Historic occasion marks Tusculum College commencement

On what Dr. Robert Knott, president of Tusculum College, called "an historic day in a long and distinguished tradition," commencement ceremonies took place yesterday for the first time in the college's new sports arena. The arena, which seats 2,800 on the arena floor as well as on the bleachers, was filled nearly to capacity for the event.

Of the 254 graduates receiving degrees, 96 received a Master of Arts in education, 23 were awarded the Master of Arts in Organizational Management, and eighty earned the Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management. Within the residential college, 55 received the Bachelor of Arts degree. Also yesterday, Dr. Samuel E. Miller, a 1935 graduate of Tusculum, was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.

Originally from Greeneville, Miller earned a Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of Cincinnati and received his medical degree in 1950 from the University of Virginia Medical School, where he co-founded the Department of Family Medicine. Dr. Miller also served in the U.S. Army, 4th Cavalry, and held appointments with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington and Lee University and Virginia Military Institute.

Now retired, Dr. Miller lives in Abingdon, Va., with his wife Mary Agnes Ault Miller, where he has been an active civic leader and man of letters for many years. "A lifetime supporter of Tusculum College, a renowned helper and healer, a poet of noteworthy achievement, and a active citizen, Dr. Sam Miller embodies all that we wish for our graduates to achieve," Knott said.

Commencement speakers Robin Newberry, a senior in the residential college, and Adam Ashcraft, of the Professional Studies Bachelor's program, encouraged students toward just such a lifetime of learning and community service. "We are in the school of life," Newberry said in her address. "Tusculum has provided us with the tools and resources. How we apply them is our decision."

Ashcraft noted, "commencement means a beginning...today is time to start a new goal."

A list of the graduates follows:

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION (K-12 Concentration)

ROBBINS ME-071: Ginger Martin Adams, Bethany Ann Beightol, Regina Lee Bond, Lora Denise Bowlin, Rita Karen Chambers, Lisa Renee Chitwood, Georgia A. Epperson, Donna Denise Goodman, Cynthia Kay Maden, Rachel Ann Miller, Sherry Hamblin Miller, Margaret Esther Strange Morgan, Wanda Darlene Overton, Leslie Lewis Pemberton, Lisa Delane Sexton, Diane Chambers Smith, Janet Lee Soldner

MORRISTOWN ME-072: Billie Kay Archer, Randall H. Bradley, Bobbie Lynn Gibson, Cheryl Kristina Kidd, James Edwin Lowery, Freda Renee Nester, Nancy Ann Rose Puckett, Pamela Ann Purkey ,Wanda Kaye Ramsey

CARTER COUNTY ME-074: Lisa Annette Ensor, Hilda Renae Graham, Kenny Lou Heaton, Dianne Bradshaw Hyatt, Michelle Diane Burleson McKinney, Lisa Marie Mintz, Vikki Gaylene Morris, Thomas Shannon, Elaine Whitehead

ATHENS ME-076: Susan Renee Bowman-Jerles, Nikki Webb Conner, Trent Lamar Giles, Dennis L. Green, Melanie Rhea Spradlin Gregory, Glenda McGriff Grubb, Jamie Kuykendall Hall, Donna Kay Harper, Amy Miller Howell, Laura A. Jenkins, Laura McGuinn Jewell, Dema Olivia Kyle, John Martin Linder, Karen Meeks Newton, Michael Leon Newton, Vance Howard Owens, Teresa Carr Quirk, Tammy R. Shamblin, Christy Michele Smith, Donna Michelle White

CHATTANOOGA ME-077: Yolanda Faye Carter-Flanigan, Karen Lori Etheridge, Robbin Hall Faulk, Allison Lindsey Higgins, Anita P. Horton, Amy Michelle Ingell, Deborah Joyce Thompson Jackson, Leigh Ann Greer Lane, Heidi Carol Marshall, Anne Jones McGhee, Sandra Lee Meehan, Deborah Lively Nash, Audra Novak, Jacqueline Wilson O'Neal, Suzette Pickett Swafford, Rosalyn Harris Tiller, Anglin Maria Williams, Audrey McNair Williams Bradley, Eddie Parish Roberts, Ross Spence, Jason Eugene Tarver, Alan Michael Toon, Magna Cum Laude, Donna Kathi Vickery, Cum Laude, Cynthia Susan Waller, Cum Laude, Lora Lee Wilcher, Magna Cum Laude

KINGSPORT BS-221: Billy Christopher Benton, Robin L. Dice, Cum Laude, Lorraine Hallowell, Vickie C. Holden, Donald Lynn Morrell Robert Wayne Phillips Anthony Franklin Ramey Larry Richard Rheinbolt, Jr.

BS-OTHERS: Mary Audrey Byrd, Cum Laude Flint H. Carter Tony Mack Charles, Cum Laude Clydene England Elkins, Cum Laude Mark Howard Hudspeth Jennifer Anne Johnson Nancy Lee Kelly Trevor Scott Lang, Magna Cum Laude Melanie Paige Leonard Tommy Jack Lipford Sheri Ann Sharp, Cum Laude Thomas Allen Suffridge, Cum Laude

MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION (Adult Education Concentration)

KNOXVILLE MA-002: Mary Amanda Burton, Carolyn Ann Ward

GREENEVILLE MA-003: James Davidson Heffernan

GREENEVILLE MA-004: Debra Baker Bolyard, Judy Anne Reaves Carmack, Susan Gail Compton, Charles H. Fisher, III, James Julian Hamer, David Paul Hoffer, Jr., Joyce Ann Belt Hopson, Kipp Thomas Keenan, Scott Clifford McInturff, Jeffrey Allen Morgan, Leslie Emeline Conduff Reynoso, Nancy Miller Stout

TRI-CITIES MA-005: Susan Diane Baker, Shelley Praytor Crowe, Michelle Leigh Gallihar, Tamela Cross Harris, John George Kosmak, Jennifer Leigh Puckett, Ruth D. Sandy, Mary Ann R. Slaughter, Gregory N. Walters

MASTER OF ARTS IN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT

GREENEVILLE MM-032: Richard Lane Wallace

KNOXVILLE MM-033: Jacqueline Crabtree Adcock, Carl Elbert Allred, Frank Gabriele Bucca, Stanley LeRoy Burr, Kay Stafford Everett, Tracey Elizabeth Farr, Cynthia Ann Helle, Deborah Armstrong Jenkins, Darrell Lynn Johnson, Mary Susan Nixon Johnson, John Thomas Melton, Timothy Craig Pass, Steven Foster Phillips, Rebecca Laura Simpson, Barrie Kaye Smith, Robert Martin Stephens

MORRISTOWN MM-034: Jeffrey Robert Hicks, Lori Michele Jackson, Shivangi Shree Jog, James K. Price, Patricia A. Rimel, Patricia Ann Holloway Seaver

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Jamie Donna Abernathy, Cum Laude, Allen E. Atchley, Jr., Magna Cum Laude, Martainn Dyer Banks, Carmen-Lee Brown, Michelle J. Butts, Kristen Marie Caudill, Cum Laude, Amy Malinda Claxton, Magna Cum Laude, Jennifer J. Corte, Cum Laude, Douglas Brent Dacus, Heather Suzanne Evans, Jason Robert Friz, William Jaison Giesler, Chrystal Renee Grupka, Summa Cum Laude *, Jeremy Prince Hall, Megan Lynne Hart, Cum Laude, Melissa Maye Hart*,Stephen Matthew Hensley, Audrey Joyce Hice, Amanda Brooke Hill, Magna Cum Laude, Lynna Mae Holt, Robin Nicole Foshie Jones, Christopher Frederick Kremer, Amy Katherine Laspada, Cum Laude, Edna Leanne Light, Cum Laude, Matthew Brandon Light, Stacey Renee' Linkous, Cum Laude, William Howard Long, Jr., Cum Laude, Jerry Jermaine Mack, Christopher Shawn Mauk, Cum Laude (awarded posthumously), Herman Scott McCarter, Michael Wills McCormack, Cum Laude*, Mindy Cheree McMahan, Scott Eason Meece, Cum Laude, James Percy Morgan III, Cum Laude, Carlyle Theodore Myrie, Robin Lynn Newberry, Summa Cum Laude, Charles David Preston, Jr., Stellania LeRea Ramsey, Cum Laude, Scott Matthew Rawlings, Ryan Daniel Rissman, Eric William Ritson, Justin Randall Runyan, Heather LeeAnn Segars, Pamela Judith Smith, Magna Cum Laude*, Daniel Joseph Stadnyk, Lydia Jo Taylor, Magna Cum Laude, Kristie Alice Saulsbury Thompson, Debra Mae Varney, Magna Cum Laude, Seth Trevor Venezia, Jessica Elizabeth Vincent, Cum Laude, Calum John Weaver, Magna Cum Laude, Richard Stuart Welsh III, Kelley Renae Wilburn, Quincy Le'Ray Wilkins*, Amy Beth Wolfenbarger, Cum Laude

* Competency Honors

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT

JOHNSON CITY BS-212: Michael Dwayne Barcel, Cum Laude, Chris Samuel Correll, Magna Cum Laude, Sharon Lynette White Jefferson, Anthony Ronald Leonard, Johnnie Eileene Little Lyons, Angela Denise Metcalf, Cum Laude, Denise Wright Sheppard, Jennifer Lynn Winters Street, Lisa Markland Wilson

KNOXVILLE BS-215: William F. Burkhalter, Thomas Jay Cashin, Dewayne Edward Johnson, Robert Edward Lynn, Cum Laude, Dennis Lloyd Sharp, Lorna Tauscher Shelton, Jonathan Frank Sielken, James Todd Stanifer, Vickie M. Stevens, Cheryl Ann Terry, Magna Cum Laude

BRISTOL BS-216: Judy Lynne Canter, Magna Cum Laude, Willie Pearl Fenoff, Cindy Kaye Hayes, Cum Laude, Janice Moore Jones, Beulah Counts McKemy, Earl Andrew McVay

MORRISTOWN BS-217: Kenan Oris Bible, Nancy Ann Davis, Nathan Alan Lambert, Deborah R. LaRoy, Cum Laude, Teal A. McVey, Cum Laude, Steven Arthur Mick, Kristy JerriAnn Perry, Sharon Gayle Pritchard, Jeffrey Aaron Seals, Donnie Ray Tate, Colleen Tuck Williams

KNOXVILLE BS-218: Adam Walter Ashcraft, Huy Wayne Burlingame, Johnny Lee Daugherty, Jr., William R. Evans, Jr., Cum Laude, Lois Marie Miller Hester, Magna Cum Laude, Robin Lynn Lane, Robert James Lockwood, Karen Coatney Owen, Gary Lynn Portwood, Billy Eugene Reid, Jr., Cum Laude, Timothy Wesley Shubert

KNOXVILLE BS-219: Sheryl Lynne Burnette, Janet Bonita Cox, Janet Phipps Daniels, Magna Cum Laude, Emanuel Marvin Davis, Tracy Marie Graves, Judith McDonald Noe, Summa Cum Laude