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 have partnered with regional organizations to transform their ideas into actionable plans to elevate the region. The five 2025 ETSU Elevates finalists will present their plans at the ETSU Elevates Pitch Competition on Monday, Oct. 6, at the ETSU Martin Center for the Arts, ETSU Foundation Grand Hall. Doors open at 5 p.m., and the competition begins at 5:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
ETSU Elevates features collaborative community engagement projects between ETSU students and regional partners that address economic, social or environmental issues. The students will present their pitches in front of a live audience and three judges. The event is part of ETSU’s annual Founders Week festivities.
In addition to the $2,000 available for seed funding granted to each ETSU Elevates project, the projects are eligible for additional funding at the pitch event. Judges will award first-, second- and third-place prizes, and the audience will select the People’s Choice Award.
“We are always inspired by the creativity, compassion and commitment of our students, who are working with community partners to find solutions that matter right here at home,” said Dr. Susan McCracken, vice provost for Community Engagement at ETSU. “We invite the public to join us, cheer for these students and be part of the process as they work to elevate our region.”
The 2025 ETSU Elevates projects and their community partners include:
• Rooted Alliance – Reagan Sparks (public health) from Spruce Pine, North Carolina, partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee. Her project combats food insecurity by establishing sustainable community gardens that provide fresh produce and foster connection, empowerment and civic engagement.
• Project MANNA – Doctoral student Aliyah Smith-Gomis (public health) of Mobile, Alabama, partnered with the Appalachian Resource Conservation & Development Council to connect Black farmers in Appalachia with Black mothers, nourishing families while empowering local agricultural communities.
• Spark the Future –Shelby Koerten (communication studies) of Sevierville partnered with Coalition for Kids on a project that provides leadership-focused workshops to help students discover their strengths, build confidence and develop authentic leadership skills.
• Confidence Kits – Connor Davidson (finance) and Emma Hurley (interior architecture and art), both of Abingdon, Virginia, partnered with LightSource Ministries to develop Confidence Kits. This project equips students at Doe Elementary in Johnson County with fully stocked hygiene kits to help them feel cared for, prepared and confident at school.
• Project Welcome Home Veteran – Reed Bull (economics) of Seymour partnered with Heidi’s House of Hope. His project supports microhome communities for veterans by helping outfit homes and provide supplies to create stable housing.
Parking for the event is available in the Brinkley Center parking garage, located behind the Carnegie Hotel. To learn more, visit etsu.edu/elevates. Explore the many ways ETSU students, faculty and staff enrich the region at etsu.edu/go-beyond.
