The Columns Magazine June 2016 by Martin Methodist College

olumns THE MAGAZINE OF MARTIN METHODIST COLLEGE

COMING TO AMERICA

Also in this issue • Byron Trauger on the Value of a Liberal Arts Education and Martin Methodist • OpporTUNEity...Changing the World One Life at a Time • In Dialogue with the World 1 Nationals • RedHawks Take Home National Title at ACUI

Summer 2016

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Summer 2016

Volume 16, Number 1

In this issue 6

Byron Trauger on the Value of a Liberal Arts Education and Martin Methodist......................................... 6

To Type or Not to Type - Sometimes it is as simple as taking a class in typing instead of computer science. Being well-rounded and gaining knowledge that stands the test of time is what Byron Trauger’s father wanted for him when the choice was to take either typing or Fortran, a computer programing class, in high school.

Coming to America.................................... 10

I first met Masimba Mutumba at the beginning of the fall semester in 2002 when he auditioned for a part in my Shakespeare on the Green production of Macbeth. He had a golden voice and a rich British accent. He also had experience, having worked in his native Zimbabwe with a theatre company called Shakespeare for Kids.

OpporTUNEity...Changing the World One Life at a Time........................... 16

The arts, it has been said, cannot change the world, but they may change human beings who might change the world.”—Maxine Greene, renowned educator and visionary.

In Dialogue with the World....................... 22

A liberal arts education teaches students to think, to learn, and to want to learn, so that wherever they go in life, they will both find themselves and make a difference. The best and the brightest accept the challenge, conducting original and publishable research, studying abroad, and winning prestigious awards, like the President’s Award which is given at graduation every year to the student with the highest grade point average.

RedHawks Take Home National Title at ACUI Nationals.............................24

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – In just its third year of existence as a program, the Martin Methodist Clay Target team produced its strongest finish yet on the national stage as it claimed a team national championship and three individuals won gold at the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships last week.

Also in these pages . . .

President’s Message................................. 2 MMC Mourns Beloved Coach Royce Hughes............ 9 Alumni Notes........................................ 35 Mary Ruth Ingram Hight....................... 36

On the cover . . . Martin Methodist College Alumni Masimba Mutumba and his wife Denise. See more about Masimba's accomplishments in America beginning on page 10. 3

The liberal arts enjoy a rich heritage

at Martin Methodist College, stretching all the way back to her founding in 1870. Dear Friends:

his special issue of The Columns is focused on a central tenet of the identity of Martin Methodist College, the liberal arts. Throughout this magazine’s pages you will see stories, interviews and testimonials from our faculty, students, alumni and even trustees. Our hope is that this issue will highlight the value of a liberal arts education, especially in terms of preparing students for an ever-changing world. We believe that the liberal arts enhance and extend the distinctiveness of the Martin experience. he liberal arts are under attack today, as our society places so much emphasis on workforce preparation, and the cost of education comes under intense scrutiny. There is mounting pressure to focus college work exclusively on career preparation. By contrast, a liberal arts education means taking courses in a broad variety of subjects and building skills that relate to more than one career path. The liberal arts enable students to develop critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, as well as to approach questions flexibly and to think across multiple disciplines. These are the talents that employers value most, even more than specific job skills. In today’s job market, with career paths changing so rapidly, our graduates must be readily able to draw from a variety of skillsets to adapt to challenges and capitalize on opportunities. he Council for Independent Colleges (CIC), of which Martin Methodist is an active member, recently launched a national campaign to promote “The Power of the Liberal Arts” and to lift up the effectiveness of independent colleges like Martin. If you visit www.liberalartspower.org you will find a website brimming with important information that highlights how independent liberal arts colleges produce graduates who are among the best prepared for success in their careers. In addition, as liberal arts students, they have also been able to explore a wide variety of interests that will enrich not just their professional credentials but also their personal lives and their abilities to impact the community. he liberal arts enjoy a rich heritage at Martin Methodist College, stretching all the way back to her founding in 1870. The early college catalogues show a women’s college with a broad-based curriculum stretching from the sciences to literature and from the fine arts to foreign languages. In addition, the campus was home to a number of academic societies that encouraged social interaction around scholarly topics. This same liberal arts orientation is evidenced as the college evolved; even as a junior college, the curriculum was based in the liberal arts. And our current curriculum, while reflecting a career orientation, is certainly steeped in the liberal arts. am especially pleased that the chair of the MMC Board of Trustees, Byron Trauger, is interviewed for an article in this special edition of The Columns. Not only is he an exceptional leader for our governing board, but he also consistently exhibits a remarkable commitment to the fundamental values of this institution, not the least of which is its liberal arts identity. As a Duke University undergraduate, Yale Law School graduate, as well as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar and Rhodes Scholar, Byron Trauger consistently strives for academic quality. We are indebted to him for his strong and inspiring leadership of the Board of Trustees. o as we document and applaud the educational benefit of the liberal arts in this edition of The Columns, we also celebrate a remarkable institution that understands and exhibits the values of liberal education on a constant day-to-day, even minute-by-minute basis. Nothing is closer to the heart of our mission and nothing is more central to the educational experience that our students enjoy.

T T I

A letter from the editor

Dreams came true before my eyes Editor Sissy Garner

Director of Communications

Managing Editor Dr. Kayla McKinney Wiggins Professor of English

Contributors Edna Luna ’06

Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Susan Carlisle

Marketing Director/Graphic Designer

Wade Neely

Director of Sports Communications

Guy Schafer Photographer

Christina Jordan

Assistant to the Vice President for Institutional Advancement Haley Wilson ‘16 Communications Intern

MMC Executive Council Dr. Ted Brown President

Dr. Judy Cheatham

Vice President for Academic Affairs

W. David Jones

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Robby Shelton ’85

Vice President for Campus Life and Enrollment Management

David Stephens

Vice President for Finance and Administration

Jeff Bain

Director of Athletics

Dr. Ed Trimmer

Executive Director of The Cal Turner, Jr. Center for Church Leadership

My first full academic year as director of communications at Martin Methodist came to a close with the 145th commencement on May 7. As I sat in the audience on that perfect day watching the record 206 graduates process to bagpipes playing, I was moved by the moment at hand. Dreams came true before my eyes, and new dreams were beginning. Some of those students were fulfilling the dream of their entire family as they were the first to make that walk and receive their college degree while others were continuing their family’s tradition of pursuing higher education. Regardless of the individual situations, what I witnessed on the Campus Green was simply inspiring. Yes, I have been to college graduations before, but there was something different about this event. It wasn’t just another item that needed to be checked off of the academic “to do” list. A genuine feeling of family existed among the crowd, and that is what makes Martin Methodist special. We truly love our students! We not only give our students a quality liberal arts education, but we also nurture them and give them the tools to grow into well-rounded, community-minded people—like a family.

Dr. Dennis Haskins

Vice President for Planning and Effectiveness

Jamie Hlubb

Associate Vice President for Human Resources and Operations

Dr. Doris Wossum-Fisher

President of the Faculty Senate

Edna Luna ’06

Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement

In the words of Albert Einstein, “The value of an education in a liberal arts college {Martin Methodist} is not the learning of many facts but the training of the mind to think something that cannot be learned from textbooks.” And Martin Methodist does just that!

In my opinion, our graduates are some of the best people around, and I’m so very proud to be a part of the Martin Methodist family! Write us at: Letters, The Columns c/o Sissy Garner Martin Methodist College 433 W. Madison St. Pulaski, TN 38478

Or e-mail us at: sgarner@martinmethodist.edu Please include a mailing address and a daytime phone number

Graduation 2016

I t â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a Record! 6

By Sissy Garner

Commencement

embers of the Class of 2016— comprising a record-breaking 206 students—entered into the next phase of their lives with diploma in hand during Martin Methodist College’s 145th Commencement on Saturday, May 7. long with the degrees conferred to the graduates, President Ted Brown presented student honors as part of the ceremony. The President’s Award, given to the graduating senior(s) with the highest grade point average, was presented to five graduates who tied this year for the top honor: • Hannah Adcock from Ethridge, Tenn. • Lauren Carpenter from West Hills, Calif. • Daniel Emirzian from Malmo, Sweden • Allison Johnson from Pulaski, Tenn • Savannah Shelton from Pulaski, Tenn.

Baccalaureate Service

everend Dr. Cynthia Davis, the District Superintendent of the

McKendree District of the Memphis Conference of The United Methodist Church, served as the honorary guest speaker for the 2016 Commencement Baccalaureate service at First United Methodist church in Pulaski, Tenn., on Friday, May 6. Reverend Dr. Cynthia Davis uplifted graduates with her reviving message, encouraging them to walk in their purpose and maintain hope to strive for greatness.

Jubilee Dinner

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he Jubilee Dinner on May 6 was a true celebration of successes! resident Ted Brown awarded the coveted presidential medallion to Daphne Lazenby, a resident of Thompson Station, in recognition for establishing the Daphne Alexanderia Lazenby Scholarship Fund in memory of her beloved daughter. This is the largest endowed scholarship held by MMC. anuel Martins “Manny,” a 1967 graduate of Martin Methodist College (MMC), was added to the college’s illustrious Hall of Distinction on May 6 for his dedicated service to the people of Tennessee.

eba Seals, a 1968 Martin Methodist graduate and a lifelong servant to her church and community was presented the 2016 Servant Leadership Award.

Class of 1966 Reunion

his was the largest class reunion in the last 10 years, and it was phenomenal! The “Gang of 8” as they were nicknamed started working on contacting classmates last August and continuously worked for nine months to make this the greatest “reconnect, reminisce and reflect” reunion ever, paving the way for other reunions in the future. In addition, they helped the college locate lost alumni, but in a few cases, sadly, they found deceased classmates. The class committee continues working today because they have chosen to endow a $10,000 scholarship to help future students that attend Martin. he “Gang of 8” included Darlene Baxter, Nancy Williams Bass, Janice Hinson Buckner, Mary Jo Dugger Pantall, Paula Petty Ward, Jimmie Nunley Webber, Ned Edmundson, and Bill Ralston.

Byron Trauger on the Value of a Liberal Arts Education and Martin Methodist By Sissy Garner

To Type or Not to Type

ometimes it is as simple as taking a class in typing instead of computer science. Being well-rounded and gaining knowledge that stands the test of time is what Byron Trauger’s father wanted for him when the choice was to take either typing or Fortran, a computer programing class, in high school. So at a time when only girls and those who wanted secretarial jobs—no guys—took typing; Trauger took typing. The computer science class looked like it was going to lead somewhere productive—toward a job in the scientific community or in computer programming—but, in reality, it led nowhere. Fortran, the computer language being taught in that class, is dead now. “In fact, the computer technology being used to teach the class at that time was obsolete before I even graduated from college,” explained Trauger. n the other hand, while typing class was not as cool as the computer science class, knowing how to type has been enormously valuable to me. Typing is a foundational skill that can be applied in many different ways, aand I’m so grateful now that I have the ability to sit at my computer and type about as fast as I can think,” Trauger said as he reflected on that long-ago moment with his dad. 8

A Much Bigger Picture

hile typing is not kin to liberal arts in any way, Trauger looks at a liberal arts education like his high school typing class; it teaches students skills that stand the test of time. A liberal arts education never needs an upgrade. In fact, Trauger’s belief in a liberal arts education parallels that of Donald Kagan, an acclaimed American historian and classicist at Yale University: “A liberal education, properly engaged in, makes you think about things you wouldn’t ordinarily,” Kagan said. “And it gives you a much more complete sense of the reality of the human experience.” choing that sentiment from a personal perspective, Trauger explains, “For me, a liberal arts education offers the foundational skills that then can then be applied in lots of different directions. My liberal arts education helped me build different parts of my life—career, interest in civic and charitable activities, personal life, love of reading and the theatre—in ways that were unpredictable. I have lived in various places all over the world, and my education equipped me to comfortably live among people with different cultures and belief systems.” iberal arts teach people to stand on their own two feet intellectually. They learn to understand the “why” of their beliefs and values. It is eye-opening to a world that is much bigger than what can be seen at any given moment. The liberal arts experience develops “out of the box” rationalization skills—the ability to see people and situations from various perspectives, not just simply from a black and white viewpoint. uccessful people need a foundation in values, in how to think, and in how to achieve. If you have those things, you can build various parts of your own life, and you’re equipped to handle opportunities as well as difficulties,” Trauger expressed. “I’m a little concerned for those who think of an education as only a ticket to a job and particularly those who are focused on it being a ticket to a particular job. Just like technology, jobs change. Consequently, some of the best jobs today didn’t even exist when I was obtaining my liberal arts education. The ability to be flexible is a hallmark of a liberal arts education.” rauger’s alma mater, and one of the most respected institutions of higher learning in the world, Yale University, describes its mission in these terms: “The essence of such an education is not what you study but the result – gaining the ability to think critically and independently and to write, reason, and communicate clearly – the foundation for all professions.” hose who can really understand the great novels of the 19th Century, have some appreciation of Mozart or any of the classical artists, some understanding of cubism or the impressionists are in a much stronger position to deal with the issues that come up in a business context,” Trauger thoughtfully explained. “After all, most of the issues I deal with as a lawyer are human issues. And even my friends in the scientific world, and certainly my friends in the world of medicine, also find this to be true.” rauger believes that although there is no substitute for complete understanding of science, the law, or mathematics in a profession, that understanding must be complemented with the ability to research, to write, to persuade, and to discern. “When you understand people and can relate to them, you are in a much stronger position to help them solve problems across disciplines and in all areas of business,” he conveyed.

E L S

Why Martin Methodist

BPersonal Reasons

yron Trauger, the founder of the distinguished Trauger and Tuke law firm in Nashville who is neither an MMC alumnus nor a staff member, says he came to be the Chairman of Board of Trustees and the school’s biggest cheerleader through reasons both personal and logical.

rauger’s path in connecting with Martin Methodist began even before he was born. His parents, who grew up in a time when higher education wasn’t necessary for success, both wanted to continue their education after high school. “My father came from a farming family in Nebraska, and my mother came from a farming family in North Carolina--both first generation college students,” he explained. “With reluctance from their families, the two each attended small Methodist colleges close to their homes: my mother attended Greensboro College, and my father attended Nebraska Wesleyan College. Because of those Methodist colleges, both of my parents got to further their education, and because of that, I am where I am today. It’s as simple as that.”

Logical Reasons

T M

here is little arguing with the need for more education in today’s world. “Life isn’t like it was when my parents had the choice to continue their education or not,” said Trauger. “For today’s youth, education or training after high school is necessary for success, but similar to yesteryear, a cultural barrier sometimes exists because many families don’t have experience with postsecondary education.” artin Methodist College and colleges like the ones Trauger’s parents attended, help break down that cultural barrier because they are at their core nurturing, loving, caring, and comfortable places for people to further their education. “Martin Methodist makes it easier for a student whose family has no college background to say with an emphatic yes—I will go to college,” Trauger said enthusiastically.

In the End

ecause my dad followed his dream to go to college, he ended up helping run a national laboratory and designing gas-cooled nuclear reactors in Oak Ridge. As I see it, the country is better off because he did that. If he hadn’t made the choices he made to further his education, he would not have participated in the scientific discoveries, engineering work, and production of energy at Oak Ridge. The fact that he was able to get a college education benefitted the country as much or more as it benefitted him. If not for a small, liberal arts college like 9

Byron Trauger on the Value of a Liberal Arts Education...continued MMC, neither of my parents would have obtained further education, and I wouldn’t have had the opportunities that I have had.” artin Methodist College is a light of hope for first generation college students as it continues to live up to its moto year after year by providing an education that’s personal. yron Trauger has been the chairman of the Board of Trustees for Martin Methodist College since 2011 and a dedicated board member since 1997. He is a Rhodes Scholar who received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Duke University and his J.D. from Yale Law School. Trauger is a devoted Methodist and is an active member of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn.

M B

Love is like fertile ground from which great things grow!

By Sissy Garner ove is what prompted Emily White’s donation to Martin Methodist’s music department that resulted in MMC’s first strings program—Quark String Ensemble. With two grandchildren who were string enthusiasts, limited by the lack of instructional resources for string musicians in Giles County, Emily decided to sponsor this program in honor of her late husband, Mr. Laurence J. White (19302008) to bring learning opportunities on cello and viola to her grandchildren in Pulaski. Larry had a love for literature, a passion for science, and an interest in the things that most people avoid. He also had a special

love for Emily’s grandchildren, Ryan and Minka, and took special interest in helping them achieve.

members of the Giles County community. Perhaps most exciting is the addition of the Quark to our current ensemble offerings, all thanks to this generous gift by our strings benefactor, Ms. Emily White.

he name Quark String Ensemble was inspired by Larry’s favorite book, Quark and the Jaguar: Adventures in the Simple and the Complex written by Noble Peace Prize recipient Murray Gell-Mann and addresses the relationship between the fundamental laws of physics and the complexity and diversity of the natural world.

his program officially launched in August 2015 as the music program began offering applied lessons on violin, viola, cello, mandolin and fiddle to music majors, minors, and 10

he 2015-2016 Quark Ensemble is under the direction of Mrs. Deidre Vaughn Emerson, instructor of cello at Martin Methodist College. College members include Leah Senibaldi (violin), Ryan Dorer (Viola), Minka Dorer (cello), and Jackson Covington (upright bass). his all out of love…Thank you Ms. Emily White!

artin Methodist College (MMC) says goodbye to a beloved alumna, coach, teacher, mentor, and friend on Monday, May 23. Coach Royce Hughes attended MMC from 1960-61, and she began her 41-year career at the college in 1968—making her the longest serving employee in the history of the college. oach Hughes started out teaching Health and Physical Education and sponsoring the cheerleaders. In 1973, Coach Hughes coached the first women’s tennis team. In 1975, the women’s tennis team won the Tennessee Junior College Athletic Association State Championship and the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 7 Championship. That year, Coach Hughes was selected as the TJCAA Coach of the Year. ther than tennis, Coach Hughes coached women’s basketball from 1975-1978. She began coaching women’s softball in 1979 continued until 1994. Under her leadership, the softball team won five Region 7 Championships and three State Championships. Coach Hughes also served as the Athletic Trainer for all sports and was the cheerleader sponsor from 1994 until 2008. s director of the Curry Christian Life Center and manager of the Grace Grissom Natatorium, it was part of Coach Hughes’s responsibility to organize the summer swimming program. Thus, she worked with the American Red Cross for over 35 years and conducted “Learn to Swim” classes for over 2000 children, certified over 150 lifeguards, and taught numerous first aid and CPR classes. oach Hughes began working in 1981 with the Giles County Special Olympics and was inducted into the Special Olympics Hall of Fame in 1988. In 1996, she was inducted into the Martin Methodist College Sports Hall of Fame, and she was inducted into the Little League Hall of Fame in 2001. efore retiring in 2009, Coach Hughes touched the lives of an estimated 7,655 students. She continued to serve MMC as a member of the Alumni Board after retirement and in 2012 was honored with the Hall of Distinction award. oach Hughes is survived by her husband Terry D. Hughes; two children, both graduates of Martin Methodist College; and four wonderful grandchildren.

O A

MMC Mourns Beloved Coach

Royce Hughes

B C

prominence in the scrap industry with brother-inlaw Charles Denbo. Mr. Lipman acquired Tennessee Southern Railroad in 1988 and served as chairman of the board. He operated Denbo Scrap Materials until year 2000 when he joined Denbo Iron & Metal of Decatur, Alabama, with L. Miller and Sons of Huntsville to form Tennessee Valley Recycling LLC. Mr. Lipman was a World War II veteran, serving the 9th Infantry Division and was awarded the Purple Heart. He was a 1949 Vanderbilt University graduate and was active in economic development and community service endeavors.

r. Lipman is survived by his wife of 65 years Dede Denbo Lipman; his children Larry (Betty) Lipman of Pulaski, Marianne (Dr. Terry) Levenson of Conway, SC; his grandchildren Eden Lipman and fiancé Joshua Weiss of Chattanooga, TN, Jenna (David) Levine of Queens, NY, Dr. Joshua B. (Dana) Levenson of Alpharetta, GA, and Dr. Tressa Levenson and fiancé Morgan White of Atlanta, GA. Great-grandson Maddox Levenson n Friday, February 25, 2016, Martin Methodist College lost a great also survives. friend and supporter. At the age of 89, Ted Lipman passed away emorials may be made to The Temple Ohabai at his home, leaving the chair he occupied for 15 years at the table of Sholom, to the Giles County Public Library, Martin Methodist board of trustees empty. or to the Ike and Jeannette Denbo Scholorship

MMC saddened over loss of friend and trustee,

Ted Lipman

native of Brooklyn, NY, Mr. Lipman made his home in Pulaski Fund at Martin Methodist College. where he operated and helped to grow Denbo Scrap Materials to

Coming to America By Kayla McKinney Wiggins first met Masimba Mutumba at the beginning of the fall semester in 2002 when he auditioned for a part in my Shakespeare on the Green production of Macbeth. He had a golden voice and a rich British accent. He also had experience, having worked in his native Zimbabwe with a theatre company called Shakespeare for Kids. He won the part of Malcolm in Macbeth, and it was several weeks before I found out that he was younger than the high school student who was in the play. Over the course of his four years at Martin, Masimba acted in at least two shows a year, giving memorable performances as, among others, the tutor in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, Oberon in Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the title character in Othello. He also distinguished himself as a fine student, completing a double major in English and Behavioral Sciences.

asimba Mutumba left Zimbabwe in the summer of 2002 to attend college in the United States. When he arrived at Martin Methodist College in the fall of 2002, he was just over a month away from his seventeenth birthday. product of the boarding school tradition in Zimbabwe, Mutumba completed his Ordinary (“0”) level exams after four years of high school and followed his parents’ advice to pursue college abroad, literally following in the footsteps of both of his parents and his three siblings. n May of 2006, still several months shy of 21, he graduated with two degrees from Martin, a B. S. in psychology and a B. A. in English. While he took some time after graduation to work as a therapist, Mutumba’s ultimate goal was law school, a dream he realized first through the aid of a Rotary scholarship he won to study in Scotland. He received his LLM in International Law from the University of Glasgow in 2009 and his JD from the University of Miami School of Law in 2012. Mutumba describes law school as a “trial by fire” but says that he “had already obtained what [he] needed to survive it, first from boarding school

back home and, secondly, from [his] experiences and education at Martin.” urrently a litigation attorney for a law firm in West Palm Beach Florida, Mutumba epitomizes the benefits of a liberal arts education. I recently had the chance to ask him some questions about his educational journey. Here are his answers.

1. Why did you decide to come to

the college in the U.S.? Why did you come to MMC? t the start of my third year in high school, my parents decided that it would be best to go to college in the United States after my O Levels. Needless to say, I had no objection. It was America! My parents had benefited from college in the United States and they worked hard to provide the same for their children. I am the last of four children, so by the time I was graduating from high school, I was quite eager to join my siblings. I had actually applied and been accepted to a school in Greensboro, North Carolina, where my brothers and sister were all living. Early in the summer before I was due to start school, my mother visited an aunt of mine. She had gone to Martin and her daughter—my cousin—was about to start her junior year. My aunt told my mother that I could apply and Martin would likely accept me because I would work hard. There was also more potential for financial aid there than at the school I was set to attend. Martin is a Methodist college and as the son of a Methodist pastor, I would at least get half tuition right off the bat. I applied and was accepted with the half tuition scholarship in a few weeks.

ber having had something that I wanted so much to happen actually happen. As blessed as it was, my coming to the United States was something my parents had planned and worked hard towards for me, but applying to law school in Scotland and then applying for a scholarship to be able to go were things I had done for myself. I didn’t do it alone, though. It was very humbling that all the people I had met during my studies, people like Ted Brown, you (Kayla Wiggins), and Brant Harwell nominated and recommended me for the scholarship and for the law program at the University of Glasgow. Personally, it was amazing to be given the opportunity to continue to travel and to experience different cultures. The people I met in Scotland are friends I’ve made for a lifetime. The country itself was so unique and unlike anywhere else I had or have ever been. Professionally, it was the beginning to where I am now, the start of the path that led to me being a lawyer. I was extremely fortunate to begin my legal career at such a revered institution, and with so many people in my corner.

3. In what ways did your liberal arts education shape your personal and professional journeys?

rofessionally, a liberal arts education has helped me better do the work required in both the careers I’ve had. After undergraduate studies I worked as a Child and Family therapist for Youth Villages, a non-profit that does wonderful work in the important area of providing behavioral mental health services for children in middle Tennessee and beyond. A liberal arts education helped me take a global approach to being a therapist for 2. What did it mean to you to these kids. I wasn’t just there to win the Rotary scholarship and to regurgitate behavioral therapeutic study in Scotland? models to the children and their inning the Rotary Ambas- families. What I learned about psysadorial was quite surreal. chology and child development was It was the first time I can remem- bolstered by what sociology and 14

other classes could also teach me about human behavior and the way we all seek to fit in with family and friends. This insight was invaluable to the task of getting to know my clients before helping them. On a practical level, the mental flexibility required to go from learning about regression formulae in statistics to Sapphic verse in literature prepared me well for the therapeutic gymnastics required to serve the mental health needs of my children and families. Thinking outside the box was something I had to do often in that job and in learning how to do that as a therapist, I was amply assisted by the rigorous liberal arts curriculum at Martin. Today, as a civil litigation attorney, it is just as important to be able to think quickly on my feet and yet have the plasticity to learn and absorb a lot about cases and clients’ issues that may touch on more than one area of law. otwithstanding the professional foundation a liberal arts education afforded me, I have benefited most from that educational background in my personal life. I could not consider myself the mature adult I am now without my college years at Martin. The cliché is that a liberal arts education is designed to make citizenry out of youth and the cliché is true. My liberal arts education provides me with an appreciation of the world as a whole which I cherish dearly and can scarcely imagine not having. Because of this appreciation, I have experienced making friends, falling in love, and getting married, all far away from where I was born. Psychology and sociology have helped me understand why and how society is capable, at times, of great moments of magnanimity and at others of calamitous periods of greed and selfishness. History and economics taught me how our political systems permit this cycle over and over again, and art and literature console me in the real-

ization that despite all of that, we must each “beat on, boats against the current,” each to our own green lights.

4. In what ways did the extracurricular opportunities of a liberal arts institution influence your experiences?

or me it’s hard to separate the educational from the extracurricular when it comes to my experience at Martin. I unashamedly love to learn, and I miss being a student. I will forever be grateful that reading books was my gateway drug to theatre and that Martin was my gateway to performing it regularly for four years. The ability to lose myself in that pursuit that nourished not only my mind but also my heart and soul is the thing that made my time in college truly priceless. This may be a few responses too late but full disclosure: I’m a lawyer and a bit of a romantic. I am given to waxing poetic, and my wife tells me I’m “cheesy.” Be that as it may, if it hadn’t been for my liberal arts education, that part of me would have

withered away against the demands of this world that I obtain an education to provide me with a livelihood. I’m glad it did not. It is because of my love of theatre that I made the friendships in college that have stayed with me even until now—the friendships that lend themselves to late-night, ranting phone calls when I feel like I can’t take any more work. The friendships that make a 12 hour car ride to Nashville for the weekend feel effortless even after an all-day trial. It is because of theatre, drama, poetry, and literature that in my own quiet moments—at the beach, on the couch, in my bed—as I read a play, a poem or a book, it is in those moments that the hectic crazy world feels a little less so. And I have my liberal arts education to thank for that. 15

The Examined Life:

A Liberal Arts Education

By Kayla McKinney Wiggins recently went on an interesting journey, not a journey in time and space but a journey of the intellect, or at least of the internet. Working a word puzzle, I uncovered an interesting quote: “A person who knows ‘how’ will always have a job. A person who knows ‘why’ will always be the boss.” I liked the quote. I wanted to know who said it. An hour after my online journey began, I still wasn’t sure. It is attributed to many people: a famous educator; a famous musician; and even that most famous person of all, anonymous.

Ultimately, however, I concluded that the quote was probably a paraphrase of a statement by Ralph Waldo Emerson. The quote and my internet search both spoke to the research and thinking I had been doing for this article on the value of a liberal arts education. The online search which garnered far too many answers (and none of them clear) confirmed what educators, leaders and thinkers have been saying for years: we have a world of information at our fingertips, but we often don’t know how to manage it. The quote, on the other hand, epitomizes what a liberal arts education is all about. At liberal arts institutions, educators certainly want students to learn how to do things, but they also want students to learn why those things are done the way they are. More importantly, liberal arts educators want students to learn how to learn so that they can always find the answer to all the ‘whys’ of life. According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, “Liberal Education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change.” iberal arts colleges are typically small, and often religiously affiliated. They feature small student/teacher ratios and promote close interaction between students and faculty within a curriculum that is grounded in traditional liberal arts disciplines: the humanities, the sciences, and the social sciences. Liberal arts colleges stress the importance of a broad-based, rounded education. They emphasize critical thinking, research skills, and communication skills. They encourage service-learning, travel-study, and community engagement. he tradition of liberal arts education goes back to ancient Greece, to the same time and place that produced the world’s first democracy, gave birth to Western theatre, and developed the principles of public speaking. For the Greeks, effective education was grounded in the study of grammar, logic, and rhetoric, producing citizens who could both think and

communicate effectively. Medieval educators would extend the concept of a liberal arts education to include arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music. For the ancients and for the medieval world, liberal arts education was grounded in dialectic, a tradition that continues in the small, discussion-based classes of modern liberal arts colleges. he phrase ‘liberal arts’ comes from the Latin terms liberals which means to free or liberate and artes which means skills. Inherent, then, in the concept of a liberal arts education is the intent to provide the learner with the skills to think and communicate, the skills of freedom. n the early days of the American democracy, Thomas Jefferson stressed the importance of an educated citizenry. “I know of no safe depository for the ultimate powers of a society but the people themselves,” Jefferson said, “and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take power from them, but to inform their discretion by education.” For Jefferson, democracy could only work if the people of that democracy knew how to reason and to acquire knowledge. “Those who expect to be both ignorant and free,” he said, “expect what never was and never will be.” he Yale Report of 1828 did much to establish the importance of a liberal arts education and liberal arts colleges. Produced as a result of a study commissioned by Yale President Jeremiah Day, the report concluded that students benefitted from a broadbased education, stating that “the course of instruction which is given to undergraduates in the college is not designed to include professional studies. Our object is not to teach what is peculiar to any one of the professions, but to lay the foundation which is common to them all.” ven in a world that is witnessing more rapid and more radical change economically and socially than at any time in the past, leaders still see a liberal education as a gateway to 17

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economic, societal, and personal success. According to the AACU, David Kearns of Xerox said in 2002, “The only education that prepares us for change is a liberal education. In periods of change, narrow specialization condemns us to inflexibility—precisely what we do not need. We need the flexible intellectual tools to be problem solvers, to be able to continue learning over time.” he results of a 2013 survey of CEOs demonstrated the importance of a liberal education. Seventy-four percent of the business leaders surveyed said that they would recommend a liberal arts education to create a more dynamic worker for the 21st century. Ninety-five percent said that they look for college graduates who can think clearly, problem solve, and communicate. The AACU views liberal education in the 21st century as “a necessity for all students” and “essential for success in a global economy and for informed citizenship.” n his book In Defense of a Liberal Education, Fareed Zakaria argues that a liberal arts education teaches students not only how to write, speak and think, but also how to acquire knowledge. A liberal education, he says, encourages communication and involvement. It teaches that learning is a pleasure. Zakaria echoes the comments of the CEOs: “Learning and relearning, tooling and retooling, are at the art of the modern economy.” He argues that learning a variety of subjects, as students do in a liberal arts curriculum, helps them hone the skills in their chosen fields; Zakaria likens this to cross-training by an athlete. undamentally, a liberal arts education helps students know more about themselves, other people, and the world so that they can grow as individuals and as members of a community, so that they have more to give to others and to the world. A liberal arts education is perhaps our best answer to the ultimatum from Socrates: “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

OpporTUNEity... OpporTUNEity...

C Changing hanging the the World World

One Life at a Time

peoples’ lives for good. ounded by Martin Methodist’s own Dr. Melissa Martiros, assistant professor and music program coordinator, and supported by Martin Methodist alum and trustee Harriet Norrie, the OpporTUNEity Program gets at the heart of what a liberal arts education truly offers students—a human experience that develops the whole person. pporTUNEity means so much “ to me because we are opening up a whole new world for students,” said Jonah McCurry, OpporTUNE18

“

By Sissy Garner he arts, it has been said, cannot change the world, but they may change human beings who might change the world.”—Maxine Greene, renowned educator and visionary. nd that is exactly what the OpporTUNEity Program at Martin Methodist is doing—changing

ity teacher and MMC student. “For many of the students, they are entering a new world where they can both enjoy music and become the ones creating music for others. The students we teach live in a community where there are little to no musical outlets for them to plug into, but OpporTUNEity has helped resolve that issue. Being a teacher in this program is an amazing experience. We have the chance to both help put music into the lives of young students and watch music change their lives. There is no more

rewarding opportunity than to be a part of OpporTUNEity.” artiros had a vision when she created OpporTUNEity. She wanted to use her passion for children who are underprivileged in some way to change their lives with music, and her success has been astounding! s one student involved in the program expressed, “I like OpporTUNEity because it makes me happy that I am continuously learning new things. And the more you keep playing, the more beautiful things you get to play. I love the sound of music, especially when I am playing it. I like how my piece sounds; it’s definitely “my type.” I absolutely love the piano and OpporTUNEity.” he children are not only discovering the musician inside of them; they are also being nurtured and cared for. Not long after the program’s inception, Melissa and her staff of teachers became aware that student hunger was a problem. The children couldn’t focus on their music properly because they were hungry. In response, Martiros, with the cooperation and involvement of President Ted Brown, began ordering pizza every week for the students to eat before their lessons. “The pizza is more than a treat to our OpporTUNEity kids; it’s sustenance,” explained Dr. Brown. “In turn, we are watching the children grow in confidence and spirit, and that is the greatest reward.” “ like piano because it is fun and we get some pizza.” A student said enthusiastically. “The pizza is good. Miss Melissa works hard for us and I get to do stuff. I get to meet piano students and learn a lot about piano. Miss Melissa is nice— she lets me get on the piano when it’s not my turn. Miss Ellie is too. Thank you!”

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Faculty Quotes The Value of a Liberal Arts Education I attended a small, liberal arts college in Arkansas not unlike Martin Methodist in many ways. I would not trade the experience for anything. That’s what I had... an experience, not Kerbe Lee, just an education. Education Four years after enrolling, I had a bachelor’s degree in Bible, a teaching license in English and Social Science, a lifelong network of professors and friends, and a wife -- all of which are still a big part of my life 45 years later. Additionally I was an intramural college ping pong champion, member of a NAIA national champion bowling team (two years in a row), and participant in an excellent chorus. Besides my wife and career, the variety of people and experiences during those years have led to a host of positive memories. -- Kerbe Lee, Education I teach future teachers to teach. My students who will graduate in May will likely be teaching in classrooms by the time school starts in the fall. I recently heard a quote that Tina Smith, applies to what Education these new teachers will be faced with: “We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that haven’t been invented in order to solve problems we don’t know are problems yet.” A liberal arts education teaches students more than just memorizing facts; it is about creative, analytic and abstract thinking. This helps our future teachers to instruct students on a

variety of levels and to use many approaches to help children learn and prepare them for the future. -- Tina Smith, Education

continue to emphasize much the same mission that they had then— the development Some knowledge of students’ generin various areas al intellectual and of study can help personal capacities students develop through study of a interests outside of George Cheatham, broad arts and scitheir chosen ma- English ences curriculum. -jor as well as give George Cheatham, them a more open English view of the world. -- Lovey McDonA liberal arts edLovey McDonald, ald, English ucation is about English more than grades I believe that one or a career. It’s of the benefits of a about learning who liberal arts educayou are and how tion is the ability you fit in the world to view issues from while at the same more than just a time learning how single perspecto think. -- Melissa Melissa Bruninga, tive. For example, Bruninga, History History in class I encourage my students to In an age where data Mark Chee, look at scientific and information, acBiology problems in their curate as well as inhistorical context, to consider how accurate, are instantly constraints of the time (technological at our command, it and societal) in addition to the nature is more crucial than of the personalities involved in solving at any other point in these problems contributed to the outhistory that young come. This is one aspect of the liberpeople acquire the ination of the mind from the shackles of tellectual tools to unJohn White, conformity to a particular viewpoint tangle and decipher that I believe is the mission of a liber- Criminal Justice the deluge of informaal arts education. From this liberation tion conveniently available. The exposure comes the ability to develop new and to critical thinking skills associated with a creative approaches to solving prob- liberal arts education is quickly becoming lems that we face in life. -- Dr. Mark not only a necessity for our time but also Chee, Biology essential for the preservation of our basic humanity. -- John White, Criminal Justice Small private liberal arts colleges like Martin Methodist are a distinctively My liberal arts education gave me difAmerican institution. They originated ferent ways of thinking about the world in 17th-century New England, and, de- and different ways to approach probspite many evolutionary changes, they lems and issues. It opened my mind 20

to different viewpoints, different approaches, and different ways to think that I would not have had if I had a singular focus on mathematics. I chose to take courses in history, Jac Cole, philosophy, and Mathematics economics. I took classes that explored books of the Bible, dramaturgy, and programming. Each one of the classes gave me a new way to view the world and approach questions that I use and value to this day. -- Jac Cole, Mathematics

have a great love for technology and the need to be more productive, thereby raising the standards of efficiency and levels of productivity, there is indeed an equal need for us to have individuals within our life who strive to better the effectiveness of who we are as well as our organizations. A liberal arts degree, which serves as a gateway to many human-oriented programs, provides the delicate balance between Morris Williams, the contributions to the human spirit Biology and the pragmatism of the measured productivity. In today’s highly complex and very unpredictable world, we need more people who are trained for the betterment of society than for a specific job. -- Bill Kraus, Business

A liberal arts education provides one the ability to communicate thoughts and feelings, a historical perspective, scientific processes and mathematical predictive capacity to navigate the Greg Brown, modern world. So Business many times technical knowledge is touted as the best way to be educated so one can earn a living, but this narrow perspective robs an intellect of the enlightenment of a liberal education. -- Greg Brown, Business

A true liberal arts education looks at the human experience from multiple perspectives—historical, literary, religious, behavioral, etc. The MMC curriculum encourages students Pat Whittemore, to consider all of Religion these perspectives in their understanding of the world. -- Pat Whittemore, Religion

As a City Manager of six cities over a period of 25 years as well as an executive director of a wide range of non-profit associations in the health, community and professional Bill Kraus, fields for 20 years, Business I strongly believe that a graduate of an excellent liberal arts program can and will contribute significantly to the overall needed ‘humanness’ in the organization, the community, the nation and the world. While we currently

A liberal arts education prepares one for life, not just making a living. If one has to be a cog in a wheel, one might still need to know what the wheel is turning, and know not only Brant Harwell, what the final prodEnglish uct of the mill will be but also what it began as, where it will go after it leaves the wheels of one’s mill, and where it will end up when its usable days are over. This big picture of life does not come from education in a trade, only from liberal arts education, whether gained in or out of a college or university. -- Brant Harwell, English 21

A liberal arts education imparts both the ability and the intellectual courage to sway one’s own opinion. -- Morris Williams, Biology

Shop…Give…Smile Smile while you shop with amazon and give to Martin Methodist at the same time. It’s simple and easy…instead of shopping on www.amazon. com, go to www.smile.amazon, and sign in as usual with your regular amazon login credentials. Once you are logged in, search for Martin Methodist College, follow the prompts to select it as the charity you wish to support and shop as usual with the same product pricing, your cart, wish list, etc. But the great thing is the college will receive a portion of all that you order. What a convenient way to support our wonderful college!!

Martin Methodist College Physical Education professor, Dr. Daniel McMasters, was recently named to the Southern States Dr. Daniel Athletic Conference McMasters All-Faculty Team at the league’s conference-wide awards banquet. McMasters also received the Service-Learning Faculty of the Year Award. Our very own Pat Ford, instructor in the business program and Mayor of Pulaski, was honored as an outstanding volunteer by Pat Ford the prestigious T.J. Martell Foundation as part of the celebration of National Volunteer Month in April.

Michelle Meinhart

year.

Tim Powell

ing: School & Community Chorus Division. Powell was also selected as one of 25 semifinalists from across the nation by The Recording Academy® and the Grammy Foundation® for the Music Educator Award ™. Jeff Bain was featured in “College Athletics and the Law” as an innovator and leader.

Jeff Bain

In addition to continued success with the Martin Methodist Clay Target program, head coach Chad Whittenburg received one of the top distincChad tions possible from Whittenburg USA Shooting as he was named Developmental Coach Michelle Meinhart, of the Year. assistant professor of music at MMC, was Shanna D. Hanes, the recipient of a facPh.D., Assistant ulty Fulbright FellowProfessor, Biology ship at Durham UniConference Presenversity in the UK for tation: The Society the 2016-17 academic of Integrative and Comparative Biology Shanna Hanes International ConferTim Powell, D.M.A, ence “Quantification director of choral ac- of autophagic activity in symbiotic tivities and assistant and aposymbiotic Aiptasia pallida professor of music anemones during bleaching” Januwas selected as the ary 3-7, 2016 2015 2nd place win- Committee Chair: The American ner of The American Microscopical Society Executive Prize in Conduct- Committee, “Member-At-Large” 22

Dr. Pat Whittemore

The 2016 Fred E. Ford Exemplary Teaching Award, was presented to Dr. Pat Whittemore, professor of religion and religion program coordinator at MMC. ¢m†

Martin Methodist College Alumni Association TWO-Year Membership Special Single: $85 (Receive a Coffee Mug or Tervis Tumbler)

Couple: $160 (Receive two Coffee Mugs or Tervis Tumblers)

ONE-Year Membership Individual:$50 Contact the Alumni Office at

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Spurbeck Interview Story My Chair…My Future: A Story of Legacy E

by Hayley Wilson alk in the Warden Memorial Library and, to the right, you’ll find “My Chair,” the only chair in the building marked with a plaque, and an unusual one at that. The “My” in “My Chair” is Elizabeth Grace Martin Spurbeck, a May graduate who received her BSN. Elizabeth bought the plaque after a joke between herself and the librarian, Richard Madden. “You know what, we aught to just put an engraving on this chair and make it yours. You’ve been sitting there the whole time you’ve been in college,” he commented, and Elizabeth took it to heart. Since graduation, any Martin Methodist Student can study in Elizabeth’s chair, which will remain hers through donations she will give the library as a lawyer—her intended career path. A chair in her name, a nursing degree, and a future law practice are all noteworthy achievements, especially considering Elizabeth is a non-traditional student hailing from a hometown where college was not the typical path for most women.

lizabeth graduated high school at age 18, married at 19, and had her twin daughters, who are now freshmen at Martin Methodist, when she was 20. “Nobody that I knew was elevating themselves by going to college,” she states. “Everybody would get out of high school, they would get married, and they would pop out a few kids.” But she knew that sort of small-town mentality was not the path for her; she had always wanted to go to college to become a lawyer. After working as a youth minister and writer producing 30-minute children’s sermons for her church’s televised services, Spurbeck and her family decided to move to Tennessee to live a slower life. Elizabeth continued to homeschool her children while driving the six hour trip back and forth from Leoma, Tennessee, her new home, to Searcy, Arkansas, to care for her sick mother, staying for long periods of time in the hospital. During that time, Elizabeth formed strong bonds with the nurses there who helped her care for her mother, sparking a passion in caregiving and nursing. “They opened up the lounge

and the linen closet, they gave me everything I needed to help take care of my mother, and I began to think that maybe I could do nursing,” she says. “I felt being a lawyer was still beyond my reach, but nursing was within my grasp.” fter discussing her plans with her family, Elizabeth and her twin daughters, Emily and Ashley, began searching for nursing programs in the area, and Martin Methodist showed up on their radar. “Somebody told me I needed to go check out Martin Methodist, that they were a wonderful small, liberal arts school with a family atmosphere that would help me achieve my dreams,” she says. Unsure where she was going, Elizabeth’s GPS led her to the parking lot across the street from Colonial Hall, where she officially enrolled for classes. “I was braving the scary world,” she says as she remembers feeling nervous. “I was supposed to stay home and take care of the kids. I was stepping out and doing something that no one in my family had ever done, something that Continued on page 39.

In Dialogue with the World By Kayla McKinney Wiggins liberal arts education teaches students to think, to learn, and to want to learn, so that wherever they go in life, they will both find themselves and make a difference. The best and the brightest accept the challenge, conducting original and publishable research, studying abroad, and winning prestigious awards, like the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award which is given at graduation every year to the student with the highest grade point average. hallmark of the liberal arts education is the breadth of experience it offers to students both in and out of the classroom. Students at liberal arts institutions are given the chance to learn in classrooms with a low student-teacher ratio and even to conduct research in close partnership with faculty members. And they are given the chance to stretch their wings by studying abroad. n 2011, thanks to the generous support of the Board of Trustees, Martin

Methodist College began offering research grants to students in the Honors Program. Students compete for the grants, and winners are selected by a committee of professors teaching in the Honors Program. To date, 11 students have won the grantâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;with one student winning twiceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and have traveled the world, working closely with sponsoring professors, gaining knowledge and having life-changing experiences, as they conduct research in areas ranging from science to history, religion, psychology, and sport management. artin students have studied abroad in places like Africa, South America, Mexico, Greece, France, and Ireland. Since 2012, students in the Honors Program have had the opportunity to study for a semester in England at Harlaxton, an-eighteenth century manor house that is a campus of the

Harlaxton 24

University of Indiana. Harlaxton has been voted the best study abroad program in the United States and the nine Martin students who have gone there would certainly agree. As part of a liberal arts curriculum, studying abroad changes lives, widens horizons, and opens minds. he following quotes come from students who have had these experiences. hile at Martin Methodist College, my liberal arts education equipped me with critical thinking skills and prepared me for life-long learning. My classes and experiences exposed me to a variety of ways of thinking and challenged me to critique and evaluate them. Also, the liberal arts approach helped deepen my faith and commitments; I was able to explore and question with the continual support and encouragement of my professors and the campus minister. As a result, both my head and heart were expanded. I also think that my educa-

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In Dialogue with the World...continued tion taught me how to be resilient and creative, which have been very useful skills. Because of the skills and knowledge that I gained through my college education, I entered seminary and was well prepared to become a successful faith leader. I am thankful that I had access to a liberal arts education because I truly think that it equipped and prepared me for my future. I continue to use the skills and education that I received at MMC, and I am a deep believer in the value of a liberal arts education because of my experience at Martin. -- R. Daniel Smith, President’s Award 2008 o me, the value of a liberal arts education has been that it offered me both a well-rounded education and opportunities of a lifetime. My liberal arts education has allowed me to study abroad to expand my horizons and to become a better, global citizen as well as a chance to complete an internship to further my career goals. -- Amber Allen Frank, Harlaxton 2013 s someone who loves to read, write, and travel, my liberal arts education has been invaluable. Such an education insists on the importance of becoming a lifelong learner and produces keen critical thinkers. From living abroad to attending graduate school, I cannot imagine having done the things I’ve done without such a foundation. -- Jessica Miller Kramer, President’s Award, 2009 would say the research grant impacted me job wise because in every interview, the interviewer always brings it up. It gives me time to share research experiences and passions. They always find it fascinating. I have worked as a fish biologist in the Aleutians Islands on commercial fishing boats. I’m currently working as a commercial diver in Seattle. I work with aquatic invasive plant control. The research grant impacted me personally by showing me a part of the world very few people get to see at my age. It gave me a larger world view and confidence to go and see more on my own. Since the grant, I’ve travelled to Belize, Curaçao, Mexico, Canada, the Aleutian islands and the Bering Sea, England, Scotland and

China next month. Professor Morris Williams was my faculty mentor. He is largely responsible for my grant and career success. The grant allowed us to work closely together on our research. That research training and collaboration with him has been invaluable to me in my career so far. I have spoken to so many other graduates or biologists about this grant; Martin Methodist is way ahead of other colleges in giving a research grant like this. I will always be grateful for the opportunity. -- Ben Bottoms, Honors Research Grant, 2011 y liberal arts education has more than prepared me for my next step in life. Not only do I feel equipped to move forward in my desired field, but I also feel like I have a basic knowledge of many subjects that can help me relate to people from many other walks of life, which I believe is important in ministry. Taking classes in subjects like math and science only reinforces the idea that ministry is a way better track for me than research, for instance. -- Ellie Craine, Harlaxton 2013 liberal arts education has contributed to my success in a multitude of ways. In brief, I feel it shaped me into a more well-rounded individual, both in social settings as well as when interviewing for medical school and residency afterwards; I can speak on subjects outside of science or medicine. For example, the history, literature and religion/philosophy classes exposed me to ideas and beliefs that I might not have encountered otherwise and, at times, these ideas have helped me to view the world through different eyes. As a result of the time spent in Dr. Wiggins’ speech class, I have been able to organize and confidently deliver presentations that tied my audience into the discussion and kept them engaged. These things, simple though they may seem, have greatly assisted me in connecting to not only potential employers, but also, and more importantly, my patients. As an anesthesiologist in training, I have minimal time in which to form a connection with my patients to make them feel more comfortable prior to being anesthetized. It has made quite an impact on those particular patients that I

have been able to connect with them on topics outside of medicine. Had I not received a liberal arts education, I might not have been as well equipped to meet these challenges. -- Kristin Burkhalter, President’s Award, 2010 tudying at a liberal arts college makes me a better person; I just think being a more informed person aids in character development. Studying the liberal arts makes me a better critical thinker, one who is more well-rounded and informed to make decisions that could affect not only me, but also others. It also improves my professional skills; actors need to be well-read and informed because every form of art is in dialogue with the outside world. – Lydia Wossum-Fisher, Harlaxton, 2014 hen I started college, I had no idea about what I would study or what I would eventually want to do for a career. Studying at a liberal arts college allowed me to explore multiple subjects and learn a wide range of skills, including creative thinking, research, writing, and communicating. As an attorney, I utilize these skills on a daily basis. Additionally, studying at a liberal arts college gave me individual support and guidance for both class topics and career paths. Small class sizes, one as small as four people, fostered open discussions and important feedback and critiques. This individualized attention helped me realize my goals and helped me to achieve them. –Rachel Perkins Rieger, President’s Award, 2007 tudying at a liberal arts college meant, for me, opportunity. Oftentimes, people get so focused on what’s in front of them that the rest of the world melts away, and that simply doesn’t work in a liberal arts environment due to the array of subjects the students are introduced to as part of their curriculum. Additionally, the nature of the liberal arts program is to produce more well-rounded students, as they have a broad spectrum of knowledge put in front of them, which helps to develop their adaptability and problem-solving skills. -- Justin Archer, Harlaxton, 2012

RedHawks Take Home National Title at ACUI Nationals

By Wade Neely AN ANTONIO, Texas – In just its third year of existence as a program, the Martin Methodist Clay Target team produced its strongest finish yet on the national stage as it claimed a team national championship and three individuals won gold at the ACUI Collegiate Clay Target Championships last week. he RedHawks wasted little time in adding trophies to the cabinet during the week as they claimed six individual medals on the first day of competition with Samantha Smith, Hannah Houston and Aaron Wilson taking home gold. Sydney Carson and Colman Etlekozi took home silver medals in their respective disciplines and Caleb Lindsey claimed a bronze to cap the day. ouston added a second gold on the following afternoon when she won the national championship among individual women competing in International Skeet competition. he highlight of the week, however, was undoubtedly the RedHawks national championship in American Skeet. The RedHawks

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connected on all but 13 of their 500 targets as their score of 487 was good enough to claim the program’s first-ever national title. In the same discipline, Wilson notched his second medal of the week as he finished with silver after falling in a shootoff. he RedHawks added another team medal in the American Trap category as they took home the bronze medal. s a team, the RedHawks connected on 2,177 total targets during their six team competitions – an improvement of 121 targets from a season ago. The RedHawks score would have been more than enough to garner Most Improved Team award at the week-long event, but the RedHawks jumped a classification higher this season and thus were not eligible. erhaps the highest individual honor of the week went to sophomore Colin King, who earned the Championship Sportsman Award. s a team, the RedHawks finished third place in the composite standings among Division II squads. The RedHawks finished 26

narrowly behind Texas A&M for the top honors in Division II – the first season of competition for the RedHawks at that level. could not be prouder of this very young team and their accomplishments this year,” RedHawks head coach Chad Whittenburg said. “We just had our first full recruiting class compete at the national tournament and achieve some very impressive results. The job now is to manage expectations. We certainly have the talent to compete with anyone in the country but we are still a very young team. The goal now is to learn how to peak at the optimal time and perform under pressure going forward.”

Volleyball at MMC

Martin Methodist Clay Target Team Trap & Skeet Annual Fundraser October 1 & 2, 2016 for more information cwhittenburg@martinmethodist.edu Maury County Gun Club â&#x20AC;˘ 2879 Parsons Bend Rd. â&#x20AC;˘ Columbia, TN 38401 27

Soccer at MMC

Basketball at MMC

Tennis at MMC

Golf at MMC

RedHawks Win National Championship

By Wade Neely he Martin Methodist Cheerleading squad entered NAIA Competitive Cheer & Dance National Invitational needing a near-flawless performance to have a chance at the program’s first-ever national championship banner. hat banner is coming back to Pulaski. he RedHawks delivered the performance of a weekend as they overcame a fifth-place preliminary round finish and claimed the 2016 national title. can not even begin to describe how happy I am for these young men and women,” RedHawks head coach Micah Hartsfield said. “We needed virtually a perfect performance and they stepped up and delivered one of the best routines I have ever seen. I am so proud of this squad.” he RedHawks entered and ranked fifth among the 12 teams after they posted an 86.5 score during the preliminary stage of the tournament.

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he following day, where 75 percent of the total score was to be determined, the RedHawks made their mark as they posted a 94.44 overall score – nearly two full points ahead of runner-up and national powerhouse Oklahoma City University. e knew we needed a killer performance,” Hartsfield said. “Luckily, we have so many experienced and seasoned members of our squad that we were able to rally back. No one ever got too nervous and everyone did their part. That calming effect was huge and allowed us to come out and perform the way we did.” ost school Saint Ambrose (Iowa) defended its 2015 national title by winning the dance portion of the Invitational. n cheer, teams were scored by three judges in the following 10 categories: standing tumbling, running tumbling, stunts, pyramids, basket tosses, jumps, choreography, degree of difficulty, showmanship and exe32

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cution. The three judges’ scores were then averaged and deductions were subtracted to account for each team’s final score. he win gave the RedHawks their first-ever national title in Cheerleading and marks the fourth NAIA national championship in school history. Men’s Soccer was the last program to take home national honors, claiming the 2013 title in Montgomery, Alabama. he RedHawks qualified for the national tournament by virtue of their win at the Midwest Regional in Lindenwood, Illinois in late February. Martin Methodist closed its 2016 season with one final competition performed at the National Cheerleading Association National Competition in Daytona Beach, Florida in April. bviously this is huge for our program,” Hartsfield said. “To win a national championship is always your ultimate goal. We will definitely savor this victory for a while.”

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RedHawks Win National Championship...Continued Final Overall Standings 10 - Stephens (Mo.), 83.80 Dance 11-Lindenwood-Belleville(Ill.), 73.63 1 - St. Ambrose (Iowa), 112.56 12 - William Penn (Iowa), 73.35 2 - Midland (Neb.), 110.74 Cheer 3 - Grand View (Iowa), 107.43 1 - Martin Methodist (Tenn.), 94.44 4 - Morningside (Iowa), 105.81 2 - Oklahoma City, 92.80 5 - Aquinas (Mich.), 104.81 3 - Concordia (Mich.), 91.80 6 - Oklahoma City, 102.11 4 - St. Ambrose (Iowa), 91.07 7 - Baker (Kan.), 98.19 5 - Saint Francis (Ind.), 87.59 8 - Briar Cliff (Iowa), 96.90 6 - Midland (Neb.), 86.58 9 - Hastings (Neb.), 95.55 7 - Graceland (Iowa), 85.66

Baseball at MMC

8 - Bethel (Kan.), 82.71 9 - St. Gregoryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Okla.), 82.27 10 - Robert Morris (Ill.), 81.16 11 - Texas Wesleyan, 80.92 12 - Kansas Wesleyan, 78.93

Bowling at MMC

Softball at MMC

My Dear Martin Methodist College Alumni and Friends:

Reach back in the deep recesses of your memory and recall the halcyon days of your college life. Other than exams and no spending money, wasn’t it great! Do you remember the main reason you went to college in the first place? Dig around in the recess of your mind for that memory. Was it to get an education? Do you remember having the angst created by the uncertainty of not knowing what you’re going do with your life? (How many times did your mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, uncle, aunt, pastor, next door neighbor, etc. ask that question?) Did you leave your undergraduate or graduate graduation ceremony with a degree in the course of study you were interested in when you first walked on campus as a freshman? Did you even know what course of study you were interested in when you were a freshman, or sophomore, or junior? How many times did you change your college major? After graduation, have you had work experiences or careers you expected when you were a college student? Did you return to college years later to qualify for a job or position you later discovered you really wanted? That anxiety still exists, and it may be walking around on the Martin Methodist College campus today. Our professors and administrators do an excellent job of preparing Martin students for the careers of their choosing. But what major/career will they choose? The Martin Methodist College Alumni Council is considering a program whereby those of us who have “been there” in the “real world” can make ourselves available to students who may be going through the college major/career anxiety syndrome. Through this program, you can be a friend to a student and answer his/her questions about what is involved in the career you chose and what it took for you to get there. Everyone has a history. Maybe you don’t think your history would be of interest to anyone. If so, I bet you’re wrong. Your life’s experience in your career and education may offer insights to another person who may be considering the path you took. I bet you’re willing to share that history with a Martin student if one asks. (By the way, Martin students are, in my not-so-humble opinion, the Best.) If you are willing to sign up for this proposed program, please send your name and contact information, including telephone email address to Edna at eluna@martinmethodist.edu. You should also identify your career(s), your college degree(s), your major and/or degree emphasis, where you earned your degree, and the number of years in your career(s).

A story that began in 1870 of a father starting a college for girls out of love for his daughter is still being written 146 years later. Martin Methodist is going strong and continues to be a college of opportunity, where education is personal. Martin Methodist is an institution that has changed the lives of thousands, and the tradition of transformation continues today with current students. Yes, Martin Methodist has seen its share of challenges, but persevering through those challenges has made MMC stronger, more stable and one of the finest, small, private, liberal arts colleges in Tennessee. So what’s the next chapter in MMC’s story? That’s what I am excited to share with you. The work of your alumni council and association will have an active role in developing the college’s future. The alumni council has been working hard to engage and/or reconnect alumni to the college. In fact, this past January, they wrote a vision for their passion: “We strive to engage and connect all (MMC) alumni with each other and the college, inspiring them to help MMC realize its vision of being the educational epicenter of south central Tennessee.” They developed the following four strategic initiatives to help pave the way: 1) Create a complete and accurate data-base. 2) Establish county alumni chapters. 3) Develop a mentoring network between alumni and Martin students. 4) Tell the Martin story. We need your help in fulfilling these four initiatives. Does the college have complete and accurate information on you? Would you commit to participation in your county alumni chapter? Would you serve as a mentor to a student? Would you share the Martin story? Wow, it’s just that easy and simple. See how you could be making a difference today. Our hunger is to get you involved, so periodically look at our website or read the bi-monthly e-newsletter, News From The Campus Green, to find out about events of which you can be a part. Are you inspired? Remember we need your commitment to be engaged, connected and involved with YOUR alma mater…. Will you make that commitment today?

Thank you in advance for your willingness to participate. We hope to hear from you soon.

Until next issue, take care and God Bless!

Overton Campbell, Class of ‘75 President, Martin Methodist College Alumni Council

Edna Luna, Class of 2006 Assistant Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Class Notes

Have you changed jobs or received a promotion? Moved to a new city or even just a different street? Gotten married or had a baby? The Columns welcomes the news of the Martin Methodist College alumni. You can write, call, or e-mail . . . just let us know, so we can let your classmates know!

Class of 1966 Held Record-Breaking Reunion

he reunion officially began on May 6 at the annual Jubilee Dinner, and we had 39 classmates 18 spouses and 2 instructors attend the Reunion for a total of 59 people, breaking the college’s record for the most people to come for a 50th class reunion. Following the Jubilee Dinner where the class was recognized and received beautiful medallions, they gathered in The Gault Fine Arts Center for a reception to reconnect and share favorite memories of Martin and just be together after 50 years. he Class of ’66 is establishing a $10,000 Endowed Scholarship to help other students have the same wonderful experience at Martin they had.

Address: Alumni Office, Martin Methodist College, 433 W. Madison St., Pulaski, TN 38478 Phone: 931-363-9824 or 1-800-467-1273, ext. 3824. E-mail: eluna@martinmethodist.edu E-mail: alumni@martinmethodist.edu

1956

Joe Allen, a coaching legend in the state of Tennessee and an inaugural inductee of the Martin Methodist College Sports Hall of Fame in 1996 was inducted into the Metro Nashville Public Schools Sports Hall of Fame in April.

1966

Jimmie Jean Nunnely Webber, retired GED teacher in Putnam County, built and manages a Little Free Library in Cookeville. The Little Free Library, an outdoor bookshelf, promotes literacy through a free community book lending system.

1971

Caneta Skelley Hankins, recently retired from Middle Tennessee State University where she was the Deputy Director of the Center for Historic Preservation. Her most recent book is Plowshares and Swords: Tennessee Farm Families Tell Civil War Stories.

1977

J. Stephen Lang, author of the 2007 book The Bible on the Big Screen, was inter-

viewed in March of 2013 by Elizabeth Jensen of the New York Times in connection with the miniseries The Bible.

1979

Zan Starnes Martin, artist and owner of Martin & Company Advertising, completed an original oil portrait of MMC benefactor and trustee Mrs. Grace Grissom, president and CEO of Mrs. Grissom’s Salads. The portrait hangs in MMC’s Grissom Colonial Hall.

1998

Rev. Holley Potts, was featured in a 2014 article in the United Methodist Interpreter for

outreach work with Mercy Street United Methodist Church in Smyrna, TN.

The Rucker-Donnell Foundation that is committed to religious, scientific, literary, and educational purposes generously donated land in Rutherford County to MMC.

Dan Trotter, former head basketball coach and member of the Martin Methodist College

SportsHall of Fame, was inducted into both the Tennessee Community College Athletic Association Hall of Fame (2016) and the Cleveland State Community College Athletics Hall of Fame (2015) as retired men’s basketball coach for Cleveland State Community College. Under his coaching, Cleveland State earned the first national ranking in the school’s history. Gerald Reid, helped to return a WWII ‘mother’s flag’ to the son of former Martin College friend and classmate John W. “Pete” McFarland. Reid’s niece found the flag among her late mother’s possessions. Reid suggests that McFarland gave the flag to his sister to repair the fringe along the bottom, and she forgot to return it. Michael McCroskey and Henrietta Burnley McCroskey, Michael McCroskey

(’64) and Henrietta Burnley McCroskey (’63) at MMC’s 1963 Spring Formal. Martin Methodists College’s first computer, donated by McKendree Manor, a United Methodist Retirement home in Nashville. “What takes years to build can be destroyed in a day. Build anyway.” Landon Dixon, Class of 2015.

Mary Ruth Ingram Hight

ary was born in 1925 at Beechwood Farm in Culleoka. Tennessee. Her parents met years before when her dad Joe Ingram traveled to Arkansas to buy mules. He met a young girl there by the name of Molly. They had known each other for only three weeks when they were married.

M A S

ary had two older brothers, Fred and Joe M. Ingram. It was said that her parents planned their children several years apart so they could provide them all with a good education. few years after Mary was born her mother became ill with tuberculosis and was bedridden. She had a small brass bell that she would ring when she needed someone to come to her bedside. Mary remembered the ringing of the bell the night her mother passed away. She was thirty-nine years old...Mary was only six. he was very close to her dad and went everywhere with him. When he would go to Culleoka Mary got to visit the lady who lived over the grocery store. She was the telephone operator and had the switchboard system in her home just like Sara on Andy of Mayberry...and she listed to almost every conversation. The best part was Mary got to listen too.

arnest Hight lived nearby and worked on her daddy’s farm. One day as she sat on her front porch she saw Earnest walking across the field with one of his younger brothers. She was only thirteen at the time but when she saw him she thought he was the best looking man she had ever seen. She never dreamed that they would eventually be married.

M A M T

ary’s dad made sure she led a full life with her main focus being on her education and church. She had lots of friends and activities outside of their home. He became ill in later years and by the time she was a senior in high school he was also bedridden. He passed away in 1943 just as she entered Martin College. t that time Martin was supposed to be a two year girls’ college, but there were five boys that attended school there. They also made up the boys basketball team. One of the most outstanding players was a one armed boy by the name of Jessie Williams who later became a lawyer. ary was very athletic and participated in archery, softball, tennis and basketball. Women’s basketball was played with the court divided into three sections...very different from what we have today. wo of her closest friends at the college were Dorothy Hopson and Betty June Andrews. In May of 1945 they graduated from Martin College. She and Dorothy learned there were openings for government jobs and they were hiring college graduates at a rapid pace. They rode to Oak Ridge, Tennessee in the back of a cattle truck with benches nailed down in rows. There were so many young people with them who had never traveled outside of their little towns or communities. They had always felt safe...little did they know how their lives were about to change.

hen they arrived at Oak Ridge a man who was to be their supervisor took

them on a tour of the buildings. Dorothy leaned over to get a drink from a water fountain. It shot water up high and covered the floor. He told her, “If you keep that up...you’ll be mopping the floors.” She fired back at him, “I wasn’t hired in here to mop floors.” After the war they were married and lived together for over sixty years.

ary and Dorothy lived in a building similar to an Army barracks with wooden sidewalks. They had to wear boots to walk in because it was so muddy. They worked rotating shifts in the Y-12 Plant and no protective clothing was ever issued to them. The only thing they were required to wear was their ID badge, and security was of the utmost importance. 38

hrough the years there were stories that a lot of the employees knew what they were working on but were sworn to secrecy. That was not true. Most of them had no clue and Mary did not know until after they dropped the bomb on Hiroshima the full extent of what they were building there. She felt so many mixed emotions. There were so many lives lost in such a horrific way...but then it meant the war was over and Loyd would be coming home soon.

oyd came to Oak Ridge to visit Mary after the war. He had been away from his family in Giles County for over four years and had just been discharged from the Navy. He had no job so she quit her job and they decided it was the perfect time to get married! He found employment in Nashville and they moved to a little upstairs apartment. They shared the bathroom with the elderly couple who owned the building. Mary looked at rooftops and tree tops and cried because she missed the country life. Pam was born prematurely in September of 1946 at a walk in clinic. They went home the same day in a red ambulance. The ambulance transport cost a whopping $3.00.

t was post war time and you had to get on a waiting list for any type of appliance. They needed a washing machine with Pam in diapers but had been told they were way down on the list. Mary knew they probably couldn’t afford one anyway. Times were hard back then and on one occasion the neighbors saw Loyd on the back porch scrubbing dirty diapers on a washboard. The next day a big truck delivered a brand new Maytag wringer washing machine. Mary never asked how he got it but she was so glad he did!

hen Pam was three years old they moved to northern Giles County on a farm known as Reed Hollow. Kathy was born in the summer of 1952. They milked cows and planted tobacco and corn. The girls helped with the feeding of the chickens and pigs. It was hard work but there were many good memories and fun times along the way. Mary remained thankful and always said, “We may have seemed poor to some, but we were rich in so many ways.”

T M

hey rented houses for several years up and down Hwy 31 north but in 1967 they bought the only home they ever owned. It was in the middle of Milky Way Farms and sat high on a hill with the most beautiful view you could ever imagine. ary was one of the kindest ladies and always searched for the best in people. She was quiet, reserved and a true example of what a Southern lady should be.

The information shared in this article are excerpts from our mother’s personal journal completed by her on March 8, 2004. She passed away nineteen days later. Submitted by her daughters Pam Stafford and Kathy Fitzgerald.

MMC Alumni Council for 2015-16 year The following individuals are guiding the activities of a busy Martin Methodist College Alumni Council during this academic year. President L. Overton Campbell ‘75, Franklin, TN President-elect Charlie C. Pope ‘95, Normandy, TN Secretary/Treasurer Tbd Darlene Baxter ‘66, Columbia, TN Stanton Belford, ’00, Pulaski, TN Kim Bracey, ’03, Pulaski, TN Brenda Ogilvie Brown ‘71, Chapel Hill, TN J. Brad Butler ‘05, Pulaski, TN Jerry W. Campbell ‘69, Murfreesboro, TN L. Overton Campbell ‘75, Franklin, TN Siron “Si” Culp ‘68, Clifton, TN Sammy Holden ‘74, Brentwood, TN Joy Lewter ‘65, Chapel Hill, TN David Jones, VP for Institutional Advancement, Nashville, TN Debbie Denson Lloyd ‘71, Murfreesboro, TN Edna Luna ‘06, Asst. VP for Institutional Advancement, Pulaski, TN Jim Malone ‘67, Fayetteville, TN Gary McGuire, ’71, Murfreesboro, TN Charlie C. Pope ‘95, Shelbyville, TN Lena Brown Prince, ’65, Nashville, TN J. Allen Scoggin ‘64, Memphis, TN Brandon Michael Steever ‘13, Pulaski, TN Monica D. Tucker ‘02, Flintville, TN The Rev. Thomas E. Vann ‘59, Centerville, TN Elizabeth Von Hofe 2000, Arlington, TN Carol Hamlett Wade ‘06, Lynnville, TN Terry M. Whitt ‘69, Ardmore, TN Doug Williamson ‘67, Columbia, TN

Young Alumni Advisory Committee Ben Biddy ‘12, Pulaski, TN Alex Carrick 2017, Loretta, TN Shiphrah Dass Cox ‘10, Columbia, TN Tyler Cox ‘12, Pulaski, TN Christin Martin ‘15, Pulaski, TN Laura Stephenson Morefield ‘09, Lewisburg, TN Rachel Sutton, ’18, Jackson, TN

In Memoriam Mary K. Holman ‘36 of Springfield, TN, died September 4, 2015, at the age of 99. Robbie B. Schnepf ‘36 of Huntsville, AL, died April 14 Majoria Warren ‘42 of Charleston, SC, died August 24, 2015, at the age of 92 Emily S. O’Brien ‘45 of Columbia, TN, died November 1, 2015, at the age of 90. Jean R. Clements ‘47 of Franklin, TN, died August 10, 2015, at the age of 87. Henry E. Franklin ‘48 of Ethridge, TN, died March 7, 2016, at the age of 89. Fred B. Newton ‘49 of Clarksville, TN, died October 3, 2105, at the age of 85. Barbara H. Burrus ‘51 of Nashville, TN, died November 14, 2014, at the age of 83. Joe B. Dillon ‘51 of Springfield, TN, died July 1, 2014, at the age of 94. Robert D. Roe ‘54 of Pulaski, TN, died January 3, 2016, at the age of 82. Jerry S. Williams ‘55 of Pulaski, TN, died August 12, 2016, at the age of 80. Joe M. Merrell ‘57 of Elkton, TN, died January 8, 2016, at the age 85. Forrest K. Pollard ‘57 of Richmond, VA, died September 1, 2015, at the age of 79. Lois A. Liddle ‘58 of San Marcos, TX, died June 17, 2015, at the age of 76. John B. Mingus ‘59 of Richmond, VA, died October 24, 2014, at the age of 76. Dorothy E. Rackley ‘59 of Pulaski, TN, died Nocember 1, 2015, at the age of 76. Tommy J. Kelley ‘61 of Pulaski, TN, died January 4, 2015, at the age of 74. Nedra J. Trebing ‘61 of Pulaski, TN, died August 24, 2015, at the age of 74. Joy M. Graham ‘62 of Pulaski, TN, died July 6, 2015, at the age of 90. Bonnie Vanbibber ‘62 of Columbia, TN, died September 14, 2015, at the age of 73. Phyllis W. Hannah ‘63 of Pulaski, TN, died February 24, 2016, at the age of 91. Alvin W. Kennemer ‘64 of Athens, AL, died November 26, 2015, at the age of 76. Morris Mitchell ‘64 of Pulaski, TN, died January 19, 2016, at the age of 71. Jerry H. Reddick ‘64 of Franklin, TN, died June 17, 2015, at the age of 70. Kenneth D. Williamson ‘68 of Pulaski, TN, died April 14, 2014, at the age of 65. Don G. Humphrey ‘71 of Lewisburg, TN, died October 17, 2015, at the age of 64. Linda K. Harrison ‘73 of Nashville, TN, died August 13, 2015, at the age of 62. Linda A. Hayes ‘79 of Pulaski, TN, died May 22, 2015, at the age of 62. Rebecca S. Oakley ‘83 of Pulaski, TN, died October 31, 2015, at the age of 56. Kathryn M. Prince ‘92 of Pulaski, TN, died February 24, 2016, at the age of 70. Marcy B. Guerrero ‘10 of Springfield, TN, died March 1, 2014 at the age of 25. Patrick T. Sutton ‘10 of Decatur, AL, died February 19, 2016, at the age of 29.

‘For all the saints, who from their labors rest ...’

I had been raised to believe that maybe I should not do.” But with the encouragement of her family and those she met at Martin Methodist, she has affirmed that going to college was exactly what she was supposed to do. he close-knit, compassionate, and family atmosphere of Martin Methodist, its students, and faculty is still one of the most important factors to Elizabeth. After the loss of her mother, Elizabeth had difficulty focusing on an essay in her English class, so her professor worked with her personally to improve the essay and gave her an extension on the assignment so she could have time to cope. “You are important to them. They go out of their way to

help you,” she says, “and that’s awesome.” During this same time, in the midst of anger at God, an argument with her religion professor turned into a deep philosophical conversation and a close friendship. “He talked to me one on one. He gave me the chance to express what I wanted,” she says, which lead to a deeper appreciation of her faith. And her friendship with campus Career Advisor Gordon Thayer helped to revitalize her passion for becoming a lawyer. Working together at his table outside of the library, the two contacted programs around the state, eventually leading to tours of the Nashville School of Law and Belmont University.

ow, Elizabeth is more confident than ever that she truly found a home at Martin Methodist. Before Spurbeck’s graduation, her twin daughters would bump into her on the way to and from class, and she even made friends with some of her daughters’ friends. She got to see her daughters thrive in their own coursework. Emily is majoring in Business Management with an emphasis on Accounting and has a job awaiting her in Nashville upon graduation, and Ashley is pursuing a double major in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice and will be working as an intern with both a lawyer and a counseling center, both in Fayetteville, TN. hile their time as students together at Martin has drawn to a close, Elisabeth’s daughters can continue on the path their mother has paved for them and encourage their mom in her new endeavor. Together, they will always be able to share in the home they found at Martin Methodist College.

y liberal arts education has been an investment in myself. It fostered within me a sense of social awareness, a passion for learning, a creativity of expression, and the ability to think for myself.

What did attending a liberal arts college mean to me? by Megan Tutt

often get asked why I chose to attend a tiny, private liberal arts college rather than a large, state university. The answer is pretty simple—I always knew that the traditional, career-driven path laid out in most state universities was not for me. This is not to say that I never envisioned myself having a career and that I did not come out of my college experience with valuable skills that will greatly benefit me in a variety of work environments. However, for me college seemed to have a larger purpose than to prepare me to settle into a comfortable post-graduate job. I tend to agree with A.E. Houseman’s view that “All Human knowledge is precious whether or not it serves the slightest human use,” and I really believe that the liberal arts education that I received at Martin Methodist College embodies this precept. As a student at a liberal arts college, I was treated as an individual rather than one of many on an assembly line waiting to be molded into a “professional” something or other. At Martin Methodist I was encouraged to think critically and laterally, to be curious, to explore the world around me, and to investigate how all these seemingly separate subjects (Philosophy, Literature, Mathematics, Psychology, Science, Music, Art, and History) come together to form the complete whole of human culture. In addition to developing a critical mind, my liberal arts education also demonstrated to me the value of an open mind. I learned to reach beyond my own experiences and to develop tolerance and understanding for those different from myself, to look at things from another person’s point of view. My liberal arts education has been an investment in myself. It fostered within me a sense of social awareness, a passion for learning, a creativity of expression, and the ability to think for myself. I can honestly say that I left college as an educated person dedicated to the pursuit of lifelong learning and to being an informed, engaged citizen in both my local and global community. A liberal arts education is one of breadth, depth, and rigor, and it has made all the difference in my life. The skills and knowledge that I acquired at Martin Methodist College have appreciated and will continue to appreciate for the rest of my life. What has a liberal arts education meant to me? In short, it has meant everything. –Megan Tutt, Harlaxton (2012), English & TESOL (2014)

Thank you for your generous donation!

Shown from left to right: Will Walker, Bobby Walker, John Walker, and Dr. Ted Brown.

Walker Die Casting, a company owned and operated by MMC Trustee Bobby Walker based in Lewisburg, Tenn., made a generous $1 million donation to MMC toward the college’s 2020 Capital Campaign, which includes the expansion of the Andrews Science Building and the construction of the new college commons. Walker Die Casting is a family owned and operated business that has been producing high-quality aluminum die castings since 1958. Mr. Walker along with his son John, who serves as CEO, built the company around the key components of integrity and excellence, which today attests to the organization’s underlying strength and character. Mr. Walker has been a member of MMC’s Board of Trustees since 1993 and serves on both the Finance and Governance Committees. 43

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