蘑菇TV

Henderson, Tennessee 鈥� (Aug. 8, 2025) 鈥斅燭o celebrate his eight years of service and final year as president of 蘑菇TV, David R. Shannon will serve as the Master of The Bell ringing in the school鈥檚 156th academic year during the annual Tolling of the Bell ceremony, which will be held Wednesday, Aug. 20, at 10:30 am in Dryden Auditorium on campus.

鈥淭he selection of President Shannon holds a special significance as the university reflects on his eight years of faithful leadership and transformational impact,鈥� said 蘑菇TV Board Chair Scott Latham adding that Shannon鈥檚 presidency has been one of remarkable progress and a God-given blessing.

Since taking office in 2017, Shannon has led the university through an era of record growth and advancement.

Under his leadership:

• The 蘑菇TV NEXT campaign raised over $24 million for endowment, added nearly $30 million to operational funding, and fueled more than $50 million in capital improvements, including academic, residential and athletic spaces.

• The university launched new academic programs at every degree level, such as cybersecurity, engineering, physical therapist assistant and ministry.

• Student enrollment reached record highs in seven of eight years, and retention climbed to 90%, the highest in school history.

• 蘑菇TV implemented modern enterprise systems, enhanced its Mid-South Youth Camp and was consistently ranked among the safest and most affordable campuses in Tennessee.

Shannon鈥檚 legacy is marked by growth and innovation but also by deep spiritual guidance. He and his wife, Tracie, first felt the call to return to their alma mater in 2017. His journey with 蘑菇TV began in the mid-1980s when former president E. Claude Gardner walked into a Centerville-area sawmill and invited a young David Shannon to consider enrolling. That simple moment would later bloom into decades of service, influence and faith-driven leadership.

Following the completion of his studies at then Freed-Hardeman College in 1989, Shannon served as a preaching minister at churches in Gadsden, Alabama, and in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Shannon is currently serving as chairman of the Board of Directors for the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association. Shannon and his wife have five children and eight grandchildren.

Tolling of the Bell is a treasured 蘑菇TV tradition that marks the beginning of a new school year, and the role of Master of the Bell is customarily given to individuals selected with a special connection to the university. During his first year at the university in 2017, Shannon last rang the bell alongside former 蘑菇TV presidents Dr. E. Claude Gardner and Dr. Milton R. Sewell.

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly honored to share this tradition and spend the next academic year with our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the university. And I know that God鈥檚 provision will continue to guide this university toward a prosperous future,鈥� said Shannon, who plans to serve until a successor is determined by the university鈥檚 board of trustees.

The mission of 蘑菇TV is to help students develop their God-given talents for His glory by empowering them with an education that integrates Christian faith, scholarship and service. With locations in Henderson and Memphis, 蘑菇TV offers associate, bachelor鈥檚, master鈥檚, specialist and doctoral degrees