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Tech’s Andrea Kruszka profiled by Cookeville Lifestyle: “a mover and a shaker for all things good”
Andrea Kruszka. Photo credit: Cookeville Lifestyle.
Tennessee Tech University staff member and alumna Andrea Kruszka holds many titles.
By day, she serves as outreach coordinator for the university’s Tennessee Center for
Rural Innovation (TCRI). In this role, she helps lead the university’s Rural Reimagined
initiative and manages Eagle Works, the annual Shark Tank-style innovation and entrepreneurship
contest for students. Kruszka is also a local radio host, sought-after photographer,
arts advocate and nonprofit board member, to name a few.
Now, she can add a new title to the list: Kruszka was named to the inaugural class
of “Movers & Shakers” by Cookeville Lifestyle. The local magazine highlighted 20 of
Cookeville’s most impactful community members for its summer 2023 issue. Kruszka’s
write-up touts her as “everyone’s hype girl” with “a passion for making an impact
on quality of life, regionally and statewide.”
By happenstance, Kruszka found out of her selection for the magazine’s elite list
moments after the decision was made.
“I was actually walking into The Biz Foundry to work out of there one afternoon, as
I do fairly frequently since they are a partner of ours, and the selection committee
had been using the conference room and had just finished,” said Kruszka. “I was one
of the first to find out I was on the list and being the sentimental person that I
am, I started crying immediately. Hearing that from the committee, which is full of
people who I respect and admire, was next level.”
Kruszka adds that her profile in the local publication, complete with a photo shoot
and full-page story, casts a spotlight that she says feels unusual.
“I’m really not someone who focuses on recognition,” said Kruszka. “I’m used to being
kind of in the background. To know that what I do is valued and noticed was gratifying
in a way that almost feels selfish.”
Yet the decision to include Kruszka was an easy one, according to Cookeville Lifestyle
founder and owner Chelsea Dartez.
“Andrea's zest for her passions, work and people is unmatched,” said Dartez. “She
pours her heart into helping her students reach their full potential and is a beloved
mentor to many. Andrea is the definition of a Mover & Shaker in the Cookeville community,
and we are honored to tell her story in this issue.”
Likewise, Michael Aikens, TCRI director and administrative chair of Rural Reimagined
at Tech, praised Kruszka’s “invaluable contributions that have not only helped numerous
entrepreneurs, businesses and governmental offices, but have also touched the lives
of countless students.”
“We are truly fortunate to have her leadership and work ethic at the TCRI,” said Aikens.
Cookeville Lifestyle, which launched in 2022 and has quickly amassed a dedicated local
following, says that it aims to highlight the many reasons community members love
Cookeville “one story at a time.” Through her work at Tech, photography and community
involvement, Kruszka does much the same.
“I love the people and the community here,” added Kruszka. “I’ve made incredible friends
in Cookeville and at Tech and seen how the community comes together to support its
own. I also love that it’s a small town but still big enough to have a vibrant art
scene, plenty of things to do, and I’m at the center of a hundred amazing hikes –
which makes life as a part-time nature photographer really fun.”
Kruszka adds that her Tech colleagues, including Aikens, have welcomed her projects
outside the workplace.
“Michael is incredibly supportive of all of it because it really pushes me into the
community, working with small businesses like artists and makers, and that’s a big
part of what I need to be doing for TCRI to be successful,” said Kruszka.
As the latest issue of Cookeville Lifestyle hits newsstands, Kruszka finds herself
reflecting on her past with Tech and looking forward to the future.
“The last five years at Tech have been phenomenal, from the success we’ve seen as
TCRI and Rural Reimagined, to the brilliance I’ve seen in our Eagle Works students,
and on a more personal note, the sheer joy I had in finally finishing my bachelor’s
degree in December 2022 after one of the more up-and-down college careers anyone could
imagine,” said Kruszka. “In the fall I’m starting my master’s of professional studies
with a concentration in media and strategic communication, and I’m looking forward
to a fresh set of Eagle Works students, new projects for TCRI, and many more chances
to make a difference.”
Cookeville Lifestyle can be found at dozens of businesses throughout the community.
For a full list of locations visit https://cookevillelifestyles.com/find-the-magazine/.
For subscription options visit https://cookevillelifestyles.com/product/cookeville-lifestyle-magazine/.
