VIPSEEN September 2019

VIPSEEN SEPTEMBER

CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS

2019

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Calendar SEPTEMBER 13-14 UMOJA FESTIVAL Downtown Johnson City Johnson City, TN 423-483-2062 umojajc.org

SEPTEMBER 14 6pm PETWORKS FUR BALL MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center Kingsport, TN 423-247-1671 petworkstn.com ST. JUDE WALK/RUN TRI-CITIES The Pinnacle 308 Bristol West Boulevard Bristol, TN fundraising.stjude.org SEPTEMBER 17 2-4pm IDEACADEMY 2001 Millennium Place Johnson City, TN ideacademy.com SEPTEMBER 18 8am-12pm IDEACADEMY MAIN EVENT 400 S. Wilcox Drive Kingsport, TN 37660 ideacademy.com SEPTEMBER 19 6pm THE FARMER & THE CHEF The Blackthorn Club Jonesborough, TN 423-279-0430 netfoodbank.org SEPTEMBER 20-22 BRISTOL RHYTHM AND ROOTS REUNION Downtown Bristol Bristol, TN/VA

423-573-1927 bristolrhythm.com

THE ZANNIS CUP Johnson City Country Club 1901 E Unaka Ave. Johnson City, TN 37601 423-723-9991 jcccsite.com SEPTEMBER 21 10am WALK TO DEFEAT ALS Borden Park Kingsport, TN 615-331-5556 6pm TOURNAMENT OF ROSES GALA MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center Kingsport, TN dbband.com SEPTEMBER 22 BRISTOL SESSIONS SUPER RAFFLE The Birthplace of Country Music bristolsessionssuperraffle.org SEPTEMBER 28 8am ROCK THE QUARRY 2324 W Stone Drive Kingsport, TN 423-247-3240 TennesseeBig.org 9am DODGEBRAWL 2019 Memorial Park Community Center Johnson City, TN 423-915-9257 jeremiahschool.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 5:30pm HEALING HANDS 14TH ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA The Olde Farm Bristol, VA 423-652-0260 healinghandshealthcenter.org SEPTEMBER 29 7:30am BLUEGRASS HALF MARATHON Founders Park Johnson City, TN 423-946-0519 BluegrassHalfMarathon.com OCTOBER 4–6 47TH ANNUAL NATIONAL STORYTELLING FESTIVAL Jonesborough, TN storytellingcenter.net/ festival/ OCTOBER 5 – 6 UNICOI COUNTY APPLE FESTIVAL Downtown Erwin Erwin, TN 423-743-3000 unicoicounty.org OCTOBER 14 23RD ANNUAL TENNESSEE GOLF CLASSIC Johnson City Country Club Johnson City, TN 423-975-5437 rmhsa.org OCTOBER 19 8:30am TRI-CITIES WALK TO END ALZHEIMER’S Pinnacle at Bristol Bristol, TN 423-928-4080 cblester@alz.org

10am TOUCH A TRUCK East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN 423-375-9174 info@juniorleagueofjc.com 6pm 5TH ANNUAL BARK OR TREAT Humane Society of Washington County Johnson City, TN 423-968-8533 hswctn.org OCTOBER 20 1pm MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER WALK Kingsport Farmers Market Kingsport, TN 423-957-0296 www.makingstirdeswalk. org OCTOBER 21 9am 5TH ANNUAL DENNIS PHILLIPS LEADERSHIP KINGSPORT GOLF TOURNAMENT Cattails at MeadowView Kingsport, TN 423-392-8800 kingsportchamber.org OCTOBER 24 6:30pm DAWN OF HOPE SPOOKTACULAR Johnson City Country Club

Johnson City, TN 423-434-5600 dawnofhope.com OCTOBER 25 – 26 KINGSPORT HALLOWEEN BASH Kingsport Farmers Market Kingsport, TN 423-392-8800 halloweenbashkingsport. com OCTOBER 26 9:30am HAUNTED HALFMARATHON & BOO TO BREW RELAY Downtown Jonesborough Jonesborough, TN werunevents.com 5pm HAUNTED HILL AT WILLIAM KING MUSEUM OF ART William King Museum of Art Abingdon, VA 276-628-5005 williamkingmuseum.org 7pm 5TH ANNUAL TRI-CITIES BOO BASH Carnegie Hotel Johnson City, TN 423-677-1515 dancingwiththetricitiesstars. com

7pm 2ND ANNUAL CASINO NIGHT FUNDRAISER Bristol Train Station Bristol, VA 423-764-2287 abusealternativesinc.org

SEPTEMBER @ BARTER THEATRE:

her escape, but she and her tormentors must wait until dark to play out this classic thriller’s chilling conclusion.

By Frederick Knott, Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher

Other shows this month

Wait Unitl Dark

Murder, secret identities, and a switchblade named Geraldine sets the stage for this white-knuckle thriller that will have you screeching with delight! In a new, fresh adaptation of Frederick Knott’s original compelling mystery that will have you shrieking out loud, this is the story of Susan Hendrix, a blind yet capable woman, is imperiled by a trio of men in her own apartment. As the climax builds to its unknown conclusion, Susan discovers that her blindness just might be the key to

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10am THE QUILLEN 100 Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, TN bikesignup.com/Race/TN/ Bristol/TheQuillen100

september 2019

THE LOOPHOLE THE PRODUCERS MAYTAG VIRGIN

Visit www.BarterTheatre.com or call 276-628-3991 for show times and to purchase tickets.

Contents

SEPTEMBER 2019 FEATURES

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SPECIAL FEATURE EDUCATION IN OUR REGION

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SPECIAL FEATURE SHAPING THE FUTURE

2019 Regional Educators of the Year

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SPECIAL FEATURE IN THE KNOW

Exciting Happenings at Colleges & Universities Around the Region

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SPECIAL FEATURE JOHNSON CITY COUNTRY CLUB

63 DEPARTMENTS

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Calendar of Events

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VIPBEAUTY Fresh Style

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VIPHOME

Teaching an Old Room New Tricks

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contents

VIPSEEN FOUNDER/PUBLISHER Angela J. Baker angela@vipseenmag.com

EVENTS

CO-OWNER Mickey J. Baker

ABINGDON 66 Lavell Garic Stephens Fall Winter 2019 Collection

BRISTOL 68 The Pinnacle 5K 69 Runnin’ for a Young ‘Un 5k 71 Rhythm & Racing JOHNSON CITY 72 100 Tri-Cities Women Big Give Event 74 Meet the Mountains 2019 75 Little Chicago Festival 78 Monkee’s Anniversary 79 Senior Expo 80 Trefoil Luncheon 81 Washington County United Way Kickoff 82 Ligero Altadis Event

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Angelica Ares angelica_a@vipseenmag.com EVENTS COORDINATOR Allison Galloway allison@vipseenmag.com SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER Nathan Mays COPY EDITOR Lucy Honeychurch BEAUTY EDITOR Sherri Jessee

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER Haley White ACCOUNT MANAGERS Lark Adams lark@vipseenmag.com Kirsten Hall kirsten@vipseenmag.com Beth Muncy beth@vipseenmag.com

Whitney Carr whitney@vipseenmag.com

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Morgan King morgan@vipseenmag.com

GATE CITY 84 Hear Me Roar

JONESBOROUGH 87 ScoopFest

KINGSPORT 92 17th Annual Pepsi Golf Classic 93 August Under the Stars 94 Dancing, Dining, and Ducks 96 Kingsport Chamber Breakfast with

Senator Marsha Blackburn 99 Legislative BBQ 100 Netherland Inn Lo Country Boil 103 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Kickoff 105 Sip of Summer 110 Tennessee Big Shots World Long Drive

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rachel K. Burrus Courtney Carberry Crystal Dawn Carter Linda Coffey Allison Galloway David Mallory & Todd Fields Serina Marshall Alice Salyer Beth Street Haley White PHOTOGRAPHY Rachel K. Burrus Courtney Carberry Crystal Dawn Carter Linda Coffey Allison Galloway Alice Salyer Haley White Mike Hensley, Johnson City Aerial Photography DIRECTOR OF DISTRIBUTION Barbara Werner DISTRIBUTION Charles Kilgore Martin Kilgore Mark Kilgore Leslie Morgan VIPSEEN, Inc., Tri-Cities 151 E. Main Street, Suite 5 Kingsport, TN 37660 423.398.5321 vipseenmag.com

She Says...

PUBLISHER’S LETTER

I often wonder what percentage of our region realizes…I mean actually REALIZES how blessed we are to be able to call this place “home”. From the picturesque scenery outside our windows to some of the friendliest and most giving people in the country; this place is the G.O.A.T.! (That’s how all the cool people say “greatest of all time”) Pulling together any given cover for VIPSEEN takes work and some are easier than others, but then there are the covers that literally take a village to pull off…Hello, September!

I am extremely grateful for all the extra help VIPSEEN had making this cover a reality. I know it may seem to be as simple and quick as arranging people and clicking the camera, so I am going to finish this letter by thanking all the people I had to lean on to make this two-day cover shoot a success.

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KIRSTEN HALL: Not only did she go above and beyond her role as an Account Manager, she also coordinated with 14 universities and colleges to get their President/Chancellor there on one of the two days of the photo shoot. She then also coordinated with the Johnson City Country Club to use their facility for the photo shoot. After securing the club, she consulted with Mallory & Fields for the set design. All of this took a lot of time, energy and effort and I am very grateful for her hard work and dedication. Thank you, Kirsten!

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THE JOHNSON CITY COUNTRY CLUB: I cannot say enough about how helpful Deb and her staff were through this entire process. Deb came in on her days off and bent over backwards to help make this shoot a success. Both days of the shoot she provided fruit, meat, and cheese trays…even preparing the food herself on the first day of the shoot. Thank you, Deb. You are amazing!

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DAVID AND TODD FROM MALLORY & FIELDS: these two are the real deal. They possess a raw, natural talent for design that is nothing short of mind-blowing. They gave of their time, talent, and resources, on multiple occasions, in order to make this cover as beautiful as it is. Thank you both for being so fabulous. I am a super fan of Mallory and Fields.

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ANDY DIETRICH: At least once a year, he can expect a call from me to help get in touch with someone that I am having trouble reaching and he never hesitates to help. He has always come through and I am so appreciative!

Thank you, Andy D!

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MILES BURDINE has a unique, invisible tattoo, but once you meet him, you are able to see it immediately. It asks a simple and sincere question: “How can I help?” Everyone in my building knows that if they need a name or a number or an introduction… Miles Burdine is the guy to call and he is always eager to help. Kirsten hit a roadblock with a couple connections and Miles helped her build a path around it. Thank you, Miles, for all that you do!

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NATHAN MAYS PHOTOGRAPHY: Nathan is in a league of his own when it comes to photography. He’s the guy who wants every detail to be perfect. He isn’t afraid to tell me if my idea won’t work and why it won’t work. He spent countless hours on this shoot planning, setting-up, arranging people and, last but not least ... putting up with me! I am so grateful to Nathan and thankful for his patience and expertise. Thank you, Nathan.

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LAST BUT NOT LEAST… ANGELICA… she is the magic-maker behind the scenes pulling together all the bits and pieces we give to her to create the magazine you are reading right now. She brings ideas to fruition, even when they seem impossible. For this issue, I needed her to merge two pictures into one for this cover. I have referenced two shoots many times in the above text because that is what it took to make it work with the Presidents and Chancellors schedules during this busy time of year. I don’t know what I would do without her! Thank you, Angelica! You are the best!

Angela Baker, angela@vipseenmag.com

on the cover

Photography by Nathan Mays Photography Location: Johnson City Country Club vipseenmag.com

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Education in our Region 10 Carson Newman University President Charles Fowler

18 Southwest Virginia Higher Ed Center President David Matlock

11 East Tennessee State University President Brian Noland

19 Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton President Dean Blevins

12 Emory & Henry College President John Wells 13 King University President Alexander Whitaker 14 Lees-McRae College President Herbert King 15 Lincoln Memorial University President Clayton Hess 16 Milligan College President Bill Greer 17 Northeast State Community College President Bethany Flora

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20 Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown President Jerry Young 21 Tusculum University Acting President Greg Nelson 22 UVA Wise Chancellor Donna Henry 23 Walter State Community College President Tony Miksa 24 Western Governors University Chancellor Kim Estep

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25 Shaping the Future 2019 Regional Educators of the Year 28 Carson Newman University 30 East Tennessee State University (ETSU) 32 Emory & Henry College

44 In the Know Exciting Happenings at Colleges & Universities Around the Region 48 Southwest Virginia Higher Ed Center 50 Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton (TCAT)

34 King University

52 Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown (TCAT)

36 Lees-McRae College

54 Tusculum University

38 Lincoln Memorial University

56 University of Virginia Wise (UVA Wise)

40 Milligan College

58 Walter State Community College

42 Northeast State Community College

60 Western Governors University (WGU)

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free completion rate and a 93% placement rate in related jobs for its graduates and a 98% licensure pass rate. The college recently created the first ever Kubota Diesel Certified Technician program in the country, that will train technicians for Kubota.

A Career and Technical educator and administrator, Dean Blevins returned to serve as president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton in 2009 where he began his career over 32 years ago as an Electronics Instructor, then as Student Services Coordinator. Blevins has also worked in Greeneville City and Kingsport City School systems where he held administrative positions to champion career and technical education. Blevins is a national presenter and author of the nationally acclaimed Fast Track to Career Project, a comprehensive dual credit program for secondary to postsecondary to industry transition. Blevins has been recognized with numerous state and national awards in career and technical education (CTE) including the CTE Director of the Year by the Tennessee Directors of Career and Technical Education, the Tennessee State SkillsUSA Leadership Award and the SkillsUSA National Outstanding Career and Technical Educator of the Year.

Under Blevins’ leadership, Stacker Research named the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton as the best Community College in Tennessee in May of 2019, and WalletHub ranked TCAT Elizabethton 31st in the nation out of over 700 colleges in the United States based on Quality and Value. The Tennessee College of Applied Technology Elizabethton received the Dennis Ludice award in June of this year (fourth year in a row) at the National Coalition of Certification Centers (NC3) Annual Leadership Summit as a world leader in delivering nationally recognized industry certifications locally and across the nation through its Industry Training and Certification division at the college. TCAT Elizabethton is one of only five (5) regional training centers in the nation for training NC3 certification specialists. TCAT Elizabethton boasts a 94% on time, debt

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Blevins serves as Chair of the Tennessee Council for Career and Technical Education, a fifteen member advisory council appointed by the Governor and the Speakers of the Legislature. The council advises the Governor, the Legislature, Tennessee State Board of Education, Tennessee Department of Education and the Tennessee Board of Regents in the advancement of quality career and technical education in Tennessee. Blevins previously served on the Governor’s 2020 Vision Committee – charged with setting a vision for education in Tennessee for the 21st century.

Blevins also serves on the Eastman Community Advisory Panel, the East Tennessee State University STEM Hub Regional Advisory Panel and the ETSU Center for Community College Leadership Advisory Board, Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Northeast Tennessee Workforce Investment Board, the Joint Economic and Community Development Board of Directors. Blevins also serves on the East Tennessee Complete College Tennessee Council, the Tennessee Department of Education, Division of College, Career and Technical Education Experienced Professionals in the Classroom (EPIC) Grant Advisory Committee and the Rotary Club of Elizabethton. Blevins serves on the East Tennessee Regional Resource Team of state agencies focused on Workforce Development strategies and initiatives for northeast Tennessee.

Blevins holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Engineering and a Master of Science degree in Adult Vocational Education, both from East Tennessee State University.

Blevins did post graduate work at the University of Tennessee Knoxville studying Human Resource Management, specializing in Adult Technology Education in the College of Education, Health and Human Sciences (Ph.D. ABD).

Dean, his wife Christie of over 30 years and children, Katie, Kassie and Noah make their home on a small farm in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

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Dr. Kimberly K. Estep is the chancellor of WGU Tennessee, a state-endorsed affiliate of national, nonprofit, accredited Western Governors University. WGU Tennessee launched in July 2013 with one goal: to expand working adults’ access to higher education throughout Tennessee.

In her six-year tenure at the helm of the online university, which is part of former Governor Haslam’s Drive to 55 initiative, Dr. Estep has worked to grow WGU Tennessee’s enrollment to more than 4,200 students, and more than 4,300 alumni throughout the state. She led the charge in securing articulation agreements between WGU Tennessee and all 13 community colleges in the state, as well as forming partnerships with many of Tennessee’s largest and most recognizable organizations and companies.

Dr. Estep brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education to her role as WGU Tennessee’s first chancellor. Most recently, she served as vice president for academic affairs and student services at Nashville State Community College. Dr. Estep has held leadership roles at other institutions including Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee, Thomas University in Thomasville, Georgia, and Friends University in Wichita, Kansas.

Education in Tennessee (WHET) recognized her as its Woman of Achievement. In 2017-18, she was a finalist for the Nashville ATHENA Award. The Nashville Business Journal selected her as a 2019 Women of Influence recipient.

An Ozark, Alabama, native, Dr. Estep lives in Franklin with her husband, Paul Adams. They have three grown children and one granddaughter.

Dr. Estep holds a doctorate and master’s degree in history from Auburn University, a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Georgia, and a B.A. from Judson College in Marion, Alabama.

She is based in WGU Tennessee’s main office in Franklin and spends her time traveling the state and working with higher education, community, and business leaders to increase awareness of WGU Tennessee, boost recruitment, and establish partnerships.

She is a member of the Rotary Club of Nashville, and volunteers regularly with Tennessee Achieves and Nashville literacy nonprofit Book’em. In 2016, Women in Higher

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the University’s new Knoxville Education Center during an August ribbon cutting.

In June 2019, Carson-Newman University named Dr. Charles A. Fowler as the 23rd president of the 168-year-old institution. The school’s Presidential Search Committee and Board of Trustees approved Fowler following a unanimous vote.

“Our search was deliberate, intentional and process-oriented,” said Dr. David Ogle, chair of the University’s Presidential Search Committee. “It went according to plan. I commend our Search Committee members for their hard work and faithful service as we carried out the mission to which we were assigned.”

Ogle said the task of finding C-N’s next president was not one the committee took lightly.

“Our search was bathed in prayer,” said Ogle, who noted that they had received more than 75 nominations by over 100 individuals. “Not a time did we gather that we didn’t go to the Lord in prayer to guide us in our search and to yield a nominee who would, in every way, be His nominee.”

Fowler had served as senior pastor of Germantown Baptist Church in West Tennessee since 2010.

“The opportunity to serve as president of Carson-Newman University is incredibly humbling and exciting,” said Fowler. “I look forward to locking arms with Carson-Newman’s trustees, faculty, staff, students, and alumni; as well as the churches of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. We look forward to working together to graduate servantleaders who are equipped to be difference makers for the cause of Christ. Great days are ahead!”

Having only just arrived at Carson-Newman, Fowler has already been meeting with campus and community leadership. He also helped open

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The Corinth, Mississippi, native is no stranger to Christian higher education. Before answering the call to pastor Germantown, he served as senior vice president of University Relations at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. For more than 15 years, he served at Union in various roles including vice president for Student Services and Enrollment Management, vice president for Development, professor of Christian ministries and education, founding executive director of the Union University Foundation and director of the R.G. Lee Center. While Union’s chief development officer, Fowler helped to secure approximately $150 million in gifts and grants in support of the school’s mission.

Along with holding the rank of full professor at Union, Fowler also taught at Mississippi State University and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

His other leadership roles have included being a member of the Leadership Council for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, serving on the Board of Trustees of Baptist Memorial Healthcare, Union University, Blue Mountain College and the International Mission Board for the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as being chaplain for the city of Germantown.

His honors include the Distinguished Service and Academic Excellence Awards from Union University and being named an Alumni Fellow and Outstanding Doctoral Student, both from Mississippi State University.

“Dr. Charles Fowler is one of those rare individuals whose life experiences are a perfect fit for our institution,” said Harry Brooks, chair of C-N’s Board of Trustees. “His experiences in academic development and external relations will help propel Carson-Newman toward a bright future of growth and expanded programs of study.”

Fowler received his undergraduate degree from Union University before earning his master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He went on to earn his doctoral degree from Mississippi State University in education.

Fowler and his wife Sandra have two daughters. His oldest daughter, Anna Mullins, is married to Justin Mullins, a soldier in the U.S. Army.

They have one son, Charlie. Their youngest, Sarah, is married to Bryan Doss.

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On January 2, 2019, Dr. Bethany H. Flora became the new President of Northeast State Community College in Blountville, Tennessee. Her appointment to the position by the Tennessee Board of Regents was unanimous.

Dr. Flora joined the faculty of East Tennessee State University in 2011, after serving for four years as Assistant Provost at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she also earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies and Higher Education Administration in 2008.

From 2004 to 2007, she worked as Director of Graduate Recruitment and Retention at Radford University in Virginia.

Before enrolling in the doctoral program at Virginia Tech, Dr. Flora completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business and Public Administration in 1996 at The University of Virginia’s College at Wise and three years later a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Management from what is now Tusculum University in Greeneville, Tennessee.

Prior to entering higher education administration, Dr. Flora worked for four years as Production Control Specialist with Ball Corporation, a Fortune 500 manufacturing company, where she was responsible for inventory control and production scheduling on all the company’s manufacturing lines.

In addition to being a tenured Associate Professor in Postsecondary and Private Sector Leadership through

ETSU’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, Dr. Flora has helped guide our university’s Center for Community College Leadership as Associate Director.

Among her many professional activities beyond the classroom, Dr. Flora has served as Associate Editor of the International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, as a member of the Regional Finance and Audit Committee for the Association for Continuing Higher Education, and as Manuscript Reviewer for the Journal of College Student Retention.

She is co-author of the book Case Studies in Educational Technology Applications: Learning, Standards, Policy, Ethics, Research and Leadership. In 2015, Dr. Flora was selected as one of the inaugural Presidential Fellows at ETSU.

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experience. Ministry students now take classes from church leaders from around the country, visit innovative ministries in the field, and receive mentoring from current church practitioners.

Dr. William B. Greer was named the 15th president of Milligan College in 2011. During Greer’s presidency, Milligan has received unprecedented donor support, reorganized its academic structure, and experienced record enrollment.

A premier Christian liberal arts college, Milligan remains committed to its mission of educating men and women to lead and serve.

The college also continues to be ranked by U.S. News and World Report as one of the best regional universities in the South for quality and value.

In 2017, Milligan completed the largest fundraising initiative in its 150-year history, raising nearly $42 million to build new student housing, renovate existing facilities, and develop new programs. In 2018, Milligan received two $1 million gifts to further the college and seminary’s mission of preparing the next generation of ministers.

Under Greer’s leadership, the college’s academic structure was reorganized into five distinct schools, allowing for continued growth and innovation to meet the needs of students and the demands of the marketplace. Milligan offers more than 100 majors, minors, pre-professional degrees, and concentrations in a variety of fields, along with adult degree completion programs. The college recently expanded its undergraduate majors to include mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science, social work, musical theatre, and more.

In 2018, Milligan launched a new undergraduate ministry leadership program, which builds upon the college’s existing academic strengths in Bible and ministry but adds new focus on practical ministry

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Milligan also has grown from four to 13 graduate programs as it seeks to meet evolving needs in unique missional ways. Graduate programs now include counseling and physician assistant studies, as well as Education Specialist and Doctor of Education degrees. Greer also helped facilitate the integration of Emmanuel Christian Seminary into Milligan’s School of Bible and Ministry in 2015, adding four new graduate-level programs, including a Doctor of Ministry degree, and expanding the campus footprint.

The seminary also formed a new Ministry Resource Center in 2018, providing state-of-the-art tools for placing and supporting graduates in ministry positions.

Milligan’s student body is comprised of 1,300 students from 35 states and more than 25 countries. In 2013, Milligan completed the Milligan Village to address rising undergraduate enrollment. The Village is a student residence community consisting of five new residence halls, recreational space, and a panoramic view of the college. While Milligan’s commitment to undergraduate students remains a core focus, the increase in graduate programs has also driven the college’s growth, swelling to 33 percent of total enrollment.

Greer previously served as Milligan’s vice president for institutional advancement and continues to teach occasionally as the J. Henry Kegley Professor of Economics and Business. He also served as a member of the college’s business faculty and area chair, as well as the founding director of the college’s esteemed MBA program.

Greer has served on numerous corporate and community boards.

Currently, he is a member of the board of directors of Bank of Tennessee and the Johnson City-Jonesborough-Washington County Chamber of Commerce. He is the chair of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association board of directors and is the president of the Tennessee College Association.

A Mountain City native, Greer is a 1985 Milligan graduate, and he earned an MBA from East Tennessee State University. He also holds a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.

He and his wife, Edwina, live in Johnson City and have two sons and a granddaughter.

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Donna Price Henry was elected Chancellor of the University of Virginia’s College at Wise by the University of Virginia Board of Visitors on December 7, 2012 and assumed office on January 18, 2013. As the College’s eighth Chancellor, she is responsible for leading UVAWise and its constituents in fulfilling its mission of student success and service to Southwest Virginia and the Commonwealth.

Under Chancellor Henry’s leadership, UVA-Wise is realizing its vision for the future through the implementation of its strategic plan, Envisioning 2020.

Accomplishments include recruiting and retaining faculty through more competitive salaries; securing and filling endowed professorships; establishing a new student advising corps to improve first year retention; and partnering with UVA on a joint admissions program for wait-listed students. She has supported efforts including targeting financial aid to attract talented students with diverse interests and expanding students’ experiential learning opportunities such as paid internships, research fellowships and study abroad. Additionally, Chancellor Henry has led the way in enhancing STEM-H opportunities, increasing resources, and summer enrichment programming; fundraising to support numerous college initiatives including NCAA Division II athletics and securing multi-million dollar grants to support economic development in the region. She initiated plans for the first online and graduate degree programs at the College in nursing and teaching, respectively as well as expanded access for students throughout the Appalachian Region by offering reduced tuition at near-in-state rates. Most recently, Chancellor Henry promoted the launching of the innovate2eleVAte program that provides iPads to the campus community. This initiative will promote student academic success, level the playing field for students in the use of technology and improve digital literacy after college.

Chancellor Henry is active in the community and Commonwealth. She serves on a number of boards including the Wise County Chamber of Commerce, Southwest Virginia Public Education Consortium, Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, American Council on Education (ACE), GO

Virginia, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)–Appalachia Initiative and the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics (CWA). She is a member of the Wise and Norton Kiwanis and provides leadership to the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges and the Southwest Virginia Health Authority Executive Committee. Chancellor Henry is the Chair for the Council of Presidents who serve Virginia public colleges and universities and a board member of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council.

A biologist with extensive experience in higher education, Chancellor Henry spent 16 years in a variety of positions at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). She was a founding faculty member at FGCU, was faculty senate president, and served as a member of the University Board of Trustees.

Ms. Henry served as dean of the FGCU College of Arts and Sciences, an assignment that demanded meticulous strategic planning and leadership that allowed the College to grow rapidly while continuing to improve academic quality.

Chancellor Henry earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania, where she also minored in Spanish. She earned a Doctorate in Physiology from Thomas Jefferson University. Chancellor Henry is a professor of biology on the UVA-Wise faculty.

Ms. Henry is married to Mr. Allen Henry, a pilot for Federal Express. The Henrys have twin daughters, Jessie and Margaret, graduates of Central High School in Wise, VA who currently attend universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. vipseenmag.com

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Clayton Hess (PhD), President of Lincoln Memorial University (LMU), has responsibility for general supervision over all academic and non-academic areas within the University.

Dr. Hess earned a bachelor of arts in history (1981) and two masters degrees from LMU, one in counseling (1987) and the other in curriculum and instruction (2006), and a PhD in human services counseling from Walden University (1998).

Dr. Hess began his career at LMU in 1981, shortly after graduation, as assistant director of admissions, director of testing, and director of career planning and placement.

He was named director of institutional advancement in 1996 and director of institutional research, effectiveness and accreditation in 1998. In 2008, he was promoted to assistant vice president for academic affairs for planning and accreditation and was named vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) in 2010. In 2015, he was named provost and served as provost and VPAA until July 1, 2017, when he became LMU’s 21st president.

Dr. Hess was the founding chair of LMU’s Institutional Effectiveness Committee. He coordinated LMU’s strategic

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planning and institutional effectiveness processes for more than 10 years and has chaired the University’s general education committee. Dr. Hess has guided LMU’s growth at all levels, chairing committees responsible for substantive change proposals to initiate new extended learning sites offering associate, baccalaureate, postbaccalaureate, graduate and professional degree programs. He chaired the committee responsible for degree level accreditation change from Level IV to V to pave the way for the LMU-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (DCOM) and from Level V to VI for subsequent professional programs including the doctor of jurisprudence (JD), the doctorate in education (EdD), the doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM), the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and the doctor of business administration (DBA).

Dr. Hess’ agenda remains focused on program development and physical plant growth as LMU looks to the future and continues to raise the bar for its students.

Dr. Hess was a member of the 2016-2018 SACSCOC Principles Review Committee, which was charged with reviewing and recommending changes to SACSCOC accreditation standards and processes. He has presented numerous sessions and talks at professional association meetings. Dr. Hess has also served on American Bar Association (ABA) Sabbatical Site Teams. He currently serves on the Institutional Accreditation Review Committee for the University Council of Jamaica which is the external quality assurance body for higher education in Jamaica.

Dr. Hess has four children and five grandchildren. He resides in LaFollette, Tennessee.

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Dr. Herbert L. King Jr. became the 16th president of Lees-McRae on June 1, 2018. King received his Doctor of Education in educational leadership from The University of Virginia, his Master of Education in educational administration from Lynchburg College and his Bachelor of Arts in English and history from Hampden-Sydney College.

During his first year at Lees-McRae, King has focused on building a culture of excellence and returning the institution to its founding motto—in the mountains, of the mountains, for the mountains. King launched new strategic planning and facilities master planning efforts seeking bold vision and opportunities to embrace the school’s unique location.

King brought nearly two decades of exceptional service and work in higher education to Lees-McRae. His work as a fundraiser and strategic planner have resulted in over $150 million in direct gift support. King has also provided institutions with extensive marketing and public relations leadership, including institutional rebranding efforts. He is also a graduate of a year-long Executive Leadership Academy sponsored by the Council of Independent Colleges, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, and the American Academic Leadership Institute.

Prior to Lees-McRae, King served as Vice President for Institutional Advancement at his alma mater, HampdenSydney College in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia. There he was responsible for all development, alumni relations, and career functions. His time at Hampden-Sydney also included aiding as a freshman advisor and as the leader of the freshman learning and living community.

King also worked as the Vice President for External Relations at Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia, and prior as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Ferrum College in Ferrum, Virginia.

His experience extends beyond the scope of higher education with experience as both Executive Director and Director of Development at the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Homes in Brookneal, Virginia, where he was tasked with creating the organization’s first strategic plan, launching comprehensive facility renovation efforts, and multiple fundraising efforts.

In addition, he has served on multiple boards during his career including as board chair on the community action agency Support to Eliminate Poverty (STEP) program, trustee on the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Homes development committee as well as trustee on HampdenSydney’s Christian outreach nonprofit, COGITO. Dr. King and his wife Tammy live in Banner Elk, North Carolina. They have three children, Jacob, Kathryn, and Aaron.

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Since being appointed the Executive Director of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in 2015, David has made a push to help develop and bring new programs to the Higher Education Center with the college and university partners. During his tenure at the Higher Education Center, both East Tennessee State University, and King University have become full partners with the Higher Education Center. East Tennessee State University now has a Master of Social Work degree, and a Bachelor of Social Work degree at the Higher Education Center, and King University has a Master of Science in Nursing-Family Nurse Practitioner degree, and a Bachelor of Social Work degree.

David Matlock began serving as the Executive Director and Agency Head of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center on November 2, 2015. He was appointed to the position by the Center’s Board of Trustees on October 30, 2015.

Prior to accepting appointment with the Higher Education Center, David had a distinguished 25-year career at Virginia Highlands Community College, which began in 1991 following his service in the Marine Corps as an air traffic controller. During his tenure at VHCC, he served as an Admissions Counselor, Director of Admissions, Records & Financial Aid, and Vice President of Institutional Advancement.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in management from Southern Illinois University and a Master of Education degree in counseling from East Tennessee State University. Matlock was also an honor graduate of the United States Marine Corps, NonCommissioned Officer Academy at Camp Lejeune, NC, as well as the United States Naval Air Traffic Control Academy.

David and his wife, Mary, live in the Damascus community and have two children—Jason, who is the Principal at Virginia Middle School, and Beth, a teacher at Patrick Henry High School—and five grandchildren; Nolan, Lily, Knox, Sadie, and Riley.

David and Mary established the Justin Foundation in 2005 to promote the future success of the youth of Rhea Valley Elementary, Damascus Middle, and Holston High schools. He also serves on the Board of Bristol Chamber of Commerce, the Washington County Industrial Development Authority Board, the Birthplace of Country Music board, and serves as Chairman on the Washington County Virginia Chamber of Commerce Education Committee.

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In 2017, Old Dominion University began operation of their Cisco Networking & Cybersecurity Academy by developing and offering a high quality curriculum that combines in-depth technical training and professional skills development covering a variety of disciplines including networking, virtualization, storage, and cybersecurity. Virginia Commonwealth University expanded its Clinical Lab Sciences program at the Higher Education Center, while its Nurse Anesthesia program at the Center has evolved to a doctoral-only level, and continues to flourish.

Beginning in 2020, Radford University is bringing a Master of Science degree in School Counseling to the Higher Education Center and King University is starting a Master of Business Administration as well as Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree programs. In July of 2019, Governor Northam signed legislation to create the Virginia Rural Information Technology Apprenticeship Grant Program, which will be located at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center. The purpose of the program will be to award grants to small, rural information technology businesses in certain localities in Southwest and Southside regions of Virginia to establish 18-month apprenticeship programs for full-time employees that combine mentorship and on-the-job training to enhance the experience and skills of such employees.

While all of these programs contribute to the success of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, the continued support of all eleven partner Colleges and Universities should be recognized.

The Higher Education Center would like to say thank you too: Radford University, Virginia Tech, University of Virginia, University of Virginia at Wise, Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, East Tennessee State University, King University, Bluefield College, Emory and Henry College, and Virginia Highlands Community College.

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Dr. Tony Miksa became the fourth president of Walters State Community College on July 1, 2016, after 22 years in higher education serving at several colleges in Illinois.

He began his community college career as a mathematics instructor and assistant basketball coach.

Dr. Miksa has also worked as an admissions counselor, dean of mathematics, science, engineering and health programs, and a vice president of student and academic affairs. He earned an associate’s degree in mathematics from Kishwaukee Community College and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Mount Mercy University.

He also holds a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa and a doctorate of education degree from National Louis University.

Dr. Miksa came to Walters State from McHenry County College in Illinois, where he served as vice president of academic and student affairs. In this position, he encouraged the growth of new academic programs and delivery methods and provided leadership in the development of the college’s first comprehensive educational master plan.

At Walters State, Dr. Miksa has actively engaged with students, business leaders and communities within the college’s 10-county service area. He has expanded access through several capital projects, including the construction of a 35,000 square-foot building on the college’s Sevier County Campus and the completion and opening of a new 104,000

square-foot building on the Niswonger Campus. Dr. Miksa has also aligned the college’s budget with long-term planning processes and provided guidance in the development of a new academic vision focused on student success.

In 2019, he was named a recipient of the Phi Theta Kappa Paragon Award, which recognizes community college presidents who demonstrate strong support for student success. He has also been named a distinguished alumni at Kishwaukee Community College and Mount Mercy University.

Dr. Miksa serves on several local and national boards, including Lakeway CASA Board of Directors, the National Junior College Athletic Association Board of Regents, and area chambers of commerce.

He and his wife, Deb, have two children and live in Morristown.

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As a businessman, Dr. Nelson steadily rose through the ranks of Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport, Tennessee, Dr. Nelson retired as senior vice president and chief technology officer and a member of the executive team. Earlier positions included vice president of corporate technology, vice president of polymers technology, business unit manager, market manager, manager of special projects, and laboratory supervisor. He began his Eastman career as advanced senior research chemist.

Dr. Greg Nelson, a successful longtime research and development leader at a Fortune 500 company who most recently served with distinction on the Tusculum University Board of Trustees, is the higher education institution’s acting president.

A trustee starting in 2014, Dr. Nelson served as a member of the Enrollment Management Committee and chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee during his five years on the board. He was chairman from 2017 until the board appointed him Tusculum’s acting president Aug. 20, 2019.

During his time as chairman, Tusculum converted from a college to a university so it could create the ideal educational structure to meet students’ needs.

The university also began establishing the Niswonger College of Optometry, which has attained Stage 2 in the accreditation process with the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education. In addition, the university’s College of Business attained accreditation with the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

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Dr. Nelson holds a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, computer science and mathematics from the University of Alabama and a doctorate in analytical chemistry from Emory University. He also graduated from the Harvard University Advanced Management Program and participated in a program on transformational leadership with Darden Executive Education at the University of Virginia.

He has served as a board member for the Tennessee State Collaborative On Reforming Education, on the advisory board of the STEM Path to the MBA at the University of Alabama and as board president for the United Way of Greater Kingsport. He is an active member of the King Street Church of Christ in Beaufort, S.C. Dr. Nelson and his wife Judy have been married 36 years and have three children. His hobbies include skiing, golf, astrophotography, and travel.

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WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE ON THE ETSU CAMPUS AT THE START OF THE FALL SEMESTER? There is a sense of anticipation and renewal that surrounds this campus and our region every August as our students and faculty return for the new academic year. One of the highlights for me is helping our freshmen move into the residence halls. It is a great way to meet them and their family members.

WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2019-2020?

This will be a significant year in the history books of ETSU as we anticipate the completion of two major construction projects, the renovation of the D.P. Culp University Center and the creation of the Martin Center for the Arts. For our students, the Culp Center serves as the living room for their campus home. It is the place where they have meals, attend campus organization meetings, and build relationships. They are excited about returning to the Culp. The arts center is something that has been a dream of this region for over 25 years. Not only will this be a performance venue for our students and faculty, but it also will be a facility for hosting community arts events, as well as touring productions.

With the 2019-20 year ahead, I look forward to becoming acquainted with the new faculty, who are calling ETSU home for the first time this fall, and to celebrating the many beloved traditions, such as Homecoming, our holiday lights ceremony, and other special events that have been part of the fabric of this institution for years.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR? Without a doubt it is Commencement, an event that we celebrate twice each year. I am blessed to have the opportunity to shake the hands of our graduates as they

cross the stage to receive their degrees. Many of them are students I met when they arrived on campus for freshman orientation four years earlier. Seeing the joy and excitement on their faces and their families is a true celebration of what it means to work in higher education. Another powerful moment of Commencement is when all of the graduates who are the first in their family to earn a college degree are asked to stand and be recognized.

HOW DOES ETSU REALIZE ITS MISSION? ETSU was founded in 1911 with the singular purpose to improve the quality of life for the people of the Appalachian Highlands. One of the greatest ways quality of life is improved is through education. Initially, we were an institution for training teachers, but we are now home to 11 colleges and schools with over 150 academic programs, including several that have been ranked at the national level.

Our faculty and students contribute to an improvement in the quality of life through their research efforts which, just last year, received over $47 million in external funding.

Quality of life is also made better through the act of serving others, something that our students have embodied for years. In fact, our student organizations alone contributed over 130,000 community service hours and raised more than $290,000 for charities during the 2018-19 year.

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student development, academics, athletics, facilities, finance, information services and planning and assessment. He received the President’s Medallion and a special commendation from the Board of Trustees.

For 12 years, he was on the political science faculty at CarsonNewman University, where he also directed the university’s honors program and was dean of the social science division.

Wells and his wife, Shannon Earle, who serves as the chief of staff for the chancellor at the University of North Carolina – Asheville, have two young adult children, Molly and Garland.

John W. Wells has spent most of his career working in the Appalachian region.

A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, Wells earned a doctorate degree in political science from the University of Tennessee. He also holds a master’s degree in political science from UT and a bachelor’s degree in history from Carson-Newman University.

Before arriving at Emory & Henry in 2017 as Provost, he served as associate general secretary for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry of the worldwide United Methodist Church (UMC) and as executive secretary of the National Association of Schools and Colleges of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

He served for seven years as executive vice president and chief academic officer at Mars Hill University in western North Carolina, where he provided oversight for the divisions of enrollment, academics, student development and student success.

During his tenure at Mars Hill, enrollment at the university increased by nearly 30 percent in four years. He revised the General Education curriculum and introduced the Ethics Across the Curriculum initiative.

He helped establish new offices for student success, retention, diversity affairs and first-year experience. While there, Wells also worked with major donors to secure funding for academic projects, including a multi-million dollar gift for the new nursing building.

Previously, Wells served as provost for four years at Young Harris College, a United Methodist-related institution located in the mountains of northeast Georgia, and, during one of those years, served as interim president. He had direct oversight of advancement,

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Wells has ties to Emory & Henry that go back generations. His grandmother served as dorm mother for Hillman Hall on the campus. Wells’ father, who grew up in Tazewell County, graduated from Emory & Henry in 1959. He then attended Candler School of Theology and became a Methodist minister.

Wells remembers that his father had a profound love for Emory & Henry College and carried with him the liberal arts traditions that he learned there. His dinner table was often a place of genuine conversations; books and ideas and thinking about the world.

Wells also has enduring ties to this region. He feels there is something about the timelessness of the mountains that reminds us of the vast value of place. “We live in a somewhat rootless world today, but there’s something that folks born in the Appalachian region have that is so important.”

Well’s commitment to this region is strong. He realizes it is important to work together with various partners to strengthen this region. His strategic plan for the College includes discovering new ways the college can play a role in the economic revitalization of the area.

According to the president, his goal is to make certain that students who graduate from Emory & Henry are fully developed intellectually, socially and spiritually in order to become decision and change makers in their communities.

“Education isn’t just about pouring knowledge into the mind. It’s about changing who we are as people so that we have a love of community, a love of service and a lifelong love for learning. That’s the education I want to see at Emory & Henry.”

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Alexander Whitaker has served as King University president since August 2016. He came to King with strong academic and professional credentials, broad experience in higher education and law, and a long history of successful leadership in his professional, church, and civic endeavors. He has a particular commitment to integrating free, robust, and rigorous academic inquiry with orthodox Christian faith and practice. He is now one of the most senior college and university presidents in the Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia regions.

He led King to its successful ten-year reaffirmation of regional accreditation in 2018. He has focused on ensuring the school’s financial stability in a challenging market environment, while also strengthening King’s academic programs and standards and improving fundraising. He has also worked to reemphasize the college’s Christian and historically Presbyterian identity. President Whitaker has overseen year-on-year gains in the school’s freshman admissions to its traditional program. He has pioneered dual admission agreements with regional community colleges and has overseen the start of several new academic programs.

He has also focused on facilities improvements on the Bristol campus, including renovations of the dining hall and chapel, improvements to residence halls, and rebuilding of the school’s iconic brick walkways.

President Whitaker earned his J.D. from the University of Virginia and an LL.M. in international and comparative law from Georgetown University. He has graduate theology degrees from Trinity (Episcopal) School for Ministry and Duke University.

President Whitaker came to King from Berry College, his undergraduate alma mater, where he was a senior officer of the college for nearly a decade, serving as chief of staff and earlier as head of major gift fundraising. The Berry College board of trustees granted him emeritus status upon his departure for King. In 2019 he was given that school’s Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award.

Before coming to King, he served three years on Georgia’s Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission; a gubernatorial appointment. He is a member of the Georgia and Virginia bars and various higher education professional associations. He serves on the boards of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association and the Appalachian College Association.

He is also on the boards of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and United Way of Bristol. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Bristol Virginia/Tennessee. He is a trustee and former board of visitor’s chair at Trinity School for Ministry: an Anglican and Episcopal seminary in the Pittsburgh area. He is also a trustee of Darlington School in Rome, Georgia.

President Whitaker began his higher education career after 25 years as an active-duty Navy officer and judge advocate.

A designated international law specialist, he had postings at sea and ashore, with tours on both U.S. coasts and overseas in Scotland, London, and Japan. His assignments included serving as director of Navy general civil litigation, as executive officer of the Navy’s largest court-martial prosecution command, and as commanding officer of the Navy’s southeast legal services office. His decorations include two Legions of Merit and four Meritorious Service Medals, in addition to numerous other unit and personal awards. He retired from the Navy as a captain in 2007.

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technical teacher of the year in the gulf coast region and nominated for national honors. Before beginning his career with TBR he served in the U.S. Navy as an Electronics Technician for 5 years, 3 of which he was deployed for overseas operations. After leaving the Navy he worked as a Field Service Engineer with Combustion Engineering.

Jerry S. Young became president for the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown in May of 2017. Since that time TCAT Morristown has seen it’s enrollment increase over 50%, dual enrollment opportunities for high school students have expanded to seven counties, and ground work has started on a fourteen million dollar advanced manufacturing training center. Under his leadership the college’s first foundation, the “Workforce Development Promise Foundation”, was created to provide scholarships for students that are ineligible for existing financial programs that desire careers in high demand high wage occupations.

Young began his career with the TBR System in 1988 as the senior instructor in the Electronics Technology Program at the Crossville campus. He served as vice president there from 2005 until his appointment as the president in 2014. As President, he took on many initiatives to expand the school’s capabilities through new program development. He initiated a capital building project that added a diesel technician training facility and expanded several existing programs. During his three-year tenure as President, the school’s enrollment increased by over 30 percent, maintained an 85% completion rate and an 85% placement rate. As an instructor at the college, he was recognized as Technical Teacher of the year in Tennessee, the American Technical Education Associations’s

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Young is a native of White County and a 1977 graduate from White County High School. He holds a master’s degree from the University of the Cumberlands, a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior College, and an Electronics Technician Certification from the Great Lakes (IL) Naval Training Center. He has served on Tennessee’s Complete College America Task Force, the Tennessee Veterans Education Committee and took part in the Complete Tennessee Leadership Program. He serves on the Morristown Chamber Board, is a CTE advisory committee member and workforce development board member in several counties. He and his wife Gail now reside in the Morristown area. They have two daughters; Jennifer Young Albertson and Dr. Emilie Young Cook as well as two grandchildren. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge, Scottish Rite and an active supporter of Shriners Hospitals for Children.

In a recent newsletter, he stated “Being involved with higher education during the creation of the Tennessee Promise and Reconnect programs may be the most exciting time in my career. There now exist opportunities for every Tennessean to pursue higher education tuition free. I believe this initiative will result in Tennessee having the highest college credentialed workforce in America and will continue to drive the state’s economic development. I am honored to be a part of the Tennessee Board of Regents and president at TCAT Morristown.”

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SHAPING THE FUTURE: STORY BY LEXIE LITTLE

2019 Regional Educators of the Year

E

arlier this spring, local school systems recognized the teachers and administrators responsible for growth and advancement of children and young adults in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The Tri-Cities community thanks these systems and individuals for their service to its youth:

KINGSPORT CITY SCHOOLS With a “student focused, world class” mindset, educators in Kingsport City Schools consistently shape students to excel from a young age. This year, the KCS recognized several district-level award winners in recognition of their services to students and the Kingsport Community at the Kingsport Board of Education meeting on April 9.

KCS representatives named Johnson Elementary School Principal Dr. Stacy Edwards Principal of the Year. This year marks his 22nd in Kingsport City Schools having served seven years as the top administrator at Johnson. Prior to his current role, Edwards taught third and fifth grade classes at Johnson and served as an assistant to the principal at Johnson Elementary and John Sevier Middle School before moving to the top role at John F. Kennedy Elementary. His efforts as a principal led to the community build of the Castle Playground in which more than 1,000 volunteers and 50 sponsors helped to rebuild the KCS icon.

“We are truly blessed to have a leader the caliber of Dr. Edwards in our community,” Superintendent Dr. Jeff Moorhouse said in the KCS news release. “His focus on providing the very best for the students and families of the Johnson Elementary community is evident in all that he does. He is the true definition of a servant leader.”

Kingsport City Schools selects three teachers to recognize based on levels taught: Pre K-4, grades 5-8, and grades 9-12. At the teaching level, Kingsport City Schools recognized fourth grade teacher Dr. Cindy Shaddock of John Adams Elementary, 6th grade Sevier Middle English Language Arts teacher Karen Bear, and Dobyns-Bennett High band director Lafe Cook.

Shaddock earned statewide honors for the 2017-18 school year as TCSSA Outstanding Elementary Teacher of the Year. A two-time graduate of Milligan College and doctoral graduate of East Tennessee State University, she teaches literacy and social studies and serves on the Leadership Team.

“Cindy is well-deserving of this honor,” Adams Elementary Principal Christy Free said.

“She is an exceptional teacher and leader in our district. She builds great relationships with her students and provides an engaging learning experience in her classroom.”

With ten years of teaching experience, Karen Bear serves on the School Improvement, Data, and Leadership teams at Sevier Middle. She earned Middle School Teacher of the Year during her time in Sullivan County for the 2015-16 school year.

Dr. Holly Flora, principal of John Sevier Middle, says Bear puts students first in all her efforts as an educator.

“She is known for her compassion and her tireless commitment to support all students,” Flora said.

Tireless commitment remains a common theme among many Kingsport City educators, as evidenced by many years of service to schools and the community.

Lafe Cook has directed the bands of Dobyns-Bennett for 22 years. He currently

serves as the president of the Tennessee Music Education Association and recently received the Citation of Excellence presented by the National Band Association in 2018.

“Mr. Cook’s knowledge and leadership with instrumental music and performing arts have been key to the success of programs at Dobyns-Bennett,” Dobyns-Bennett Principal Dr. Chris Hampton said. “Our band program has shown incredible growth in numbers and quality during his 22-year tenure as our director...Mr. Cook has built a model program for what high school band should be and it is an honor to have him represent Dobyns-Bennett as our 2019 KCS Teacher of the Year.”

HAWKINS COUNTY SCHOOLS The Hawkins County Board of Education recognized its Teachers of the Year at a banquet on April 9. Hawkins County also selects three teachers to receive its top honors in elementary, middle, and high school categories.

This year, Church Hill teachers swept the awards as Hawkins County Schools recognized Church Kill Elementary’s Mindy Fraizer, Church Hill Middle’s Rhonda Richards, and Volunteer High’s Kevin Hilton.

A graduate of East Tennessee State, Fraizer teachers fourth grade math and science.

Fraizer tailors her class work to all students, recognizing the different skills of each.

“I have created a healthy and positive classroom environment conducive to productive learning for all students where mutual respect and patience is exhibited,” Fraizer said in a story originally published by the Kingsport Times-News. “I consistently reinforce school and classroom rules with my students...to help all students become the best they can be.”

At the middle school level, Rhonda Richards brings 18 years of experience to her eighth grade English and language arts classroom. She is a graduate of East Tennessee State University and Lincoln Memorial University.

Richards says formative assessment proves one of her most important classroom strategies. Her methodology allows students to practice skills “without worrying about making mistakes.”

“One way that I incorporate formative assessment is through quick writes,” Richards said. “I provide students a prompt related to a text that we have read, and we write for a few minutes. This writing doesn’t have to be perfect since we are just getting our ideas down. By reading the quick writes, I can quickly identify which students have misunderstandings.”

Volunteer High School Career Technical Education and criminal justice instructor Kevin Hilton also recognizes a need to engage students and help build skills through practical learning.

“Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn,’” Hilton said. “This has been my motto for my classes since I left the criminal justice system as a probation officer and began teaching at Volunteer High School five years ago.” vipseenmag.com

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special feature A 2000 graduate of ETSU, Hilton maintains a mission of providing and developing hands-on learning experiences as to invite students to participate in activities and discussions for better retention.

JOHNSON CITY SCHOOLS Johnson City Schools recognized its three district-level winners in February. JCS appoints a district wide committee including former teachers of the year and administrators to select the honorees.

“We are proud of all of our Teacher of the Year nominees and our district-level winners,” Superintendent Steve Barnett said in a story for the Johnson City Press.

“These educators epitomize the best of what Johnson City Schools is; a great learning environment with committed educators. We are proud and thankful for their service and dedication.”

This year’s winners include first grade teacher Patricia Taylor of Towne Acres Elementary School, Indian Trail Intermediate sixth grade teacher Heidi Kane, and Science Hill High English teacher Angela Taylor.

Taylor, who the system website notes is a “self-described ‘Star Wars’ geek,” has taught for nearly two decades. She integrates Sci-Fi themes into her classroom to connect with students and teach varying concepts.

“I feel honored and overwhelmed,” Taylor said. “There are so many great teachers in this school and around our district, I just felt very honored.”

Heidi Kane spent 16 years in Washington County Schools before coming to Indian Trail five years ago. All 21 years, she has taught sixth grade. She currently teaches math with empathy. Having once feared the subject herself in high school, she says she wants her students to give math a chance.

“I want kids to not have a negative perspective or attitude about it,” Kane said for the system website. “I want them to see that they can do it and I want them to break down those walls.”

Angela Taylor, an English teacher at Science Hill High School, similarly wishes to inspire students and make a positive impact through encouragement. According to the JCS website, Taylor is a first-generation college graduate. That status prompted her to make connections with students in order to help them reach higher education goals since starting in 1998.

Beyond the classroom, Taylor has led the student government association and prom committee as a way to further build relationships and show she cares.

“Kids will work harder for you if they believe you care about them as people and that you want to get to know them,” Taylor said. “...We are passionate about building a community where everyone feels safe and can grow, no matter where you start.”

SULLIVAN COUNTY SCHOOLS Sullivan County also recognized its Educators of the Year in February. The district, like Kingsport, awarded three teaching awards and a Principal of the Year honor.

Brandy Nothnagel, a second grade teacher at Indian Springs Elementary, earned Elementary Teacher of the Year. Middle School Teacher of the Year honors went to science and social studies teacher Ryan Lovelace of Innovation Academy and Holston Middle. Special Education teacher Mary Jernigan earned High School Teacher of the Year for her efforts at Sullivan South High School.

Nothnagel, a graduate of King University and ETSU, teaches not only her students, but other teachers. She has served as a mentor to student teachers and served as a teacher leader for three years, earning the respect of her colleagues and aspiring educators.

Innovation Academy’s Ryan Lovelace focuses on biology and physical education. He earned his degrees at Carson-Newman and Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

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before his teaching career. He has spent all five years of his career at IA of Northeast Tennessee.

Dr. Mary Jernigan earned her Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina. She coordinates ACT test accommodations and manages individualized education initiatives. A former employee of Eastman Chemical Company, Jernigan uses her skills as a research chemist to help students attain chemistry credit.

Holston Elementary School Principal Dr. Lesley Fleenor took the top honor for administration in the Sullivan County system. Fleenor holds an undergraduate degree from King University and graduate degrees from Union College and ETSU. At the time of her award, she had served as principal for four years and had worked in Sullivan Country for 12 years as an elementary school teacher, programs coordinator, assistant principal, and principal.

BRISTOL CITY SCHOOLS Bristol, Tennessee, City Schools announced its teachers of the year Feb. 8, 2019.

Like the other systems, Bristol recognizes elementary, intermediate, and high school teachers (PreK-4, 5-8, and 9-12). All schools nominate one teacher as a system finalist for each respective level.

Kingsport native Rhonda Shaver earned recognition for her work as a second grade teacher at Anderson Elementary School. She earned her degrees from Milligan College and Tusculum. According to the system announcement, Shaver holds certifications as a Microsoft Innovative Educator, BrainPOP Educator, and EPIC Educator as a result of her desire to best educate and engage students through technology.

“I enjoy teaching through the lens of technology,” Shaver said. “I love the student engagement and the personalized learning the use of technology creates.”

While Shaver brings in new technologies to aid students, Vance Middle School librarian Vicki Winstead embraces one of the oldest forms of learning: written word.

Surrounded by books, Winstead uses knowledge gained through library studies and information sciences at ETSU and the University of Tennessee to teach students.

Winstead, who has spent 22 years as a school librarian in Tennessee, hopes to instill a love for learning through a love for reading. Her love for books started at an early age, and Vance Middle students now discover that love with her help.

“As a young girl, my dad would take me to the library almost every Saturday and let me check out a huge stack of books,” Winstead said. “I don’t think he realized at the time what a huge impact this would have on my life.”

Just as books often make an impact on growing minds, music allows students to explore creative avenues and foster growth. Tennessee High School Director of Bands David Semones earned the top high school recognition for his efforts to inspire students through music. He teaches Intro to Music Theory and AP Music Theory in addition to directing the marching, concert, and jazz bands.

A graduate of ETSU, Semones returned to his former school system in 2013 to teach.

“Music teaches more than just notes and rhythms,” Semones said. “It teaches one how to be creative, to work and persist as a team to achieve a common goal, the value of rigorous hard work; and most importantly, it teaches people how to treat one another and to be a better person.”

WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOLS (Tennessee) Washington County announced its system-level teacher awards in late January of this year. In the initial release, the system recognized Jackie Mumpower of Boones Creek Elementary School, Brooke Price of Jonesborough Middle School, and Cathy Reynolds of Daniel Boone High School.

Mumpower works as an interventionist at Boones Creek Elementary School.

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Interventionists examine issues that might affect student behavior and academic performance as to provide strategies for improvement. Mumpower works in Title I and Reading Intervention. She received her bachelor’s degree from ETSU, master’s from Tusculum, and EdS in Curriculum and Instruction through Lincoln Memorial University.

“Being able to be aware and empathetic to our students’ experiences, emotions, and abilities drives my instruction and classroom atmosphere, first and foremost,” Stevenson said for the news release. “Our students need to feel safe and valued while they are learning and growing.”

“Watching children think differently and grow is such a passion as well as a blessing,” Mumpower said on her school web page. “I tell people that teaching is one of the best professions in the world.”

Also in the English field, John S. Battle High teacher Ashley Odum received secondary education honors. Odum taught English and journalism at Virginia High School in Bristol before her time at John Battle. She holds a bachelor’s degree from now-defunct Virginia Intermont College.

Entering her 14th year at JMS, school counselor Brooke Price took the honor for middle grades. Price holds three degrees from East Tennessee State University, receiving the most recent (Ed.S. with a concentration in Counselor Leadership) in 2018.

She grew up in the Bristol and Blountville region and hopes to champion students in the area that championed her own growth.

“Middle school can be a very trying time in a young person’s life—it certainly was in mine,” Price said on her school webpage. “This time helped prepare me for the triumphs and trials my students experience. I remember the nerves, anxiety, friendship heartaches and academic struggles. I also remember a loving school community that invested in my success and how wonderful that felt. My hope is that I can be a cheerleader for students in the same way.”

While counselors like Price aid students and their families, Cathy Reynolds looks to foster healthy lifestyles for her students through education as a family and consumer science teacher. Reynolds holds degrees from ETSU and Tusculum and has taught topics related to nutrition, diet therapy, and human studies.

Reynolds champions positive mental health, writing she and her colleagues particularly focus on being kind, compassionate, and hopeful, especially during September—Suicide Awareness Month.

“My vision is to educate students with essential life skills while nurturing their mental health,” Reynolds said. “Every student matters.”

WASHINGTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (Virginia) Just as Tennessee recognizes its outstanding educators, Virginia school systems also reward those who work to better communities through teaching. Washington County Public Schools announced their winners in elementary, middle, and high school education early this year.

Special education teacher Laura Nunley of Greendale Elementary received recognition for her work to find inclusive resources for students of all abilities. She graduated from Radford University in 2008 and began working in Washington County in 2013 following a tenure at Christiansburg Elementary School.

“We are put on this earth for a purpose,” Nunley said in a release. “I believe wholeheartedly that my purpose is teaching.”

At the middle school level, WCS recognized seventh grade teacher Jessica Stevenson of Glade Spring Middle. In addition to mentoring middle school students by serving as the Girl Talk club advisor, she often mentors teaching candidates from Emory and Henry (her alma mater). Stevenson teaches English at GSMS. Her mission focuses not only on instruction, but empathy in forming positive paths for students and future teachers.

In 2017, her students on the yearbook and newspaper staff won “Best Layout” at a Media Day hosted by the Bristol Herald Courier. She champions students to achieve personal bests, and her school community appreciates and supports her and her family in return.

Odum’s husband, Jon, was head coach of the John Battle Trojans until his death last month at age 39. Odum battled an aggressive form of brain cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, for nearly three years while leading his teams to a 44-29 overall record with teams qualifying for the Region 2D tournament twice.

Though the community grieves for a leader, another remains in Ashley Odum as she inspires students with her example.

CARTER COUNTY SCHOOLS Carter County Schools recognized its teachers with a special narrative. The PreK-4 Teacher of the Year, Erin Ragan of Hampton Elementary School, was a student of 5-8 awardee Dr. Dawn Taylor of Central Elementary School. Unaka High School teacher Kayla Clawson also received recognition for her classroom contributions.

Ragan teaches second grade, Taylor teaches seventh grade, and Clawson teaches health science.

Unlike Ragan, who works in the same system as her former educators, Clawson hails from California. However, she earned her bachelor’s in nursing from Milligan College and a master’s in secondary education from ETSU, making East Tennessee her home.

According to her website, Clawson enjoys traveling, watching sports, and spending time with her children. Having worked in neonatal intensive care and school nursing, she serves as the HOSA advisor and Key Club advisor for Unaka High School.

Taylor is the sister of WBEJ’s David Miller who hosts a daily (M-F) radio show programmed with local news and modern country hits. Taylor made substantial country music connections when organizing a 2017 fundraiser. When the system received a surplus of guitars for a music education initiative, school Principal Terry Morley decided to hold a guitar auction. Taylor contacted stars like Dolly Parton, Charlie Daniels, Kenny Rogers, and Carrie Underwood to autograph instruments for the fundraiser.

“It just makes such a great statement about people who really didn’t have to do anything just stepped up to help the children here in Carter County,” Taylor told WCYB in April 2017. Taylor said every time she secured a star’s signature, she would seek another as a dedicated effort to help her school and students.

Taylor’s passion for serving students resulted in her honor this year and perhaps inspired her students to pay it forward themselves—students like Ragan who exemplifies the same mission to helping educate future generations in formative years.

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50 2,600+ YOU GOTTA SEE THIS PLACE! Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains stands an institution whose rich history and storied academic excellence has been preparing students to serve others for nearly 170 years. Founded in 1851, Carson-Newman University is a Christian liberal arts-based university affiliated with the Tennessee Baptist Convention. The university has a strong academic reputation, caring and dedicated faculty, opportunities to study and serve abroad, and an idyllic location. Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, Washington Monthly, Christian Colleges of Distinction and Princeton Review have cited its quality.

Students learn from professors who know them by name, thanks to a 13:1 student faculty ratio. They tackle tough questions and issues facing the world today and do so in a Christian environment.

STUDENTS

STUDY

ABROAD OPPORTUNITIES ON

11

Students at C-N have the opportunity to pursue both undergraduate and graduate degrees. The University offers over 50 majors as well as associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

Opportunities on campus include honor societies, religious groups, ROTC, student government and pre-professional organizations. More than half the student body is regularly involved in ministry, community service or missions activities.

SIX CONTINENTS

GRADUATE

DEGREES

Students pursue their calling in one of the most scenic areas around. Two lakes are minutes from campus – great for kayaking or fishing. For those wanting the options offered by a larger city, eclectic Knoxville is only 30 minutes away. Students who love the outdoors will enjoy The Great Smoky Mountains National Park – only 40 minutes from campus.

While accolades and scenery enhance the college experience, students benefit from the University’s commitment to higher education for a higher purpose. Carson-Newman focuses on development of the whole person. By addressing all aspects of growth, C-N strives to prepare students for not only a career, but for a sense of purpose and calling.

MAJORS

PRE-LAW

PROGRAM

100% OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

MAJORS ACCEPTED INTO LAW SCHOOL FOR THE LAST

$7,600

NINE YEARS

Average out-of-pocket expense for on-campus, in-state students last year (including loans)

NURSING PROGRAM

100% of nursing graduates

in 2018 and 2017 passed NCLEX on their first attempt

An NCAA Division II institution, C-N athletic programs include baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and cross-country, and volleyball. The University offers a nationally noted intramural program, providing more than 40 sports and activities annually.

cn.edu

AD E L S T IN R P T O O F R OU

D R A W O T .

S E I T I L POSSIBI D? A E L S T IN R P T O O F R WHERE WILL YOU

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INNOVATION. DISCOVERY. COMPASSION. POSSIBILITIES. GENEROSITY. SUCCESS. These are just some of the footprints being made by our students, faculty, staff, and alumni since the establishment of ETSU in 1911 as an institution whose singular mission is improve the quality of life of the people of the Appalachian Highlands and beyond. With over 150 undergraduate and graduate programs in the arts and sciences, education, business and technology, and the health sciences, you have the opportunity to be part of that story and to change the lives of others.

Where will your footprints lead?

etsu.edu

#ETSUfootprints

Founded in 1867, King University is a private Presbyterian-affiliated, doctoral-level comprehensive, liberal arts university.

King’s mission is to 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.

King has campuses in Bristol, Kingsport, and Knoxville, Tennessee, with multiple instructional sites throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

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King University is certif ied by SCHEV to operate in Virginia. King’s primary location in Virginia is Southwest Virginia Community College, 724 Community College Rd, Cedar Bluff, VA 24609.

BEST REGIONAL UNIVERSITY - U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

LOWEST STUDENT DEBT IN NORTHEAST TENNESSEE -INSTITUTE FOR COLLEGE ACCESS & SUCCESS

MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL - MILITARY FRIENDLY SCHOOL

BEST VALUE CHRISTIAN COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

A GOOD INVESTMENT

King is ranked #1 for highest salary in Northeast Tennessee according to graduates reporting with the U.S. Department of Education 10 years after entering school.

A KING - SIZED PERSPECTIVE

More than 25% of King students travel abroad each year for a wide-range of global studies and service opportunities.

-CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITIES ONLINE

COLLEGE OF DISTINCTION -COLLEGES OF DISTINCTION

28 VARSITY SPORTS www.king.edu 800.362.0014 1350 King College Road Bristol, TN 37620

At 4,000 feet, adventures never stop and the possibilities are endless.

We can see forever. Can you?

Ready to reach new heights?

How about a school that inspires you to reach your greatest potential? Where programs go beyond the classroom with hands-on exploration that inspires a lifetime of learning. Where people embrace scholarship with care and dedication that inspires a commitment to working together. Where place means a home and an environment that inspires you to move mountains.

This is Lees-McRae College.

Your Future Elevated | Banner Elk, North Carolina | 828.898.5241

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www.LMUnet.edu

Named Safest Campus in America

by Alarm.org and the National Council for Home Safety and Security, topping the 2019 Safest Colleges in America List Ranked #1 Best Value School among regional universities in the South

by U.S. News & World Report

Ranked #58 among regional universities in the South

by U.S. News & World Report

Named a Best College and a top 10 institution in Tennessee

by Money Magazine

Ranked #8 institution in Tennessee

by College Consensus

Milligan Engineering leads research in water quality and delivery to serve communities in rural Tennessee and abroad.

“

#changinglives

Knowing that our research and work

IMPACTS PEOPLE’S LIVES

”

is why I chose Milligan.

B O PLESS

current senior who has already secured an engineering position for June 2020

A TOP COLLEGE AND BEST VALUE IN THE SOUTH M ILLIGAN.ED U

—U.S. News

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special feature

IN THE KNOW Exciting Happenings at Local Colleges and Universities

STORY BY SERINA MARSHALL

in the classroom and beyond. iPads will come preloaded with apps that support academic success, and iPad implementation will allow faculty to select open source text books, which students can download for no cost to their iPad. This will help save on the expense of textbooks each semester.

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WGU to offer $800,00 in Back to School Scholarships for adults - The WGU Back to School Scholarship has a value of up to $2,000 per student and is available to new students in any of the more than 60 Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs offered at WGU. This includes programs in business, information technology, education, and health professions. New students need to apply for the scholarship

by September 30th 2019.

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WGU Receives AAQEP Accreditation for High-Quality Teacher Licensure Program - WGU’s Teachers College was recently awarded full seven-year accreditation in recognition of program quality for their teacher licensure programs by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP). WGU was one of nine universities recognized for early adoption of the AAQEP standards, which promote excellence and innovation in educator preparation programs.

WGU is the first educator preparation provider in the U.S. to be awarded full, seven-year accreditation from both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and AAQEP. WGU received CAEP accreditation in 2018.

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Utah’s Best Online Education: WGU Earns 11 Consecutive Best of State Medal - Western Governors University (WGU) has been awarded Utah’s Best of State medal for “Best Online Education” for the 11th consecutive year. WGU’s Vice President of Student Experience Natalie Murray accepted the medal at the Best of State Awards Gala at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

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UVA Wise Partners with COPLAC on NSF Grant - UVA Wise is partnering with three institutions on a $1 million National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant to promote gender equity in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields. The College is working in collaboration with SUNY Geneseo along with University of North Carolina-Asheville and Georgia College. The project is expected to have impacts across all of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges.

Professor Josephine Rodriguez is a co-lead on the project. She explained that the NSF awarded the grant to support women faculty in STEM.

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Experience the Natural Wonders of the High Country: A Stephenson Center for Appalachia Event - The Stephenson Center for Appalachia at Lees-McRae will present the program, So You Say You Have Nothing To Do?: Plunging Waterfalls, Invigorating Hikes, Entertaining Beasts, and Entrancing Sights on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in Evans Auditorium within the Cannon Student Center. Lees-McRae—the highest elevated campus east of the Mississippi River—sits in the midst of some of the most vibrant natural attractions in the country, providing students, visitors, and residents with countless opportunities for outdoor adventure, explains Director of the Stephenson Center for Appalachia Michael Joslin. Joslin will present the talk along with photographs and stories of waterfalls, hiking trails, and area wildlife.

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Bring Fido - Faculty and staff at Lees-McRae College are encouraged to bring their four-legged friends to work and students are permitted to have family pets in select on-campus residences. Many professors allow students to bring their furry friends to class as well. Before the academic year begins, the college holds an open house for students attending with pets. During the visit, Fido can pick up a Lees-McRae doggie T-shirt, collar or toy from the bookstore to show his school spirit.

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Lees-McRae Professor Michael Joslin Releases Second Book, “Mountain Summer” - The second book in a four-part wilderness guide series, “Mountain Summer” written by English professor Michael Joslin is a collection of stories and photography, also taken by Joslin, in the High Country.

th

UVA Wise Receives Internship Program Grant Funds – Various students at five Virginia colleges and universities will have the opportunity to take advantage of expanded internships and other work-based learning opportunities in collaboration with Virginia employers, as winners of Round 2 of the Innovative Internship Fund and Program grant competition were announced by the State Council of Higher Education. iPad Initiative - UVA Wise is dedicated to traversing the gap of technology this coming fall by providing each full-time student, faculty and staff with iPad, Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard. The innovate2eleVAte (i2eleVAte) project will give students the technical skills required for academic success.

Equipping our community with iPads is aimed at boosting innovative teaching and academic success on campus and to enhancing the educational experience

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Dr. Donna Love Seagle to Lead Academic Affairs - Dr. Donna Love Seagle has been named vice president of academic affairs at Walters State Community College. Seagle was previously director of faculty instruction and professional development and founding director of the Center of Academic Research and Excellence at Chattanooga State Community College. She joined Chattanooga State in 1998 as associate professor of psychology.

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Auditions for “Mr. Burns” Sept. 3-5 - Walters State Community College’s Department of Music and Theatre will hold auditions for the fall production of “Mr. Burns” at 6 p.m. on Sept. 3, 4 and 5 in the theatre of the Judge William H. Inman Humanities Complex. The play will be produced in October.

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Join the Adventurers in Rafting the Ocoee - Join the Walters State Adventurers on their first adventure of the semester! The group will raft the Ocoee River on Sept. 21. The cost is $10. This event is open to all students, but space is limited.

No previous rafting experience is necessary, but you do need to know how to swim. Email adventurers@ws.edu to get on the list!

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Citizen Way, Christy Nockels to Perform in Free Concert - Popular contemporary Christian band Citizen Way will play a free concert Sept. 8 at Carson-Newman University. Christy Nockels, who spent seven years traveling worldwide with Passion Conferences and Chris Tomlin, will also lead worship. The Tennessee Evangelism Rally will take place at 6:30 p.m. in Holt Fieldhouse inside the Maddox Student Activities Center on the University’s campus. Dr. Roc Collins, of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, is the guest speaker. While free and open to the public, seating is limited and will be first-come, first-served.

Princeton Review Names Carson-Newman Among “Best in Southeast” Carson-Newman University is among a select number of colleges that the Princeton Review has named “Best in the Southeast” for 2020 in recognition of excellence in academics and student feedback on the University’s on-campus experience. Fewer than a quarter of the nation’s colleges qualified for the educational services company’s regional listings.

Carson-Newman Celebrates Grand Opening of Knoxville Education Center Officials with Carson-Newman University, the city of Knoxville and the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce cut a ceremonial ribbon Wednesday in recognition of the grand opening of the new Carson-Newman Knoxville Education Center, located at 9261 Middlebrook Pike. Classes begin this month at the new location, including graduate-level coursework in Business Administration, Applied Theology and Education for teacher licensure. Additional courses are slated in spring 2020.

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Tracy Joined Dignitaries to View Impacts of Grant Funds Over the Summer – On Wednesday July 10th, U.S. Department of Agriculture State Director Jim Tracy along with U.S. Representative Phil Roe and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn and local officials visited TCAT Morristown to take a tour of the college. They took the opportunity to see some of the impacts that the federal grant money has had on the technical programs for which is was used.

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Courses and Experience Offered at TCAT Morristown – TCAT Morristown is a technical college that offers many different opportunities within the realm of technical careers. Some of those include; Programs: Administrative Office Technology, Auto Body Repair Technology, Automotive Technology, Certified Nursing Assistant, Computer Information Technology, Drafting and CAD Technology, Graphic Arts, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, Industrial Electricity, Industrial Maintenance (Mechatronics), Machine Tool Technology, Practical Nursing, Technology Foundations, and Welding.

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Department of Music to Present an Evening of English Art Song - An evening of English art song will be presented by the East Tennessee State University Department of Music on Monday, Sept. 9. “Songs in the Wind” will feature baritone Dr. Joshua Zink and pianist Dr. Esther Park. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Mathes Hall auditorium. Tickets are $10 for general admission and free for students with ID.

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ETSU at Kingsport Invites Community to Participate in Fall Yard Sale - East Tennessee State University at Kingsport Allandale will hold a Fall Yard Sale on Friday, Sept. 6, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the parking lot at 1501 University Boulevard. Members of the community are invited to participate as both buyers and sellers. No reservation is required and there is no cost to participate. The parking lot will open at 8 a.m. for vendor setup. Vendors must provide their own tables. The Kingsport Student Service Organization, sponsor of the Fall Yard Sale, will collect monetary donations from vendors and shoppers. Proceeds will go to the Megan Smith Scholarship Fund.

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Observatory Open House to Include Talk on “Astronomy in Ancient Times” - An Observatory Open House will be held Saturday, Sept. 7, at East Tennessee State University’s Harry Powell Observatory from 8-10 p.m. During this free public event, visitors may view celestial objects in the night sky through the observatory’s computer-controlled telescopes with the assistance of ETSU astronomers. In addition, a brief talk on “Astronomy in Ancient Times” will be given by Dr. Beverly Smith, a professor in the ETSU Department of Physics and Astronomy.

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special feature the Holiness of Saints,” with nationally acclaimed essayist and commentator Frederica Mathewes-Green on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

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Clinical Mental Health Counseling Receives CACREP Accreditation - Milligan College’s graduate-level clinical mental health counseling concentration has received accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).” CACREP is a specialized accreditor that evaluates master’s and doctoral degree programs in counseling and its specialties at colleges and universities globally.

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Milligan to Host Tennessee Valley Corridor’s National Summit, May 2020 The Tennessee Valley Corridor (TVC), an award-winning regional economic development organization, has selected Milligan College as the host for the TVC National Summit in May 2020. Milligan President Dr. Bill Greer welcomed Rep. Phil Roe, TVC officials and local leaders to campus today, July 2, 2019, to begin planning next year’s event.

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Milligan’s MLP Program Welcomes Five Ministry Coaches - Five dynamic ministry practitioners from across the United States have been selected as ministry coaches to serve as mentors and instructors in Milligan’s new Ministry Leadership Program. The ministry coaches include Rick Rusaw, Melissa Sandel, Mike and Jodi Hickerson, and Austin Gohn.

TCAT Elizabethton Plans to Advanced Manufacturing Technology Beginning January 2020- The Tennessee College of Applied Technology is taking another step to train workers for manufacturing employment in the region. College President Dean Blevins said the program offers three career paths: (1) Robotics Automation, (2) Programmable Logic Controls (PLC) Automation, and (3) Plastics Injection Molding. Among units of study is Worker Characteristics, Technology Foundations, Safety, Manufacturing Processes, Electrical and Electronics, Fluid Power and Pneumatics and Hydraulics I Quality Assurance, Mechanical Fabrication and Motors and Drives, Process Control and Thermal and Steam, Automation Systems and Mechatronics, Materials, Machining and Welding.

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King Successfully Achieves Million-Dollar Gift Match - King is grateful to announce the attainment of a $1 million gift challenge, a milestone achievement for the University’s 2018-19 fiscal year. In response to the challenge, which was presented by an anonymous alumnus in the fall of 2018, hundreds of King alumni, trustees, faculty, staff and friends gave gifts totaling $1,252,826 — exceeding the target by 25%. Related gifts provide for a variety of applications, including financial aid for current and future students, campus infrastructure improvements, and other prioritized needs.

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Nationally Acclaimed Author and Essayist Frederica Mathewes – Green to Open 2019-2020 Faith and Culture Speaker Series - King University’s Institute for Faith & Culture will launch its 2019-2020 speaker series, “The Beauty of Art,

september 2019

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A wide-ranging author and speaker, Mathewes-Green will present “A Golden Bell and a Pomegranate” at 9:15 a.m. in King’s Memorial Chapel on the Bristol campus, and “The Story of Icons: Prayer and Practice” at 7 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church in Bristol, Virginia. Both events are free and open to the public.

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Experience D.C., September 26th 2019 - Faculty and staff members will challenge you to study historical sites and cultural implications through a variety of lenses, and you’ll tackle thought-provoking questions when you return to the classroom.

Tracks are developed around your potential college majors and interests so you’ll gain insight into your possible career choices. You’ll also be exposed to numerous career and vocational options with different fields of study. Faculty and staff members will integrate discussions and debates while you experience the Washington D.C. sites.

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Mike Chitwood is Finalist for Library of Virginia Literary Award - In July 2019, the Library of Virginia announced finalists for the 2019 Library of Virginia Literary Awards. Among this year’s finalists is E&H alumnus Michael Chitwood, Class of 1980. Only 10 authors are among the finalists for the 22nd annual awards, and finalists are chosen by an independent panel of judges from more than 120 books nominated for the awards. Nominees fall into 3 categories (fiction, non-fiction, poetry) and a winner is selected in each category. Chitwood is nominated for his most recent book of poetry, “Search and Rescue.” Chitwood will speak at Emory and Henry on September 10th.

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Service Plunge Gives Back to the Community - The incoming class of 2023 took part in Service Plunge, visiting and serving various locations in our community.

Emory & Henry College sent hundreds of first-year students out to work in surrounding communities during its annual Service Plunge held on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Organized by the Appalachian Center for Civic Life, teams of students and their faculty coordinators left campus on buses headed to various service locations that represented a theme of their first-year courses. For example, the Energy & Sustainability course, led by Jim Duchamp, went to the Blue Ridge Discovery Center to aid in establishing a new nature trail along Dell’s Branch.

The students helped by removing non-native invasive plants, spreading gravel, removing trash and other tasks.

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6th Annual Global Street Party Celebrates Different Nations on September 6th - Emory & Henry College is hosting the 6th annual Global Street Party to kick off the academic year on Friday, Sept. 6, from 4 to 8 p.m. on the lawn beside the newly renovated Duck Pond. The public is invited to attend this fun and culturally-enhancing event. The event celebrates nations all over the world.

Visitors can enjoy live music provided by Emory & Henry’s own Rosewater, from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Following the opening act, Alexander Mack will play two sets from 5 to 5:45 and from 6:15 to 7 p.m. Karaoke with JGreat Entertainment will follow the live music from 7 to 8 p.m.

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Kids Tech University – On September 21st, at the Virginia Tech Southwest Center in Abingdon, children full of “Why?” will have the opportunity to take part in hands on activities. Children ages 9-12, boys and girls, are invited to take part.

Check in is at 8:30am and ends between 2:30 and 2:45pm. Lunch is provided for everyone, including parents who MUST attend with their child. Cost is $100 for September 21st and April 11th 2020. Cost is $50 for just one session.

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Lean Foundations: A Guide to the Fundamentals of Lean with John Dyer – Lean expert John Dyer will guide you through the fundamental principles of Lean thinking and overview of Lean tools. He will also speak on methods to help give a deeper understanding of what Lean is and what it has to offer you and your organization. This event will take place October 23rd from 9am – 4:30pm at the Virginia Tech Southwest Center.

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Northeast State, ETSU Sign Rehabilitative Sciences Articulation Agreement Northeast State Community College and East Tennessee State University have signed an agreement to facilitate the transfer into ETSU’s Rehabilitative Health Sciences program of study.The B.S. degree, which is part of ETSU’s College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, prepares students to enter entrylevel rehabilitative/healthcare positions or pursue graduate studies in medicine, occupational therapy, physical therapy, prosthetics and orthotics, speech-language pathology, audiology, nutrition and dietetics, and other allied health fields of study.

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Alpha Iota Chi Seeks to Establish Collegiate Recovery Program - A community college supports the academic endeavors of its students. That support often includes personal challenges and needs beyond the classroom.Student officers of Northeast State’s Alpha Iota Chi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society wants to extend a lifeline to students struggling with substance abuse and recovery. The Chapter’s student leadership plans to establish a Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) at the College within the next year. Northeast State would become the first community college in Tennessee to establish a CRP for students.

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Northeast State Selects Bob Plummer as Chief Advancement Officer - Northeast State Community College has selected Dr. Robert “Bob” Plummer as its new Assistant Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer effective Sept. 23.

Plummer comes to Northeast State from East Tennessee State University where he served at Associate Vice President of University Advancement and Executive Director of the ETSU National Alumni Association.

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Tusculum is Celebrating its 225th Anniversary in 2019 - Founded in 1794, Tusculum University is the oldest institution of higher education in Tennessee, the twentyeighth oldest in the nation, and the oldest coeducational institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA).

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The Niswonger College of Optometry at Tusculum Attains Stage 2 Accreditation Process - Tusculum University has reached another significant milestone in the accreditation process for the innovative and comprehensive Niswonger College of Optometry. The Accreditation Council on Optometric Education has designated the Niswonger College of Optometry as a “Stage-Two Applicant.” This stage is not a pre-accreditation or accreditation status, but rather a step towards potential accreditation. The Niswonger College of Optometry is engaged in the process of developing the program to meet accreditation standards. Moving from Stage 1 to Stage 2 clears the way for a site visit this year from the ACOE.

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Tusculum Homecoming will be September 30th through October 6th – Tusculum University will be hosting their Homecoming this Fall, complete with a Golf Tournament at Graysburg Hills Golf Course on October 4th. Registration is now open for Homecoming, as well as other upcoming events including; Pioneer Legacy 225 Academic Ceremony, 3K Fun Run/Walk and Men’s Soccer 50th Season Reunion.

Virginia Commonwealth University Nurse Anesthesia Program Announces Information Session – This session will take place on Tuesday September 10th from 7-8pm at Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.

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LMU-DCOM Launches Certificate in Medical Humanities - Osteopathic medical students at Lincoln Memorial University-DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine (LMU-DCOM) can now earn a Certificate in Medical Humanities beginning fall 2019. The certificate program is an elective offering that upon completion will be added to the Medical Student Performance Evaluation.

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Students Learn Canine Anatomy By Sculpting Muscles with Clay - Lincoln Memorial University-College of Veterinary Medicine (LMU-CVM) Anatomy Boot Camp students studied canine anatomy using a novel kinesthetic approach. With reusable skeletal models and clay, they constructed the canine musculoskeletal system from the inside out.

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J. Frank White Academy Welcomes Students to Lower School - The J. Frank White Academy (JFWA), located on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University (LMU), welcomed the inaugural classes of kindergarten through third graders to the newly renovated JFWA Lower School, located in Kresge Hall.

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A Partnership of Top-Ranked Universities with a Space for You.

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september 2019

From Kindergarten to Career T

he Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center typically focuses on providing the regions residents with options to further their college education, but one focus in recent years has also been to provide and assist K-12 students with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math) learning opportunities and other useful skills for the future. From Kindergarten to Career is a succinct way to describe the flow of students from their early days of learning to their choices in higher education and their chosen career path. As we prepare for the future and the multitude of STEM career opportunities, we hope to reach K-12 students and pique their interest in STEM education and career paths.

Every November since 2005, roughly 700 sixthgrade girls are bussed from their schools in Washington County / City of Bristol to the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center (HirEd) to attend the annual STEM workshops. The HirEd partners with the local school systems and a myriad of corporate and non-profit partners to present a day filled with STEM learning opportunities.

For the past several years Patrice Banks, DuPont scientist turned female mechanic and entrepreneur, has presented two keynote speeches to a packed room of brightly colored “STEM” t-shirt wearing sixth-grade girls about the importance of women in STEM fields and the opportunities in the STEM related fields. A small example of the workshops they may attend are “the magic of chemistry,” “water bottle rockets,” “the energy of recycling,” and “catapult building.”

Also in November, the HirEd sponsors and helps to host the regional LEGO Robotics competition event, where hundreds of students from all over the region meet with their teams to compete head-to-head with other teams and vie for a spot at the state level. LEGO Robotics teaches students teamwork, coding, and problem-solving skills. This past July, Reel Tech Experience week-long summer camp celebrated its fourth year at the HirEd. Reel Tech teaches rising 6th-8th graders to code three different types of robots, each using a different type of coding system, and lets them compete against each other to foster innovation and teamwork.

This past summer, Code VA partnered with the HirEd to provide STEM training to area teachers, and in the

Governor Ralph Northam learning about drones at the SWVA Higher Education Center in early January, 2019.

future, Code VA and the HirEd are partnering to provide year-round training to teachers in the entire SWVA region, in accordance with Governor Northams STEM initiative.

In 2017 the HirEd started hosting a series of K-12 field trips which teach students STEM related activities such as coding, drones, and more. In 2019 the HirEd has educated 1,521 students in STEM related activities from regional elementary, middle, and high schools. The HirEd Center also partnered with Virginia Tech in 2017 to create a K-5 STEM Academy, which teaches K-5 students drones, coding, and more. The K-5 STEM Academy is set to begin its fifth semester this fall.

While the HirEd Center in Abingdon, VA has been expanding college program offerings with its college and university partners in the past several years, it has also been investing in the community and area K-12 students by providing STEM learning and other opportunities to contribute to the pathway from Kindergarten to Career.

A Partnership of Top-Ranked Universities with a Space for You.

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“PREMIER PROVIDER FOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT” he Tennessee College of Applied Technology is taking T another step to train workers for manufacturing employment in the region.

Quality Assurance, Mechanical Fabrication and Motors and Drives, Process Control and Thermal and Steam, Automation Systems and Mechatronics, Materials, Machining and Welding

TCAT plans to offer Advanced Manufacturing Technology beginning in January 2020 if there is sufficient interest shown for the training.

Certificates will be awarded as a Production Maintenance Certificate after one trimester, as a Mechanical Maintenance Assistant after two trimesters; a diploma will be awarded as a Process Technician after three trimesters; a diploma as a Manufacturing Technician after four trimesters; and a Robotics Automation Technician diploma will be awarded after 20 months of training.

College President Dean Blevins said the program offers three career paths: (1) Robotics Automation, (2) Programmable Logic Controls (PLC) Automation, and (3) Plastics Injection Molding. “Training in these areas are related to the high tech manufacturing industry of today’s economy. Completion of the program yields an Engineering Technician Diploma,” Blevins said.

Classes meet from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the Main Campus, 426 Highway 91 north, across from the Elizabethton Municipal Airport in the Watauga Industrial Park.

Among units of study is Worker Characteristics, Technology Foundations, Safety, Manufacturing Processes, Electrical and Electronics, Fluid Power and Pneumatics and Hydraulics I

20

AVERAGE CLASS SIZE MAIN CAMPUS 426 Highway 91 North Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-0070

$45,000

93%

AVERAGE STARTING SALARY FOR WELDING

STUDENTS WHO WERE

GRADUATES

FIELD OF STUDY

EMPLOYED IN THEIR

ETSU AT KINGSPORT CAMPUS 1501 University Boulevard Kingsport, TN 37664 423-392-8049

$0

STUDENT LOAN DEBT AT GRADUATION

HERMAN ROBINSON CAMPUS 1500 Arney Street Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-0070

www.tcatelizabethton.edu

The Practical Nursing program, the largest in the state, was ranked 6th by NursingExplorer in 2018.

In 2015, the College became the first to offer Mopar Level 1 Technician Certification leading to possible employment with Chrysler dealers throughout the USA.

The Automotive Technology Program is certified by the National Automotive Technician Education Foundation (ASE).

Existing Educational Training Partners:

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STUDENT SUCCESS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Nationally recognized as “A Working Model for Student Success” The Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology serve as the premier suppliers of workforce development throughout the State of Tennessee. The Colleges fulfill their mission by: •

Providing competency-based training through superior quality, traditional and distance learning instruction methods that qualify completers for employment and job advancement;

•

Contributing to the economic and community development of the communities served by training and retraining employed workers;

•

Ensuring that programs and services are economical and accessible to all residents of Tennessee; and

•

Building relationships of trust with community, business, and industry leaders to supply highly skilled workers in areas of need.

PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE The objectives of the programs offered by the Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology are to: •

Give students the opportunity to acquire marketable skills for entry into the labor market, or upgrade present skills and knowledge of persons already employed.

•

Incorporate appropriate work habits and attitudes into the occupational program.

•

Meet the present and anticipated needs of the business and industrial community.

•

Meet student needs by utilizing open-entry enrollment.

•

Permit students to begin on an individual level. Pace and progress will be measured against the curriculum’s customary hours, and students will exit when specified competencies are met. Instructional methods are individualized and competency-based.

MAIN CAMPUS 821 West Louise Ave | Morristown, TN 37813-2094 | 423-586-5771 AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNOLOGY EXTENSION 340 Piper Street Morristown, TN 37814 423-581-7028

GREENEVILLE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE CENTER 1121 Hal Henard Road Greeneville, TN 37743 423-787-0232

SEVIERVILLE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE CENTER 2025 Red Bank Road Sevierville, TN 37876 865-366-2879

GREENEVILLE INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE CENTER LAUGHLIN 1420 Tusculum Blvd Greeneville, TN 37743 423-787-7011

HAWKINS COUNTY BRANCH 323 Phipps Bend Road Surgoinsville, TN 37873 423-345-4130

TAZEWELL INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE CENTER 1325 Claiborne Street Tazewell, TN 37879 423-851-5219

www.tcatmorristown.edu

75%

LICENSURE RATE FOR

COMPLETION RATE

REQUIRE LICENSURE

STUDENT

97%

STUDENTS WHO WERE EMPLOYED IN THEIR FIELD OF STUDY

99% PROGRAMS THAT

$0

STUDENT LOAN DEBT AT GRADUATION

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CREATE your POSSIBLE

97%

UVA WISE

88%

$18.9M

of UVA Wise graduates find employment or go on to seek a graduate degree

is ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the nation’s top public liberal arts colleges

of students receive financial aid

total aid awarded (2017-2018)

The University of Virginia’s College at Wise Office of Admissions 1 College Avenue Wise, VA 24293

admissions@uvawise.edu (888) 282-9324 (toll-free) (276) 328-0102 (local) www.uvawise.edu

State of the ARC

By Kathy Still, Communications Director and College Spokesperson, UVA Wise

Most students who live in northeast Tennessee are eligible to attend UVA Wise at reduced tuition rates that nearly equal the costs for in-state students. In fact, students from several counties in North Carolina, Kentucky and West Virginia are among the 13 states in the Appalachian Regional Commission who qualify for the special ARC rate. In total, the ARC region covers students from Mississippi to the tip of New York State.

It’s simple to see why UVA Wise has expanded its recruitment area. The campus is in the center of the ARC region, so it makes sense to serve students from the same geographic area, especially as the College is closer to seven other state capitals than Richmond.

Virginia lawmakers recognized the need to increase the recruitment area as well. The Virginia General Assembly approved the measure earlier this year. UVA Wise will, of course, continue to bring in students from across Virginia, but it will expand its reach into the ARC region as well.

While UVA Wise has not had a full recruitment year under the new ARC program, the results are already encouraging. Nearly 50 students from the ARC region will arrive on campus this fall. Some come from as far as Georgia.

technology playing field for students who may not have the financial ability to purchase the technology tools that can aid in academic success.

“Putting an iPad in their hands will help bridge the technology gap and give them a tool for achieving academic success,” Henry said.

The iPads are preloaded with apps that support the academic needs of the students, and additional apps are also available for download. In addition, students may develop their own apps as part of the overall program, which is highly likely since UVA Wise boasts the only software engineering degree program in Virginia. Additionally, a Mac lab on campus will allow students to learn SWIFT, Apple’s easy-tolearn programming language used by professional developers to create world-class apps.

Fall semester is expected to be an exciting time for students, faculty and staff. The college invites others to learn about UVA Wise during this time. Those interested in learning more or wanting to apply for admission are encouraged to visit uvawise.edu.

“The ability to offer reduced tuition throughout the ARC will open new opportunities for students from all parts of Appalachia and will allow us to substantially expand our recruiting efforts,” Chancellor Donna P. Henry said. “It’s a game changer for UVA Wise.”

The College, known for its ability to graduate rural and first-generation college students, will initially concentrate on students who live in ARC communities that are about a three-hour radius from campus. Those students may already know about the College and its offerings. Coaches have already been recruiting in the ARC region, and a new branding campaign is underway to bring the UVA Wise story to the region and across the nation.

As UVA Wise welcomed its new ARC students in August, all full-time students, faculty and staff received an iPad, Apple pencil and a keyboard at no cost. The innovate2eleVAte program will level the

UVA WISE vipseenmag.com

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221 N. COLLEGE ST GREENEVILLE, TN 37745

(423) 798-7940 WS.EDU UNIVERSITY TRANSFER PROGRAMS WORKFORCE TRAINING HEALTH PROGRAMS

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FREE TUITION THROUGH TENNESSEE PROMISE AND TENNESSEE RECONNECT PROGRAMS

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WHO WE ARE, WHY WE’RE HERE AND WHERE WE’RE GOING

BY CHANCELLOR KIM ESTEP

In 2013, Gov. Bill Haslam launched his visionary Drive to 55 Initiative to equip 55% of Tennesseans with a college degree or certificate by 2025. It remains an innovative plan, and in order to achieve it, Tennessee needs innovative partners and programs. That’s where WGU Tennessee comes in. We launched on July 9, 2013, as part of Drive to 55 to help our state reach that 55% finish line by offering quality, affordable bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business, health care, IT, and education. We were created to improve the lives of Tennesseans and to bolster the economic strength of our state.

It’s been six years since our launch, and we’ve seen tremendous results. We have more than 4,400 current students and have produced nearly 4,500 graduates, with students and graduates in all 95 counties of our state. In just six years, we’ve become one of the 30 largest institutions of higher learning in a state with more than 180 universities, colleges, and trade schools – and we’re the third-largest private, nonprofit university in Tennessee.

We continue to offer higher-education opportunities that meet Tennessee’s increasingly varied workforce needs. But why have we seen such rapid growth and success? What sets WGU Tennessee apart? Let’s talk briefly about three things: competency-based education, online learning, and affordability.

Competency-based education: Simply put, students get credit for courses when they demonstrate mastery of the material, regardless of how long it takes. If a student learns faster, they earn their degree faster. As a result, most of our students finish their degrees more quickly than they would in a traditional, credit-hour model.

Online learning: WGU Tennessee is 100% online.

That’s right – no commutes, no room and board, no rushing across campus to your next class. Students have access to their courses 24/7 and can tailor their educational experience exactly to their lifestyles and

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career situations. This flexibility is one reason WGU Tennessee attracts everyone from CEOs to soldiers, to nurses, to entrepreneurs, to stay-at-home parents and teachers.

Affordability: Our students graduate with less debt, and that starts with low tuition – about $7,000 per year. Our Responsible Borrowing Initiative and other financial literacy resources encourage students to borrow wisely and include a personalized financial aid plan for every new student. As a result of this initiative, in only five years, WGU has reduced student loan debt by 40%, and the average debt at graduation is about $15,000 – less than half the national average. Our students report they see a return on that investment in their increased annual income within a few years of graduation.

We’re charging ahead with purpose, and we’re working to expand access even further. For example, this year we’re launching a rural campaign – “Everywhere, TN” – to promote WGU Tennessee to residents in distressed counties in our state. WGU Tennessee has a unique ability to break through so many of the typical barriers faced by students and universities in rural areas. We know that there are hundreds – maybe thousands – of hardworking Tennesseans in these counties who want to earn their degree, and we know we can help make it happen.

WGU Tennessee isn’t just a university. It’s a movement, and everyone can be a part of it. Our students are self-starters who buckle down and earn the degree they’ve always wanted – the one that gets them that promotion, that sense of satisfaction, that new career – and we’re with them the whole way.

To learn more about WGU Tennessee and to see what programs might be right for you, visit tennessee.wgu. edu today.

Dr. Kimberly K. Estep is the chancellor of WGU Tennessee.

THE RIGHT DEGREE CHANGES EVERYTHING. Exclusive scholarship opportunity for Tennessee residents.

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Johnson City Country Club VIPSEEN

special feature

N

estled in the hills of Johnson City sits a beautiful country club that has existed in our area since 1913. Rich in history and values, The Johnson City Country Club serves the community with a variety of events, sports and venues. The presence given off by this prestigious club is one that invites its neighbors to partake in all it has to offer on any given day. Whether you want to spend a sunny day outside playing a round of golf or celebrate the exchange of love and vows in front of floor to ceiling windows that display the spectacles of nature in vibrant 3-D surroundings; this club is your destination. The Johnson City Country Club is family oriented and filled with generational members. By being a part of this impressive club, you are a part of something special and revered.

STORY BY SERINA MARSHALL

One gleaming aspect of The Johnson City Country Club is its immaculate golf course. Built by one of the most famous architects known, A. W. Tillinghast, the golf course set on the property of the club has been there for almost 100 years. The course grew over time from a nine hole course to a twelve hole course to the eighteen hole course that is there and utilized today.

Due to the fact the course became a standard course with the implementation of the 18 holes, The Johnson City Country Club is celebrating the 100th anniversary of their beloved golf course in 2020. A. W. Tillinghast prided himself on his architectural workings, not only with the course in Johnson City, but eventually with some of the most exacting courses seen; including Bethpage State Park Golf Course, Baltusrol and Winged Foot. Jeremy Beachner is the Head Golf Professional and, along with the club, provides a PGA youth program and member club tournaments and events. Currently, The Johnson City Country Club is renovating the golf practice facility under the direction of Bill Bergin. This brand new facility will include a expanded driving range, putting and chipping greens and pristine turf; the same turf used on the University of Tennessee football field in fact. Weather depending, there will be a grand re-opening in the upcoming months to welcome the new addition to the club.

In addition to the golf course, The Johnson City Country Club offers a spectacular tennis facility that includes two indoor tennis courts, three outdoor clay courts, and two outdoor hard courts. Mike Norris is the onsite tennis professional and Ana Gerbasi is the assistant tennis professional.

Johnson City Country Club also offers different Ă la carte packages such as; golf, tennis, clubhouse pool, or all three to be used for family convenience. vipseenmag.com

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No matter which package you choose to go with, each will offer the country club lifestyle for you and those closest to you.

The family aspect is one that the club highly encourages and provides. In a time where life can get a little busy and words can get a little lost, The Johnson City Country Club aspires to be a place where the hands of the clock slow down and no words need to be spoken. Within the walls of the club, leisure is key and happiness is certain. And for those evenings where the adults would like an “adult night” for themselves, the club offers “Kids Club Babysitting” from 5pm – 9pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. That is just another part of the family convenience the club brings to the community.

The Johnson City Country Club doesn’t only offer sports related activities and facilities. Beyond the golf course and through the doors, you will step into a world of chandeliers, fireplaces, and sheer magnificence. Immerse yourself in the atmosphere and plan your next wedding, birthday, Christmas or business event in one of their fine venues.

Whether you want to be inside or outside, the club gives you the opportunity to make your event what you would like. For smaller events, the President’s Room is the perfect place to enjoy your time and experience. If you need a bigger space, look no further than the Charlie Oliver Ballroom.

The veranda of the Charlie Oliver Ballroom looks out on breathtaking views of the foothills of Tennessee and brings the mountains right into your event. Bridal and baby showers can be enjoyed in the Roan Room, which offers plenty of space for you and your guests to get the most of your moment. Events up to four hundred are held within the various rooms of the Johnson City Country Club. Embree House Cakes and The Posey Shop are used for the wedding cakes and florals that are used in the club’s wedding packages. “We have found it helps the bride to have a place to get so many things done at one time” explains Deb Deegan, Operations Manager for the club.

The Wedding and Events Director for the club is Gwendolyn Moore. Both Moore and Deegan are ready to assist any need you and your guest list may require during your event.

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VIPSEEN

special feature

Along with the distinct venues, The Johnson City Country Club brings to your palate numerous options for delicious cuisine. Shonna Peters is the new chef at the club and her creations will bring appetizing morsels to life.

Formally a registered nurse, Peters decided to follow her heart and passion straight to the kitchen to bring farm fresh foods to the table. With the assorted fresh food options, every guest that encounters her plates will not leave unsatisfied. From appetizers to main courses to desserts, Peters invites her guests into her culinary world for a tasting of flavorful proportions and portions. Because of her passion for what she does, every dish is produced and presented with the utmost flare and care.

Stretching limits is something the club prides itself on. From the grounds and course designed by classic era architect A. W. Tillinghast, to the state of the art tennis courts and facility, to the mouth watering dishes and alluring event rooms; the Johnson City Country Club is familiarity meets sophistication. The club also desires to become a more integral part of the community and events within that community. Just as the club wants their neighbors to become a part of their lifestyle, they also want to become a part of the lifestyle of their neighbors. Recently, Coalition for Kids came to the club and the event was a huge success. The experience was one that will not soon be forgotten by those that attended or those that worked the event. In October, the Johnson City Country Club will host the Dawn of Hope Spooktacular that will bring a little bit of spook mixed with the reds, oranges, and yellows of the surrounding mountains in the distance. With inclusive events like these and others, the Johnson City Country Club is honored to be a part of their community. vipseenmag.com

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Abingdon

Lavelle Garic Stephens Fall/

Winter 2019 Collection

Fashion Show EVENT COVERED BY LINDA COFFEY

Despite the warmer temperatures of an August evening, Fall and Winter fashions were being modeled and admired at The Barns at Chip Ridge in Abingdon, Virginia.

Local fashion leader, Stephen Curd presented his unique, one-of-a-kind line for the upcoming seasons. Table displays also highlighted several pieces of his hand-made jewelry and leather creations. As guests enjoyed refreshments, they could also watch local make-up artists, Ren Allen and Nikki Genesse transformation magic as they applied make-up to the models.

STEPHEN CURD

JESSICA BRANKS AND RYAN MOOR

Steven Curd is a man of many talents, as he picked up his guitar and joined local music artists in entertaining the crowd during the evening.

As guests applauded and cheered, local models began displaying the fashions throughout the venue. The details of the clothing amazed everyone in attendance.

SARAH FISHER, KRYSTIN KRAUSE, AND LISA WITHERS

Stephen Curd started Lavelle Manufacturing, located in Glade Springs, Virginia, in 2013 to bring small manufacturing back to Southwest Virginia. Mr. Curd had a vision of bringing together his high-end custom-tailored clothing with US-made one-of-a-kind ready-to-wear pieces. The fabrics are of the highest quality and attention is given to the smallest details – even signature buttons.

JAMIE FERGUSON

For more information, go to Lavelle Manufacturing on Facebook or visit their website at www.garicstephens.com BRITTANY NICHOLSON

NIKKI GENESSE AND REN ALLEN

MARILYN KIMES AND KAYLEE STREET

GLORIA SURBER, TRACEY STANLEY, AND ROBIN GROSSMAN

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STUNNING! CARLY BOOHER EDWARDS

september 2019

Begins September 19

Gilliam Stage at Barter Theatre

Tickets Start at $20 bartertheatre.com | 276.628.3991

Bristol AMANDA DOVE AND TERESA CARTER

ORVEN AND ASHLEY MORELOCK

PAUL WORKMAN

The Pinnacle 5K EVENT COVERED BY ALLISON GALLOWAY

Close to 200 people participated in the Pinnacle 5K on August 3, 2019. The day started with the Kids Half-Mile and finished with the 5K around the premier shopping destination. Proceeds benefit regional United Way organizations including: United Way of Bristol TN/VA, United Way of Elizabethton/Carter Co., United Way of Greater Kingsport and the United Way of SW Virginia.

ON YOUR MARKS!

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

The mission of the United Way of Bristol is to bring together resources to help people in our community live healthy, productive lives. United Way of Bristol brings people and resources together to advance the common good by focusing on the building blocks of a good life. Their goal is to create long-lasting changes to prevent problems before they occur. For more information, visit www.unitedwaybristol.org or call (423) 968-4912.

SARA DOUGLAS

KIM STOWERS AND PAM HAVENS

LISA AND ALYSSA MAHON

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ROSE AND JINX RASMUSSEN

Bristol DICK COLLINS WITH BRENDAN AND CONCETTA MCSHEEHY

ZADA CHURCH

U.S. ARMY

Runnin’ for a Young’un 5K EVENT COVERED BY ALLISON GALLOWAY

It was a bright and early Saturday morning start for those who participated in the Runnin’ for a Young’un 5K. Held in the beautiful Steele Creek Park, participants walked or ran the 3.1 mile race. A special addition to the event was the opportunity to “Run with a Soldier” as members of the U.S. Army were on site to participate in the race. In addition to supporting a good cause, the reward was Chick-fil-A providing biscuits for breakfast. Age group medals were also awarded to top finishers. The fun morning ended with a cool-down in the Splash Pad! Proceeds benefitted The Boys and Girls Club of the Mountain Empire.

DEVIN LEE AND REGINA YATES

APRIL AND RICK MATTHEWS

The Boys and Girls Club of the Mountain Empire’s mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. For more information, visit www.boysgirlsclubme.org or call 276-669-8932.

HEATHER GARROW AND LAURA HELMLY

JACKSON AND JOSH HORNER

BRENDA, SIMON, AND JOY

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Bristol STORY SUBMITTED

In Bristol, the traditions of music and racing run generations deep.

Thousands of fans flock to the Tri-Cities each year to cheer their favorite drivers at Bristol Motor Speedway, the world’s fastest half mile, and to trace the steps of the legendary Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers in the town that catapulted them to stardom with the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings. It’s Bristol, baby—and just when you thought it couldn’t get better than that, it does.

For the first time in history, the worlds of racing and music combine for the ultimate 10-day experience for fans. It’s all happening throughout Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia next year— September 10 - 19, 2020.

During a press conference in August, officials from Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS) and Birthplace of Country Music (BCM), the parent nonprofit of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum, the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, and WBCM Radio Bristol, announced the new Rhythm and Racing Super Ticket, which will give music and race fans the opportunity to experience 10 days of fun, music, racing, and lots of excitement.

Earlier this year, BMS and BCM both announced new dates for 2020 with the exciting news that NASCAR would be bringing a trio of championship playoff races to Bristol for the first time in 2020.

The Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival will be held on September 11 – 13, 2020, followed by race week kicking off on Monday, September 14 with events throughout the region and ending with the night race on Saturday, September 19, 2020.

The new Rhythm and Racing Super Ticket will offer music and race fans the opportunity to experience two of the region’s biggest events in 10 days. The Super Ticket includes a three (3) day weekend wristband to the Festival and a three (3) day ticket to all the races at Bristol Motor Speedway, including the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. The cost of the ticket package begins at $150 per ticket.

“This Super Ticket package pairing of back-to-back September weekends of Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion festival followed by a pivotal 2020 NASCAR Cup playoff elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway will strike the perfect chord for music and racing enthusiasts alike,” said Jerry Caldwell, executive vice president and general manager of Bristol Motor Speedway. “No other NASCAR race kicks off their event experience a whole week early with a mega music festival and nightly entertainment leading into some of the most competitive racing on the circuit. This is an amazing experience in a beautiful region that we think fans of racing and music will love.”

The Rhythm and Racing Super Ticket will go on sale this afternoon, August 2, 2019. For existing BMS 2020 Season Ticket Holders, call the ticket office for information on adding this new option to your package.

“Bringing together two of the largest events in the Southeast, the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival and a playoff race at Bristol Motor Speedway, is an incredible opportunity for our community,” said Leah Ross, BCM Executive Director. “The merging of these events will bring nearly two weeks of entertainment to our region for locals and travelers to enjoy, and for the first time music and race fans traveling long distances won’t necessarily have to choose between the two. The price of the Super Ticket is a fantastic deal, and we are thrilled to partner with BMS to offer the ultimate racing and music experience next September.”

Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion and the races at Bristol Motor Speedway will bookend an incredible week of activities taking place around the region, which details will be announced in full at a later date. From race events in Kingsport, Johnson, and Bristol, to a special concert on Thursday night, September 10, to kick off the festivities, Rhythm and Racing Week promises to be an unforgettable experience that places the region’s very best assets on the same stage.

In 2020, Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion will be held Friday - Sunday, Sept. 11 - 13, 2020. Events at BMS will take place Thursday – Saturday, Sept. 17 – 19, 2020.

For those who love to camp at music festivals and race weekends, Bristol Motor Speedway will also make select camping options available to the public beginning Thursday, Sept. 10 through Sunday, Sept. 18, 2020. Enthusiasts are encouraged to come early and setup basecamp in Bristol for 10 days of Rhythm and Racing festival fun. For more information about the Rhythm and Racing visit RhythmandRacing2020.com.

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Johnson City

100+ Tri-Cities Women Who Care

Third Big Give Event EVENT COVERED BY RACHEL K. BURRUS

On August 8, 2019, more than 170 women gathered together as 100+ Tri-Cities Women Who Care, a giving circle that meets quarterly to donate to small charities. Becca Davis, Executive Director of ReFrame Association, launched a chapter in the TriCities in August 2018 after hearing about 100 Who Care Alliance, a global affiliation of more than 600 chapters. Since then, the giving circle allows women to network, gain insight about groups in the community, and support multiple charities collectively.

Members of the giving circle commit to donating $100 per event on a quarterly basis; however, teams of women are welcome as well.

“This is a philanthropic, great group of like-minded women,” says founder Becca Davis. “who are passionate about more local communities supporting little nonprofits.”

HEATHER CHAMPNEY, CLAIRE MARR, AND SYLVIA CRUM

NICOLE HUGHES OF LEVI’S LEGACY AND ADRIENNE OSBORNE-HEARL, BOARD MEMBER OF 100+ SRI-CITIES WOMEN WHO CARE

There are three presenters at each quarterly meeting - and one is voted upon by members of the club to donate their collections from the previous quarter. Sylvia Crum of Appalachian Sustainable Development, Kathy Koltowski of Friends of Suzanne, and Nicole Hughes of Levi’s Legacy presented their organizations to the club. Nicole Hughes was voted to receive the check amounting in $12,000 for Levi’s Legacy. “I’ve seen the worst of what it is to be human,” says Hughes as she recounted the story of her threeyear-old son Levi’s tragic passing by drowning. “But I have also seen the best.”

“I delight in helping others,” says Adrienne Osborne. “100+ Women Who Care allows me to join efforts with other compassionate women to make a huge impact in our community.”

Women, individuals or teams, who are interested in joining can complete a short form on the club’s website at www. tricitieswomenwhocare.com. The next meeting takes place on November 14, 2019.

NICOLE HUGHES AND RHONDA LACEY

PRESENTERS SYLVIA CRUM, KATHY KOLTOWSKI, AND NICOLE HUGHES

ADRIENNE OSBORNE-HEARL PRESENTS THE CHECK TO LEVI’S LEGACY, WHO WAS VOTED AMONG THE GIVING CIRCLE.

MADI FOSTER, KATIE BAKER, RHONDA LACEY, AND MICHELLE LIVINGSTON

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WOMEN OF THE GIVING CIRCLE ENJOY BEING PHOTOGRAPHED ON THE VIP CARPET.

RONDA PAULSON, FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF ISAIAH 117 HOUSE, GIVES AN UPDATE ON HOW HER ORGANIZATION HAS PUT THEIR CHARITY FUNDS TO USE - BY OPENING A NEW HOUSE.

Johnson City

Meet the Mountains 2019 EVENT COVERED BY LINDA COFFEY

Meet the Mountains, presented by Ballad Health, returned to Founder’s Park in Johnson City the weekend of August 23-24th for the second year. The location provided opportunities for people to meet a variety of vendors and also participate in on-site activities. The free event was held to promote an active and healthy lifestyle and showcase many of the outdoor recreation opportunities available in Northeast Tennessee.

The water activities were popular during the higher temperatures in the afternoon. Falling off a paddleboard was a refreshing opportunity.

Another way to cool down was to stand too close to the Dock Diving event for dogs, they were flying high, but landing with a splash!

PLANNING COMMITTEE AND VOLUNTEERS

Meet the Mountains partnered with organizations across the region to provide various activities. Participants could participate in programs at Steele Creek Park, ETSU, Tannery Knobs, Buffalo Mountain, King Commons, South Holston Lake, Jacob’s Nature Park, Sugar Hollow Park, Covered Bridge Park, or participate in a bike ride through downtown Johnson City.

BIKE SKILLS!

Event sponsors included: Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Partnership, Academy Sports, The Atlantic Ale House, Barley Waters, Blue Ridge Outdoors, Bright Ridge, East Tennessee State University, Food City, Hoffman Composting, HomeTrust Bank, Visit Johnson City, Mahoney’s, Modern Woodmen, Mountain Roots Hemp Dispensary and Café, Neat Lines, Networks, News Channel 11, Northeast Tennessee, Tennessee Vacation, TVA, and USA Raft Adventure Resort.

For more information about Meet the Mountains, visit their website at mtmfest.com or find them on social media sites.

TAYLOR IS READY TO CAMP!

BEN (VAN OWNED BY T.R AND VERONICA)

KIM STAYS UPRIGHT!

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SANDY AND ROGER COX

PEARL WITH HER JUMP STYLE!

JIM AND DONNA HARLESS

SAWS (SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN WILDERNESS STEWARDS)

Johnson City REBECCA MILLER AND RACHEL JONES

Little Chicago Festival EVENT COVERED BY ALLISON GALLOWAY

The 4th Annual Little Chicago Festival was held on August 9th and 10th in the streets of downtown Johnson City. Hundreds of people came out to enjoy two days full of live music, body painting, a family fun zone, face painting, hair braiding, food trucks, and so much more! Local bands entertained crowds at two different stages, and there was no shortage of things to do for people of all ages.

SUE ALVIS AND PATTI BOGART

KAREM

The downtown music and arts festival is named after Johnson City’s nickname in the 1920’s – Little Chicago. Rumor has it that Al Capone ran part of his illegal alcohol business out of Johnson City, a hub for moonshine. During the Prohibition Era, it’s said that many of Capone’s Chicago gangsters made stops in Johnson City, located at a railroad crossroads.

Little Chicago Festival was started by the Downtown Merchants Association and an enthusiastic group of volunteers who have a heart for Downtown Johnson City. Their goal is to provide a free festival for the community to enjoy. Their vision is to see the streets of Downtown Johnson City filled with families enjoying fantastic regional music, fine arts and crafts, and the best in local and regional foods. For more information, visit www. littlechicagofestival.com.

KRYSTAL LEIGHTON AND JOHN FOULK

JACOB MOORE

RHYTHM AND THE ROOSEVELTS

MAGIC SHOW

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Johnson City

Monkee’s of Johnson City 4th Anniversary Celebration EVENT COVERED BY ANGELA BAKER

Monkee’s of Johnson City celebrated its 4th anniversary in August with treats, champagne, and giveaways! Monkee’s is an upscale ladies boutique that features designer clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry and accessories, located in the Peerless Center on North Roan Street in the heart of Johnson City. Thanks to their wonderful customers from all over the Tri-Cities and beyond, it has been a very successful past four years for the popular boutique!

LOCAL JEWELRY DESIGNER SUZANNE MCKINNEY OF BEAUTY IN STONE

Monkee’s was built on a love for fashion and grown through a focus on personal customer relationships. Monkee’s of Johnson City is proud to carry clothing lines including AG Denim, Jude Connally, Trina Turk, Vilagallo, DL1961 denim, and Spanx; shoes lines including Free People, Eileen Fisher, and Marc Fisher; and jewelry lines including Kendra Scott and locally made Beauty in Stone by designer Suzanne McKinney. They also have adorable baby gifts, hostess gifts, and bridesmaids gifts.

Please visit Monkee’s for all your own personal fashion styling needs or help with finding the perfect gift! The Monkee’s Girls are always happy to help you! Happy 4th anniversary to Monkee’s of Johnson City! You can follow the boutique on Instagram and Facebook: @monkeesofjohnsoncity, and shop them online: www.monkeesofjohnsoncity.com

MACKENZIE JENNINGS, JILL DAYTON, OWNER KRISTA WHARTON, AND CHRISTINE ROBINS MONKEE’S GIRL JANET MCGHEE WITH KRISTA WHARTON

ROBIN TESTERMAN WITH KRISTA WHARTON

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KRISTA WITH JOHNSON CITY FASHIONISTA VALDA JONES

Johnson City AMY FULKERSON AND SHEILA REED

Golden Years Senior Expo

KARING HEARTS CARDIOLOGY

EVENT COVERED BY HALEY WHITE

The Mall at Johnson City hosted the Golden Years Senior Expo on July 30. The event took place from 9 am to 2 pm inside the mall across from Dick’s Sporting Goods and organized by Simple Elegance Tennessee. The expo included free breakfast and food court bingo, sponsored by TownView Senior Living and Courtyards Senior Living of Johnson City. The highlight of the afternoon was the variety of exhibitions and speakers who were present to offer services and information to seniors of the Tri Cities. Vendors included Bath Fitter, Young Living, Downtown Yoga Center, Blue Ridge Physical Therapy, and more!

YOUNG LIVING OILS

DULCIMER FRIENDS OF JONESBOROUGH

THE COURTYARD SENIOR LIVING

MIRACLE EAR

BARBARA CARA

TOWNVIEW SENIOR LIVING

BLUE RIDGE PHYSICAL THERAPY

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Johnson City

Girl Scout Trefoil Luncheon EVENT SUBMITTED

The Girl Scout Trefoil Luncheon this year, honored Dr. Nancy Dishner for her incredible contributions to the community. Dr. Dishner regaled the guests with her strong value of Girl Scouts, particularly the mentorship of girls and strong support for whatever they choose to pursue: STEM, finance, and more. She shared a compelling story with a surprise ending, and she topped it all off with a magic trick at the end!

LOTTIE RYANS, HAOWEI CLAIRE TONG, NANCY STANTON, EMILY BRATTON, AND DIANA TONG

FRONT ROW: SANDI BLALOCK, DR. NANCY DISHNER, AND DR. JENNIFER AXSOM ADLER BACK ROW: ELAINE WASHINGTON, HAOWEI CLAIRE TONG, LYNNE LAWSON FUGATE, AND LEIGH HORNSBY

TRACY WILSON, LEIGH HORNSBY, AND APRIL RAINBOLT

EVENT COVERED BY HALEY WHITE

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB WASHINGTON COUNTY

KRISTAN SPEAR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND JENNY OWEN CAMPAIGN CHAIR

United Way of Washington County hosted the kickoff for its 2019 fundraising campaign on Thursday, August 9. This year’s campaign theme is “A New Year- A New United Way.” During the new year, the United Way will add a new agency to the list of almost two dozen it already serves called “AdaptoPlay.”

Campaign Chair Jennifer Owen says this campaign will be different than years past, with UWWC offering its own programming in addition to supporting organizations in the community. This year’s goal is $1.5 million, but Owen hopes the community will rally to surpass that.

Johnson City

United Way of Washington County Campaign Kickoff

To learn more visit www.uwowc.org

KYLE KRAMER AND TERRY EVANS

REBECCA HENNESSEE AND BARBARA MENTGEN

GREG LEITCH AND MICHAEL DEPOLLO

MUNSEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

WASHINGTON COUNTY SCHOOLS

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Johnson City

TOM FARROW, SANDY FARROW, AND DREW BOSLET

Atladis Event at The Ligero Cigar Lounge EVENT COVERED BY KIRSTEN HALL

Ligero members gathered on Thursday evening, August 22nd for an Altadis event, which is a cigar representative company for fine cigars such as Montecristos and H. Upmanns. Drew Boslet, an ambassador for Altadis, brought the Trinidad Espiritu as the evening’s featured cigar. The event was catered by Simms and had a beer and whiskey pairing, as well.

ADAM MURRAY, JAKE RANNIC, HUNTER DEAN, AND FRANK STEBECK PHIL ARDAIRE AND JIM MORAN

JIM RHINEHARDT AND ANNETTE RHINEHARDT

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RUSTY LITTLE, TOM FARROW, AND BO VASQUEZ

JIM MURRAY AND JEFF GREELEY

Gate City

HEAR Me Roar STORY BY ALLISON GALLOWAY PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY CSC PHOTOGRAPHY

The 6th annual HEAR Me Roar event was on Saturday, August 10th at Creation Kingdom Zoo. The event gives attendees a unique chance to see Creation Kingdom Zoo under the lights after normal operating hours as well as a chance to visit with over thirty-six of your favorite costumed characters! Kids and kids at heart enjoyed not only the animals, but also characters from Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Disney, and more!

All proceeds benefitted Waiting to Hear. Waiting to Hear is a nonprofit organization that exists to bring the gift of sound to children who are deaf or hard of hearing, and to support a listening and spoken language outcome for these kids. For more information, visit www. waitingtohear.org.

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– Stephen Hawking

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Jonesborough Scoop Fest EVENT COVERED BY RACHEL K. BURRUS

The fourth annual Scoop Fest took place in downtown Jonesborough on August 10, 2019, hosted by Jonesborough Area Merchants and Service Association (JAMSA). Downtown was buzzing with activity on a hot summer’s day as patrons milled in and out of shops enjoying delicious samples of Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Jennifer Wolfe, JAMSA’s Treasurer, says, “Our Jonesborough merchants created Scoop Fest as an opportunity to bring the community together around back-to-school time for one last bit of summer fun. Who doesn’t like ice cream?” JAMSA Board of Directors and other volunteers from JAMSA help plan and organize Scoop Fest, specifically Dona Lewis, Melinda Copp, Cameo Waters, Kati Jenkins, and Jennifer Wolfe. Blue Bell Ice Cream sponsors the event, which Lewis says are generous and a pleasure

ANNA AND DAVID PHILLIPS

CHRISTY WHITEHEAD AND CRYSTAL GARDNER

to work with. “The Town of Jonesborough is also very gracious in their assistance with the event,” adds Wolfe. “We have volunteers from the JAMSA membership and student volunteers from David Crockett High School helping set up, deliver ice cream, and serve guests.”

Board members also organize annual special events including Chocolate Fest in February and Strolling on Main in the spring, among Scoop Fest in late summer. Amy Caple, who moved to Tennessee from Naples, Florida, says Scoop Fest is “awesome. I love it and I think people are really enjoying it.”

“I love to see families, couples, and friends enjoying themselves on a summer day.

Everyone seems to have a smile on their face!”

Concludes Wolfe.

JENNY SHARROW, WAYNE ENGLISH, AND JUDY ENGLISH

DAVY CROCKETT HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS JOSIE BEST AND EMILY HILTON SCOOP ICE CREAM

JENNIFER WOLFE, DONA LEWIS, NANCY KAVANAUGH, AND KATHLEEN PETRETTA

APRIL TAYLOR AND AMY CAPLE

JILL WHITE, DAWN SHELBERT, AND JAC GURLEY

BEN HADDEN, CHAD HELTON, AND DAVID MAYBERRY

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Teaching An Old Room New Tricks STORY BY DAVID MALLORY AND TODD FIELDS PHOTOGRAPHY BY MIKE HENSLEY, JOHNSON CITY AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

F

eatured in this issue, is a space we designed for a client a couple of years ago. When the family purchased the home, this room was used as a home office. It had been tailored to the previous homeowner’s use and his taste, complete with dark wood cabinetry, a heavy stone fireplace and dark brown wood ceiling.

After living in the home for awhile, our clients found that they did not require a home office. So the room became a catch-all/storage area.

This family is super busy. With a hectic schedule, there are times when they need a break – a “personal paradise”.

Occasionally we all need a getaway from the job, the house, the day-to-day routine and, yes, even those that mean the most to us – our families.

This was especially true for the lady of the house. She is a mother of two small children, a business owner, and works tirelessly for local charities. After spending her days, doing so much for others, she needed a retreat that was just for her. So she decided to transform the otherwise “useless” home office into her happy place.

We were called upon to make her dream a reality.

After talking with her and visiting the room, we knew we wanted to create design, that would reflect her lively spirit – a place that would invite her to read a book, indulge in a glass wine, or perhaps chat with a close friend while having a martini or two!

The homeowner requested a “feminine and glamorous look”. This would require not only changing the original function of the room, but the overall mood as well.

We began by having the cabinetry painted a soft shade of white, adding decorative trims, building wine racks for her extensive wine collection and wrapping the entire room in a wall-covering that has a slight metallic sheen. This all helped soften the overall feel and gave it a more feminine aesthetic.

However, as a counter balance, some of the masculine features such as the wood paneled ceiling and rough hewn fireplace, were embraced. We developed a harmonious scheme, in which the palette, as well as furnishings struck a balance.

Using a soft blush pink, her favorite color, as the dominant accent, created a soft and relaxing mood. Subtle shades of color are easy on the eye and the soul.

BEFORE

This retreat had two large windows that fill the room with wonderful washes of light, so the window treatments were vipseenmag.com

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kept simple, but with elegant flourishes. Our goal was to frame this awesome wall of windows and not to obstruct the views of the beautiful mountains beyond. Light is everything! It illuminates a space and lifts your spirits. So raise those blinds and let the sun shine in!

A custom tufted window bench upholstered, in a lush velvet— is the perfect spot to enjoy the warm sun, while viewing the surrounding pastoral landscape. In the evening, this spot is illuminated by a pair of crystal sconces, which cast a welcoming glow on this inviting nook.

This was a relatively small area. We wanted to make a strong statement of luxury in this compact space.

Our design created a multi functional space...a place for the homeowner and her close friends to gather for a chat and also an intimate spot that she can enjoy a fire and a glass of wine with her husband, on a cool Autumn evening. Evoking different moods according to when it is used, this room can be bright and sparkling during the day, and soft and seductive by night.

One way we accomplished this was to use a large scale light fixture.

Layering textures is another way to add a sumptuous feel to a room. Don’t apologize for a space being small, own it! It actually can work in your favor. A modest-sized room is the perfect place to splurge on exquisite fabrics and finishes. Because you don’t need a lot of them you really notice design elements like, trim on a pillow or the finish of a table. When we design a smaller space, we pay extra attention to detail.

Since square footage was at a premium, the use of color was important. Applying monochromatic scheme, it allowed us to make the space look open, clean and larger.

Just because a room is small, doesn’t meant that the furnishings have to be small scale.

Four custom-designed, full size chairs create a conversation area.

In the center, a pair of bunching tables, not only allow an area for books and accessories, but also provide a place for cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.

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Our client looked to us to create an environment that felt chic and alluring, but had a sense of calm and comfort. Upon completion we can look back and say, we did just that. When you open the door to this room, it is truly an unexpected moment of respite in an otherwise hectic world.

Turning the Tables Drink tables are all the rage! These small scale tables are a perfect spot to rest your glass when socializing with friends and family. Not only functional they can be very stylish as well!

Below are just a few that are available in our showroom!

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Kingsport MODERN FORGE TEAM, EVENT SPONSORS

FOY AND JUDY HARRIS

17th Annual Pepsi Golf Classic EVENT COVERED BY LINDA COFFEY

Coalition For Kids, Inc., hosted the 17th Annual Pepsi Golf Classic on Tuesday, July 30th at Warrior’s Path Golf Course. After a hearty breakfast, provided by Bojangles, twenty teams of golfers were ready to attempt to win some nice prizes for various challenges.

Each year, the event has been sponsored by Pepsi, with all proceeds going to Coalition For Kids. Jim Harlan, Board President for C4K, was ready to play and was greeting the group, which included many returning participants. Food City provided lunch for the event.

Another sponsor of the event, Modern Forge, had a team ready to participate in the tournament.

Coalition For Kids is a faith-based after-school, evening and summer program located in central Johnson City. In the 2018-2019 school year, over 530 children registered in their after-school and evening program.

DAVID ELDRIDGE AND JOSH DEVOTI

Operating five days a week, the after-school program provides homework assistance and life skills coaching provided by trained tutors and mentors. In addition, the evening program provides a hot dinner along with extra-curricular activities, which otherwise may not be available to the children. The eight-week summer program is filled to capacity with over 270 children and a waiting list. Throughout the past twenty years, the after-school and evening programs have been provided at no cost to the families of the children served.

For more information on Coalition For Kids, visit their Facebook page or the website at www.coalitionforkids.org.

Mark your calendars for their annual Tailgate Party on August 29th at the Johnson City Country Club.

FOY AND JUDY HARRIS WITH BRENDA WALLEN, AND TOM WOODRUFF

CHRIS PATTON AND COLIN JOHNSON

JIM HARLAN AND RANDY HENSLEY

RACHEL AND MAGGIE INGRAM

JENNY BROCK AND KEITH COCHRAN

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KEITH GOFORTH AND MARK HARROD

BETH KELLER AND JAN JACOBSON

Kingsport AL AND ANGIE

BENNY WILSON

EVERYONE’S WELCOME AT THE OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES

August Under the Stars at Allandale EVENT COVERED BY ALLISON GALLOWAY

Allandale Mansion hosted August Under The Stars on Thursday August 22. This free event invited guests to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy some live music in the evening at Allandale’s outdoor amphitheater. Local favorites Ivy Road and the Benny Wilson Band had the crowd dancing and singing along all night. Local food and beverages were offered by Opie’s Pizza Wagon and Bays Mountain Brewery.

GREAT CROWDS UNDER THE STARS

SHARON BROWDER AND HENRY GONZALES

GARY SUTHERLAND, CAROLYN LANDERS, AND SHANE LADD

CHARLENE AND MIKE AUDETTE

BAYS MOUNTAIN BREWING COMPANY

IVY ROAD

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Kingsport

GIRL WINNER OF A BIKE

BOY WINNER OF A BIKE

KAREN DALE AND PRESTON AYRES ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF DOOR PRIZES

Dancing, Dining, and Ducks EVENT COVERED BY RACHEL K. BURRUS

BRITTANY RUSHING WITH SONS BENTLEY AND COLT

REBECCA VINCENT, REBEKAH LUCAS, AND RACHEL TRENT

ALEX HALL AND HAVEN CRAWLEY

ALLISON VINCENT, AVA WEATHERTON, ADALTN ROUNDY, ARIEL DINGUS, ARIANNA, NALEYA PICKEY

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KAREN DALE AND BRAD JENKINS

RAYANNA, SAMANTHA, AND JAZLYN

The 3rd annual Dancing, Dining, and Ducks took place at the state-of-the-art Kingsport Aquatic Center in Kingsport, TN on the evening of July 27, 2019. Hosted by Mountain Region Speech and Hearing Center, this fundraiser deeply provides funds for the patient-oriented non-profit organization. Over 2,500 rubber ducks were purchased and placed in the lazy river while parents and children enjoyed fun activities, music, and food vendors. Ducks were randomly drawn for prizes, the grand prize being $2500, which went to Candice Britton.

Inspired by observing ideas at conferences, Karen Dale discovered a neat niche in fundraising with the ducks and held the first event three years ago. Brad Jenkins commented that Dale has discovered a “neat niche” in the idea of using ducks as prizes - along with placing purchased ducks in the lazy river opposed to a natural river, making clean-up more environmental-friendly. The Sertoma Club members were the backbone of the volunteer effort to give back to parents and children, many who are MRSC patients. “As a therapist, it’s refreshing to see patients in an ‘event’ environment,” says intern coordinator Rebecca Vincent. “We are a ‘kidoriented’ facility, so we definitely want to see more kids as the event grows,” added Rachel Trent, a speech pathologist for MRSC. Dale describes the event as a “celebration” with patients, a free event to give back to the community for “we couldn’t make it without them.” For more information on MRSC and to see the prize winners for the ducks, please visit kingsportducks.org.

Kingsport ERNIE RUMSBY AND BILL KILGORE

AREA CHAMBERS STAFF WITH SENATOR BLACKBURN

BOB CANTLER AND MATT GARLAND

Kingsport Chamber Breakfast with Senator Marsha Blackburn EVENT COVERED BY LINDA COFFEY

Regional leaders and interested guests filled the ballroom at MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center on Saturday, July 27th, for a breakfast event with Senator Marsha Blackburn. Chamber leadership from the area counties welcomed guests and participated in the program, leading up to a conversation between David Golden, Senior VP of Eastman and Senator Blackburn.

During his introduction of Senator Blackburn, Mr. Golden remarked that her friends say that she has not changed since being elected as a Senator.

The demands on a United States Senator have never been higher, and that is quite an accomplishment. During the conversation, Senator Blackburn discussed issues relevant to our region: China Trade, Workforce Development, Rural Health Care, Broadband and 5G Networks, Education, and Vocational Training. The Senator summed it up with a quote from her schoolteacher Grandmother, “It ain’t bragging if you done done it!”, stating that proving you can do something and doing it well can change a culture.

Brince Manning recognized Senator Blackburn with the “Spirit of Enterprise” Award from the United States Chamber of Commerce for her impact on regional businesses and leadership in Washington.

Sponsors for the event included Ballad Health, BCBS of Tennessee, Eastman, and Brightridge Broadband. The Chamber of Commerce’s from Bristol, Greene County, Johnson City, and Kingsport hosted the breakfast event.

MILES BURDINE AND DAVID GOLDEN

SENATOR JON LUNDBERG AND REP. GARY HICKS

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SENATOR BLACKBURN

LORI PAYNE AND ROB ARNOLD

ANDY HALL AND ALLAN LEVINE

LOCAL DELEGATES

LIFETIME WARRANTY

EDUCATION IS THE FRAMEWORK TO SUCCESS

Kingsport RUSTY LITTLE AND ERNIE RUMSBY

MASON MOSIER AND TIMOTHY HALL

DON FENLEY AND COLETTE GEORGE

14th Annual Legislative BBQ EVENT COVERED BY COURTNEY CARBERRY

Northeast Tennessee lawmakers wore their aprons proudly as they served up burgers and dogs to members of the Kingsport Chamber during the 14th Annual Legislative barbecue on August 8th at the Domtar Cabin. This yearly event gives legislators a chance to interact with and serve the local constituents. After serving up food and some mingling, the legislators stepped up to recap this year’s session as well as discuss plans moving forward. Legislators that attended this event included: State Senator Jon Lundenberg, Bristol; State Representative John Crawford, Kingsport; State Representative Timothy Hill, Blountville; State Representative Gary Hicks, Rogersville; and State Representative Bud Hulsey, Kingsport.

LEGISLATORS SERVING GUESTS

STEVE AND CHRISTINE REED

SENATOR JON LUNDENBERG SERVING UP SOME BAKED BEANS

JULIE BENNETT AND JENNIFER ADLER

JASON MUMPOWER AND ERNIE RUMSBY, TRI-CITIES MILITARY AFFAIRS

CLAY WALKER AND SAM JONES

LYNN JOHNSON AND HANK HAYES

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Kingsport 11th Annual Lo Country Boil Fundraiser EVENT COVERED BY HALEY WHITE

The 11th Annual Lo Country Boil Fundraiser took place on Saturday August 11. All the proceeds went to benefit Kingsport’s historic Netherland Inn. The funds raised are used to augment and maintain the inn as well as further restore King’s Port on the Holston River.

Entertainment was provided by the Dugger Band. The Lo Country Boil is Netherland Inn’s largest fundraiser. the Inn is maintained and expanded completely with Association dues, memorial donations, gift shop sales and fundraising events. Maintenance costs for the complex are major, and reconstruction of historic additions (such as the bank barn and flatboat) has magnified the operating and maintenance expenses.

Netherland Inn hosts tours of the inn and grounds as wells as special events throughout the year including the Teddy Bear Picnic,

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Old Tyme Fiddlers and Bluegrass Festival, Haunted Historic Inn and the 1818 Candlelight Christmas Party.

Rising above the Holston River, Netherland Inn has been fully restored as a historic house museum. This three-story Federal architectural “gem” is one of the south’s most important American frontier settlements.

Additional buildings on the property include a reconstructed kitchen wing, a Log Cabin Children’s Museum, which was moved to Netherland Inn from Boone’s Kentucky Wilderness Road in Virginia.

Daniel Boone and his family lived in this cabin at times between 1773-1775. Other structures on the property are the Weilhouse which shelters the old stone-line well, a school house and the Pence Reception Center and Gift Shop.

M

Y

Y

Y

Kingsport EDWARD JONES

ONATHAN COLLIER AND AMY JOHNSON, CITI

HIGH VOLTAGE

Eat. Drink. And Party Pink Kickoff Event EVENT COVERED BY HALEY WHITE

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Tri-Cities hosted their annual campaign kickoff event at High Voltage in Kingsport. Guests were invited to eat, drink, and party pink! The event included guest speakers, a strides store, appetizers, and beverages.

The event was presented by Pizza Plus with Avon, Edward Jones and Citi as additional sponsors. This year’s goal is $100,000. To learn more visit www. makingstrideswalk.org/tricitiestn

CITI TEAM

AMBER, EVENT COMMITTEE MEMBER

SURVIVORS, CITI

AVON, NATIONAL SPONSOR

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Tri Cities TN/VA At Making Strides events around the country, people are coming together to celebrate survivors, have fun, and raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives from breast cancer.

Whether we’ve faced it ourselves, or someone we love has, almost everyone has been affected by breast cancer in some way. But at the same time, we can all do something about it. By donating to a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event you’re helping the American Cancer Society make a difference in so many ways, from funding innovative breast cancer research to simply providing a hand to hold.

HOLLY BOOKER

CLAY WALKER AND SAM JONES

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ETSU Fall Rally Cats A beginner’s youth tennis program for kids ages 4 to 10 GET ACTIVE, HAVE FUN, AND MAKE FRIENDS WHILE LEARNING TO PLAY TENNIS!

ETSU Campus Recreation Tennis Courts JL Seehorn Jr. Road, Johnson City, TN 37604

Wednesday Evenings Sept. 11, 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16 5:00 - 6:00 pm Price: $60 Team ID: 7042388085

Sign up at www.RallyCatsTennis.com OR call 615.953.1694

Changing with Time. Changing with You. East Tennessee’s Business Bank for 85 Years.

866-882-2265 citizensbank24.com/85years

Member FDIC

Kingsport MARGARET COUNTS AND STEPHANIE NAEGLE

CLARK PARKER AND MARGARET COUNTS

MARK AND WENDY BOWERY

Sip of Summer EVENT COVERED BY RACHEL K. BURRUS

The 1st annual Sip of Summer took place at The Social in Kingsport, TN on the evening of August 2, 2019. All proceeds benefited Contact 211. Sip of Summer offered great food, summer libations, games, a silent auction, and music provided by Phantom Entertainment. Margaret Counts has devoted her life to nonprofit organizations on the local, regional, and national levels and is the Executive Director of Contact 211, which provides three crucial services to the community: information and referrals, reassurance calls for seniors living alone, and a helpline for suicide intervention. “What we often take for granted-transportation, housing, clothes on our backs-referrals are provided for those who are in need. Help paying a power bill or having a ramp installed in their home. Or perhaps restocking their pantry,” says Counts.

BUFFY LAMB AND BARSHA GRANT

KEN REA AND VICKIE ELLET

Recently a new service was added called MyRide Kingsport - a service with a minimal fee that provides through the door driving services to residents 60+ years of age anywhere Kingsport, TN. Drivers serve on a volunteer basis and assure passengers arrive safely to their destination. Holston Medical Group, a sponsor for Contact 211, was also present during the event.

My goal is for people not to say “Contact 211-what’s that?’ says Clark Parker, Contact 211 Board Chair.

“We want the community to be aware that they have a built-in network and all they have to do is dial 2-1-1.”

WESLEY COMBS, SAMANTHA SIZEMORE, AND RANDY SERMONS, HMG EXECUTIVES

JEFF LITTLE

GAIL CAMPBELL PARTICIPATES IN THE SILENT AUCTION WITH HUSBAND JOHN CAMPBELL MARY SHULL, PAT SHULL, JOHN CAMPBELL, DAVID TOMITA, COLETTE GEORGE, GAIL CAMPBELL

vipseenmag.com

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LASH EDUCATION & TRAINING

with Sherrie Bacon

Sherrie has been an Xtreme Lashes Educator since 2007. She has trained over 5,000 beauty and medical professionals in the United States and Canada to apply eyelash extensions safely and beautifully. She is on of only 4 Preceptors nationwide responsible for training other trainers. When not on assignment for Xtreme Lashes she offers private and group Classic Fundamentals and Omni Volume lash extensions training in the Tri-Cities.

CALL TODAY TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN TRAIN WITH SHERRIE!

423.232.7437 217 E. UNAKA AVE | JOHNSON CITY sherextensions.com | facebook/sherextensions

Kingsport BALLAD HEALTH REPRESENTATIVES

WORLD LONG DRIVE WINNERS KYLE BERKSHIRE AND ALEXIS BELTON

Tennessee Big Shots: World Long Drive Competition EVENT COVERED BY HALEY WHITE

Cattails at MeadowView hosted the second annual Tennessee Big Shots: World Long Drive Competition to benefit Niswonger Children’s Hospital. The competition took place August 10-12 with players qualifying Saturday and Sunday and the live broadcast competition on Monday. Because of the success of last year’s event, seating was nearly doubled for the fan turnout this year. The Men’s Division winner was #1 in the world Kyle Berkshire with a shot of 409 yards. The Women’s Division winner was Alexis Belton with a shot of 328 yards.

Tennessee Big Shots will return for a third year in 2020 at Cattails at MeadowView.

WES BARRETT AND ALLISON WHITE

ANDREW WHITMARSH

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PHILLIP DISHNER STATE FARM

HEAD GOLF PRO PETE DEBRAAL AND SOME OF THE CATTAILS TEAM

KYLE BERKSHIRE

BOB CANTLER AND MATT GARLAND COMPETITOR MARTIN BORGMEIER

WOMEN’S LONG DRIVE COMPETITOR HEATHER MANFREDDA

WOMEN’S LONG DRIVE COMPETITOR MARY DRISCOL

WORLD LONG DRIVERS

RYAN RIESBECK

FOOD CITY SET TO KICKOFF SCHOOL BUCKS CHALLENGE Food City to award $700,000 to local schools

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re you up for the challenge? Food City has pledged $700,000 in contributions for the upcoming school year.

With Food City’s School Bucks Challenge, it’s easy to earn reward points. For every $1 you spend, using your Food City ValuCard, you’ll receive 1 point.

schoolbucks for customers preferring to sign-up in-store.

Food City has pledged $700,000 for the upcoming school year. School allocations are based upon the percentage of customer purchases assigned to each school. Schools can monitor their progress biannually online at foodcity.com.

“Our Food City School Bucks Program has provided muchneeded support for thousands of schools throughout our market area. Our School Bucks Challenge makes points collection easier than ever,” says Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer.

“Food City is committed to supporting the education of our youth,” said Smith. “Since the program’s inception, we’ve awarded over $19,300,000 in much-needed educational equipment and tools to more than a 1000 participating area schools”.

The 2019-2020 School Bucks Challenge begins Wednesday, September 4, 2019 and continues through May 5, 2020.

Simply link your Food City ValuCard to the school of your choice online at www.foodcity.com/schoolbucks or at the checkout of area Food City locations. Area students will also receive barcoded school ID’s to provide to friends and family. When scanned at checkout, the barcode designates the school to credit with your purchases. The barcoded school ID’s are also available online at www.foodcity.com/

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For more information about the new Food City School Bucks Challenge, please contact your local school, visit foodcity. com or contact the Food City School Bucks Coordinator, Lisa Johnson at 1-800-232-0174.

Headquartered in Abingdon, Virginia, K-VA-T Food Stores (Food City’s parent company) operates 132 retail outlets throughout southeast Kentucky, southwest Virginia, east Tennessee, Chattanooga and north Georgia.

VIPSeen SchoolBucks Ad 9-25x11-125 PRINT.pdf

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VIPSEEN SEPTEMBER

CREATING A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS

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