With the start of the 2023-24 academic year comes new aspirations, new promises and the completion of longstanding projects. Students can expect to return to a campus evolving in all areas.
“I hope this is a year that we can continue to push the boundaries for the institution,” says President Brian Noland.
One of the most notable changes to campus this semester are the completed renovations to Gilbreath Hall, the oldest building on campus. New “cutting-edge” technology has been added to its classrooms to accommodate for efficiency and an overall fresh look.
The long-awaited Lamb Hall renovations have also been completed and are ready to welcome students back in the fall. However, with the completion of current projects, comes the beginning stages of new renovations on campus.
President Noland encourages students to, “enjoy campus in it’s current form because after November there will be construction fences that go up around the University Center Building.”
The University Center Building will be torn down later this fall and will become a construction site for the next two years. In its place will be a new academic building.
When asked what he was most excited about, Noland responded, “. . .Campus this summer has been kind of absent of life. I mean, when students are gone, there’s just a different pace. There’s been a whole lot of work that’s gone on behind the scenes, and I’m just excited to have students back.”
Noland made note that ETSU will be welcoming one of the largest freshmen classes in the university’s history this year. This also means campus will have one of the most active move-in days in history due to residence halls being at full capacity. New students will also see changes to Preview this year with expanded days and new sessions available to parents.
Noland’s advice for new students is to, “get involved. If all that you do is get up in the morning and go to class and go back to your home or residence hall, you’ve missed it. . . college is more than what happens in the classroom, it’s the opportunity to go to plays, debates, movie nights, skits, play intermural sports, go watch a Broadway show at the Martin Center, take a service plunge in the summer, take advantage of study abroad. . . jump in and immerse yourself in the life of the institution.”
Last year, campus saw the largest marching band in its history, and this year the band is even larger. Noland noted how the marching band was brought back to ETSU only eight years ago in 2015 and is now competing nationally with the opportunity to play in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
“No dream is too small or too big,” says Noland. “If there’s a club or organization that you would like to see on campus that’s not here, reach out. . . this is an institution that can open doors for students if they ask for assistance. . . don’t be afraid to ask for help and don’t be afraid to dream bigger dreams for yourself and for your institution.”
From an interior perspective, business operations are switching to a new management program, Voyager, and the implementation of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is in full swing. QEP provides avenues for students to become engaged in project-based learning, have volunteer opportunities in the community and to embody the institution’s mission of improving the quality of life for people in the region. To further the impact of community outreach, campus will also see the return of Founder’s Week for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Give this campus everything you have because it’s going to surprise you on the back end,” says Noland.
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