Podcasts about etsu

On this episode of White Coat Radio, we're joined by Dr. Debbie Byrd, Dean of East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. She discusses the latest news regarding state funding and reduced tuition, the college's 20th anniversary, her philosophy for overcoming challenges, and answers questions from student pharmacists Dean Byrd is celebrating her 10th anniversary as dean of Gatton this year. In March, she was named a Distinguished Fellow of the Pharmacy Academy by the National Academies of Practice (NAP), a prestigious honor that recognizes excellence and leadership in interprofessional health care. TRANSCRIPT: Dean Debbie Byrd I also view challenges as opportunities because I've seen that play out that when we do have those obstacles, many times they have resulted in some of our greatest successes.   Michele Williams Welcome to White Coat Radio, a podcast from East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy in Johnson City, Tennessee. Each episode, we cover a wide range of topics about the pharmacy school experience, from study tips to deep dives with faculty and students pharmacists. I'm one of your hosts, Doctor Michele Williams, assistant professor and director of academic success.   Stephen Woodward And I'm Stephen Woodward, marketing and communications manager. On this episode, we chat with Doctor Debbie Byrd, dean of ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy. This year, Doctor Byrd is celebrating her 10th anniversary, coming to Gatton as Dean in 2016. In March, she was named a Distinguished Fellow of the Pharmacy Academy by the National Academies of Practice (NAP), a prestigious honor recognizing excellence in leadership and interprofessional health care.   Stephen Woodward Learn more about Doctor Byrd on our website e-t-s-u dot e-d-u slash pharmacy. Now let's get to our interview. Well, Dean Byrd, welcome to White Coat Radio.   Dean Debbie Byrd Yeah. Thank you for having me. Glad to be here. It's great to have you here.   Stephen Woodward We'll start by telling us what is a typical day. Being a dean look like.   Dean Debbie Byrd You know, there's not a typical day. But I think that's probably one of the things that I enjoy most is just the variety and, you know, the work that I get to do internal to the college, which you know, most in the college would be, you know, very familiar with and, but there's also a lot of external work at the university and then even beyond the university.   Dean Debbie Byrd So, a lot of my time is spent problem solving. I've described myself as a fire chief sometimes, putting my fire hat on putting out fires. But it's it's usually not to that, that level, but it's, a lot of serving as a, as a soundboard for people. It's been a lot of time in meetings. And that's where a lot of that, you know, problem solving and coaching and, and just, you know, hearing what, what others have in mind to do. I know when I was new to this position, I was very taken aback by all the meetings or how much time I was spending in meetings. And I remember, talking to my boss at the time, Wilsie Bishop. And I said, you know, when I've just. I'm in meetings all the time. I went, when does. When will I do my work, you know, as these, and this is my first job as a dean, and she, you know, paused and smiled and looked at me and said, this is the work that is that is the work which is very different from what I had done previously. But, you know, whether it's meeting with, members of the leadership team or executive committee individually, or, you know, as a group, with the faculty council, we have the dean student advisory Committee today. I was kind of I had to think about it a little bit because there are so many different things. But, just all of the stakeholders within the college, and our alumni here, those, those meetings go on on a, on a pretty regular cadence. But then at Etsu, there are a number of different councils that I serve on the university council, academic council, deans, council meeting, council deans meet on a regular basis. So, you know, all of those things are, you know, trying to make things better, whether it's here at the college or at the university that, you know, even beyond the university, there's opportunities to, you know, work on behalf of the profession or the college in terms of advocacy with legislators. College has been very active with the Johnson City, Washington County Chamber of Commerce. So, yeah, there's just so many, folks to to meet with. And then there's lots of events that we have, at the college. And so I just represent the college in a lot of different, arenas.   Stephen Woodward Great. Thank you for sharing.   Michele Williams So the college's, of course, celebrating its 20th anniversary this academic year. What do you think are some of the biggest challenges the college is facing?   Dean Debbie Byrd You know, that's a great question. And I can say I think that, you know, Gaten is facing any challenges that are unique to us that are really any different than other colleges or schools of pharmacy or, or just higher education, in general. But challenges in general, I do think are accessibility and affordability for our students, is really paramount.   Dean Debbie Byrd The perception of the value of higher education, I don't think that that pharmacy faces, that as much as maybe other, degree programs, because the return on the investment for, a doctor pharmacy degree is pretty clear. You know, it's was life changing for me as a first generation college student. You know, really, generational change can come about, for those students who have those opportunities. And that's why that accessibility and affordability is so, important. Yeah. For us to focus on, I also have a philosophy which I would say is something that has developed, especially since becoming a dean is, I used to have the perspective of, I could prevent problems, you know, if I planned well and and that's true to a degree. But you can't plan away all the potential problems that that pop up. And so that perspective has changed as I've gotten wiser. But I also view challenges as opportunities because I've seen that play out that when we do have those obstacles, many times they have resulted in some of our greatest successes. That's so true as a college. And that's not at all how I used to think about problems. So I think it's important, important to have that mindset of just not that we like problems, but just embracing them. But they inevitably pop up and think of them as opportunities to, you know, make something better for someone. You know, face them with optimism and creativity because you might as well, and just roll up our sleeves and, and get to work.   Michele Williams That's, that's one of the things that I really love about working here and working with you is that when a problem comes up, there have been times when you come to my office and said, what are we going to do about this?   Dean Debbie Byrd Yeah, I, I love that. Yes. Like, oh, okay, let's problem solve us figure it out. So yeah. Yeah. Because it's not an option you know not to address the problem. It's that way. So we might as well. ...Yeah. And and I certainly don't have all the answers. And so, you're not the only person that I, that.... Well, what do you think about this? Yeah. You know, our, thinking about this. What do you think about that? To try to get to the best solution for whatever it may be?   Stephen Woodward Well, kind of along those lines, what are some of the those opportunities that you see for the college?   Dean Debbie Byrd Yeah. You know, I think there's no question that excellence is an important part of our culture here. So, we're always looking for ways to improve things, to make things better, whether that's, you know, for students or faculty or staff, you know, how do we just just make things run smoother in some cases, take something that's that's good and make it great. But we have made the most of some of our challenges here at the college. But I think some of the things, thanks are thanks are, are. My gosh, I probably should not go it, you know, we don't have any major, major things going on right now. We've had some major initiatives that the college is, is, you know, kind of bringing to fruition now a major curricular revision as one example, where I do want to give, you know, faculty and staff major kudos for that work because, you know, not only did they, you know, revise the curriculum, which happens periodically everywhere, but something that our faculty did really combined, you know, that academic excellence piece and, and thinking about student success, but they also really considered well-being in that and well-being in the perspective of, you know, what's the best combination to help our students perform at their very best? And to that end, you know, we looked at a lot of data and found that our curriculum at that time, before we revised it, had more credit hours than most programs in the country. And, and at that time, our students weren't performing where we would like for them to have been. We were thinking about the now flex. We were more, you know, just around the average or maybe just slightly above average. And so part of that we felt like, maybe it's just too much and there's a point of diminishing returns. And I think we can reach that with our students, that we were just overwhelming them in terms of just information and time. And, and so they were very thoughtful. The faculty were in really bringing it back to the essentials of, of what do our students need, to be the best pharmacists and to perform at their very best and to, to really, you know, learn and retain everything. It's not, you know, if you're just you can give them everything. But if they're only going to retain a third of it, what what's the point? And they've really given that a lot of consideration. So so with that in mind, you know, there's been a lot of, work at the college over the years about, student will be that I think, now we've shifted to, to think more about faculty and staff will be about the college. And, you know, there's a we oh, you're often, very data centric here as well. So, you know, there's a, faculty and staff well-being survey that's going to go out to get some good information. But during work that's already happened, several years ago, I served on, the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. I had a, a faculty workload task force and, trying to come up with, you know, the ideal workload policy and, and just the best practices when it comes to that. And one of the most important things was, just transparency and and helping, you know, faculty understand what the what the expectations are and matching that with effort. And the university is now embarking on some of that work with, workload policy and promotion of tenure guidelines. And so, you know, with that in mind, you know, that's something that aligning those things, I think is going to help, our faculty and staff will be, and then also just growing our faculty and staff as our enrollment has continued to grow. Obviously, that's going to help a lot with workload and supporting developmental opportunities. And then nurturing our positive culture. You know, that's a foundation that was laid at the very beginning. And I think it is something that could be taken for granted. If, if we're not intentional about nurturing that culture. So I think that's something that we're all very committed to. But I also think, as we consider, you know, bringing in new faculty and new staff, that we have to be very, considerate of that and making sure that that we bring in people that will continue, you know, this culture that's been built and, and supported for so long, you know, research and scholarship is something that is, is an Etsu initiative. I serve on their research, strategic planning task force. And so with that in mind, you know, how do we create opportunities for, for faculty to, you know, be more successful in those areas, whether it's setting aside time or, providing opportunities for collaboration, development? You know, our faculty are doing great work and there's no, no question, no shortage of great things for our faculty to share and write about. But I want them to have the opportunity to do that work and to ask the questions that they're passionate about and then share, you know, their findings with, with the world and, and practice. Transformation is one example of that that many of our faculty are very engaged with that's, unique, what they do every day, in their practice, and then I guess another opportunity and, and again, we're, we've been working on these things, but, just engagement and particularly alumni engagement. You know, when I first came here, there had only been a few classes that had even graduated. And so, we really didn't have any, sort of programing or anything intentional with our alumni. And so thinking about that, how do we bring those former students and those graduates back that we're so proud of, and give them opportunities to connect with one another and with the college? We started homecoming a few years ago, and, Etsu held tailgates last year. So, so hopefully those opportunities will continue to grow. We have another survey that's out with faculty and staff right now asking how how do we currently engage with our alumni, and whether it's in the classroom or with, professional organizations, student organizations where we currently dealing with our alumni. And then that's going to be shared back with the alumni and sort of sort of a menu of, here, here, the current opportunities and get their input on what else would you like me to be doing with the college and how would you like to, engage with that? So those are those are some of the things that I think are major opportunities for us on the horizon.   Michele Williams That's great. Yeah. So you mentioned the that our faculty are doing a lot of really exciting things. But in March, you were named the distinguished fellow of the Pharmacy Academy by the National Academies of Practice. Nap. And this is a prestigious honor recognizing excellence in leadership and interprofessional health care. Can you comment on this honor.   Dean Debbie Byrd And what it means to you? Yeah, it really does mean a lot because, throughout my career, I've been involved in interprofessional patient care. My practice, you know, was always with family medicine physicians. And and that work and within family medicine, residency training, practices in academic settings in some always worked in that you know, physician, pharmacist, interprofessional, you know, patient care model. And so, so that's something that's just been been part of my entire career, that practice piece and later the education piece. But I feel like that expanded greatly for me several years ago when, I was asked to be the interim dean for the College of Nursing. So I learned so much, you know, during that time period. And, and I was fortunate to be inducted with, one of my nurse faculty colleagues, at the ceremony last weekend. But, another piece of it that was, especially meaningful is I don't seek awards and recognition. You know, for myself, it's, you know, a college focus typically. And so, in this case, it was a nomination, you know, by a colleague that, I had given a presentation at, and a CCP meeting about the imposter syndrome, and, had encouraged him to, pursue something that he was thinking about. And, and he'd sent me an email several months later and said, you know, I did it and thank you. And then a couple of years later, he was he was inducted, and he was telling me about it, and I was like, oh, congratulations. That's really cool. And, and he said, well, you should be a member of this and I'm going to nominate you. So so that was special. Just that awesome connection as well. Yeah.   Stephen Woodward This spring we had some big news with state funding. Do you want to tell us more about that?   Dean Debbie Byrd Yes. I'm glad to you. So this is something that the college has worked on since 2017. When the college was founded back in 2005, the state really didn't have the funds to support a second college of pharmacy at that point. So the college was founded really based on a private tuition model. And because of that, is that being our only revenue, your tuition historically has been very high. So, you know, before we received any state funding, our tuition was as high as $38,000 a year, actually a little more than $38,000 a year, which was typical for a private college of pharmacy. But so many of our students are first generation. And, you know, come from rural areas. You know, when I came in as dean in 2016 and sort of learned, you know, the history, it just didn't seem fair. And it certainly limited accessibility and affordability for our students. Our debt load was significant as a result of that. So that was really the impetus for trying to achieve state funding for the college so we could pass that along to our student. So, you know, we worked on it for about six years before we received the first bit of state funding in 2023. And at that time, the state, appropriation was about half of what we asked for. And so we lowered tuition at that time. Actually, beyond what the state funding supported, with the idea that I guess the idea and the hope that we would receive the other half the following year, and unfortunately, we didn't it took us an additional three years to finally receive the other half. But in the meantime, I feel like that initial funding allowed proof of concept because our proposal was that if we receive state funding, we can lower tuition, our enrollment will increase. And particularly among Tennesseans. And so from, you know, 2023 to 2025, I guess, or the data that we shared with legislators, our enrollment went up from a class of about 45 students on average and had been for the last several years, to, I guess, the the year after funding, it was around 58 seniors and 64. Oh, wow. And and so this year we're expecting over 70 students grew in the percentage of Tennesseans that, you know, we we expected it to go up. But it was really remarkable that it went from, about 40% Tennesseans among, you know, our class, incoming classes to almost 70% at Tennessee and in our incoming classes. So we had those data. And by showing showing them that proof of concept that, you know, look, look what the state dollars, you know, have done. And then also, especially since 2017, there's a pharmacist shortage that has developed over that time. And so, there's a real need for pharmacists, and particularly in rural areas, that's where a lot of our students come from. They're willing to go back there. So, ultimately our tuition, was lowered and will go into effect July 1st, and it will apply to all of our students, not just our incoming students. For Tennesseans, tuition will be $24,785 a year, which will be significant savings for them, especially if you multiply that over four years. Their ultimate, you know, student loan debt will be significantly reduce over $50,000. They'll graduate with. And, tuition is also less for out-of-state students as well. So, our, our state tuition, starting July 1st, will be $30,329 per year. And really, our ultimate goal in terms of that accessibility and affordability was just to match the tuition of the other state school. We just felt like, you know, taxpayers, you know, our funding, the, the dollars that go to the state and, and, you know, that's who's going to benefit and that we felt like our students deserved, you know, the opportunity to to go to pharmacy school and, and then turn around and serve, you know, the people of Tennessee in this region. So, you know, it is very exciting to to finally, be at the point where we can offer that to our students. And I know they're very excited and, you know, we we expect, you know, ultimately, you know, our class size historically has been 75 to 80 students. And so, you know, we we did learn about state funding just with the legislative cycle until April. And our recruiting cycle is essentially done by the end. So we we didn't really expect it to affect, our class size for this fall, but we expect that we'll have, you know, full class and full classes going forward as a result. So, nine years total. We finally made it. We had some persistence going on, but I have to thank, President Noland for his support. We would not, have have achieved this without, you know, his commitment to the college and his willingness to, you know, really make us a priority, you know, this year and also in 2023 to, to make this happen. But also, you know, our local legislative delegation, you know, has always been supportive. And I would say they, you know, they were supportive from the very beginning. And in particular, Gary Hicks has been a huge champion on the House side. And, you know, from over that nine year period, you know, he was a new legislator whenever we started this effort. And over time, you know, he's become a leader in the House and and on the finance committee. And so, you know, that that time helped us in some ways to to have, some of our local delegation be in positions where they could have more influence with their colleagues. And, and then, you know, most recently with Senator Harshbarger, you know, as a pharmacist was very supportive of us as well. And, and I would say all the pharmacists, in the Senate, there are four pharmacists in that, Senate and the Tennessee General Assembly. And, and they were all supportive of us. And, and that meant a lot to you. So, so we're just we're just very pleased, to finally have this opportunity to to offer this to students. Yeah. One other, I think major piece to this in addition to that proof of concept that I was talking about earlier that I think really, helped, you know, push this across the finish line were our season outcomes? Yeah. Yeah. To be able to to, you know, show that, you know, we're worth the investment. And that students that come to get and we'll have, you know, a great outcome. And so, specifically speaking about our Netflix pass rate, you know, being top five in the country in 2023 and, again, with our class of 2025, I think definitely caught their attention. And many of the legislators that I met with commented on that. Yeah, they were they were impressed with, how well prepared our students are. And I think that helped them make the decision to be willing to invest in the college. And our students.   Stephen Woodward That's great. Well, thank you for your tireless effort and dedication to to doing that over the past nine years. Did you log how many trips to Nashville you've you've made it.   Dean Debbie Byrd I did that time. I probably should have stayed. Yeah, for sure I didn't, but, it's, you know, it was a long nine years, but, you know, I'd never had any, you know, responsibility before becoming a dean of interacting with legislators. And so I really came to enjoy that. Maybe not the trip. It'd be nice if I could, you know, just go across town, to meet with folks that, you know, just to develop those relationships over time and, yeah, you know, realize, I mean, they're, they're they're here to help us and that's that's their role. And, and, and they, they really work hard, you know, to help us. So I appreciate those relationships and the opportunity just to better understand the process and how things work. I really had no clear understanding of that either. So, it was a lot of work, but, certainly enjoyed it and were thrilled with the outcome.   Stephen Woodward Well, we asked some students to, to provide some questions for this interview. So P2 Bonilla asked, what has been the most challenging leadership decision you've had to make as Dean?   Dean Debbie Byrd Well, I think probably the hardest thing that, I have to do as a dean, unfortunately, it's very rare that it happens, but is to dismiss a student and, you know, any decision that affects a person, even if it's in their best interest, and it's the right thing to do is, is difficult. And, and I would say those decisions, because the question was, what's the most challenging decision? And the decision itself is, not necessarily challenging, you know, it's the right thing to do or that individual, and, and it could be, I think especially if you ask those questions, what is in the best interest of the profession of the university? What's in the best interest of the college, and what's in the best interest of the individual? Then the decision itself usually is pretty clear. And and how would I wish to be treated under these circumstances? The decision becomes pretty clear. But it's still, difficult to sure, you know, that you're, you know, going to cause pain for someone, even if it's in the short term and even if it is the right thing to do, it's always very difficult.   Stephen Woodward Brunella also asked if you weren't working in pharmacy or academia, what career do you think you would have pursued?   Dean Debbie Byrd Well, I initially I, I remember in the first grade.   (laughing)   Mrs. Highberger asked me to help her, do something. I don't remember what it was. You know, during recess one day, and I, I got off the school bus and ran inside and told my mom that I was going to be a teacher. When I grew up. And so that was, you know, my plan as a six year old and was was by playing for a little bit.   Dean Debbie Byrd And, and as I got older, you know, my family always, struggled financially. And so once I realized that maybe, being an elementary school teacher might not give me the financial security that was really, really important to me under those circumstances. And then I just said, okay, I guess I won't do that. And so it's been a real bonus career, you know, pharmacy school to be a pharmacist. I didn't think that I would get to be a teacher to. So I got to do both of those things that, another, I don't know if it would have been a career, for me, per se, but I had a backup plan going to college that, I was I was waiting for scholarships to come in and out. It was about two weeks before, classes started. I went to Middle Tennessee State University, and I had applied for one scholarship and hadn't gotten it. And I'd gotten, some Pell Grant funds, but it wasn't enough to to cover things. And so I applied come last chance scholarship to get and, and so my thought was, well, if I don't get that, then I was going to join the military and, to give me the opportunity to eventually go to college. I'm not sure if that would have been a career, but that was my my clear plan. At that point and then, maybe a more unique, career path that didn't come to me until about, I don't know, 10 or 15 years into my career. Just because I didn't know that it existed is forensic anthropology.   Michele Williams Oh wow.   Dean Debbie Byrd Yeah, totally. I  guess I didn't even know that was a thing, but, you know, Bill Bass is a forensic anthropologist, and that if you've read the Body Farm books, my my office at one point overlooked the body Farm, in Knoxville. And so, yeah, just the idea that you could, you know, look at bones to human osteology was one of your specialty areas or is one of his specialty areas. And. No, and not just, you know, is this male or female, but what kind of work they did? Because, you know, if they, you know, did work that, you know, required heavy lifting, like, you could see that in their bones that, so, I don't know, I was just I was fascinated by that. And so I kind of thought for the first time, well, you know, if I'd known this existed, I might have gone out On something like that. But I don't know. How many forensic anthropologist are really needed in the world. Whereas I think we need lots pharmacies now.   Michele Williams And lucky for us, you know. So, another student question that we have is from Ryan, who is actually the president of P-1 class. Class of 2029. His question is, leadership can be a challenging journey. Is there a specific mentor or role model who helped shape your own leadership philosophy? And what is the one piece of it of their advice that you still lean on today as the Dean?   Dean Debbie Byrd Yeah, there's there's not just one. You know, I if I started to name or try to name people, I would definitely leave people out. So, I think about, you know, the faculty member, I was an average student. And do not tell our students this all the time. I was a very average student in pharmacy school. Not for lack of trying effort, but, you know, I had a faculty member and preceptor that encouraged me to think about residency, and I'm not sure I necessarily would have thought about that. Even. You know, it's one of those things that, you know, sometimes a mentor is not someone that you necessarily are spending a lot of time with. Someone may just literally ask you a question, have you ever thought about it? So, I would just encourage, you know, everyone, whenever you see, something in someone and you're thinking in your head, oh, you'd be really good at, you know, whatever. Have you ever thought about to always ask those those questions?   Michele Williams It can be life changing.   Dean Debbie Byrd Oh, no, no, no, no doubt about it. And I mean, I had, you know, former students that, you know, went on to do something and years later would come back and say, oh, well, you're the reason I did this. And I would look at them in confusion and say, oh, remember that day? You ask me, you know, have I ever thought about. And no, I didn't remember that. But it does, you know, can make a real impact. So that's that's important. But I had other, you know, my residency preceptors, you know, who really, developed me exponentially. Department chairs, campus meetings and really, everybody I've ever worked for has has served as a mentor, the president and provost here. But fellow faculty and staff, meet your peers, you know, can be those mentors, because I do think a lot of it is just, you know, serving as a sound board and just being somebody that that listen, sometimes, you know, sometimes you know what to do, but you just need to say it all out loud and have somebody, you know, not at the end, you know, instead of running from the room that, you know. Yes, that's a good thing to think about that, you know, colleagues I've mentioned in professional organizations, certainly have been, students, teach me something. You know, every time. But I have an opportunity to interact with them. And it's interesting and just funny that you asked me because I had lunch yesterday with Wilsie Bishop, who, is the retired vice president for health affairs and, who I worked for for many years. And so, you know, she continues, at this point, even her in her retirement, you know, to serve as, as a mentor. But, my number one strength, according to Strengthsfinder. And I've taken it many times over many decades now, is learner. And so I think every experience that you have and every interaction that you have is an opportunity to to learn something and to gain something. And I think my experience has been that people are very generous. And so if you, you know, ask for advice or ask, to draw upon somebody's wisdom. So far, I haven't run across anybody that's been unwilling, you know, to to talk with me or, you know, listen to that dilemma that, I'm facing and, you know, give me their two cents. And so that's another encouragement that I would put out into the world that, you know, you never know until you ask. And, but it doesn't really matter who it is. I think sometimes we think, you know, a lot of the people that have the most wisdom and could potentially give the best advice are some of the busiest people. You know, in the world, potentially. And it's really easy to say, oh, gosh, I don't want to I want to bother them, I don't want to inconvenience them. But again, I found them. You know, it doesn't matter who you ask. I haven't had anybody turn me down. Yeah.   Stephen Woodward That's great. As we come to a close, is there anything else you'd like to to add to our listeners?   Dean Debbie Byrd You know, this is our 20th anniversary for the college. And, in July, I will have a big year, ten years. And so it's caused me to do, you know, some some reflecting, about the ten years and, and thinking about I don't think that I answered one part of the last question about, you know, what piece of advice of about do I lean on? And I, I think it's maybe a couple of things, you know, one is I mentioned earlier just treating people the way we want to be treated. I mean, many years ago, the college, did some developmental program with outward mindset. But that's really what it boils down to. But I think the other piece has is just being intentional, that, you know, just because you wish things were different doesn't mean that they're going to be different. That you're making those changes for the better and trying to think about, you know, how to make things easier, how to facilitate success, whether it's for students or faculty or staff. I think that's a big part of the job. And, you know, sitting here with you, too, I think the first new position that I created when I came here was the marketing position, and like you and. I kind of from that, you know, solving a problem I came here in realized I knew very little about this college, and nobody did. There were people in Johnson City that didn't even know that there was a College of Pharmacy, which is crazy to think about all the community support that we had. But, you know, I have lots of people, you know, moving to the area. So I was just then I was amazed by all the great things that were going on. So, you know, I feel like you've done a great job and, you know, getting the word out there about all the great things. And then maybe I'm not sure if it was literally the second position, but, we had a retirement and, academic affairs and we thought about, you know, what do we do? We want to just replace, you know, have the very same position, or do we want to, you know, reimagine what that would be. And that's when the director of student success position.   Michele Williams That was a great decision.   Dean Debbie Byrd But a lot of those, you know, student success efforts that that you have been led and, you know, we have relatively new student success coordinators. It's probably been the most recent addition to that. But, you know, we just are always thinking about, you know, who are our students. And as we've said, many of them are first generation, you know, coming from rural areas. And, and they, they bring, incredible assets that sometimes come with some things that have left them behind a little bit. And how do we take those, students that come to us with great potential and make sure that, you know, as long as they're doing the work, that they're going to be successful in the end. So just that intention with student success, you know, revamping our athletics prep, you know, is a big initiative that has certainly paid off, you know, for students recently. You know, admissions and enrollment is up. Yes, due in large part to marketing. But, you know, we have a full time recruiter, you know, now, and we haven't always had, you know, the ERP program, is something that is is new to the college, relatively new to the college. And I've mentioned, you know, some of the great engagement activities that happen. But, you know, there's those are all, I guess, circling back around to their problems or obstacles and some of the things that I think we're proud of, staff as a college came from a need to address, a problem or a situation as you have to see Will now.   Stephen Woodward Well, thank you for your service to the college and for being on the podcast today. We appreciate you coming.   Michele Williams Yeah. Thanks so much. Yeah.   Dean Debbie Byrd Well, thanks again for asking.   Stephen Woodward Thanks for listening to White Coat Radio. If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe and leave this review to learn more about ETSU Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy, visit us at e-t-s-slash pharmacy or follow us on social media @ETSUpharmacy. We'll see you next time.  

Hour 1 of June 4, 2026 Jacob Townsend recaps the Knicks win over the Spurs in game 1 of the NBA Finals. Also, he then discusses Texas taking game one of the WCWS National Championship series. Then, he goes through ETSU's football kickoff times. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2 of June 2, 2026 Jacob Townsend recaps the Lady Vols season coming to a close with two losses to Texas on Monday. Then, he has postgame sound from head coach Karen Weekly, along with pitcher Karlyn Pickens and infielder Emma Clarke. Also, he talks about the number of Tennessee baseball players going into the portal on Monday, as well as the ETSU women's basketball team adding another portal commit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of June 2, 2026 Jacob Townsend and Bud talk to ETSU men's basketball coach, Brooks Savage, about the new associate head coach, Dwight Perry, NBA Finals, and his youth camp. Then, they go quickly through several different topics. Finally, it's time for birthdays!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend and Bud talk to ETSU men's basketball coach, Brooks Savage, about the new associate head coach, Dwight Perry, NBA Finals, and his youth camp.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of A Touch of Class, Will Griffith sits down with Bray's own Keith Nolan — North of Ireland Champion, back‑to‑back Irish Amateur winner, Walker Cup player, and one of the most accomplished Irish golfers of his generation.Keith reflects on his rise through Irish amateur golf, from winning the 1995 North of Ireland Championship to claiming the Irish Amateur titles in 1996 and 1997, achievements that cemented his place among Ireland's elite. He talks about representing Great Britain & Ireland in the 1997 Walker Cup, his standout collegiate career at East Tennessee State University, and the journey that led to 87 starts on the PGA Tour.Keith also chats about his current roles working with the Champions Tour and his role as caddie to Open Champion Darren Clarke.Topics Covered:Growing up in Bray and early Irish golf influencesWinning the 1995 North of Ireland ChampionshipBack‑to‑back Irish Amateur titles in 1996 & 1997Representing GB&I in the 1997 Walker CupLife at ETSU and transition to the PGA TourMaking 87 PGA Tour startsCaddying for Darren Clarke and life on tour todayIf you love Irish golf history, elite amateur stories, and behind‑the‑scenes insight from the professional game, this episode is one you'll savour.Follow us on Instagram @atocpod and follow our YouTube channel @PARfectlyclassy

Hour 1 of May 27, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about the Thunder winning game 5 of the Western Conference Finals and the Golden Knights punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Finals. Then, he talks about Bob Horner passing away on Tuesday. Also, he discusses one more former ETSU basketball player finding a new home in the transfer portal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 21, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Tennessee losing to Arkansas in the SEC Tournament and ETSU losing to UNCG in the SoCon Tournament. Then, he has sound from Tennessee head coach Josh Elander following the loss to the Razorbacks. Also, he goes through the brackets for the Spring Fling. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of May 21, 2026 Jacob Townsend and Bud talk with ETSU football coach, Will Healy, as the Bucs are 100 days away from the start of the season, they talk about what this part of the off season is like, the quarterback conversation during the summer, and more. Then, Jacob and Bud talk about Ramon Foster officially being announced as the new analyst for Titans Radio and more. Finally, it's time for birthdays!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend talks with Voice of the Bucs, Jay Sandos, about it being 100 days away from the start of the football season, ETSU quarterbacks, wide receivers, offensive line, improved defense, basketball, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend and Bud talk with ETSU football coach, Will Healy, as the Bucs are 100 days away from the start of the season, they talk about what this part of the off season is like, the quarterback conversation during the summer, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 3 of May 21, 2026 Jacob Townsend and Bud talk with studio sponsor, K.D. Bowen of Fanatics 101. Then, Jacob talks with Voice of the Bucs, Jay Sandos, about it being 100 days away from the start of the football season, ETSU quarterbacks, wide receivers, offensive line, improved defense, basketball, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 3 of May 18, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with ETSU men's basketball coach Brooks Savage about their transfer portal class, how they attack the process, different outlook on high schoolers, new assistant coach, tournament expansion, and more. Then, Jacob is joined by Unicoi County softball coach Abby Hensley about the Blue Devils going back to the state tournament. Also, he is joined by Andy Collins, Greeneville baseball coach, as the Greene Devils are trying to defend their state title. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend talks with ETSU men's basketball coach Brooks Savage about their transfer portal class, how they attack the process, different outlook on high schoolers, new assistant coach, tournament expansion, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 18, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Aaron Rai winning the PGA, Tennessee taking the final series at Oklahoma, Lady Vols winning regional, and ETSU baseball's regular season coming to a close. Then, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following their weekend in Oklahoma City. Also, he has sound from Lady Vols head coach Karen Weekly and pitcher Karlyn Pickens following their Knoxville Regional victory. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 15, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Tennessee's baseball win at Oklahoma and ETSU's baseball loss to Mercer and where the Bucs stand in the SoCon standings. Then, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following the win over the Sooners. Also, he discusses Tennessee basketball adding a final transfer portal piece on Thursday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of May 15, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Derrick Baker, Tennessee quarterback commit, who has flown under the radar but is now picking up steam. Then, Jacob is joined by Trey Wallace, OutKick writer, to talk about Greg Sankey's position heading into SEC Spring Meetings, what the meetings will look like, Tennessee's quarterback position, and more. Also, Jacob goes through where ETSU baseball stands going into the last couple of days of the season in the SoCon standings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 14, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks Elton Smith committing to ETSU on Wednesday. Then, he is joined by longtime NBA analyst and reporter, Ric Bucher, to talk about his new book, Thunder, Knicks, LeBron James, and more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of May 14, 2026 Jacob Townsend and Bud talk about the SEC schools who had the biggest athletic donations in the 2024-25 academic year. Then, they discuss ETSU picking up another recruit on Wednesday. Finally, it's time for birthdays!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of May 13, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with SoCon John about his post-spring SoCon predictions, his thoughts on ETSU, why he likes Western Carolina, Tennessee Tech joining the league, SoCon as a whole, and more. Then, he talks about Notre Dame's relationship with the ACC. Also, Jacob gives his PGA Championship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend talks with SoCon John about his post-spring SoCon predictions, his thoughts on ETSU, why he likes Western Carolina, Tennessee Tech joining the league, SoCon as a whole, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 11, 2026 Jacob Townsend recaps Tennessee's series victory over Texas and ETSU's series loss at Wofford. Then, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following the series against Texas. Also, Jacob has sound from Lady Vols softball coach Karen Weekly after the NCAA selection show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 3 of May 8, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Georgia and Florida State canceling their home and home series in 2027 and 2028 to work out a neutral site game. Then, he discusses the possibility of college football teams following Duke/Amazon path. Also, he talks about ETSU adding another transfer for the men's basketball team. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 6, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about a former Buc finding a new home, how ETSU and Tennessee baseball fared on Tuesday night, and what's coming up today for ETSU and Tennessee softball. Then, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following their win over Presbyterian. Also, he has sound from Lady Vols softball coach Karen Weekly as they get set for the SEC Tournament. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 5, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Juke Harris committing to Tennessee on Monday. Then, Jacob predicts the starting five for the Vols this upcoming season. Also, he talks about ETSU hiring a new director of basketball operations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of May 4, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with Deb Williams, of Autoweek.com, about Chase Elliott's win at Texas, Denny Hamlin's close call, wrecks for Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, and more, more investigations into the Greg Biffle plane crash, and more. Then, he talks with Buck Reising, of 104.5 The Zone, about Chad Brinker no longer being the president of football operations of the Titans, Mike Borgonzi, Titans draft, and more. Also, he talks more about ETSU basketball's pickup in the portal and other news and notes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2 of May 4, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about the momentum that continues to build towards Tennessee picking up Juke Harris. Then, he discusses ETSU's fifth transfer portal addition over the weekend. Also, he talks about the Braves hot start and their big lead in the NL East. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 4, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about ETSU picking up another transfer portal commit over the weekend. Then, Jacob has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander after their win over Kentucky on Sunday. Also, he has sound from Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly after their loss at Missouri on Saturday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of May 1, 2026 Jacob Townsend recaps the Big Orange Caravan event Thursday night in Kingsport. Then, he talks about ETSU picking up another transfer portal commit on Thursday, as well as hiring a new assistant coach. Also, he has sound from Lady Vols head coach Kim Caldwell from the Big Orange Caravan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of May 1, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with Jaden Keller, former Tennessee High Viking and Virginia Tech Hokie, who has been invited to minicamp with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets to talk about his career. Then, Jacob has sound from Tennessee athletic director Danny White from the Big Orange Caravan. Also, he talks about ETSU's fourth transfer portal commit and new assistant coach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of April 29, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with former Elizabethton Cyclone and Jacksonville Jaguar draft pick, Parker Hughes, about being drafted by the Jaguars, his journey, what's next, and more. Then, he talks with former ETSU running back, Devontae Houston, about being invited to minicamp by the Atlanta Falcons, his process leading up to the draft, his college football career, and more. Also, Jacob gives his thoughts on Titans president of football operations Chad Brinker resigning on Tuesday evening. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend talks with former ETSU running back, Devontae Houston, about being invited to minicamp by the Atlanta Falcons, his process leading up to the draft, his college football career, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 29, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Tennessee, ETSU, and the Braves wins on Tuesday night. Then, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following their win over West Georgia. Also, he has sound from Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly before their regular season finale this weekend at Missouri. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacob Townsend and Bud talk with former ETSU quarterback, Cade McNamara, about being invited to Titans minicamp, his time at ETSU, his choice to come to Johnson City, his brother, college career, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 4 of April 28, 2026 Jacob Townsend and Bud talk with former ETSU quarterback, Cade McNamara, about being invited to Titans minicamp, his time at ETSU, his choice to come to Johnson City, his brother, college career, and more. Then, they discuss whether they would actually quit their jobs if they said they would if something happened. Also, it's time for birthdays!!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 27, 2026 Jacob Townsend has audio from ETSU head football coach Will Healy after their spring game. Then, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following their wins over Alabama on Friday. Also, Jacob has sound from Tennessee softball coach Karen Weekly after their win over Alabama on Sunday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2 of April 27, 2026 Jacob Townsend recaps the ETSU Spring Game on Saturday. Then, he gives his final thoughts on ETSU following spring practice. Also, he touches on Devontae Houston getting a mini-camp invite from the Falcons and updates the Jacolby Criswell situation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 23, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Nate Ament's decision on whether he will go to the NBA Draft or not. Then, Jacob has sound from former Tennessee and Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl from his time in Bristol on Wednesday. Also, he talks about ETSU adding another transfer. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

•Benita Bellamy Kelley is a Marketing and Public Relationsexecutive with 27 years of experience in the arts and entertainment. She is the founder and CEO of The Bellamy Group located in Music City USA – Nashville, TN, launched in 2008 to fill a void in the marketing and promotions sector thatfocused on independent music artists of all genres, authors, faith-based businesses and non- profit organizations. Only a few companies in the United States offer full-service marketing, promotions, and publicity like The BellamyGroup.  It's a firm with out-of- the-box creativity, executed with excellence and integrity, to empower and serve each client with a personaltouch.•The Bellamy Group has managed marketing and publicity campaigns for platinum- selling, GRAMMY nominated Soul singer MAJOR., Dove Award nominee and cross-over sensations Mali Music, Dawkins & Dawkins, and Trinitee 5:7. Other artist include GRAMMY and Stellar Award-winning icon Twinkie Clark, multiple award-winner Brian Courtney Wilson, and the legendary Queen of Disco Gloria Gaynor. and platinum selling Jazz icon, Stellar Award Hall of Fame Inductee and Bravo TV star Ben Tankard.•Benita is a professionally trained dancer and classical pianist who was crowned Miss Buccaneer at East Tennessee StateUniversity while in college.  Benita was the first and onlyAfrican-American to win and hold that crown. In addition, she is the first and only African-American to be awarded a Floyd Kramer Piano Scholarship in Classical music at ETSU.•Benita currently is on the Board of Directors & VP of The United International Arts Expo of Barbados.  She is an active member of The Recording Academy (The GRAMMYs) where she serves as a GRAMMY U Mentor.  Additionally, Benita is the author of BORN 2 Be, a 31-day inspirationaldevotional.The song featured in this episode is Benita's client Cody Holley (featuring Marcus Cole) By & By.•A “Top Gospel Music Podcast” Badge has been AWARDED from Feedspot which has named Let's Talk: Gospel Music Gold one of the Top 10 Gospel Music Podcasts on the web! •LET'S TALK: GOSPEL MUSIC GOLD RADIO SHOW AIRS EVERY SATURDAY 9:00 AM CST / 10:00 AM EST ON WMRM-DB INTERNET RADIO STATION  AND WJRG RADIO INTERNET RADIO STATION 12:00 PM EST / 11:00 AM CST •There is a Let's Talk: Gospel Music Gold Facebookpage ( @LetsTalk2GMG ) where all episodes are posted as well.    •The Podcast and Radio shows are heard anywhere in theWorld on the Internet! •ANSONIA'S BOOK RELEASES•“Legacy of James C. Chambers And his Contributions to Gospel Music History”•"If We Can Do It, You Can Too!"•"Molding a Black Princess"Order Information https://www.unsungvoicesbooks.com/asmithgibbs

Hour 4 of April 22, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with Voice of the Titans, Taylor Zarzour, about what the Titans could do in the NFL Draft on Thursday, where Jeremiyah Love could land, defensive keys for the Titans, Colton Hood and Jermod McCoy's possibilities, Ty Simpson, and more. Then, Jacob talks with college basketball analyst and Fox Sports Radio host Aaron Torres about what Tennessee has done in the portal, Juke Harris, Nate Ament, and Rick Barnes adapting. Then, Jacob touches on ETSU men's basketball losing an assistant coach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 21, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Brooks Savage getting a contract extension from ETSU on Monday. Then, Jacob discusses ETSU quarterback Jacolby Criswell filing a lawsuit for another year of eligibility. Also, he talks about the College Football Playoff weekly rankings shows possibly changing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 20, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about ETSU picking up Marqus Marion in the transfer portal on Sunday. Then, he goes through what happened in the second scrimmage of spring for ETSU football on Saturday. Also, he discusses the news that Jacolby Criswell has taken his case for a 7th year of eligibility to court. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 20, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about ETSU picking up Marqus Marion in the portal and Tennessee adding Terrence Hill Jr. Then, Jacob has sound from ETSU football coach Will Healy after their second scrimmage of the spring. Also, he has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander after their win on Sunday over Ole Miss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 17, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about former ETSU basketball player Blake Barkley transferring to Grand Canyon on Thursday. Then, Jacob discusses Tennessee picking up a commit from a top high school player. Also, Jacob talks about former Vol Cade Phillips transferring to Texas A&M.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 16, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about Tennessee adding another piece in the transfer portal on Wednesday. Then, he has sound from Lady Vols softball coach Karen Weekly after their loss at Duke. Also, he discusses ETSU basketball player Brian Taylor entering his name into the transfer portal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 1 of April 15, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about ETSU getting their first transfer portal commit on Tuesday evening. Then, Jacob has sound from Tennessee baseball coach Josh Elander following their win over UNC Asheville. Also, he touches on ETSU's loss at Georgia, Dominic Smith's clutch hitting for the Braves, and a former local standout entering the transfer portal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2 of April 15, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks about ETSU's in the portal as they got their first commit on Tuesday. Then, he updates where Tennessee is currently at in the portal. Also, where do some of the national media stand on expectations for Tennessee heading into the 2026 football season. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 3 of April 13, 2026 Jacob Townsend talks with former PGA Tour golfer, Cliff Kresge, about Rory McIlroy winning a second straight Masters, Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young, Justin Rose, and more. Then, Jacob gives his final thoughts on Rory's victory. Also, he has sound from ETSU football coach Will Healy after the Bucs first scrimmage of spring on Saturday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The guys are back discussing the Masters, Softball's continued winning ways, the Samford Baseball season, and various women's and men's basketball portal updates.

Welcome to this month's Bluegrass Briefing, a monthly series of episodes taking a look at what's going on in the world of bluegrass.Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode.Podcast newsBrad Kolodner interviewBill Nowlin interviewReleases (The Grass is New)Del McCoury Band with Peter Rowan & David Grisman Michael Daves & Jacob JolliffTony Trischka Earl Jam 2Blue Highway - Live at ETSU! A 30-Year Retrospective (preorder)Jesse ApppelmanOther bitsThomm Jutz/Martin Simpson interviewFull list of interviewsCollings GuitarsHappy picking.Matt Support the show===Thanks to Bryan Sutton for his wonderful theme tune to Bluegrass Jam Along (and to Justin Moses for playing the fiddle!)Bluegrass Jam Along is proud to be sponsored by Collings Guitars and Mandolins- Sign up to get updates on new episodes - Free fiddle tune chord sheets- Here's a list of all the Bluegrass Jam Along interviews- Follow Bluegrass Jam Along for regular updates:InstagramFacebook- Review us on Apple Podcasts