At Trevecca, community really is at the core of who we are. Community is about more than our location; it’s a feeling of fellowship and connection with those around us. Community doesn’t just happen, though. It has to be nurtured.

It’s a new year and a new semester is just around the corner. While our minds are focused on fresh starts and new habits, one thing that won’t change in 2021 is our commitment to keeping our campus safe and healthy in the middle of a global pandemic. 

With just a few days left in 2020, most of us are already making plans for the new year. From setting goals to creating must-read (or must-watch!) lists, we’re all looking forward to the fresh start a new year promises. 

This post is part of an ongoing blog series from Trevecca’s SWEET (Student Wellness Education and Engagement at Trevecca) team. We hope to encourage our traditional undergraduate students as you head home for the holidays and prepare to come Back Home to the Hill in 2021.

2020 has been a year for the record books! While the global pandemic has changed so much about our daily lives, at Trevecca, we want to end the year focused on something that will never change: our love for and pride in our graduates. 

Dr. Penney Carden says one of the highlights of her teaching career has been to teach overseas. “On two different occasions I was asked to teach for a month in Beijing, China,” she said. “It was life-changing for me and gave me a whole new outlook on teaching English language learners.” A long time faculty member in Trevecca’s School of Education, Carden currently serves as the school’s coordinator of curriculum, assessment, and instruction and the program director for Trevecca’s English as a second language programs and one of the University’s newest programs, the Master of Education in curriculum and online teaching. 

At Trevecca, Homecoming Weekend is a treasured tradition for alumni and current students alike. While the festivities may look a little different this year, the fun, connection and celebration will still be at the center of the celebration as Homecoming goes virtual. No matter where you are, here are a few tips to help you—our alumni—honor Dear Old TNU and make the most of Homecoming Weekend 2020!

Kathy Mowry (’85), who holds the J.B. Elizer Chair of Christian Ministry in Trevecca’s Millard Reed School of Theology and Christian Ministry, has been a member of the faculty at her alma mater since 2007. In addition to her bachelor’s degree from Trevecca, Mowry has earned master’s degrees—one from Wheaton Graduate School, the other from Fuller Theological Seminary—and a doctorate from Fuller Theological Seminary. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, Mowry teaches classes in Christian education and intercultural studies at Trevecca, and also serves as the director of Trevecca’s new master’s program in church and community. 

For Sarah Johnson, Trevecca is home. After beginning her Trevecca career in 1999 as a resident director, Johnson has served the University in a variety of roles ever since. She currently serves as the program director for Trevecca’s Bachelor of Arts in psychology program. As the program director, Johnson oversees the fully online program to make sure students receive excellent education through strong curriculum and rich classroom experiences.

This post is part of an ongoing blog series from Trevecca’s SWEET (Student Wellness Education and Engagement at Trevecca) team as our traditional undergraduate students adjust to being Back Home to the Hill.