On our last episode for 2024, Jonathan and Shan catch up with Chris Savage, a proud Tennessee Tech alumnus and co-owner of the iconic Cream City Ice Cream & Coffee House in Cookeville. Then, we're chatting with Brittney Herman, the winner of the Tennessee Tech Alumni Association's 2024 Outstanding Young Alumna Award and founder of the nonprofit organization We Will, which is dedicated to sexual assault prevention and survivor empowerment.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Candyce Clifft, a proud Tennessee Tech alumna and former student body president. Today, Candyce is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and has been the morning anchor for WDRB News in Louisville, Ky. for more than 20 years. She shares with us the secret to her longevity in broadcasting, her advice for aspiring young journalists, and takes us behind the scenes of her daily routine - including her 2:45 AM wake-up call! Then, we're chatting with Tennessee FFA President and current Tennessee Tech freshman T. Wayne Williams. T. Wayne shares with us about his passion for agriculture and why Tennessee Tech was the right choice for him.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan speak with Tina Francis-Hodges, a four-time Tennessee Tech graduate and the 2023-2024 Principal of the Year for the State of Tennessee. Then, we're catching up with Matt McClanahan, a Tennessee Tech alumnus and adjunct instructor who also serves as executive director of the Tennessee Association of Conservation Districts and won the American Farm Bureau 2024 "Discussion Meet" competition.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan talk with Jameson Wharton, a Tennessee Tech junior and defensive back for the Golden Eagle football team who founded the nonprofit "Football for the Cure" to raise money for cancer research. Then, we're joined by Rachel Wingo, cultural arts superintendent for the City of Cookeville and former executive director of the Bryan Symphony Orchestra. Rachel is also an adjunct instructor of religious studies at Tennessee Tech.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan sit down with Trudy Harper, the chair of Tennessee Tech's Board of Trustees. Trudy is a two-time graduate of Tech's College of Engineering, a devoted philanthropist, and the former president of Tenaska Power Services Co., the power marketing affiliate of Tenaska - one of the largest privately held companies in the United States. Then, we're joined by Randy Wilmore, the chief relationship officer for Farm Bureau Health Plans and recipient of the Tennessee Tech Alumni Association’s 2024 Outstanding Service Award. Randy also gives us an update on his cousin, NASA Astronaut and Tennessee Tech trustee Barry Wilmore, who is currently stationed at the International Space Station.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Maria Baltazar, a two-time Tennessee Tech graduate and former local elementary school teacher who now serves as the new recruitment specialist in Tech’s Office of Access, Belonging and Community Outreach. Maria shares about being a first-generation college graduate and the sacrifices that her immigrant parents made to equip her for success in life. Then, we’re joined by Damon “Dee” Prince, a Tennessee Tech alumnus and community leader who was named to Cookeville Lifestyle’s inaugural “Most Influential People” list. Dee tells us about the long road that led to his college degree, the importance of mentorship, and his heart for community service.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are sitting down with Sidonie Sansom, board president for the Bryan Symphony Orchestra, the Upper Cumberland's professional symphony that operates in partnership with Tennessee Tech's School of Music. Then, we hear from Kelly Chambers, a two-time Tennessee Tech graduate and the current assistant director for the university's Crawford Alumni Center.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Dr. Harry Ingle, Tennessee Tech's executive director for Student Affairs and head of the university's new Office of First-Generation Student Success. Then, we hear from Andrea Kruszka, assistant director of the Tennessee Center for Rural Innovation, a celebrated local artist and current Tennessee Tech graduate student.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by State Senator Paul Bailey, who represents the Tennessee Tech campus as part of his six-county region in the Tennessee General Assembly. Senator Bailey discusses the importance of Tech’s Rural Reimagined Grand Challenge, lessons he learned from an early campaign loss, future goals in the state legislature and the impact of Tennessee Tech on his district and his own life. Up first, we hear from Tennessee Tech 2024-2025 Student Government Association President Kelsey Hewitt who shares her passion for student government, her favorite parts of life in Cookeville, and how she hopes to put her education and foreign language majors to use in her future career.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by University Archivist Megan Atkinson. Megan discusses the history behind the upcoming centennial anniversary of Tech's identity as the Golden Eagles and shares about Tech's rich concert history, including performances on campus from Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Neil Diamond and others. Then, we hear from Tech alumnus and former assistant basketball coach Steve Taylor. Steve spent 27 years with the FBI and was named to Tech's all-century basketball team in 2022, but his proudest accomplishment is his family - including his daughter Maria Taylor, the host of "Football Night in America" on NBC.