MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University salutes the 79 retiring employees for their 1,926 combined years of service to the Blue Raider campus community as the 2024-25 academic year closes this summer.

“We extend a True Blue thanks to all the dedicated faculty and staff who have served our great institution, and we appreciate all their hard work for the campus community at Middle Tennessee State University,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “I salute the latest group of retirees for their many years of faithful service and wish them the very best on their journey into the next stage of their lives.”

The latest group of retirees include two faculty members with 40 years or more of service:

Dr. Bichaka Fayissa, professor in the Department of Economics and Finance, Jones College of Business (45 years).

Dr. Raphael Bundage, director of Choral Activities in the School of Music, College of Liberal Arts (40 years).

The group also includes 24 retirees for 30- to 39-year-long careers of service. (Click the image to view a full-sized PDF of all retirees, their department and their years of service.)

Their fellow new retirees and their departments include (listed alphabetically):

• June Adams, College of Education Advising.

• Adonijah Bakari, History Department.

• Janine Brink, Business and Finance.

• Mike Boyle, University Studies.

• Dale Brown, Recording Industry Department.

• Lisa Brown, Financial Aid and Scholarships.

• Raphael Bundage, School of Music.

• Yuan-ling Chao, History Department.

• Tina Chevalier, Recording Industry Department.

• Linda Clark, University Studies.

• Sheila Copeland, University College.

• Cathy Cooper, School of Nursing.

• Craig Cornish, School of Music.

• Lara Daniel, Accounting Department.

• Terry Dorris, Aerospace Department.

• Keith Dotson, Marketing and Communications.

• Becky Elrod, Biology Department.

• Mary Evins, Honors College.

• Bichaka Fayissa, Economics and Finance Department.

• Mark Fisher, Energy Services.

• Margaret Fontanesi-Seime, Social Work Department.

• Janaruth Ford, Physics and Astronomy Department.

• Darlene Fults, University Provost.

• Joycelyn Gray, University Studies.

• John Haffner, School of Agriculture.

• Jeannie Harrington, Accounting Department.

• Allen Hibbard, English Department.

• Martha Hixon, English Department.

• Marion Hollings, English Department.

• Kara Hooper, Marketing and Communications.

• Tammy Hughes, Energy Services.

• Darryl Ingle, Ground and Greenhouse Services.

• Amy Jetton, Biology Department.

• Eric Klumpe, Physics and Astronomy Department.

• Justyna Kostkowska, English Department.

• Alvin Knox, English Department.

• Keith Lawwell, Building Services.

• Phil Loubere, School of Journalism and Strategic Media.

• Randal Mackin, English Department.

• Patricia Mayes, Institutional Effectiveness.

• Rhonda McDaniel, English Department.

• Tammy Melton, Chemistry Department.

• John Merchant, Recording Industry Department.

• Karen Milstead, Human Resource Services.

• Sherry Mitchell, James E. Walker Library.

• Shelley Caswell Moore, School of Nursing.

• Karen Moser, Business Office.

• Dennis Mullen, Biology Department.

• Jean Nagy, Art and Design Department.

• Martha Norkunas, History Department.

• Sheila Otto, English Department.

• Dwight Patterson, Chemistry Department.

• Patricia Patterson, Chemistry Department.

• Ken Paulson, Free Speech Center.

• Marvin Peyton, Womack Educational Leadership.

• Lyn Powers, Biology Department.

• Michael Principe, Philosophy and Religious Studies Department.

• Regina Puckett, Advancement Services.

• Jack Purcell, Philosophy and Religious Studies Department.

• Carol Rozell, Business Office.

• Kim Cleary Sadler, Biology Department.

• Suk Jai Seo, Computer Science Department.

• Tammy Simmons, Tennessee Early Intervention.

• Cyndi Smith, Registrar’s Office.

• Susan Smith, Registrar’s Office.

• Pam Steiner, Housing and Residential Life.

• Alan Thomas, Business and Finance.

• Robert Tittle, Ground and Greenhouse Services.

• Yvonne Torres, Aerospace Department.

• Barbara Turnage, Social Work Department.

• Thomas Tyner, English Department.

• Tammy Walker, Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic.

• Monica Wallace, Psychology Department.

• Rita Whitaker, Building Services.

• Raholanda White, Marketing Department.

• Ray Wiley, Campus Recreation Center.

• Cornelia Wills, Student Success.

• Shelia Withers, College ofBehavioral and Health Sciences Advising.

• Betty Woodley, World Languages, Literatures, and Cultures Department.

The university’s academic year concludes at the end of each summer session, which ends Thursday, Aug. 8, with summer commencement set for Saturday, Aug. 10.

MTSU’s 2025-26 academic year will begin with fall 2025 classes on Monday, Aug. 25.

MTSU, which employs more than 2,200 faculty and staff members campuswide, honors its employees regularly with opportunities that include the MTSU Employee Recognition Program awards for administrators, classified and technical/service personnel and the MTSU Foundation Awards and Faculty Recognition presentations each fall.

For more information about MTSU employee recognition programs, visit the university’s Human Resource Services program site at www.mtsu.edu/hrs/relations/recog.php.

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

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