Thomas J. Garland, left, listens as Tusculum College President Dolph Henry reads the text of the Distinguished Service Award for the 2002 year. The award was presented to Garland at the President's Dinner on the college campus on April 27. (Tusculum College photo)

A man whose public and private life exemplifies the Civic Arts in action was presented Tusculum College's Distinguished Service Award for the year 2002 on April 27 at the college's annual President's Dinner.

Thomas J. Garland was described by Tusculum College President Dolphus E. Henry, in presenting the award, as "a man of multiple capabilities, broad interests, and natural leadership skills" who is a leader in civic life, government, commerce, and education.

Garland has provided leadership to the college in immeasurable ways, including his founding and chairmanship of the Tusculum Institute for Public Leadership and Policy, guidance as a former chairman of the Board Trustees, and service as interim president for a year.

Leading parallel public and private sector careers, Garland served for about two decades as state Senator from Greene County, and served as five years as chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, overseeing the state's largest university and community college system. At the same time, Garland operated his own businesses, served as an executive with two national banks and was a founder of a state-chartered bank.

The President's Dinner, which annually honors the college's major donors, was held in the Chalmer's Conference Center of the Niswonger Commons building. The Distinguished Service Award is given each year at the dinner to someone who has a long history of outstanding and multi-faceted support of Tusculum College.

The framed certificate bearing the text of the award, as well as the college's official gold seal, was presented to Garland at the close of the dinner. Presenting the honor to Garland, Dr. Henry read the text of the award, which is as follows:

"As a leader in civic life, commerce, government, and education, Thomas J. Garland demonstrates an excellence in citizenship that exemplifies the Civic Arts in action. Like Tusculum's founders before him, he is a man of multiple capabilities, broad interests, and natural leadership skills.

"Tusculum College benefits in innumerable ways from its associations with Tom Garland. He is founder and Chairman of the Tusculum Institute for Public Leadership and Policy, a former Chairman of the College's Board of Trustees, and for one year served the College as interim President. During the 1990s he chaired the College's successful $10 million Bicentennial Campaign. In 2002 he became one of three Co-chairmen of the $10 million Campaign for the Library and has accepted the College's invitation to again join the Board of Trustees.

"For a quarter century, he served either as a Senator from Greene County or as CEO of the Tennessee State University and Community College System. A popular senator, he was repeatedly reelected, and during most of his time in the Senate was one of the three top leaders of that body. Concurrently with his Senate years he also worked in the private sector, organizing and operating his own businesses, and serving as an executive with two national banks and as one of the founders of a state-chartered bank. His service on bank and corporate boards has been frequently sought.

"After his Senate days, he stepped away from private business for five years to oversee the State University and Community College System as Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, a system of forty-six campuses which became the nation's seventh-largest such system.

"On local and state levels, he has been a leader of dozens of legislative and governmental study groups, has served on numerous nonprofit boards, and chaired the blue ribbon task force that led to the formation of the Greene County Partnership.

"Tom Garland continues his role in leadership at Tusculum College and in his community. On many occasions he has quietly worked behind the scenes for the good of the College and community, refusing any public attention of his deeds.

"In recognition of all that he means to Tusculum College, the 2002 Distinguished Service Award is presented to Thomas J. Garland on behalf of a grateful Tusculum College community on the occasion of the President's Dinner, April 27, 2002."