Spring 2021 Arches Magazine

Arches Spring 2021

Tennessee Wesleyan University Magazine

Arches Spring 2021

CONTRIBUTORS

Tennessee Wesleyan University Magazine

President Dr. Harley Knowles

CONTENTS

Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Grant Willhite

04

University Updates

06

Like Father, Like Daughter: Providing Hope for College

09

Advancement News and Updates

12

God’s Guiding Fingerprints - Ethel Ding

14

Academic Updates

16

Staff Spotlight - Ms. DeLunda “Candy” Maddux

17

Love Thy Neighbor Project

18

International Students and COVID-19

21

The Legacy of Larry Wallace

24

Wallace Square

26

Athletic Updates

28

Commencement in Photos

30

Marketing & Communications Awards

31

Faculty Spotlight - Dr. Sheron Lawson

32

Class Notes

35

Board of Trustees & Alumni Association

Interim Assistant Vice President for Admissions, Marketing and Communications Katherine Davis University Writer JJ Hulet Graphic Designer Harley Stickney Photography Chris Berry Tommy Botello Ben Finch JJ Hulet Peyton Steinberg Harley Stickney Assistant Vice President for Advancement & Alumni Affairs Blake McCaslin Director of Development Kelly Brugh Contributing Writer Advancement Coordinator Ashley Copeland Contributing Writer Student Contributing Writers Rachel Cook Ethel Ding

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A MESSAGE

from the PRESIDENT Dear Alumni and Friends, It’s hard to believe the last issue of Arches was published just one year ago. As I write this letter, I reflect on the challenges and successes we’ve experienced together throughout the past year. As always, I am proud to be a part of this family who came together and persevered for our students.

Our eager students broke records in returning to school this year - helping TWU achieve a more than 81% retention rate. As schools across the country made difficult decisions to move to online learning, we kept our students in-seat because they were vocal about wanting to be on this campus and together. Everyone who is a part of the Bulldog Family recognizes the transformational power of this place. We practiced social distancing, mask-wearing and contact tracing so we could stay together the entire fall semester.

This issue focuses on the diverse group of students who teach us as much as we teach them. These students experienced and led each other through many firsts for their generation – a global pandemic, cultural injustices across the country and an unprecedented election. They each bring their unique backgrounds and experiences to help the campus community learn and grow together. I hope these stories inspire you and engender a sense of pride in the rich diversity of our campus culture, which plays an essential role in preparing our students for a life of leadership and service in the ever-changing global community.

I believe the future is bright because this generation is resilient, inclusive, and brave. Be proud of your fellow Bulldogs. They continue to carry and strengthen the TWU legacy that you helped shape during your time here.

Gratefully,

Dr. Harley Knowles President SPRING 2021 | 3

UNIVERSITY

Updates

A YEAR UNLIKE ANY OTHER

By now, you’ve heard enough about it.

COVID-19 has changed so many aspects of our lives, and higher education is certainly no exception.

At Tennessee Wesleyan, like many institutions, classes were moved to a fully online format in March 2020 as the virus made its initial wave. Faculty were given two days to make the transition, and students were encouraged, when possible, to work from home the remainder of the semester. Students living on campus were allowed to remain there, and the food service staff worked tirelessly to provide meals, aided over the summer by local churches and organizations.

The decision was made during the summer to bring students back to campus in August, with a host of precautions in place to provide the safest experience possible. Classrooms were outfitted with distanced desks, sanitizer, and have been cared for with new powerful BioProtect cleaner.

Every building was outfitted with iWave systems in the HVAC, proven to kill the COVID-19 virus.

Students have been required to wear masks inside buildings and asked to socially distance whenever possible. The Student Life office has diligently tracked contact between students.

These represent just a portion of the many precautions taken to ensure safe academic development for our students. In large part, the students, faculty, and staff of Tennessee Wesleyan have answered the call, and the campus had success in keeping our doors open throughout the Fall 2020 semester.

We continue to pray for a quick resolution to the COVID-19 virus, and hope that we will be able to return to the full University experience our students expect.

RECORD ENROLLMENT Tennessee Wesleyan University welcomed a record number of students in the fall, with a total enrollment of 1,168. Fall 2020 marks the second consecutive year of record enrollment for TWU, following a total headcount of 1,142 back in 2019.

“We are very pleased that we have another record year of enrollment,” said TWU President Dr. Harley Knowles. “It is a credit to our new and returning students who had faith in us and chose to attend despite concerns about the pandemic. Our students have told us over and over that they are drawn to our campus community because it is a place where they feel safe, supported, and academically challenged.”

While a variety of factors impact total enrollment, particularly notable in the fall

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2020 class are strong retention numbers, both overall and from last year’s freshman class. TWU shattered previous retention records, with 81.4% of students returning across the board, both undergraduate and graduate. 77% of fall 2019 freshmen returned, breaking the previous record of 70%, also set in fall 2019.

“The value of a Tennessee Wesleyan education, as well as our commitment to underserved populations are both points of emphasis on our campus, and will continue to be,” added Dr. Knowles. “This fall, 39% of our students are first-generation college students, which frequently includes underserved populations. While we’re pleased with the rankings, we believe they will only get better in the years to come.”

TREE CAMPUS USA

MERIT SCHOLARSHIP INCREASES, CELEBRATE MCMINN ADDED

TWU was selected once again for the Tree Campus USA designation, the eighth consecutive year the Athens campus has received the recognition.

“As a campus, TWU takes great pride in providing a beautiful environment for our students to enjoy, while preserving many historic landmarks on campus, including our beautiful trees,” said President Dr. Harley Knowles.

TWU announced increases to all merit scholarships, effective in the fall 2021 semester. All incoming freshman and transfer awards were raised $2,000, along with the addition of the new Neff Award, two “last dollar” tuition scholarships.

The Neff Awards will take all aid into consideration and add whatever amount needed to give the recipient a full tuition benefit.

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT

Additionally, the unique Celebrate McMinn scholarships were established.

The awards will be given to a group of students entering TWU from McMinn County and McMinn Central high schools.

The awards, roughly $50,000 total, will be given as 10 housing grants for students coming to live on campus, 10 $2,000 scholarships, and 10 $1,000 scholarships.

These awards will be given at an event in 2021, COVID pending, where applicants will come to campus and be interviewed by faculty and current students.

The 2020 fall edition of the US News and World Report Best Colleges Rankings again ranked TWU, naming the University No.23 in the Regional Colleges South category, No.17 in Best Value Schools South, and No.43 in Top Performers on Social Mobility.

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Like father, like daughter:

Providing Hope for College Goldman Barefield, known as Goldie to many, was born on November 20, 1933 in Farner, Tennessee, just minutes from the North Carolina line. Goldie was a jack of all trades, a farmer, gas station owner, a trader, as well as a member of the U.S. Army National Guard. The most important role he played in his life was that of a father to his daughters, whom he spoiled whenever he could. Goldie did not have the opportunity to go to college, but he aspired to give that chance to his children.

“I wanted to play tennis and be a cheerleader in college,” said Pamela Clark, one of Goldie Barefield’s daughters.

“Tennessee Wesleyan kept me close to home and offered me both opportunities.”

The legendary Coach Dwain Farmer offered Pamela a tennis scholarship and was influential in her experience at Tennessee Wesleyan. She was thrilled to receive this aid, along with an academic scholarship.

“My dad knew my goals and what it meant to me to have a college degree,” said Pamela. “He paid my tuition for the first two years.”

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Goldie did everything necessary to make Pamela’s higher education dreams a reality. In return, Pamela wanted to take the reins and prove that she was equally invested in her journey.

“I was stubborn like my dad,” Pamela laughed. “I wanted to pay my last two years, so I did. I was a secretary for the business department, taught a social dance class, and an aerobics class at night to make extra money. Every check Tennessee Wesleyan gave me, I flipped over, signed the back, and handed it back to them to apply the money to my account. I never cashed a check.”

Pamela credits her college experience and extensive work history at Tennessee Wesleyan to her current success as a State Farm Agent. She began her career with State Farm in Sweetwater, Tennessee at the mere age of 22.

Sadly, Pamela lost her father from Lewy Body Dementia in October 2011.

“He died such a cruel death,” Pamela said.

“It breaks your heart to watch your strong father go through something as cruel as this disease.”

“He was my hero, my dad, and my first love – the unique bond a little girl has with her daddy.”

Goldie was very special to Pamela, and she strived to make him proud every day. In her grief, amid her overwhelming sorrow, a close friend and accountant, Mr. Bryan Jackson, suggested starting a scholarship in her father’s memory. Her love for her father and fondness for Tennessee Wesleyan created a special intersection.

Bryan helped Pamela set up the Goldman “Goldie” Barefield Scholarship with the help of Tennessee Wesleyan’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs. She wanted to encourage local students to attend Tennessee Wesleyan, while also encompassing her father’s sense of accountability; therefore, the scholarship is now available to seniors at Sweetwater High School through an application requiring students to write a short essay on why they believe they deserve this scholarship.

Pamela encourages her close friends to help extend the impact of the Goldman “Goldie” Barefield Scholarship by also giving to this legacy. These individuals make up a scholarship committee that meets annually to review the applications and award scholarship dollars. Committee members include Dr. Ken Kozawa, Mr. Paul Willson, Mr. and Mrs. Tom and Pam Korn, Ms. Lisa Janke, as well as Pamela Clark.

Pamela Clark playing tennis while at Tennessee Wesleyan.

Over the last seven years, the Goldman “Goldie” Barefield Scholarship has provided a total of $79,850 in scholarship dollars to 33 students.

“TWU in 2020 is unbelievable. It is extraordinary and I’m such a proud TWU alumna!”

To learn more about how you can honor a loved one or create a lasting legacy for your family, please contact TWU’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at (423) 746-5330.

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Spotlight:

PAST GOLDIE BAREFIELD SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Jasmine Maxwell, ‘20

Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Criminal Justice, with a Forensic Science emphasis in May 2020 and is currently attending the University of Alabama at Birmingham in pursuit of a Master of Forensic Science degree.

Kolbe Billingsley, ‘23

“It meant so much to me to receive such a prestigious scholarship known around Tennessee Wesleyan, as well as in the Monroe County area. My mother and I worried about finances, so receiving the Goldman “Goldie” Barefield Scholarship made our worries subside by lowering the cost of my tuition. I was able to connect more with the campus and the community since my finances were taken care of.

Throughout my time at Wesleyan, I learned that giving back is such an amazing feeling. It motivates me to want to give back later in life to give other students the chance to go to Wesleyan and enjoy it as much as I did.”

Jasmine served as the president of the Criminal Justice Club, the secretary of the National Society of Leadership and Success, was a member of Hackberry and Oak Society, Student Ambassadors, Orientation Leader, Peer Mentor, and a TWU Cheerleader. She received her 8 | ARCHES

“The Goldman “Goldie” Barefield Scholarship helped me get all the supplies I needed to succeed during my freshman year, which led to me making the Dean’s List. It took away some of the financial stress off my parents.

It meant a lot to me to have received that scholarship. It kept me determined to focus and not let the resources I had received go to waste. It showed me that someone else cares about my education and believes that I can achieve my goals.”

Kolbe is a sophomore majoring in Business Management and Marketing through the Goodfriend School of Business. He is a member of the TWU basketball team, the National Society of Leadership and Success, and the Black Student Union.

ADVANCEMENT

Updates

You may have noticed our letters and mailings continuing to arrive; however, recently we have been focusing on funding sources for specific projects on campus.

TENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY The Tennessee Wesleyan University Leadership Academy (TWULA) launched in Fall 2020 and was supported by initial gifts from the Holston Foundation and the Broad Street UMC Endowment Fund to provide student scholarships.

TWULA was established as an intentional training program to develop student leaders in occupational and vocational ministry. Students participating in TWULA gain valuable leadership skills through workshops and are better prepared to serve congregations. The program enlists these students in local churches through areas such as accounting, marketing, youth programming, and worship team.

The training our students receive will help strengthen congregations for generations to come.

THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR Amid the pandemic, the Love Thy Neighbor Project at TWU has needed more assistance than ever to feed the children, individuals, and families that it serves. In 2020, the Love Thy Neighbor Project was blessed to receive support from the Athens Federal Foundation, Neighbor to Neighbor Disaster Relief Fund through the East Tennessee Foundation, Walmart of Athens, Mayfield Dairy Farms, Piggly Wiggly of Etowah, and No Child Goes Hungry. Read more about Love Thy Neighbor Project on page 17.

SAY CHEESE: HOW INTRAORAL CAMERAS ENHANCE PATIENT EDUCATION The TWU Dental Hygiene program was awarded a $5,000 gift through the 2020 Mars Wrigley Foundation Healthier Smiles Grant Program, an outreach-based partnership between the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA) and the Mars Wrigley Foundation. This gift allowed our Dental Hygiene program to purchase and add intraoral cameras to each patient operatory. The cameras allow students to take photographs inside patients’ mouths, and then share the images with them.

Images are also stored on the patients’ electronic health records so that progress can be shown on follow-up visits. This implementation is elevating our students’ oral hygiene education, as well as patient education. These effective and personalized visual aids allow TWU to better convey the oral health status of each patient, as well as to demonstrate proper hygiene practices.

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HEALTHIER SMILES THROUGH THE DENTAL HYGIENE PROGRAM An incredibly ardent supporter of TWU, most recently the George R. Johnson Family Foundation graciously gave two gifts totaling $275,000 to the TWU Dental Hygiene Program. A majority of the money will facilitate the clinic’s expansion by five patient operatories, along with necessary radiography and sterilization equipment. This expansion will not only allow the program to treat more patients in our area, but also prepare more students for careers in Dental Hygiene. These gifts are also facilitating the purchase of simulation equipment for students to hone their skills and increase confidence, which will provide more proficient care to patients in the clinic. Additionally, a portion of these funds have been allocated to establish an endowed scholarship, to benefit Dental Hygiene students.

COVID-19 RELATED EXPENSES AND FUNDING As COVID-19 began spreading nationally, TWU acted quickly to research and implement technologies to facilitate the safest environment for students and employees. TWU was awarded two grants from the Coronavirus Relief Fund through the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the State of Tennessee, totaling nearly $270,000.

These grants helped TWU implement a variety of changes, including the integration of additional technology to allow for remote learning, as well as increased cleaning and sanitization processes. The funds obtained allowed TWU to purchase iWave air purification devices, which have been installed in all campus buildings; upgraded Microsoft licenses that allowed the University to quickly implement a virtual learning format beginning in March 2020; a new position, IT Support Assistant, to assist with the increase in technology questions; the installation of glass 10 | ARCHES

dividers for instructor desks within the Dental Hygiene Clinic; several no-contact thermometer stations throughout high traffic areas of campus; extended hours for the Student Health Center; and provided free COVID-19 rapid testing to students, faculty, and staff

Other provisions made possible through these grants allowed the University to significantly prevent the potential spread of the virus. A new sanitization product, BioProtect, has a 60-day effectiveness and is now applied monthly campus wide. As another safety precaution, TWU invested in UV lights which are also utilized campus wide to sanitize surfaces.

Throughout Fall 2020, cases on campus remained significantly lower than our peer institutions and courses continued with little interruption.

ILLUMINATING THE LITE HOUSE: SPARK AND THE LITE INSTITUTE Thanks to the C. Scott and Muriel Mayfield Family Foundation, the LITE House received program support for SPARK, a summer camp focused on entrepreneurship and basic business principles geared toward middle school students, and the LITE Institute, a program focused on entrepreneurship and community development for high school sophomores and juniors in the McMinn County School District.

MORE THAN MONEY: GIFTS-IN-KIND

ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND EDUCATION AT KILBRIDE NATURE SANCTUARY The Pete and Sally Smith Foundation continued their program support with a $60,000 gift to the Kilbride Nature Sanctuary in 2020, making them a significant supporter for six consecutive years.

In 2020, Genera, Inc., an energy company focusing on sustainable utilization of agricultural materials, improved the TWU Department of Natural Sciences by giving surplus equipment from their laboratory.

The equipment, which included two incubators and a muffle furnace, will be utilized for instructional support as students pursue their education and prepare for their future careers.

If you would like more information or to support any campus initiatives, please contact the Office of Advancement and Alumni Affairs at 423-746-5330 or scan the QR code. QR codes, like the one below this text, provide a connection from a smart phone or tablet. Open the camera app on your device, hover the camera over the code, and a link to TWU’s mobile giving page will automatically open on your phone.

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God ’s Guilding Fingerprints

by Ethel Ding

Ethel Ding never planned on studying abroad. She was content staying in Malaysia and was fully against the idea of leaving her country. No one could change her mind – or so she thought.

Two years ago, when I was in my last semester of a pre-university program in Malaysia, my parents heard of a scholarship being offered to a Malaysian student to study at Tennessee Wesleyan.

They tried to get me to apply, but I wanted nothing to do with it… at all. That shows you how much I did not want to leave my country. So, what changed?

How did I end up at Wesleyan?

The answer is God, and only Him. I prayed about my situation, though I honestly was not expecting anything. Through a divine appointment that has His Name written all over it, God revealed to me that He wanted me here, much to my surprise. I had asked God to speak to me

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through my Psychology professor, if He wanted to tell me anything. That same day, that professor called me before class and talked to me about studying in the States. It took me a while to realize that this was, in fact, God answering my prayer.

At one point I even zoned out because I was too shocked! To this day, I am still in awe when I think of how God planned everything that led to that life-changing conversation. I finally applied for the scholarship, and the rest is history.

In January 2019, I set foot on the Wesleyan campus. I was in a new school halfway across the world, in a new culture, in freezing weather, and surrounded by strangers. Not intimidating at all, right? Where God guides, He provides – he definitely did and still does!

He has blessed me with beautiful people who have helped me in my journey, people who have taught me to love this place and made leaving home at the end of each summer less painful. He gave me friends, some of whom are Wesleyan’s faculty and staff, who are always willing to help me. This was especially evident

when I was under quarantine before the fall 2020 semester started. Of course, the host family who took me in over winter break has treated me as one of their own from the start and are willing to go the extra mile for me. I cannot express how grateful I am. These are relationships I will cherish for years to come.

When I thought the only purpose of me being here was to study and get a degree, God had so, so much more in store. Within the first two months of being at Wesleyan, He gave me a spiritual breakthrough by showing me that He calls me worthy and beautiful, regardless of the standards the world tries to force on me, and that set in motion a process of personal growth. I can still see Him and His goodness in every aspect of my life more than a year later; in fact, it has become more evident than ever. He put me in Athens, Tennessee to grow me, break me out of my shell, help me discover talents I never knew I had, give me opportunities I never would have had if I stayed in Malaysia, surround me with a still-growing community that has become my second family, and most of all, to draw me closer to Him. I have been at Wesleyan for two years and simply love it. Now, I don’t want you to get the idea that everything has been all roses and rainbows since coming here; stress and tears (it is college, after all) are still a part of my life. I still face troubles in and outside of school, I have my own inner battles I sometimes lose, and there are days when I question being in college.

Despite it all, God has remained faithful and guided me through it all.

I cannot emphasize enough how it is by God’s grace that I am here; it was a gift that fell from heaven. He used it to bring me here and shape me into the woman of God He wants me to be so I can fulfill His purpose for my life. If I had stubbornly stayed in Malaysia, I would not have grown to become the person I am today.

I am from a town in Malaysia so small

that people living in the same state may not know of its existence. Sound familiar?

Somehow, I got the chance to study in a small school in a small Tennessean town, one I never knew existed and probably would never have had it not been for divine intervention. Whether you believe in the existence of a higher being or not, I cannot see everything that has happened in my life as the result of simple coincidences. I have experienced too much to settle for that explanation.

There is no doubt that God’s fingerprints are all over my story, and I hope this encourages you to help give other students like me a similar opportunity.

To God be the glory, and to Him alone.

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ACADEMIC

Updates

NEW MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING In August 2020, TWU welcomed the first cohort in the new Master of Arts in Teaching program. This program builds on the strength of TWU’s education program and offers a path to initial licensure for students who already have a degree in a discipline outside of education. The TWU MAT is focused on high needs areas in the state of Tennessee and contains pathways for elementary, special education, and secondary education (science and math). The program also contains a job-embedded pathway for individuals who are already teaching and need to complete licensure requirements. With recent re-approval of the TWU Education Program from the Tennessee Board of Education and a 100% pass rate on the EdTPA assessment for licensure (one of only three programs in the state), the new MAT program is poised for success.

MERNER PFEIFFER LEARNING COMMONS Renovations within the Merner Pfeiffer Library continue with funding through the Title III initiative. In addition to last year’s new learning commons on the first floor, loanable technology, and a renovated tutoring center, the fall of 2020 saw the renovation of the ground floor café space to create a teaching and learning center. This space includes a malleable classroom for testing new teaching strategies, office space for an instructional designer, a 3-D printer, and more. The renovation also includes an update to the café space for TWU students to enjoy.

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THE BULLDOG CONNECTION As part of the 10-year reaffirmation process for TWU through SACSCOC, our main accrediting body, TWU has developed and implemented a new program designed to connect the TWU experience to students’ future career goals. The Bulldog Connection, as the program has been dubbed, will ensure that four-year TWU students are engaging in a minimum number of high impact practices (first year experience, undergraduate research, diversity/global learning, service learning, internships, etc.). These experiences will be linked to tangible products entered into an e-portfolio to support student efforts to gain employment or enter graduate or professional school. Scan the QR code below to watch a video about the Bulldog Connection.

TIMELY ADDITION OF A PUBLIC HEALTH MAJOR With no knowledge that a global pandemic would soon occur, a new concentration in public health was introduced in the spring of 2020. This major builds on the already robust

offerings within the Health and Human Performance department at TWU. This addition was accompanied by the renovation of new space for this department in the old Townsend student center space and includes two new classrooms, faculty offices, and student study spaces. This area is conveniently located adjacent to the Thunder Fitness Center, allowing faculty and students easy access to modern workout facilities.

KILBRIDE NATURE SANCTUARY ENHANCEMENTS

STUDENT SUPPORT AT TWU TWU students expect to be challenged academically on their path to graduation.

To ensure student success in this rigorous academic environment, TWU has recently implemented a number of new initiatives aimed at ensuring that students reach graduation. These initiatives are made possible through a multi-million dollar federal Title III grant and include robust reporting of student absences and academic progress early in the semester, a team of Student Success Coaches, new software for tracking communication for at-risk students, a team of Faculty Teaching Innovation Fellows, and more. Faculty and Student Success Coaches work together to identify and communicate with students who are struggling, particularly in their freshman year. Freshman retention rates indicate that this high touch approach is working with a two-year increase of 9%.

The Kilbride Nature Sanctuary continues to serve as a model for conservation and restoration. In addition to the work to replace non-native plants with indigenous species by faculty and students, work has progressed to make the property more inviting to groups for educational experiences. With funding provided by the Pete and Sally Smith Foundation, over a mile of hiking trails with signage, a pavilion at the main trailhead, and a composting privy have been installed.

These additions will enhance the ability to host groups from elementary to college level for educational programming related to the efforts at the KNS. As the amenities at KNS have grown, so have the number of majors in environmental science, making it one of the fastest growing programs at TWU.

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Candy Maddux

Staff Spotlight Ms. DeLunda “Candy” Maddux

Director of Career Development and Multicultural Affairs – 3rd year at TWU Hometown before TWU: Smyrna, Tennessee How are you involved on campus? I am the advisor for The National Society of Leadership and Success and advisor for The Black Student Union.

My favorite thing about my job at TWU is getting to work with students on a daily basis. They challenge me to be the best mentor, coach and advocate that I can be. The reason I chose TWU is for the small family atmosphere and the opportunity to impact students in a way that they believe they can run the world.

GOODFRIEND SCHOOL OF BUSINESS

MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

• Emphases in Management and Accounting • Now offering an emphasis in Marketing (pending SACSCOC approval) • Fully online program • Just $500 per credit hour • Ranked in MBA Central’s The 15 Best Tennessee Online MBA Degree Programs 14 | ARCHES

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR PROJECT Starting in 2013, Love Thy Neighbor Project at Tennessee Wesleyan University is fighting food insecurity in McMinn County. Feeding America statistics tell us that as much as 19% of McMinn County children suffer from food insecurity. LTNP offers an on-campus food bank, as well as mobile food bank events, providing food for community members in need.

Love Thy Neighbor Project exists as both a service and a service opportunity for the TWU community, as well. Students, faculty, and staff are able to come and get food from Love Thy Neighbor Project, and also join in the fun, volunteering both in the food bank and at the mobile food bank events.

Food is donated to LTNP by local community partners, such as Food City of Athens and Etowah and the Chattanooga Food Bank. Funding comes both from grants and individual donations. To keep up with all the Love Thy Neighbor Project is doing, follow them on Facebook @LTNPTWU. To donate toward bringing food security to McMinn County, contact the TWU Advancement Office at advancement@tnwesleyan.edu or 423-746-5330.

by Rachel Cook

2020 Initiatives: Campus Food Pantry Mobile Food Pantry Back-Sacks Program Hunger Coalition Community Garden Composting Project Internship Program Ambassador Program Angel Tree coordinator for TWU SPRING 2021 | 17

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS and COVID-19 “Tennessee Wesleyan is a small university, impacting people’s lives around the world.”

-Dr. Augustin Bocco Think back to when you were 18. Perhaps you were one of those fearless 18-yearolds, ready to take on whatever the world threw at you. There was no mountain too tall, no challenge that scared you. Does that sound like you? Or maybe it doesn’t at all?

18 has plenty of excitement and adventure, but also a lot of challenges and uncertainty. Some are fortunate to benefit from family and friends in close proximity who are supportive and helpful, but some are not so fortunate.

Now consider your 18-year-old self… in a foreign country, where they don’t speak English, you don’t know a single person, and by the way, you’re in the middle of a global pandemic. So when you get to that foreign country, you have to go be in a room by yourself for two weeks, wear a mask, and all the other challenges of today. Sound fun? The adventure of a lifetime? Not exactly…at least at first.

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FEAR AND ANXIETY Rewind a few weeks, before heading off on that international adventure. Students coming to the United States face a very involved process to come attend school, far more than just applying and moving into a residence hall. Students must apply for a student Visa, handle family relationships and pressures, and jump through additional hoops to get approval to enter the U.S. to earn their education.

“It was really weird and there was a lot of concern because of COVID and everything that’s happened,’” said Edisa Hot, a freshman who came to TWU from Montenegro.

Edisa Hot “From the first day, my mom and dad were like, ‘no you can’t go there,’ but it was really my decision and I realized that,

so in the end, they just supported me and they’re really happy now.”

Students deal with a tremendous amount of anxiety before they ever leave their home country: the Visa process, the questions about where they’re going, what will it look like, how the people will be.

Hot can speak first-hand to this struggle, as she had to spend six days in border nations Bosnia and Serbia, trying to obtain her Visa after Montenegro closed their embassy. She even took the leap of faith and bought her plane tickets before she had her Visa in hand!

Dr. Augustin Bocco, TWU’s Director of International Student Service, likens the process to the anxiety we might feel before a short-term mission trip or a study abroad trip, only amplified. Students coming to the United States are rarely coming with a group of friends or family, and they’re probably staying much longer than a short-term visit.

“It was really scary because it’s really far away from everything you’ve known,” said Marte Stokseth, another freshman in fall 2020 hailing from Norway. “I was really scared that my friends and family would forget me, but now I’m sure they won’t, because they keep calling, every single day,” she added laughing.

SOCIAL, ACADEMIC CHALLENGES After a challenging process, students arrive in Athens, but the anxiety still exists.

How will people treat them, what will the food be like, what if they don’t speak English as well as they need to?

“Every time you talk to someone, you call them sir or ma’am, and (use) their last name,” said Ann Sofie Madsen, a freshman on the women’s golf team from Denmark. “We don’t do that, not even our teachers, we don’t call them by their last names. And you have to be more careful how you use your language here.

Academically, you don’t have open book exams, it’s really hard to start memorizing everything, and in a new language too!”

“When I came here, it was first quarantine,” Hot says of her required 15 days in the residence hall. “It was weird, and it was scary. My mind was like, ‘I don’t know. Where are you? Where are you going?’”

Not to mention, for Hot arriving a week after classes started meant joining online a week behind, adding another layer to the already steep learning curve of beginning college abroad.

“I have a little concern because the border in my country is also closed now,” said Hot. “I don’t know, nobody knows what will happen next because it’s a really long period of everything stopped and closed, and that’s really hard.”

Marte Stokseth

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me, and she really supports me, and the whole family supports me. And it’s really feeling like I’m here with my family.”

“But this is like just something that will make me a stronger, better person,” says Hot of her adventure.

“It’s up to you,” says Stokseth, “which path you want to take in life, and I wanted to figure things out on my own, and I feel like I’ve gotten a good start at that.”

Ann Sofie Madsen CHOOSING ADVENTURE OVER FEAR But for each of these freshmen, and many more like them, the anxiety is not enough to keep them from chasing their dreams of completing their education, or playing their sport at the collegiate level. And time and again, members of the TWU family have stepped in to provide support for these students as they find their way through a bizarre first year.

“My teammates have really brought me in as one of their family from day one, and I really appreciate that,” said Stokseth of her women’s soccer team. “I’m looking forward to not worrying about anything other than the sport, since right now there are a lot of restrictions and things you need to keep in mind. You are a part of the team, so you can’t do whatever you want, because it will affect everyone.”

Sometimes it’s not the team that steps in, but rather the seemingly randomly assigned roommate.

“Normally I’m so sad because sometimes I miss someone in my family and then I’m not there, and it’s really hard for me,” says Hot in talking about her new friendship with her American roommate. “And sometimes I cry but she’s always with 20 | ARCHES

Dr. Augustin Bocco

Dr. Bocco, along with Rev. Skip White, our TWU Chaplain, have partnered with local churches and organizations to provide meals and snack bags for our international students who are unable to return home when classes are not in session.

THE LEGACY OF

Larry Wallace Over the summer, the University revealed its newest outdoor campus venue, Wallace Square, in honor of Dr. Larry Wallace, Sr., for his monumental contributions to TWU and beyond.

As a sixth-generation native of McMinn County, Dr. Wallace grew up steps away from campus and began his career as a police officer in Athens. He moved to Nashville and spent most of his working life in law enforcement.

Notably, Dr. Wallace is the only person in the state’s history to serve as both Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and Colonel of the Tennessee Highway Patrol. After retiring from a 40-year law enforcement career, he came home and began a new chapter at Tennessee Wesleyan.

Dr. Wallace founded the University’s Criminal Justice program and was ultimately named Senior Vice President before retiring after a decade of service.

Presently, he serves as a member of the TWU Board of Trustees.

“I worked in law enforcement my entire adult life, and I’ve seen things that I don’t wish on anybody. I’ve seen evil and I’ve seen carnage,” Dr. Wallace said. “Being asked to come to work at Tennessee Wesleyan and start the Criminal Justice program was a major thing to me. Having the privilege of doing that and the opportunity to see so many young men and women who were trying to make a difference in their lives and the goodness still out there with people showed me a side of life that I hadn’t seen too much of in 40 years. It was a very meaningful and major transition for me. I loved every minute of it.”

In 2004, Dr. Wallace devised a fourpart plan to make campus safer, which included: closing Coach Farmer Drive’s connection to Green Street, adding fencing around the campus along Green Street, installing a cross walk across Green Street, and closing College Street from Trinity United Methodist Church to Long Street.

All these recommendations ultimately came to fruition which has improved the safety and landscape of campus.

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“The whole project, with the help of Dr. Knowles and many others, took 16 years, but we were able to get it done,” Dr. Wallace beamed. “The students need to be able to feel a certain degree of safety traversing the campus, and it just makes for a healthier, more genuinely pedestrian-friendly campus.”

He believes wholeheartedly that learning about ethical decision making and the public service mindset would benefit students of all disciplines. For this reason, he thinks that if some Criminal Justice courses were on everyone’s plate, students would be better positioned to be stronger, happier citizens of the world.

The University credits Dr. Wallace with spearheading his vision, and thus, felt that erecting Wallace Square in his honor was a small token of appreciation. Although Dr. Wallace is thankful, he feels like he simply helped facilitate what needed to be done to make the campus safer.

“We are in this profession to serve others and to help others grow,” said Dr. Wallace.

“Anything we can do to help students learn that and begin to experience that it’s what can we do for others rather than ourselves – because that’s where true joy and happiness come.”

“I guess the best way I could reference it would be that someone asks you how you’re doing, and you respond by saying better than I deserve. I would just transfer that to Wallace Square and say that frankly I don’t think I deserved it,” he said.

“But, I’m very grateful for that and for all the people who donated to do that.”

A first-generation college student, Dr. Wallace has an Associate of Science degree from Cleveland State Community College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Middle Tennessee State University, and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from Tennessee State University. He received an honorary Doctorate of Public Administration from Tennessee Wesleyan University for his efforts to elevate the quality and safety of the campus, community, and state.

Dr. Wallace is also a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Executive Institute.

Dr. Wallace has seen campus change throughout his lifetime. He associates the University’s major advancements as a product of its current administration.

“It is unbelievable the way that Tennessee Wesleyan has evolved, grown and flourished under Dr. Harley Knowles’ leadership – it is phenomenal,” he said.

“He’s the very best we could find, and he is the very best. We’re delighted to have he and his wife, Cindy, and we hope they’ll be here forever.”

“I don’t think that I did anything individually that would have made a major difference, but I like to think that I worked in concert with faculty and staff, board of trustees members, and the President’s Office to make things better,” he explained. “Oftentimes, if you’re cognizant that issues exist, or that things can be done to help make where you are a better place – if you’re just cognizant and look for ways to do that – you’re ahead of the game.”

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Dr. Wallace with (left to right) his granddaughter Ashley Copeland, his late son Larry “Dean” Wallace Jr., and his daughter, Deb Wallace.

A Distinguished Career 1964 – Started at the Athens Police Department 1967 – Appointed as a State Trooper 1973 – Promoted to Special Agent with the TBI 1976 – Took a leave of absence from the TBI to return home to Athens, after which he was twice elected Sheriff of McMinn County 1979 – Named “Sheriff of the Year” by the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association 1980 – Returned to the TBI 1984 – Promoted to Special Agent in Charge of the Criminal Investigation Division 1987 – Appointed as Colonel and Commanding Officer of the Tennessee Highway Patrol 1988 – Named Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Safety 1992 – Governor Ned Ray McWherter appointed Dr. Wallace to a six-year term as Director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, making him the highestranking law enforcement officer in the state 1994 – Led the TBI to become the third state criminal investigative agency in the U.S. to receive international accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors 1998 – Governor Don Sundquist reappointed Dr. Wallace to a second six-year term as Director of the TBI 2003 – Retired as the TBI Director during Governor Phil Bredesen’s administration 2004 – Hired as a TWU faculty member to develop and teach the Criminal Justice program 2005 – Joined the University leadership team as the Vice President for External Affairs 2007 – Transitioned to the Vice President for Administration 2010 – Promoted to Senior Vice President for Administration 2014 - Present – Judicially appointed as the foreman of the McMinn County Grand Jury 2015 – Retired from TWU; hired as a special consultant to the Cleveland City Council 2016 – Became an independent law enforcement consultant; awarded his honorary doctorate from TWU 2017 - Present – Became a member of the TWU Board of Trustees; accepted a job as an agency staff member at Athens Insurance SPRING 2021 | 23

WELCOME TO

Wallace Square

Dr. Wallace and family

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State Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood) awards Dr. Wallace with a proclamation

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ATHLETIC UPDATES KYLE BLASSINGAME NAMED 2019-2020 APPALACHIAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MALE CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER At the end-of-the-year meetings for the 2019-2020 season this past summer, the Appalachian Athletic Conference announced 2020 alum Kyle Blassingame as the Male Champions of Character for the entire conference. The award is given every year to a male and female who best exhibit the core values of the NAIA Champions of Character program: Respect, Responsibility, Integrity, Sportsmanship, and Servant Leadership. This marked the second season in a row a student-athlete from Tennessee Wesleyan had won the award (Rachel Gallison, Class of 2020, 2018-2019 Female Champions of Character).

and earn points in character training, conduct in competition, academic focus, character recognition, and character promotion. Institutions also earn points based on exceptional studentathlete grade point averages and by having minimal to no ejections during competition throughout the course of the academic year.

SCHOOL-RECORD 14 TEAMS NAMED NAIA SCHOLAR-TEAMS A school-record 14 teams were named NAIA Scholar Teams by the association for the 2019-2020 academic year as a part of their National Awards Day. The 14 teams joined over 2,000 other teams to earn the impressive distinction of NAIA ScholarTeam. This is the fourth consecutive year Tennessee Wesleyan has had 10 or more teams named NAIA Scholar-Teams. 10 of the 14 teams were named to the 20182019 list. For the fourth straight season, the Women's Tennis team led the way with a 3.76 GPA. The teams to make the list were Women's Tennis, Women's Basketball, Men's Tennis, Women's Soccer, Men's Bowling, Women's Cross Country, Women's Bowling, Women's Indoor Track & Field, Women's Outdoor Track & Field, Women's Golf, Volleyball, Women's Lacrosse, Softball, and Men's Soccer.

TENNESSEE WESLEYAN NAMED CHAMPIONS OF CHARACTER FIVE-STAR AWARD WINNER Tennessee Wesleyan University was one of 181 athletics programs named a Champions of Character Five-Star Award winner by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The athletic department was named a 20192020 Champions of Character Five-Star Institution Silver Level winner. Institutions are measured on a demonstrated commitment to Champions of Character 26 | ARCHES

54 STUDENT-ATHLETES EARN DAKTRONICS NAIA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE HONORS Tennessee Wesleyan saw 54 of their student-athletes earn the honor of being named a Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete.

The Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete

award honors junior and senior studentathletes who hold a 3.5 cumulative grade point average in the classroom. Women's Soccer had the most student-athletes named to the list with 12.

18 ATHLETES EARN APPALACHIAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD WINNERS IN FALL; TWO NAIA NATIONAL PLAYER OF WEEK AWARD WINNERS In the fall/winter 2020 season, Tennessee Wesleyan saw 18 student-athletes across five sports earn AAC weekly awards, the third most in the conference so far this year. The department also saw two national Player of the Week awards, tied for the most in the conference. Montel McKenzie (Men’s Soccer) and Chloe Rootes (Women’s Soccer) were the first studentathletes to win national Player of the Week awards for their respective program since at least 2007.

MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SOCCER BOTH QUALIFY FOR AAC TOURNAMENT; VOLLEYBALL STILL UNDECIDED At the beginning of the fall season, the Appalachian Athletic Conference made modifications to the fall sports conference tournament due to COVID-19, limiting the soccer tournaments to four teams and the volleyball tournament to eight teams. An 8-1 record with a game left to play clinched a spot for the Men’s Soccer program while a 9-4 record clinched a spot for the Women’s Soccer program.

Seeding is yet to be determined. The postseason possibility for Volleyball has yet to be determined due to matches still needing to be played.

WOMEN’S TENNIS SETS NEW ITA PRECEDENTS Program history was made this past fall season for the Women’s Tennis team. First, at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s (ITA) Southeast Regional Tournament, the team had singles players advance to the quarterfinals for the first time. At the same tournament, the doubles team of Natacha Mesa and Maria Way advanced to the semifinals of the bracket to qualify for the ITA Cup, the association’s national tournament, marking the first time the team has had anyone qualify for the national tournament. In November, the ITA, in association with Oracle, released their final rankings for the fall, and four players from the team made the rankings, equaling another first for the program.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD SETS FOUR SCHOOL RECORDS AND HITS TWO “A” STANDARDS AT FIRST INDOOR MEET THIS SEASON In their lone meet in the first part of the season, the indoor track and field programs set four new indoor school records. On the women’s side, Paige Manney set the indoor school record for the 60m Hurdles, while Julia Morris set the indoor school record for the Long Jump.

On the men’s side, Jeremiah Sullivan set a new indoor school record in the Weight Throw to go along with an indoor school record set by Shariq Dodd in the Long Jump. Dodd and Kenny Benton both hit National “A” Standards to qualify for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championship Meet.

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Light Your World

Congratulations CLASS OF 2020

COLLEGIATE ADVERTISING AWARDS SILVER AWARD What will you choose? Admissions Campaign

EDUCATION ADVERTISING AWARDS

TWU MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS In 2019-2020, the TWU Marketing & Communications team garnered a number of national and regional awards in a variety of areas, including admissions advertising, video and more.

MERIT AWARD Colloms Campus Tour Video Check it out here!

MERIT AWARD TWU 2019 NAIA Baseball National Championship “logo”

TENNESSEE COLLEGE PUBLIC RELATIONS ASSOCIATION BRONZE AWARD MBA Print Ad

BRONZE AWARD Parent Guide

PRINTING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTH BEST OF CATEGORY AWARD Printing Process for Glitter Bulldog Head 30 | ARCHES

Faculty Spotlight DR. SHERON LAWSON

Associate Professor of Business Administration – 1st year at TWU Hometown before TWU: Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Favorite Class to Teach at TWU: Business Statistics Academic Specialties: International Business and Organizational Development Research interests: knowledge management, organizational cultures, and student development and engagement The University has a family-friendly environment which is a good outlet for creativity. Teaching is a mission for me and TWU gives me the academic freedom to share my knowledge with students. The opportunity to profoundly impact the lives of students is very rewarding and goes far beyond knowledge.

It also gives me the chance to discover and learn from the students.

For the safety of our alumni, donors, & friends, we have made the difficult decision to cancel Homecoming 2020, which was rescheduled for March 26-28, 2021. We look forward to hopefully celebrating our Golden Anniversary classes of 1970, 1971, and our University award winners later this fall.

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CLASS Notes

Paul Gaffney, Founder and Commissioner Gaffney Athletic Preparatory Academy (GAPA) Paul Gaffney, ’90, is the founder and commissioner of Gaffney Athletic Preparatory Academy (GAPA), slated to begin classes in August 2021. From high school to college to playing professional basketball for 15 years with the Harlem Globetrotters, Gaffney’s personal life experiences have inspired him to develop and open GAPA to assist other students in entering a variety of sporting careers. He actively serves his alma mater as a member of TWU’s Board of Trustees.

GAPA will be the nation’s first international T.E.A.M.S. (technology, engineering, athletics, mathematics, and science) Christian Academy, which utilizes a strategic learning model that applies principles of athletics within the concepts of STEM. This unique experiential way of learning will prepare sports enthusiasts for college, careers, and ultimately their lives.

GAPA has been a long-term dream of Gaffney’s for nearly 20 years, and with the facility expected to open in Cleveland, Tennessee later this year, that dream is one step closer to reality.

32 | ARCHES

Yelena Domashova Ovando ’01 and her husband, David, opened the Music Box School in August of 2020 in their hometown of Germantown, Tennessee. The vision of the Music Box is to help aspiring musicians become happier and more confident versions of themselves, while discovering and embracing the joy and power of music.

Yelena entered Tennessee Wesleyan as an international student from Russia and has used her education and experience as a business professional to quickly grow the school to more than 100 students.

“We teach music as a language, personalizing each student’s musical journey to build community and foster emotional connections, while encouraging self-expression and personal growth,” Yelena explained. “This allows each student to illuminate their path to success through real music, real skills, and real progress.”

When not inspiring and training future musicians, Yelena’s career at FedEx as Principal in Strategic and Development Operations allows her to utilize her International Business degree from Tennessee Wesleyan.

1 Kelly Lane Hensley, ’08, and husband, Chase Hensley, welcomed Finn Denton Hensley on January 23, 2020.

2 Donald E. Barnett, ’74, met

his savior on June 15, 2020 and is survived by his son Ben Barnett.

3 Courtney Colson, ’16,

graduated from Tusculum University with a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership and Performance Management.

Katie Carr Ray, ’14, married Adam Ray on June 6, 2020 in Riceville, Tennessee.

1

John Higdon, ’13, and Melanie Layman Higdon, ’18, got married on May 23, 2020 in Benton, Tennessee.

Kasey Combs Thompson, ’18, graduated from Physician Assistant School at Lincoln Memorial University in September 2020.

4

2

4 Justin McRary, ’06, and wife, Cierra, had baby boy Crew McRary on August 27, 2020.

5 Angel Hardaway, ’06, was

5

named principal at North City Elementary School, in Athens, Tennessee, beginning in the 2020-2021 academic year.

Jessica Edwards Ray, ’06, and husband, Jeremy Ray, welcomed Jefferson Walker Ray on August 21, 2020.

Lynli Miller Rhoney, ’16, and Corey Rhoney, ’20, welcomed Kingsley Jo Rhoney on August 8, 2020.

Kathy Brewster Price, ’07, retired as of December 31, 2020 after serving the last seven years in Athens at the McMinn County Economic Development Authority.

3

Let us and your fellow alumni know when an exciting life event happens! If you get engaged, married, promoted at work, or win a special award, we want to know about it. Email your news to alumni@tnwesleyan.edu and include a photo if you’d like!

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Anissa Mason, ’20, gained hands-on experiences in the state-of-the-art simulation center located at our Knoxville instructional site. She is now an RN at Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center’s emergency department.

FT. SANDERS NURSING DEPARTMENT

Where future healthcare heroes earn their scrubs.

Big things are happening in 2021! Follow our nursing social channels to keep up with the latest news.

tnwesleyan.edu/nursing TWNursing 30 | ARCHES

TW_Nursing

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Executive Committee Jim Winer, Chair Vant Hardaway, Secretary and Student Life Chair Stephen Byrum, Academic Affairs Chair Charles “Butch” Peccolo, Finance Chair Rick Lay, Student Recruitment, Marketing & Church Relations Chair Hugh Walker III, Nominating Committee Chair Larry Wallace, Facilities Chair Keith Altshuler, Fort Sanders Representative Carl Colloms, Member-at-Large William “Bill” Kilbride, Member-at-Large Members Christopher Black Stephen Brumit Jerri Bryant Susan Buttram Allen Carter Jeffrey Cunningham H. Paul Gaffney Patsy Ging Robert Goodfriend Alan Guy Danny Hayes Johnny Holden Dennie Humphreys Eli “Hugh” Kilgore Harley Knowles Regenia Mayfield

Alumni Association Board of Directors Executive Board Brooke Satkowiak, ‘03, President Karen Raby, ’13, President Elect Dana Ferguson, ’13 ‘17, Secretary

Marilyn Miller Randy Mullins Lynn Banner Nicholas Karen Raby Stella Roberts Jason Robertson J. Lee Stewart Mary Virginia Taylor Claire Tucker Ken Webb William Webb Debi Welch Mark White Mintie Willson Shirley Woodcock

Members Josh Bragg, ‘14 Denise Callais, ‘85 Katie Carr, ‘14 Todd Cox, ‘18 Judi Davis, ‘71 Abriel Hardaway, ‘13 Karen Morrow, ‘15, ‘17 Jordan Nelson, ‘12

Lacey Stewart, ‘06 Katy Tilley, ‘14 Ric Wilson, ‘79

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204 E College Street Athens, Tennessee 37303

See You Soon!