Alumna Beth Harwell to be inducted into the TICUA Hall of Fame
Kim Chaudoin |
Tennessee’s first female Speaker of the House and Lipscomb alumna Beth Harwell has been named a member of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA) fourth class of Hall of Fame inductees. Harwell is one of 24 alumni selected by TICUA and its member institutions as part of the 2023 class for their contributions to the community in a variety of disciplines.
Harwell, a 1978 Lipscomb graduate, served in the Tennessee House of Representatives for 30 years, with the last six years of her term as Tennessee’s first female speaker of the house. Speaker Harwell was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1988 before being unanimously elected as speaker in 2011. During her time in office, Speaker Harwell committed herself to making a difference in Tennessee through public service and was known for her willingness to collaborate with her colleagues on both sides of the political aisle.
“Beth Harwell is an esteemed alumna of Lipscomb University, where our mission is to be a Christ-centered community that prepares learners for purposeful lives,” said Lipscomb President Dr. Candice McQueen. “Speaker Harwell has personified this mission by working to improve the lives of others through her years of dedicated service to the State of Tennessee. We are proud that She is representing Lipscomb University in this year’s prestigious group of inductees.”
Under Harwell’s leadership, the Tennessee House of Representatives balanced the budget each year without a single tax increase. Her legislation focused on children’s issues, increasing state education standards and state unemployment. Harwell also shepherded Gov. Bill Haslam’s Tennessee Promise initiative through the house to successful adoption and implementation. Her unwavering commitment to service extended not only to her constituents in her home district but also to individuals across Tennessee, creating opportunities for lives filled with purpose and fulfillment, transforming the state for years to come.
Since leaving the Tennessee General Assembly, Harwell has continued to lead in the classroom as a Distinguished Visiting Professor in Political Science at Middle Tennessee State University. She dedicates insight and wisdom to training the next generation of public servants, political leaders, and policymakers. In addition, Harwell was nominated and confirmed to the Tennessee Valley Authority Board of Directors in 2020 and will serve through May 2024.
After completing her undergraduate studies at Lipscomb, Harwell pursued a graduate degree at George Peabody College and then went on to pursue a Ph.D. in social science education from Vanderbilt University.
This is the fourth year for TICUA to honor alumni from member schools as inductees into its Hall of Fame.
“With each new class of the TICUA Hall of Fame, we discover even more of our alumni changing the world, some whose names we know and others we are just now becoming familiar with,” said TICUA President Dr. Claude Pressnell. “Each of the inductees demonstrates how valuable one's college experience is to your life and the impact a liberal arts education has on molding your future.”
The 2023 class of inductees includes civic and faith leaders, music and business executives, and passionate philanthropic and humanitarian leaders, all from Tennessee private nonprofit colleges and universities. Joining Harwell in the TICUA Hall of Fame Class of 2023 are: Jewel Bell (King University), Melvoid Benson (Lane College), L.D. Campbell (Johnson University), Autry O.V. “Pete” Debusk (Lincoln Memorial University), Dr. Jeff Foster (Southern College of Optometry), Dr. Thomas Garland (Tusculum University), Rusty Gaston (Belmont University), Dr. William Greer (Milligan University), Bob Jimenez (Southern Adventist University), William Kilbride (Tennessee Wesleyan University), Edward A. Labry III (Cumberland University), Esmerelda Lee (Lee University), James T. McAfee Jr. (Union University), Dr. Betty Sue McGarvey (Baptist Health Sciences University), Bill Morgan (Freed-Hardeman University), Col. J. Christopher Murphy (Aquinas College), Joel Rice (Bethel University), Joe Bill Sloan (Carson-Newman University), Dr. Morris Stocks (Trevecca Nazarene University), Jerry Summers (The University of the South), George Vogel (Bryan College), Perry Wallace (Vanderbilt University) and Delores Ziegler (Maryville College).
TICUA engages Tennessee's private, nonprofit colleges and universities to work collaboratively in areas of public policy, cost containment, and professional development to better serve the State and its citizens. TICUA membership includes 34 member institutions,comprising four-year colleges and universities and professional colleges. In fall 2021, TICUA member colleges and universities throughout the State enrolled more than 78,000 students and employed 21,000 faculty and staff. For more information about TICUA, please visit our website at www.ticua.org.
Read more about the 2023 TICUA Hall of Fame class.