East Tennessee State University

For 2,061 members of East Tennessee State University's Class of 2026, Commencement marked both a milestone and a beginning. It was a celebration of hard work, perseverance and the people and experiences that shaped each graduate's journey.

Members of the Rocket League team in East Tennessee State University's varsity esports program are heading to the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Grand Finals, which will be held April 23-26 at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida. ETSU will be among the 48 best varsity esports teams from across North America represented in this double-elimination tournament. This is the first appearance in the Grand Finals for ETSU's team since it was established in 2019.

April is National Poetry Month, and East Tennessee State University has a great reason to celebrate. Junior Nia Thompson is currently serving as the Youth Poet Laureate of Knoxville. She's the first Black person to take on the role.

A pair of East Tennessee State University students have earned the 2026 Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation's most prestigious honors for undergraduates pursuing careers in science, engineering and mathematics.

Twelve outstanding high school seniors from across the region have been selected as the newest members of the Roan Scholars Leadership Program at East Tennessee State University.

Eleven students who have distinguished themselves in academic excellence, service and leadership at East Tennessee State University are the newest members of the 1911 Society. Named in commemoration of the year ETSU was founded, the 1911 Society honors some of the university's most notable graduates from undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.

The following people recently were elected to membership into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.

East Tennessee State University has announced the names of students who attained a grade point average qualifying them for inclusion in the dean's list for fall 2025. To receive this honor, undergraduate students must pass a minimum of 12 credits (excluding audits, incompletes, repeats and pass/fail) with no grade below B- in any course taken, and a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

East Tennessee State University Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy has announced the names of students who attained a grade point average qualifying them for inclusion in the college's dean's list for fall 2025. To receive this honor, students from Gatton College of Pharmacy must successfully complete a minimum of 12 hours and earn a grade point average of at least 3.5 or above with no grade below a B-.

East Tennessee State University has announced the names of students who attained a grade point average qualifying them for inclusion in the dean's list for summer 2025. To receive this honor, undergraduate students must pass a minimum of 12 credits (excluding audits, incompletes, repeats and pass/fail) with no grade below B- in any course taken, and a grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.

The East Tennessee State University National Alumni Association is proud to announce the 2025 Alumni Award recipients. The annual Evening of Distinction and ETSU PRIDE event was held on Nov. 14. The ETSU National Alumni Association Awards are part of an annual recognition program, which began in 1970. Winners included: Bryan Daniels, 2025 Outstanding Alumnus; Dr. Bonnie L. Burchett, 2025 Outstanding Alumna; Becky Buller, 2025 Distinguished Alumna in the Arts; Dr. Wilsie Bishop, 2025 ETSU Honorary Alumna; Missy Testerman, ETSU Award of Honor; Judge Zachary R. Walden, 2025 PRIDE of ETSU Award; Ted R. Hughes, 2025 Distinguished Alumnus in Public Service; and Kayla Clawson and Dr. Jake Jenkins, 2025 Distinguished Alumni in Education.

From creating community gardens to supporting veterans with attainable housing, East Tennessee State University students are developing innovative ways to strengthen the region. This fall, student-led teams partnered with regional organizations to transform their ideas into actionable plans to elevate the region through the ETSU Elevates program. On Oct. 6, five finalists presented their plans at the annual ETSU Elevates Pitch Competition. A panel of judges selected three prize winners, and the crowd voted for its favorite. In total, the ETSU Elevates Pitch Competition invested $20,000 into the region.