Summertown Resident Joins Knoxville Community

A Summertown resident was ecstatic to learn of her acceptance into her first choice college for the fall of 2005.

Dara McFall, a sophomore, said one of her life’s most memorable moments was when she was accepted to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

“It was kind of creepy,” McFall said. “I was at work, and I just had a feeling. I called my grandmother and told her to check the mail.”

A letter was in their mailbox addressed to McFall from the University. She anxiously opened the letter upon her return to home after work and learned of her acceptance. However, no one was around to share the excitement with her.

The other family members’ reaction to her achievement was somewhat different. Her father disliked the financial aspect of the situation. Her grandmother hated to see her granddaughter leave. And her boyfriend was disappointed about the distance that would be between them.

“It was rather depressing,” McFall said. “No one took it well.”

But today, McFall does not regret her decision. She also had applied to Middle Tennessee State University, where she was offered more money, but it was UT’s party school reputation that influenced her decision.

She said she especially enjoys the atmosphere of the school’s location. Summertown is located right on the Tennessee-Alabama line. She was looking for a college that was far enough from home, and a bigger city than her hometown.

“My town doesn’t even have a traffic light,” McFall said. “This city isn’t quite as big as I expected, but I really like it here.”

McFall is a journalism student at the University with dreams of writing music reviews for Rolling Stone magazine. She currently is involved with the campus’ Student Government Association Volunteer Action, where she serves at a soup kitchen and assists at the local Boys and Girls Club.