Hello, and welcome back to what undoubtedly will be an engaging and memorable semester at East Tennessee State University!

In my lengthy career in higher education, I have never felt more excited about the start of an academic year. The energy on campus is palpable as we welcome not only one of the largest incoming first-year classes in the university's history but also the largest group of students ever to live on campus.

ETSU is rapidly becoming recognized as one of the most beautiful and meaningful places to live and learn — not just in our region but throughout the South. Our incoming class of students has grown by more than 30 percent over the past three years, outpacing nearly every university in Tennessee.

There is a reason more and more students are choosing ETSU. In fact, there are several. We are nestled amid the stunning scenery of the Appalachian Mountains. We boast unique and nationally ranked academic programs and research centers. And we have repeatedly been recognized as among the top universities in the nation for students graduating with little or no debt.

These impressive accolades offer powerful reasons for students to make ETSU their home. But I would argue there is a better and far more important factor: our people. When our students, faculty, and staff join the ETSU family, they become part of something vast and inspiring. This is a place where people live with a purpose: to improve the quality of life for people in Appalachia and beyond. It is a place where relationships matter and kindness is valued. It is a place where YOU matter.

At ETSU, anyone, regardless of where they came from, can grow, succeed, and compete with the best. 

You will hear me say this many times:  

Bucs work hard. 
Bucs give back. 
And Bucs go beyond.   

Education is a journey often marked by challenges and discoveries. Over the next year, each of us will undoubtedly experience moments of uncertainty or introspection. We may feel uncomfortable. But these experiences are integral to personal, academic, and professional growth. When those moments of doubt, struggle, or frustration occur, I encourage you to take a deep breath, give yourself and others grace, and, most importantly, reach out to your community. If there is one thing I know in my heart, it is that the people at this university care and want to help.

Students — I encourage you to engage actively in our academic community. With over 250 student groups and organizations, there are ample opportunities for involvement, learning, and leadership.

Faculty and staff — there are just as many opportunities for you to get involved. Our students are eager to get to know and learn from you, and your contributions improve our entire university community.

Good luck this semester, and make the most of it. 

Godspeed, and go Bucs.




Video Transcript

Dr. Brian Noland:

Hello. I'm Brian Noland, President of East Tennessee State University, and it's my honor to welcome each of you to campus for the start of the fall 2024 semester. Whether this is your first semester on campus as a new student, or your 50th as a long-time staff or faculty member, I hope that you're filled with energy and excitement as we begin a new academic year. 

East Tennessee State University is undergoing a transformation, and each of you have an opportunity to play a role and to leave your mark at our university for generations to come. All across campus, you're going to find newly renovated spaces or areas that are in the process of being rebuilt or renovated. And while I know that construction can sometimes be annoying, I hope that you'll take a moment to appreciate the growth and activity that's happening around you. ETSU is a place that is growing and thriving. It's a place where more and more students are choosing to enroll each year. And it's a place that's well on its way to being recognized as one of the most beautiful places to live and learn, not only in the state of Tennessee, but throughout the South. 

The changes that are transpiring on our campus go beyond the physical environment, however. You see, over the past year, we've introduced cutting-edge new academic programs in areas such as orthotics and prosthetics, as well as mechatronics. We're creating a new synthetic biology program, and we're expanding research areas to meet the needs of growing fields and to drive innovation here on our campus and across our community. We've launched a new general education curriculum called ETSU Compass to better meet the needs of tomorrow's workforce and to cultivate caring and engaged citizenship, and we're placing a monumental focus on community-engaged learning, an initiative to "Go Beyond the Classroom" by allowing our students to apply and to test the ideas and skills that they're learning in a real-world, hands-on setting. 

While we eagerly look towards the future to new and innovative work occurring on our campus, it's important that we remember our past and our future success as built upon a foundation of enduring values that have guided our campus since we opened our doors in 1911. East Tennessee State University was founded for a singular reason, to improve the quality of life for the people of this region and beyond. This is a university and a community that lives by the principle that people come first and are treated with dignity and respect. East Tennessee State University is a place where anyone, regardless of where they come from, can grow, succeed, and compete with the best. Our students, faculty, and staff are invigorated by new ideas, but they're not content to rest on theory. You see, we roll up our sleeves, we get out into our communities, and we put those ideas to work. We earn prestigious awards and play at an elite level, but elitism isn't part of our vocabulary. This is an institution where Bucs work hard, where Bucs give back, and where Bucs go beyond. 

Education is a journey often marked by challenges and discoveries. Over the course of the upcoming year, each of us will undoubtedly experience moments of uncertainty or introspection. We may feel uncomfortable, but these experiences and feelings are integral to the personal, academic, and professional growth that will occur in all of us this academic year. You see, here at ETSU, our job is not to teach students what to think, it's to teach them how to think, how to listen, how to question, and how to identify and follow their unique internal compasses that are going to guide them throughout their life. 

To our students, I encourage you to engage actively in your academic community. We have over 250 student groups and organizations here, and there are ample opportunities for involvement, for learning, and for leadership. 

To our faculty and staff, there are just as many opportunities for you to get involved. Our students are eager to get to know you and to learn from you, and our entire university community is made better because of your contributions. 

I wish each of you the best for a productive semester. I look forward to the academic year on the horizon, and I encourage you to make the most of the opportunities that are presented to you. Godspeed and Go Bucs!  

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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.

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