Over twenty years ago I was a student enrolled at ETSU. Today, I am a member of the faculty and the chair of the Department of Public Health. So I’ve experienced ETSU from two perspectives, as a student and a professor.

As a student, I found that ETSU gave me more than I ever imagined. The faculty were approachable and easy to work with. They stayed in contact with me long after I graduated and became a part of my network of mentors. When I left ETSU, I traveled extensively in my career, worked in many areas of my profession, and lived in several regions of our country. I also attended other universities—the University of Texas and the University of Pittsburgh—and I worked with graduates from other supposedly more “prestigious” universities. The bottom line is this: As a center for learning and a place to prepare for life, ETSU is one of the best-kept secrets in the country. By attending ETSU I developed a good sense of self through an excellent support system and received an education that more than qualified me to excel in my field.

Teaching at ETSU has afforded me the opportunity to continue our university’s tradition of academic excellence. I encourage my students to have unlimited horizons. I advise them to apply themselves fully to their commitment to learn while keeping their lives in balance. It is so very important to strive for balance in your intellectual life while not neglecting your physical, social and spiritual needs. Our need for balance is hampered in a world that is too busy and overcrowded and that fosters the mistaken belief that you have to have more to be happy.

Never forget where you came from while knowing it will not prevent you from getting where you’re going. And finally, trust God!

Joanne