College Town Talk

This week on College Town Talk, we sit down with Dr. Teresa Chasteen-Dunn, a longtime educator, philanthropist and business leader who now serves as a member of the Tennessee Tech Board of Trustees and Tennessee Tech Foundation Board of Directors.

Dr. Chasteen-Dunn shares her educational journey, from community college to postdoctoral work at Harvard University, and the story behind WIN Learning, the organization she co-founded that has helped more than 10 million learners worldwide develop the skills they need to succeed in life and in the workplace.

She also discusses her role as board chair for Mustard Seed Ranch, a local nonprofit serving children from difficult circumstances, as well as her generous financial support of Tennessee Tech and how overcoming serious health challenges has given her a deeper sense of purpose and gratitude.

This week on College Town Talk, we sit down with Dr. Russ Witcher, a longtime Tennessee Tech journalism professor who has some big news to share about his future after more than 35 years of service to the university.

Dr. Witcher also talks about the changing world of journalism, his role as faculty advisor for the Society of Collegiate Journalists, his research into former President Richard Nixon and the fascinating piece of history that inspired his latest book and award-winning screenplay. Plus, he takes on our rapid-fire round and shares what Tennessee Tech has meant to him.

This week on College Town Talk, we catch up with Dr. Mickey Latour, Tennessee Tech’s new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Dr. Latour tells us why Tennessee Tech was the right fit after an already successful more than 30-year career in higher education, including at universities in Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas.

He also tells us about a memorable first-day experience that captured the spirit of Tech and the story behind a special keepsake in his office honoring his late mother. Later in the interview, Dr. Latour talks about the book that he is reading alongside Tech’s deans and the surprising (and selfless) hobby he picked up many years ago that he continues today.

This week on College Town Talk, we sit down with Tennessee Tech alumna Abby Weeden, owner of Cookeville’s Edison Hills New & Old. Abby shares the story behind her popular vintage boutique, how her experience studying art at Tech’s Appalachian Center for Craft shaped her creative career, and how she got started as a professional photographer. She also discusses her work with Art Round Tennessee, a new song inspired by her business and more.

This week on College Town Talk, we're joined by guest co-host Jamie Fancher for a conversation with Dr. Jeremy Schoen, associate professor in Tennessee Tech’s College of Business.

Dr. Schoen discusses his innovative organizational leadership course, where students put leadership lessons into practice by raising money for charitable causes throughout the Upper Cumberland and beyond. He also talks about his volunteerism with the Tennessee Central Heritage Rail Trail, the College of Business’ focus on societal impact, his time teaching remotely in New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic and more.

This week on College Town Talk, guest co-host Susan Luna-Hazlewood returns for a conversation with Dr. Frank Tittle, a two-time Tennessee Tech graduate now serving as executive director of Tennessee Tech GEAR UP - the university's groundbreaking initiative to increase college and career readiness for students from underserved communities across the Upper Cumberland.

Dr. Tittle talks about his decades-long career in education, from teaching middle school chorus to serving as Tech’s director of admissions. He also discusses GEAR UP’s work in our local K-12 schools, including an unforgettable trip to the Super Bowl for one lucky middle school student.

Plus, Dr. Tittle shares advice for new college students and weighs in on Cookeville’s live music scene, his favorite place on Tech’s campus and more in our rapid-fire round.

This week on College Town Talk, guest co-host Susan Luna Hazlewood joins us for a conversation with John and Sandy MacDonald, owners of Cookeville’s iconic Ralph’s Donut Shop. The couple shares how they came to own the nearly 65-year-old business, what it’s like working together as spouses and what it means to preserve Ralph’s legacy as a recently designated National Register of Historic Places site.

John and Sandy also discuss their love for Tennessee Tech and Golden Eagles football, the impact of the 39 Depot Master Plan on Cookeville’s WestSide, and how the Cookeville community kept their small business afloat during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week on College Town Talk, we sit down with Dr. Amy Hill, lecturer in Tennessee Tech's College of Emerging and Integrative Studies, three-time Tech graduate and a 2022 recipient of the university's Outstanding Professional Award.

Dr. Hill reflects on her more than 25-year journey at Tech, discusses a student service-learning project that transformed a bedroom at the Cookeville Rescue Mission and shares the inspiration behind a local nonprofit she founded to help individuals overcome difficult circumstances.

She also offers her perspective on how AI is changing graphic design and desktop publishing, highlights a recent summer publishing workshop she led for local high school students, and looks back on the experiences that have shaped her career as an educator, artist and mentor.

This week on College Town Talk, we catch up with former Cookeville Mayor Matt Swallows, a Tennessee Tech alumnus, former Golden Eagle football player and the president and COO of Swallows Insurance Agency. Matt reflects on his years leading Tennessee's College Town, shares his perspective on local government and discusses the lessons he's learned from a lifetime of serving the Upper Cumberland.

In our interview, Matt also looks back on his days as a Tech football student-athlete, discusses the transformation of Tucker Stadium and shares what it means to carry on his family's 70-year business legacy. Plus, Matt recalls some of his favorite moments as a former local radio host and reveals what Tennessee Tech has meant to him both personally and professionally.

This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan sit down with Dr. Thomas Payne, dean of the Tennessee Tech College of Business. Since becoming dean in 2015, Dr. Payne has helped lead the college to its highest enrollment in a decade, overseen the addition of new, sought-after programs of study and presided over a renewed emphasis on experiential learning — with more than 90% of students in the college participating in résumé-building opportunities before graduation.

In the interview, Dr. Payne discusses preparing students for the rapidly changing world of AI, the massive renovation underway at Johnson Hall and recent transformational gifts helping support student success in the College of Business. Plus, in our rapid-fire round, Dr. Payne shares his favorite Cookeville eateries, the career he might have pursued outside higher education and the Tech colleague most likely to make him laugh in the middle of a faculty meeting.