ETSU faculty, staff and students were greeted by darkness when they entered the west side of the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center Friday morning for the ETSU Centennial Opening Celebration. On the floor below, the stage was decorated with large blue and gold balloon arches with blue and gold backlights. Two large theatre screens stood on either side of the stage, broadcasting the event for people in the audience.

ETSU celebrated it 99th birthday on Friday, and kicked off a year-long celebration of university’s 100 year anniversary.

ETSU opened its doors on Aug 2, 1911 to 29 students who enrolled in East Tennessee Normal School.

Twenty-nine empty chairs sat to the right of the stage “in memory of those students who, despite the uncertainly of attending a brand new school, came to this place with great hope and optimism,” Centennial Committee Chair Fred Sauceman said.

Sauceman said in 1909 several cities and towns were competing to become the location for the proposed normal school.

“Johnson City prevailed because of an act of generosity,” Sauceman said. “Mr George L. Carter, a community partner, stepped up and donated his farm, where you sit today.

“In the context of those beginnings and in appreciation for the opportunities that this institution had afforded so many people, we celebrate “Partnerships, Promise and Hope for 100 years,” he said, referring to the phrase on the Centennial logo.

During the event, ETSU President Paul Stanton read the official centennial proclamation.

In his proclamation, Stanton said, “those 29 students eventually became 15,000.”

The normal school’s first year budget of $36,000 hasevolved into one of $430 million. A few dozen employees grew to a workforce of 2,300 and the original two -year curriculum expanded into 11 colleges and school and 13 doctoral programs – gradating along the way some 80,000 alumni, he said.

“Yet despite monumental changes,” the proclamation said. “The hallmark of ETSU remains the timeless joy of teaching and learning.”

Also during the event, SGA President Chad Hall announced the first Student Choice Awards, recognizing a faculty member from each college, as well one ETSU staff member and a teacher from University School.

The winners received a certificate and a check for $100.

The inaugural winners included Dr. Chris Dula from the Department of Psychology, representing the College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Gene Bailey from the Department of Computer and Information Sciences, representing the College of Business and Technology; Dr. Susan Epps of the Department of Allied Health Services, representing the College of Clinical Rehabilitative Health Sciences; Dr. Ed Dwyer of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, representing the College of Education; Dr. Thomas Kwasigrouch from the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, representing the College of Medicine. For the College of Nursing, a tie was given between Dr. Sally Blowers and Dr. Masoud Ghaffari.

For the College of Pharmacy, Dr. Stacy Brown was chosen from the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Terry Lancaster of the Department of Health Sciences represented the College of Public Health. Ariane Day of University School was selected, as well as Angela Haire, from the Department of Military Sciences was the ETSU Staff winner.

The event also featured a video for the centennial produced by Rick McVey, along with Joe Smith and Larry Smith from the office of University Relations. All three are ETSU alumni. McVey helped ETSU produce a documentary for the university’s 75th anniversary celebration.

Performances by 12Bucsworth, the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band and the Symphonic Wind Ensemble rounded out the event.

ETSU plans to conclude the year-long Centennial Celebration with another event to be held in October 2011, also in the ETSU/MSHA Athletic Center.

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