Alumni

After decades behind the mic, Greg Ruff joins Trevecca hall of fame

7Nov

By trevechoesonlineNo Comments

Alumni, Features

After decades behind the mic, Greg Ruff joins Trevecca hall of fame

Parker Henningsen Sports Editor and Chief Photographer For nearly three decades, Greg Ruff has been the steady voice behind Trevecca athletics, calling games, writing stories and celebrating the triumphs of others. Now, the longtime broadcaster and sports information director finds himself on the other side of the story: as one of the newest members of the Trevecca Nazarene University Athletics Hall of Fame. “It’s kind of awkward,” Ruff said with a laugh. “I’m on the Hall of Fame Committee, so to be the one recognized and then have to help put out the press release about myself, that’s not exactly how I’m wired. My greatest joy has always been sharing the accomplishments of other people.” Ruff graduated from Trevecca in 1987 with a degree in communication studies. He h...

The voice that launched hundreds: Remembering Trevecca’s WNAZ

7Nov

By trevechoesonlineNo Comments

Alumni, Features

The voice that launched hundreds: Remembering Trevecca’s WNAZ

Parker Henningsen Sports Editor and Chief Photographer Long before podcasts and playlists filled the airwaves, a small 10-watt signal from the basement of Trevecca’s Fine Arts Building began carrying a new kind of voice across Nashville. That voice belonged to WNAZ, Trevecca’s student-run radio station that shaped decades of broadcasters, storytellers, and communicators. For more than 40 years, WNAZ wasn’t just a station, it was a classroom, a community, and a launchpad for hundreds of students who learned the power of sound, storytelling, and connection. “It started with a handful of dreamers,” said David Deese, a longtime Trevecca professor who helped run and later manage the station. “When I arrived as a student in 1965, there wasn’t a radio station yet. But by my soph...

Alumni share stories during Hispanic Heritage Month

1Nov

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Alumni

Alumni share stories during Hispanic Heritage Month

From left to right, Diego Eguiarte, Sandra Sepulveda, Jacob Aparicio, Viridiana De Leon, Stephanie Amador, Yenín Echeverría, and David Plazas. Photo by Sol Ayala. By Sol Ayala Online News Editor This year, Trevecca hosted the third annual Latino Tennessee Voices Storytellers live event organized by The Tennessean to highlight the stories of Latinx voices in Tennessee. David Plazas, opinion and engagement director for USA Today Network and co-host of this year's event, invited five Latinx storytellers to the stage. Jacob Aparicio, Tennessee Human Rights Commission communications director, Stephanie Amador, photojournalist at The Tennessean and Diego Eguiarte, CEO of Nuestro Financial shared their experiences. But two of the five speakers were familiar faces to this ca...

Trevecca alumni announced as new resident director of Johnson Hall dorm

13Jan

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Alumni

Trevecca alumni announced as new resident director of Johnson Hall dorm

By Julia Ballard Staff writer After starting the year with no resident director, a recent Trevecca graduate is back on campus leading the women’s dorm. Regan Selvidge, a 2023 communication studies graduate, interviewed over the course of two months and was hired to be the Johnson RD on Oct. 12. “I wasn’t necessarily looking to come back to Trevecca. For this job to come on the radar was something I continually prayed about. I knew the Lord would open the right door for me, and there were painfully obvious doors being flung open the whole time,” said Selvidge. Resident directors supervise all resident assistants, oversee training and development and are responsible for creating community in each residence hall. Since the beginning of the academic ye...

Trevecca alum makes it to the Saturday Night Live Stage

7Dec

By Grace BecknerNo Comments

Alumni, Features

Trevecca alum makes it to the Saturday Night Live Stage

By Grace Beckner James Austin Johnson, pictured fourth from left, during the opening of "Saturday Night Live" When Zachary Swafford, a senior vocal performance major, first heard the news, he was rehearsing for Trevecca’s production of the musical Freaky Friday. “We were at rehearsal, and they had announced that [James Austin Johnson] was going to be a new face on SNL,” said Swafford. One of Swafford’s professors told the group there was going to be a Trevecca alumni on Saturday Night Live, but Swafford had no idea that alum would be the first person he would see when the show opened--doing an impression of President Joe Biden, no less. Johnson starred in the opening sketch of his SNL debut on Oct. 2. He co-starred in three other sketches that night. “We just thought tha...

Alumni won’t be at Homecoming: Events planned for current students

2Nov

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Alumni, Campus News, Coronavirus, Events

Alumni won’t be at Homecoming: Events planned for current students

By Diana Leyva Jacob Alumni won't be able to come to the hill for homecoming this year. Instead, campus officials are planning virtual events to attempt to connect with alumni in the midst of a pandemic that makes gatherings like homecoming impossible. “I think for our emotional well-being, it is important to try to capture as much of a sense of normalcy, so that's what we hope to do by sharing these virtual events,” said Michael Johnson, director of alumni and church engagement. An online kit is available for $25, which includes access to the virtual live stream, a Trevecca mask and t-shirt, candy, and popcorn. Ten dollars from each purchase will go towards the Fund for Trevecca Scholarship. While university officials aren't allowing anyone on campus other than...

Trevecca grad named interim chief financial officer

29Oct

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Alumni, Campus News, Faculty, Features

Trevecca grad named interim chief financial officer

By Audrey Yawn An audit, a new food service provider, and two remodels; this summer presented a set of unique and pressing situations for Mariano Monzu to step into as the unverisity’s interim chief financial officer. A close partner to former CFO, David Caldwell, Monzu was appointed as interim CFO by President Dan Boone at the end of June. Caldwell served as the university’s chief financial officer for more than nine years. Boone chose Monzu based on his familiarity with Caldwell’s work and experience, he said. “Summer is the time Trevecca does its audit,” said Boone. “You would never try to bring a new CFO into the beginning of an audit… Mariano has a backbone; you have to be able to say, ‘No, that’s not in the budget.’” Monzu said it’s been an easy adjustment after seven years of w...

29Oct

By trevechoesonlineNo Comments

Alumni, Campus News, Faculty

Trevecca community honors Ray Thrasher

By Bailee Ford SGA will dedicate their all-school gift this year in memory of Ray Thrasher, alumna and former employee who lived on campus since she arrived as a student nearly 60 years ago. Affectionately referred to as the “Squirrel Lady” by some students, Thrasher was a near-constant presence on Trevecca’s campus since she enrolled in 1969. (more…)

29Oct

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Alumni, Campus News, Features

Homecoming to Focus on Trevecca Stories

By Sidney Wiseman For Trevecca alumni, homecoming serves a special purpose—coming home to the hill. But for current students, it can be just as impactful. “I encourage students to go out and attend as many events as possible. I’m a big believer that the more connected you are to the life of the campus and the more connected you are to each other, the more meaningful all the experiences of college end up being,” said Michael Johnson, director of alumni and church engagement. For the last several years, homecoming has been referred to as “Homecoming on the Hill,” but Johnson said this year, a more specific theme emerged after he attended a conference. This year, homecoming will focus on how Trevecca makes great stories possible and instilling purple pride in all attendees. (more&helli...

Former Trevecca student Fancy finds pop music success

30Oct

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Alumni, Campus News, Music

Former Trevecca student Fancy finds pop music success

By Griffin Dunn A former Trevecca student has found worldwide success in the music industry this year. Fancy (originally Jake Hagood) is the artist behind the song "Goodbye" and the "Who is Fancy?" campaign. He performed the hit song this month live for the first time on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as his official reveal. Originally from Bentonville, Arkansas, Fancy attended Trevecca from 2008-2010 where he served as sophomore class president from 2009-2010. (more…)