FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2007
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919
MORE THAN 900 GRADUATE FROM MTSU AT 96th SUMMER COMMENCEMENT
Single-Ceremony Event Will Again be Webcast for Those Unable to Attend
(MURFREESBORO)—A projected 940 degree candidates will graduate during the 96th annual summer commencement ceremony, MTSU officials announced recently.
The single-ceremony graduation will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, in Murphy Center on the campus of MTSU, with Dr. Tony Johnston, associate professor for the School of Agriscience and Agribusiness and the current MTSU representative of the Tennessee Board of Regents’ (TBR) Faculty Subcouncil, delivering the commencement address.
Some 703 of this summer’s degree candidates will be undergraduates, said Dr. Sherian Huddleston, director, Records, and assistant vice provost, Enrollment Services, with 237 students slated to graduate from the College of Graduate Studies. This total includes one graduate certificate recipient, 207 master's degrees, 24 specialist in education (Ed.S.) degrees and five doctoral-level degrees.
Regarding his planned message to degree candidates, Johnston said, “Graduation marks the first day of the rest of a student’s education. Just when we think we’re ‘finished’ with education, we realize it’s just begun.”
Prior to joining the MTSU faculty in 1995, Johnston served as a full-time food quality and food assurance manager for national corporations, including Pilgrim’s Pride, Tyson Foods and Ozark Salad Company, respectively, as well as a winemaker and consultant for land and business owners interested in establishing vineyards and wineries in Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama and Georgia.
Born in Louisville, Ky., and reared in Houston, Texas, Johnston earned a bachelor’s degree in geophysics and a master’s degree in food science before garnering a Ph.D. in food science/enology from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He also holds professional memberships in the Institute of Food Technologists, the American Society for Enology and Viticulture and the Tennessee Viticultural and Oenological Society.
He has devoted professional service to the a number of food science-related organizations, including serving as secretary for the Grape Research and Extension and Exchange Group in 2004-05 and 2006-07; chairman of the Southern Regional Sections of the Institute of Food Technologists in 2000-01; representative for the Institute of Food Technologists Career Guidance Committee to the National Science Teachers Association Conference in 1997; and service as a session moderator for the Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting in 2005, among other activities.
In addition to his 2006-2007 tenure as president of MTSU’s Faculty Senate, Johnston—whose academic research has garnered 10 education-related grants to date— has served on many university committees, including membership on the MTSU University Relations Committee (1997-1999), MTSU Applied Science and Technology Partnership Taskforce (1999-2001), MTSU Democracy Project (2003-05) and MTSU Master Plan Committee (2006-07), respectively. He also is the current academic adviser for Alpha Gamma Rho, a professional/social fraternity, and Delta Tau Alpha, an agricultural honor society.
An active member of the United States Air Force from 1980 to 1984, where he served as a configuration management office in the Tactical Air and Battle Management Systems Office and test director for field testing of a radar-modification program. Additionally, Johnston has served as a reservist within the U.S. Air Force since 1988 in the capacity of a logistics readiness officer, where he is a staff member of the Air Force Logistics Command Headquarters at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio. During his reserve tenure, he has been activated two
times since Sept. 11, 2001, and served an additional 28 months of full-time military service involved in the development and preparation of battle plans and war games for the command.
Dr. Jack Thomas, vice provost for academic affairs and chairman of the commencement committee, said he wanted to remind all degree candidates of the importance of appropriate dress, decorum and respect for the commencement ceremony.
“We believe this is a very important day in the lives of many people,” Thomas said. “Commencement is one of those few days that families always remember as special. It is difficult to give the ceremony the dignified atmosphere it deserves if attendees are using air horns or leaving before the completion of the ceremony.”
Additionally, per Thomas, the graduation committee also emphasized that students who participate in commencement will be required to stay for the entire ceremony. The ceremony should last about two hours. If candidates are planning celebration activities, please be aware of this commitment, he said.
“To make this a special day, it requires cooperation from everyone in attendance,” Thomas said. “We believe it should be a dignified ceremony, which adds to its enjoyment of all in attendance.”
At 8:30 a.m. Aug. 11, Murphy Center doors will open for the commencement
ceremony. Candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas, dressed in their caps and gowns, no later than 9 a.m. Officials report that students who are not in their assigned gym at the proper times will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony. Because commencement rehearsals are no longer conducted, timely attendance is mandatory for students to receive important instructions.
Graduation information—including how to access the graduation ceremony via streaming video the day of commencement, maps and driving directions to Murphy Center, cap-and-gown information and how to order a DVD ($10 each) of the summer ceremony— is available online by accessing www.mtsunews.com and clicking on the “Graduation Information” link at the top, center of the Web page.
For more information about receiving a degree in absentia, please visit the Records Office Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~records/ grad.htm . Any additional questions about graduation may be directed to the Records Office at 615-898-2600.
MTSU SUMMER 2007 COMMENCEMENT AT A GLANCE
Who: 940 graduates* (703 undergraduates, 237 graduate students)
What: MTSU’s 96th annual summer commencement ceremony.
When: 10 a.m. Aug. 11; doors open at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Murphy Center
Commencement speaker: Dr. Tony Johnston, associate professor for the School of Agriscience and Agribusiness and the current MTSU representative of the Tennessee Board of Regents’ (TBR) Faculty Subcouncil
* — Approximate number as of July 25, 2007.
**ATTENTION, MEDIA—To secure a jpeg of Dr. Johnston for editorial use, please e-mail your request to gfann@mtsu.edu in the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU.
—30—
Monday, July 30, 2007
017 MTSU NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INDUCTS 15 NEW MEMBERS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Release date: July 27, 2007
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Ginger Freeman, 615-898-2922
MTSU NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INDUCTS
15 NEW MEMBERS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(MURFREESBORO) — The Middle Tennessee State University National Alumni Association recently inducted 15 new members to the board of directors. Members are selected via written nominations.
“We are very excited about our new members,” said Devin McClendon, 2007-08 president of the National Alumni Association. “Each person brings a diverse background and different experiences from their time at MTSU.”
The new members, all from Tennessee, include Ron Akins (’06), Murfreesboro; Kent Ayer (’99), Murfreesboro; Mary Megan Benton (’97) Murfreesboro; Chontel Bridgeman (’93, ’95, ’96) Murfreesboro; Jamie Burns (’03), Murfreesboro; Milbrey Campbell (’74, ’77), Murfreesboro; Alan Clark (’69, ’75), Estill Springs; Rollie M. Holden (’83), Murfreesboro; Angela Lee (’00), Chattanooga; Eddie Linville (’01, ’03), Lascassas; Susan Mack (’76), Brentwood; Susan Melton (’79), Woodbury; Katy Francisco Riddle (’99, ’05), Murfreesboro; Greg Smith (’85), Clarksville; and Doug Young (’71), Murfreesboro.
Each member is asked to serve a three-year term, McClendon said.
“I anticipate the new board members will bring great ideas to the table and show leadership through volunteerism to help us better serve Middle Tennessee alumni all over the country,” McClendon said. “As alumni of the largest undergraduate institution in Tennessee, we rely on our board of directors to spread the word about our great university.”
McClendon added that the mission of the National Alumni Association Board of Directors is to develop and foster sound relationships between MTSU and its alumni and to provide a strong force for the advancement and support of the university.
Nominations for the 2008-09 board of directors will be accepted beginning in January 2008, he said, adding, “Support your alumni association by nominating someone to serve. We look forward to seeing you at an alumni event in your area.”
Visit mtalumni.com for more details. For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Ginger Freeman, 615-898-2922
MTSU NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INDUCTS
15 NEW MEMBERS TO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
(MURFREESBORO) — The Middle Tennessee State University National Alumni Association recently inducted 15 new members to the board of directors. Members are selected via written nominations.
“We are very excited about our new members,” said Devin McClendon, 2007-08 president of the National Alumni Association. “Each person brings a diverse background and different experiences from their time at MTSU.”
The new members, all from Tennessee, include Ron Akins (’06), Murfreesboro; Kent Ayer (’99), Murfreesboro; Mary Megan Benton (’97) Murfreesboro; Chontel Bridgeman (’93, ’95, ’96) Murfreesboro; Jamie Burns (’03), Murfreesboro; Milbrey Campbell (’74, ’77), Murfreesboro; Alan Clark (’69, ’75), Estill Springs; Rollie M. Holden (’83), Murfreesboro; Angela Lee (’00), Chattanooga; Eddie Linville (’01, ’03), Lascassas; Susan Mack (’76), Brentwood; Susan Melton (’79), Woodbury; Katy Francisco Riddle (’99, ’05), Murfreesboro; Greg Smith (’85), Clarksville; and Doug Young (’71), Murfreesboro.
Each member is asked to serve a three-year term, McClendon said.
“I anticipate the new board members will bring great ideas to the table and show leadership through volunteerism to help us better serve Middle Tennessee alumni all over the country,” McClendon said. “As alumni of the largest undergraduate institution in Tennessee, we rely on our board of directors to spread the word about our great university.”
McClendon added that the mission of the National Alumni Association Board of Directors is to develop and foster sound relationships between MTSU and its alumni and to provide a strong force for the advancement and support of the university.
Nominations for the 2008-09 board of directors will be accepted beginning in January 2008, he said, adding, “Support your alumni association by nominating someone to serve. We look forward to seeing you at an alumni event in your area.”
Visit mtalumni.com for more details. For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
016 MT ATHLETICS WILL BE BLASTING SOON INTO SMYRNA, WOODBURY, MURFREESBORO
Release date: July 26, 2007
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 1-800-533-6878
MT ATHLETICS WILL BE BLASTING SOON
INTO SMYRNA, WOODBURY, MURFREESBORO
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU is offering a chance for all alumni, friends and fans to preview the 2007-08 athletic season at upcoming Blue Raider Blasts.
Director of Athletics Chris Massaro and MT head coaches Rick Stockstill (football), Kermit Davis (men’s basketball), Rick Insell (women's basketball), Steve Peterson (baseball) and MTSU student-athletes will be on hand to meet and greet Blue Raider fans in the following communities:
Smyrna – Thursday, Aug. 2, at the home of Britt and Mary Esther Reed, who live at 135 Sugar Creek Lane;
Woodbury – Thursday, Aug. 9, on the Cannon County Courthouse Square;
Murfreesboro – Thursday, Aug. 23, on the historic Rutherford County Courthouse Square.
Admission is free to all blasts, which will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will feature inflatables, face painting, giveaways, food and fun. For more information or to make reservations call 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or visit mtalumni.com.
Mark your calendar for Pigskin Pregame on Saturday, Aug. 25. Visit mtalumni.com for details.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 1-800-533-6878
MT ATHLETICS WILL BE BLASTING SOON
INTO SMYRNA, WOODBURY, MURFREESBORO
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU is offering a chance for all alumni, friends and fans to preview the 2007-08 athletic season at upcoming Blue Raider Blasts.
Director of Athletics Chris Massaro and MT head coaches Rick Stockstill (football), Kermit Davis (men’s basketball), Rick Insell (women's basketball), Steve Peterson (baseball) and MTSU student-athletes will be on hand to meet and greet Blue Raider fans in the following communities:
Smyrna – Thursday, Aug. 2, at the home of Britt and Mary Esther Reed, who live at 135 Sugar Creek Lane;
Woodbury – Thursday, Aug. 9, on the Cannon County Courthouse Square;
Murfreesboro – Thursday, Aug. 23, on the historic Rutherford County Courthouse Square.
Admission is free to all blasts, which will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will feature inflatables, face painting, giveaways, food and fun. For more information or to make reservations call 1-800-533-MTSU (6878) or visit mtalumni.com.
Mark your calendar for Pigskin Pregame on Saturday, Aug. 25. Visit mtalumni.com for details.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
015 14 McNAIR SCHOLARS WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS JULY 31
Release date: July 25, 2007
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
McNair Scholars Program contacts: Dr. Diane Miller or Steve Saunders, 615-898-8462
14 McNAIR SCHOLARS WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS JULY 31
(MURFREESBORO) — Fourteen MTSU students in the McNair Scholars Program will make presentations and have their research posters on display during the 8th annual McNair Symposium Tuesday, July 31, an event organizer said.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Tom H. Jackson Building (old Alumni Center).
The students’ majors will include political science; electronic media journalism and Spanish; biology; health and human performance; psychology; computer information systems; accounting; and music performance.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the McNair Program is designed to give low-income, first-generation and under-represented undergraduate students the support they need to prepare for and successfully complete a doctorate degree in their chosen fields.
The schedule (includes times, students’ names, majors and presentation titles):
9 a.m. – Introductions;
9:20 a.m. – Dean Andrews, political science, “Individual Rights and the President’s Military Tribunal System”;
9:40 – Logan Grant, political science, “The Phantom Category of Terrorism”;
10 a.m. – Stephanie Mills, music performance (violin), “A Creative Project: Based on the Life and Work of Manuel de Falla”;
10:20 – Sarafina Croft, electronic media journalism and Spanish, “Motivation and language transfer in L2 English of Spanish-speaking adult learners”;
10:40 – Break;
11 a.m. – Eterial Burrell, biology, “Toxicity and Degradation of Sevin-10 Insecticide”;
11:20 – Leonela Carriedo, biology, “Invasive Growth Characteristics of Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)”;
11:40 – Sade Dunn, biology, “Expression of photosystem genes in bundle sheath and mesophyll cells in the Zea mays leaf tip, a C4 photosynthetic plant”;
Noon-1:30 p.m. – Lunch;
1:40 – Sierra Douglas, health and human performance, “Emotional Empathy: A Comparative Analysis Between Pre-Professional Therapy and Business Students”;
2 p.m. – Anjelica Crawford, psychology, “The Difference in Problem Solving Between Expert and Novice School Psychologists”;
2:20 – Jeremy Minton, psychology, “The Role of Family Expressiveness in the Development of Alexithymia in College Students”;
2:40 – Danielle Ross, psychology, presentation TBA;
3 p.m. – Break;
3:20 – Ryne Joyner, computer information systems, “The Elite across America: A statistical and geographical analysis of track and field in America”;
3:40 – Drew Monks, accounting, “Tolerance for Ambiguity and Ethical Orientations: A Study of Undergraduate Accounting Students and Their Views on Ethical Dilemmas”;
4 p.m. – Dione Johnson, music performance (voice) via Austria;
4:20 p.m. – Closing remarks
###
Media welcomed.
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
McNair Scholars Program contacts: Dr. Diane Miller or Steve Saunders, 615-898-8462
14 McNAIR SCHOLARS WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS JULY 31
(MURFREESBORO) — Fourteen MTSU students in the McNair Scholars Program will make presentations and have their research posters on display during the 8th annual McNair Symposium Tuesday, July 31, an event organizer said.
The event will be held from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in the Tom H. Jackson Building (old Alumni Center).
The students’ majors will include political science; electronic media journalism and Spanish; biology; health and human performance; psychology; computer information systems; accounting; and music performance.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the McNair Program is designed to give low-income, first-generation and under-represented undergraduate students the support they need to prepare for and successfully complete a doctorate degree in their chosen fields.
The schedule (includes times, students’ names, majors and presentation titles):
9 a.m. – Introductions;
9:20 a.m. – Dean Andrews, political science, “Individual Rights and the President’s Military Tribunal System”;
9:40 – Logan Grant, political science, “The Phantom Category of Terrorism”;
10 a.m. – Stephanie Mills, music performance (violin), “A Creative Project: Based on the Life and Work of Manuel de Falla”;
10:20 – Sarafina Croft, electronic media journalism and Spanish, “Motivation and language transfer in L2 English of Spanish-speaking adult learners”;
10:40 – Break;
11 a.m. – Eterial Burrell, biology, “Toxicity and Degradation of Sevin-10 Insecticide”;
11:20 – Leonela Carriedo, biology, “Invasive Growth Characteristics of Kudzu (Pueraria lobata)”;
11:40 – Sade Dunn, biology, “Expression of photosystem genes in bundle sheath and mesophyll cells in the Zea mays leaf tip, a C4 photosynthetic plant”;
Noon-1:30 p.m. – Lunch;
1:40 – Sierra Douglas, health and human performance, “Emotional Empathy: A Comparative Analysis Between Pre-Professional Therapy and Business Students”;
2 p.m. – Anjelica Crawford, psychology, “The Difference in Problem Solving Between Expert and Novice School Psychologists”;
2:20 – Jeremy Minton, psychology, “The Role of Family Expressiveness in the Development of Alexithymia in College Students”;
2:40 – Danielle Ross, psychology, presentation TBA;
3 p.m. – Break;
3:20 – Ryne Joyner, computer information systems, “The Elite across America: A statistical and geographical analysis of track and field in America”;
3:40 – Drew Monks, accounting, “Tolerance for Ambiguity and Ethical Orientations: A Study of Undergraduate Accounting Students and Their Views on Ethical Dilemmas”;
4 p.m. – Dione Johnson, music performance (voice) via Austria;
4:20 p.m. – Closing remarks
###
Media welcomed.
014 MTSU COACHES, ATHLETES, PRESIDENT WILL VISIT WILLIAMSON AND DAVIDSON COUNTY ALUMNI JULY 26
Release date: July 25, 2007
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 615-898-2922
MTSU COACHES, ATHLETES, PRESIDENT WILL VISIT
WILLIAMSON AND DAVIDSON COUNTY ALUMNI JULY 26
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU has issued an invitation to more than 15,000 alumni in Williamson and Davidson counties to attend a Blue Raider Blast reception with MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, Director of Athletics Chris Massaro, coaches, student-athletes and others, event organizers said.
This program will be held 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 26, at the Holiday Inn-Brentwood, located at 760 Old Hickory Blvd. in Brentwood, and will feature MTSU’s president, AD, head coaches, student-athletes and other MTSU officials.
The charge is $10 per person, and includes hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket. Attendees also will have a chance to win a door prize. Reservations can be made in advance by calling the MTSU Alumni Relations Office at 1-800-533-6878 or online at www.mtalumni.com. You also can pay at the door.
###
Media welcomed.
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 615-898-2922
MTSU COACHES, ATHLETES, PRESIDENT WILL VISIT
WILLIAMSON AND DAVIDSON COUNTY ALUMNI JULY 26
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU has issued an invitation to more than 15,000 alumni in Williamson and Davidson counties to attend a Blue Raider Blast reception with MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, Director of Athletics Chris Massaro, coaches, student-athletes and others, event organizers said.
This program will be held 5:30 until 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 26, at the Holiday Inn-Brentwood, located at 760 Old Hickory Blvd. in Brentwood, and will feature MTSU’s president, AD, head coaches, student-athletes and other MTSU officials.
The charge is $10 per person, and includes hors d’oeuvres and one drink ticket. Attendees also will have a chance to win a door prize. Reservations can be made in advance by calling the MTSU Alumni Relations Office at 1-800-533-6878 or online at www.mtalumni.com. You also can pay at the door.
###
Media welcomed.
013 PIGSKIN PREGAME TO KICKOFF MTSU FOOTBALL
Release date: July 25, 2007
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 615-898-2922
PIGSKIN PREGAME TO KICKOFF MTSU FOOTBALL
(MURFREESBORO) — This year, the MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pregame will be held Saturday, Aug. 25, to kickoff the football season, event organizers said recently.
The event will be held at the home of Terry and Lisa Haynes, who live at 1707 Riverview Dr. in Murfreesboro, said Paul Wydra, who is an assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations.
“I think everyone last year had a great time,” said Ginger Freeman, who is alumni relations director. “More than 300 people were there last year and we are hoping even more want to share in this year’s festivities.”
Tickets for the event, which will run from 7 until 11 p.m., will be $25 if purchased by Wednesday, Aug. 22, or $30 at the door, Wydra said. He added that the ticket price includes an exclusive preview of one of Murfreesboro’s newest restaurants, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, wine, beer truck, soft drinks, music, door prizes and more. Parking will be available.
Wydra said all proceeds from Pigskin Pregame would benefit the Rutherford County Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund. The Rutherford County Alumni Fund awarded $17,000 in scholarships to incoming freshman for the 2007-08 school year.
For more information about this event or to reserve tickets, please call 1-800-533-6878 or visit mtalumni.com. You also can mail your payment to the alumni relations office, c/o MTSU Box 104, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132.
###
Media note: To interview Paul Wydra or Ginger Freeman for this story, please call 615-898-2922.
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 615-898-2922
PIGSKIN PREGAME TO KICKOFF MTSU FOOTBALL
(MURFREESBORO) — This year, the MTSU Rutherford County Alumni Chapter’s annual Pigskin Pregame will be held Saturday, Aug. 25, to kickoff the football season, event organizers said recently.
The event will be held at the home of Terry and Lisa Haynes, who live at 1707 Riverview Dr. in Murfreesboro, said Paul Wydra, who is an assistant director in the Office of Alumni Relations.
“I think everyone last year had a great time,” said Ginger Freeman, who is alumni relations director. “More than 300 people were there last year and we are hoping even more want to share in this year’s festivities.”
Tickets for the event, which will run from 7 until 11 p.m., will be $25 if purchased by Wednesday, Aug. 22, or $30 at the door, Wydra said. He added that the ticket price includes an exclusive preview of one of Murfreesboro’s newest restaurants, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, wine, beer truck, soft drinks, music, door prizes and more. Parking will be available.
Wydra said all proceeds from Pigskin Pregame would benefit the Rutherford County Alumni Chapter Scholarship Fund. The Rutherford County Alumni Fund awarded $17,000 in scholarships to incoming freshman for the 2007-08 school year.
For more information about this event or to reserve tickets, please call 1-800-533-6878 or visit mtalumni.com. You also can mail your payment to the alumni relations office, c/o MTSU Box 104, Murfreesboro, TN, 37132.
###
Media note: To interview Paul Wydra or Ginger Freeman for this story, please call 615-898-2922.
Friday, July 20, 2007
011 MTSU NAMES TOWE NEW DIRECTOR OF MURPHY CENTER
Release date: July 18, 2007
Editorial contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU NAMES TOWE NEW DIRECTOR OF MURPHY CENTER
(MURFREESBORO) — In his new job at MTSU, Darrell Towe may be one of the busiest people at the university.
The job title says director of the Murphy Center athletic complex, but his duties also will include overseeing Floyd Stadium, Alumni Memorial Gym, baseball’s Reese Smith Field, the Blue Raider Softball Field, the new track and field and soccer complex and Kennon Hall of Fame building.
Towe, a Western Kentucky University alumnus, knew what he was getting into when the former Tennessee Miller Coliseum manager interviewed for the job.
“I was expecting to have to juggle multiple projects and that’s certainly the case,” he said. “We may have as many as three or four activities going on at the same time on a given day.
Ron Malone, assistant vice president for events and transportation who also is adept at juggling multiple projects, had scheduled a lunch appointment to tell Towe he had been hired for the job, but he had to relay the message by phone when their plans changed.
Towe said his initial reaction was “one of being very excited and then becoming very nervous about my ability to provide the leadership this job requires. The staff is very capable and very experienced. Most of them have been here for many years. This keeps the pressure on me to stay on top of my game to provide the leadership they need.”
Malone said the hiring committee made an excellent choice.
“We are very excited about Darrell's move to the director's position at the
Murphy Center Complex,” he said. “ We had several strong candidates in the applicant pool, but in the end, Darrell's 17 years of event venue experience, his overall knowledge of university policy gained from his four years at Miller Coliseum and his love of athletics and physical activity (he is an avid hiker) made him the clear choice for the committee and me.
“Darrell’s very personable demeanor, combined with his ‘Can Do – Customer Service’ attitude, will be a great addition to an already great group of Murphy Center Complex staff members. He’s going to do a great job.”
Towe said he believes 34-year-old Murphy Center “remains a functional facility. It has a rich history and a bright future.” He added that he intends “to get the right people in the right place and get organized.” Staff wise, he said he does not anticipate any changes, just “minor tweaking of the system.”
Towe, who began his new duties June 11, oversees a staff of 22 people. He served as director of WKU’s Brown Agricultural Exposition Center in Bowling Green from July 1995 until December 2002. He was assistant manager of MTSU Tennessee Livestock Center from September 1990 until June 1995.
John Jewel had been the Murphy Center director until taking another job. Interim director Rita Whitaker will remain assistant manager.
In addition to hiking, Towe said he enjoys fishing for bass and trout, and spends time on Tennessee and Kentucky lakes with his wife Melissa, who works as a counselor with the WKU Upward Bound program.
###
Special notes: A .jpg photo of Darrell Towe is available. Call 615-898-2919 or 898-5616 to obtain. To request an interview with Mr. Towe, please call the same numbers.
Editorial contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU NAMES TOWE NEW DIRECTOR OF MURPHY CENTER
(MURFREESBORO) — In his new job at MTSU, Darrell Towe may be one of the busiest people at the university.
The job title says director of the Murphy Center athletic complex, but his duties also will include overseeing Floyd Stadium, Alumni Memorial Gym, baseball’s Reese Smith Field, the Blue Raider Softball Field, the new track and field and soccer complex and Kennon Hall of Fame building.
Towe, a Western Kentucky University alumnus, knew what he was getting into when the former Tennessee Miller Coliseum manager interviewed for the job.
“I was expecting to have to juggle multiple projects and that’s certainly the case,” he said. “We may have as many as three or four activities going on at the same time on a given day.
Ron Malone, assistant vice president for events and transportation who also is adept at juggling multiple projects, had scheduled a lunch appointment to tell Towe he had been hired for the job, but he had to relay the message by phone when their plans changed.
Towe said his initial reaction was “one of being very excited and then becoming very nervous about my ability to provide the leadership this job requires. The staff is very capable and very experienced. Most of them have been here for many years. This keeps the pressure on me to stay on top of my game to provide the leadership they need.”
Malone said the hiring committee made an excellent choice.
“We are very excited about Darrell's move to the director's position at the
Murphy Center Complex,” he said. “ We had several strong candidates in the applicant pool, but in the end, Darrell's 17 years of event venue experience, his overall knowledge of university policy gained from his four years at Miller Coliseum and his love of athletics and physical activity (he is an avid hiker) made him the clear choice for the committee and me.
“Darrell’s very personable demeanor, combined with his ‘Can Do – Customer Service’ attitude, will be a great addition to an already great group of Murphy Center Complex staff members. He’s going to do a great job.”
Towe said he believes 34-year-old Murphy Center “remains a functional facility. It has a rich history and a bright future.” He added that he intends “to get the right people in the right place and get organized.” Staff wise, he said he does not anticipate any changes, just “minor tweaking of the system.”
Towe, who began his new duties June 11, oversees a staff of 22 people. He served as director of WKU’s Brown Agricultural Exposition Center in Bowling Green from July 1995 until December 2002. He was assistant manager of MTSU Tennessee Livestock Center from September 1990 until June 1995.
John Jewel had been the Murphy Center director until taking another job. Interim director Rita Whitaker will remain assistant manager.
In addition to hiking, Towe said he enjoys fishing for bass and trout, and spends time on Tennessee and Kentucky lakes with his wife Melissa, who works as a counselor with the WKU Upward Bound program.
###
Special notes: A .jpg photo of Darrell Towe is available. Call 615-898-2919 or 898-5616 to obtain. To request an interview with Mr. Towe, please call the same numbers.
010 HAMBLEN COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2007
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
HAMBLEN COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
Program Recognizes 114-Year-Old Terry Farm for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)—The Terry Farm in Hamblen County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1893, John Martin Southern established a farm of more than 200 acres in Hamblen County. He and his wife, Martha Jane Coleman Southern, had four sons and six daughters. The family raised corn, hay cattle, and hogs. Unfortunately, the family’s history includes a tragic event that took place in 1902 when John was murdered, apparently by a drunken neighbor, according to family reports.
Not long after his father’s death, Charles “C. C.” Campbell Southern acquired the land from his brothers and sisters. Married to Leila Beal, they had one daughter, Janie. In addition to managing the farm, C. C. owned a store in Bulls Gap. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, when little cash was available, business was done on a barter basis. In turn, tokens that were stamped from tin with the name of the store were given to customers instead of money.
C. C. also was a successful contractor, working under contract with the State of Tennessee to build roads and with the Southern Railway to lay some of its tracks in East Tennessee. In one of the family farm’s barns, C. C. raised and boarded mules that pulled the wagons that contained building materials.
As progressive farmers, this generation of the Southern family also made many improvements on the farm, the family has indicated. For example, they owned one of the first farms in the area to use gas-powered tractors and attachments, and as early as 1910, they built a large brick house that included electricity and indoor plumbing.
In 1948, Janie Steele Southern Terry acquired the farm from her father. While serving as owner, she also was a schoolteacher at Bulls Gap School, later becoming the principal of Bulls Gap School. By 1962, her sons, Charles R. Terry and John Fredrick Terry, acquired the property. Eventually, Charles deeded his ownership of the property to brother John.
John and his wife, Phyllis Brewer Terry, continued to manage and own the property until they bequeathed the land to their son, Steven W. Terry, and their daughter, Susan Lee Terry. Today, three generations still live on the farm, where John Frederick Terry and wife Phyllis Brewer Terry hold a life estate in the land on which they reside.
In addition, Steven, his wife Suzanne and their two children, Tanner and Sydney, who also live on the land. Susan Lee resides in Arizona. Currently, the farm produces cattle, horses, corn and hay.
Hankins says the home that was built by C. C. Southern still stands and is used as a residence for John Frederick Terry. In addition to the house, the barn and stable that were used to house C. C.’s mule teams also remain in use.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural, and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview Hankins or the farm’s owners, or to request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
HAMBLEN COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
Program Recognizes 114-Year-Old Terry Farm for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)—The Terry Farm in Hamblen County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1893, John Martin Southern established a farm of more than 200 acres in Hamblen County. He and his wife, Martha Jane Coleman Southern, had four sons and six daughters. The family raised corn, hay cattle, and hogs. Unfortunately, the family’s history includes a tragic event that took place in 1902 when John was murdered, apparently by a drunken neighbor, according to family reports.
Not long after his father’s death, Charles “C. C.” Campbell Southern acquired the land from his brothers and sisters. Married to Leila Beal, they had one daughter, Janie. In addition to managing the farm, C. C. owned a store in Bulls Gap. During the Great Depression of the 1930s, when little cash was available, business was done on a barter basis. In turn, tokens that were stamped from tin with the name of the store were given to customers instead of money.
C. C. also was a successful contractor, working under contract with the State of Tennessee to build roads and with the Southern Railway to lay some of its tracks in East Tennessee. In one of the family farm’s barns, C. C. raised and boarded mules that pulled the wagons that contained building materials.
As progressive farmers, this generation of the Southern family also made many improvements on the farm, the family has indicated. For example, they owned one of the first farms in the area to use gas-powered tractors and attachments, and as early as 1910, they built a large brick house that included electricity and indoor plumbing.
In 1948, Janie Steele Southern Terry acquired the farm from her father. While serving as owner, she also was a schoolteacher at Bulls Gap School, later becoming the principal of Bulls Gap School. By 1962, her sons, Charles R. Terry and John Fredrick Terry, acquired the property. Eventually, Charles deeded his ownership of the property to brother John.
John and his wife, Phyllis Brewer Terry, continued to manage and own the property until they bequeathed the land to their son, Steven W. Terry, and their daughter, Susan Lee Terry. Today, three generations still live on the farm, where John Frederick Terry and wife Phyllis Brewer Terry hold a life estate in the land on which they reside.
In addition, Steven, his wife Suzanne and their two children, Tanner and Sydney, who also live on the land. Susan Lee resides in Arizona. Currently, the farm produces cattle, horses, corn and hay.
Hankins says the home that was built by C. C. Southern still stands and is used as a residence for John Frederick Terry. In addition to the house, the barn and stable that were used to house C. C.’s mule teams also remain in use.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural, and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview Hankins or the farm’s owners, or to request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
009 COFFEE COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2007
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
COFFEE COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
Program Recognizes 118-Year-Old Long Farm for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Long Farm in Coffee County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located south of Hillsboro, the Long Farm that was founded in 1889 by Sam H. Long Sr. His grandfather, John Long, received a land grant along the Elk River in what is now Franklin County. Sam and wife Emma Garner were the parents of a large family—nine sons and one daughter. On the 100 acres that was bought for the sum of $1,200, the Longs raised crops and livestock including corn, cotton, and dairy cows
After their father’s death, the farm was split among seven heirs, with William Henry Long acquiring 55 acres in 1931. His brother, Sam H. Long Jr., acquired the remaining acreage. The family recalls that their mother would split her time between the two sons, living for a time with Sam and then with William and their families. Each son paid rent to the other for their mother’s lodging. William Henry married Lena Long and they had four children, Leighton, Mildred, William Albro and B. Howard Long.
In 1947, the grandson of the founder, William Albro Long, purchased 55 acres from his father. He cultivated crops with a Farmall tractor and a pair of mules. Soybeans and corn were primary crops, but he also grew alfalfa for hay. A few head of cattle were kept for milk and butter, according to the family’s reports, and some beef cattle and pigs were raised as well.
In addition to managing the farm, Albro worked for the Tennessee Highway Department. Married to Margaret Pearson Long, the couple had three sons, Charles, Bill and Ronnie. Each family member worked on the farm and each son was involved in 4-H and participated in local contests and county fairs showing livestock.
In 1959, Albro and Margaret built a new home on the farm. With the construction of Interstate 24, the Longs had to buy their farmhouse back from the State of Tennessee and they moved it to the northwest corner of the farm. They added a barn, tool shed and pond at the new location.
Currently, the land is cultivated by Clay Farms of Dechard, Tenn., on a lease basis. However, Albro serves as a consultant for the farm’s operation.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural, and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview Hankins or the farm’s owners, or to request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
COFFEE COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
Program Recognizes 118-Year-Old Long Farm for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Long Farm in Coffee County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located south of Hillsboro, the Long Farm that was founded in 1889 by Sam H. Long Sr. His grandfather, John Long, received a land grant along the Elk River in what is now Franklin County. Sam and wife Emma Garner were the parents of a large family—nine sons and one daughter. On the 100 acres that was bought for the sum of $1,200, the Longs raised crops and livestock including corn, cotton, and dairy cows
After their father’s death, the farm was split among seven heirs, with William Henry Long acquiring 55 acres in 1931. His brother, Sam H. Long Jr., acquired the remaining acreage. The family recalls that their mother would split her time between the two sons, living for a time with Sam and then with William and their families. Each son paid rent to the other for their mother’s lodging. William Henry married Lena Long and they had four children, Leighton, Mildred, William Albro and B. Howard Long.
In 1947, the grandson of the founder, William Albro Long, purchased 55 acres from his father. He cultivated crops with a Farmall tractor and a pair of mules. Soybeans and corn were primary crops, but he also grew alfalfa for hay. A few head of cattle were kept for milk and butter, according to the family’s reports, and some beef cattle and pigs were raised as well.
In addition to managing the farm, Albro worked for the Tennessee Highway Department. Married to Margaret Pearson Long, the couple had three sons, Charles, Bill and Ronnie. Each family member worked on the farm and each son was involved in 4-H and participated in local contests and county fairs showing livestock.
In 1959, Albro and Margaret built a new home on the farm. With the construction of Interstate 24, the Longs had to buy their farmhouse back from the State of Tennessee and they moved it to the northwest corner of the farm. They added a barn, tool shed and pond at the new location.
Currently, the land is cultivated by Clay Farms of Dechard, Tenn., on a lease basis. However, Albro serves as a consultant for the farm’s operation.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural, and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview Hankins or the farm’s owners, or to request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
008 WARREN COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2007
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
WARREN COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
Statewide Program Recognizes Davenport Farm for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Davenport Farm in Warren County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
According to family records, John Burl Davenport and Elizabeth DeBerry married about 1838 in Warren County, and around 1850—perhaps earlier—the couple acquired land adjoining Elizabeth’s parents’ farm in the Centertown community. It also was at about this time that John donated land for the Big Springs Baptist Church and cemetery.
John and Elizabeth had eight children. Their son, Wesley, became the owner of the farm in 1879. Wesley married Hanson Owens and their farm, like most others, was self-sufficient, supporting hogs, cattle, horses, corn, hay, oats and cotton.
In 1886, John Burl’s brother, Edmond Davenport, acquired the land. On 218 acres, he raised corn, hay, hogs, cattle, cotton, fruit and a variety of vegetables. Edmond wed Nancy Lemmons and they had 11 children. They, too, were active members of the Big Springs Baptist Church.
Two years after Edmond acquired the property, the land was passed to son Robert and his wife, Sally Frances Bottoms. During their ownership, they added a wheat crop and maintained a large apple orchard. According to the family’s reports, these apples were loaded onto a wagon and taken to a distillery located near Clearmont. Robert and Sally had two sons, Alton Hill and Frim Morford Davenport.
In 1939, Alton became the fifth generation to own the land. Under his ownership, he continued to produce traditional crops and livestock, but also established a Grade-A Dairy Farm and introduced Holstein cattle, beef cattle and soybeans to the farm. Alton served as a school teacher in the community and was president of Centertown Bank until its closing in 1933.
Alton’s son, Morris L. Davenport, acquired the farm over a period of years beginning in 1952. Married to Wilma C. Davenport, they had two daughters, Elena and Phyllis. In addition to managing the farm, the couple was very active in the community.
During the 1960s and ‘70s, Morris and his wife were members of the Centertown Community Improvement Club and the Farm Bureau. Morris served as a volunteer firefighter and Wilma has been an active member of Centertown Home Demonstration Club (HDC) and Vinson’s Crossroads HDC. In 1992, Morris passed away and Wilma inherited the property.
Currently, the farm is rented to Jason and Jarvin Fann, family friends, who produce soybeans and corn, as well as additional acreage in timber.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural, and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview Hankins or the farm’s owners, or to request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
WARREN COUNTY FARM JOIN RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS
Statewide Program Recognizes Davenport Farm for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Davenport Farm in Warren County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation (CHP), which is located on the MTSU campus.
According to family records, John Burl Davenport and Elizabeth DeBerry married about 1838 in Warren County, and around 1850—perhaps earlier—the couple acquired land adjoining Elizabeth’s parents’ farm in the Centertown community. It also was at about this time that John donated land for the Big Springs Baptist Church and cemetery.
John and Elizabeth had eight children. Their son, Wesley, became the owner of the farm in 1879. Wesley married Hanson Owens and their farm, like most others, was self-sufficient, supporting hogs, cattle, horses, corn, hay, oats and cotton.
In 1886, John Burl’s brother, Edmond Davenport, acquired the land. On 218 acres, he raised corn, hay, hogs, cattle, cotton, fruit and a variety of vegetables. Edmond wed Nancy Lemmons and they had 11 children. They, too, were active members of the Big Springs Baptist Church.
Two years after Edmond acquired the property, the land was passed to son Robert and his wife, Sally Frances Bottoms. During their ownership, they added a wheat crop and maintained a large apple orchard. According to the family’s reports, these apples were loaded onto a wagon and taken to a distillery located near Clearmont. Robert and Sally had two sons, Alton Hill and Frim Morford Davenport.
In 1939, Alton became the fifth generation to own the land. Under his ownership, he continued to produce traditional crops and livestock, but also established a Grade-A Dairy Farm and introduced Holstein cattle, beef cattle and soybeans to the farm. Alton served as a school teacher in the community and was president of Centertown Bank until its closing in 1933.
Alton’s son, Morris L. Davenport, acquired the farm over a period of years beginning in 1952. Married to Wilma C. Davenport, they had two daughters, Elena and Phyllis. In addition to managing the farm, the couple was very active in the community.
During the 1960s and ‘70s, Morris and his wife were members of the Centertown Community Improvement Club and the Farm Bureau. Morris served as a volunteer firefighter and Wilma has been an active member of Centertown Home Demonstration Club (HDC) and Vinson’s Crossroads HDC. In 1992, Morris passed away and Wilma inherited the property.
Currently, the farm is rented to Jason and Jarvin Fann, family friends, who produce soybeans and corn, as well as additional acreage in timber.
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural, and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview Hankins or the farm’s owners, or to request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
Monday, July 16, 2007
006 SADDLE UP TO HELP THE CHILDREN JULY 26
SADDLE UP TO HELP THE CHILDREN JULY 26
Annual Fundraiser for Project HELP Slated for Miller Coliseum
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2007
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—Yee-haw! More than 300 cowpokes will be dusting off their finest Western duds to “Saddle Up for Project HELP” at the 2007 fundraiser, set for Thursday, July 26, at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum, 304-B W. Thompson Lane.
The fun gets under way at 6:30 p.m. with event registration. A barbecue dinner will be served at 7 p.m., followed by live music and dancing. Silent auction bidding will close at 8:15 p.m., and auction checkout will be at 8:30 p.m.
Last year’s fundraiser collected $25,792, said Project HELP Director Susan Waldrop, who added that she’s confident that community support for this year’s benefit will be just as strong.
“Although my tenure at Project Help has been brief, the gratifying experiences have been extensive,” Waldrop said. “From those experiences I have repeatedly observed the unique connection of Project HELP with the Rutherford County community. MTSU has provided an excellent forum for children and families to be united with the kinds of services and support that make a difference in their lives.
“With the additional contributions, we hope to continue to provide preventions, as well as interventions, for families who have children with disabilities or delays. The other outcome of this process is that we are able to offer families with toddlers who are typically developing a really fine preschool.”
Founded in 1983, the nonprofit Project HELP provides early intervention and family support services to high-risk children, children with disabilities and children with developmental delays up to age 3.
Project HELP, which just began its 11th year in its North Baird Lane facility, currently serves 24 special-needs children and 12 typical children in three classrooms. There are about 45 children who qualify for the program but are on a waiting list because of a lack of space.
The center’s staff, which includes more than 280 student volunteers each semester, works with parents through family support programs, which include workshops, one-to-one interactions and informal training seminars that focus on specific instructional techniques.
Grants from the Tennessee Department of Education through Early Intervention Services and the United Way of Rutherford County and Cannon Counties partially fund Project HELP’s work. The Charity Circle of Rutherford County also is a major contributor to Project HELP, providing the center with much-needed equipment, toys and consumable items.
Although the center’s staff members are grateful for the ongoing support, they admit they need additional money to help meet the organization’s child-centered mission. Fundraisers like the July 26 “Saddle Up!” event target those goals.
Waldrop said that funds raised by the event will be used to expand the existing program via morning classes offered at an additional MTSU site, as well as to supplement the monies needed for daily operations.
Items up for bid at the silent auction include a $200 travel voucher from Southwest Airlines; a cosmetic laser facial package valued at $1,350 from Rejuvenate Cosmetic Laser Center; tickets to the Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Dollywood, Tennessee Aquarium, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville Zoo and Nashville Shores; and MUCH more.
Individual tickets, which include a meal and two drinks, are $50 each. They’re available by calling the center at 615-898-2458. The evening’s dress code is casual.
For more information about Project HELP, please visit its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~projhelp/.
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IN BRIEF: Project HELP, MTSU’s nonprofit early intervention and family support program for young children with disabilities, will conduct its annual fundraiser, “Saddle Up for Project HELP,” on Thursday, July 26, beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Tennessee Miller Coliseum, 304-B W. Thompson Lane, Murfreesboro. Individual tickets for a barbecue dinner, live music and dancing, and a silent auction are $50. For ticket information, please call 615-898-2458; for more on Project HELP, please visit its Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~projhelp/.
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NOTE: Media needing a color Project HELP logo or a headshot of Director Susan Waldrop should contact the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
005 NEWLY CREATED EXHIBIT HONORS LIFE, LEGACY OF UNCLE DAVE MACON
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 13, 2007
CONTACT: Melissa A. Zimmerman, (615) 217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu
NEWLY CREATED EXHIBIT HONORS LIFE, LEGACY OF UNCLE DAVE MACON
Local Heritage Center Honors Old-Time Music Festival, County History Via Displays
(MURFREESBORO)—With a focus on paying tribute to the beloved old-time music festival known as Uncle Dave Macon Days, the staff of The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County recently unveiled an exhibit titled “Uncle Dave Macon Days: Celebrating Old Time Music in Rutherford County.”
Melissa A. Zimmerman, heritage programming specialist with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, said the two-panel display offers viewers a bit of history, photographs and quotes from the earliest years of the festival to the present day.
Now in its 13th year, the annual music celebration, which is held in Murfreesboro’s Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village, is an ideal place to take in photographs of favorite contestants and Heritage Award winners, said Zimmerman, who adds the city’s public square is as well.
Located at 225 W. College St., the history-laden center also features photographs of Uncle Dave and his home as part of its newly opened display, “Entering the Modern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age.”
Zimmerman said the “Uncle Dave Macon Days: Celebrating Old Time Music in Rutherford County” exhibit, which is on display now through the end of August, was created to honor Macon’s music legacy and Murfreesboro’s historic past.
“In the words of Uncle Dave, ‘A man who can’t enjoy music has no heart and very little soul,’” Zimmerman noted.
In addition to the timely Uncle Dave Macon exhibit and “Entering the Modern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age,” the center also currently features exhibits titled “The Occupied City From the Nation’s Capital to Neighborhood Classrooms: Rutherford County Women, Past and Present” and “Community Building Blocks: Downtown Murfreesboro’s Historic Architecture.”
Open 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. each Monday through Friday, admission to the center is always free. Additionally, staff members also offer guided walking tours of the town square on the hour, with group tours available Monday through Saturday by advance reservation.
• For more information on these exhibits, as well as visitors’ information on area sites and cultural events, programming and tours, please The Heritage Center directly at (615) 217-8013.
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***ATTENTION, MEDIA: Please direct any inquires for jpegs for editorial use to The Heritage Center’s staff by calling (615) 217-8013 or e-mailing mzimmerm@mtsu.edu
CONTACT: Melissa A. Zimmerman, (615) 217-8013 or mzimmerm@mtsu.edu
NEWLY CREATED EXHIBIT HONORS LIFE, LEGACY OF UNCLE DAVE MACON
Local Heritage Center Honors Old-Time Music Festival, County History Via Displays
(MURFREESBORO)—With a focus on paying tribute to the beloved old-time music festival known as Uncle Dave Macon Days, the staff of The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County recently unveiled an exhibit titled “Uncle Dave Macon Days: Celebrating Old Time Music in Rutherford County.”
Melissa A. Zimmerman, heritage programming specialist with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, said the two-panel display offers viewers a bit of history, photographs and quotes from the earliest years of the festival to the present day.
Now in its 13th year, the annual music celebration, which is held in Murfreesboro’s Cannonsburgh Pioneer Village, is an ideal place to take in photographs of favorite contestants and Heritage Award winners, said Zimmerman, who adds the city’s public square is as well.
Located at 225 W. College St., the history-laden center also features photographs of Uncle Dave and his home as part of its newly opened display, “Entering the Modern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age.”
Zimmerman said the “Uncle Dave Macon Days: Celebrating Old Time Music in Rutherford County” exhibit, which is on display now through the end of August, was created to honor Macon’s music legacy and Murfreesboro’s historic past.
“In the words of Uncle Dave, ‘A man who can’t enjoy music has no heart and very little soul,’” Zimmerman noted.
In addition to the timely Uncle Dave Macon exhibit and “Entering the Modern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age,” the center also currently features exhibits titled “The Occupied City From the Nation’s Capital to Neighborhood Classrooms: Rutherford County Women, Past and Present” and “Community Building Blocks: Downtown Murfreesboro’s Historic Architecture.”
Open 9 a.m.- 3 p.m. each Monday through Friday, admission to the center is always free. Additionally, staff members also offer guided walking tours of the town square on the hour, with group tours available Monday through Saturday by advance reservation.
• For more information on these exhibits, as well as visitors’ information on area sites and cultural events, programming and tours, please The Heritage Center directly at (615) 217-8013.
—30—
***ATTENTION, MEDIA: Please direct any inquires for jpegs for editorial use to The Heritage Center’s staff by calling (615) 217-8013 or e-mailing mzimmerm@mtsu.edu
004 TENN. LABOR-MANAGEMENT CONF. CELEBRATES 20TH ANNIVERSARY
TENNESSEE LABOR-MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE CELEBRATES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Conference is set for August 15-17 in Nashville
July 11, 2007
CONTACT: Catherine Sutton, 615-895-4166
MURFREESBORO—Labor and management is celebrating “20 years of listening, learning and leading in collaboration” this year at the Tennessee Labor-Management Conference, Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 15 – 17. The conference will take place at the Sheraton Music City Hotel (777 McGavock Pike) in Nashville and is expected to draw more than 500 attendees.
Professionals in labor relations, human resources and organized labor, as well as attorneys, mediators and arbitrators and those in academia may register online at www.tnlabormgmt.org or call 615-895-4166. A special conference rate for interested college students also is available.
The conference will kick off with the traditional prayer brunch led by Rev. Becca Stephens. Program highlights will include a discussion of trends in the National Labor Relations Board decisions, moderated by Harold J. Datz, senior attorney, and a peek into the future with futurist Ed Barlow.
“Labor-Management participants at the August conference will have the opportunity to discuss possible solutions to problems in the health-care, pension and other workplace areas,” said Dr. Barbara Haskew, director of the MTSU-headquartered Tennessee Center for Labor-Management Relations and professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University, “The focus on joint problem-solving and working together makes this labor-management conference unique and generates excitement about the outcomes that such collaborations can produce.”
Concurrent workshops from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. will address advanced negotiations, developing talent pools, how to prevent violence in the workplace and the legal matrix of the injured workers. After a short break, workshops from 3:55 to 5:10 p.m. will include safety in the workplace, mediated by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Association, apprenticeship programs and innovation at work.
During the TLMC banquet, which starts at 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, winners of the $2,000 Tennessee Labor-Management Scholarships will be announced, followed by a scholarship auction at 8:30 p.m. The scholarships encourage college students who are legal residents of Tennessee to remain in the state following their graduation—and to continue their pursuit of a career in labor relations.
On Thursday, Aug. 16, at 1:30 p.m., following a morning golf outing, futurist Ed Barlow will present a dynamic approach to anticipating and preparing for what’s ahead. The popular Arbitrators Panel at 3:15 p.m. will be moderated by Haskew and will address new directions in arbitration.
The 2007 conference officers will be installed Friday morning.
At considerable savings, early-bird registration for individuals will be available until August 10, early registration for parties of five people or more will be accepted up to Aug. 1. For hotel and registration information, visit the aforementioned conference Web site.
The statewide conference is sponsored by the nonprofit corporation, the Tennessee Labor-Management Conference, co-sponsored by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, and facilitated by the TCLMR.
The TNCLMR is a consortium of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, MTSU and the Tennessee Board of Regents. It was enacted by legislation in 1977 and is associated with MTSU through a contractual agreement. Its primary purpose is to develop and deliver educational services to labor and management throughout Tennessee.
####
Conference is set for August 15-17 in Nashville
July 11, 2007
CONTACT: Catherine Sutton, 615-895-4166
MURFREESBORO—Labor and management is celebrating “20 years of listening, learning and leading in collaboration” this year at the Tennessee Labor-Management Conference, Wednesday through Friday, Aug. 15 – 17. The conference will take place at the Sheraton Music City Hotel (777 McGavock Pike) in Nashville and is expected to draw more than 500 attendees.
Professionals in labor relations, human resources and organized labor, as well as attorneys, mediators and arbitrators and those in academia may register online at www.tnlabormgmt.org or call 615-895-4166. A special conference rate for interested college students also is available.
The conference will kick off with the traditional prayer brunch led by Rev. Becca Stephens. Program highlights will include a discussion of trends in the National Labor Relations Board decisions, moderated by Harold J. Datz, senior attorney, and a peek into the future with futurist Ed Barlow.
“Labor-Management participants at the August conference will have the opportunity to discuss possible solutions to problems in the health-care, pension and other workplace areas,” said Dr. Barbara Haskew, director of the MTSU-headquartered Tennessee Center for Labor-Management Relations and professor of economics at Middle Tennessee State University, “The focus on joint problem-solving and working together makes this labor-management conference unique and generates excitement about the outcomes that such collaborations can produce.”
Concurrent workshops from 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. will address advanced negotiations, developing talent pools, how to prevent violence in the workplace and the legal matrix of the injured workers. After a short break, workshops from 3:55 to 5:10 p.m. will include safety in the workplace, mediated by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health Association, apprenticeship programs and innovation at work.
During the TLMC banquet, which starts at 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, winners of the $2,000 Tennessee Labor-Management Scholarships will be announced, followed by a scholarship auction at 8:30 p.m. The scholarships encourage college students who are legal residents of Tennessee to remain in the state following their graduation—and to continue their pursuit of a career in labor relations.
On Thursday, Aug. 16, at 1:30 p.m., following a morning golf outing, futurist Ed Barlow will present a dynamic approach to anticipating and preparing for what’s ahead. The popular Arbitrators Panel at 3:15 p.m. will be moderated by Haskew and will address new directions in arbitration.
The 2007 conference officers will be installed Friday morning.
At considerable savings, early-bird registration for individuals will be available until August 10, early registration for parties of five people or more will be accepted up to Aug. 1. For hotel and registration information, visit the aforementioned conference Web site.
The statewide conference is sponsored by the nonprofit corporation, the Tennessee Labor-Management Conference, co-sponsored by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, and facilitated by the TCLMR.
The TNCLMR is a consortium of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, MTSU and the Tennessee Board of Regents. It was enacted by legislation in 1977 and is associated with MTSU through a contractual agreement. Its primary purpose is to develop and deliver educational services to labor and management throughout Tennessee.
####
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
003 HERITAGE GROUPS TEAM TO CREATE AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 10, 2007
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919
HERITAGE GROUPS TEAM TO CREATE AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION
American Association for State and Local History Honors Historical Collection Focusing on First Labor Contracts Signed by Former Slaves Transitioning to Freedmen
(MURFREESBORO)—The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area (TCWNHA) and the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County have been named as recipients of an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History’s Leadership in its History Awards program category.
Representatives from the Tennessee-based organizations partnered to create the award-winning publication, “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee.”
Antoinette G. van Zelm, historian for the TCWNHA, said, “’Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era’ is an invaluable collection of the very first labor contracts signed by former slaves as they made the transition to becoming free workers after the Civil War.
“The contracts bring to life the experiences of African Americans in the days following a war of unimaginable bloodshed and unparalleled social upheaval,” she observed. “The contracts contain rich information about agricultural practices, family life, material culture, race relations and new opportunities for education.”
Designed by the Office of Publications and Graphics at MTSU, “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era” is one of several local cooperative efforts to collect and interpret Williamson County’s African-American history and also fulfills the Heritage Area’s mission to tell the whole story of the Civil War and Reconstruction, van Zelm said.
The publication is now available from the Heritage Foundation. It contains 476 labor contracts, two interpretive essays, photographs, a map, annotations, suggested readings and a comprehensive proper name index.
The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), a nonprofit professional organization headquartered in Nashville, has administered the Leadership in History Awards for 62 years. The awards are the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. According to event organizers, awards for 2007 represent 72 organizations and individuals from throughout United States.
The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area is a partnership unit of the National Park Service and is administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. The Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County is a grassroots preservation organization committed to protecting the architectural, geographical and cultural heritage of Franklin and Williamson County.
For more information about “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee,” please contact Laura Holder at 615-898-2947 or via e-mail at lholder@mtsu.edu.
—30—
***ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request a jpeg of the cover of “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee” for editorial use, please direct your request to Lisa L. Rollins at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919
HERITAGE GROUPS TEAM TO CREATE AWARD-WINNING PUBLICATION
American Association for State and Local History Honors Historical Collection Focusing on First Labor Contracts Signed by Former Slaves Transitioning to Freedmen
(MURFREESBORO)—The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area (TCWNHA) and the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County have been named as recipients of an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History’s Leadership in its History Awards program category.
Representatives from the Tennessee-based organizations partnered to create the award-winning publication, “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee.”
Antoinette G. van Zelm, historian for the TCWNHA, said, “’Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era’ is an invaluable collection of the very first labor contracts signed by former slaves as they made the transition to becoming free workers after the Civil War.
“The contracts bring to life the experiences of African Americans in the days following a war of unimaginable bloodshed and unparalleled social upheaval,” she observed. “The contracts contain rich information about agricultural practices, family life, material culture, race relations and new opportunities for education.”
Designed by the Office of Publications and Graphics at MTSU, “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era” is one of several local cooperative efforts to collect and interpret Williamson County’s African-American history and also fulfills the Heritage Area’s mission to tell the whole story of the Civil War and Reconstruction, van Zelm said.
The publication is now available from the Heritage Foundation. It contains 476 labor contracts, two interpretive essays, photographs, a map, annotations, suggested readings and a comprehensive proper name index.
The American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), a nonprofit professional organization headquartered in Nashville, has administered the Leadership in History Awards for 62 years. The awards are the most prestigious recognition for achievement in the preservation and interpretation of state and local history. According to event organizers, awards for 2007 represent 72 organizations and individuals from throughout United States.
The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area is a partnership unit of the National Park Service and is administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. The Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County is a grassroots preservation organization committed to protecting the architectural, geographical and cultural heritage of Franklin and Williamson County.
For more information about “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee,” please contact Laura Holder at 615-898-2947 or via e-mail at lholder@mtsu.edu.
—30—
***ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request a jpeg of the cover of “Freedom and Work in the Reconstruction Era: The Freedmen’s Bureau Labor Contracts of Williamson County, Tennessee” for editorial use, please direct your request to Lisa L. Rollins at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
Friday, July 06, 2007
413 MTSU POLICE TO SET UP SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS ON CAMPUS
MTSU POLICE TO SET UP SOBRIETY CHECKPOINTS ON CAMPUS
July 3, 2007
CONTACT: Police Chief Buddy Peaster; Associate Police Chief Roy Brewer, at 615-898-2424
MURFREESBORO—The Department of Public Safety at Middle Tennessee State University will set up field-sobriety check points on and around campus Friday,
July 20, from 11 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Conducted on a quarterly basis throughout 2006-2007, this will be the third such field-sobriety checkpoint campaign at MTSU. The previous two were in December 2006 and March of this year.
MTSU Police are joining local and state law-enforcement agencies, at the urging of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, to help make Tennessee streets and highways safer for everyone. The goal is to reduce alcohol- and drug-related fatalities to 35 percent in 2006-2007 from a baseline of 41 percent in the year 2000.
A grant awarded to MTSU’s Public Safety department, financed with funds administered through the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, assisted in providing the necessary personnel and time to make this effort possible.
“Our goal is to reduce the number of impaired drivers by being proactive,” commented MTSU’s Associate Chief Roy Brewer.
According to a 2004 report from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a Web-Based Encyclopedia, Tennessee ranks 11th for overall alcohol-related fatalities on the highway. Additionally, with MTSU’s enrollment increasing 2 to 3 percent each year over the last several years, Public Safety records indicate there also has been a steady rise in the number of alcohol-related incidents and arrests on campus.
Brewer adds, “We have been fortunate that with the university’s growth, we have not had a fatality crash on campus as of yet. We are aware of numerous fatality crashes off campus involving MTSU students. If being more visible on campus can save just one life, our efforts will be worth it.”
It takes more than enforcement measures to protect the community from drunk drivers, Brewer acknowledges. “We also have many education programs that we present to interested groups on campus, such as Drunk Goggles.”
####
July 3, 2007
CONTACT: Police Chief Buddy Peaster; Associate Police Chief Roy Brewer, at 615-898-2424
MURFREESBORO—The Department of Public Safety at Middle Tennessee State University will set up field-sobriety check points on and around campus Friday,
July 20, from 11 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.
Conducted on a quarterly basis throughout 2006-2007, this will be the third such field-sobriety checkpoint campaign at MTSU. The previous two were in December 2006 and March of this year.
MTSU Police are joining local and state law-enforcement agencies, at the urging of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, to help make Tennessee streets and highways safer for everyone. The goal is to reduce alcohol- and drug-related fatalities to 35 percent in 2006-2007 from a baseline of 41 percent in the year 2000.
A grant awarded to MTSU’s Public Safety department, financed with funds administered through the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Governor’s Highway Safety Office, assisted in providing the necessary personnel and time to make this effort possible.
“Our goal is to reduce the number of impaired drivers by being proactive,” commented MTSU’s Associate Chief Roy Brewer.
According to a 2004 report from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System, a Web-Based Encyclopedia, Tennessee ranks 11th for overall alcohol-related fatalities on the highway. Additionally, with MTSU’s enrollment increasing 2 to 3 percent each year over the last several years, Public Safety records indicate there also has been a steady rise in the number of alcohol-related incidents and arrests on campus.
Brewer adds, “We have been fortunate that with the university’s growth, we have not had a fatality crash on campus as of yet. We are aware of numerous fatality crashes off campus involving MTSU students. If being more visible on campus can save just one life, our efforts will be worth it.”
It takes more than enforcement measures to protect the community from drunk drivers, Brewer acknowledges. “We also have many education programs that we present to interested groups on campus, such as Drunk Goggles.”
####
412 LOCAL COMMUNITY ADVOCATE NURTURES YOUTH THROUGH ARTS PROGRAM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919
LOCAL COMMUNITY ADVOCATE NURTURES YOUTH THROUGH ARTS PROGRAM
Shy Child-turned-Arts Mentor Volunteers Time, Talents for Children as Labor of Love;
Former Miss U.S.A. Lynnette Cole Emcees Children’s Benefit Show July 28 at MTSU
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—Forever is a very long time, but if Monica Johnson has her way, that’s how long Generation for Creation (GFC), the nonprofit visual and performing arts program she founded for children in 2001, will be around.
Based in Murfreesboro and currently housed in the local Boys and Girls Club facility, GFC—under its founder’s guidance—welcomes youth ages 7-17 to explore and develop their interests and talents in drama, art, music and dance.
A 1996 MTSU graduate with a B.S. in psychology and minors in speech and theatre and biology, Johnson was inspired to create GFC, she said, because she had grown up with a passion for the dramatic arts but had been dissuaded from pursuing it as a child.
In her zeal to create an artistic release for herself, help others and pay homage to her late mother’s love for children, Johnson said she created the inter-community arts group to help talented children reach their artistic dreams with encouragement and positive motivation.
Prior to GFC’s inception, Johnson said she first “started teaching drama to special needs children, then I decided that I wanted to give back to all the children, no matter their ability … (and) so I started Generation For Creation.”
During her study at MTSU, Johnson said she was especially inspired by
Dr. Jette Halladay, professor of speech and theatre, who was always enthusiastic and encouraged Johnson to cultivate her own artistic talents and love for the arts.
Halladay, who specializes in children’s theater, said Johnson’s volunteer work with children and the arts via GFC is a great contribution to he community, as well as a genuine labor of love.
“Monica is tireless, (and) her optimism is contagious,” Halladay observed. “Everywhere I go in Murfreesboro, I see her handiwork improving lives, creating
opportunities where none existed before and generally spreading a deep
sense of joy with life.
“She is not discouraged by the skepticism of others or their disorganization and pessimism. She just plows through and does what every one told her would be impossible to do. She is a woman with a great deal of integrity and enthusiasm.”
One of five children, Johnson said she was a shy child yet no one would never know it today, thanks to the energy she devotes to GFC, from mentoring its participants and recruiting board members, advisers and arts supporters, to raising money for the nonprofit organization.
Mary Glass, an account clerk in MTSU’s business office and local music minister, is a longtime GFC volunteer, she said, because she believes in its mission.
When she first learned of Johnson’s dream to work with children, Glass said she met some the youth and their parents and “fell in love with them” from the start.
“I knew from my heart that this new organization would be just great for Murfreesboro and surrounding area,” Glass said. ”Murfreesboro is a fast-growing city and we need new ideas to help keep our children focused …. (and) this organization
offers the kids a place to meet other children, experiment, do performances, plays, concerts and do volunteer work in our community.”
MTSU junior Alli Scott, now majoring in vocal performance and speech and theatre, said her past GFC participation was a much-welcomed experience that benefited her self-confidence and helped her develop artistically.
“It’s a great opportunity for young people to show off their talents,” she said. “(And) being in the (annual GFC) talent show was just another way to overcome my fear of performing and to show (the audience) what I had been working on and what I wanted to be.”
The work Johnson accomplishes via GFC is even more important for today’s young people, Scott noted, because of the ever-increasing funding cuts that arts-related curricula have received within public school systems both locally and nationwide.
“The arts are slowly drifting away from school programs,” Scott said, “and I think (GFC) emphasizes how important (the arts) are to the kids.”
In addition to offering drama and art classes 10 a.m.-noon on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, GFC players present performances, history plays and holiday concerts three times per year on local theatrical stages. The organization’s biggest show and fundraiser, however, is its annual Children’s Benefit Talent Show that showcases children in the categories of art, dance, drama, music and modeling, the latter of which is a new category for 2007.
This year’s show will get under way beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28, in MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Children audition to perform in the benefit show, Johnson said, and all selected performers receive a certificate of participation, with the top three winners in each category receive trophies. A volunteer panel of judges with arts experience and backgrounds determine the event’s overall prize winners.
As in year’s past, Lynnette Cole, the 2000 Miss U.S.A., will travel from her current home in Minnesota to Murfreesboro to emcee the annual GFC talent show.
A native of Columbia, Tenn., Cole described Generation for Creation as “one of Murfreesboro’s hidden secrets … (and) a great program for children and parents to get involved in.”
Although Cole, now an actress and business owner, was never a GFC participant, she said that once she learned about the organization, she contacted Johnson to see how she could help.
“There are so many broken homes these days, and having GFC helps (some of its participants) fill voids in their lives,” Cole said. “It is their creative outlet; it encourages them to be highly creative in their particular art.”
Moreover, she added, “This program keeps them active and not always in front of the television and video games.”
So positive is the GFC experience, Johnson said, that several GFC alumni, have returned to volunteer their own time to helping her mentor the program’s young people. And, said Johnson, she dreams of one day expanding the program beyond Murfreesboro, making it a statewide or even national program.
Until then, though, she and her all-volunteer helpers remain devoted to helping young people, no matter their ability or skill level, develop through the visual and performing arts, one child at a time.
“It was a good experience,” confirmed Scott, 19, regarding GFC. “I would tell anyone to try out if it’s something they are interested in.”
For more information about GFC, please visit its Web site at http://www.gfckids.org.
•TICKETS: Tickets to GFC fifth annual Children’s Benefit Talent Show on July 28, featuring mistress of ceremonies Lynnette Cole, Miss U.S.A. 2000, are $10 each, with discounts available for groups. For more information, please call GFC at 615-890-7116.
***ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with children participating in this year’s talent show or with Ms. Johnson, GFC director-founder, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU at 615-898-2919. Jpegs of Johnson or GFC-related interviews/jpegs for editorial use of former Miss U.S.A. Lynnette Cole (2000) also may be directed to Rollins at the aforementioned number of via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
Please Note: If you should run this story in full as a feature, please give byline credit to Lisa L. Rollins and Rometrius North. (Miss North, a native of Cookeville, Tenn., is an INROADS student intern in MTSU’s Office of News and Public Affairs during summer 2007.)
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919
LOCAL COMMUNITY ADVOCATE NURTURES YOUTH THROUGH ARTS PROGRAM
Shy Child-turned-Arts Mentor Volunteers Time, Talents for Children as Labor of Love;
Former Miss U.S.A. Lynnette Cole Emcees Children’s Benefit Show July 28 at MTSU
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—Forever is a very long time, but if Monica Johnson has her way, that’s how long Generation for Creation (GFC), the nonprofit visual and performing arts program she founded for children in 2001, will be around.
Based in Murfreesboro and currently housed in the local Boys and Girls Club facility, GFC—under its founder’s guidance—welcomes youth ages 7-17 to explore and develop their interests and talents in drama, art, music and dance.
A 1996 MTSU graduate with a B.S. in psychology and minors in speech and theatre and biology, Johnson was inspired to create GFC, she said, because she had grown up with a passion for the dramatic arts but had been dissuaded from pursuing it as a child.
In her zeal to create an artistic release for herself, help others and pay homage to her late mother’s love for children, Johnson said she created the inter-community arts group to help talented children reach their artistic dreams with encouragement and positive motivation.
Prior to GFC’s inception, Johnson said she first “started teaching drama to special needs children, then I decided that I wanted to give back to all the children, no matter their ability … (and) so I started Generation For Creation.”
During her study at MTSU, Johnson said she was especially inspired by
Dr. Jette Halladay, professor of speech and theatre, who was always enthusiastic and encouraged Johnson to cultivate her own artistic talents and love for the arts.
Halladay, who specializes in children’s theater, said Johnson’s volunteer work with children and the arts via GFC is a great contribution to he community, as well as a genuine labor of love.
“Monica is tireless, (and) her optimism is contagious,” Halladay observed. “Everywhere I go in Murfreesboro, I see her handiwork improving lives, creating
opportunities where none existed before and generally spreading a deep
sense of joy with life.
“She is not discouraged by the skepticism of others or their disorganization and pessimism. She just plows through and does what every one told her would be impossible to do. She is a woman with a great deal of integrity and enthusiasm.”
One of five children, Johnson said she was a shy child yet no one would never know it today, thanks to the energy she devotes to GFC, from mentoring its participants and recruiting board members, advisers and arts supporters, to raising money for the nonprofit organization.
Mary Glass, an account clerk in MTSU’s business office and local music minister, is a longtime GFC volunteer, she said, because she believes in its mission.
When she first learned of Johnson’s dream to work with children, Glass said she met some the youth and their parents and “fell in love with them” from the start.
“I knew from my heart that this new organization would be just great for Murfreesboro and surrounding area,” Glass said. ”Murfreesboro is a fast-growing city and we need new ideas to help keep our children focused …. (and) this organization
offers the kids a place to meet other children, experiment, do performances, plays, concerts and do volunteer work in our community.”
MTSU junior Alli Scott, now majoring in vocal performance and speech and theatre, said her past GFC participation was a much-welcomed experience that benefited her self-confidence and helped her develop artistically.
“It’s a great opportunity for young people to show off their talents,” she said. “(And) being in the (annual GFC) talent show was just another way to overcome my fear of performing and to show (the audience) what I had been working on and what I wanted to be.”
The work Johnson accomplishes via GFC is even more important for today’s young people, Scott noted, because of the ever-increasing funding cuts that arts-related curricula have received within public school systems both locally and nationwide.
“The arts are slowly drifting away from school programs,” Scott said, “and I think (GFC) emphasizes how important (the arts) are to the kids.”
In addition to offering drama and art classes 10 a.m.-noon on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, GFC players present performances, history plays and holiday concerts three times per year on local theatrical stages. The organization’s biggest show and fundraiser, however, is its annual Children’s Benefit Talent Show that showcases children in the categories of art, dance, drama, music and modeling, the latter of which is a new category for 2007.
This year’s show will get under way beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28, in MTSU’s Tucker Theatre. Children audition to perform in the benefit show, Johnson said, and all selected performers receive a certificate of participation, with the top three winners in each category receive trophies. A volunteer panel of judges with arts experience and backgrounds determine the event’s overall prize winners.
As in year’s past, Lynnette Cole, the 2000 Miss U.S.A., will travel from her current home in Minnesota to Murfreesboro to emcee the annual GFC talent show.
A native of Columbia, Tenn., Cole described Generation for Creation as “one of Murfreesboro’s hidden secrets … (and) a great program for children and parents to get involved in.”
Although Cole, now an actress and business owner, was never a GFC participant, she said that once she learned about the organization, she contacted Johnson to see how she could help.
“There are so many broken homes these days, and having GFC helps (some of its participants) fill voids in their lives,” Cole said. “It is their creative outlet; it encourages them to be highly creative in their particular art.”
Moreover, she added, “This program keeps them active and not always in front of the television and video games.”
So positive is the GFC experience, Johnson said, that several GFC alumni, have returned to volunteer their own time to helping her mentor the program’s young people. And, said Johnson, she dreams of one day expanding the program beyond Murfreesboro, making it a statewide or even national program.
Until then, though, she and her all-volunteer helpers remain devoted to helping young people, no matter their ability or skill level, develop through the visual and performing arts, one child at a time.
“It was a good experience,” confirmed Scott, 19, regarding GFC. “I would tell anyone to try out if it’s something they are interested in.”
For more information about GFC, please visit its Web site at http://www.gfckids.org.
•TICKETS: Tickets to GFC fifth annual Children’s Benefit Talent Show on July 28, featuring mistress of ceremonies Lynnette Cole, Miss U.S.A. 2000, are $10 each, with discounts available for groups. For more information, please call GFC at 615-890-7116.
***ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with children participating in this year’s talent show or with Ms. Johnson, GFC director-founder, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU at 615-898-2919. Jpegs of Johnson or GFC-related interviews/jpegs for editorial use of former Miss U.S.A. Lynnette Cole (2000) also may be directed to Rollins at the aforementioned number of via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
Please Note: If you should run this story in full as a feature, please give byline credit to Lisa L. Rollins and Rometrius North. (Miss North, a native of Cookeville, Tenn., is an INROADS student intern in MTSU’s Office of News and Public Affairs during summer 2007.)
Video - The A List, David Poag
The A List
It’s a real action western, complete with cowboys and Indians. The Hayfield is based on an historic 1867 battle on the Bozeman Trail in Montana. The producer chose an MTSU student David Poag for the challenging position of director of photography for the movie. He traveled with the cast and crew to six states to shoot the movie and learned there’s a lot more to making movies than tinsel and glitter.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
It’s a real action western, complete with cowboys and Indians. The Hayfield is based on an historic 1867 battle on the Bozeman Trail in Montana. The producer chose an MTSU student David Poag for the challenging position of director of photography for the movie. He traveled with the cast and crew to six states to shoot the movie and learned there’s a lot more to making movies than tinsel and glitter.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
Video - Centennial Countdown, Dr. Bob Womack
Centennial Countdown
Dr. Bob Womack’s been teaching at MTSU for more than half the University’s existence. He shares his experiences and insights on the university and surrounding region.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
Dr. Bob Womack’s been teaching at MTSU for more than half the University’s existence. He shares his experiences and insights on the university and surrounding region.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
Video - The Write Stuff
The Write Stuff
A group of campers learn how to let their minds soar and pour their imagination out onto the page. This was the third year for the Middle Tennessee Writing Project, writing institute for select teachers of kindergarten through college students plus three Youth Writer’s Camp sessions.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
A group of campers learn how to let their minds soar and pour their imagination out onto the page. This was the third year for the Middle Tennessee Writing Project, writing institute for select teachers of kindergarten through college students plus three Youth Writer’s Camp sessions.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
Video - Camp Myself
Camp Myself
What the heck is jicama? Middle-schoolers from around the region learned about this and other vegetables, when they attended the health, nutrition and fitness camp that was designed to provide summer fitness fun while also educating the youngsters about making healthier lifestyle choices.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
What the heck is jicama? Middle-schoolers from around the region learned about this and other vegetables, when they attended the health, nutrition and fitness camp that was designed to provide summer fitness fun while also educating the youngsters about making healthier lifestyle choices.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
Video - CSI: Murfreesboro
CSI: Murfreesboro
Digging for bones isn’t how most people care to spend their free time, but for one group of local students, Members of the Forensic Anthropology Search and Research team learns how to help solve crimes.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
Digging for bones isn’t how most people care to spend their free time, but for one group of local students, Members of the Forensic Anthropology Search and Research team learns how to help solve crimes.
(For more MTSU video go to http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MTR.html)
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