GREENEVILLE – As she entered Tusculum University, Danielle Dugger found a perfect way to nurture her faith and find the type of living environment she preferred.
Dugger applied and became part of the first group of students to reside in the Discipleship Living-Learning Center. Started this academic year, the center enables students who want to grow further in their relationship with the Lord to live in university-owned houses – one for males and another for females.
Through Bible studies, mentorship and ministry engagement, the center provides a Christ-centered environment where first- and second-year students are discipled, strengthened in their faith and formed for lives of service and leadership. Supporting them are peer mentors, who are older students also living in the house, and the Rev. E.J. Swatsell, Tusculum’s director of spiritual life and special projects.
Dugger shared her story Wednesday, Oct. 29, during the Pastors’ Prayer Breakfast, a traditional event during Tusculum’s Homecoming week.
“This is truly one of the best things I’ve done in my life,” Dugger said. “It’s so much nicer to live in a house that’s full of people who are kind of like-minded as you. They’re here to get a degree and to grow in their faith. That definitely eased a lot of the worries of being away from home for the first time and being the first person in your family to go to college. It makes it feel so much better when you have people rooting for you and wanting you to grow in a godly way.”
One other benefit she cited is that those who live in the Discipleship Living-Learning Center earn a $2,000 scholarship.
Another resident in the Discipleship Living-learning Center is Dugger’s boyfriend, Noah Brown, a freshman who lives in the male house. The two came to Tusculum from Johnson County on the eastern end of Tennessee.
“Through the house, I have grown in my faith,” he said. “I’ve met people that I’ll know for the rest of my life. When E.J. reached out to me about the house, I was very excited. I was ready to grow. Going to Tusculum has really set me forward. It’s helped a lot. I go to church every Sunday, and every Wednesday, we worship with E.J. at Bible study. It’s a great opportunity.”
The Discipleship Living-Learning Center is part of Tusculum’s new Christian Leadership Institute, which also launched this year and includes several initiatives in three phases. Those include discipleship assistants in Tusculum’s residence halls, The Calling Conference for students to discern through connections with Christian professionals where God is leading them, more resources for the university’s weekly chapel sessions, a Christian leadership major and conferences for adult Christians serving in a variety of fields.
Dr. David Cook, provost and vice president of academic affairs, is also heavily involved in the Discipleship Living-Learning Center, frequently joining the group for the Wednesday Bible study. He has been impressed with the center’s development.
“It’s been fun to see how these lives are already being transformed,” Dr. Cook said. “I want to thank those who came to our fundraising dinner in May and helped raise money for this program. That has allowed us to provide the scholarships to the students. We want to provide the scholarship so that any student, no matter what their financial circumstances are, can build their faith.”
Swatsell said the Discipleship Living-Learning Center has attracted a wide array of students, from those who came from the inner city to those whose backgrounds are in rural settings. He said some students have had to overcome some challenges in their lives.
As he described his multifaceted job, Swatsell said he most enjoys campus ministry. He likes working with faculty and staff but particularly relishes the times when students come by his office simply to talk. He likes when they have questions to ask.
“It keeps me on my toes that there are so many babes in Christ that are coming to me,” Swatsell said. “Then there are so many 19- and 20-year-olds that are very knowledgeable about the Bible and the relationship with God. It’s wonderful to see that leadership among the students.”
Dr. Cook also shared with ministers who attended the breakfast a new program Tusculum is piloting. It is a church matching program in which a congregation can choose to provide a certain amount to a church member who is coming to Tusculum. Whatever the church chooses to allocate, Tusculum will match that amount to reduce the cost for the student.
“I’ve seen how this impacts a lot of students who might have thought they couldn’t go to college, but when their church supported them and the college matches that amount, it becomes two scholarships to help it work financially,” Dr. Cook said. “That’s our way to help support the church, too. If there is someone you want to receive a Christian education at Tusculum, we want to come alongside you and them.”
In his remarks, Dr. Scott Hummel, Tusculum’s president, expressed his gratitude to local ministers.
“I very much appreciate that you are helping us, that you are part of evangelizing and discipling our students,” he said. “You are equipping them as they go forward in their careers and their lives to multiply our efforts as disciples formed and developed here. They are able to make more disciples. I am grateful for you and covet your prayers and your support for our students.”
Additional information about Tusculum’s campus ministries is available at https://site.tusculum.edu/campus-ministries/. Further details about the university can be accessed at www.tusculum.edu.
