Milligan College Buffaloes

Milligan partners with Character Counts!
Heath Shuler to speak at character building event

MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (April 16, 2008) — Milligan College has partnered with the nation's largest character development educator, Character Counts!, for the area's first comprehensive character development program geared for coaches. The Aug. 1 “Winning with Character” seminar will bring noted character development speakers Dr. Gary Smit, NFL Kicking Coach Doug Blevins, along with Bob Beville to the local arena for a one-day character program for coaches.

Kingsport native and retired General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Steven H. Jones first approached Milligan President Donald R. Jeanes about partnering with Character Counts! last year. A pioneer in the development of the Character Counts!, Jones has traveled throughout the United States helping communities develop character building programs. He wanted to bring his efforts close to home by developing a character development program for area coaches.

“Judge Jones first approached me with the idea for a character development program for coaches last spring,” said Jeanes. “Milligan athletics is often recognized by the NAIA as being ‘Champions of Character' on and off the field, and he felt a character development program fit well with the college's mission. I agreed.”

Since then, Jones, known as the “father of character education” in Tennessee, has worked tirelessly to bring top-notch character educators to East Tennessee.

Smit, one of the most noted character educators in the country, served as a teacher, coach, principal and superintendent in Wisconsin for 34 years before retiring. An early pioneer in character education, he currently serves on the Character Counts! Leadership Council and teaches character development seminars throughout the U.S.

“Dr. Smit is one of the most sought after character educators in the country,” said Jones. “It is an honor to have him teach our area coaches the best techniques for teaching character to our youth.”

Blevins, an Abingdon, Va., native, overcame Cerebral Palsy to become one of the NFL's most successful kicking coaches. His journey to the highest level of coaching has been the subject of countless magazine articles and television specials and a motion picture is currently in the making.

“Last fall, Coach Blevins became the national spokesperson for Moral Kombat, an initiative I helped develop locally for at-risk teens,” explained Jones. “He does a phenomenal job in motivating coaches and parents to use sports as a character building tool.”

Rounding out the presenters is former Anderson University athletic director Beville, who now heads up a Character Counts! based community recreation department in Anderson, Ind.

In a follow-up community event on Aug. 21, former University of Tennessee quarterback and current North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler will also talk about the importance of strong character. As a spokesperson for Character Counts!, Shuler has traveled with Jones throughout Tennessee introducing character programs in communities.

The “Winning with Character” coaches' seminar will be held on Friday, Aug. 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Gregory Center for the Liberal Arts on the Milligan College campus. The cost is $15 for coaches who register prior to May 31, $20 thereafter. Lunch is included. In-service credit is available through several local school systems.

To register or to determine in-service eligibility, please call Rich Aubrey at 423.975.8029, or email RAubrey@milligan.edu. To register online, visit www.milliganbuffs.com/charactercounts.

Shuler will speak on Thursday, Aug. 21, at 7:30 p.m. in Milligan's Seeger Memorial Chapel. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Nathan Flora at 423.461.8748, or email NFlora@milligan.edu.