| Mission
At 19 years old, Ryan Jolley was knee deep in pond water, working as a fisheries technician. His love of the outdoors had been consistent throughout his life, but he began to realize it was time to refocus his career and look into other long-term options. He did not know this passion would lead him back to what he truly loved–and a career that would impact thousands of lives across Tennessee.
Years before he began his career in the Tennessee State Park system, he began his bachelor’s degree at Trevecca. Despite the challenges of balancing work and family he eventually earned his undergraduate degree in pastoral ministry, history and philosophy.
“I knew Trevecca was the right school for me, and when I arrived, I majored in every discipline that Trevecca offered,” Jolley said. “Then I took courses in Intro to Philosophy and Christian Tradition. I didn't really know where that aligned but I knew that was what I wanted to really invest my mind in during that period of my life.”
Immediately after graduating, he began an MBA with a concentration in human resources. He worked full-time while studying, helped launch Trevecca’s Abba Java Coffee Company, now called 1901, and was instrumental in building the University’s IWork program, to help students get on-campus jobs. In 2018, when he was halfway through the MBA program, Jolley had the opportunity to put his learning into practice outside of the University, becoming the director of business services for the Tennessee Department of Human Services’ vocational rehabilitation program. It was an especially meaningful role because it involved the training and employment of people with disabilities, an area that he was very familiar with personally and professionally.
“I was diagnosed with a rare degenerative retinal disease when I was 10 years old. It's a juvenile form of macular degeneration called Stargardt Disease,” Jolley said. “Because I developed it at a pretty early age, I've lived most of my life legally blind and have navigated the world through that lens.”
After completing his MBA, Jolley took on a broader role in the Department of Labor and Workforce Development—but the personal connection and relationships he had previously had were missing.
“I was just a little too far removed from serving the disability community; I wanted to be more directly involved,” Jolley said. “Then came a conversation with Greer Tidwell, deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. He said, ‘We’re trying to make Tennessee State Parks the most accessible state park system in the country by 2030.’”
The department was on the hunt for an accessibility coordinator to take over all efforts to make Tennessee State Parks easy to enjoy and navigate for all people, regardless of age or disability. It was a demotion on paper and a pay cut, but a worthwhile move for Jolley nonetheless.
“The position was in line with my passion and calling,” Jolley said. “Those years of education and different career steps prepared me to be able to make a transition back to this type of work.”
His degree in theology continued to hold value even in a government position, and it shaped his priorities and hope for the future.
“I was ordained as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene, but I knew my calling was a vocation centered outside of the church,” Jolley said. “So I made the decision that I would focus on Kingdom building within the context of state government.”
He sought to answer the questions, “How is gaining access for people with disabilities a part of building the Kingdom of God?” And “What is the theological importance of ensuring that all individuals can experience the well-being that comes with spending time in nature?”
Jolley has endeavored to answer those questions in very practical ways, leading his team to pioneer accessible kayak and canoe launches, build a new lodge where all rooms are accessible and implement a trail assessment process, which maps out the slope and any obstacles on each trail for those selecting a route.
“Right now, we have over 60 all-terrain wheelchairs across the state,” Jolley said. “We also built a custom trail designed specifically for the blind and low vision that includes a guide rope and audio description.”
Jolley has carried his education with him and embraced his calling to the outdoors, ensuring equal opportunities for all people and living out his faith.
“At Trevecca, you learn the hard skills. You learn the competencies and the knowledge but I think it's the character development and the rootedness in my values that Trevecca taught that shaped me to pursue my calling,” Jolley said. “I learned who I was in the context of my faith and then how to carry that out and lead and serve.”