127 MTSU CLASS TEAMS WITH VSA ARTS TENNESSEE, RAPTORS CHEERLEADERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 2, 2007
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919 or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU CLASS TEAMS WITH VSA ARTS TENNESSEE, RAPTORS CHEERLEADERS
Communication Students Get Hands-On Learning through Community-Service Project

(MURFREESBORO)—The Hendersonville Raptors, a competitive cheerleading team made up of individuals with disabilities, will travel to Murfreesboro on Oct. 20 to help cheer on the MTSU Blue Raiders football team as they take on Arkansas State University.
The Hendersonville Raptors—whose members have won several cheering titles since the squad’s creation four years ago—will make the trip to MTSU, thanks to a cooperative program between the nonprofit VSA arts Tennessee and an MTSU Excel Organizational Communications Communities Class, also known as ORCO.
Dr. Lori Kissinger, who teaches the 30-student ORCO course, said the students in her organizational communications course have worked with the Raptors for several weeks, helping them decorate “art footballs” that the Raptors will present to the MTSU football team’s 20 senior players during their Oct. 20 visit to campus.
“The ORCO class has a goal to develop and implement special events in the community,” Kissinger explained. “The class felt that this was certainly a fitting project, as it was reaching both the campus community and the outside community.
“In addition,” she added, “one of the students in the ORCO class happens to play for the Raiders. The class coordinated the art creation, organized special activities for the Raptors on game day, raised money and managed publicity.”
Kissinger, who also serves as executive director for VSA arts Tennessee, said the Raptors/VSA arts pairing was a natural fit since the mission of VSA arts Tennessee is to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to participate in and express themselves through the arts and arts education.
Founded in September 2002, the Gallatin-based VSA arts Tennessee offers a variety of programs and services from artist residencies in schools, arts camps, literary and music competitions, performances and exhibitions that demonstrate the “abilities” of people with disabilities,” Kissinger said.
Regarding the ORCO’s work on this project, Brittany Henson, MTSU student, said, “I think the VSA and ORCO project has really brought out everybody's individual strengths and has been a positive learning experience for us all. I have enjoyed the hands-on experience, as well as knowing that I am making a difference in the community."
Kissinger said that when it comes to the Raptors, its members have an added reason to cheer on the Raiders, since their coach, Cindy Hamblen, is an MTSU graduate. However, the Oct. 20 project that will bring the Raptors to the Raiders game involves more than just cheering on the Raiders.
“For a number of weeks, the Raptors have met with the ORCO class, with the MTSU students traveling to Gallatin and Hendersonville, to help the Raptors create not only personalized ‘art’ footballs for the Raider team’s seniors, but also to help them make spirit banners and photo frames for the players,” Kissinger explained. In addition to the Raptors’ “guest” cheering role at the Oct. 20 football game, Kissinger said Daniel Janvrin, 21, of Pelham, Tenn., who is the 2007 Young Soloist winner in the annual VSA arts Tennessee competition, will sing the National Anthem at the MTSU-ASU game.
A nonprofit organization devoted to supporting and promoting artists with disabilities, VSA arts Tennessee funding made the match between the Raptors and the Raiders possible, Kissinger said, as did funding from Rebekah Majors-Manley, a friend of VSA arts Tennessee, who donated money for the art activities in memory of her late husband, Larry Sickinger, who was a proud supporter of MTSU. Additional money to support game-day activities for the Raptors was provided by MTSU’s National Panhellenic Council organizations.
For more information about VSA arts Tennessee, please access its Web site at www.vsaartstennessee.org.



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ATTENTION, MEDIA—For editorial needs, including interview requests with project participants, including Dr. Lori Kissinger or MTSU students, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu. Jpegs of MTSU students working with the Raptors will be available upon request beginning Oct. 8.