Bucs Compete at an Elite Level

Earlier this week, our Men's Golf Team competed for a national title, ultimately placing 12th in the nation among a field of 30 competitors comprising primarily state flagship institutions. It was ETSU's fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Men's Golf Tournament, and we are one of just nine programs in the country to accomplish that feat. Our golf team's ability to compete at an elite level against far larger schools with much deeper pockets is outstanding. But it is not unique — at least not at ETSU.

Our students, faculty, staff, and alumni are achieving national and international recognition in research, scholarship, athletics, the arts, health care, business, government, and service. In the last year alone, our marching band grew to one of the largest in the nation and was selected to perform on the world stage at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, while Bluegrass alums Amythyst Kiah and Tray Wellington received national acclaim from the New York Times and PBS, among others. Our pharmacy students ranked second nationally for their scores on the NAPLEX licensing exam, and students and faculty in the College of Public Health claimed one of the nation's top awards for innovation in public service.

Thanks, in part, to the work of our Office of Prestigious Awards, as well as the teaching excellence of our faculty, Trent White, a current ETSU student, received the highly competitive national Truman Scholarship, while alum Shivam Patel was a finalist for the Rhodes — one of the most prestigious scholarships in the world. ETSU grad Craig Charles was named Tennessee's Small Business Person of the Year, and alum Missy Testerman was proclaimed National Teacher of the Year on CBS Mornings.

Our focus on developing innovative programs to meet the unique and changing needs of our communities also was applauded. Our BlueSky Tennessee Institute, in partnership with BlueCross BlueShield of TN, has received numerous accolades, the most recent coming from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Meanwhile, faculty members in our College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences have been busy preparing to launch the first cohort of the new Orthotics and Prosthetics program, the first of its kind in Tennessee and one of only 15 nationwide.

ETSU has also shined when it comes to service to veterans and military-affiliated students. Jake Berens, a student in our Quillen College of Medicine, was named a 2023 National Student Veteran Leadership Award recipient. Our Army ROTC program is consistently ranked the best in Tennessee and among the top battalions in the nation, and there are 17 generals and flag officers from ETSU.

For far too long, our university has been among the world's "best-kept secrets." This is a disservice not only to our students, faculty, staff, and alumni but also to our entire region, which has worked hand-in-hand with the university for more than a century to develop a world-class institution in the heart of Appalachia. And we have done so without sacrificing our mission and remaining accessible to all. Nearly 40 percent of our May 2024 graduates were the first in their families to graduate from college.

East Tennessee State University is a place where anyone — regardless of their income, background, or where they came from — can grow, succeed, and compete with the best. I am incredibly proud of that fact, and I hope each of you is as well. Godspeed and GO BUCS!

East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.