Tennessee Tech
On a college campus, learning life lessons can be just as important as what happens in the classroom. Tennessee Tech University President Phil Oldham and First Lady Kari share the belief that the campus mantra, “Live Wings Up,” describes approaching life with tenacity, optimism, and kindness.
The Oldham’s moved to Cookeville, Tennessee, eight years ago, and though they had lived in other university towns, Kari says they regularly saw something that set Tech’s campus apart.
“I continually am impressed not only with how talented and smart our students are, but even more with the kindness they demonstrate often,” she said.
Both Phil and Kari agree that the kindness they saw around them should be celebrated, promoted and recognized. So, the couple launched Wings of Kindness as a special initiative to recognize students, faculty, staff and others across campus for choosing kindness in today’s busy, often hectic world. Kari says acts such as opening a door for someone, taking time to say please and thank you, making eye contact and smiling, paying an unsolicited compliment, helping campus visitors feel welcome, or cleaning up someone else’s mess make all the difference in a world that seems tougher than ever to navigate.
“It is an intentional effort to focus on what makes Tech special,” Phil said. “In a world of tension and disagreement, kindness is a gift and a blessing.”
The Oldhams had no way of knowing that in early March, the opportunities to show kindness would come from the most devastating event to hit Cookeville — an F4 tornado that killed 18 people and injured more than 300. The stories of simple service were more than heartwarming; they were heroic and life changing.
“Our students were compelled to head into the devastation and help people pick up the pieces of their lives physically and emotionally,” said Phil. “So we paused our classes and activities, and more than 1,000 students, faculty and staff went to the aid of our community.”
Then before the local landscape and memories healed, the COVID-19 pandemic sent students to their homes to finish the semester online. Through it all, the Oldhams saw just what they thought they’d see. Kindness. Everywhere. One longtime employee alerted helpers to the needs of a mother looking for milk for her three children. A local business owner donated to Tech’s Food Pantry. Tech’s service center director worked tirelessly to match volunteers with opportunities. A professor visited a student to comfort her after serious damage to her home. Students and faculty worked day and night with 3-D printers to make face shields. The Oldhams awarded 30 faculty, staff and students Wings of Kindness recognitions.
“Can you think of a better time in recent years to practice and promote kindness? It’s a choice. Let’s choose positive over negative, love over hate. Let’s choose to smile, not frown. Let’s choose to be kind,” Kari said.