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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, Tenn. (Feb. 27, 2019) — This month, Milligan freshman Chase McGlamery was honored with the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award in Franklin, Tennessee.
The Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award recognizes outstanding volunteers, including students and adults, in each of Tennessee’s 95 counties. This year marked the ceremony’s 11th year and McGlamery was one of 108 honorees.
McGlamery, of Mountain City, Tennessee, began volunteering at the age of eight and has volunteered extensively with his church, high school and Heritage Hall, Mountain City’s fine arts venue.
Last year, McGlamery completed over 300 hours of community service, while also adjusting to life as a college freshman. As a high school student, McGlamery volunteered over 1,000 hours.
His involvement over the years has allowed him to connect his love of technology to serving others.
“Since I was in elementary school, teachers would ask me to help them fix their computer,” said McGlamery. “It was something I picked up easily and have always really enjoyed. For me, assisting organizations with technology has been a great way to invest in my community.”
As a high school student, McGlamery volunteered with the sounds, lights and displays for Heritage Hall’s productions, in addition to working with Johnson County High School.
During his senior year, McGlamery completed a major project for Heritage Hall, integrating ticket sales into their website. In addition, he created the inaugural fundraising event, “Teachers Got Talent, ” for the local United Way. The event featured teachers from Johnson County Schools, and McGlamery spent over three months preparing the event, including writing the script and directing the production.
McGlamery continues to volunteer with the praise team at First Christian Church in Mountain City, assisting with their sound systems. When the church built a new building in 2017, he offered to design and set up the sound system.
When asked why he commits so much of his free time to volunteering, McGlamery’s answer is simple.
“I like to help people as much as I can, and I always like to be involved in something. If people ask me to help, my immediate response is to check my calendar and see when I am available to make it happen.”
Finding time to volunteer isn’t always simple, but McGlamery continues to make it a priority.
As a college student, McGlamery remains busy. As a communications major, he is currently enrolled in 18 credit hours, is completing an internship with WJHL, and streams community events with Milligan’s multimedia services. Still, McGlamery devotes his spare time on the weekends to volunteering in Mountain City, a 45-minute drive from campus.
In receiving the Governor’s award, McGlamery appreciated the opportunity to meet and learn from other Tennesseans who embody servant-leadership. During the ceremony, a short biography for each recipient was read as they received their award.
“It was inspiring to learn more about the other recipients,” said McGlamery. “I loved hearing how other people are serving across the state, and it certainly encouraged me to stay engaged in my community.”
McGlamery appreciates the many opportunities to not only pursue his interest in technology and communications but also to serve others at Milligan. As a high school student, McGlamery visited campus often to visit his brother, Jacob, who is currently pursuing his master’s degree in counseling at Milligan. When it was time for McGlamery to select a college, he knew Milligan’s curriculum and mission were the perfect fit.
“I’ve always appreciated Milligan’s commitment to service,” said McGlamery. “Even as a freshman, I have so many opportunities to get involved. I look forward to continuing to serve here over the next few years.”