Farnor named to Volunteer Tennessee Commission

ETSU’s Coordinator for Leadership and Civic Engagement Nathan Farnor will serve on
the Volunteer Tennessee Commission for the State of Tennessee throughout the end of 2024.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee recently appointed East Tennessee State University Coordinator for Leadership and Civic Engagement Nathan Farnor to serve on the Volunteer Tennessee Commission for the State of Tennessee.  

Farnor’s appointment to the commission began in September and runs through Dec. 31, 2024, with the possibility of reappointment. 

"I am grateful to Gov. Lee for the opportunity to serve on the Volunteer Tennessee Commission and to help drive ongoing volunteerism and community engagement, not just in East Tennessee but across the Volunteer State,” said Farnor.  

Stepping into the role of coordinator for Leadership and Civic Engagement last year, Farnor's work focuses on strengthening nonprofit and university partnerships while also building ongoing capacity for student volunteerism, primarily through the expansion of the university's ETSU Serves platform. 

In addition to community engagement efforts, he serves as the staff lead for ETSU's award-winning and nationally recognized voter engagement initiative, ETSU Votes, while also serving on the university's Go Beyond the Classroom leadership team. 

"I have seen firsthand the extraordinary role that educational institutions can play in building volunteer communities and changing people’s lives for the better, specifically through our own community-engagement work and our Go Beyond the Classroom initiative,” said Farnor. “I am excited to offer that insight and unique perspective during my time on the commission."

Outside of ETSU, Farnor is currently a member of the advisory council and chair-elect for Young Professionals of Johnson City and on the leadership team for TEDx Johnson City. In addition, he recently stepped onto the national steering committee for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network's Young Leaders Caucus. 

Farnor received a Bachelor of Science in political science and a Bachelor of Arts in communication studies from ETSU in 2018 as a graduate of the Roan Scholars Leadership Program. 

Volunteer Tennessee is the 25-member bipartisan board appointed by the governor to oversee AmeriCorps, promote service-learning opportunities and foster community service initiatives and partnerships. The organization’s mission is to encourage volunteerism and community service among the citizens of Tennessee. 

ETSU faculty and staff are engaged members of the community and often win competitive grants and fellowships.    

For more information about Leadership and Civic Engagement at ETSU, visit etsu.edu/students/sao/organizations/civicengagement. To learn more about the Volunteer Tennessee Commission.

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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.