Business Office Manager Sarah Dey, Assistant Director of Annual Giving Justin Gung, and Special Gifts & Donor Relations Director Carolyn Hecklin Hyatt '02, and Middle School Athletic Trainer Anna Unnasch joined USN after the start of the 2023-2024 academic year.
Sarah Dey is the new Business Office Manager. Sarah comes to USN after four years at Nashville Ballet where she was School Administrative Director. She graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a B.A. in English. Her previous experience includes Development Manager at the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and Community Operations Manager for Residential Life at UNLV. Sarah is excited to be a part of the USN community and work with the lovely faculty, staff, and families.
Justin Gung joined the Alumni & Department Office as Assistant Director of Annual Giving. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from University of Richmond, Master of Education from Vanderbilt University, and a Master of Divinity from Princeton Seminary. A native North Carolinian, Justin has lived in Nashville for almost 20 years. Across that time, he has worked in the non-profit sector, serving mainly in religious and educational settings. Most recently, he worked in Alumni Relations at Vanderbilt University. Justin met his wife just across the street at Peabody College. They have two children, one of whom is in third grade at USN. When Justin told 19th Avenue Receptionist Kay Knight that he had joined the staff of USN, she said, "Well, that makes sense. You were here all the time anyway."
Carolyn Hecklin Hyatt ’02 is returning to USN as the Special Gifts and Donor Relations Director. She graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications in 2006. She and her husband lived in New York for 10 years, and she worked in the fashion industry before coming back to Nashville. For the last eight years, Carolyn has worked in development for the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville. She is a proud USN parent to Dylan '32, Lyla ‘30, and 3-year-old Zachary. She is thrilled to be back on campus and is looking forward to walking the halls again.
Anna Unnasch joins USN as the Middle School Athletic Trainer. She graduated from Grand Canyon University and has experience in high scholastic and professional athletics. She most recently served as Head Athletic Trainer at Jefferson Academy Charter School and USA Rugby. She was also a collegiate beach volleyball player and has worked in club volleyball as a trainer and a coach in the past.
Capt. Aerin Washington, a commissioned law enforcement officer with extensive experience in higher education, has returned to University School of Nashville as the Director of Safety and Security to oversee the K-12 school’s comprehensive physical security plan. Read more about her appointment here.
In case you missed new hire announcements made in early August: Meet new administrators and staff here.
Meet new Lower School faculty here. Meet new Middle School faculty here. Meet new High School faculty here.
Third graders visited Mound Bottom State Archaeological Area for an immersive history lesson and guided site tour that will set the stage for this year's studies in Tennessee history and Native American history.
Middle and High School Art Teacher Emily Holt will be honored with the Tennessee Association of Independent Schools’ Hubert Smothers Excellence in Teaching Award on Monday, November 9 in Memphis.
Middle School and High School Chinese Teacher Josephine Huang has been involved with USN as a volunteer, a parent, and a teacher. Now in her 20th year as a faculty member, Huang's innovative lessons and belief in relationships continue to instill in students a lifelong love of learning.
Winged Deer Park and trails in Johnson City hosted our 4th race on Sunday October 11th, and despite a bit of hurricane outwash winds and showers - and reduced team numbers due to fall break and distance from Nashville - our racers utilized all available skills and speed which helped “wing" Sophomore Claire Dehner to a 4th place podium spot, our first podium appearance and medal for the season.
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.