The ETSU Region
East Tennessee State University is located in the heart of the Appalachian region, nestled in the ridge and valley province near Tennessee's highest mountain (Roan Mountain), the Great Smoky Mountains, and the majestic peaks of western North Carolina. Bold rivers and rushing mountain streams add to the region's beauty and opportunities for outdoor activities.
Culture is as rich as the region's flora and fauna. The region is the wellspring of traditional mountain music and its branches in bluegrass, gospel, country and other musical forms, and is recognized as the Birthplace of Country Music by the United States Congress. The music is surrounded by an equally strong heritage in craft, custom, dance, food, and storytelling. In fact, the university offers the world's only master's degree in storytelling and is linked to the International Storytelling Center in neighboring Jonesborough, the oldest and most historic town in Tennessee and home to the annual National Storytelling Festival.
The region surrounding the university is also home to thriving cities and historic towns, such as Johnson City, Bristol, and Kingsport, Tennessee, Asheville, North Carolina, and Abingdon, Virginia. These urban areas add to the cultural mix with professional theatre, music ranging from jazz to classical, ballet, and festivals to celebrate each of four distinctive seasons.
A recent ETSU award-winning original play, "Hear That Whistle Blow…Erwin Train A Coming" celebrates the heritage and history of this region and was performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. as part of the American College Theatre Festival. Civic pride and regional cooperation throughout the Tri-Cities, Tennessee/Virginia area led to the 1999 All-America City award, the first-ever given to an entire region.Leadership in health care is one of the region's great strengths. The university's James H. Quillen College of Medicine and the regional hospitals provide quality health care to city residents and more rural, underserved populations of the area. The emerging biotechnology corridor will bring high-tech medical research and development companies to the region.
Sense of place, strong families, civility, and a solid work ethic are hallmarks of the culture of the university's part of the mountains. A significant part of the university's mission is service to the region's communities, particularly through community partnerships. East Tennessee State is a regional university serving one of the nation's most fascinating regions.
Center for Appalachian Studies and Services
Storytelling
our campus | our faculty | our programs | our region | our students | mountains to know | home | ETSU home
© 2001 East Tennessee State University
Johnson City, TN 37614