MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University is saluting 58 retiring employees as the 2022-23 academic year begins winding down, honoring their 1,449 combined years of service devoted to students and the campus community.  

The faculty and staff members, and some of their families, gathered April 6 for a special retirement reception in the Student Union ballroom, where University President Sidney A. McPhee praised their careers at every level of service. 

The longest-tenured employee honored this year is Glenn Littlepage of the Department of Psychology in the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, who marked his 49th year of teaching at MTSU.  

Fellow educators James O. “Jim” Huffman of the Womack Educational Leadership Department in the College of Education and Harold "Terry" Whiteside, longtime dean of the College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, celebrated their 48th years with the university. 

Sixteen more faculty and staff members marked 30- to 40-year-long careers of service at MTSU 

Littlepage, a Murfreesboro resident, was a social psychologist specializing in group processes and performance and worked closely with MTSU’s Industrial/Organizational Psychology Program and the Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness. He specialized in studying and sharing the psychology of social behavior, group dynamics and workgroup effectiveness and was named a professor emeritus last fall. 

Huffman, a Murfreesboro resident and former Womack Leadership chair, focused on serving educators who wanted to develop their careers beyond daily K-12 classroom teaching helping them earn Master of Education and education specialist degrees in multiple administration and supervision concentrations, including university-level teaching. 

Whiteside, also a Murfreesboro resident, began as a psychology professor at MTSU, creating the university’s sports psychology course. Along with serving as MTSU’s only two-time Faculty Senate president, Whiteside was the university’s NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative and was named a professor emeritus last fall. 

Their fellow new retirees and their departments include: 

• Tim Andersonof Murfreesboro, Grounds and Greenhouse Services, Facilities Services Department. 
• Sheila Balchof Murfreesboro, Student Health Services. 
• Celia Bradleyof Murfreesboro, Financial Aid and Scholarships. 
• Laura Bucknerof Lascassas, Tennessee, Department of Marketing. 
• Kimball Bullingtonof Murfreesboro, Department of Management. 
• Brenda Burkhartof Murfreesboro, Office of Audit and Consulting Services. 
• William Butler Jr. of Murfreesboro, Department of Biology. 
• Susan Centerof Murfreesboro, Student Health Services. 
• Stan Clarkof Owens Cross Roads, Alabama, Department of Accounting. 
• Alba Coppolaof Murfreesboro, Student Health Services. 
• David Dunawayof Murfreesboro, Building Services, Facilities Services Department. 
• Norma Dunlapof Franklin, Tennessee, Department of Chemistry. 
• Steve Estesof Murfreesboro, Department of Health and Human Performance. 
• Richard Farleyof Murfreesboro, Department of Health and Human Performance. 
• Terri Ferrellof Readyville, Tennessee, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies. 
• Mary Ellen Fromuthof Murfreesboro, Department of Psychology. 
• Becky Garrettof Murfreesboro, College of Media and Entertainment advising. 
• Tim Graeffof Nolensville, Tennessee, Department of Marketing. 
• Connie Hagbergof Wartrace, Tennessee, Facilities Services Department. 
• Marie Harrellof Murfreesboro, Women's and Gender Studies Program. 
• Clay Harrisof Murfreesboro, Department of Geosciences. 
• Cheryl Hitchcockof Rock Island, Tennessee, Department of Elementary and Special Education. 
• Robert Holtzclawof Murfreesboro, Department of English. 
• Greg Huntof Manchester, Tennessee, WMOT Radio. 
• Ellen Jonesof Murfreesboro, Resource and Operations Management. 
• Katherine Jonesof Murfreesboro, College of Education. 
• Robin Jonesof Murfreesboro, Information Technology Division. 
• Zaf Khanof Murfreesboro, Department of Elementary and Special Education. 
• Teresa Kingof Jacksonville, Florida, Department of Human Sciences. 
• Marlene Laneof Murfreesboro, Department of University Studies. 
• Gina Logueof Shelbyville, Tennessee, Office of News and Media Relations. 
• Karen Martinof Murfreesboro, James E. Walker Library. 
• Charles Milliganof Satellite Beach, Florida, Womack Educational Leadership Department. 
• Claudette Northcuttof Murfreesboro, School of Music. 
• Matthew O'Brienof Franklin, Department of Recording Industry. 
• Mike Osborneof Murfreesboro, WMOT Radio. 
• Marc Parrishof Franklin, Department of Media Arts. 
• Jeannie Paulof Murfreesboro, MTSU Farm Laboratory. 
• Cynthia Phifferof Smyrna, Tennessee, University Honors College. 
• Delores Phillipsof Lebanon, Tennessee, Parking Services Office. 
• Tamala Pincheonof Murfreesboro, Business Office. 
• Marsha Powersof Murfreesboro, University Honors College. 
• Kelvin Rankinsof Murfreesboro, Printing Services Department. 
• David Seniorof Murfreesboro, Unified Communications - ITD Client Services. 
• Drew Sheaof Murfreesboro, Athletics Department. 
• Lisa Sheehan-Smithof Franklin, Department of Human Sciences. 
• Peggy Slaterof Murfreesboro, Registrar’s Office. 
• Judy Smithof Murfreesboro, Experiential Learning Program. 
• Mary Jane Staplesof Murfreesboro, Procurement Services. 
• Roland Untchof Murfreesboro, Department of Computer Science. 
• Rick Vanosdallof Thompson's Station, Tennessee, College of Education. 
• Derek Vincionof Eagleville, Tennessee, Department of Receiving and Moving Services. 
• Michael Wheatonof Chattahoochee, Florida, James E. Walker Library. 
• Lucille Wilcoxof Smyrna, Tennessee, College of Media and Entertainment advising. 
• Stephen Wrightof Murfreesboro, Department of Biology. 

The university’s academic year concludes at the end of each summer session. MTSU’s spring 2023 commencement ceremonies are set for Friday and Saturday, May 5-6, and the summer 2023 session, which begins on Monday, May 22, will conclude with summer commencement on Saturday, Aug. 12. 

MTSU’s 2023-24 academic year will begin with fall 2023 classes on Monday, Aug. 28.  

MTSU, which employs more than 2,500 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.  

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