One of the many wonderful aspects of King University is the number of students who choose to follow in their parents’ footsteps, keeping their college experience all in the family.
King has a number of legacy students, including John Martin Harbaugh, a recent graduate, whose parents, J.D. and Michele, affectionately known as “Moe” since their school days, also called King home during their university years.
King, however, wasn’t in J.D. or Moe’s plans while they were still in high school.
Moe originally selected Berry College in Rome, Ga., as it was her “dream” school. Having grown up only a short distance away in Atlanta, Berry was a place she had visited frequently as a child, and she knew it was where she wanted to attend college.
When it came time to apply for schools, her parents wanted her to have options, so she picked five schools in Northwest Georgia and Northeast Tennessee. King made the list because one of the King board members at the time was also a parent of one of her long-time friends, as well as the Chairman of the Board of her small private high school. The board member somehow created a scholarship specifically for students from Moe’s high school to attend King. After receiving all the offers from the schools, and realizing that Berry was simply not affordable, and the housing options were not ideal, the special scholarship made King the perfect option.
J.D. had initially planned to attend Berry College too, and play baseball, but after meeting with admission representatives from King in his hometown, he decided to visit the campus and fell in love with the school. He was also able to join the King baseball team, which made the choice an easy one.
“It is a bit wild that we both were planning to attend a small school in the mountains of Northwest Georgia, but we both changed our minds and decided on King in Northeast Tennessee,” said Moe.
Moe, who graduated from King in 1995 with a B.A. in Behavioral Science and Elementary Education, went on to earn her master’s in educational leadership from Union College and an Education Specialist degree in 2017 from the same Institution. J.D. graduated from King in 1995 with a B.S. in Physics and a minor in Math. In 2017, he earned his master’s degree in information technology management from WGU.
Moe and J.D. agree that their time at King was “phenomenal.”
“We both met lifelong friends, matured in ways we could not have imagined, and fell in love with a town that is exactly where we wanted to raise a family,” she said. “Both of us were from large cities (she from Atlanta and J.D. from Northern Virginia/DC area).
“Getting to know the professors was a huge component that made our experience at King such a wonderful one. The small class size, the personalized attention, and getting to know everyone on campus, from the grounds crew to the janitors! It always felt like home to us. We both served as RAs during our time at King, and both of us were on SGA.”
Moe was also part of the Dogwood Court for two years and helped plan events for three of those years.
Not surprisingly, one of the couple’s fondest memories from their time at King was their first date.
“It was to the Fall Ball in October of 1991, and it’s a very special memory,” said Moe. “It was snowing outside, and it was our first big college event together. We also loved the midnight meals at Bonfire on the (Volunteer) Parkway and movies at the Bristol Mall with SLACK (before it became SLACK).
“We also enjoyed hanging out on the oval and searching for one another between classes – before the cell phone era – and bothering Leona and Nurse Nancy all the time just to hang out and chat. Getting together with professors in their homes was a common activity back then, and it really solidified that we had made the right choice in college. We were not just a number on a class roll, but we got to know our professors, and they became invested in us as students. Another very special part of our time on campus was getting to know and love Jewell Bell. She was such a joy to see every day, and even up until two years ago, she STILL remembered us and gave us the biggest smile and hug.”
J.D. recalls many of his professors at King fondly, including Dr. Ray Bloomer, Dr. Dan Cross, and Dr. Ed Burke, all of whom were members of the Physics department. Moe’s favorite professors included Dr. Donna Hoover and Dr. Carolyn Brown, both of whom helped make her King experience memorable, as did Dr. Blue, who “made Bible classes fun and engaging.”
“Having had a Bible class my entire educational career, he brought a fresh, new perspective to Bible classes for me,” she said.
When the time came for the Harbaughs’ son to start thinking about schools, he had many options. A 2020 Sullivan East graduate, John Martin applied to 30 colleges that were offering him more than $2 million in scholarship money. Of those 30 schools, none were King.
“He chose not to apply to King because he wanted to go away and have a different experience,” said J.D., who added that the family home is just a couple of miles from King. “He chose to go to Tusculum University because it was close, but not too far, and primarily because they offered him the largest scholarship, which, along with other scholarships he had earned, would allow him to graduate debt-free. And to him, that was very important.”
Due to COVID restrictions during his freshman year at Tusculum, he had to deal with various limitations and restrictions. The summer before what would have been his sophomore year, he realized the restrictions weren’t going to be lifted, and things that are typical of college life – visiting with friends in the dorm, eating in the cafeteria, attending sports events on campus, being involved with club activities, were not going to be permitted.
“He did not want another year of wearing masks and not having a college social life,” said J.D. “He knew he wanted to transfer at some point, but he wasn’t sure where. King was an option because it was close, and he was no longer interested in living on campus. He also decided that summer to join the Tennessee Army National Guard.
“So, after one more semester at Tusculum, he went to basic training and advanced training for the army from January through July of 2022. While he was gone, we completed his paperwork and transferred him to King. He had visited King during high school as part of the Bristol Youth Leadership program, so he had been on campus a few times, and he trusted us and our experience with King to decide that it was the best option for him.”
It was during his time in the Army National Guard that he realized he wanted to become an officer. And while there are a few ways to become an officer, John Martin knew he wanted to make it part of his college experience.
“Once he realized he could attend King while doing ROTC through ETSU, he jumped at the opportunity,” said Moe. “He was so happy that King allowed that process, even if it was for just one cadet. I know he hopes the program grows and more students have the same opportunity he had.”
John Martin, who has now received his Army commission, graduated this past spring with a B.A. in Security and Intelligence.
Both Moe and J.D. are very happy that their son graduated from King, a place that continues to hold a special place in their hearts.
“Even today, when we visit campus, it feels like home,” Moe said. “Staff still know us and welcome us whenever we see them, and that says a lot when 30 years after graduation, there is still staff there that know us!”
She also loved the size of King, which had only about 500 students when she and her husband attended the school.
“It really helped us get to know everyone,” she said. “And the activities and the fellowship opportunities really made it a place that was easy to get involved and create life-long friendships.”
The fact that the university was so willing to work with John Martin when he decided to transfer to King makes the family love their alma mater all the more.
“Our son was welcomed with open arms when he came to King,” said J.D. “He was away in military service when he decided to transfer to King. Michele had to go and get the process started since he was limited in his ability to communicate, and the staff at King made it an easy process. They have always worked with him to accommodate all his military requirements and have encouraged him in so many ways.”
The Harbaughs all agree that King has had a significant impact on their lives.
“King is not an easy education,” said Moe. “Professors expected a lot academically, spiritually, and socially. We all feel that we left King with a great education that we earned through hard work.
“King also really allowed us to develop in our spiritual walk with God through small groups, convocations, and chapels. King allowed us to learn how to live as Christians in a fallen world with people who may believe differently from us yet still live, work, and thrive together. Just because King is a Christian campus doesn’t mean everyone walks the same path and believes the same things. Our beliefs were challenged and pushed, and that allowed us to grow and mature in our beliefs in so many ways.”