King Magazine Winter 2024

A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI & FRIENDS OF KING UNIVERSITY

ONGOING EXCELLENCE: King’s School of Nursing receives high marks, lab renovation

King University student leaders enjoyed a weekend retreat at Doe River Gorge during Fall Break 2022, where they participated in high ropes team building, hiking, and fellowship.

Our Mission

We prepare students in our Christian academic community to excel as thoughtful, resourceful, and responsible citizens with a passion for serving God, the Church, and the world.

We accomplish this through excellent teaching, high expectations, worthwhile example, and fidelity to our Presbyterian heritage. Our mission is the same for all campuses and sites; for online learning; and for all programs, curricular and extracurricular, graduate and undergraduate.

Our Vision

We aim to be the preeminent small to medium-sized Christian university in the Upper South, with a reputation earned there and beyond as a school serious about its Christian commitment, focused on student success, dedicated to academic excellence, and successful in producing graduates who excel wherever they live, work, and serve.

The King Magazine is published by the King University Marketing & Communications Department and the Advancement Office.

EDITORIAL

Alexander W. Whitaker IV President

Sylvia Musgrove | sjmusgrove@king.edu

Associate Vice President for Marketing & Communications

Logan Jennings | ljennings@king.edu Director of Alumni & Community Engagement

Travis Chell Assistant Athletic Director for Athletic Communications & External Affairs

DESIGN

Angie Peterson

Senior Graphic Designer

PHOTOGRAPHY

Emily Ball

Bristol Herald Courier

Britt Helton

Earl Neikirk earlneikirk.smugmug.com

David Wood Photography davidwoodphotographer.com

KEEP IN TOUCH!

Letters and comments can be sent to: Logan Jennings | ljennings@king.edu Director of Alumni & Community Engagement

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Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholar DESIREE WHITE

In high school, Desiree White ’24 found her way to her faith and became steadfast in achieving her goals – both on the soccer pitch and in her studies.

During a chance visit to a cousin who lives in Bristol, Desiree’s family visited the Tornado for the first time. To her surprise, that brief visit turned into a four-year journey.

As the daughter of an immigrant, White learned from a young age to pursue every opportunity that presented itself. When the chance to attend

King came with the support of the Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship, she couldn’t say no.

“I also chose King because of the faith and the background that it has,” White said. “Because for me, my faith is one of the most important things in my life. And so I felt like King would enable me to grow.”

Head Coach Paul Shaw said White is an exemplary student.

“There are not enough words to describe this young woman. She is our spiritual leader, a fierce, committed competitor who is so intelligent and thoughtful,” he said. “As in any sport and in life, one goes through injuries and challenges. She has handled these with poise and is an exemplary model of the way we want our program to be perceived.”

After graduation, White’s goal is to take the King mission and apply it to her life in the form of an international traveling physical therapy clinic that will spread the gospel of Christ and offer aid to those who otherwise might not have access to such treatment.

She credits the amount of financial aid King provides to students with helping her reach her personal and professional goals.

“You know that’s just God working, working everything out,” she said. “I’m beyond grateful. And beyond blessed.” K

To make a gift, visit give.king.edu

From the PRESIDENT

Coming Home to Bristol

In challenging, competitive environments, there is the saying that one doesn’t have to outrun a pursuing beast – you only have to outrun the person behind you. But this isn’t so when there are challenges coming from all directions, as is now the case in higher education.

These challenges include macroeconomic forces not seen since the 1970s — inflation, especially, but also increasing regulatory burdens and expenses. They include increased subsidies for public institutions, such as our own state’s fully taxpayer-funded community colleges, which force private colleges to compete with perceived “free” education. And high employment levels in recent years mean that fewer adults have the need to complete degrees or earn a new credential to advance themselves professionally.

In addition, there is also deep public dissatisfaction with higher education in general, including a sense that education has become political, that there are myriad unproductive bureaucrats whose jobs are funded through tuition, and that degrees carry little return on investment — especially now with an increased number of employers abandoning the undergraduate degree as a minimum hiring credential for many jobs.

Against these assertions King finds itself ranked by the New York Times Magazine as number 21 among all American colleges and universities for economic opportunity, and within the top tier of schools for return

on investment by Money Magazine. We have been lauded for our bold support of academic freedom and free speech. King continues to offer an academically stellar education — with no slippage at all in our admissions requirements – continued exceptional teaching, and a whole-person education that is committed to developing good citizens in all dimensions of life and service. In many ways, all the awful things happening in higher education as an industry have a way of underscoring the goodness and worth of the King education.

The Higher Ed World After COVID

COVID certainly changed the higher education landscape. Before COVID, there were predictions that the pandemic would forever doom traditional residential higher education — the assumption being that students would become so accustomed to online modalities that they would not want the expense of “going off to college.” In fact, the opposite seems to have happened. Most high school students found earning a diploma from their parents’ basement deeply unsatisfying, educationally and socially. They wanted more from their education and relationships than hours in front of a flat screen. We have seen the results of this at King, both in increased traditional new student numbers (up 24% this year), and in the energy and involvement of our last two entering classes in particular. These students want the sort of experience King offers and are fully invested in it.

At the same time, however, working adults who once defaulted to in-person educational experiences suddenly became more comfortable and fluent with technology. They began to see how online education could enable them to better manage their work and family responsibilities. Since half of King’s students in recent years have been adult learners, this has also significantly affected King’s business model. Those who would have gone to the nearest King brick and mortar site outside of Bristol suddenly decided online education was a better option. So we have seen a marked decline in the numbers of adult students in our face-to-face programs, to the degree that we have shuttered many of our outlying sites.

Online education is a national market, and a very competitive one. King does well in that market—we are in the top third of schools managed by our online partner. But we certainly haven’t been able to recover the number of adult learners who once enrolled at our various sites away from Bristol. And that has created tremendous budgetary challenges.

A Recommitment to Bristol as King’s Home

All of this means that our Bristol campus now takes on renewed importance for the present and future of King. If King is to survive and thrive, a rejuvenated home campus — one that is attractive to students and their parents in this intensively competitive environment — is key.

I saw this as a priority when I arrived at King eight years ago, and while we have not had the funds to do all that I would like to have accomplished, we have made some noteworthy improvements. We have seen significant renovation work to the chapel, the dining hall, the counseling center, and parts of the E. W. King Building. We have furthered restoration of the brick walkways on campus. We have new nursing simulation labs, a new exercise science lab space, and a new digital arts and marketing space. We have added air conditioning to the public spaces of Parks Hall and have continued renovations to restrooms in Liston Hall. Our grounds look better than ever, and much work has been done on hidden infrastructure that was badly in need of attention. And work is nearly done on a new and stunningly beautiful track and field facility that should attract dozens of new students each year — the first major new construction on campus in two decades.

Much more work remains, including upgrades of our academic spaces, residence halls, and especially our labs. We also continue to seek out donors who will support the arts at King.

None of this work will get done without generous gifts from alumni and friends – and friends will look to alumni to gauge their commitment to the future of King. In that undertaking let’s just say there is much opportunity to improve.

Bristol used to be a three-college town. Sullins closed in 1978 and Virginia Intermont in 2014, and its decomposing campus is visible from many areas of Bristol, a constant reminder that colleges don’t necessarily last forever. Some may assume that King benefited from those closures, but in fact they made some donors less willing to give private colleges. King is not, after all, immune to the same economic pressures that have closed many campuses in the last two years.

The story of King and Bristol, however, is not one of the past, but one that is now and is rich and vibrant. It is the story of King alumni filling leadership positions in industry, business, civic organizations, and the medical community. It is the story of King students involved in

civic betterment projects in the town, from repainting a disabled man’s house exterior so it looked new again, to picking up litter, to providing free family portraits to those cannot afford them, to providing coats for children and the homeless each winter. It is the story of faculty and staff giving back through their churches and children’s schools. It is the story of King students tutoring and being mentors.

It is also the story of King adding no less than $80 million annually to the local economy. It is King that makes Bristol a college town, and college towns are what most retirees now seek as they aim to find a place with opportunity for continuing education and cultural and athletic events. It is the story of King as an importer of young people for the area, young people who are diverse in myriad ways, polite and hard-working, and with a reflexive ethic of service. It is the story of businesses having a source for entry-level management employees, of hospitals having nurses from the area’s best school of nursing, of schools having teachers who again and again are lauded as their teachers of the year.

As we look to the future, King must reinforce its place in Bristol — and Bristol, in turn, must renew its commitment to King as one of its foundational pillars. Those families who founded King and supported it were those who likewise founded Bristol, creating a partnership that has benefited both for more than a century and a half. There are many good years that can come.

The work ahead is considerable. It will require sacrifice and hard work from all who read this and many more. But if we succeed, it will secure King’s place in Bristol for years to come, just as King secures Bristol’s continued appeal to businesses and newcomers as one of the foremost elements of what makes Bristol “A Good Place to Live.”

Alexander Whitaker President

King University Renovates Campus Nursing Labs

Overhaul includes addition of 10 new nursing simulators.

Students enrolled in King University’s School of Nursing now have the opportunity to expand their classroom experience with the addition of 10 nursing simulators installed in newly renovated laboratory settings.

Nursing simulators are life-size mannequins that mimic live patients with a high degree of realism. They can be programmed to present various health care needs and respond to student interaction, providing immediate feedback and invaluable learning experiences.

King’s high-fidelity simulators offer students practice in working with adult, pediatric, and infant patients in a number of settings, including those encountered in childbirth, older adult, and critical care environments.

“We’re very grateful for the generous friends of the University who made this extraordinary upgrade possible, and we are delighted to make these stateof-the-art resources available to our students,” said President Alexander Whitaker. “The ability to practice various procedures and patient care scenarios in a risk-free environment greatly lends to the quality of medical care that a patient receives in real-life settings, and so we consider this an investment in the value of our educational experience as well as the quality of life wherever our graduates serve.”

Nursing classrooms in White Hall and the Nicewonder Learning Commons were renovated in late 2023 to host the sims and accompanying equipment, which includes hospital beds, defibrillators, monitors, and adult and pediatric crash carts. In particular, the White Hall lab has been developed to focus on intensive care unit (ICU) practices and emergency trauma, while the Nicewonder areas are devoted to maternal, neonatal and pediatric care. K

“The experience of working in immersive labs like these directly translates into an active care environment. Nurses are asked to engage with complex, high-stakes situations throughout their careers, and facilities like ours help practice essential skills and build confidence early on. We’re excited about this new learning environment and celebrating the advantages this will offer our students in their practice and career.”

Donna Fraysier, DNP, dean of King’s School of Nursing

Leading the Call to

Whether at the bedside or in the board room, King’s nursing alumni deliver daily doses of care

King’s commitment to the principle of servant leadership is producing excellence and strengthening community, a dynamic that’s clearly seen in the number of University graduates serving within the Ballad Health system. Alumni of King’s School of Nursing are found at every level within the organization, from new caregivers to chief nursing officers (CNO) and hospital administrators.

Their advancement in the health system, which serves areas throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, demonstrates the value and consistency of King’s educational environment, according to Dean Donna Fraysier, DNP, ACNS-BC, NEA-BC.

“I think it speaks to the quality of our program,”

Fraysier said. “We prepare nurses to be leaders at all levels – from the bedside and beyond.”

The connection between King’s nursing students and Ballad begins long before graduation, thanks to a beneficial partnership between the University and the health system.

“Ballad and King are partners in nursing education,” Fraysier said. “Our students complete clinical hours in Ballad facilities, and the system provides an opportunity for our graduates to live and practice here at home.”

According to King alumni, their educational experiences prepared them for both a lifetime of learning and successful careers as patient advocates and caregivers.

Melissa Whited ’17

As an associate administrator and chief nursing officer (CNO) at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon, Virginia, Melissa Whited ’17, credits her King education for helping her gain more experience and authority, which in turn helped her advance.

Whited will be the first to say that wasn’t an easy task to balance work, family and studies, especially as a young wife and mother. But her persistence helped her earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) and a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree in nursing administration, which in turn has helped her flourish.

“My professors at King were phenomenal,” she said. “They worked with Ballad Health to ensure I was able to juggle my hospital duties.”

Whited grew up in Lebanon, Virginia, where, as a child, she admired the work her mother did as a nurse, but she never dreamed nursing would be her choice for a career.

After high school, Whited located to North Carolina to enroll in paralegal technology coursework and later worked for two attorneys. She gradually found that her legal career

Serve Serve

“We prepare nurses to be leaders at all levels - from the bedside and beyond.”

–Dr. Donna Fraysier

was not fulfilling a deeper desire to help care for others.

She returned to her Southwest Virginia home after two years and began volunteering at Southwest Virginia Regional Jail, helping women who were dealing with substance abuse.

Through that work, it became clear that the nursing field was where she needed to be all along.

After she received her RN degree from Southwest Virginia Community College, Whited went to work at Johnston Memorial Hospital as a front-line nurse. Her experiences there convinced her that she had found the right path for her calling, especially one day when she took time from a hectic schedule to comfort a young patient with special needs.

“The child was very stressed so I began singing to help calm her, and it worked,” said Whited. “Healthcare is one of the few careers where you can bring everything you do to the table for the benefit of the patient. If I had become a paralegal, it wouldn’t have been appropriate to burst out in song in the courtroom, but for this girl and her mother I was able to use a different talent to help ease the situation.”

Whited knew she wanted to be a leader in the healthcare field because she wanted the opportunity to make a positive impact on others through her day-to-day interactions.

At age 32, she enrolled at King to pursue her BSN degree, a program that would help her expand and sharpen her core knowledge and critical thinking skills.

After earning her bachelor’s, Whited returned for her master’s degree in nursing administration. At the time, she was serving as corporate director of clinical staffing, a position that allowed her to help build a nursing department from the ground up.

She helped manage Ballad Health’s float pool, a resource created to fill in short-staffed units and relieve nurses during breaks.

“While I was developing this new department on such a large scale, I was enrolled in classes at King that were helping me do it successfully,” she said. “I was able to pull from the guidance and wisdom from my instructors and also leaders here at the hospital. It was an amazing experience. I was able to use the theories and design methods I learned in class. It was a blessing.”

FOR OUR REGION CARING CARING

Greta Morrison ’10

Greta Morrison ’10 is an assistant vice president, administrator, and CNO at Russell County Hospital in Lebanon, Virginia.

She had been an emergency room nurse manager for 10 years when she decided to expand her education and enroll at King.

“King appealed to me because the classes for the 16-month program were held one night each week,” said Morrison, who, along with her husband, was raising young twin daughters at the time.

The continuing education program allowed her to earn a BSN degree, which was a requirement for the nurse management position she held at the hospital.

The University’s dual Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Nursing program was particularly appealing to Morrison, who earned both degrees by the end of 2016. That achievement helped her become qualified to step into the role of hospital administrator, following the retirement of the previous administrator.

“I started as a registered nurse at the hospital in 2001

Additional King University alumni who are making impacts in leadership nursing positions at Ballad Health include:

• Adnan Brka ’11, serves as the CNO and vice president at Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport. His responsibilities involve all nursing practices, including patient care and transfers, staffing, and quality management. He holds a bachelor’s degree from King and a master’s degree from Western Governors University.

• Alison Johnson ’13, works as the CNO of Johnson City Medical Center in Johnson City. Before her tenure as CNO, she served as director of critical care and led the hospital’s critical care step down and respiratory therapy departments. She holds degrees in nursing and business management from East Tennessee State University and a master’s degree from King.

• Stephanie Rhoton ’18, began her tenure as an associate administrator and CNO at Indian Path Community Hospital in Kingsport in January 2022. In this role she manages nursing staff, monitors patient care quality, and ensures compliance with safety and regulatory standards. Rhoton has also served as the director of patient care services at both Indian Path Community Hospital and Holston Valley Medical Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from King.

• Melanie Stanton ’06, has served as the CEO of Franklin Woods Community Hospital in Johnson City since November 2019. Prior to that, she worked as Ballad Health’s vice president of quality improvement.

and I never thought one day I’d be administrator,” she said.

Because the Lebanon facility is a smaller hospital, the roles of CNO and administrator were combined into one position, allowing Morrison to experience the best of both worlds. She continues to lead the team of nurses at the hospital as well as oversee the organizational side of health services.

As administrator, Morrison works closely with the community through events, health fairs, and school visits.

“I love making a difference in my community,” she said. “I had wonderful professors at King and I still talk with them from time to time just to check in. They care. They’re not just there to grade or teach you, they also have a one-on-one relationship with their students.”

Morrison, a native of Buchanan County, Virginia, is the youngest of three siblings. After her father died when she was only three years old, she grew up learning to care for her family members, particularly her grandfather who suffered from diabetes and other health issues. She was taught at a young age how to give him insulin injections when his caregivers were away.

Stanton has more than two decades of experience and began her career as a staff nurse at Johnson City Medical Center. Stanton holds a master’s degree in business administration from King, as well as bachelor’s degrees in business administration and nursing from East Tennessee State University.

• Nikki Vanburen ’10, now serves as the CNO at Franklin Woods Community Hospital and Woodridge Hospital in Johnson City. She previously served as CNO at Johnston Memorial Hospital in Abingdon. Vanburen earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing from East Tennessee State University and her master’s degree in nursing from King.

“Being a nurse is all I wanted to do. I never thought about doing anything else. I have a fascinating career. The good always outweighs the bad. I learn something new every day.”

2022 was the season for a Christmas comedy with

with King University

It’s not often that someone with the title Library of Congress Living Legend asks if you will help premiere an original work.

That’s the opportunity that was presented to King University when King alumna Katherine Paterson reached out to the University’s Theatre Department with an idea. Paterson, along with nationally recognized author Stephanie Tolan, had put the final touches on “Good King Wenceslas,” a Christmas comedy years in the making, and wanted to see the work come alive onstage.

“Of course we jumped at the chance and said yes!” said Alaska Vance, chair of the Department of Theatre at King. “What an honor for our students and community to collaborate with these amazing

authors and help translate this work from the page to the theatre.”

It’s a project the regional community took part in experiencing, as “Good King Wenceslas” premiered during the first week of December at The Paramount Center for the Arts in Bristol, Tennessee.

The new comedy focuses on a struggling theater that finds that their one money-making play of the year, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” is being produced by the rival theater across town. That development has not only pre-empted their opening show, but also stolen most of their cast and backstage staff.

The play is a work filled with family conflict, romance, and a genuine Christmas miracle — and provided an opportunity for regional actors to participate alongside students and

professors from King’s Department of Theatre.

According to Paterson and Tolan, “Good King Wenceslas” spent several on-again, off-again years in development before finally being deemed ready to present to the public.

“We finally decided about a year or so ago that we were ready to take it to the people,” Paterson said. “The mainstay Christmas play of every amateur and semi-amateur company in the country is Dickens’ ‘Christmas Carol.’ We wrote this play for the theater that isn’t doing ‘Christmas Carol,’ so we began looking for a company that would do the premiere.

“One day, I

just happened to be on King University’s website, which I do from time to time, and realized they have a full-blown drama department,” she said. “I thought, ‘Oh, how wonderful it would be if our play debuted at King!’ So I wrote to Alaska Vance and asked if she would be interested in seeing our Christmas play. And she kindly answered me and said yes, she loved it, and we were thrilled.”

Although Paterson and Tolan are best known for their books, plays and musicals are nothing new to either. Together, they adapted Paterson’s novel, “Bridge to Terabithia,” into a play which debuted at Stage One in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1990 and toured nationally in 1991 and 1992.

“‘Good King Wenceslas’ is our fifth play,” Paterson noted. “It all started many years ago when I was asked by a theater company in Seattle to do a stage version of ‘Bridge to Terabithia.’ I didn’t grow up in the theater the way Stephanie has. She wrote plays before I knew her. So I asked Stephanie, who has a background in theater, if she would help me with it. I thought we could do a decent play.”

“When Katherine Paterson calls you and says, would you write ‘Bridge to Terabithia’ with me, you do not say no, even if you’re terrified with the idea,” Tolan remarked.

Following “Bridge to Terabithia,” the threesome collaborated to create two additional musicals: “The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks,” adapted from Paterson’s book, and “A Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck,” based on the Beatrix Potter story. Paterson and Tolan additionally developed a play, “Surviving the Applewhites,” based on Tolan’s book. Tolan also has two earlier plays.

The historical story of Saint Wenceslaus 1, a tenth-century Duke of Bohemia, on whom the legend of “Good King Wenceslas” is based, is actually considered a tragedy, but Paterson and Tolan purposely decided to present their play as a comedy. “We laugh a lot!” Tolan said.

“We wanted people to enjoy the experience because it’s Christmas,” Paterson added. “It’s not the season for sorrow and tragedy. And Stephanie has always said, ‘Make them laugh and weep, but above all, change their lives.’ Our job was to write the best play we knew how to write, and it is our hope that every individual who sees it takes from it what matters most to them.” K

Paterson, who graduated from King in 1954, has garnered a lifetime’s worth of national and international accolades for her books. She has twice won the Newbery Medal, for “Bridge to Terabithia” in 1978 and “Jacob Have I Loved” in 1981, and was awarded the National Book Award in 1977 for “The Master Puppeteer” and again in 1979 for “The Great Gilly Hopkins.” For the body of her work, she received the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1998, and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2006. She was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000.

Tolan has written more than 25 books for young readers, including “Listen!,” which won the Christopher Award and the Henry Bergh ASPCA Award. Her bestselling novel, “Surviving the Applewhites,” received a Newbery Honor in 2003 and was named a Smithsonian Notable Children’s Book, a School Library Journal Best Book for Children, an ALA Booklist Editor’s Choice, an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book and Best Book for Young Adults. In addition, she is a senior fellow at the Institute for Educational Advancement, where she helps serve the needs of highly gifted young people, and co-authored the award-winning non-fiction book, “Guiding the Gifted Child.”

King Helps Lead Charge to Receive

HALF - MILLION DOLLAR GRANT from Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Funds will further collaborative efforts among regional colleges and increase access to STEM opportunities

King University, along with Northeast State and Virginia Highlands Community Colleges, have together received a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Inclusive Excellence 3 (IE3) initiative to build capacity for greater diversity and inclusion of students in science.

The three institutions will be working together in the coming years to increase student access to educational and career opportunities in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).

The IE3 initiative provides more than $60 million in funding over six years, which will be shared by 104 fouryear colleges and universities. Institutions have been divided into seven diverse Learning Community Clusters (LCCs) to maximize learning and influence change. King, Northeast State, and Virginia Highlands are working within the IMPACT STEM Transfer Network cluster, and the trio is collectively receiving approximately $500,000 to focus on building meaningful, effective partnerships between two- and four-year schools.

Other institutions named in the IMPACT STEM network include Clemson, Howard, Florida State, Montana State and Michigan State Universities, as well as the University of Colorado Boulder.

“Not only is this an amazing opportunity for us to work together locally, but joining the diverse network of HHMI IE3 schools gives King, Northeast State, and Virginia Highlands a seat at the table for leading systemic change in science education,” said Kelly Vaughan, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of Biology for King, who serves as the program director for the grant. “We get to work with educators from all over the country to further identify and challenge the barriers faced by STEM transfer students.”

Joining Vaughan on the local leadership team are program co-director Nathan Weber, Ed.D., assistant vice president for academic affairs and associate professor of Biology at Northeast State; Laura Ong, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology at King; Martha Liendo, assistant professor of Mathematics at King; and Cindy Woosley, assistant professor of Biology at Virginia Highlands.

“Not only is this an amazing opportunity for us to work together locally, but joining the diverse network of HHMI IE3 schools gives King, Northeast State, and Virginia Highlands a seat at the table for leading systemic change in science education.”

Kelly Vaughan, Ph.D. Associate Professor & Chair of Biology King University

“I am excited to work with King, Northeast State, and all of the schools associated with this grant,” said Woosley. “Enhancing the diverse student population in STEM education allows for all voices to be heard and makes the disciplines truly representative. It’s a great opportunity for our students.”

The IE3 initiative challenges U.S. colleges and universities to build and sustain capacity on their campuses for student belonging, especially for those who have been historically excluded from the sciences. Significant disparities exist among college students, and first-generation students, transfers from two-year schools, and students from underrepresented racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups are historically less likely to complete a baccalaureate degree. The IE3 initiative targets the introductory STEM experience, since that is when most STEM student departures occur.

“We are delighted to have been selected for this initiative,” Weber said. “Together, members of our network have identified and focused on several areas in need of critical shifts. We look forward to establishing and developing meaningful relationships across campuses, creating scholarship opportunities, and empowering students through peer mentoring and academic preparation. These efforts will help forge inclusive student environments that promote the success of diverse STEM transfer students.” K

Podcast fans: Check out the Institute for Faith & Culture’s new series, A Place of the Mind, now available on Spotify.

For more information about the HHMI IE3 initiative, visit https://www.hhmi.org/ science-education/programs/ inclusive-excellence-3.

Episode 1 features a conversation with Katherine Paterson ’54, recorded during her 2022 visit to King

Episode 2 features an interview with Peter Croft, grandson of Bible translator J.B. Phillips

Top (L-R): Laura Ong, Ph.D., associate professor of Biology at King; Martha Liendo, assistant professor of Mathematics at King; Kelly Vaughan, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of Biology at King. Bottom (L): Nathan Weber, Ed.D., assistant vice president for academic affairs and associate professor of Biology at Northeast State. Bottom (R): Cindy Woosley, assistant professor of Biology at Virginia Highlands.

Classrooms with No Walls

King University’s Study Abroad Program offers students opportunities to encounter other cultures while expanding their understanding of themselves and the world.

The late travel documentarian, chef, and author Anthony Bourdain noted, “Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life — and travel — leaves marks on you.”

King University provides more domestic and international travel options than most schools its size for enhancing learning opportunities for students. As a result, more than 25% of King’s students travel each year for study abroad, missions, class, and community service trips. These options include short-term faculty-led trips to locations such as Italy, Israel, the British Isles, Malaysia/ Vietnam, and Spain; tuition-exchange partnerships to Northern Ireland, South Korea, Brazil, and other countries; and consortium/affiliate programs to locations around the world.

“A major part of my job is helping to incite students’ wanderlust, to cheer them on like Dr. Seuss, ‘Oh, the places you’ll go!’ … and the things you’ll learn,” said Karen L. Shaw, Ph.D., professor of English, chair of the Department of English, and coordinator for King’s Study Abroad program. “King has study placements all around the world in everything from accounting to zoology. But academics are only the beginning. Often, the best classrooms have no walls at all. Study abroad allows students to encounter the world, to change their point of reference and learn new ways of seeing things, to engage new cultures and new people, to expand their understanding of themselves and the world.”

King took a pause from most international travel during the COVID pandemic but resumed again in the summer of 2022 with a trip to Kenya.

“The trip was a service and cultural trip to urban and remote areas of Kenya,” Shaw said. “It involved working with pastors on oral histories and Biblical storytelling, observing and serving on economic development projects such as clean water, chicken farming, and bean farms, and working at rural schools to help school children. It counted as an intercultural studies course that requires

Top: Kenya, 2022

Right: Stonehenge, Wiltshire, England 2023

research and hands-on field work.”

Another faculty-led trip visited the Great Capitals of Western Europe in May 2023. The trip took students to Edinburgh and St Andrews, Scotland; York, London, and Oxford, England; and Paris, France. The tour included visits to the National Museum of Scotland, Calton Hill, Arthur’s Seat, St Andrews Cathedral, St Andrews Castle, University of St Andrews, Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews Golf Course and the St Andrews Bay coastline, then on to York to see the National Railway Museum, the York Museum Gardens, and the York Minster Cathedral.

In London, students had the opportunity to visit the British Museum, the sights of London, Westminster Abbey, Tate Modern Museum, and Oxford University, while Paris included the Louvre, Versailles, Notre Dame, Sacré-Coeur Basilica, Saint-Chapelle, and the sights of the city. The tour included built-in flexibility for independent excursions, from hiking, biking, or playing golf at St. Andrews to visiting art museums, taking in a performance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theater or a West End musical, and much more.

“We want students to be able to come into contact with cultures that are different from ours,” said Colette Wilcox, J.D., assistant professor of Criminal Justice at King, who joined Erin Kingsley, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, and Alaska Vance, chair of King’s Department of Theatre and assistant professor of Theatre, as coleaders for the trip. “There are different mores, values, and customs in every culture, and we want students to be exposed to those elements of a cross-cultural experience.”

King University’s Core Curriculum is composed of the General Education Experience, which is the necessary academic foundation for success in King’s degree programs, and the Common Experience, which serves as a bridge from the Core Curriculum to students’ academic coursework and eventual vocations. The Common Experience requires a cross-cultural experience with the goal of helping students broaden their awareness of and appreciation of diverse cultures and of preparing them to operate more thoughtfully in an increasingly interconnected world.

Students may choose from several options for meeting the Common Experience requirement, from mentoring international students to community service, as well as King-sponsored mission trips or study abroad. The cross-cultural experience credit requires at least 30 hours of direct contact with a distinct population, following a culture markedly different from the student’s home culture, and written reports.

“As Kevin Kelly (writer, photographer, conservationist and

London, England 2023

founding executive editor of Wired magazine) puts it, ‘Travel is still the most intense mode of learning,’” noted Shaw. “My role in King’s Study Abroad program is to serve as a resource to students, to help them navigate the study abroad process and chart their course for a transformational adventure.” K

Christmas Break 2023 offered students the opportunity to join professors Han Ong, Ph.D., and Richard Moyer, Ph.D., for an exploration of multiple national parks throughout Utah and Nevada. During their journey the group studied diverse animal and plant life including pinyon and bristlecone pines, a range of geological features such as hoodoos and slot canyons, and archaeological sites of the desert Southwest – some of which show petroglyphs and other human activity dating back at least 11,000 years, and fossilized dinosaur tracks reaching back millions more.

ARTS LEADERSHIP

A! Magazine for the Arts

Arts Alliance Mountain Empire

Birthplace of Country Music Museum

Music in the Castle

Symphony of the Mountains

Voices of the Mountains

William King Museum of Art

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center

Canyon Hill Church of the Nazarene

Central Christian Church

Central Presbyterian Church

Christ Fellowship Church

Cold Spring Presbyterian Church

Daniel Boone Baptist Church

Discovery Church

Emmanuel Episcopal Church

Faith Promise Church

First Baptist Church - Bluff City

First Broad Street UMC

First Presbyterian Church - Bristol

Gray UMC Preschool

Highlands Fellowship

Holston/Abingdon Presbytery

Kendricks Creek UMC

Kingsway Baptist Church

Living Water Baptist Church

Pleasant View Church

South Bristol Church

Sunnyside Baptist Church

UMC Holston Conference

Walnut Hill Presbyterian Church

And multiple Presbyteries throughout the Southeast

STUDENT & COMMUNITY NURSING

Area Schools

Haven of Rest

Holston Manor

Kingsport City Schools

Sullivan County Health Department

It’s well known that King University contributes millions of dollars to Bristol’s economy and strengthens the regional workforce. What often goes unseen are the thousands of hours that faculty, staff, and students give in service to others. We recently asked where members of our community volunteer and lead, and are proud to say that nearly 100 organizations in the Tri-Cities and beyond benefit from King’s presence.

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

2PawRobotics

Abingdon Muster Grounds

Abuse Alternatives

Adopt a Golden

Advance Bristol Foundation

American Cancer Society

American Chestnut Foundation

American Legion

Appalachian Initiatives

Appalachian Promise Alliance

Austin Humane Society

Bays Mountain Park

Be the Bridge

Blue Stocking Club

Boys & Girls Club

Bristol Ballet

Bristol Chamber of Commerce

Bristol Community Remembrance

Bristol Faith in Action

Bristol Life Saving Crew

Bristol Noon Rotary

Bristol Public Library Foundation

Bristol TN City Schools Foundation

Bristol Train Station

Bristol Tennessee Police Department

Central Texas Food Bank

Child Help TN

College of Older Adults

Daughters of the American Revolution

Department of Social Services

Dobyns-Bennett High School

Dominion Senior Living

East Hills Cemetery

East Tennessee Border Collie Rescue

Elk Garden Food Pantry

Emergency Communications District Board

Fairview Farm & Homestead

Family Promise

Farragut/West Knoxville Chamber of Commerce

Feeding America Southwest Virginia

Fort Shelby Manor

Friends of Steele Creek Park

Girl Scouts

Girls, Inc.

Grace House

Gray Ridge Village

Greendale Home for the Aged Habitat for Humanity

Hands On! Discovery Center

Haven of Rest

Healing Hands Health Center

Holston View Elementary

Isaiah 117 House

James Clemens High School

Johnston Memorial Hospital Cancer Care Center

Junior League

Kennedy Dancers

Knoxville Area Rescue Ministry

Life Choices

Master Gardener Society

Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy

Niswonger Foundation

North County Christian School

Northeast Tennessee Society of Human Resources Management

Overmountain Victory Trail Association

People, Inc.

Phoebe Foundation

Rhythm & Roots Reunion

Rise Up for Kids

Rocky Mount Historic Site

Salvation Army

Samaritan’s Purse

Second Harvest Food Bank

South Holston Ruritan

Sullivan County Animal Shelter

Sullivan County Imagination Library

Sullivan County Reserve Medical Corps

Sunhouse Group Home

Tennessee High School Band

Tennessee Naturalist Program

Tennessee Society of CPAs

Theatre Bristol

tnAchieves

Tree City Board

United States Pony Club

Washington County Sheriff’s Office

West Bearden Basketball League

WYPL

WVTF

Trayer Piano Studio DEDICATION

King music students Jacob Proffitt ’26 and Jack Trayer Scholarship recipient Rebecca Rasnake ’26 helped provide music for the evening’s dinner and tour. In addition, Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery of Nashville graciously brought a Steinway Spirio Model B to the E.W. King Library for students and guests to experience.

Members of the Trayer family in attendance for the evening included, left to right: John and Helen Michael, Don and Carolyn Musselman, Loretta Trayer, and Julia and Bill Byrd

King welcomed members of the community to campus to celebrate the dedication of the University’s Trayer Piano Studio, which was created with support from the Trayer Charitable Trust. Loretta Trayer, members of the Trayer family, and representatives of Steinway & Sons Piano Gallery of Nashville, Tennessee, were in attendance to tour the studio and hear music from Instructor of Piano Jane Morison, and students Jacob Proffitt ’26, and Rebecca Rasnake ’26.

“Our longtime focus has been to provide students of Bristol and beyond with access to high-quality educational experiences that cultivate a well-rounded outlook, including an understanding and love of the arts,” said Provost Matt Roberts, Ed.D. “The generosity of the Trayer Charitable Trust has significantly advanced that mission, and we are grateful for their advocacy of our Music Department and students.”

President Alexander Whitaker welcomes guests to a dinner celebrating the dedication of the Trayer Piano Studio at King. A gift from the Trayer Charitable Trust provided the University with three Steinway Boston models and two Steinway grand pianos for student instruction and endowed the Jack Trayer Scholarship for Music Students.

King

Nell Bieger, left, vice chair of King’s Board of Trustees, and Loretta Trayer of the Trayer Charitable Trust were among the guests of honor for the evening.

Jewel Bell

Honored and beloved by thousands, Jewel Bell retires after 70 years of service

She’s known as the Jewel in King’s crown, and for good reason: beloved staff member Jewel Bell served with the University for nearly half of its 155-year history.

In September 2022 with 70 years of experience at King, at the age of 93, she chose to retire. It was a bittersweet occasion for many who know her not as the president’s special assistant for communications, but as Ma Bell, GG, Gran, or simply the Queen of King.

“More than anyone else, Jewel personifies the heart and soul of the King community,” said Alexander Whitaker, president of King. “Her great affinity for students, alumni, faculty, and staff has been a daily source of strength. She radiates humor, models grace, and has influenced positive change throughout our region over the course of many decades, setting an example we should all aspire to follow.”

What was initially expected to be a two-week housekeeper job in the women’s residence hall became

a permanent position after former King President R.T.L. Liston asked her to stay. Jewel came to King in 1952, a year when Elizabeth II became Queen, Eisenhower defeated Truman, Mother Teresa opened her first hospice home, and Hemingway published “The Old Man and the Sea.”

Her tenure at King University also began at a time when segregation was prevalent in the South, including in Northeast Tennessee.

“It was before anyone had heard of Martin Luther King on the national stage, before Brown v. Board of Education, Emmett Till or the Little Rock Crisis,” said Randall Gilmore, Ed.S., ’85, assistant professor of Education at King. “Jewel came to a Southern institution as an African American woman in a time when governors and presidents of universities in the South were actually blocking the doorway and not even allowing Black students to enroll.”

According to Gilmore, there was only one incident during Jewel’s time at King where she encountered racism.

“I asked her if she ever experienced racism. And she said only one time,” Gilmore said. “She was in the old dining hall and Sammy Davis Jr. was going to be on The Ed Sullivan Show that night. It was probably 1962 or 1963. Someone came up to her as she was eating lunch with friends and said, ‘I guess you’re going to be watching that --’ and used a very unkind term. No one said anything. No one laughed.”

It quickly became clear that such behavior was not welcome at King.

“Jewel told me that the next week, people noticed that this man was no longer working at King,” Gilmore added. “Her belief, and my belief, was that someone reported that incident to the president of King and he had a conversation that led to that person’s dismissal. It was handled here in a manner that it was not being handled

“The 70 years went by in a strange manner. If anyone had told me I would be there that long, I would have said ‘absolutely not.’ I stayed because I loved the girls, and they treated me like their mother.”

on the national stage.”

As she worked to support her own growing family, Jewel naturally developed into the role of confidante, supporter and sage, first to the young women around her and then to all students on campus. In 1961, when the decision was made to install a campus switchboard, Jewel was a natural fit to serve as supervisor.

Her new position came with a staff of 10 assistants and located her in the central lobby of Parks Hall, where she could keep track of her flock of female students –as well as those coming to see them. While her office occasionally shifted locations in the following decades,

her role as the literal voice of King never changed.

“If you have called King’s main number or walked into the Administration building in the last several decades, you have likely been greeted by Jewel and experienced her gracious hospitality,” Whitaker said. “She more than anyone else has been the face of King.”

Jewel’s unwavering dedication to King’s students, along with her longstanding devotion to community, has earned her multiple awards. She is a winner of the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award and an honoree of the YWCA’s Tribute to Women Program. She was recognized with the establishment of the Jewel H. Bell scholarship at

“I met Jewel in Parks Hall in 1965 when she was answering the phone, and over the years she has always been in a positive mood, always served as a woman of deep faith, always called the students at King her children – and always looked like she just walked out of a fashion magazine. She is one special lady.”

Warren Payne ’69 President of Fountain Leasing and member of the King University Board of Trustees

Top to bottom: Dedication of Jewel Bell Lane in 2016; Jewel was named Volunteer of the Year at Dogwood in 2012; Jewel was awarded Emerita Special Assistant to the President in 2022

King in 2007. She is also the recipient of the University’s first-ever Lifetime Service Award and has been honored with a street that bears her name on the Bristol campus. She was the school’s first honorary alumna, was recently granted emerita status by the Board of Trustees, and in December 2022 was presented with an honorary doctorate, making her Dr. Jewel Bell.

A tireless community volunteer, Jewel has devoted decades of support to organizations such as the American Red Cross and Slater Community Center. She was an original volunteer of Healing Hands Health Center, serving with the clinic from the time it opened its doors, and has supported the YWCA of Northeast

“Jewel is the fruit of the spirit. She’s joy and peace and love, patience–all those things emanate from Jewel when you’re around her. She’s a blessing to me.”

Jerry Caldwell ’97 President and General Manager, Bristol Motor Speedway

Tennessee/Southwest Virginia for nearly half a century, lending her voice and the strength of her experience to the empowerment of women and the elimination of racism. She also served on the Bristol City PTA council during the civil rights era, was the first African-American PTA council president, and is a longtime member of Lee Street Baptist Church.

“Jewel is not only the gracious woman who answers the phone, but also the one who continuously models the call to go above and beyond in serving others,” said Whitaker. “While she has cared for four generations and dozens of members of her own family, those who look to her as a matriarch measure in the thousands.” K

Faculty, staff, and students gathered to celebrate Jewel’s 90th birthday

Jewel was awarded an honorary doctorate in December 2022

Frederick Buechner, who died in 2023 at the age of 96, influenced many in the King community through his presence and work. We invited alumni who met him and loved his writings to share their remembrances.

REMEMBERING BUECHNER

Back in 2007, English Professor Dale Brown came to King University with a bold idea: a center for thinking about Christian faith and culture, right here in southern Appalachia. To borrow his language, it would be a place for artful and substantial conversation about things that matter, located between “shrill sectarianism and abject secularism.” And for Dale, there was no question for whom it should be named, and whose example it should follow.

Frederick Buechner embodied the grace of speaking across boundaries, seeing holiness in the broken and the absurd, finding the bonds between laughter and tears. From a “ministry of words,” as he called it, Fred preached the value of listening: his famous instruction, “listen to your life,” lies at the heart of his sermons, memoirs, and novels.

Opening his own life to his readers, he wrote memoirs of powerful and lasting importance, including “The Sacred Journey.” People felt they knew Fred from his books, and that he had reached through the page to them personally; folks would come up to Fred at book signings and proclaim, “You saved my life!”

Fred graciously gave permission for his name to be attached to Dale’s proposed institute, joking that, “I have been trying to figure out how to explain it … saying that I am being institutionalized is going down the wrong path.” He came to King’s inaugural Institute event in 2008, reading a story about seeing FDR as a child that had not yet been published and being interviewed by

Walter Brueggemann. He signed my copy of “The Book of Bebb,” and smiled indulgently when I told him that I felt guilty using Latinate words after reading “Godric.” The “crazy, holy grace” he spoke of in his books swirled around him personally, and to be around him was to see that grace enfleshed. He came back to Bristol once or twice more, and continued to bless our efforts from his home in Vermont in recent years.

The name has changed, but as the King Institute for Faith and Culture, we have the same mission of faith engaging culture, and we maintain an annual Buechner Lecture in Fred’s honor. It’s an impressive lineup: Kate Bowler, Patricia Hampl, Ron Hanson, Tim Larsen, Matthew Milliner, Jeff Munroe, Kathleen Norris, Katherine Paterson, Marilynne Robinson, James K.A. Smith, Barbara Brown Taylor, Nicholas Wolterstorff, and Philip Yancey. Each of these speakers has borne witness to the ways in which Fred has shaped their thinking and writing, and each carries his legacy of wisdom, wonder, and wit in the pursuit of their vocations. Fred’s ministry of words lives on in his congregation of readers, and in those who draw inspiration from him in their own work.

The King Institute for Faith and Culture is proud to be part of Fred’s legacy, proud to have enjoyed his blessing and to give that blessing to others through the Buechner Lectures. We’ll keep offering programs that proclaim crazy, holy grace; we’ll keep honoring his work; we’ll keep listening to our lives. Grateful for Frederick Buechner as his life is completed, I think of the parting words of Godric: “All’s lost. All’s found. Farewell.”

–Martin Dotterweich, Ph.D., Professor of History Director, King Institute for Faith & Culture

Memories from Alumni

My baby quiets as my husband soothes him to sleep in the nursery, my toddler’s train makes its way around a track in the playroom, the dryer beeps sounding its cycle completed, and I’m reminded that “if there is a God who speaks anywhere, surely he speaks here.”

It is in these moments – these sometimes melancholic, sometimes beautiful everyday moments of life – that Buechner’s words save lives.

He beckons us to see the “occasional, obscure glimmering through of grace,” the “muffled presence of the holy” in the “clack-clack” of our days.

His is an appeal to live faithfully and wakefully, listening to hear, however faintly, that “hint of melody” on the scoresheet of God’s great opus.

What strain could be as sweet, what sound as lovely as the one that Buechner called us to hear? I’m ever and always thankful for him. May his words and life ever beckon me to hear that sweet refrain.

–Abbie Gottfried ’11

I was in my first year of college at King. One night in the dorm I was having a conversation with a couple of friends when one of them suddenly said “I have a book you need to read. I’ll be right back.” She went down the hall and returned with a copy of “Sacred Journey,” and thus began my own journey with Frederick Buechner.

In Fred’s work, I found someone articulating what I somehow felt to be true but hadn’t yet been able to express. He delved into the messiness of faith and doubt through stories of the world as we experience it, full of beauty and pain – a contrast to the neat categories and answers provided in my systematic theology textbook. And he did it with such wonderful, poetic style, showing a care for words that held me captivated.

I remember when I first met him, I tried to briefly convey how much his work had meant to me. He smiled with kindness and humility as he thanked me, but he was more eager to brag about his grandson than discuss his Pulitzer finalist “Godric.” That was Fred.

I was honored to work with him through the Institute at King, but also at the Frederick Buechner Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after graduation. His voice was one that encouraged me on my journey to seminary.

Perhaps one of Buechner’s most repeated invitations was a call to his readers to pay attention – to “listen to your life” because that is where you will find God at work.

I can now recognize the Spirit’s presence in that dorm room as a paperback changed hands, because without that moment, that book, I would not be who I am or where I am – pastoring a church and striving to share a bit of the beauty and grace that Fred shared with me, that Buechner shared with so many.

–Maggie Rust ’13

Back in 2008 I was asked to serve as a guide to the Rev. Frederick Buechner as he visited campus for the inauguration of what is now the Institute for Faith & Culture. I had no idea what to talk about with such a learned man of cloth and letters, but soon discovered that, at heart, he was a man of gentleness and laughter.

All day long we traded jokes and giggled, and during one serious moment, talked about visiting the Middle East. “Oh, Jerusalem,” he sighed. “Did you sense anything of Jesus in the streets?”

I recognized the longing in his voice and of course wanted to say yes – but the truth was, I didn’t pick up any more of Jesus there than in Atlanta or Amsterdam or Toronto. “No sir,” I admitted, and his face fell until I added, “but out in the desert, he was there.”

“Oh, of course, the desert,” he agreed, and looked like I had just shared a reassuring truth about an old friend.

Meekness can be defined as great strength under control. If that’s so, then Buechner stands to inherit all the earth, and then some.

–Sylvia Musgrove ’92

My memories of Frederick Buechner are incomplete. There is a gap in my recollections that can not be filled in this world; I never met the man. At least not in person.

I didn’t have the privilege of hearing his quiet yet quick voice, full of whimsy and humility and wry wit. I can only see the twinkling eye above his small smirk in pictures.

But I did meet Frederick Buechner in his books. Two in particular accompany my thoughts often. First is the novel “Godric,” with its wonderful opening line: “Five friends I had, and two of them snakes.”

Full of humor, dirt, doubt, and grace, this novel showed me the immense depth and complexity of vision that can come from a writer of faith. His story stands shoulder to shoulder with any work from Lewis or Auden.

Second is the slim volume “Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Tragedy, Comedy, and Fairytale.” Few books have settled in my heart as deeply as this one. Buechner’s words to the preacher about speaking the Gospel to a watching world shaped my own Christian walk.

Thank you, Dale Brown, for the introduction to this truth teller. There are still many works from Frederick Buechner that I have yet to read. They will be one-sided conversations, but I still anticipate them with relish. I just want to listen anyway.

–Jonathan Kiser ’12

King Breaks Ground on New TRACK & FIELD Complex

$3.6 million facility will benefit students, region

In 2023, King University celebrated the groundbreaking for a new, highly anticipated outdoor track and field complex to be located on the main campus in Bristol.

The facility is being built near the University’s existing outdoor athletic fields. The eight-lane track will feature a high-performance polyurethane surface topped with a seal coat that is designed for shock absorption, and a natural grass area in the center of the track will offer additional practice space for various sports.

“This will be the premier track and field complex in the region, and will provide our student-athletes with an exceptional resource for training and competition,” said David Hicks, Vice President for Athletics. “We have a strong tradition in cross country and track and field at King, and I look forward to hosting meets on campus and welcoming guests as they come to support our amazing studentathletes.”

In the last 10 years, King studentathletes have brought home five Conference Carolinas women’s cross country championships, including in two of the last three years. The men’s team has also amassed six runner-up finishes at the Conference Carolinas championships and made two appearances at the NCAA Championships. In that same time period, King has won a combined

three Conference Carolinas indoor and outdoor track and field championships, boasted five Conference Carolinas Track and Field Scholar-Athletes of the Year, two Academic All-Region honorees, and an Academic All-American.

“We are excited to begin work on this long-anticipated project, which will expand the noteworthy success of our athletic programs and create a premier destination for track and field events in the region and beyond,” said Alexander Whitaker, president of King. “We are thankful for the partners who are contributing to this opportunity, which will benefit all those who exercise, train, and compete here.”

King collaborated with Mattern & Craig Engineers and Surveyors of Kingsport, Tennessee, on concepts for the facility. BurWil Construction of Bristol, Tennessee is serving as the construction partner. Baker’s Construction Services of Piney Flats, Tennessee, is overseeing site preparation. Financing for the project, which has an overall cost of $3.6 million, is made possible by Bank of Tennessee. Construction is expected to be complete in the spring of 2024.

Surfacing for the track is produced by Beynon. The BSS 300 product is designed to offer professionallevel performance, particularly for long-distance runners, and is World Athletics Certified. Other institutions currently utilizing this surface include Harvard University and the University of Utah, among others. K

Alumni and friends who would like to make a gift toward the new track and field complex can text KUTRACK to 41444.

King University broke ground on its new Track & Field complex, a project that is coming together with the support of many partners. From left: David Wagner, Bristol president, Bank of Tennessee; William Prince Sr., CEO, BurWil Construction; Jason Snapp, principal, Mattern & Craig; Vince Turner, mayor, City of Bristol, Tennessee; Nell Bieger, vice chair, and Scott Maclellan, chair, King University Board of Trustees; Alexander Whitaker, president of King; David Hicks, Vice President for Athletics; an honorary shovel in memory of beloved King alumnus Al Fields ‘74; Katy Neubert, women’s track captain; and Josh Booher, men’s track captain.

Jason Moorman Women’s Wrestling Coach King University

Nationwide COACHING TREE has its Roots at King

The NCAA classifies Women’s Wrestling as an emerging sport, but there aren’t many people who have influenced the sport at the collegiate level more than Jason Moorman, the head coach of King’s team. The only head coach in program history, Moorman has a coaching tree that stretches across the country.

Of the 40 schools that will sponsor women’s wrestling as a sport this season, nine of them have connections back to Bristol, including six programs that have a former Tornado wrestler or coach as their head coach, including rival Emmanuel, who is coached by former Tornado Bryce Killian.

“Coach Moorman has helped me succeed in my academic, athletic, and professional career,” said Killian, who wrestled at King before becoming an assistant coach. “He guided me throughout college and helped me achieve goals I had set for myself. I was fortunate enough to get offered a coaching position by Coach Moorman when I graduated.

“During my time at King he helped me develop my coaching style and confidence needed to be a successful coach. Coach Moorman still serves as a mentor of mine while I am developing as a head coach.”

Moorman started at King in 2007 as an assistant for the men’s team under his brother, Nate. After taking over the women’s program in 2009, he became the head coach of both the men’s and women’s team in 2014 when Nate took a job at Emmanuel.

“I think one of the main things that we make sure that we have to do is your culture that you talk about all the time, you have to buy in yourself,” Moorman said. “Buying into your own culture means living by example, and that’s what I think that a lot of them understand. You’re

going to get a lot more people, to buy in quicker if you’re buying in yourself.”

On the mat, Moorman has built a wrestling dynasty that includes 20 WCWA national champions and two alumni who have competed in the Olympics, including Sarah Hildebrandt, a bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Off the mat, he has instilled a culture that he believes has been the key to success.

“You have to have fun,” Moorman commented. “It’s honestly crazy from my perspective how many people have to be fixed from growing up where it became a burden and a job, and it became something they did for other people, so we try to get them to tap back to when they were a little kid and why did they stick with it? Because it was fun. If we do that then we improve a lot better, so we do a lot of them understanding their why in this sport and understand that everything they’re doing is for themselves first, as far as wrestling is concerned.”

Moorman isn’t just about teaching others; he has learned a lot just from listening, something he applauds his former wrestlers for.

“As you grow as a coach, you take this from anyone, whether it’s someone you compete against or someone you’re just having a conversation with or if it’s at a seminar or whether it’s someone you’ve worked under, you learn a lot of the things that you like and you learn some things that you would probably do different and you make it your own. I think that all of them are doing that very well.”

The task of building that culture is one that Moorman says starts during the recruiting process.

“What you’re looking for in a recruit is obviously that they’re competitive, but also a quality of character because what really builds your culture is the character of the members of your program. When you’re looking at assistant coaches, it’s just like looking at recruits, what kind of character do they have and what they’re going to bring into this environment.” K

Dr. Don Hudson

6/22/1959 — 11/15/2022

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25-26

King mourns the death of our colleague and friend Don Hudson, a longtime faculty member in our College of Arts and Sciences and Chair of the Bible & Religion Department.

Don was a treasured member of the King community, and his zeal for understanding the Christian Scriptures in the 21st century was evident among those who were privileged to sit under his instruction. His influence extends far beyond the classroom, as he authored, coauthored, or edited dozens of books, essays, and articles for a variety of scholarly publications. He also served as a consultant with international organizations managing refugee populations in Germany, Austria, and Turkey.

John Michael Morgan

11/24/1948 — 12/25/2023

King is grateful for the life of John Michael Morgan, a friend of the University who shared his lifelong love of collecting Bibles with many students and colleagues in our community. Mike died December 25, 2023.

Professor of History and Director of the King Institute for Faith & Culture, Martin Dotterweich, Ph.D., recalls the openness with which Mike shared his remarkable collection.

“He welcomed everyone,” said Martin. “I cannot stress how unusual this is. Mike welcomed young and old, scholars and amateurs, friends and strangers to come touch the books, feel the softness of the rag paper, catch their soft musty scent, take photos. Picture six or seven tables, each holding four or five precious volumes, surrounded by people — and Mike engaging with folks individually, answering their questions, rather than watching in terror as his books were pawed over.”

Mike’s legacy will live on through his collection and the many scholars who admired it. Over a lifetime he managed to gather such volumes as a Coverdale Bible, a

Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Don. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive him into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. Amen. K

Great Bible, a Matthew Bible, a Bishops’ Bible, and most remarkably, a 1611 King James or Authorized Version.

Martin noted that Mike was more than just a collector – he saw himself as a steward of the beautiful folios.

“Mike was just a lovely, lovely man, and a delightful friend. And in his dying he gave us one final presentation, one final hymn — and it’s us,” Martin said. “The vast network of people whom Mike loved, and who loved Mike, come from all over the world, with different interests and backgrounds and concerns. But he collected us just like he collected his books. We, Mike’s friends, are a display as compelling as his Bibles of how God speaks love and mercy to draw us to himself.” K

Dr. Miller Liston ’63

12/22/1936 — 12/28/2022

King is saddened to share news of the death of distinguished alumnus, trustee, and beloved University community member Dr. Miller Liston ’63. Miller died Dec. 28, 2022, at the age of 86 in Laurinburg, North Carolina.

Miller first came to King in 1943 when his father, R.T.L. Liston, was named King’s 12th president. Throughout much of his childhood he lived on campus in the TadlockWallace House, and following high school, he began preparing for a career in medicine by enrolling at King and majoring in biology and chemistry. He left Bristol for a time to join the U.S. Navy, earning his wings in the Aviation Cadet Program in 1959 and completing active-duty service in 1961 before enlisting in the U.S. Navy Reserve and returning to King to complete his bachelor’s degree in science.

Although he long dreamed of becoming a doctor and had enrolled at the University of Tennessee’s Medical School in Memphis, Miller felt called to the ministry. He entered

Columbia Theological Seminary and became a Presbyterian minister, leading churches throughout the southeast. Following his retirement, he continued to serve as an interim pastor for Presbyterian churches throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

He also served his country as a pilot in the Navy Reserve for 12 years and as a chaplain for 27 years, retiring with the rank of Captain in 1996.

Miller found many ways to give back to King – often with his wife, Anne, by his side. Anne graduated from King in 1957 and frequently joined Miller in distributing exam care packages to students, serving refreshments at campus receptions, and assisting with administrative tasks. Their consistent generosity earned them recognition as Volunteers of the Year in 2010.

Miller also invested in the lives of students through scholarship programs. The Anne Liston Foundation Scholarship honors the memory of his wife by providing tuition assistance to the children of Presbyterian ministers, missionaries and staff members.

service, and peer engagement.

For his exemplary service and generosity, King presented Miller with an honorary doctorate in 1987, recognizing him as an “effective church developer, seasoned veteran of the armed forces, patriot, enthusiastic promoter of small church ministries, loyal alumnus, and dedicated servant of our Lord Jesus Christ.” He was also named a Distinguished Alumnus in 2019.

The Liston Family Scholars Program, King’s most prestigious academic award, provides full tuition for students who demonstrate academic scholarship, Christian fellowship, community and civic

Miller and Anne have two daughters, Maria Anne ‘82, professor of Anthropology at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, and Margaret (Mrs. David Reid) who lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and is the mother of the Listons’ two grandchildren, Maria and Ripley.

For those wishing to honor Miller’s life, the family has requested that donations be made to King University, Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church, Scotia Village Retirement Community, or a charity of choice. The family also notes that others can honor his memory by helping to save turtles, moving them out of the road in the direction they were traveling. K

In Remembrance

Dr. James Phillips Noble ’43

March 12, 2022

Jean Hale ’45

November 28, 2023

Evamay Furse Ward ’47

January 29, 2022

Billie Childress Plank ’47

February 11, 2022

Martha Hall Warren ’49

October 28, 2021

Rollin Herbert “Herb” Wallick ’50

June 7, 2021

The Rev. Harold Reed Patteson, Sr. ’51

March 20, 2023

Paul Edward Lloyd ’53

January 14, 2022

Dr. James Edward Ives ’53

December 1, 2022

Rodney Ross Hull ’54

October 13, 2021

Mary Carolyn Crow Beard ’55

December 21, 2023

Billie O’Bryan Thorington ’55

September 4, 2022

Leroy (Lee) Fleming Smith, Jr. ’56

January 29, 2020

Nancy Greenhoe Fronk ’57

January 2, 2022

Stella Lois Ward Whitlock ’57

August 13, 2021

The Rev. Stephen Allan Bacon ’58

November 19, 2022

Charles Francis “Frank” Hull ’58

November 24, 2021

William “Bill” Eugene Wolfe, Jr. ’59

February 19, 2023

Jack William Lowe, Jr. ’60

January 22, 2024

Frank F. Walsdorf ’60

August 8, 2021

Joyce Williams Spita ’60

October 12, 2022

Dr. Jack Beaver ’61

October 12, 2021

Joan Anderson Murray ’62

April 11, 2022

Nancy King O’Dell ’62

December 8, 2023

Gary Allen Bullock ’63

April 2022

Thomas Little ’63

December 24, 2022

Lucy Ann Roberts Martinez ’63

November 10, 2021

Bill Phipps ’64

January 28, 2024

Howard W. Seitz, Jr. ’64

December 18, 2021

Ramon “Snooky” Eugene Bryant ’65

January 14, 2022

Ralph Samuel Hinch ’65

April 28, 2022

Anne Walker Powell Honeycutt ’65

June 9, 2023

Diane Elizabeth Gehman ’69

Daniel Evans Hale ’69

Donald Mack Rowe ’69

May 14, 2022

Carolyn J. Scruggs ’69

December 22, 2021

Pastor Evelyn Taylor Haney ’71 June 3, 2022

George Randolph Edwards ’72 September 24, 2021

Steve Oscar Williams ’72 October 17, 2022

Michalakis S. Georgiades ’75 September 27, 2021

Paul Douglas Williams ’80 October 27, 2020

John Robert Bruck ’85

December 1, 2022

Chris O’Brien Kirkpatrick ’97 November 4, 2021

Christopher Ryan Toomey ’97 June 6, 2022

Mary Elizabeth Berry ’09 September 21, 2022

Kimberly Farmer Dunbar Bowman ’13 May 2, 2022

Heather Danielle Croy ’14 December 13, 2022

Hunter Wyatt Lane ’17 December 12, 2023

Dr. Jule C. Spach, Honorary Doctor of Letters March 26, 2022

David Frank Miller ’20 September 22, 2021

Faculty

Carolyn Hawkins Brown, Retired Faculty June 6, 2022

1960s

FISHING vCHICKENS

Dr. Jim Casada ’64 is the author of Fishing for Chickens: A Smokies Food Memoir, which was recently released by the University of Georgia Press. The 330-page book features dozens of vintage photographs, a glossary of Smokies’ food terms, a bibliography of books on the region’s foodways, and more than a hundred old-time recipes. The heart of the book is its narrative coverage of how folks raised crops and livestock, gathered foodstuffs from nature’s larder, and canned, cured, and preserved their edibles.

Casada grew up in Bryson City, North Carolina, and cut his sporting teeth hunting and fishing around that mountain town. He says “a corner of his heart” belongs to the high country, and he has won almost 200 craft awards for his writing and photography, is an Honorary Life Member and recipient of the Arnold Gingrich Memorial Award of the Federation of Fly Fishers, and was an inaugural inductee into the Fly Fishing Museum of the Southern Appalachians Hall of Fame.

1970s

Paul Montgomery ’74, member of King’s Board of Trustees and longtime business leader, philanthropist, community steward, and champion of education, was honored by the Kingsport Chamber with its prestigious Lifetime Member Award in November 2022. The award goes to an individual who has made an enormous contribution to the Kingsport Chamber and the community throughout his or her lifetime.

1980s

Fred Staley ’81 accepted the position of executive director of Church Operations at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. His previous experience includes serving as business manager for a Presbyterian church

in Knoxville, Tennessee, and administrative and financial management positions in secular settings, including his family’s business, Staley Marble & Granite in Knoxville. He is active in several church-related professional networks, including the Episcopal Parish Network (formerly the Consortium of Endowed Episcopal Parishes), to which St. Stephen’s belongs. Staley serves on their board and is assistant treasurer.

1990s

Rebecca Reynolds ’92 is the author of Boy Momma!, a study of women in the Bible who raised sons, released in 2022. Reynolds notes that the back cover of the book features a photo of herself with her son, Jacob, a King alum of the class of 2022, near the King’s Den and student lounge.

“We did not know this photo would end up being featured in the book,” she said. “It was taken in April 2022 on the day Jacob was going to Dogwood and I was leaving to attend the first annual KU Celebration of the Arts event at the Train Station. What a thrill it is to my heart that this picture, so special to two generations of my family, would be featured on the back cover of my first book!”

Darren Mangus ’94 was recently promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer at Noregon. Mangus will oversee Marketing, Product Management, Engineering, IT, Operations, Accounting, Human Resources, and Sales. “I am honored to announce Darren Mangus as our new President and COO,” said Noregon CEO, Bill Hathaway. “Darren has been an integral part of the Noregon team for the past two years and has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and expertise.”

Doug Vance, Jr. ’96 was elected in 2022 to serve as General Sessions Judge for the 2nd Judicial District, Sullivan County, Tennessee. Judge Vance studied Political Science and History at King, and served as an adjunct professor from 2008-2018, teaching graduate-level business courses.

Laurie (Slagenwhite) Walters ’99 was promoted as the Head of Youth Services at Brighton District Library in Brighton, Michigan.

2000s

Manolo Betancur ’04, the Baker of Happiness, recently returned from a second mission trip to Ukraine. Betancur spent time collecting funds and goods to help a bakery bring food, love, and aid to their community, and his experience there included witnessing the pain of those impacted by the war. One elderly man shared his story with Betancur, saying “my grandson was 26, and every day he left the basement to deliver food to elderly people in other basements. One day he did not return. His body was found with hands and feet tied, and signs of torture on him. I asked why not me instead, I am 76 years old.”

In response to his experiences, Betancur noted that he is believing for “peace and hope together in bread,” and asks others to “pray to create an army of faith for those who are in the field…for those who can’t believe that this war will be won on behalf of the free world.”

Dr. Noah Hall ’06 is serving as the Chief of Gastroenterology at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, where he was recently promoted to the rank of Lt. Colonel. He and his wife, Katie ’07, live in Alexandria.

2010s

Sarah Hutchinson ’10 was named a 40 under 40 recipient by the Business Journal of the Tri-Cities Tennessee & Virginia. Hutchinson is the Senior Director of IT & Graphic Design at the Bristol Chamber of Commerce.

Becky Nave ’10 was recently named the mayor of Bristol, Virginia. Nave currently serves as the Senior Destination Development Specialist for the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Previously, she worked with the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, People Incorporated, and the Bristol Chamber of Commerce. She is a graduate of Lead Virginia Class of 2020 and Lead Bristol Class of 2009.

Ashlyn Davidson Greer ’12, founder of the virtual styling service Fashivly, was recently featured in the New York Times for her story “Millennials Don’t Know What to Wear. Gen Z has Thoughts.”

Kalen Hunter ’12, ’13, was named one of The Business Journal of the Tri-Cities 40 Under Forty for 2023. “I was honored to receive this recognition,” Hunter said. “It was great being noticed for my contributions to the region, along with the additional 39 awardees. I can attribute most of where I am today to my experience at King.”

Hunter serves as director of economic development and GO Virginia Region 1, where she works to grow the region and retain workforce talent throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Previously, she served as the executive director of the northeast Tennessee chapter of the Red Cross.

Hunter graduated with a bachelor of arts in technical and professional communication, as well as a master of business administration from King.

“I played college basketball at King for five years, and it was mentally, physically, and emotionally demanding, but I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything,” she said. “In particular, it helped me become a disciplined, organized, and structured person, and encouraged me to really push myself. I now apply that to my efforts in helping the region move forward.”

Maegan Henry ’15, ’19 was recently selected as Educator of the Week by WJHL. Henry is a science teacher at Sullivan East High School in Bluff City, Tennessee. “Teaching allows me to bring two passions of mine together,” Henry said. “I’m able to share my love of science which is my first passion and also to help other people.”

Kendyl Baird ’16 has been inducted into the 20222023 class of the United Soccer Coaches’ 30 Under 30 Program. She currently serves as head men’s soccer coach at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina, and is one of only three women to serve as head coach for a men’s team.

“I was surprised that I got it, super excited,” Baird said, “but I’ve gotten myself into a good position, career-wise, and I think that helped. This recognition will help pay for us to go to conventions and gain extra learning and being able to take a class and gain more knowledge is really awesome.”

She credits her success to her time at King. “King is definitely home for me. While I was there, I grew in so many ways and in so many different aspects of my life. I met people who impacted my life,” she said.

Breaking barriers as one of the only female head coaches of a men’s team in the country, she feels encouraged for the future of co-ed coaching. “I’m trying to pave the way,” said Baird. “If there are girls who want to coach at the college level and want to coach men at the high school or the college level, it’s just like, go for it, you know, just try for it and really put yourself out there.”

Zachary Glenn Sykes ’18 welcomed his newborn son on June 21, 2022. He is also the father to an 8-year-old girl.

Bryan Walker ’19 has been named Vice President of Virginia Operations at Strongwell in Bristol, Virginia. Before being named Vice President of Virginia Operations, Walker acted as Strongwell’s Bristol Manufacturing Manager and Virginia Manufacturing Operations Manager.

2020s

Kelsey Honaker ’21, ’23 was recently selected as a Teacher of the Week by WLAF and Eagle Tire Pros. Honaker currently teaches first grade at Jacksboro Elementary School in Jacksboro, Tennessee.

Shelbey Walker ’23 will participate in the New Graduate Emergency Room Nurse Residency Program at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, one of the nation’s top health care employers. She will be working on the medical-surgical floor in the initial phase of the program. Afterward, she will transition to the Emergency Department.

ALUMNI AWARDS 2022

Distinguished Alumni Award ’22

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to those who have made worthy contributions in many areas of life, particularly in the areas of the “Three C’s,” – college, church, and community. This award recognizes alumni who exemplify the values King University upholds: Christian faith, service, career, and scholarship.

Griff and Julie Shuler ’91 met and began dating while at King. Julie was studying biology while Griff pursued a degree in political science/history with a minor in Bible and religion. After their graduation in 1991, Julie enrolled at Samford University to pursue a degree in pharmacy, and Griff enrolled at Wake Forest to study law.

The couple continued to date long distance and married in 1994, settling down in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Julie worked for 25 years as a hospital pharmacist with Novant Health Forsyth Medical

Center. Griff took a job in a law firm where he clerked during law school. He worked in general practice law for approximately six years before concentrating on civil litigation, workers’ compensation, and disability law. He opened his own law practice with attorney David Daggett more than a decade ago.

Julie retired from her successful pharmacy career in order to become more involved in the community. She used her pharmacy knowledge and experience to assist during the COVID-19 pandemic, taking additional coursework to expand her understanding of how to treat the virus and volunteering at the local county department of public health.

Both Julie and Griff have been very involved in their local church. Griff has served as an elder, worked on several different committees, and taught adult Sunday school for a number of years. The couple has also participated in mission work. They traveled to the Dominican Republic to assist Mission Emanuel, a crosscultural, relational, Christian ministry that promotes discipleship through

short-term mission trips focused on community transformation. While in the Dominican Republic, Julie, Griff, and their daughter, Perrin, assisted in the building of a new church. They also reached out to local communities to assist with a bible school for kids and worked toward establishing a medical center.

Griff and his law partner built their firm very much with the idea of being involved in the community. They run a program, “Safe Sober,” which has become the largest and longestrunning privately funded initiative of its kind in the United States. Every year they reach out to students to create awareness of the dangers of drug and alcohol consumption, and they have reached more than 600,000 high school students through the program.

The firm is also the title sponsor for TOPSoccer, a program for mentally and physically challenged youth in the community. Julie comes from an athletic background, and Griff, a former King College soccer star, works with the children to improve their skills. K

Christian Service Award ’22

The Christian Service Award honors alumni who have dedicated their lives in full-time service to fulfill the commission of Jesus Christ, as found in the gospels.

Born in Appalachia, Virginia, Reverend Joe Green ’71 learned the value of hard work from his father and the power and grace of the Lord from his mother, who served as a church organist for 80 years. As a young man, Joe worked with his father in the funeral business, which has become a family tradition. The family is very proud that three sons, two grandsons, and a great-grandson have also chosen the profession as their vocation.

Joe attended King, graduating in 1971. An amiable man with a great sense of humor and a gentle heart, he answered the call to pastoral ministry during his final semester at King and decided to attend seminary in Kentucky. He then devoted his life to Christian service and the church, touching thousands of lives over 50

years of ministry.

During his ministry Joe served six pastoral appointments in the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church in Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee. He helped build three churches and was active in the renovation of an educational facility. He spent time ministering to college students and was later sent to pastor an older congregation, serving for 17 years and tripling the size of that congregation.

Every congregation he pastored experienced significant growth. In 2012 he became the District Superintendent of the Cleveland, Tennessee, United Methodist District. His last appointment was as senior minister of the First Broad Street United Methodist Church in Kingsport, Tennessee, spreading the word of God to a congregation with a membership of 2,100. There, with the assistance of two associate ministers, he helped establish a new Discipleship Program, a six-year journey for people who wish to grow in their walk with Jesus.

After retirement, he was the interim pastor at a small church in Townsend, Tennessee, for 18 months and now serves as Pastor Emeritus for Alcoa First United Methodist Church, where he formerly served 17 years as senior pastor.

Joe notes that one of his proudest achievements is the 17 men and women from his various appointments who have since entered ministry full-time. K

The Legacy Award ’22

King is blessed to be a proud educational tradition for many families. Established in 2009, the Legacy Award recognizes families with multiple generations who have attended King and whose members demonstrate an extraordinary lifetime of service, achievement, and commitment to King’s mission and vision.

Dr. Charles Owens ’66 spent his childhood in Bristol, Virginia. He was encouraged in high school to apply to King College by a guidance counselor who happened to be a King alumna. He enrolled in the fall of 1963 and set upon an educational journey that would influence the lives of thousands of students over the following four decades.

At King, Charlie first began studying chemistry, and later switched his major to biology. He graduated in 1967 and pursued a Ph.D. in genetics from Virginia Tech. After graduate school, he returned to King to join the Biology Department.

In time, both of Charlie’s daughters also attended King. Dr. Angela Owens used her studies to progress toward becoming a successful pharmacist, and Pamela Owens Clements ’94 graduated with a degree in behavioral science with a minor in education.

ALUMNI AWARDS 2022

Both women also met their husbands while students at King. Angie’s husband, Dr. Dwight Owens ’18, entered pharmacy school along with her after studying at King, and later earned a King MBA. Pam’s husband, Benjamin Clements ’95, holds a degree in mathematics with minors in physics and business from King.

Charlie continues to be an active member of the King community. He has attended numerous Dogwood events, picnics, and other gatherings. He exemplifies King’s mission to be a thoughtful, resourceful, and responsible citizen with a passion for serving God, the Church, and the world.

His fingerprint on the lives of so many is evident in the success of his students, the fond memories of their time at King, those of faculty and staff members who worked alongside him, and also the lasting influence he bears on the Biology Department. And his legacy continues – Charlie’s granddaughter will soon be attending King. K

Young Alumni Award ’22

The Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes those 40 or younger who have made outstanding professional contributions in their field and shown a strong commitment to serving others.

Dillon Faver ’12 was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, and raised in Bristol, Tennessee. He attended Sullivan East High School, where he was a track standout. It was through track that he learned of King University. Intent on becoming a teacher, Dillon enrolled at King and earned his bachelor’s degree in math in 2012, followed by a master’s in education.

Before even graduating, he received a transitional license and was hired by his high school alma mater to teach math and coach basketball as an assistant coach. Over the past 10 years at the school, he has achieved a rating of Level Five as a Secondary Math educator nine years

in a row and has been an integral part of the basketball team, winning district, regional, and conference championships. He also assisted in leading the team to an Elite 8 appearance in the Tennessee State Championships.

For the past two years, he has served as the head men’s basketball coach. As a first-year coach, he led his team to a 25game win season, the Three Rivers Conference Championship, District Championship, and a Sweet 16 state appearance. He also earned Conference Coach of the Year and Northeast Tennessee Coach of the Year honors.

Dillon is active in the community and conducts a weekly workshop, “Fav’s Fundamentals,” for young athletes to learn and develop their skills at the Impact Community Center (ICC) in Bluff City, Tennessee. He implemented and managed the Patriot Summer Basketball Camp for elementary and middle school children, encouraging varsity and junior varsity athletes to participate as camp coaches. Dillon was a coach for the Point Guard College (PGC) basketball camp and the substitute director for the summer leadership camp.

He is also a leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a member of the East Coaches’ Bible Study and lives his life by the teachings of Christ. He is known for bringing out the best in his students

and players and leading by example, both through his work ethic and Christian principles. In his short professional career, he has already touched many lives as a coach, mentor, volunteer, and teacher. K

Honorary Alumni Award ’22

The Honorary Alumni Award recognizes individuals who, although not King graduates, have made significant contributions through their distinguished record of Christian faith and service. Those honored with this award are forever considered a King University Alumna.

Few in the King community have served so long or touched so many lives as Leona Jennings.

She arrived in Bristol, Tennessee, in 1973 with her husband, Michael, and took a job with a Bristol-based dental supply company. After that company was purchased in 1980, Leona came to King, where she continues to serve today.

Leona first worked in the Business Office for four years before being offered a position in Student Affairs. Now in her 42nd year with King and serving as the executive assistant to the vice president of Student Affairs, she still loves getting to know new students and creating

personal connections. Now, as it has been for many years, students feel comfortable asking her for guidance on academic as well as personal issues. She consistently honors and values their trust, and because of that, many friendships have continued on past graduation.

Leona notes that she is honored to be amongst other popular honorary alumni award recipients, including Jewel Bell and Dr. Bill Wade. Her son, Logan Jennings, graduated from King in 2013 and currently serves as a senior enrollment counselor for the University. K

Volunteer of the Year Award ’22

The Volunteer of the Year Award honors alumni who have committed a significant portion of their time and talents to further the mission of King. An institution the size of King would not be able to function without the faithful efforts of its volunteers.

Following in her mother’s footsteps, Sharon Nash ’83 became a second-generation King student, majoring in economics and business administration. At King, Sharon was able to see Christianity lived out by the faculty, staff, and students, and how this was carried over into community. She was moved by the

fact that the spiritual development of King alumni continued after graduation and that alumni served as stewards of Christianity in the real world throughout their careers.

Over the years she has remained a committed servant to the King community, generously sharing her time. She was an active member of the Alumni Advisory Council and undertook lengthy trips to be present at on-campus council meetings. She served the maximum allowable tenure on the council, providing an unwavering voice of support for the Christian education provided by King and offering sound input for King’s future.

Sharon still serves as an emeritus member on the Alumni Advisory Council, and she and her husband have together made significant contributions over the years. Their generosity has helped King to move forward with new initiatives, beautification of the campus, and student scholarship opportunities, including the Nash Family Endowed Scholarship. Recently, she was inspired to purchase a 3D printer for King’s Digital Media Art & Design (DMAD) program, a technology that was used in the early days of the pandemic to produce much-needed face shields for healthcare workers.

Sharon and her husband have always been avid travelers and have lived in multiple cities in the United States and abroad. They enjoy spending time with their two children, Rachel and Matthew, and their two grandchildren, Mason and Ben. K

ALUMNI AWARDS 2023

Distinguished Alumni Award ’23

The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented to those who have made worthy contributions in many areas of life, particularly in the areas of the “Three C’s,” – college, church, and community. This award recognizes alumni who exemplify the values King University upholds: Christian faith, service, career, and scholarship.

After earning valedictorian honors from his high school class in western North Carolina, Maj. Gen. Howard McMahan, M.D., USAF (retired) ’71, arrived at King in 1967 and distinguished himself academically, graduating summa cum laude with a degree in Mathematics in 1971. He then attended the University of North Carolina School of Medicine for his medical degree.

Howard served his country by enlisting in the United States Air Force, eventually advancing to the rank of Major General in 2005 before his retirement. As an officer,

he earned numerous recognitions, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Command Flight Surgeon of the Year, National Defense Medal with 1 Device, the Air Force Longevity Service Medal, and more.

In addition to his impressive military career, Howard also served his community as an orthopedic surgeon in Atlanta and on the faculties of the Georgia Orthopedic Society and Atlanta Medical. He is a member of several professional organizations, and a lifetime member of the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States.

Howard’s willingness to serve others is a quality that King works to instill and model throughout the community. Additionally, his friends and family note that while Howard has achieved distinction and acclaim throughout his career, one of his most endearing qualities is his authentic sense of humility. K

Christian Service Award ’23

The Christian Service Award honors alumni who have dedicated their lives in full-time service to fulfill the commission of Jesus Christ, as found in the gospels.

Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, Elliott Gregory ’06 felt drawn to ministry from a young age. He attended a small high school and played in the band, watching as both his older sisters attended King. When it came time to choose a college, he believed King could help him grow his faith and pursue his calling to serve others.

As a self-proclaimed average student who didn’t stand out in

high school, Elliott says King helped him feel seen and taught him how to bring out the best in himself and others. He notes that the education he received in King’s Bible & Religion courses helps him do his job daily, and he applauds King’s teachers for helping him and other students engage in independent and critical thinking.

Following his graduation from King he attended Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, earning a master’s degree and going into youth ministry. He later returned to Bristol to accept a position at Discovery Church in Bristol, Tennessee, where he has served since 2015.

Together with his wife, Christy Gregory ’06, who he first met on King’s freshman trip to Washington, D.C., Elliott works to offer premarital counseling to engaged couples and lead mission trips with youth groups. He also oversees coordination of small groups and helps direct visiting university students to a College Life Small Group, led by Jason and Sara Thead ’15.

In addition, Elliott is an adjunct youth ministry instructor at King, where he frequently speaks in chapel. The couple encourages students to participate in as many experiences as they can while at King and enjoy being part of the community.

Elliott and Christy reside in Bristol with their daughters Cora and Everleigh, son Levi, and Speckles, their dog. K

The Legacy Award ’23

King is blessed to be a proud educational tradition for many families. Established in 2009, the Legacy Award recognizes families with multiple generations who have attended King and whose members demonstrate an extraordinary lifetime of service, achievement, and commitment to King’s mission and vision.

King University’s legacy is made stronger for the support of generations of legacy families, including the Long family and alumna Mardia Long ’77, who has devoted her life to the service of others.

Her family’s tradition at King began with Jean and Mary Wright, two of Mardia’s aunts, who attended in the 1950s. Her uncle, the Rev. Dr. Hugh Bradley, taught at King. After her own graduation in 1977, Mardia encouraged her oldest son, Rev. Bradley Long, to attend. He went on to graduate with a double major in

Bible & Religion and Spanish in 2007, the same year as his wife, Jessica Brown Long ’07. Mardia’s youngest child, Tinsley, graduated in 2014 with a degree in Theatre.

Exemplifying King’s spirit of excellence, Mardia has shown a deep commitment to her work as a physical therapist and also to her role as volunteer choir director for regional churches. After studying Biology at King, she worked for many years with children before transitioning to hospital environments and positions in skilled nursing homes.

Mardia is well known for her ability to engage and involve anyone who is interested in being a part of a choir, regardless of their skill level or training. For more than two decades she has served as volunteer choir director for Memorial Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church in Pulaski, Virginia, encouraging members with consistent patience and joy. Her enthusiasm often leads her to discover new music for her choirs and encourage others to become involved in local musical events, such as the annual Worship and Music Conference in Montreat, North Carolina.

King is thankful for the devotion of Mardia and her family, and proud for the strong role they play in the University’s ongoing legacy. K

ALUMNI AWARDS 2023

Young Alumni Award ’23

The Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes those 40 or younger who have made outstanding professional contributions in their field and shown a strong commitment to serving others.

A lifelong native of Southwest Virginia, Kenneth McVey, D.O. ’13, has a long-standing habit of supporting all those around him.

Science was always an enormous influence and love of Kenneth’s,

starting with educational television shows in elementary school and the example of his grandfather, a medical doctor. After graduating from high school in Richlands, Virginia, he heeded the advice of his aunt and uncle, who advised him to attend King on the strength of its science programs.

Soon his first love became his major of choice. He began to pursue studies in neuroscience and was an outstanding research student in the lab of former Biology Department chair Vanessa Fitsanakis, where he co-authored multiple science publications and conducted research with the help of funding from by the Colonel Lee B. Ledford award from the Appalachian College Association. Kenneth also served in King’s Student Government Association as a biology tutor and was selected for the M. Jeffery Byrd Distinguished Service Award at graduation.

Kenneth went on to pursue a doctor of osteopathic medicine

from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He then returned to the Tri-Cities to complete his residency in family medicine at East Tennessee State University, putting his studies to work for the health and healing of others.

Today, like his grandfather before him, Kenneth serves his home community as a family physician with Clinch Valley Medical Center. He resides in Richlands, Virginia, with his wife, Nikki, a lawyer, and his daughters, Kennedy and Alana.

In addition to supporting the health needs of rural Appalachian communities, Kenneth volunteers with the Richlands Fire-Rescue team and the nearby Lebanon Lifesaving Crew. In 2022, his efforts earned him a nomination for the Virginia Governor’s Award for Physician with Outstanding Contribution to EMS.

He is also involved with local emergency medical technician (EMT) organizations, having begun as an EMT in Lebanon while still at King. K

Honorary Alumni Award ’23

The Honorary Alumni Award recognizes individuals who, although not King graduates, have made significant contributions through their distinguished record of Christian faith and service. Those honored with this award are forever considered a King University Alumna.

For thousands of King alumni, beloved professor Craig McDonald, Ph.D., represents the voice of encouragement, lifelong curiosity, and excellence in all pursuits.

Raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Craig attended and graduated from nearby Davidson College before continuing his education at William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, and then the University of York in York, England.

It may surprise some to know that

the King professor best recognized for his delight in Shakespeare and Chaucer and an intense focus on the fundamentals of writing very nearly pursued a different career – one in electrical engineering.

An encounter with one of his own professors in college was the catalyst for change. That professor, Craig says, instructed him on the significance of the written word as well as ways to explore the ideas contained within, igniting a love for literature that he was not at first aware of, but one that has since influenced his own journey and many others.

After earning his doctorate, Craig returned to the U.S. and began his teaching career at Glenville State College in West Virginia. He joined the King faculty in 1982 and for more than 30 years served as an instructor, role model, and mentor to generations of alumni, fueling the same sense of curiosity and adventure he discovered in his own studies.

While his sense of humility prevents him from sharing the name of the professor who sparked his foray as an educator, Craig says he had the wonderful opportunity to meet with him and his wife and share his gratitude for the many positive impacts he had on his life.

Now retired, Craig enjoys reading, meditating, and playing the cello. He and his wife Karen have been married since 1975 and have two children, Seth and Kate, and a grandson, Will. The couple currently resides in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and occasionally returns to campus to visit with the many friends they’ve made over the years. K

FACULTY AND STAFF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Ljiljana Krizanac-Bengez, D.M.Sc., associate professor, Health Sciences & Health Informatics program coordinator, received a nomination and became a recipient of Marquis Professional Who’s Who. Their editorial team has also chosen to include her in their Millennium Magazine, as well as on the Who’s Who of Professional Women, which will be released next year.

In addition, as a longtime member of the Nashville Health Care Council’s Leadership in Health Care (LHC), Krizanac-Bengez was selected to serve on one of their committees and as a member of the Retail Health Cohort Mentoring Program focused on digital health during 2022 and 2023.

Lori C. Byington, M.A., assistant professor of English, authored the semi-fiction story “Finally. . .” in the anthology Daffodil Dreams by Jan-Carol Publishing, spring 2022. It is about Byington’s maternal grandmother, who was head of the Bristol, Tennessee draft board during WWII, and the strength she demonstrated while she waited on her grandfather to return from the war. The story is one of eight in the anthology, which features strong Appalachian women as the main characters.

Byington also authored “Those Who Came Before,” which appeared in the anthology These Haunted Hills IV, by Jan-Carol Publishing in fall 2022. The Halloweenthemed story is about a red wolf ghost that comes back to greet a Cherokee chief ghost to guard the pond where they both once lived. The pond in the story is based on the one across from the Middlebrook neighborhood in Bristol, Tennessee, where coywolves can be heard yapping and howling on the ridge close to sundown each evening.

Xanshunta Polk, DBA, School of Business, Economics, and Technology, and colleague Daryl Green, DSL, of Oklahoma Baptist University, published an article titled “The Rise of Triller: A Case Study on Persuasive Technology” in the May/June 2022 issue of the American Research Journal of Business and Management.

Andrew Simoson, Ph.D., professor of Mathematics, authored a review of George Szpiro’s 2020 book Risk, Choice, and Uncertainty, that appeared in The Mathematical Intelligencer, volume 44:2, Summer 2022. In June, Simoson gave a talk at Azusa Pacific College in Los Angeles, titled “A Homily on Hardy’s Apology.” The presentation was part of a math conference of the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences.

Matthew Roberts, Ed.D., provost and professor of Education, was chosen by the Chief Academic Officers Council of the Appalachian College Association (ACA) to be one of three lead instructors at the Summer 2022 Teaching and Leadership Institute hosted at Maryville College. Over the five-day intensive, Roberts worked with 15 faculty and staff from 12 institutions across the ACA to identify and build future academic leaders in the region.

Roberts was also recently nominated and appointed to serve as a Committee Chair for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC). In this capacity, he will lead committees in the peer-reviewed evaluation process for an institution’s accreditation certification, including both off-site and on-site reviews.

Glenn Sanders, Ph.D., dean of Arts & Sciences, and Matt Peltier, Ph.D., dean of Academic Services and University Librarian, attended the Council of Independent Colleges workshop “Deliberation and Debate: Advancing Civil Discourse through Courses for First-Year Students” in July. They represented one of 20 teams to participate.

The workshop devoted most of its time to pedagogical approaches for use in courses for first-year students, including the application of formal debate techniques and “deliberative pedagogy” –the teaching of group discussion methods for discerning effective courses of action. Additional presentations focused on the importance of free expression in democracy and civil discourse in classes and curricula.

Sanders also published a book review of Michael Hicks’ Richard III: The Self-Made King, which appeared in the journal of the Conference on Faith and History, Fides et Historia, 54.1.

Jodi Helbert, Ph.D., professor and Social Work program coordinator, was named Social Worker of the Year by the Northeast Tennessee branch of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW). She was recognized for her contributions to the social work profession as a community leader, as well as for the development and implementation of a series of humanitarian service engagements that raise awareness of issues, prevention strategies, and provide needed psychoeducation.

Helbert also received the 2022 YWCA Tribute to Women award in the Empower category. Her nomination was selected by an independent panel of judges in the area based on her leadership abilities, achievements, inspiration, and positive influence.

King’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program won the 2022 Outstanding Community Service Award from Phi Alpha, the international social work honor society. The program engages in a series of service-learning engagements annually on the King campus and in communities where students reside. Jodi Helbert, Ph.D., and students in the Social Work Action Group traveled to Anaheim, California, in November 2022 to present materials regarding the myriad service engagements developed and implemented by the program.

HOW TO SUPPORT Scholarships AT KING

1. Annual Fund for Scholarships and Programs:

Gifts of any size to this fund provide more than $1 Million in scholarship support annually to students.

2. Named Annual Scholarships: Donors who commit to a gift of $100 a month may establish a scholarship named for the donor, a loved one, favorite professor, or friend.

3. Named Endowed Scholarships: Donors who make a gift of $25,000 funded in 5 years or less ($5,000 per year) may establish a permanent scholarship fund where approximately $1,000 to $1,250 in scholarships are awarded annually to students. This scholarship may also be named for the donor, a loved one, favorite professor, or friend.

Named scholarship donors receive an acknowledgment annually from the student recipient of the scholarship.

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