MURFREERSBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University was well represented — a total of 10 women — for the 2025 Rutherford Athena International Leadership Awards presented by Rutherford Cable Friday, May 16, in the Student Union Ballroom on campus.

“The Athena Leadership model aligns perfectly with Rutherford Cable’s mission of moving women forward, and our values of collaboration, support and professional development,” said MTSU alumna Kim Young, Rutherford Cable president and an event coordinator for the awards sponsor, Redstone Federal Credit Union.

The 12^th annual Rutherford Athena Awards, stylized as ATHENA, recognized a total of eight women who have achieved excellence in their profession, community and leadership, as well as 10 emerging leaders under age 40 and a nontraditional student scholarship recipient.

This year’s Athena Young Professional Award winner is MTSU Alumni Association board member Tosha Price, who was nominated by her employer, Ascend Federal Credit Union.

“My time at MTSU shaped my foundation in leadership, service and community engagement,” said Price, who juggles life as a wife and mother of two with her job as the business development manager at Ascend and volunteering with over a dozen Middle Tennessee nonprofit and civic organizations.

Price — a three-time nominee for the Athena Award before earning top honors this year — also referenced her faith and the example of the biblical character, Tabitha, “a woman known for doing good and helping others.”

“That’s the kind of impact I hope to make: quiet, consistent and centered in purpose,” Price said.

Four other Young Professional nominees with ties to MTSU include:

• Andrea Bell, MTSU adjunct social work professor, was nominated by the League of Women Voters of Murfreesboro/Rutherford County for her work in preventing maltreatment of children.

• Julia Johnson, MTSU Student Support Services counselor, was nominated by the Rutherford County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. for her support and advocacy of first-generation, low-income and disabled students.

• Samantha Johnson, associate professor of health and human performance, was nominated by the Murfreesboro Branch of the American Association of University Women, for enriching the lives of homeless youth as an active board member of Endure Athletics.

Johnson said the experience was inspiring.

“What made the experience truly special was the opportunity to connect with, learn from, and celebrate the work of so many impactful women,” Johnson said.

• Emily McKee, an MTSU alumna and executive director of Kymari House, was nominated by her employer for her advocacy work in supporting children in crisis and their families. Through Kymari House, she leads programs that provide engaging supervision for court-ordered visitation and trauma-informed training.

Other nominees included Ashley Carter, Rachael Goonan, Chrislin Ledbetter, Judge Brittany Stevens and Taylor Worley.

Athena International Leadership Award nominees

Ronda Spivey, a local attorney, was named winner of the traditional Athena International Leadership Award.

Three MTSU faculty members and an alumna were nominated for the traditional Athena Award, including:

• Mary A. Evins, a research professor of history in the MTSU University Honors College and sponsor of the campus chapter of the American Democracy Project, was nominated by the League of Women Voters for her passionate advocacy of voter participation and commitment to educating students about American democracy.

“I learned as a Tennessee child that we take responsibility for one another, we look out for the other fellow, that supporting community is as critically important as nurturing family,” Evins noted. “As a university professor and member of this community, I choose to pass these values along every single day, building relationships and giving back with fierce advocacy for all our citizens.”

• Michelle Howser, an MTSU alumna and managing partner at Howser & Associates law firm, was nominated by Middle Tennessee Lawyers’ Association for Women for helping the community navigate family law and working to provide affordable legal services.

• Kathleen Schmand, dean of James E. Walker Library and vice president of the MTSU Fund for Women and Girls, was nominated by AAUW for her leadership in library programming, professional mentorship and educational advocacy for women.

“It was truly a privilege to get to know some of the amazing women selected for the Athena Leadership Awards, including the Young Professionals,” Schmand said. “I have developed new connections with exceptional women that I know will continue to accomplish great work in their professional and personal lives. I look forward to being a part of that journey.”

• Hanna Terletska, an associate professor of physics and head of the Quantum@MTSU Initiative, was nominated by College of Basic and Applied Sciences Dean Greg Van Patten for her commitment to excellence and innovation in building inclusive pathways in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

“I’m especially proud to champion young scientists by mentoring, supporting, and helping them find their voice and path in STEM,” said Terletska, who is working to position Middle Tennessee as a growing hub for quantum science and technology. “I am deeply grateful to be part of a community that sees science and education not only as engines of discovery, but as pathways to empower the next generation of leaders.”

Other award nominees included Shannon Bushman, Trina Frazier Martin and Andrea Sheffield.

Patrons Society Scholarship recipient

Stephanie Figueroa, an MTSU senior double majoring in construction management and Spanish, is this year’s winner of the $5,000 ATHENA Patrons Society Scholarship, sponsored by Rutherford Cable, for her commitment to inspiring other nontraditional women in STEM.

Figueroa, a student worker at the Tennessee STEM Education Center on campus, is actively involved with the Associated General Contractors of America student chapter, the National Association of Women in Construction, and Gamma Beta Phi. She is also a recent graduate of the Institute of Leadership Excellence in the Jones College of Business.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)