, February 6,
2015. Doris earned a bachelor’s degree in General Studies. She was
a member of Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church and also
attended Otterbein United Methodist Church.
Kevin L. Davis (BBA ’99), November 17, 2014, in Seymour,
Tennessee. Kevin earned a bachelor’s degree in Finance.
2000s
Raven J. Kneally (BBA ’09), April 3, 2013, in Cape Coral, Florida.
Raven earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
2010s
Jack Ray Blevins (BS ’12) of Bluff City, January 27, 2015. Jack
earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. He served in
the United States Marine Corps for 11 years and received several
commendations including the Marine Corps Achievement Medal and
a Combat Action Ribbon. He was a member of Avoca Christian Church.
FACULTY AND
STAFF
Dr. Ronnie Morris Day of Johnson City, December 22, 2014. Dr. Day
was a retired Professor of History at ETSU and an authority on World
War II in the Pacific.
Dr. Wendell Handley Hester of Johnson City, January 9, 2015. Dr.
Hester was a Professor of Sociology at ETSU. He received a bachelor
of arts degree in Sociology in 1965 from the University of Miami and
went on to receive a master of arts and a Ph.D. in Sociology from
Emory University.
Brenda S. Conner of Jonesborough, April 2, 2015. Brenda was a
Technical Clerk for the ETSU Sherrod Library. She was a member of
the Tri-State Basket Guild and had a passion for traveling, cross-stitch,
and gardening.
39
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
ETSU
ETSU Today
East Tennessee State University
Box 70709
Johnson City, Tennessee 37614-1710
ETSU PRIDE
The ETSU PRIDE Celebration is an annual awareness campaign celebrating the long, proud history of East Tennessee
State University and marking the beginning of a new academic year.
Activities take place throughout the month of August and this year will culminate
at the 1st ETSU Football game on September 3. ETSU PRIDE scheduled events
will be found on the Alumni website www.etsualumni.org. Put out your yard sign,
wear your ETSU apparel, decorate your workplace and show your ETSU PRIDE!
If you want a sign or to be involved in the ETSU PRIDE celebration contact the ETSU
National Alumni Association Office
914 W. Maple Street
423-439-4218 • alumni@etsu.edu
Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Tweet, Photo Post Your PRIDE
#ETSUPRIDE
@ETSUPRIDE

Cristi Holcombe `designs` a career from a childhood hobby

Transcription

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