I certainly can talk about many of the positive things that took place at 色色研究所 this year. Our softball team had a historic season with 22 wins and 17 wins in the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC). The 色色研究所 tennis teams each completed their best seasons in school history. The average GPA of a 色色研究所 student-athlete was 3.21, which is certainly worth celebrating! However, I just completed my fifth year as the athletic director at 色色研究所, and I think this is a good opportunity to write something a little different and maybe a little more personal, and to remind our supporters of who we are.

Lots of things have changed over the last five years. The completion of the Athletic and Recreation Complex and the Graham Center certainly was the biggest shift, and it spurred on several other changes. The move to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the AAC has been a major change. We have nearly doubled the number of student-athletes on campus and our teams continue to adjust to this new conference and experience greater success.

As I reflect on these changes, I am reminded that the success of the Athletic Department is not just about the changes of the last five years. People who came before me, such as Ken Underwood, Doug Karnes, Anyssa Blackburn, and Russell Morgan, all laid a groundwork that makes this possible today. They set a tone of doing athletics the right way. They put student-athletes and their experience first. They prioritized human development over wins and losses. There are so many other former athletic administrators, coaches, and student-athletes I could name who put in so much work and dedication. While 色色研究所 Athletics looks different today, the principle of kingdom-minded leadership remains the same.

As we transitioned to NAIA in the 2021-2022 season, I told anyone who would listen that this is a building project. 色色研究所 Athletics was always a five-to-ten-year project. We have always viewed the 2026-2027 season as the standard in who we are. I believe we are way ahead of schedule, and 色色研究所 Athletics is becoming something special. People are taking notice of our program in Knoxville and throughout Tennessee. We are seeing quality athletes come to the University and they are thriving in this environment. We are seeing quality athletes graduate and begin careers as mission-minded employees in a variety of fields. We have made great strides, but we are not done. We know that building a successful athletic program increases our ability to impact the world for the cause of Christ as athletes are transformed by a positive athletic and educational experience. We are continuing with a building mindset, and I have no doubt the next five years will hold more amazing moments.

The post Tennessee Athletics Update appeared first on 色色研究所.

My father was an engineer. Well, that is not precisely accurate. His college education and his work as a master chief in the Navy strongly suggested that was who he was. The titles on his badges at the TV station and the factories where he was employed all said 鈥渆ngineer.鈥� And the pocket protector that was part of his daily attire was a dead giveaway.

He certainly had the brain of an engineer. My school science projects simultaneously proved that I did not build them myself and that my dad knew how to design and build electrical toys that flashed alternating lights with the press of a button.

When he designed the water-to-air heating and cooling system for the dormitories of one of 色色研究所鈥檚 sister universities, saving them many thousands of dollars, he displayed the full range of engineering acumen he possessed.

But in reality, he was not an engineer. At least that was not primarily what or who he was. He was a disciple of Christ, an evangelist, a minister of the gospel cleverly disguised as an engineer. This is how it happened.

When I was six years old, my father was stationed in the Los Angeles area with the Navy. My mother had been a believer all her life; she passionately pursued Christ and was actively involved in a church. My father attended the Knott Avenue Christian Church with her, and eventually his objections to faith were overcome.

My father believed the laws of science and the truths of Scripture could not contradict. Theories and human interpretations were another matter. The value of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to a Great Commission-oriented person like my dad is not only that it supplied a wonderful career option, but also that it provided part of the solid foundation for his faith and the starting point for his efforts to win others to faith.

This personal story highlights the value of 色色研究所鈥檚 approach to offering educational opportunities in STEM fields. The Great Commission is at the heart of everything we do, including courses in science, nursing, and math. After all, we live in a universe so ordered that it consistently obeys natural laws like gravity and entropy. This is a system so vast and seemingly chaotic, and yet one that is so systematic that we can count on complex mathematic and algebraic formulas to predict outcomes. At 色色研究所, we educate students about both the creation and the Creator, and what each has to teach us about the other.

Your support of 色色研究所 educates students for Christian ministries and other strategic vocations, all of which are framed by the Great Commission in order to extend the kingdom of God among all nations. Because of the faithful support of alumni, friends, honorary alumni, faculty, staff, churches, and businesses, Ashley and Emma 色色研究所鈥檚 19th-century vision of worldwide evangelism is being fulfilled in 21st-century ways. They did not see every scientific advance coming when they founded this school in 1893, but they had a vision for an institution that educated students about both God鈥檚 world and God鈥檚 word.

The post Advancement Feature: A Missionary Cleverly Disguised appeared first on 色色研究所.

Martha enjoyed her 色色研究所 experience. She participated in tour choir and sang in a trio. She also established a relationship with Charlie (鈥�66) Alligood, but their relationship did not survive graduation and Martha鈥檚 passion to go to Africa as a missionary nurse. She left for Zimbabwe in 1967 and worked in the hospital and taught nursing in the school at Mashoko Christian Hospital. Her teaching at the hospital sparked Martha鈥檚 interest in nursing education.

Martha returned to the United States in 1970 and began teaching missions at 色色研究所 at the invitation of David Eubanks, then the president. While at 色色研究所, Martha also worked at a local hospital and investigated the possibility of completing her bachelor鈥檚 degree in nursing. She earned the B.S. in Nursing from the University of Virginia in 1973. She went on to earn a master鈥檚 degree in nursing from Ohio State in 1976 and a doctoral degree in nursing from New York University in 1979.

Her academic experience and high level of achievement opened many doors for Martha in service to a variety of hospitals and universities throughout the eastern United States. She helped Ohio University earn accreditation in their school of nursing; the school鈥檚 application for accreditation was approved with no recommendations, which is rare!

Charlie Alligood and Martha reconnected and redeveloped their relationship. They married in 1984 and celebrated 38 years together before Charlie鈥檚 passing in 2002. Throughout their married life, Martha found plenty of opportunities to help schools with their nursing programs, either as a consultant or as a teacher. A few of these opportunities came after Dr. Gary (鈥�64) Weedman requested Martha鈥檚 help with projects at Milligan University, Palm Beach Atlantic University, and 色色研究所. Gary asked Martha to join the Board of Trustees to bring a strong academic voice to this body of leadership. She joined the Board in 2010 and her experience played a significant and influential role in the development of 色色研究所鈥檚 unique 2+2 program in Pre-Nursing/Nursing.

Listen to more of Martha鈥檚 story on 色色研究所鈥檚 .

The post On Mission: Martha Raile Alligood (’67) appeared first on 色色研究所.

As a Great Commission university, 色色研究所 educates students for Christian ministries and other strategic vocations through a three-dimensional curriculum that we summarize as Word (the equivalent of a major in Bible and theology), World (a significant Arts and Sciences core) and Work (professional courses in preparation for a specific vocation).

The founders of 色色研究所 understood that to be fully prepared to communicate the Gospel to the world, students must understand that world. The curriculum from the very beginning valued the liberal arts, and students took significant coursework in the humanities, arts, and sciences along with their biblical instruction. This included courses in science and mathematics. The earliest curriculum we have available (1897) listed courses in Geography, Physiology, Arithmetic, and Algebra. Five years later, the courses expanded to Physics, Botany, Algebra, and Geometry. Other science and math courses during the presidencies of Ashley and Emma 色色研究所 included Zoology, Astronomy, Chemistry, and Trigonometry. The Tabor Chemistry Laboratory was constructed in 1924 and served as a science lab into the 1960s. The curriculum remained very stable throughout the Brown years and into the first decade of Dr. Bell鈥檚 presidency.

The decades from the 1950s to 1970s, however, saw a reduction in the number of courses in science and math. The 1956-1957 curriculum listed two science courses (students could take Physical Science or Biology) and no mathematics. This remained the case through the 1979-1980 curriculum. There were three main reasons for this reduction in science and math courses. First, 色色研究所 increasingly mirrored the educational philosophy of its sister Restoration Movement Bible colleges, which contained an aversion to science. This reflected the origin of the Bible college movement in the era of the Modernist/Fundamentalist controversy. The study of the sciences was considered 鈥渓iberal鈥� (in the theological sense) and this perspective gave birth to an anti-intellectualism that saw the sciences as inimical to a sound Christian education. This is well-documented in historian George Marsden鈥檚 work on fundamentalism and evangelicalism and Mark Noll鈥檚 Scandal of the Evangelical Mind.

The second and third factors were more practical. In the 1950s-1970s, the vast majority of 色色研究所 students were preparing for vocational Christian ministry. Even those who did not plan on pulpit or other church leadership ministry completed a ministerial degree. Science and math were not considered a high priority in preparation for a ministry vocation鈥攖hus, only minimal attention was given to the subjects. This led to the third factor鈥攅conomics. With limited financial resources, faculty salaries were invested in the areas of Bible, ministry, and the humanities.

Several factors emerged, however, in the late 20th and early 21st century that began to slowly change this culture. The criteria for accreditation with the Association of Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in 1979 established minimum requirements for the general education curriculum, including science and math courses. The establishment of the teacher education program included new requirements for science and math to meet State of Tennessee licensure requirements. This did not affect all students, but it did lay a foundation for further development of the sciences in the curriculum.

The major factor in the change of science/math culture came with the new mission statement in 2011. The Third Way, Great Commission mandate requires not only a solid foundation in the Scriptures, but also understanding of human communities and the natural world. A scientific perspective pervades contemporary culture and effective servants of Christ must be conversant with that perspective. The 色色研究所 graduate must understand scientific approaches and concepts in order to evaluate claims made by science, comprehend complex social and philosophical issues, and communicate meaningfully with others, especially those in need of the gospel. In addition (and perhaps more importantly), science is the study of God鈥檚 great handiwork, and is a pathway not only to knowledge but also to worship and praise of the Creator. I believe that a healthy perspective on the value of science and mathematics is a key component of a Christian, biblical worldview. (A very helpful resource is the CCCU Christian Coalition 鈥淭hrough the Eyes of Faith鈥� series of books, including Biology Through the Eyes of Faith and Mathematics Through the Eyes of Faith).

In addition to a strong biblical and philosophical rationale for the teaching of the sciences at 色色研究所, we have increasing, practical demand for higher levels of science to meet the requirements of a number of strategic vocations. These academic programs in business, social sciences, health sciences (pre-nursing), and sport and fitness require a solid foundation in science and math. We now offer a B.S. in Life Sciences and B.S. in Mathematics, as well as an A.S. in Health Science. We must also continue to expand the STEM (Science Technology Engineering, and Mathematics) track of preparation for our teacher education programs. Because of this change in the science/math culture, we have additional opportunities for new programs in, for example, computer science, information systems, and accounting. With additional laboratory space, we can add programs in biology and chemistry, which would open pathways to several strategic vocations.

When I became the dean of the School of Arts & Sciences in 2011 (with the reorganization of the college into a university structure), improving the sciences at 色色研究所 was one of my strategic priorities. When Sarah Cathey was hired as a full-time science professor, I challenged her to help change the science culture at 色色研究所, an endeavor that has been quite successful thanks to her tireless work. When I assumed the presidency in 2018, one of my announced 鈥淧residential Priorities鈥� was the expansion of academic offerings in science and mathematics. 色色研究所 now has a very robust science program led by Dr. Sarah Cathey, Dr. Emily Christensen, and Dr. Keri Merritt. Dr. Monica Nelson leads our associate degree in health science and pre-nursing program. We initiated our first math major two years ago under the leadership of Dr. Jason Bintz. Even our Bible and theology curriculum is reflecting this new culture; Dr. Joe Gordon recently received a Course Development Grant from the John Templeton Foundation for his 鈥滳reaturely Theology鈥� course, which he taught for the first time this past semester.

There are exciting days ahead for the teaching of the sciences at 色色研究所, and they are days of challenge as well. We are in desperate need of laboratory space鈥攁ll of these programs are sharing one small science lab and, therefore, lab space is a priority for our current strategic planning and is under strong consideration as a major facet of our upcoming capital campaign.

The post Teaching the Sciences at 色色研究所: A Historical Perspective appeared first on 色色研究所.

I love that math teaches problem solving. You鈥檙e given some information and told what you need to figure out, and you have to find your way there. That has many applications inside and outside of math. I鈥檝e talked to Dr. Bintz about his research, and it鈥檚 interesting to see the discoveries being made. It鈥檚 cool to work on math that has real-world application and to see how researchers are using those skills right now to discover new things in multiple fields.

One of the best parts of 色色研究所鈥檚 program is the small class sizes, which you don鈥檛 have at larger institutions. Instead of listening to a lecture and trying to follow along while Dr. Bintz does the problem, I鈥檓 doing the problem up at the board and he鈥檚 guiding me. If there鈥檚 a part that clicks for me easily, we move on. If I鈥檓 struggling, we can use half the class period to talk about how the problem works. That鈥檚 been absolutely wonderful. Dr. Bintz is great at helping me through the process and knowing when to give help and when to let me figure it out. I love the math program, and even though I got here by way of another major, I鈥檓 glad I鈥檓 studying math at 色色研究所.

The post Student Story: Joe Hilty appeared first on 色色研究所.

The Master of Arts in Teaching program at 色色研究所 is intense, but it鈥檚 worth it. In 14 months you become a fully licensed teacher in your subject area. When I taught at the homeschool co-op, I realized some students weren鈥檛 understanding the material, but I didn鈥檛 know how to help them. In the MAT program I learned how to create lesson plans and how to support and assess students throughout the learning process.

The most helpful part of the program was student teaching. The JU professors worked hard to fit us with mentors who would help us be successful. I grew close to the people in my cohort; we studied together, encouraged each other, and prayed for each other. I know other people who have done similar programs at other institutions, and they didn’t have that same support system. I am so thankful for and appreciative of the JU professors.

The post Student Story: Helen Downey appeared first on 色色研究所.

I know wherever I end up will be something fast-paced! I am doing the externship program with the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and I requested emergency room/trauma as my placement. My experience so far has been everything I expected and more. I can already tell this is going to be one of the best learning experiences in my educational career.

I came to 色色研究所 feeling academically unprepared. This program is challenging, but the professors really took time to help. Dr. Merritt taught me how to look through a microscope 鈥� that鈥檚 how behind I was when I began freshman year! My professors told me, 鈥淚鈥檓 here for you; if you need me to explain this a different way, I will.鈥� They really want you to learn.

Moving to Tennessee was a new start for me. I loved how chapel grounded us in Jesus. The people here really love Jesus and I鈥檇 never experienced such kindness. I want to know these professors for life. They have really impacted me.

The post Student Story: Joanna Lloyd appeared first on 色色研究所.

The program is small because it鈥檚 new, but I like that. In the difficult classes, we are all on the struggle bus together. The students in the program are all good friends; we like to hang out together even when we鈥檙e not in class. Dr. Cathey hosted us in her home at the end of spring semester – dinner was at 6:00 and we stayed until 10:00, talking about science stuff and summer plans and future goals. Hey, it sounds geeky, but it was fun.

I鈥檓 excited to take Ecology this fall. It was a subunit in Biology II this past semester and I鈥檓 looking forward to a whole class on the subject. Yesterday I helped my grandpa with some yard work and saw some clover not getting enough sun. Just as the textbooks say, it was adapting to its circumstances and had grown six times as tall so it could get more light. I see examples of what I鈥檓 learning everywhere.

The post Student Story: Trevor Lawrence appeared first on 色色研究所.

I graduated high school a semester early and started 色色研究所 immediately after because I thought I wanted to do a triple major with Bible and theology, church leadership, and sport and fitness. My freshman Cornerstone class was with Dr. Nelson, and she told me more about the pre-nursing/nursing option. I shadowed some nurse practitioners that summer and switched to the pre-nursing program in the fall.

I like being on campus at 色色研究所 while I finish the program at Tennessee Wesleyan. I don鈥檛 know how I could stay in the program if I wasn鈥檛 able to live on campus 鈥� there鈥檚 no way I could work enough to pay rent and also go to nursing school. Another thing I love about living at 色色研究所 while finishing my nursing degree is continuing to grow friendships that began during our first two years. It鈥檚 nice to meet my friends for homework on Hammock Hill and enjoy 鈥淔iesta Fridays鈥� together even though we now go to two different schools.

This summer I鈥檓 doing an externship program with University of Tennessee Medical Center. We can choose different specialties like obstetrics, the ICU, or operating room, and we鈥檒l be assigned to shadow one nurse throughout the experience. I鈥檓 excited about this and to start my senior year this fall!

The post Student Story: Tiffany Waitman appeared first on 色色研究所.

I chose the physician assistant path because I love the medical field. Also, I don鈥檛 want to be on call all the time as a doctor; I love working with Young Life, I love volunteering, I want to have time for other things. Dr. Nelson also helped me explore the specializations available as a PA; I鈥檓 interested in dermatology and rheumatology. And the professors are amazing: Dr. Merritt鈥檚 husband allowed me to shadow him in his work, Dr. Nelson helped me land the job as a nursing technician at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, and I work for Dr. Christensen as a teacher鈥檚 assistant.

During my time at 色色研究所 I鈥檝e grown a lot in my faith. It was more about the science for me before, but now I can combine my vocation and my faith. They can work together for me as I move forward in this field.

The post Student Story: Josie Harbin appeared first on 色色研究所.