FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2008EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
“PAPER REWIND” CREATURES TO INHABIT LIBRARY THROUGH MAY 7
Ecology Emphasized Through Art as Students Embark on End-of-Semester Studying
(MURFREESBORO) – The James E. Walker Library and the MTSU Department of Art are joining forces again this year to raise student awareness of paper usage through an imaginative project that will be on display in the waning days of the spring semester. The “Paper Rewind” project will remain in place through Wednesday, May 7. While students are studying for final exams and preparing research papers, they will be surrounded by paper animals, trees and people created by Professor Thomas Sturgill’s 3D design classes. In fact, students might find themselves sitting next to a paper person or look up to see a paper person sailing a paper airplane off the fourth floor balcony. Some of the paper creations will be recycling bins suitable for the collection of recyclable paper and suitable for disposal at the recycling site in their entirety. Each silhouette creation will guide students to a Web site that contains information about the amount of paper that is printed at the library. For example: The paper consumed by the library represents the equivalent of more than 700 trees; All the used paper stretched end-to-end would extend for 1,100 miles; If stacked, the paper would reach 2,100 feet into the air.
“Students are printing 6,500,000 copies a year from computer printers, and this art project is intended to raise awareness on the part of the students to conserve natural resources and think before they print,” says Bill Black, library professor in charge of administrative services. “Almost everything is a student design,” Sturgill says. “For the most part, it’s student-driven. The nice thing is it’s a foundations class. There are all different majors in it.” The collaborating student artists participating in the project are: Alicia Wilson, Allison Thomas, Ashleigh Mabry, Danielle Ross, Dwight Carter, Jenna Shapiro, Joe Depeder, Kim Dill, Lawrence Winston III, Michelle Pendergrass, Ryan Manous, Rich Adams, Robert Wilson, Rosemary Raford, Steve Hull, Mercedes Vinson, Arsany Sarofiem, Ben Harper, Brian Simpson, Christopher Beeson, Emily Roley, Eric Pavol, Kayla Shellman, Jen Reid, Leanne Grisham, Grant Eason, Rick Lemanski, Kyle Scudder, T.J. Smith and Yvan Joubay. The partnership between the library and the art department is coordinated by the Library External Relations Committee. For more information, go to http://www.paperrewind.com. For media interviews, contact Sturgill at 615-898-2460 or sturgill@mtsu.edu or Black at 615-898-8378 or wblack@mtsu.edu.
--30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For color digital photos of the “Paper Rewind” project, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
[392] 2,000-PLUS GRADUATES SET TO PARTICIPATE IN SPRING COMMENCEMENT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 21, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919
2,000-PLUS GRADUATES SET TO PARTICIPATE IN SPRING COMMENCEMENT
Grand Ole Opry GM Pete Fisher & Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess
Will Serve as Featured Speakers for Dual-Ceremony Graduation Event at MTSU
(MURFREESBORO)—More than 2,000 degree candidates are expected to graduate during MTSU’s 96th spring commencement during the university’s upcoming commencement ceremonies, reported Dr. Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost, Enrollment Services.
On Saturday, May 3, MTSU will again feature dual ceremonies and dual speakers starting at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Murphy Center. Of the 2,046 set to receive degrees, 1,760 are undergraduates and 286 are graduate students, including 234 master’s candidates, 45 Education Specialists candidates, one graduate certificate recipient, one Doctor of Arts candidate and five Ph.D. candidates.
Candidates from the College of Graduate Studies, Jennings A. Jones College of Business and College of Education and Behavioral Science will receive their degrees in the morning ceremony. That afternoon degrees will be conferred on candidates in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, College of Mass Communication, and the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning, said Dr. Diane L. Miller, professor, mathematical sciences, and interim chairwoman of the commencement committee.
Pete Fisher, vice president/general manager for the Grand Ole Opry, will be the guest speaker for the 9 a.m. ceremony. He earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication from MTSU, with a concentration in recording industry management, and was recognized as a distinguished alumnus in 2004.
Named general manager of the Grand Ole Opry in June1999, Fisher oversees all activities of the world's longest-running radio show. He also manages the day-to-day operations of the Grand Ole Opry House and Acuff Theatre and produces its weekly Opry shows in addition to serving as executive producer of Grand Ole Opry Live on the GAC cable network and America’s Grand Ole Opry Weekend, a two-hour syndicated radio program heard on more than 200 stations via Westwood One.
Fisher's entertainment industry experience spans from artist management to music publishing, with a special emphasis placed on service to a variety of music industry organizations. Prior to joining the Grand Ole Opry, he was a partner in Fisher Raines Entertainment, where he managed the careers of Warner/Reprise Records artist Paul Brandt and Sony’s Marcus Hummon, among others. He also spent seven years at WarnerSongs Inc. as director of creative services, where he managed the joint-venture publishing operation between Warner/Reprise Records and Warner/Chappell Music Inc.
Fisher currently serves as president of the Nashville chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and hold membership on the board of
directors for the Nashville Songwriters Foundation and the Academy of Country Music.
Ernest G. Burgess, Rutherford County mayor, will be the featured speaker for the 1 p.m. ceremony. A cattle farmer and businessman, Burgess is a lifelong resident of Rutherford County and was elected to serve as mayor in 2006.
Burgess earned a Bachelor of Science degree from MTSU and a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. He retired as senior vice president of operations for the National Healthcare Corporation, or NHC, and is a past chairman of the Republican Party of Rutherford County.
Currently, Burgess devotes his time and service to several boards and committees, including serving as chairman for the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners, the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center Board and Community Care of Rutherford County Inc. He also serves as a board member for NHC and for National Health Realty.
Burgess’ past community-service record includes tenure as a board member for a number of area organizations, including the Linebaugh Public Library, Discovery Center at Murfree Springs, Main Street Murfreesboro, Hospice of Murfreesboro, the MTSU Foundation and the MTMC Foundation.
Married for 47 years to Peggy Bryant, Burgess and his wife are the parents of three children and the grandparents of seven. The Burgesses are active members of North Boulevard Church of Christ, where Ernest is an elder.
Regarding the upcoming commencement event, Miller said she 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,” Miller said. “Commencement is a day that families always remember as special. It is difficult to give the ceremony the dignified atmosphere it deserves if people are using air horns or leaving before the completion of the ceremony.”
Additionally, per Miller, the graduation committee also emphasized that students who participate in commencement will be required to stay for the entire ceremony. The May ceremony should last about two hours. If candidates are planning celebration activities, please be aware of this commitment, she said.
“To make this a special day, it requires cooperation from everyone in attendance,” Miller said. “We believe it should be a dignified ceremony, which adds to its enjoyment of all in attendance.”
On May 3, the doors to Murphy Center will open at 8 o’clock for the morning ceremony and candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas, dressed in their caps and gowns, no later than 8:30 a.m. For the afternoon ceremony, the doors will open at noon and candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas and ready at 12:30 p.m.
Officials report that students who are not in their assigned gyms 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.
• For more information about commencement or receiving a degree in absentia, please visit the Records Office Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~records/grad.htm. Questions about graduation may be directed to the Records Office at 615-898-2600.
MTSU SPRING 2008 COMMENCEMENT AT A GLANCE
Who: About 2,046 graduates, including 1,760 undergraduates and 286 graduate
What: 2008 MTSU spring commencement
When: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 3
Where: Murphy Center on the MTSU campus
Commencement speakers:
• Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry general manager and vice president, at 9 a.m. ceremony.
• Ernest G. Burgess, Rutherford County mayor, at 1 p.m. ceremony.
*— Approximate number as of April 18, 2008.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To obtain a jpeg of guest speakers for editorial use, please call the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU at 615-898-2919 or e-mail your jpeg request to gfann@mtsu.edu.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919
2,000-PLUS GRADUATES SET TO PARTICIPATE IN SPRING COMMENCEMENT
Grand Ole Opry GM Pete Fisher & Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess
Will Serve as Featured Speakers for Dual-Ceremony Graduation Event at MTSU
(MURFREESBORO)—More than 2,000 degree candidates are expected to graduate during MTSU’s 96th spring commencement during the university’s upcoming commencement ceremonies, reported Dr. Sherian Huddleston, associate vice provost, Enrollment Services.
On Saturday, May 3, MTSU will again feature dual ceremonies and dual speakers starting at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Murphy Center. Of the 2,046 set to receive degrees, 1,760 are undergraduates and 286 are graduate students, including 234 master’s candidates, 45 Education Specialists candidates, one graduate certificate recipient, one Doctor of Arts candidate and five Ph.D. candidates.
Candidates from the College of Graduate Studies, Jennings A. Jones College of Business and College of Education and Behavioral Science will receive their degrees in the morning ceremony. That afternoon degrees will be conferred on candidates in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, College of Mass Communication, and the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning, said Dr. Diane L. Miller, professor, mathematical sciences, and interim chairwoman of the commencement committee.
Pete Fisher, vice president/general manager for the Grand Ole Opry, will be the guest speaker for the 9 a.m. ceremony. He earned a bachelor's degree in mass communication from MTSU, with a concentration in recording industry management, and was recognized as a distinguished alumnus in 2004.
Named general manager of the Grand Ole Opry in June1999, Fisher oversees all activities of the world's longest-running radio show. He also manages the day-to-day operations of the Grand Ole Opry House and Acuff Theatre and produces its weekly Opry shows in addition to serving as executive producer of Grand Ole Opry Live on the GAC cable network and America’s Grand Ole Opry Weekend, a two-hour syndicated radio program heard on more than 200 stations via Westwood One.
Fisher's entertainment industry experience spans from artist management to music publishing, with a special emphasis placed on service to a variety of music industry organizations. Prior to joining the Grand Ole Opry, he was a partner in Fisher Raines Entertainment, where he managed the careers of Warner/Reprise Records artist Paul Brandt and Sony’s Marcus Hummon, among others. He also spent seven years at WarnerSongs Inc. as director of creative services, where he managed the joint-venture publishing operation between Warner/Reprise Records and Warner/Chappell Music Inc.
Fisher currently serves as president of the Nashville chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and hold membership on the board of
directors for the Nashville Songwriters Foundation and the Academy of Country Music.
Ernest G. Burgess, Rutherford County mayor, will be the featured speaker for the 1 p.m. ceremony. A cattle farmer and businessman, Burgess is a lifelong resident of Rutherford County and was elected to serve as mayor in 2006.
Burgess earned a Bachelor of Science degree from MTSU and a master’s degree from the University of Tennessee. He retired as senior vice president of operations for the National Healthcare Corporation, or NHC, and is a past chairman of the Republican Party of Rutherford County.
Currently, Burgess devotes his time and service to several boards and committees, including serving as chairman for the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners, the Rutherford County Correctional Work Center Board and Community Care of Rutherford County Inc. He also serves as a board member for NHC and for National Health Realty.
Burgess’ past community-service record includes tenure as a board member for a number of area organizations, including the Linebaugh Public Library, Discovery Center at Murfree Springs, Main Street Murfreesboro, Hospice of Murfreesboro, the MTSU Foundation and the MTMC Foundation.
Married for 47 years to Peggy Bryant, Burgess and his wife are the parents of three children and the grandparents of seven. The Burgesses are active members of North Boulevard Church of Christ, where Ernest is an elder.
Regarding the upcoming commencement event, Miller said she 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,” Miller said. “Commencement is a day that families always remember as special. It is difficult to give the ceremony the dignified atmosphere it deserves if people are using air horns or leaving before the completion of the ceremony.”
Additionally, per Miller, the graduation committee also emphasized that students who participate in commencement will be required to stay for the entire ceremony. The May ceremony should last about two hours. If candidates are planning celebration activities, please be aware of this commitment, she said.
“To make this a special day, it requires cooperation from everyone in attendance,” Miller said. “We believe it should be a dignified ceremony, which adds to its enjoyment of all in attendance.”
On May 3, the doors to Murphy Center will open at 8 o’clock for the morning ceremony and candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas, dressed in their caps and gowns, no later than 8:30 a.m. For the afternoon ceremony, the doors will open at noon and candidates are expected to be in their assigned areas and ready at 12:30 p.m.
Officials report that students who are not in their assigned gyms 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.
• For more information about commencement or receiving a degree in absentia, please visit the Records Office Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~records/grad.htm. Questions about graduation may be directed to the Records Office at 615-898-2600.
MTSU SPRING 2008 COMMENCEMENT AT A GLANCE
Who: About 2,046 graduates, including 1,760 undergraduates and 286 graduate
What: 2008 MTSU spring commencement
When: 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. May 3
Where: Murphy Center on the MTSU campus
Commencement speakers:
• Pete Fisher, Grand Ole Opry general manager and vice president, at 9 a.m. ceremony.
• Ernest G. Burgess, Rutherford County mayor, at 1 p.m. ceremony.
*— Approximate number as of April 18, 2008.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To obtain a jpeg of guest speakers for editorial use, please call the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU at 615-898-2919 or e-mail your jpeg request to gfann@mtsu.edu.
[419]STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GIBSON COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 22, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GIBSON COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
114-Year-Old Baker-Young Farm Becomes County’s Newest Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)— The Baker-Young Farm in Gibson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1894, Jasper J. Baker acquired more than 200 acres from his father, Isaac Newton Baker. Jasper and his wife, Jane Pennington Baker, had two children, James Drury Baker and Jasper Newton Baker. The family grew cotton, corn and wheat and raised Black Angus cattle, Yorkshire hogs, chickens, mules and horses.
“The Baker family has a long history in the county and is credited, along with the M. M. Warren family, with founding the community of Warren Town, the forerunner of Tigrett,” Hankins observed.
The next owner of the land was James Drury Baker, who obtained the property in 1898. James married Loujean Hassell Baker and they were the parents of five children: Eudora Baker Young, Georgia Baker Chambers, James Thomas Baker, Isaac Hassell Baker and Allie Maie Baker Pigue. During this time, the farm produced cotton, corn, wheat, cattle, hogs, chickens, mules and horses.
Known for her well-ordered household, Loujean even raked the chicken yard almost daily, according to the family’s records. About 1911, the railroad was constructed through the Baker and Warren land and at this time, the name of the town was changed to Tigrett in honor of Mr. I. B. Tigrett of Jackson, Tenn., who owned the B, N & W Railroad.
During the early years of Tigrett, the community consisted of a post office, a barbershop, a dry goods store and a drugstore. When the Tigrett Methodist Church congregation outgrew their log cabin at the end of the 19th century, the Bakers donated land for a new white frame building and provided much of the labor and many of the materials for the church. For example, James Drury Baker and his brother, Jasper Newton Baker, purchased the pews and hauled them to Tigrett with their wagons and mules. In 1920, the building was moved to another tract of land that was donated by the Baker family.
The third generation to own the farm was Eudora Baker Young. Eudora’s husband, Warner Eugene Young, owned and operated an automobile repair shop/Mobile gasoline station on a small corner of the property. In addition, he served as the community blacksmith with his smithy facilities located inside the auto-repair business. The large blacksmith’s fire pit was the site of numerous community fish fries.
Eudora and Warner had four children. Their names were Jo Young Hall, Elizabeth Young Farmer, Wana Baker Young and Nancy Coleen Young Claybrook. These children eventually inherited the farm.
Today, the land is owned by the great-great-granddaughter of the founder, Sandra Hall Arnold. She and husband John Richard Arnold have two children, Melissa JoNell Arnold Nichols and John Richard Arnold Jr. Currently, the farm is worked by Thomas Rice, a successful local farmer who primarily raises cotton.
Recently, Rice began negotiating with Ducks Unlimited regarding a wetlands project whereby the land could be drained and farmed during the spring and summer months and restored to wetlands during the autumn and winter months.
Regarding the farm, Hankins noted, “Sandra Hall Arnold is also the owner, along with Melissa Arnold Nichols and John Richard Arnold Jr. of the Dowland-Hall Century Farm, a 150-acre farm of which 20 acres is from the original 1890 farm. She is among a very fortunate but few Tennesseans who own Century Farms from both their maternal and paternal families.”
Arnold, who has researched her family and community history, has commented, “I am so blessed and eternally grateful to my ancestors for their hard work and their wisdom in ‘holding onto the land.’”
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 CHP 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 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.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owner or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GIBSON COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
114-Year-Old Baker-Young Farm Becomes County’s Newest Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)— The Baker-Young Farm in Gibson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1894, Jasper J. Baker acquired more than 200 acres from his father, Isaac Newton Baker. Jasper and his wife, Jane Pennington Baker, had two children, James Drury Baker and Jasper Newton Baker. The family grew cotton, corn and wheat and raised Black Angus cattle, Yorkshire hogs, chickens, mules and horses.
“The Baker family has a long history in the county and is credited, along with the M. M. Warren family, with founding the community of Warren Town, the forerunner of Tigrett,” Hankins observed.
The next owner of the land was James Drury Baker, who obtained the property in 1898. James married Loujean Hassell Baker and they were the parents of five children: Eudora Baker Young, Georgia Baker Chambers, James Thomas Baker, Isaac Hassell Baker and Allie Maie Baker Pigue. During this time, the farm produced cotton, corn, wheat, cattle, hogs, chickens, mules and horses.
Known for her well-ordered household, Loujean even raked the chicken yard almost daily, according to the family’s records. About 1911, the railroad was constructed through the Baker and Warren land and at this time, the name of the town was changed to Tigrett in honor of Mr. I. B. Tigrett of Jackson, Tenn., who owned the B, N & W Railroad.
During the early years of Tigrett, the community consisted of a post office, a barbershop, a dry goods store and a drugstore. When the Tigrett Methodist Church congregation outgrew their log cabin at the end of the 19th century, the Bakers donated land for a new white frame building and provided much of the labor and many of the materials for the church. For example, James Drury Baker and his brother, Jasper Newton Baker, purchased the pews and hauled them to Tigrett with their wagons and mules. In 1920, the building was moved to another tract of land that was donated by the Baker family.
The third generation to own the farm was Eudora Baker Young. Eudora’s husband, Warner Eugene Young, owned and operated an automobile repair shop/Mobile gasoline station on a small corner of the property. In addition, he served as the community blacksmith with his smithy facilities located inside the auto-repair business. The large blacksmith’s fire pit was the site of numerous community fish fries.
Eudora and Warner had four children. Their names were Jo Young Hall, Elizabeth Young Farmer, Wana Baker Young and Nancy Coleen Young Claybrook. These children eventually inherited the farm.
Today, the land is owned by the great-great-granddaughter of the founder, Sandra Hall Arnold. She and husband John Richard Arnold have two children, Melissa JoNell Arnold Nichols and John Richard Arnold Jr. Currently, the farm is worked by Thomas Rice, a successful local farmer who primarily raises cotton.
Recently, Rice began negotiating with Ducks Unlimited regarding a wetlands project whereby the land could be drained and farmed during the spring and summer months and restored to wetlands during the autumn and winter months.
Regarding the farm, Hankins noted, “Sandra Hall Arnold is also the owner, along with Melissa Arnold Nichols and John Richard Arnold Jr. of the Dowland-Hall Century Farm, a 150-acre farm of which 20 acres is from the original 1890 farm. She is among a very fortunate but few Tennesseans who own Century Farms from both their maternal and paternal families.”
Arnold, who has researched her family and community history, has commented, “I am so blessed and eternally grateful to my ancestors for their hard work and their wisdom in ‘holding onto the land.’”
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 CHP 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 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.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owner or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[418]STUDENT-LED ‘COLLAGE’ PUBLICATION BRINGS HOME SILVER, AGAIN
Release date: April 22, 2008
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Collage/Honors College contact: Marsha Powers, 615-898-5759
STUDENT-LED ‘COLLAGE’ PUBLICATION BRINGS HOME SILVER, AGAIN
(MURFREESBORO) — “Collage: A Journal of Creative Expression,” MTSU’s student literary and arts publication, was awarded its second Silver Crown Award in two years at the annual College Media Convention.
The award ceremony, held March 16 in the Westside Ballroom of the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, honors outstanding college publications nationwide. Together, the fall 2006 and spring 2007 issues of “Collage'” received one of 31 awards out of 1,355 submissions.
Only 13 publications were awarded the highest honor, the Gold Crown, and 18 collegiate publications received the Silver Crown Award, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s second-highest award. “Collage'” adviser Marsha Powers and the editor of the fall 2006 issue, Travesty Vasquez-Terry, accepted the award. Talia Cunetto was editor of the spring 2007 issue.
“As editor of the fall 2006 edition of ‘Collage,’ I experienced so many emotions and successes, but none compare to the gratification of knowing that all the hard work, hours of dedication, and sleepless nights all count for something, and that someone thinks that all of that work is worthy of an award as prestigious as the Silver Crown Award,” Vasquez-Terry said.
The award ceremony was held by the CSPA, an international press organization founded by Columbia University in 1925. The CSPA unites student journalists and faculty advisers through award programs, educational conferences, textbooks and idea exchanges.
“We are extremely pleased and proud of our staff and faculty, and especially our many fine students who have contributed to the success of ‘Collage,’” said Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the University Honors College. “It is a labor of love, and to be counted among the nation's finest literary and arts magazines is truly an honor.”
While “Collage'” is a publication of the Honors College, its content represents the student body as a whole, and all MTSU students are encouraged to submit their creative works to the biannual publication.
###
Brett McIntosh, a senior majoring in journalism (newspaper/magazine concentration), wrote this story. He also is prose editor for the spring 2008 "Collage.''
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Collage/Honors College contact: Marsha Powers, 615-898-5759
STUDENT-LED ‘COLLAGE’ PUBLICATION BRINGS HOME SILVER, AGAIN
(MURFREESBORO) — “Collage: A Journal of Creative Expression,” MTSU’s student literary and arts publication, was awarded its second Silver Crown Award in two years at the annual College Media Convention.
The award ceremony, held March 16 in the Westside Ballroom of the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, honors outstanding college publications nationwide. Together, the fall 2006 and spring 2007 issues of “Collage'” received one of 31 awards out of 1,355 submissions.
Only 13 publications were awarded the highest honor, the Gold Crown, and 18 collegiate publications received the Silver Crown Award, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s second-highest award. “Collage'” adviser Marsha Powers and the editor of the fall 2006 issue, Travesty Vasquez-Terry, accepted the award. Talia Cunetto was editor of the spring 2007 issue.
“As editor of the fall 2006 edition of ‘Collage,’ I experienced so many emotions and successes, but none compare to the gratification of knowing that all the hard work, hours of dedication, and sleepless nights all count for something, and that someone thinks that all of that work is worthy of an award as prestigious as the Silver Crown Award,” Vasquez-Terry said.
The award ceremony was held by the CSPA, an international press organization founded by Columbia University in 1925. The CSPA unites student journalists and faculty advisers through award programs, educational conferences, textbooks and idea exchanges.
“We are extremely pleased and proud of our staff and faculty, and especially our many fine students who have contributed to the success of ‘Collage,’” said Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the University Honors College. “It is a labor of love, and to be counted among the nation's finest literary and arts magazines is truly an honor.”
While “Collage'” is a publication of the Honors College, its content represents the student body as a whole, and all MTSU students are encouraged to submit their creative works to the biannual publication.
###
Brett McIntosh, a senior majoring in journalism (newspaper/magazine concentration), wrote this story. He also is prose editor for the spring 2008 "Collage.''
[417]MTSU SENIOR GIFT PROGRAM NEARS $10,000 GOAL
Release date: April 22, 2008
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU Office of Development contact: Meredith Edington, 615-898-2728
MTSU SENIOR GIFT PROGRAM NEARS $10,000 GOAL
(MURFREESBORO) — Entering the spring semester, efforts to reach the $10,000 goal for the Senior Gift Program stood just $2,000 shy of achieving the mark, said Meredith Edington, coordinator of annual giving for the MTSU Office of Development.
“Our goal is to get $10,000 so we can endow it and every year give up to a $1,000 scholarship,” Edington said. The program began in 2005.
“The overall purpose of the Senior Gift Program is to raise funds for the Foundation Graduate Scholarship, which is awarded (each fall) to a student who is attending graduate school at MTSU,” Edington added.
“As an incentive to give to the Senior Gift Program, graduating seniors receive a unique lapel pin to wear on their graduation gown and will be recognized by President (Sidney A.) McPhee during the graduation ceremony,” she said. “Seniors who give to this incentive also will be given top consideration if applying for the Foundation Graduate Scholarship in the future.”
Edington added that the Senior Gift Program is important for graduating seniors “because it is a way for them to leave their legacy and start giving back to the university.”
For more information, contact Edington at edington@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2728.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU Office of Development contact: Meredith Edington, 615-898-2728
MTSU SENIOR GIFT PROGRAM NEARS $10,000 GOAL
(MURFREESBORO) — Entering the spring semester, efforts to reach the $10,000 goal for the Senior Gift Program stood just $2,000 shy of achieving the mark, said Meredith Edington, coordinator of annual giving for the MTSU Office of Development.
“Our goal is to get $10,000 so we can endow it and every year give up to a $1,000 scholarship,” Edington said. The program began in 2005.
“The overall purpose of the Senior Gift Program is to raise funds for the Foundation Graduate Scholarship, which is awarded (each fall) to a student who is attending graduate school at MTSU,” Edington added.
“As an incentive to give to the Senior Gift Program, graduating seniors receive a unique lapel pin to wear on their graduation gown and will be recognized by President (Sidney A.) McPhee during the graduation ceremony,” she said. “Seniors who give to this incentive also will be given top consideration if applying for the Foundation Graduate Scholarship in the future.”
Edington added that the Senior Gift Program is important for graduating seniors “because it is a way for them to leave their legacy and start giving back to the university.”
For more information, contact Edington at edington@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2728.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
[415]MTSU’s Center for Health & Human Services Receives Funding from March of Dimes
Release date: April 21, 2008
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Center for Health and Human Services contact: Carol Smith, 615-904-8342
MTSU’s Center for Health & Human Services Receives Funding from March of Dimes for Two Educational Programs
(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Center for Health & Human Services has received $23,500 from the March of Dimes Tennessee Chapter Community Grants Program for two projects focused on folic acid and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome education.
“Good Health Looks Good: Folic Acid Every Day” is a program that targets adolescent girls through Girl Scouts, 4-H, and other community-based organizations, a March of Dimes official said. The program teaches young women about the importance of folic acid and the role folic acid plays in the prevention of birth defects.
Project goals include increasing the number of girls who are aware of the need for folic acid and who take a daily folic acid supplement.
This is the second year the March of Dimes has provided funding the program. The SIDS portion of the grant was a check for $16,135. The March of Dimes provided $7,365 with the second grant.
The MTSU center is providing education to approximately 600 girls. For 2008-09, the center hopes to reach an additional 200 Girl Scouts in Middle Tennessee. The center partners with the Tennessee Folic Acid Council and the Tennessee Department of Health on this initiative.
The SIDS project is being funded for the first time and will provide SIDS risk reduction education to Rutherford County parents who use health department services and day care providers who work in low income areas of the county.
Rutherford County has the fourth highest rate of SIDS deaths in the state, after Shelby, Davidson, and Hamilton counties. This program will focus on teaching parents and day care providers how to reduce a baby’s risk for SIDS by following five simple steps:
· place babies on their backs to sleep;
· place babies to sleep on firm surfaces away from soft bedding, pillows or toys;
· never smoke around babies;
· keep babies at a comfortable temperature; do not let them get overheated;
· Babies should sleep in their own crib or bassinet and should not co-sleep with parents or older siblings.
For more information on MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services and the folic acid and SIDS education programs, contact Carol Smith at 615-904-8342 or e-mail her at csmith@mtsu.edu.
The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. The March of Dimes celebrates those babies born healthy, honors those who have passed and fights for solutions for those born prematurely or with birth defects. To honor and celebrate the babies and children who have touched your life, consider creating a FAMILY TEAM to help remind everyone of the urgency of the mission of the March of Dimes. For more information, please contact Tamara Currin at 615-399-3200. The Murfreesboro March for Babies will be held on Sunday, April 27, beginning at 1 p.m. at MTSU’s soccer field.
###
PHOTO CAPTION
Tamara Currin, left, associate director of program services for March of Dimes, presents a check for $16,135 for the SIDS education grant to Carol Smith of MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services. The March of Dimes also contributed $7,365 for a second grant.
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Center for Health and Human Services contact: Carol Smith, 615-904-8342
MTSU’s Center for Health & Human Services Receives Funding from March of Dimes for Two Educational Programs
(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Center for Health & Human Services has received $23,500 from the March of Dimes Tennessee Chapter Community Grants Program for two projects focused on folic acid and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome education.
“Good Health Looks Good: Folic Acid Every Day” is a program that targets adolescent girls through Girl Scouts, 4-H, and other community-based organizations, a March of Dimes official said. The program teaches young women about the importance of folic acid and the role folic acid plays in the prevention of birth defects.
Project goals include increasing the number of girls who are aware of the need for folic acid and who take a daily folic acid supplement.
This is the second year the March of Dimes has provided funding the program. The SIDS portion of the grant was a check for $16,135. The March of Dimes provided $7,365 with the second grant.
The MTSU center is providing education to approximately 600 girls. For 2008-09, the center hopes to reach an additional 200 Girl Scouts in Middle Tennessee. The center partners with the Tennessee Folic Acid Council and the Tennessee Department of Health on this initiative.
The SIDS project is being funded for the first time and will provide SIDS risk reduction education to Rutherford County parents who use health department services and day care providers who work in low income areas of the county.
Rutherford County has the fourth highest rate of SIDS deaths in the state, after Shelby, Davidson, and Hamilton counties. This program will focus on teaching parents and day care providers how to reduce a baby’s risk for SIDS by following five simple steps:
· place babies on their backs to sleep;
· place babies to sleep on firm surfaces away from soft bedding, pillows or toys;
· never smoke around babies;
· keep babies at a comfortable temperature; do not let them get overheated;
· Babies should sleep in their own crib or bassinet and should not co-sleep with parents or older siblings.
For more information on MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services and the folic acid and SIDS education programs, contact Carol Smith at 615-904-8342 or e-mail her at csmith@mtsu.edu.
The mission of the March of Dimes is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. The March of Dimes celebrates those babies born healthy, honors those who have passed and fights for solutions for those born prematurely or with birth defects. To honor and celebrate the babies and children who have touched your life, consider creating a FAMILY TEAM to help remind everyone of the urgency of the mission of the March of Dimes. For more information, please contact Tamara Currin at 615-399-3200. The Murfreesboro March for Babies will be held on Sunday, April 27, beginning at 1 p.m. at MTSU’s soccer field.
###
PHOTO CAPTION
Tamara Currin, left, associate director of program services for March of Dimes, presents a check for $16,135 for the SIDS education grant to Carol Smith of MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services. The March of Dimes also contributed $7,365 for a second grant.
[414]MTSU ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY PLANS APRIL 24 OPEN HOUSE
Release date: April 21, 2008
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
ETIS contact: Elizabeth Lamb, 615-898-2776
MTSU ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY PLANS APRIL 24 OPEN HOUSE
(MURFREESBORO) — You can learn more about LEGO Robotics, solar boats, space elevators, a “guitar gizmo” and more during the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies open house.
It will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in Alumni Memorial Gym and is open to the campus community and public, said Elizabeth Lamb, an ETIS secretary.
ETIS student projects and faculty inventions also will include friction stir welding, hydrogen fuel cells, granular separation, truck crane strength analysis and miscellaneous senior projects.
Those attending the open house will see student and faculty poster presentations and learn about current research projects, organizers said.
“The presentations at the open house represent the diversity and advanced technology residing in the Department of Engineering Technology,” said Dr. Walter Boles, the department chair. “Presentations represent projects that involve faculty research, industry collaborations, national student competitions and entrepreneurial activities. We invite the campus community to come and see our award-winning student vehicles, learn about alternative fuels and interact with students, faculty and industry partners.”
For more information, call 615-898-2776.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
ETIS contact: Elizabeth Lamb, 615-898-2776
MTSU ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY PLANS APRIL 24 OPEN HOUSE
(MURFREESBORO) — You can learn more about LEGO Robotics, solar boats, space elevators, a “guitar gizmo” and more during the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Studies open house.
It will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 24, in Alumni Memorial Gym and is open to the campus community and public, said Elizabeth Lamb, an ETIS secretary.
ETIS student projects and faculty inventions also will include friction stir welding, hydrogen fuel cells, granular separation, truck crane strength analysis and miscellaneous senior projects.
Those attending the open house will see student and faculty poster presentations and learn about current research projects, organizers said.
“The presentations at the open house represent the diversity and advanced technology residing in the Department of Engineering Technology,” said Dr. Walter Boles, the department chair. “Presentations represent projects that involve faculty research, industry collaborations, national student competitions and entrepreneurial activities. We invite the campus community to come and see our award-winning student vehicles, learn about alternative fuels and interact with students, faculty and industry partners.”
For more information, call 615-898-2776.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
[412]10 SENIORS WHO HAVE OVERCOME OBSTACLES EARN SCHOLARSHIPS AT MTSU
Release date: April 21, 2008
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
10 SENIORS WHO HAVE OVERCOME OBSTACLES EARN SCHOLARSHIPS AT MTSU
(MURFREESBORO) — Ten Middle Tennessee high-school seniors who have overcome hardships and tragedy and then find success in life will be saluted Tuesday, April 22, during the 10th annual Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU Awards Banquet.
The invitation-only event will start at 6 p.m. in the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
The students were nominated by their schools and school systems, and have endured tough times. Despite their situations, each has excelled in the classroom and on college entrance examinations, and exhibited leadership in and out of school.
Scholarships provided through the Neill-Sandler Foundation and The Danner Company, a Nashville-based business led by Ray Danner, will go to deserving students from the Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Rutherford, Warren, Williamson and Wilson county school systems, and Tullahoma City Schools.
This year’s Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU will include Lacey Parchman of DeKalb County High School; Courtney Ashburn of Huntland High School in Franklin County; Kristen Bay of Lebanon High School; Amy Elizabeth Hutton of Warren County High School; Macie Mayberry of Tullahoma High School; Mistee Harris of Riverdale High School in Rutherford County; Ashley Ramsey of Cannon County High School; Matthew Bain of Cascade High School; Kenneth James Trader of Brentwood High School; and Bridget Snell of Coffee County Central High School.
One scholarship winner will receive the $10,000 Ray and Judy Danner Scholarship. Another will receive the $7,500 Elizabeth and Sidney McPhee Scholarship. Each of the other eight winners will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
Kippy Todd, assistant director for annual giving and donor relations in the Office of Development, said 95 recipients have benefited from the scholarships since 1999. An annual golf tournament, usually held the first Wednesday in October, helps raise scholarship funds.
For more information, visit mtsu.edu/~devofc/neill-sandler.htm.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
10 SENIORS WHO HAVE OVERCOME OBSTACLES EARN SCHOLARSHIPS AT MTSU
(MURFREESBORO) — Ten Middle Tennessee high-school seniors who have overcome hardships and tragedy and then find success in life will be saluted Tuesday, April 22, during the 10th annual Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU Awards Banquet.
The invitation-only event will start at 6 p.m. in the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
The students were nominated by their schools and school systems, and have endured tough times. Despite their situations, each has excelled in the classroom and on college entrance examinations, and exhibited leadership in and out of school.
Scholarships provided through the Neill-Sandler Foundation and The Danner Company, a Nashville-based business led by Ray Danner, will go to deserving students from the Bedford, Cannon, Coffee, DeKalb, Franklin, Rutherford, Warren, Williamson and Wilson county school systems, and Tullahoma City Schools.
This year’s Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU will include Lacey Parchman of DeKalb County High School; Courtney Ashburn of Huntland High School in Franklin County; Kristen Bay of Lebanon High School; Amy Elizabeth Hutton of Warren County High School; Macie Mayberry of Tullahoma High School; Mistee Harris of Riverdale High School in Rutherford County; Ashley Ramsey of Cannon County High School; Matthew Bain of Cascade High School; Kenneth James Trader of Brentwood High School; and Bridget Snell of Coffee County Central High School.
One scholarship winner will receive the $10,000 Ray and Judy Danner Scholarship. Another will receive the $7,500 Elizabeth and Sidney McPhee Scholarship. Each of the other eight winners will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
Kippy Todd, assistant director for annual giving and donor relations in the Office of Development, said 95 recipients have benefited from the scholarships since 1999. An annual golf tournament, usually held the first Wednesday in October, helps raise scholarship funds.
For more information, visit mtsu.edu/~devofc/neill-sandler.htm.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Friday, April 18, 2008
[405]Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU Awards Event April 22 in Kennon Sports Hall of Fame
Release date: April 18, 2008 News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU contact: Kippy Todd, 615-898-5756
*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***
Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU Awards Event April 22in Kennon Sports Hall of Fame
(MURFREESBORO) — Ten special high-school seniors who have endured and overcome life’s hardships will be recognized Tuesday, April 22, when they will receive Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU awards. The event will start at 6 p.m. in the Emmett and Rose Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
Eight recipients will earn a $5,000 scholarship. One recipient will be awarded the $10,000 Ray and Judy Danner Scholarship; the $7,500 Sidney and Elizabeth McPhee Scholarship will be awarded to a second recipient.
This year's Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU will include Lacey Parchman of DeKalb County High School in Smithville; Courtney Ashburn of Huntland High School in Franklin County; Kristen Bay of Lebanon High School; Amy Elizabeth Hutton of Warren County High School in McMinnville; Macie Mayberry of Tullahoma High School; Mistee Harris of Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro; Ashley Ramsey of Cannon County High School in Woodbury; Matthew Bain of Cascade High School in Wartrace; Kenneth James Trader of Brentwood High School; and Bridget Snell of Coffee County Central High School.
Obstacles they have overcome include: deaths of parents, a brother or a friend; health problems; learning disabilities; family separations and more.
*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***
Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU Awards Event April 22in Kennon Sports Hall of Fame
(MURFREESBORO) — Ten special high-school seniors who have endured and overcome life’s hardships will be recognized Tuesday, April 22, when they will receive Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU awards. The event will start at 6 p.m. in the Emmett and Rose Kennon Sports Hall of Fame.
Eight recipients will earn a $5,000 scholarship. One recipient will be awarded the $10,000 Ray and Judy Danner Scholarship; the $7,500 Sidney and Elizabeth McPhee Scholarship will be awarded to a second recipient.
This year's Neill-Sandler Scholars at MTSU will include Lacey Parchman of DeKalb County High School in Smithville; Courtney Ashburn of Huntland High School in Franklin County; Kristen Bay of Lebanon High School; Amy Elizabeth Hutton of Warren County High School in McMinnville; Macie Mayberry of Tullahoma High School; Mistee Harris of Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro; Ashley Ramsey of Cannon County High School in Woodbury; Matthew Bain of Cascade High School in Wartrace; Kenneth James Trader of Brentwood High School; and Bridget Snell of Coffee County Central High School.
Obstacles they have overcome include: deaths of parents, a brother or a friend; health problems; learning disabilities; family separations and more.
[404]LOCAL ENTITIES PARTNER TO CREATE CIVIL WAR BOOK/DISCUSSION GROUP
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2008
CONTACT: Stacey Graham, Heritage Center, 615-217-8013
LOCAL ENTITIES PARTNER TO CREATE CIVIL WAR BOOK/DISCUSSION GROUP
‘Between the Lines’ Group Set to Meet Thursdays in June &in January ‘09
(MURFREESBORO)—The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area has partnered with Linebaugh Library and the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County to begin a Civil War book discussion group series that will focus on literature and biography.
“Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War” is the name of the new group, which will meet twice a year, in June and January, said Dr. Stacey Graham of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation.
During June, the group will meet at 7 o’clock Thursday evenings at the Heritage Center, 225 West College St., in Murfreesboro.
“June’s book discussion group will take an in-depth look at Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain, a bestseller published in 1997, with each week focusing on a different theme related to the book,” Graham said.
The group’s discussion schedule is as follows: June 5: Wartime Loyalty/Desertion; June 12: Women and the Home Front; June 19: Death, Destruction and Violence; and June 26: Memory and Literature.
For more information on “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War,” which is free to those who wish to participate, please call 615-217-8013 or e-mail Graham at sgraham@mtsu.edu.
—30—
CONTACT: Stacey Graham, Heritage Center, 615-217-8013
LOCAL ENTITIES PARTNER TO CREATE CIVIL WAR BOOK/DISCUSSION GROUP
‘Between the Lines’ Group Set to Meet Thursdays in June &in January ‘09
(MURFREESBORO)—The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area has partnered with Linebaugh Library and the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County to begin a Civil War book discussion group series that will focus on literature and biography.
“Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War” is the name of the new group, which will meet twice a year, in June and January, said Dr. Stacey Graham of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation.
During June, the group will meet at 7 o’clock Thursday evenings at the Heritage Center, 225 West College St., in Murfreesboro.
“June’s book discussion group will take an in-depth look at Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain, a bestseller published in 1997, with each week focusing on a different theme related to the book,” Graham said.
The group’s discussion schedule is as follows: June 5: Wartime Loyalty/Desertion; June 12: Women and the Home Front; June 19: Death, Destruction and Violence; and June 26: Memory and Literature.
For more information on “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War,” which is free to those who wish to participate, please call 615-217-8013 or e-mail Graham at sgraham@mtsu.edu.
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[403]RUTHERFORD COUNTY’S LOG HOMES FOCUS OF FREE MAY 28 LECTURE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2008
CONTACT: Stacey Graham, Center at 615-217-8013
RUTHERFORD COUNTY’S LOG HOMES FOCUS OF FREE MAY 28 LECTURE
Preservation Specialist Gavin Delivers 2nd Talk of 4-Part Series; Encore Set for June 4
(MURFREESBORO)—The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area will present the second lecture in their series of public programs at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the center.
MTSU’s Michael T. Gavin, a preservation specialist, will discuss the history and architecture of log buildings in a lecture titled “Log Houses of Rutherford County.”
Dr. Stacey Graham of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation said those who cannot attend the May 29 lecture are encouraged to bring a sack lunch to a June 4 encore presentation beginning at noon. Both presentations are free and open to the public.
Author of the popular Restoration Guide for Historic Log Houses, Gavin is a recognized authority on historic log architecture in Tennessee, with 30 years of experience in log construction and restoration.
“Log buildings are familiar symbols of our pioneer past,” Gavin said, “and a dwindling number still remain on the landscape.”
Gavin also recently penned a free driving-tour brochure, A Traveler’s Guide to Rutherford County’s Log Architecture, which contains a concise explanation of the origin and evolution of log buildings, accompanied by a brief driving tour of log homes across the county.
The May 29 lecture is the second of four talks in a Community Heritage Lecture Series held at the Heritage Center and sponsored by the Heritage Area, which is a partnership unit of the National Park Service and administered by the CHP at MTSU.
The next two presentations in the Community Heritage Lecture Series will take place in the fall, Graham said
Located just off the historic Murfreesboro Square at 225 West College St., the center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, Monday through Friday. Free group tours and tours of the town square may be arranged in advance by calling 615-217-8013.
The Heritage Center is a joint venture between the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Main Street: Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, the City of Murfreesboro and the CHP. Additional support comes from the Rutherford County Government and State Farm Insurance.
For more information on the Community Heritage Lecture Series, please call the Heritage Center at 615-217-8013 or send an e-mail to Graham at sgraham@mtsu.edu.
—30—
CONTACT: Stacey Graham, Center at 615-217-8013
RUTHERFORD COUNTY’S LOG HOMES FOCUS OF FREE MAY 28 LECTURE
Preservation Specialist Gavin Delivers 2nd Talk of 4-Part Series; Encore Set for June 4
(MURFREESBORO)—The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area will present the second lecture in their series of public programs at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 29, at the center.
MTSU’s Michael T. Gavin, a preservation specialist, will discuss the history and architecture of log buildings in a lecture titled “Log Houses of Rutherford County.”
Dr. Stacey Graham of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation said those who cannot attend the May 29 lecture are encouraged to bring a sack lunch to a June 4 encore presentation beginning at noon. Both presentations are free and open to the public.
Author of the popular Restoration Guide for Historic Log Houses, Gavin is a recognized authority on historic log architecture in Tennessee, with 30 years of experience in log construction and restoration.
“Log buildings are familiar symbols of our pioneer past,” Gavin said, “and a dwindling number still remain on the landscape.”
Gavin also recently penned a free driving-tour brochure, A Traveler’s Guide to Rutherford County’s Log Architecture, which contains a concise explanation of the origin and evolution of log buildings, accompanied by a brief driving tour of log homes across the county.
The May 29 lecture is the second of four talks in a Community Heritage Lecture Series held at the Heritage Center and sponsored by the Heritage Area, which is a partnership unit of the National Park Service and administered by the CHP at MTSU.
The next two presentations in the Community Heritage Lecture Series will take place in the fall, Graham said
Located just off the historic Murfreesboro Square at 225 West College St., the center is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, Monday through Friday. Free group tours and tours of the town square may be arranged in advance by calling 615-217-8013.
The Heritage Center is a joint venture between the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Main Street: Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, the City of Murfreesboro and the CHP. Additional support comes from the Rutherford County Government and State Farm Insurance.
For more information on the Community Heritage Lecture Series, please call the Heritage Center at 615-217-8013 or send an e-mail to Graham at sgraham@mtsu.edu.
—30—
[402]“PAPER REWIND” CREATURES TO INHABIT LIBRARY THROUGH MAY 7
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 18, 2008EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
“PAPER REWIND” CREATURES TO INHABIT LIBRARY THROUGH MAY 7
Ecology Emphasized Through Art as Students Embark on End-of-Semester Studying
(MURFREESBORO) – The James E. Walker Library and the MTSU Department of Art are joining forces again this year to raise student awareness of paper usage through an imaginative project that will be on display in the waning days of the spring semester. The “Paper Rewind” project will be installed at the library from 12:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, April 21, one day prior to the international celebration of Earth Day on April 22, and will remain in place through Wednesday, May 7. While students are studying for final exams and preparing research papers, they will be surrounded by paper animals, trees and people created by Professor Thomas Sturgill’s 3D design classes. In fact, students might find themselves sitting next to a paper person or look up to see a paper person sailing a paper airplane off the fourth floor balcony. Some of the paper creations will be recycling bins suitable for the collection of recyclable paper and suitable for disposal at the recycling site in their entirety. Each silhouette creation will guide students to a Web site that contains information about the amount of paper that is printed at the library. For example: The paper consumed by the library represents the equivalent of more than 700 trees;
All the used paper stretched end-to-end would extend for 1,100 miles;
If stacked, the paper would reach 2,100 feet into the air.
“Students are printing 6,500,000 copies a year from computer printers, and this art project is intended to raise awareness on the part of the students to conserve natural resources and think before they print,” says Bill Black, library professor in charge of administrative services. “Almost everything is a student design,” Sturgill says. “For the most part, it’s student-driven. The nice thing is it’s a foundations class. There are all different majors in it.” The collaborating student artists participating in the project are: Alicia Wilson, Allison Thomas, Ashleigh Mabry, Danielle Ross, Dwight Carter, Jenna Shapiro, Joe Depeder, Kim Dill, Lawrence Winston III, Michelle Pendergrass, Ryan Manous, Rich Adams, Robert Wilson, Rosemary Raford, Steve Hull, Mercedes Vinson, Arsany Sarofiem, Ben Harper, Brian Simpson, Christopher Beeson, Emily Roley, Eric Pavol, Kayla Shellman, Jen Reid, Leanne Grisham, Grant Eason, Rick Lemanski, Kyle Scudder, T.J. Smith and Yvan Joubay. The partnership between the library and the art department is coordinated by the Library External Relations Committee. For more information, go to http://www.paperrewind.com. For media interviews, contact Sturgill at 615-898-2460 or sturgill@mtsu.edu or Black at 615-898-8378 or wblack@mtsu.edu.
--30—
“PAPER REWIND” CREATURES TO INHABIT LIBRARY THROUGH MAY 7
Ecology Emphasized Through Art as Students Embark on End-of-Semester Studying
(MURFREESBORO) – The James E. Walker Library and the MTSU Department of Art are joining forces again this year to raise student awareness of paper usage through an imaginative project that will be on display in the waning days of the spring semester. The “Paper Rewind” project will be installed at the library from 12:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday, April 21, one day prior to the international celebration of Earth Day on April 22, and will remain in place through Wednesday, May 7. While students are studying for final exams and preparing research papers, they will be surrounded by paper animals, trees and people created by Professor Thomas Sturgill’s 3D design classes. In fact, students might find themselves sitting next to a paper person or look up to see a paper person sailing a paper airplane off the fourth floor balcony. Some of the paper creations will be recycling bins suitable for the collection of recyclable paper and suitable for disposal at the recycling site in their entirety. Each silhouette creation will guide students to a Web site that contains information about the amount of paper that is printed at the library. For example: The paper consumed by the library represents the equivalent of more than 700 trees;
All the used paper stretched end-to-end would extend for 1,100 miles;
If stacked, the paper would reach 2,100 feet into the air.
“Students are printing 6,500,000 copies a year from computer printers, and this art project is intended to raise awareness on the part of the students to conserve natural resources and think before they print,” says Bill Black, library professor in charge of administrative services. “Almost everything is a student design,” Sturgill says. “For the most part, it’s student-driven. The nice thing is it’s a foundations class. There are all different majors in it.” The collaborating student artists participating in the project are: Alicia Wilson, Allison Thomas, Ashleigh Mabry, Danielle Ross, Dwight Carter, Jenna Shapiro, Joe Depeder, Kim Dill, Lawrence Winston III, Michelle Pendergrass, Ryan Manous, Rich Adams, Robert Wilson, Rosemary Raford, Steve Hull, Mercedes Vinson, Arsany Sarofiem, Ben Harper, Brian Simpson, Christopher Beeson, Emily Roley, Eric Pavol, Kayla Shellman, Jen Reid, Leanne Grisham, Grant Eason, Rick Lemanski, Kyle Scudder, T.J. Smith and Yvan Joubay. The partnership between the library and the art department is coordinated by the Library External Relations Committee. For more information, go to http://www.paperrewind.com. For media interviews, contact Sturgill at 615-898-2460 or sturgill@mtsu.edu or Black at 615-898-8378 or wblack@mtsu.edu.
--30—
[400]OPENINGS REMAIN FOR SATURDAY’S MTSU SPRING PREVIEW DAY
Release date: April 17, 2008
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Admissions contact: J. Christopher Fleming, 615-898-2237
OPENINGS REMAIN FOR SATURDAY’S MTSU SPRING PREVIEW DAY
(MURFREESBORO) — Students and their parents or guardians interested in attending MTSU’s Spring Preview Day Saturday, April 19, should call 615-898-5670 to register, a representative from the Office of Admissions said Thursday.
Plenty of openings remain for the visit, which will begin at 10 a.m. in the Cope Administration Building Lobby. People can arrive as early as 9:30, and there is ample parking nearby.
The preview day will include a 1½-hour tour, a separate housing tour and academic open house that will be in the John Bragg Mass Communication building. A carnival of food and beverages (soft drinks and water) will be held in Walnut Grove at the end of the participants’ tours.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Admissions contact: J. Christopher Fleming, 615-898-2237
OPENINGS REMAIN FOR SATURDAY’S MTSU SPRING PREVIEW DAY
(MURFREESBORO) — Students and their parents or guardians interested in attending MTSU’s Spring Preview Day Saturday, April 19, should call 615-898-5670 to register, a representative from the Office of Admissions said Thursday.
Plenty of openings remain for the visit, which will begin at 10 a.m. in the Cope Administration Building Lobby. People can arrive as early as 9:30, and there is ample parking nearby.
The preview day will include a 1½-hour tour, a separate housing tour and academic open house that will be in the John Bragg Mass Communication building. A carnival of food and beverages (soft drinks and water) will be held in Walnut Grove at the end of the participants’ tours.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
[399]MTSU TO HONOR MASS COMMUNICATION ALUMNI, STUDENTS APRIL 23
MTSU TO HONOR MASS COMMUNICATION ALUMNI, STUDENTS APRIL 23
Ceremonies to Feature Additions to College’s ‘Wall of Fame’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa McCann, 615-898-5171 or lmccann@mtsu.edu
(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU College of Mass Communication will conduct its 15th Annual Student Awards and eighth Annual Wall of Fame Awards ceremonies on Wednesday, April 23, at 3 p.m. in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building.
Scheduled to be inducted into the college’s Wall of Fame for 2008 are:
• James Stevens, founder and CEO of James Stevens Creative;
• Mark Blakeman, vice president of orchestra and building operations and general manager of the Nashville Symphony; and
• Sgt. Maj. Phillip R. Prater, Army Public Affairs.
The event honors and recognizes mass communication alumni who have distinguished themselves in the professional world through their accomplishments, as well as juniors, seniors and graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence in their respective areas of study.
During the event, the Office of the Dean also honors a Friend of the College. This is a person who has supported the mission of the college through activities that include but are not limited to securing gifts for the college. This years’ nominee is Debbie Turner, president and general manager of the News Channel 5 Network.
One of the largest programs in the nation, the MTSU College of Mass Communication offers degree concentrations in 14 major areas—ranging from journalism to digital media and media management to recording industry management—and is accredited by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
For more information about the awards ceremonies, contact Lisa McCann at 615-898-5171 or lmccann@mtsu.edu.
-------
IN BRIEF:
The MTSU College of Mass Communication will conduct its 15th Annual Student Awards and eighth Annual Wall of Fame Awards ceremonies on Wednesday, April 23, at 3 p.m. in the university’s John Bragg Mass Communication Building. Scheduled to be inducted into the college’s Wall of Fame for 2008 are James Stevens, founder and CEO of James Stevens Creative; Mark Blakeman, vice-president of orchestra and building operations and general manager of the Nashville Symphony; and Sgt. Maj. Phillip R. Prater, Army Public Affairs. For more information about the awards ceremonies, contact Lisa McCann at 615-898-5171 or lmccann@mtsu.edu.
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
Ceremonies to Feature Additions to College’s ‘Wall of Fame’
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa McCann, 615-898-5171 or lmccann@mtsu.edu
(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU College of Mass Communication will conduct its 15th Annual Student Awards and eighth Annual Wall of Fame Awards ceremonies on Wednesday, April 23, at 3 p.m. in the John Bragg Mass Communication Building.
Scheduled to be inducted into the college’s Wall of Fame for 2008 are:
• James Stevens, founder and CEO of James Stevens Creative;
• Mark Blakeman, vice president of orchestra and building operations and general manager of the Nashville Symphony; and
• Sgt. Maj. Phillip R. Prater, Army Public Affairs.
The event honors and recognizes mass communication alumni who have distinguished themselves in the professional world through their accomplishments, as well as juniors, seniors and graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence in their respective areas of study.
During the event, the Office of the Dean also honors a Friend of the College. This is a person who has supported the mission of the college through activities that include but are not limited to securing gifts for the college. This years’ nominee is Debbie Turner, president and general manager of the News Channel 5 Network.
One of the largest programs in the nation, the MTSU College of Mass Communication offers degree concentrations in 14 major areas—ranging from journalism to digital media and media management to recording industry management—and is accredited by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
For more information about the awards ceremonies, contact Lisa McCann at 615-898-5171 or lmccann@mtsu.edu.
-------
IN BRIEF:
The MTSU College of Mass Communication will conduct its 15th Annual Student Awards and eighth Annual Wall of Fame Awards ceremonies on Wednesday, April 23, at 3 p.m. in the university’s John Bragg Mass Communication Building. Scheduled to be inducted into the college’s Wall of Fame for 2008 are James Stevens, founder and CEO of James Stevens Creative; Mark Blakeman, vice-president of orchestra and building operations and general manager of the Nashville Symphony; and Sgt. Maj. Phillip R. Prater, Army Public Affairs. For more information about the awards ceremonies, contact Lisa McCann at 615-898-5171 or lmccann@mtsu.edu.
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
[398]EARTH DAY 2008: MTSU GOES GREENER
EARTH DAY 2008: MTSU GOES GREENER
Students for Environmental Action Slate 2-Day Awareness Event April 22-23
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Carl Caum, SEA, 615-653-0887 or carl@cs.mtsu.edu
(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU's Students for Environmental Action will sponsor an Earth Day celebration on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23.
The festival will be held on campus on the knoll in front of the Keathley University Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day in an effort to bring the campus and community together in support of a common goal.
Earth Day events will kick off with a climate-commitment signing by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee shortly after noon April 22.
"The goal of the Campus Climate Commitment is to ensure MTSU's continued success in the fight against global warming and other environmental issues," said Carl Caum, an officer for SEA.
"It also guarantees the university will do everything reasonable to combat the problem by building more energy efficient buildings and purchasing more clean energy over time, with the goal to become carbon-neutral."
Activities on Tuesday will include an earth-friendly art show featuring artwork made of recycled materials, food from local vegetarian and vegan restaurants, live music from local bands and organic shopping made available by Origins Skincare and ThinkHappyStuff.com.
A "Green Dining" survey will be conducted on the Knoll to measure how many students are vegetarian/vegan, what they are looking for from campus dining and how concerned they are about how waste is handled.
A petition in support of the new Tennessee Bottle Bill will be available for students to sign. This bill would attach a redemption amount to almost all recyclable bottles, as well as call for reusable glass bottles.
SEA, Recycle Rutherford, the Murfreesboro Electric Department, People for a Better Tomorrow and MTSU Environmental Studies Department will have booths set up during the celebration.
Alternatively fueled vehicles will be displayed, including the Toyota Prius hybrid and concept hydrogen and electric cars. The city of Murfreesboro will have a bus from the Rover system there as well.
Also featured will be MTSU's waste-grease bus. The green fee paid with tuition was used to convert this bus to run on cooking grease from campus dining facilities.
The celebration will wrap up Wednesday at 6 p.m. with a presentation of the documentary "Kilowatt Ours" in the KUC Theater. A question-and-answer session with filmmaker Jeff Barrie will directly follow the documentary.
On Wednesday, SEA will hold a membership drive for any students interested in helping their cause.
"SEA's goal for this event is to raise awareness of environmental issues and show the significance of the problems we face," Caum said. "From air and water quality to water shortages to ocean acidification, they all present each and every one of us with a challenge to unite and solve them.
"We believe with proper education, the power of human reasoning and a little passion, we can do just that."
For more information about SEA's event plans, please visit the organization's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~sea. In case of rain, events will move inside the KUC.
-------
IN BRIEF:
MTSU's Students for Environmental Action will sponsor an Earth Day celebration on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23. The festival will be held on campus on the knoll in front of the Keathley University Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day in an effort to bring the campus and community together in support of a common goal. Earth Day events will kick off with a climate-commitment signing by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee shortly after noon April 22. Activities will include an earth-friendly art show, food from local vegetarian and vegan restaurants, live music from local bands and organic shopping. SEA, Recycle Rutherford, the Murfreesboro Electric Department, People for a Better Tomorrow and MTSU Environmental Studies Department will have booths set up during the celebration. For more information about SEA's event plans, please visit the organization's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~sea.
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Claire Rogers, a junior majoring in advertising/public relations at MTSU. We request your use of her byline if you use the release in its entirety.
Thanks!
Students for Environmental Action Slate 2-Day Awareness Event April 22-23
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Carl Caum, SEA, 615-653-0887 or carl@cs.mtsu.edu
(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU's Students for Environmental Action will sponsor an Earth Day celebration on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23.
The festival will be held on campus on the knoll in front of the Keathley University Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day in an effort to bring the campus and community together in support of a common goal.
Earth Day events will kick off with a climate-commitment signing by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee shortly after noon April 22.
"The goal of the Campus Climate Commitment is to ensure MTSU's continued success in the fight against global warming and other environmental issues," said Carl Caum, an officer for SEA.
"It also guarantees the university will do everything reasonable to combat the problem by building more energy efficient buildings and purchasing more clean energy over time, with the goal to become carbon-neutral."
Activities on Tuesday will include an earth-friendly art show featuring artwork made of recycled materials, food from local vegetarian and vegan restaurants, live music from local bands and organic shopping made available by Origins Skincare and ThinkHappyStuff.com.
A "Green Dining" survey will be conducted on the Knoll to measure how many students are vegetarian/vegan, what they are looking for from campus dining and how concerned they are about how waste is handled.
A petition in support of the new Tennessee Bottle Bill will be available for students to sign. This bill would attach a redemption amount to almost all recyclable bottles, as well as call for reusable glass bottles.
SEA, Recycle Rutherford, the Murfreesboro Electric Department, People for a Better Tomorrow and MTSU Environmental Studies Department will have booths set up during the celebration.
Alternatively fueled vehicles will be displayed, including the Toyota Prius hybrid and concept hydrogen and electric cars. The city of Murfreesboro will have a bus from the Rover system there as well.
Also featured will be MTSU's waste-grease bus. The green fee paid with tuition was used to convert this bus to run on cooking grease from campus dining facilities.
The celebration will wrap up Wednesday at 6 p.m. with a presentation of the documentary "Kilowatt Ours" in the KUC Theater. A question-and-answer session with filmmaker Jeff Barrie will directly follow the documentary.
On Wednesday, SEA will hold a membership drive for any students interested in helping their cause.
"SEA's goal for this event is to raise awareness of environmental issues and show the significance of the problems we face," Caum said. "From air and water quality to water shortages to ocean acidification, they all present each and every one of us with a challenge to unite and solve them.
"We believe with proper education, the power of human reasoning and a little passion, we can do just that."
For more information about SEA's event plans, please visit the organization's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~sea. In case of rain, events will move inside the KUC.
-------
IN BRIEF:
MTSU's Students for Environmental Action will sponsor an Earth Day celebration on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23. The festival will be held on campus on the knoll in front of the Keathley University Center from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day in an effort to bring the campus and community together in support of a common goal. Earth Day events will kick off with a climate-commitment signing by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee shortly after noon April 22. Activities will include an earth-friendly art show, food from local vegetarian and vegan restaurants, live music from local bands and organic shopping. SEA, Recycle Rutherford, the Murfreesboro Electric Department, People for a Better Tomorrow and MTSU Environmental Studies Department will have booths set up during the celebration. For more information about SEA's event plans, please visit the organization's Web site at www.mtsu.edu/~sea.
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Claire Rogers, a junior majoring in advertising/public relations at MTSU. We request your use of her byline if you use the release in its entirety.
Thanks!
[397]DYNAMIC NEW ACADEMIC JOURNAL ISSUES FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 17, 2008EDITORIAL CONTACT: Dr. Colby Jubenville, 615-898-2909
DYNAMIC NEW ACADEMIC JOURNAL ISSUES FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS
Publication Facilitates Communication Between Sport Practitioners and Scholars
(MURFREESBORO) – The Journal of Sport Administration & Supervision (JSAS), a cutting-edge academic publication initiated at MTSU earlier this year, is issuing its first call for papers from scholars throughout the world. “We are pleased to open the submission process for authors to send their research for consideration and review,” says Dr. Colby Jubenville, associate professor of sport management and graduate program coordinator in the Department of Health and Human Performance. The journal’s most unique feature is its empowerment of sport practitioners, who will be allowed to review scholarly works, analyze research and determine whether it would be useful to them in the field. Jubenville says JSAS seeks to encourage the development of the scholarly sport practitioner, an individual working in sport management who focuses on ethics, innovation and research that is accessible to the public and the media, as well as the academic community. A major convenience of the Website, http://www.jsasonline.org, is its user-friendly online submission and review process. In only eight steps, a contributor can submit a manuscript and track it extensively. The publisher will assign Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to each article so that publishers may link up with an article with no concern that the link will expire over time. Jubenville says that JSAS will disseminate authors’ works aggressively through indexing and profiling in relevant data bases and publications, as well as through the mainstream media. Furthermore, authors whose writings are published in JSAS will retain the copyrights to their works. Potential topics for papers to be submitted to the journal could include (but would not be limited to) administration/organizational behavior, marketing, law, economics/finance, history, sociology, ethics, coaching, institutional interaction, secondary (high school) interaction, professional sport interaction, intra-departmental interaction, and media. Manuscripts focusing upon process improvement would be considered particularly important to the journal’s mission. For requirements for manuscripts or more information, contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909 or jubenvil@mtsu.edu.
--30--
DYNAMIC NEW ACADEMIC JOURNAL ISSUES FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS
Publication Facilitates Communication Between Sport Practitioners and Scholars
(MURFREESBORO) – The Journal of Sport Administration & Supervision (JSAS), a cutting-edge academic publication initiated at MTSU earlier this year, is issuing its first call for papers from scholars throughout the world. “We are pleased to open the submission process for authors to send their research for consideration and review,” says Dr. Colby Jubenville, associate professor of sport management and graduate program coordinator in the Department of Health and Human Performance. The journal’s most unique feature is its empowerment of sport practitioners, who will be allowed to review scholarly works, analyze research and determine whether it would be useful to them in the field. Jubenville says JSAS seeks to encourage the development of the scholarly sport practitioner, an individual working in sport management who focuses on ethics, innovation and research that is accessible to the public and the media, as well as the academic community. A major convenience of the Website, http://www.jsasonline.org, is its user-friendly online submission and review process. In only eight steps, a contributor can submit a manuscript and track it extensively. The publisher will assign Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to each article so that publishers may link up with an article with no concern that the link will expire over time. Jubenville says that JSAS will disseminate authors’ works aggressively through indexing and profiling in relevant data bases and publications, as well as through the mainstream media. Furthermore, authors whose writings are published in JSAS will retain the copyrights to their works. Potential topics for papers to be submitted to the journal could include (but would not be limited to) administration/organizational behavior, marketing, law, economics/finance, history, sociology, ethics, coaching, institutional interaction, secondary (high school) interaction, professional sport interaction, intra-departmental interaction, and media. Manuscripts focusing upon process improvement would be considered particularly important to the journal’s mission. For requirements for manuscripts or more information, contact Jubenville at 615-898-2909 or jubenvil@mtsu.edu.
--30--
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
[394]MTSU PRESENTS APRIL 20 OPERA GALA CONCERT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 14, 2008
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, (615) 898-2493
MTSU PRESENTS APRIL 20 OPERA GALA CONCERT
Free Concert Features Faculty Tenor H. Stephen Smith
(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU Symphony, Chamber Orchestra and Philharmonia, featuring MTSU faculty tenor, H. Stephen Smith, will present their season’s finale concert titled Opera Gala Concert at 4 p.m. April 20 in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
In addition to featuring Smith, the gala will feature MTSU voice majors Emily Kent (soprano) and Nathan Rodriquez (baritone) in opera arias by Puccini, Donizetti and Mozart and the famous duet from Bizet’s Pearl Fishers.
“These arias and the incomparable Pearl Fishers duet are some of the most magically beautiful moments ever written in opera,” said Carol Nies, music director of the MTSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestra.
MTSU music majors will also be featured as soloists with the Chamber Orchestra. Sean Donovan and Hannah Tilton will perform the Haydn Concerto for Two Horns and Evan Barker, the Larsson Viola Concertino. The Symphony will also perform Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and works by de Falla and Verdi.
Featured singer Smith has performed leading roles on numerous opera stages with artists such as Renée Fleming, June Anderson, Elisabeth Söderstrom, Hillevi Martinpelto, Katarina Dalayman, and Tom Krause, to name a few, and while residing in Stockholm, Sweden from 1989-98, studied privately with Nicolai Gedda.
Smith made his tenor debut with the Pittsburgh Opera Theater singing the role of Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madam Butterfly. Over the past several years he has performed numerous leading tenor roles with opera houses in Scandinavia as well as in Switzerland, Poland, Britain and Portugal. His operatic work in America includes his performing with opera companies in New Orleans, San Francisco, Houston, Mobile, Tulsa, Sacramento, Austin, Augusta, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Chattanooga, Norfolk, Shreveport, Columbus, Boston, Nashville and New York.
This concert is free and open to the public.
For more information on this and other events in the MTSU School of Music, please visit www.mtsumusic.com or call 615-898-4293.
—30—
ATTENTON, MEDIA: For a jpeg of H. Stephen Smith, please e-mail Tim Musselman at tmusselm@mtsu.edu.
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, (615) 898-2493
MTSU PRESENTS APRIL 20 OPERA GALA CONCERT
Free Concert Features Faculty Tenor H. Stephen Smith
(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU Symphony, Chamber Orchestra and Philharmonia, featuring MTSU faculty tenor, H. Stephen Smith, will present their season’s finale concert titled Opera Gala Concert at 4 p.m. April 20 in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
In addition to featuring Smith, the gala will feature MTSU voice majors Emily Kent (soprano) and Nathan Rodriquez (baritone) in opera arias by Puccini, Donizetti and Mozart and the famous duet from Bizet’s Pearl Fishers.
“These arias and the incomparable Pearl Fishers duet are some of the most magically beautiful moments ever written in opera,” said Carol Nies, music director of the MTSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestra.
MTSU music majors will also be featured as soloists with the Chamber Orchestra. Sean Donovan and Hannah Tilton will perform the Haydn Concerto for Two Horns and Evan Barker, the Larsson Viola Concertino. The Symphony will also perform Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet and works by de Falla and Verdi.
Featured singer Smith has performed leading roles on numerous opera stages with artists such as Renée Fleming, June Anderson, Elisabeth Söderstrom, Hillevi Martinpelto, Katarina Dalayman, and Tom Krause, to name a few, and while residing in Stockholm, Sweden from 1989-98, studied privately with Nicolai Gedda.
Smith made his tenor debut with the Pittsburgh Opera Theater singing the role of Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madam Butterfly. Over the past several years he has performed numerous leading tenor roles with opera houses in Scandinavia as well as in Switzerland, Poland, Britain and Portugal. His operatic work in America includes his performing with opera companies in New Orleans, San Francisco, Houston, Mobile, Tulsa, Sacramento, Austin, Augusta, Jacksonville, Sarasota, Chattanooga, Norfolk, Shreveport, Columbus, Boston, Nashville and New York.
This concert is free and open to the public.
For more information on this and other events in the MTSU School of Music, please visit www.mtsumusic.com or call 615-898-4293.
—30—
ATTENTON, MEDIA: For a jpeg of H. Stephen Smith, please e-mail Tim Musselman at tmusselm@mtsu.edu.
[393]PROGRAM RECOGNIZES ROBERTSON COUNTY FARM FOR AG. CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
PROGRAM RECOGNIZES ROBERTSON COUNTY FARM FOR AG. CONTRIBUTIONS
Clinard Farm Becomes County’s Newest Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO)—The Clinard Farm in Robertson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Between 1819 and 1830, Joseph Clinard received several four Tennessee land grants and through other acquisitions, he eventually obtained 500 acres. He and his wife, Sarah “Sally,” had six children: Joseph Washington, Sanford, Brown C., Matilda, Elizabeth and Wiley. The family raised cattle, sheep, horses and chickens along with corn and wheat. Over the years, Joseph sold portions of his acreage to his sons, Brown, Sanford and Wiley and each one established homesteads. Joseph’s oldest son, Washington, also purchased a large tract of land in the same vicinity and his daughters married local farmers in the community.
In addition to obtaining 99 acres from his father in 1845, Brown C. Clinard purchased additional acreage and eventually accumulated around 300 acres of land. His first wife was Nancy Paralee Rawls and they were the parents of Benjamin Boyd and Nancy Evaline. In 1861, Brown joined the 30th Tennessee Infantry Regiment of the Confederate States of America. During the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862, Brown was captured and sent to Camp Butler, a Union prison in Springfield, Ill., where he died on March 30, 1862.
In 1865, Brown’s estate was dispersed to his second wife and widow, Eliza, and to his son and daughter from his first marriage. Benjamin wed Sallie Wilkinson in 1879 and they had five children. Benjamin built a farmhouse, a large livestock barn and a corncrib. Cattle, horses, mules, swine and chickens were raised by the Clinards, who also grew corn, wheat, sorghum and tobacco.
In 1919, Benjamin died and his farm was inherited by his four surviving children, Paul, Garland, Jones and Jessie Lee. Paul Clinard inherited the portion of the farm with the house, livestock barn and farm outbuildings. Paul married Floyce, but they had no children. In 1945, Paul sold his tract to Robin Earl Bowie, the oldest son of Jessie Lee and her husband, John Willie Bowie, and the grandson of Benjamin Boyd Clinard.
Robin and wife Thelma farmed the land until Thelma passed away in 2001 at age 91. Robin and Thelma’s son, Robin Paul Bowie, and his wife, Carol, purchased the adjacent farm in 1994. While managing the farm, Robin also worked with the Soil Conservation Service. On the farm, they raised beef cattle, wheat, alfalfa and native warm-season grasses. Robin Paul and Carol had two children, Jeffrey Warren and Jamie Bowie.
Over the years, Jeff and Jamie were very active in 4-H and FFA, showing a variety of beef cattle, sheep and horses at fairs and other agricultural related events. Jeff graduated with a degree in soil conservation/agriculture and followed his father’s footsteps by taking a job as a natural resources conservationist in Maury County. Jamie graduated with a degree in mass communication, with a concentration in magazine journalism, from MTSU and created the Busy Bee Antique Trader, a monthly antique magazine for the southeast.
In 2005, Jeffrey Warren Bowie and Jamie Bowie Dudiak received a portion of the original family farm. The original Clinard house and farm buildings were included in the part of the farm given to Jamie. After trying to restore the old homestead, the family reported that she and her husband regretfully decided to tear down the late 1800s farmhouse and build a new one.
Today, the family farm mainly operates as the B & W Cattle Company, which specializes in Angus/Simmental beef, and portions of the farm are set aside for wildlife conservation. The Clinard, Warren and Dudiak families continue the tradition of farming that began with their ancestors nearly 190 years ago yet also strive to study, learn and implement best practices in agriculture as they face the demands of farming in the 21st century.
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 CHP 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 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.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owner or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
PROGRAM RECOGNIZES ROBERTSON COUNTY FARM FOR AG. CONTRIBUTIONS
Clinard Farm Becomes County’s Newest Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO)—The Clinard Farm in Robertson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Between 1819 and 1830, Joseph Clinard received several four Tennessee land grants and through other acquisitions, he eventually obtained 500 acres. He and his wife, Sarah “Sally,” had six children: Joseph Washington, Sanford, Brown C., Matilda, Elizabeth and Wiley. The family raised cattle, sheep, horses and chickens along with corn and wheat. Over the years, Joseph sold portions of his acreage to his sons, Brown, Sanford and Wiley and each one established homesteads. Joseph’s oldest son, Washington, also purchased a large tract of land in the same vicinity and his daughters married local farmers in the community.
In addition to obtaining 99 acres from his father in 1845, Brown C. Clinard purchased additional acreage and eventually accumulated around 300 acres of land. His first wife was Nancy Paralee Rawls and they were the parents of Benjamin Boyd and Nancy Evaline. In 1861, Brown joined the 30th Tennessee Infantry Regiment of the Confederate States of America. During the Battle of Fort Donelson in February 1862, Brown was captured and sent to Camp Butler, a Union prison in Springfield, Ill., where he died on March 30, 1862.
In 1865, Brown’s estate was dispersed to his second wife and widow, Eliza, and to his son and daughter from his first marriage. Benjamin wed Sallie Wilkinson in 1879 and they had five children. Benjamin built a farmhouse, a large livestock barn and a corncrib. Cattle, horses, mules, swine and chickens were raised by the Clinards, who also grew corn, wheat, sorghum and tobacco.
In 1919, Benjamin died and his farm was inherited by his four surviving children, Paul, Garland, Jones and Jessie Lee. Paul Clinard inherited the portion of the farm with the house, livestock barn and farm outbuildings. Paul married Floyce, but they had no children. In 1945, Paul sold his tract to Robin Earl Bowie, the oldest son of Jessie Lee and her husband, John Willie Bowie, and the grandson of Benjamin Boyd Clinard.
Robin and wife Thelma farmed the land until Thelma passed away in 2001 at age 91. Robin and Thelma’s son, Robin Paul Bowie, and his wife, Carol, purchased the adjacent farm in 1994. While managing the farm, Robin also worked with the Soil Conservation Service. On the farm, they raised beef cattle, wheat, alfalfa and native warm-season grasses. Robin Paul and Carol had two children, Jeffrey Warren and Jamie Bowie.
Over the years, Jeff and Jamie were very active in 4-H and FFA, showing a variety of beef cattle, sheep and horses at fairs and other agricultural related events. Jeff graduated with a degree in soil conservation/agriculture and followed his father’s footsteps by taking a job as a natural resources conservationist in Maury County. Jamie graduated with a degree in mass communication, with a concentration in magazine journalism, from MTSU and created the Busy Bee Antique Trader, a monthly antique magazine for the southeast.
In 2005, Jeffrey Warren Bowie and Jamie Bowie Dudiak received a portion of the original family farm. The original Clinard house and farm buildings were included in the part of the farm given to Jamie. After trying to restore the old homestead, the family reported that she and her husband regretfully decided to tear down the late 1800s farmhouse and build a new one.
Today, the family farm mainly operates as the B & W Cattle Company, which specializes in Angus/Simmental beef, and portions of the farm are set aside for wildlife conservation. The Clinard, Warren and Dudiak families continue the tradition of farming that began with their ancestors nearly 190 years ago yet also strive to study, learn and implement best practices in agriculture as they face the demands of farming in the 21st century.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owner or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[391]MTSU Professors Focus on Links between Science and Civics
For immediate release
Release date: April 11, 2008
Contact: John Lynch, 615-898-2919
MTSU Professors Focus on Links between Science and Civics
Innovative Education Project Featured on Capitol Hill Next Week
(MURFREESBORO) — Students burning peanuts in the classroom may sound like a discipline problem, but for Dr. Mari Weller, professor of physics and astronomy at Middle Tennessee State University, it’s a way to help students understand chemical reactions in a context of civic responsibility.
“When we think about energy” Weller said, “we usually think about things like gasoline, natural gas or coal, but another energy source is the things we eat and that's something that they need to think about because, for instance, when we use corn to make biofuels, we don't use that same corn to feed people.”
She will be in Washington, D. C. next week to present a poster on her work with Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, professor of chemistry at MTSU. The two have been developing a general education science course that focuses on the links between scientific issues and civic responsibility.
Her April 15 poster presentation, along with those of educators and students from 27 other colleges and universities, will be the culminating event of the National Center for Civic Engagement and SENCER’s Washington Symposium.
SENCER – Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities – is the signature program of the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement, NCSCE, a research center affiliated with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
SENCER is a faculty development and science education reform program supportedby the National Science Foundation. The program engages students in science and mathematics by focusing coursework on real world problems. This method extends the impact of student learning across the curriculum to the broader community and society.
Colleges and universities using the SENCER approach have had measurable success in increasing the interest and science literacy rates of students, especially regarding women and nonscience majors. The program also supports initiatives in science and mathematics major courses, teacher preparation, formative assessment, and high school education.
—more—
SCENCER
Add 1
Each year, SENCER and the NCSCE offer national and regional symposia, workshops on innovative pedagogies, campus visits, and sub-awards to support an ever-growing community of educators endeavoring to improve student learning.
The Washington Symposium and Capitol Hill Poster Session is an annual gathering of invited educators, administrators, and students with mature SENCER projects who discuss next steps in improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and present their own successful course revisions and developments to their congressional delegations and all other interested parties.
Panel discussions, workshops, and keynote speakers are scheduled for the first two days of the symposium, April 13 and 14. Participants will meet with members of their congressional delegations during the morning of April 15 prior to the poster session from 12 – 2:30 p.m. in Rooms B-339 and B-340.
The April 15 poster session and reception will be held in the Rayburn House Office Building. Please contact the SENCER Washington, D.C. office at (202) 483-4600 or consult www.sencer.net for more information regarding the Washington Symposium and Capitol Hill Poster Session or the SENCER Centers for Innovation.
A video clip of Dr. Weller and her class is available at http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MT_Record/2008/MTR0804-Apr08.html#Energy.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
-30-
Release date: April 11, 2008
Contact: John Lynch, 615-898-2919
MTSU Professors Focus on Links between Science and Civics
Innovative Education Project Featured on Capitol Hill Next Week
(MURFREESBORO) — Students burning peanuts in the classroom may sound like a discipline problem, but for Dr. Mari Weller, professor of physics and astronomy at Middle Tennessee State University, it’s a way to help students understand chemical reactions in a context of civic responsibility.
“When we think about energy” Weller said, “we usually think about things like gasoline, natural gas or coal, but another energy source is the things we eat and that's something that they need to think about because, for instance, when we use corn to make biofuels, we don't use that same corn to feed people.”
She will be in Washington, D. C. next week to present a poster on her work with Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, professor of chemistry at MTSU. The two have been developing a general education science course that focuses on the links between scientific issues and civic responsibility.
Her April 15 poster presentation, along with those of educators and students from 27 other colleges and universities, will be the culminating event of the National Center for Civic Engagement and SENCER’s Washington Symposium.
SENCER – Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities – is the signature program of the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement, NCSCE, a research center affiliated with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology.
SENCER is a faculty development and science education reform program supportedby the National Science Foundation. The program engages students in science and mathematics by focusing coursework on real world problems. This method extends the impact of student learning across the curriculum to the broader community and society.
Colleges and universities using the SENCER approach have had measurable success in increasing the interest and science literacy rates of students, especially regarding women and nonscience majors. The program also supports initiatives in science and mathematics major courses, teacher preparation, formative assessment, and high school education.
—more—
SCENCER
Add 1
Each year, SENCER and the NCSCE offer national and regional symposia, workshops on innovative pedagogies, campus visits, and sub-awards to support an ever-growing community of educators endeavoring to improve student learning.
The Washington Symposium and Capitol Hill Poster Session is an annual gathering of invited educators, administrators, and students with mature SENCER projects who discuss next steps in improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and present their own successful course revisions and developments to their congressional delegations and all other interested parties.
Panel discussions, workshops, and keynote speakers are scheduled for the first two days of the symposium, April 13 and 14. Participants will meet with members of their congressional delegations during the morning of April 15 prior to the poster session from 12 – 2:30 p.m. in Rooms B-339 and B-340.
The April 15 poster session and reception will be held in the Rayburn House Office Building. Please contact the SENCER Washington, D.C. office at (202) 483-4600 or consult www.sencer.net for more information regarding the Washington Symposium and Capitol Hill Poster Session or the SENCER Centers for Innovation.
A video clip of Dr. Weller and her class is available at http://www.mtsu.edu/~proffice/MT_Record/2008/MTR0804-Apr08.html#Energy.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
-30-
[390]MYSTICAL MIDDLE EAST MUSIC WITH MODERN FLAIR AT MTSU
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 10, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
MYSTICAL MIDDLE EAST MUSIC WITH MODERN FLAIR AT MTSU
World-Renowned Turkish Performer Omar Faruk Tekbilek to Appear in Concert
(MURFREESBORO) – The Middle East Center at Middle Tennessee State University will present Turkish virtuoso Omar Faruk Tekbilek and his ensemble in concert at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 19, in the Keathley University Center Theatre on campus. This event is free and open to the public. Tekbilek and his band will perform traditional Sufi, folk and contemporary music from the Middle East. Their music, while derived from centuries-old sounds, is influenced by modern music, resulting in a mystical, spiritual sound that has entertained and intrigued people of many countries and cultures. Of Tekbilek’s work, a reviewer for the Sydney Morning Herald wrote, “He sings mournful songs in a thick, horn-like voice, heavy with ritualized lament and evoking the ancient chants that fed East and West.” Tekbilek is the recipient of the 2003 “Best Artist of the Turkish Music Awards” from the Turkish Writers Association and the U.S. Golden Belly “Musician of the Year” award in 1998 and again in 1999. The master of a variety of instruments, Tekbilek plays the ney (bamboo flute), zuma (double-reed buzzing oboe), baglama (long-necked lute), oud (classic lute) and numerous percussion pieces. He is accompanied by Hasan Isikkut on kanun (string instrument similar to a zither), Chris Rosser on keyboards, and River Guerguerian and Murat Tekbilek on percussion. For more information, contact Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of the Middle East Center, at 615-494-7906 or at ahibbard@mtsu.edu. To hear samples of Tekbilek’s music or for more information about him, go to http://www.omarfaruktekbilek.com.
--30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For color jpegs of Omar Faruk Tekbilek, contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
MYSTICAL MIDDLE EAST MUSIC WITH MODERN FLAIR AT MTSU
World-Renowned Turkish Performer Omar Faruk Tekbilek to Appear in Concert
(MURFREESBORO) – The Middle East Center at Middle Tennessee State University will present Turkish virtuoso Omar Faruk Tekbilek and his ensemble in concert at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 19, in the Keathley University Center Theatre on campus. This event is free and open to the public. Tekbilek and his band will perform traditional Sufi, folk and contemporary music from the Middle East. Their music, while derived from centuries-old sounds, is influenced by modern music, resulting in a mystical, spiritual sound that has entertained and intrigued people of many countries and cultures. Of Tekbilek’s work, a reviewer for the Sydney Morning Herald wrote, “He sings mournful songs in a thick, horn-like voice, heavy with ritualized lament and evoking the ancient chants that fed East and West.” Tekbilek is the recipient of the 2003 “Best Artist of the Turkish Music Awards” from the Turkish Writers Association and the U.S. Golden Belly “Musician of the Year” award in 1998 and again in 1999. The master of a variety of instruments, Tekbilek plays the ney (bamboo flute), zuma (double-reed buzzing oboe), baglama (long-necked lute), oud (classic lute) and numerous percussion pieces. He is accompanied by Hasan Isikkut on kanun (string instrument similar to a zither), Chris Rosser on keyboards, and River Guerguerian and Murat Tekbilek on percussion. For more information, contact Dr. Allen Hibbard, director of the Middle East Center, at 615-494-7906 or at ahibbard@mtsu.edu. To hear samples of Tekbilek’s music or for more information about him, go to http://www.omarfaruktekbilek.com.
--30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For color jpegs of Omar Faruk Tekbilek, contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
[389]Blue Angels will show video to MTSU aerospace students
MEDIA ADVISORY
April 8, 2008
WHAT: The Blue Angels will show a video and speak to MTSU aerospace students
WHEN: Friday, April 11, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
WHERE: MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building, Room S118
The U. S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron
The Blue Angels’ mission is to enhance Navy and Marine Corps recruiting efforts and to represent the naval service to the United States, its elected leadership and foreign nations. The Blue Angels serve as positive role models and goodwill ambassadors for the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps.
MEDIA ARE WELCOME. Come early to find parking.
Contact MTSU Aerospace Chair Dr. Wayne Dornan, 615-898-2788
April 8, 2008
WHAT: The Blue Angels will show a video and speak to MTSU aerospace students
WHEN: Friday, April 11, 8:30-9:30 a.m.
WHERE: MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building, Room S118
The U. S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron
The Blue Angels’ mission is to enhance Navy and Marine Corps recruiting efforts and to represent the naval service to the United States, its elected leadership and foreign nations. The Blue Angels serve as positive role models and goodwill ambassadors for the U. S. Navy and Marine Corps.
MEDIA ARE WELCOME. Come early to find parking.
Contact MTSU Aerospace Chair Dr. Wayne Dornan, 615-898-2788
[388]WMTS-FM PLANS VINYL RECORD CONVENTION FOR APRIL 20
WMTS-FM PLANS VINYL RECORD CONVENTION FOR APRIL 20
Student-Run Station’s Fundraiser to Feature Vendors, Prizes, Musical Guests
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Stan McCloud, 615-898-2591
Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—WMTS-FM, MTSU's student-run radio station, will present its 2008 Record Convention, featuring local and regional vendors as well as musical guests, on Sunday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Murfreesboro Holiday Inn on Old Fort Parkway at Interstate 24.
Admission is $3 per person or $2 with a handbill, and all proceeds from the vinyl show will benefit the station, which can be heard at 88.3 FM. Door prizes will be given away hourly, and Superdrag, the Knoxville-based power pop/alternative rock band now on a reunion tour, is scheduled to appear from 2 to 4 p.m.
"The idea for this event originally came up through collaboration with one of MTSU's recording industry professors, Dr. Paul Fischer," says Stan McCloud, station co-adviser and coordinator of the Keathley University Center. "Up to that point, we hadn't organized many events other than benefit shows in the surrounding area. We thought it was time to try something outside the norm."
The 2008 convention is WMTS's third in a year.
"The first record convention was a great success; it drew much interest and quite a large crowd. We're hoping the upcoming one will do the same and better," McCloud adds. "It will be a great event for part-time collectors and serious record enthusiasts alike."
For more information about the vinyl show, call 615-898-2591 or e-mail manager@wmts.org. For more information about WMTS-FM and to listen live online, visit the station Web site at www.wmts.org.
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IN BRIEF: WMTS-FM, MTSU's student-run radio station, will present its 2008 Record Convention, featuring local and regional vendors as well as musical guests, on Sunday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Murfreesboro Holiday Inn on Old Fort Parkway at Interstate 24. Admission is $3 per person or $2 with a handbill, and all proceeds from the vinyl show will benefit the station, which can be heard at 88.3 FM. Door prizes will be given away hourly, and Superdrag, the Knoxville-based power pop/alternative rock band now on a reunion tour, is scheduled to appear from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, call 615-898-2591 or e-mail manager@wmts.org.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a B&W TIFF of the WMTS logo, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
Student-Run Station’s Fundraiser to Feature Vendors, Prizes, Musical Guests
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Stan McCloud, 615-898-2591
Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—WMTS-FM, MTSU's student-run radio station, will present its 2008 Record Convention, featuring local and regional vendors as well as musical guests, on Sunday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Murfreesboro Holiday Inn on Old Fort Parkway at Interstate 24.
Admission is $3 per person or $2 with a handbill, and all proceeds from the vinyl show will benefit the station, which can be heard at 88.3 FM. Door prizes will be given away hourly, and Superdrag, the Knoxville-based power pop/alternative rock band now on a reunion tour, is scheduled to appear from 2 to 4 p.m.
"The idea for this event originally came up through collaboration with one of MTSU's recording industry professors, Dr. Paul Fischer," says Stan McCloud, station co-adviser and coordinator of the Keathley University Center. "Up to that point, we hadn't organized many events other than benefit shows in the surrounding area. We thought it was time to try something outside the norm."
The 2008 convention is WMTS's third in a year.
"The first record convention was a great success; it drew much interest and quite a large crowd. We're hoping the upcoming one will do the same and better," McCloud adds. "It will be a great event for part-time collectors and serious record enthusiasts alike."
For more information about the vinyl show, call 615-898-2591 or e-mail manager@wmts.org. For more information about WMTS-FM and to listen live online, visit the station Web site at www.wmts.org.
-------
IN BRIEF: WMTS-FM, MTSU's student-run radio station, will present its 2008 Record Convention, featuring local and regional vendors as well as musical guests, on Sunday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Murfreesboro Holiday Inn on Old Fort Parkway at Interstate 24. Admission is $3 per person or $2 with a handbill, and all proceeds from the vinyl show will benefit the station, which can be heard at 88.3 FM. Door prizes will be given away hourly, and Superdrag, the Knoxville-based power pop/alternative rock band now on a reunion tour, is scheduled to appear from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, call 615-898-2591 or e-mail manager@wmts.org.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a B&W TIFF of the WMTS logo, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
[387]JAZZ UP YOUR LIFE WITH SUPPORT FOR WMOT-JAZZ89
JAZZ UP YOUR LIFE WITH SUPPORT FOR WMOT-JAZZ89
MTSU Station’s Annual Fundraising Campaign Kicks Off April 16
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Keith Palmer, 615-898-2800
Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—"Keep playing the best of jazz. I wish we had it here in (the) Louisville area," says Jamey, one of WMOT-Jazz89's biggest supporters.
The staff at WMOT-Jazz89 is hoping that comments like Jamey's will help Middle Tennessee music fans understand how important it is to financially support this treasure of a radio station.
Jamey listens to streaming audio of WMOT's air signal and makes financial contributions online at www.wmot.org to help pay for the jazz he enjoys.
WMOT-Jazz89's annual membership appeal and on-air fundraising campaign kicks off Wednesday April 16, to help the station bolster its budget in tight economic times. Federal funds for WMOT, which is located on the FM dial at 89.5, are soon to be nonexistent, and operating dollars from the university continue to be flat.
Despite those factors, station Development Manager Keith Palmer says recent Arbitron ratings indicate that WMOT's audience is showing a positive growth trend.
The fundraising campaign, which runs through Wednesday, April 30—just days before Murfreesboro's annual Main Street Jazz Fest, of which WMOT has been a part and a promoter from the start—will benefit MTSU's noncommercial, public radio station.
Financial support of any amount for the National Public Radio member station is welcome, Palmer says.
"Our listeners understand the importance of supporting the station financially and give in amounts from $10 to $1,000," Palmer says. "Also, all indications are that there will be no increase in operating funds from MTSU this year, due to the current state budget picture, so it is up to those who listen and love the station to help pay the rising costs of broadcasting a quality signal, on-air and online 24/7."
As a public broadcasting station and a public service of MTSU and its College of Mass Communication, WMOT relies on funding from MTSU and the public through membership dollars, philanthropic giving, business support underwriting and other fundraising ventures.
For information on how you can help, visit www.wmot.org anytime or call 615-898-2800 or 615-255-9071.
-------
IN BRIEF: WMOT-Jazz89's annual membership appeal and on-air fundraising campaign kicks off Wednesday April 16, to help the station bolster its budget in tight economic times. Federal funds for WMOT, which is located on the FM dial at 89.5, are soon to be nonexistent, and operating dollars from the university continue to be flat. The fundraising campaign, which runs through Wednesday, April 30—just days before Murfreesboro's annual Main Street Jazz Fest, of which WMOT has been a part and a promoter from the start—will benefit MTSU's noncommercial, public broadcasting radio station. For information on how you can help, visit www.wmot.org anytime or call 615-898-2800 or 615-255-9071.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
MTSU Station’s Annual Fundraising Campaign Kicks Off April 16
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Keith Palmer, 615-898-2800
Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—"Keep playing the best of jazz. I wish we had it here in (the) Louisville area," says Jamey, one of WMOT-Jazz89's biggest supporters.
The staff at WMOT-Jazz89 is hoping that comments like Jamey's will help Middle Tennessee music fans understand how important it is to financially support this treasure of a radio station.
Jamey listens to streaming audio of WMOT's air signal and makes financial contributions online at www.wmot.org to help pay for the jazz he enjoys.
WMOT-Jazz89's annual membership appeal and on-air fundraising campaign kicks off Wednesday April 16, to help the station bolster its budget in tight economic times. Federal funds for WMOT, which is located on the FM dial at 89.5, are soon to be nonexistent, and operating dollars from the university continue to be flat.
Despite those factors, station Development Manager Keith Palmer says recent Arbitron ratings indicate that WMOT's audience is showing a positive growth trend.
The fundraising campaign, which runs through Wednesday, April 30—just days before Murfreesboro's annual Main Street Jazz Fest, of which WMOT has been a part and a promoter from the start—will benefit MTSU's noncommercial, public radio station.
Financial support of any amount for the National Public Radio member station is welcome, Palmer says.
"Our listeners understand the importance of supporting the station financially and give in amounts from $10 to $1,000," Palmer says. "Also, all indications are that there will be no increase in operating funds from MTSU this year, due to the current state budget picture, so it is up to those who listen and love the station to help pay the rising costs of broadcasting a quality signal, on-air and online 24/7."
As a public broadcasting station and a public service of MTSU and its College of Mass Communication, WMOT relies on funding from MTSU and the public through membership dollars, philanthropic giving, business support underwriting and other fundraising ventures.
For information on how you can help, visit www.wmot.org anytime or call 615-898-2800 or 615-255-9071.
-------
IN BRIEF: WMOT-Jazz89's annual membership appeal and on-air fundraising campaign kicks off Wednesday April 16, to help the station bolster its budget in tight economic times. Federal funds for WMOT, which is located on the FM dial at 89.5, are soon to be nonexistent, and operating dollars from the university continue to be flat. The fundraising campaign, which runs through Wednesday, April 30—just days before Murfreesboro's annual Main Street Jazz Fest, of which WMOT has been a part and a promoter from the start—will benefit MTSU's noncommercial, public broadcasting radio station. For information on how you can help, visit www.wmot.org anytime or call 615-898-2800 or 615-255-9071.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
[386]AREA EXECUTIVES RETURN TO MTSU APRIL 11 TO SHARE INSIGHTS
AREA EXECUTIVES RETURN TO MTSU APRIL 11 TO SHARE INSIGHTS
17th Annual University Takeover/Executives-in-Residence Program Planned
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—Business executives from around the region will take over 10:15 and 11:20 a.m. classes at MTSU on Friday, April 11, in an event that has become one of the university's signature occasions linking textbook theory and real-world applicability.
The 17th Annual University Takeover/Executives-in-Residence program, sponsored by the Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise, is the largest event of its kind in the Southeast, according to event organizers in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business.
Local CEOs, business owners, directors and managers will meet with morning classes to share their experiences and answer questions from students on topics like job interviewing and how to climb the corporate ladder.
"The Executives-in-Residence program provides an opportunity for our students to interact with some very dynamic executives in Middle Tennessee and gives them a chance to see some of the theory they're being taught in actual practice," said Dr. Jim Burton, dean of the Jones College of Business.
"The classroom experience will also give visiting executives an opportunity to know more about the quality of the students that we're making available to them as future employees. This event represents everything that Jennings Jones was about--vision, achievement and giving back."
Following the morning classes, there will be an invitation-only luncheon at 12:30 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.
The luncheon speaker will be John R. Ingram, vice chairman of Ingram Industries Inc. and CEO of Ingram Content Holdings, which includes Ingram Book Group, Lighting Source Inc., and Ingram Digital Group. Ingram earned his bachelor's degree in English from Princeton University in 1984 and received his MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University.
Ingram is a member of the board of directors of Ingram Micro Inc., the National Book Foundation and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Vanderbilt, Montgomery Bell Academy and The Harpeth Hall School in Nashville.
-------
IN BRIEF: Business executives from around the region will take over 10:15 and 11:20 a.m. classes at MTSU on Friday, April 11, in an event that has become one of the university's signature occasions linking textbook theory and real-world applicability. The 17th Annual University Takeover/Executives-in-Residence program, sponsored by the Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise, is the largest event of its kind in the Southeast, according to event organizers in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business. Local CEOs, business owners, directors and managers will meet with morning classes to share their experiences and answer questions from students on topics like job interviewing and how to climb the corporate ladder.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Brittany Witt, a senior majoring in journalism at MTSU. We request your use of her byline if you use the release in its entirety.
For color JPEGs of Dean Jim Burton or John R. Ingram, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385.
Thanks!
17th Annual University Takeover/Executives-in-Residence Program Planned
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—Business executives from around the region will take over 10:15 and 11:20 a.m. classes at MTSU on Friday, April 11, in an event that has become one of the university's signature occasions linking textbook theory and real-world applicability.
The 17th Annual University Takeover/Executives-in-Residence program, sponsored by the Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise, is the largest event of its kind in the Southeast, according to event organizers in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business.
Local CEOs, business owners, directors and managers will meet with morning classes to share their experiences and answer questions from students on topics like job interviewing and how to climb the corporate ladder.
"The Executives-in-Residence program provides an opportunity for our students to interact with some very dynamic executives in Middle Tennessee and gives them a chance to see some of the theory they're being taught in actual practice," said Dr. Jim Burton, dean of the Jones College of Business.
"The classroom experience will also give visiting executives an opportunity to know more about the quality of the students that we're making available to them as future employees. This event represents everything that Jennings Jones was about--vision, achievement and giving back."
Following the morning classes, there will be an invitation-only luncheon at 12:30 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.
The luncheon speaker will be John R. Ingram, vice chairman of Ingram Industries Inc. and CEO of Ingram Content Holdings, which includes Ingram Book Group, Lighting Source Inc., and Ingram Digital Group. Ingram earned his bachelor's degree in English from Princeton University in 1984 and received his MBA from the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University.
Ingram is a member of the board of directors of Ingram Micro Inc., the National Book Foundation and the National Center for Learning Disabilities. He serves on the Board of Trustees for Vanderbilt, Montgomery Bell Academy and The Harpeth Hall School in Nashville.
-------
IN BRIEF: Business executives from around the region will take over 10:15 and 11:20 a.m. classes at MTSU on Friday, April 11, in an event that has become one of the university's signature occasions linking textbook theory and real-world applicability. The 17th Annual University Takeover/Executives-in-Residence program, sponsored by the Jennings A. Jones Chair of Excellence in Free Enterprise, is the largest event of its kind in the Southeast, according to event organizers in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business. Local CEOs, business owners, directors and managers will meet with morning classes to share their experiences and answer questions from students on topics like job interviewing and how to climb the corporate ladder.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Brittany Witt, a senior majoring in journalism at MTSU. We request your use of her byline if you use the release in its entirety.
For color JPEGs of Dean Jim Burton or John R. Ingram, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385.
Thanks!
[384]STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONROE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONROE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Harrison Dairy Farm Becomes County’s 11th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Harrison Dairy Farm in Monroe County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, announced Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1901, William Harden Harrison and his brother-in-law, John P. Simpson, purchased 180 acres near Loudon. The family, including William’s wife, Fannie, and Effie ,who was married to John, raised cattle and horses and grew corn and wheat. In 1907, William bought out his brother-in-law’s half interest and became the sole owner of the property. Under his ownership, the farm produced the same crops and livestock as before.
The third owner of the farm was Mark H. Harrison, the only child of William and Fannie, who acquired the land in 1943. Along with his wife, Mary B. Harrison, they established a dairy business, constructing a bottling plant and a barn for the milk cows. In addition to dairy cattle, Mark raised sheep, corn, wheat, hay and alfalfa. The couple had three children: Charles T., William B. and Joe James Harrison.
“The dairy industry, once a primary part of the state’s economy, has steadily decreased in recent years,” Hankins said. “Fortunately, some families—such as the Harrison family—continue the tradition of dairy farming, and the counties in east and southeast Tennessee lead the state in milk cows and dairy products.”
In 1967, Charles Harrison obtained the property. Charles and wife Mary are the parents of Steve T., John M., C. Paul and Amy (Harrison) Hinton. The family continued the dairy business and built a new milking barn in 1968, where the Harrisons milked more than 120 cows.
On March 23, 2000, Steve T. Harrison, the great-grandson of the founder, became the owner of the land. Steve married Beverly B. Harrison; their three children are Mark, Bo and Rebecca. Today, Steve works the land with his sons and the farm currently produces dairy cattle, corn wheat and hay.
Hankins said that the family reports that in 2004, a new dairy barn was built and that they now milk more than 700 cows. In addition to the new barn, the farm has many historic structures, including two barns that were built around 1870 and a farmhouse that was constructed in 1901. The barns are currently being used for storage and the house continues to be used as a residence.
“The Harrison Dairy Farm is the 11th Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Monroe County,” Hankins noted.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONROE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Harrison Dairy Farm Becomes County’s 11th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Harrison Dairy Farm in Monroe County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, announced Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1901, William Harden Harrison and his brother-in-law, John P. Simpson, purchased 180 acres near Loudon. The family, including William’s wife, Fannie, and Effie ,who was married to John, raised cattle and horses and grew corn and wheat. In 1907, William bought out his brother-in-law’s half interest and became the sole owner of the property. Under his ownership, the farm produced the same crops and livestock as before.
The third owner of the farm was Mark H. Harrison, the only child of William and Fannie, who acquired the land in 1943. Along with his wife, Mary B. Harrison, they established a dairy business, constructing a bottling plant and a barn for the milk cows. In addition to dairy cattle, Mark raised sheep, corn, wheat, hay and alfalfa. The couple had three children: Charles T., William B. and Joe James Harrison.
“The dairy industry, once a primary part of the state’s economy, has steadily decreased in recent years,” Hankins said. “Fortunately, some families—such as the Harrison family—continue the tradition of dairy farming, and the counties in east and southeast Tennessee lead the state in milk cows and dairy products.”
In 1967, Charles Harrison obtained the property. Charles and wife Mary are the parents of Steve T., John M., C. Paul and Amy (Harrison) Hinton. The family continued the dairy business and built a new milking barn in 1968, where the Harrisons milked more than 120 cows.
On March 23, 2000, Steve T. Harrison, the great-grandson of the founder, became the owner of the land. Steve married Beverly B. Harrison; their three children are Mark, Bo and Rebecca. Today, Steve works the land with his sons and the farm currently produces dairy cattle, corn wheat and hay.
Hankins said that the family reports that in 2004, a new dairy barn was built and that they now milk more than 700 cows. In addition to the new barn, the farm has many historic structures, including two barns that were built around 1870 and a farmhouse that was constructed in 1901. The barns are currently being used for storage and the house continues to be used as a residence.
“The Harrison Dairy Farm is the 11th Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Monroe County,” Hankins noted.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[383]STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES OBION COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES OBION COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Hutchison Farm Becomes County’s 27th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Hutchison Farm in Obion County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
On March 17, 1908, Walter and Henry Hutchison acquired 200 acres of land northeast of Samburg. On the property, the brothers raised cattle, horses, mules and hogs as well as corn, hay and timber.
According to the farm’s history, when Henry, who was a bachelor, died in 1911, Walter became the owner of his portion of the property. Walter married Blanch Jurden and they were the parents of three children, Frank; Raymon, who died in infancy; and Mary.
The second generation to own the farm was Frank Hutchison Sr., who obtained part of the land in 1956 when his father, Walter, died. In 1981, Frank’s mother passed away and he bought his sister’s partial acreage. Frank and wife Lillian Edgin had three children: Frank Jr., Margaret and Sue.
Frank Hutchison, Jr. acquired the farm in 2000 and he and Timmy Gantt manage the farm that produces corn, soybeans and wheat primarily. Today, three generations live on the family farm that will celebrate its centennial this year.
“The Hutchison Farm is the 27th Century Farm to be certified in Obion County,” Hankins said.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owner or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES OBION COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Hutchison Farm Becomes County’s 27th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Hutchison Farm in Obion County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
On March 17, 1908, Walter and Henry Hutchison acquired 200 acres of land northeast of Samburg. On the property, the brothers raised cattle, horses, mules and hogs as well as corn, hay and timber.
According to the farm’s history, when Henry, who was a bachelor, died in 1911, Walter became the owner of his portion of the property. Walter married Blanch Jurden and they were the parents of three children, Frank; Raymon, who died in infancy; and Mary.
The second generation to own the farm was Frank Hutchison Sr., who obtained part of the land in 1956 when his father, Walter, died. In 1981, Frank’s mother passed away and he bought his sister’s partial acreage. Frank and wife Lillian Edgin had three children: Frank Jr., Margaret and Sue.
Frank Hutchison, Jr. acquired the farm in 2000 and he and Timmy Gantt manage the farm that produces corn, soybeans and wheat primarily. Today, three generations live on the family farm that will celebrate its centennial this year.
“The Hutchison Farm is the 27th Century Farm to be certified in Obion County,” Hankins said.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owner or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[382]STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LAUDERDALE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 8, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LAUDERDALE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
New-Williams-Summar Farm Becomes County’s 6th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The New-Williams-Summar Farm in Lauderdale County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
According to the farm’s history, during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War, W. D. New purchased 116 acres in Lauderdale County in 1869. Married to Nannie Wheatly, the couple was parents to five daughters. On the land, the family raised cotton, corn, cattle, hogs, sorghum, orchards and chickens. In 1914, the land was divided between their five children.
The tract that was nominated for Century Farm designation was inherited by Mary Etta New Williams, who was born on the farm in 1870. She married Frank Williams and they had six children. During her ownership, cattle, hogs and chickens were part of the livestock that was raised. The family also grew cotton, corn and orchard fruits on what was essentially a self-sufficient farm. Mary Etta lived on the farm all of her life and died in February 1962 at age 91.
Her daughter, Mary Helen Williams Summar, inherited the property, owning the farm from 1962 to 2002. She, in turn, deeded the property to her daughter, Dorothy Louise Summar Woodard, who is the current owner of the farm. Today, Charles Simpson rents the farm and raises cotton, corn and soybeans on the land.
“The New-Williams-Summar Farm, representing nearly 140 years of family farming—and 94 years of that time under the ownership of three generations of women—is the sixth Century Farm to be certified in Lauderdale County,” Hankins observed.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LAUDERDALE COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
New-Williams-Summar Farm Becomes County’s 6th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The New-Williams-Summar Farm in Lauderdale County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
According to the farm’s history, during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War, W. D. New purchased 116 acres in Lauderdale County in 1869. Married to Nannie Wheatly, the couple was parents to five daughters. On the land, the family raised cotton, corn, cattle, hogs, sorghum, orchards and chickens. In 1914, the land was divided between their five children.
The tract that was nominated for Century Farm designation was inherited by Mary Etta New Williams, who was born on the farm in 1870. She married Frank Williams and they had six children. During her ownership, cattle, hogs and chickens were part of the livestock that was raised. The family also grew cotton, corn and orchard fruits on what was essentially a self-sufficient farm. Mary Etta lived on the farm all of her life and died in February 1962 at age 91.
Her daughter, Mary Helen Williams Summar, inherited the property, owning the farm from 1962 to 2002. She, in turn, deeded the property to her daughter, Dorothy Louise Summar Woodard, who is the current owner of the farm. Today, Charles Simpson rents the farm and raises cotton, corn and soybeans on the land.
“The New-Williams-Summar Farm, representing nearly 140 years of family farming—and 94 years of that time under the ownership of three generations of women—is the sixth Century Farm to be certified in Lauderdale County,” Hankins observed.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[381]STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CARROLL COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CARROLL COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
101-Year-Old Utley Farm Becomes County’s 10th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Utley Farm in Carroll County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located near Atwood, the Utley Farm that was founded by O. L. Vawter in 1907. He and wife Annie had two children, Brooks and Frances Willard. On 47 acres they grew corn, cotton and beans and raised cattle, hay, hogs and chickens. A barn built in 1917 is a reminder of this founding generation’s long ownership, which covered more than 60 years.
In 1979, Frances Willard Utley became the second generation to own the farm. Married to Melvin Utley, they had one child, Bobby Lee Utley. During her ownership the farm produced corn, cotton and beans.
Bobby Lee Utley acquired the farm in 2001. He and his wife Shirley have two daughters, Pam White and Mai Moore, who grew up on the farm. Today, three generations live on the farm, including Bobby and Shirley, as well as Mai and husband Tracy and their two children, Andrew and Bobby Lee. Much of the land is rented and corn, cotton and soybeans are primary crops.
“The Utley Farm is the 10th Century Farm to be certified in Carroll County,” Hankins said.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CARROLL COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
101-Year-Old Utley Farm Becomes County’s 10th Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Utley Farm in Carroll County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reported Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located near Atwood, the Utley Farm that was founded by O. L. Vawter in 1907. He and wife Annie had two children, Brooks and Frances Willard. On 47 acres they grew corn, cotton and beans and raised cattle, hay, hogs and chickens. A barn built in 1917 is a reminder of this founding generation’s long ownership, which covered more than 60 years.
In 1979, Frances Willard Utley became the second generation to own the farm. Married to Melvin Utley, they had one child, Bobby Lee Utley. During her ownership the farm produced corn, cotton and beans.
Bobby Lee Utley acquired the farm in 2001. He and his wife Shirley have two daughters, Pam White and Mai Moore, who grew up on the farm. Today, three generations live on the farm, including Bobby and Shirley, as well as Mai and husband Tracy and their two children, Andrew and Bobby Lee. Much of the land is rented and corn, cotton and soybeans are primary crops.
“The Utley Farm is the 10th Century Farm to be certified in Carroll County,” Hankins said.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the Century Farm metal sign that is placed on designated properties, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[380]STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES UNION COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES UNION COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
100-Year-Old Tolliver Farm Becomes County’s Sixth Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Tolliver Farm in Union County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, announced Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
“Many Century Farms, over 60 percent, were either founded by a woman or have been owned by a woman in their history,” noted Hankins, who said this statistic includes Tolliver Farm, which was founded by Emily Tolliver on 60 acres near Maynardsville in 1908.
Prior to Tolliver’s ownership, the farm was originally part of a 1,629-acre land grant that was obtained by William Hamilton, one of the first settlers in Union County. During Hamilton’s ownership, a log house was built on this site and still stands on the property today. This house is the oldest home on its original building site in Union County, reported Bonnie Peters, Union County historian.
Founder Tolliver was a schoolteacher and never married. During her ownership, her younger brother George helped to operate the farm and they produced cotton, wheat, vegetables, cattle, geese, turkeys and chickens. After 11 years, Emily sold the farm to George. Prior to his ownership, George also ran a “rolling grocery store and hauling service,” because he had one of the few motorized vehicles in the community. Later, George opened the first grocery store in the community, which was located on the farm and operated until the later 1950s.
Described as an enterprising man, George ran a tomato cannery and sold tomatoes under the “Norris Dam Brand.” While managing the tomato cannery, George also provided employment for many young men in the surrounding community to work on his farm clearing the land, growing wheat, cotton vegetables and tending livestock. George married Martha Peralitine “Pearl” Regan and they had three children, George Harrison, Irene and Walter Regan.
After her father passed away, Irene Tolliver Hamilton inherited one-half of the acreage. She and her husband, Sam Hamilton, a descendant of William Hamilton, continued running the grocery for many years. In addition, they farmed and operated a dairy business. Some of the products that the farm produced during this time included milk, cream, tobacco, vegetables and beef cattle.
In 1987, Betty Hamilton Bullen, the daughter of Sam and Irene, who is also the great-niece of the founder, Emily Tolliver, and great-granddaughter of William Hamilton, became another generation of the family’s women to own the farm.
Today, Betty and husband Stanley W. Bullen live on the farm, as does her mother and Mr. and Mrs. Robert I. Hamilton, Betty’s brother and his wife.
Currently, beef cattle and hay are the primary products. A number of historic farm buildings are reminders of the long agricultural traditions of this farm. The oldest is the 1829 log house and others include a log crib dating from 1908, a smokehouse that was built in 1929 and a dairy/smokehouse from 1940. The foundation of the cannery also may still be seen.
“The Tolliver Farm is the sixth Century Farm to be certified in Union County,” Hankins said.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES UNION COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
100-Year-Old Tolliver Farm Becomes County’s Sixth Designated Century Farm
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Tolliver Farm in Union County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, announced Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
“Many Century Farms, over 60 percent, were either founded by a woman or have been owned by a woman in their history,” noted Hankins, who said this statistic includes Tolliver Farm, which was founded by Emily Tolliver on 60 acres near Maynardsville in 1908.
Prior to Tolliver’s ownership, the farm was originally part of a 1,629-acre land grant that was obtained by William Hamilton, one of the first settlers in Union County. During Hamilton’s ownership, a log house was built on this site and still stands on the property today. This house is the oldest home on its original building site in Union County, reported Bonnie Peters, Union County historian.
Founder Tolliver was a schoolteacher and never married. During her ownership, her younger brother George helped to operate the farm and they produced cotton, wheat, vegetables, cattle, geese, turkeys and chickens. After 11 years, Emily sold the farm to George. Prior to his ownership, George also ran a “rolling grocery store and hauling service,” because he had one of the few motorized vehicles in the community. Later, George opened the first grocery store in the community, which was located on the farm and operated until the later 1950s.
Described as an enterprising man, George ran a tomato cannery and sold tomatoes under the “Norris Dam Brand.” While managing the tomato cannery, George also provided employment for many young men in the surrounding community to work on his farm clearing the land, growing wheat, cotton vegetables and tending livestock. George married Martha Peralitine “Pearl” Regan and they had three children, George Harrison, Irene and Walter Regan.
After her father passed away, Irene Tolliver Hamilton inherited one-half of the acreage. She and her husband, Sam Hamilton, a descendant of William Hamilton, continued running the grocery for many years. In addition, they farmed and operated a dairy business. Some of the products that the farm produced during this time included milk, cream, tobacco, vegetables and beef cattle.
In 1987, Betty Hamilton Bullen, the daughter of Sam and Irene, who is also the great-niece of the founder, Emily Tolliver, and great-granddaughter of William Hamilton, became another generation of the family’s women to own the farm.
Today, Betty and husband Stanley W. Bullen live on the farm, as does her mother and Mr. and Mrs. Robert I. Hamilton, Betty’s brother and his wife.
Currently, beef cattle and hay are the primary products. A number of historic farm buildings are reminders of the long agricultural traditions of this farm. The oldest is the 1829 log house and others include a log crib dating from 1908, a smokehouse that was built in 1929 and a dairy/smokehouse from 1940. The foundation of the cannery also may still be seen.
“The Tolliver Farm is the sixth Century Farm to be certified in Union County,” Hankins said.
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 CHP 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 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 the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[379]SEVEN MTSU STUDENTS GARNER HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE AWARDS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2008
CONTACT: Department of Health and Human Performance, 615-898-2811
SEVEN MTSU STUDENTS GARNER HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE AWARDS
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Department of Health and Human Performance at MTSU recently presented its annual awards ceremony for outstanding students enrolled in the program during the 2007 academic.
The HHP department is part of the university’s College of Education and Behavior Science, which is led by Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean.
Seven MTSU students, all of whom are majoring in programs of study within psychology, received eight academic honors during the March 20 event held in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room at MTSU. (Students who received awards at the ceremony are listed below by hometown counties. Unless indicated otherwise, the students’ hometowns are in Tennessee.)
·Nancy Hill Robertson Scholarship
--Sadie J. Coffer of Nolensville, a home-schooled student from Nolensville (Williamson County).
·Tommie Reynolds Scholarship
--Mariam M. Pedro, a graduate of Antioch High School and Antioch resident (Davidson County).
·Glen Reeder Scholarship
--Jenifer L. Jones, a native of Murfreesboro and graduate of Oakland High School (Rutherford County).
·Buleah Davis Scholarship
--Jenifer L. Jones, a native of Murfreesboro and graduate of Oakland High School (Rutherford County).
·Leona Drake Scholarship
--Carrie A. Pearson, a graduate of Powell High School and native of Powell (Knox County).
·Athletic Training Outstanding Major
--Andrew S. Braden of Clinton (Anderson County), a graduate of Anderson County High School.
·Recreation and Leisure Outstanding Major
--John “Nathan” McClendon, a graduate of Gateway Christian Schools and native of Murfreesboro (Rutherford County).
·Outstanding Doctoral Graduate Assistant
--Matthew S. Renfrow of Bluffton, Ohio, and a graduate of Bluffton High School (Allen County.
CONTACT: Department of Health and Human Performance, 615-898-2811
SEVEN MTSU STUDENTS GARNER HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE AWARDS
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Department of Health and Human Performance at MTSU recently presented its annual awards ceremony for outstanding students enrolled in the program during the 2007 academic.
The HHP department is part of the university’s College of Education and Behavior Science, which is led by Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean.
Seven MTSU students, all of whom are majoring in programs of study within psychology, received eight academic honors during the March 20 event held in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room at MTSU. (Students who received awards at the ceremony are listed below by hometown counties. Unless indicated otherwise, the students’ hometowns are in Tennessee.)
·Nancy Hill Robertson Scholarship
--Sadie J. Coffer of Nolensville, a home-schooled student from Nolensville (Williamson County).
·Tommie Reynolds Scholarship
--Mariam M. Pedro, a graduate of Antioch High School and Antioch resident (Davidson County).
·Glen Reeder Scholarship
--Jenifer L. Jones, a native of Murfreesboro and graduate of Oakland High School (Rutherford County).
·Buleah Davis Scholarship
--Jenifer L. Jones, a native of Murfreesboro and graduate of Oakland High School (Rutherford County).
·Leona Drake Scholarship
--Carrie A. Pearson, a graduate of Powell High School and native of Powell (Knox County).
·Athletic Training Outstanding Major
--Andrew S. Braden of Clinton (Anderson County), a graduate of Anderson County High School.
·Recreation and Leisure Outstanding Major
--John “Nathan” McClendon, a graduate of Gateway Christian Schools and native of Murfreesboro (Rutherford County).
·Outstanding Doctoral Graduate Assistant
--Matthew S. Renfrow of Bluffton, Ohio, and a graduate of Bluffton High School (Allen County.
[378]PROFESSOR TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR HELPING WOMEN ADVANCE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2008EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
PROFESSOR TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR HELPING WOMEN ADVANCE
Judith Iriarte-Gross to be Honored for Promotion of Women in Science
(MURFREESBORO) – Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, a professor of chemistry at MTSU, will receive the 2008 King-Hampton Award at a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 10, in the Hazlewood Dining Room of the James Union Building. The honor was established by the June Anderson Women’s Center and the Association of Faculty and University Women (AAFW) in 1990 to honor Jeannette Moore King, a member of the first Middle Tennessee Normal School faculty, and Martha Hampton, the school’s first woman administrator. The award is bestowed upon an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of women who work and study at MTSU who is chosen from nominations from the AAFW membership. Iriarte-Gross initiated and chairs the annual Women in Science lecture for MTSU’s celebration of National Women’s History Month. She also served as co-chair of the NWHM committee in 2001 and co-chair in 2002. She has served on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women since 1993 and has been a member of the Women’s Studies Council since 1997. Of particular interest to Iriarte-Gross is the mentorship of young women who are interested in careers in math and science. She is faculty adviser to the Women in Science Living and Learning Community for undergraduate women STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors. Iriarte-Gross established Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) as an official student organization for undergraduate and graduate women in STEM. In addition, she advises the organization Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS). The annual “Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Math” conference for middle-school and now high-school girls was begun by Iriarte-Gross in 1996 and is organized by her each year. “EYH,” as it is known, provides an opportunity for young women to learn more about science and math with their peers in a fun, collaborative environment. Iriarte-Gross earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and her master’s in inorganic chemistry in 1981 and 1984, respectively, from the University of Maryland, and her doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of South Carolina in 1990. The cost of the luncheon is $15. For more information, contact Kippy Todd at 615-898-5756 or ktodd@mtsu.edu.
--30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a photo of Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.
PROFESSOR TO RECEIVE AWARD FOR HELPING WOMEN ADVANCE
Judith Iriarte-Gross to be Honored for Promotion of Women in Science
(MURFREESBORO) – Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, a professor of chemistry at MTSU, will receive the 2008 King-Hampton Award at a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 10, in the Hazlewood Dining Room of the James Union Building. The honor was established by the June Anderson Women’s Center and the Association of Faculty and University Women (AAFW) in 1990 to honor Jeannette Moore King, a member of the first Middle Tennessee Normal School faculty, and Martha Hampton, the school’s first woman administrator. The award is bestowed upon an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the advancement of women who work and study at MTSU who is chosen from nominations from the AAFW membership. Iriarte-Gross initiated and chairs the annual Women in Science lecture for MTSU’s celebration of National Women’s History Month. She also served as co-chair of the NWHM committee in 2001 and co-chair in 2002. She has served on the President’s Commission on the Status of Women since 1993 and has been a member of the Women’s Studies Council since 1997. Of particular interest to Iriarte-Gross is the mentorship of young women who are interested in careers in math and science. She is faculty adviser to the Women in Science Living and Learning Community for undergraduate women STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) majors. Iriarte-Gross established Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) as an official student organization for undergraduate and graduate women in STEM. In addition, she advises the organization Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS). The annual “Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Math” conference for middle-school and now high-school girls was begun by Iriarte-Gross in 1996 and is organized by her each year. “EYH,” as it is known, provides an opportunity for young women to learn more about science and math with their peers in a fun, collaborative environment. Iriarte-Gross earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry and her master’s in inorganic chemistry in 1981 and 1984, respectively, from the University of Maryland, and her doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of South Carolina in 1990. The cost of the luncheon is $15. For more information, contact Kippy Todd at 615-898-5756 or ktodd@mtsu.edu.
--30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a photo of Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.
[375]TENNESSEE TEACHERS HALL OF FAME WILL INDUCT SEVEN
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919
TENNESSEE TEACHERS HALL OF FAME WILL INDUCT SEVEN IN 2008
Tickets for April 26 Induction Ceremony & Banquet Now Available
(MURFREESBORO)—The Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame will induct seven new members during its annual induction ceremony and banquet beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2008, in the Tennessee Ballroom of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.
The black-tie affair will mark the 14th year that the Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame has honored those educators who have exemplified excellence in teaching in Tennessee.
To date, 71 educators have been inducted into the hall of fame, which is co-sponsored each year by Middle Tennessee State University and overseen by a Board of Governors, whose members are made up of representatives from all major educational organizations within the state.
"Although MTSU is the sponsor of the activities associated with the Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame, the effort truly is a statewide endeavor," said Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of MTSU's College of Education and Behavioral Science and coordinator of the April 26 ceremony.
"The hall of fame is a wonderful way for Tennesseans to honor those who have made exemplary contributions to the education profession and the lives of young people," she added.
This year's inductees are as follows:
• Selmer resident Martha McCullar Glover, who served 17 of her 35 years as a professional educator in the classroom and 18 in professional assignment. Cited as “an education visionary” who “impacted a school, a school system and thousands of students in countless … positive ways,” she joined the McNairy County School System as a classroom teacher in 1963 and served in that capacity until becoming an assistant principal for McNairy Central High School in 1980. She served as principal of the school from 1992-1998. Then, from 1999-2005, she was employed by Lambuth University as a planning coordinator for its freshman seminar program before serving as an adjunct professor in teacher preparation for UT Martin’s McNairy Center.
Glover earned a bachelor’s degree in history, with an English minor, from Lambuth University in 1963 before receiving an M.Ed. in education administration and supervision in ’75 and an Ed.D. in 1993 from the University of Memphis.
• Loudon resident John Sizemore Napier, who has thus far spent 34 years of his 35-year career in the classroom as a history and social studies teacher, school historian and part-time coach. Napier began his teaching career in 1971 at North Middle School in Lenoir City, where he coached boys and girls basketball and taught social studies. He joined the faculty of Loudon High School in 1974, where he still teaches today, At LHS, he has taught classes in American history, world history, sociology, contemporary issues, and history of the 20th century, in addition to having served as a girls softball coach and school historian.
In nominating Napier for the hall of fame, one supporter and school board member wrote that whenever the highly respected educator does finally decide to retire from the classroom “he will leave a void that will be difficult, if not impossible, to fill.” Another supporter, a 2008 LHS graduate, championed the teacher for “his ability … to get the entire class involved and interested in what he was teaching us.”
A longtime Sunday School teacher and a long-distance bicyclist, Napier’s other interests include local historical research and historic preservation and world travel, having visited more than 70 countries to date. He earned his B.S. in sociology in 1970 and his M.Ed. in 1974 from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S) from Tennessee Tech University in 1989.
• Hilda Hale of Manchester, who devoted all of her 29 years to teaching primarily Spanish and sometimes English for Coffee County Central High School. Hale joined the school’s faculty after receiving a M.A. in English from MTSU. According to her nomination materials, Hale’s teaching effectiveness was evident from the start, report her supporters, who noted that Hale’s first teaching assignment/classroom was “in an old overcrowded high school in an auditorium balcony … (with) none of the modern technology present in today’s classrooms.”
Retired from teaching since late May 2004, Hale continued to serve as coordinator for the school’s then-new teacher-mentoring program for two more years. “Her dedication extended far past her classroom and into the community,” wrote one Hale supporter, who was both her student, and years later, a teaching colleague at the high school. Moreover, another advocate of Hale’s hall of fame induction observed that her “love of teaching has been contagious, and her life and professional lessons invaluable. … She not only epitomizes what a true teacher is but also serves as an inspiration for others who want to be teachers. …”
• Chattanooga resident Bertha Collins, a 39-year teaching veteran who devoted 33 of her 39-year career to classroom teaching and another six to professional assignment, has been applauded for a commitment and dedication to students that found them leaving her classroom “with (a) feeling of self-worth and academic accomplishment that is so important in life.” Collins taught English at Lookout Valley Middle/High School for 33 years, first joining its faculty in 1967, and served as the English department’s chairwoman for 17 years.
Since her formal retirement in summer 2000, Collins—who is called “an icon” at her long-time teaching assignment—has returned to serve as a part-time educator for her school and also served as a literacy coach, a role in which she helps students become better readers and assists teachers in planning outstanding literacy activities to use in their classrooms.
One teacher and supporter of Collins’ hall of fame induction wrote as follows: “Honestly, there is no way to put into words what a positive effect Ms. Collins has had on me as well as the entire community of Lookout Valley. Bertha Collins strives to better the lives our students, no matter what the cost. Her strength of character and unrelenting passion make her a role model for all educations.”
Another fan and education colleague of Collins noted that, in the words of Julius Caesar, she is “as constant as the northern star” and “exhibits every trait of an exemplary teacher, scholar and mentor.”
• Kathleen Phillips Pennington of Huntsville, Tenn., devoted all of her 45 years in education to students in the classroom before her final retirement in 2007. A native of Smith Creek, she graduated from Normal High School in 1951, already married to the late Dan Pennington Sr. and the mother of their first child at that time. She was president of her senior class and named Miss Norma High upon her graduation. She continued her academic career in 1955 when she enrolled in Cumberland College and earned both her two-year teaching certificate, and then later, her bachelor’s degree. She went on to receive a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Tennessee Tech University in 1974.
Pennington’s long education career began in ‘57 when she was hired by the Scott County Board of Education to teach language arts for grades 4-12 and serve as librarian for Norma High School. In 1975, the county schools were consolidated; thus, she began serving Fairview Elementary School as its librarian—a job she undertook until her husband’s failing health prompted her to retire so that she could care for him during what would be the final year of his life. In 2004, Pennington was approached by the school system’s director to fill a job for a qualified librarian. She, in turn, opted to return to Fairview Elementary, where she remained until her ’07 retirement.
In spite off “overcoming many personal tragedies of her own,” Pennington “has never failed to accommodate those individuals who require both financial and personal support and assistance,” wrote one supporter of Pennington, who was heralded for always lending a hand to others in their time of need. Also, noted Fairview Principal Linda Sharp, “Mrs. Pennington’s vivacious spirit has filled the hall of our school for many years. While serving as our school librarian, she has touched the lives of many students, parents and fellow educators in a way that cannot be imitated.”
• Teddy Brown Haley of Clarksville served all 39 years of his education career in the classroom in service to students as both a coach and teacher in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School District. He began his career in as an elementary P.E. educator at Moore County Elementary before taking an assignment in 1969 at Northwest High School as an assistant football coach. In 1970, he added history-teaching duties to his responsibilities at Northwest and served in that capacity until 1974. From 1975-1979, he taught history at Montgomery Central High School and served as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He joined the faculty of Northeast High School in 1980 and continued to teach history and coach at the school until accepting a job as principal of Northwest High school for two years, from 1990 to ’92. He returned to coaching and teaching history at Northeast High School in ’92, where he remained until his retirement in 2006.
Heralded as one who is “genuinely interested in helping students, a Christian role model and a well-prepared teacher,” Pennington maintained “a special ability to relate to a diverse range of students,” noted David E. Baker, former director of schools for Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools.
Among his numerous nominations for inclusion in the hall of fame is the support of Lt. Col. Kenneth Wiggins, a 1982 Northeast High School graduate, who wrote, “Ted Haley has mastered the delicate balance of teacher, coach and friend; my successes through life can be traced back to my first days at Northeast. I experienced the benefit of (Haley’s) teachings and mentoring daily—knowledge and life skills I will be forever grateful for. Well done, Coach, well done.”
• Lana Seivers, a resident of Nashville and the current commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education, who has thus far dedicated 31 years to education, including 13 years in the classroom. A native of Clinton, Tenn., Seivers earned a bachelor’s degree in education from MTSU as well as a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee.
Prior to her 2003 appointment by Gov. Phil Bredesen to serve on his cabinet as education commissioner, Seivers was director of Clinton City Schools and served as charwoman of the East Tennessee Superintendents’ Study Council, treasurer of the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents and chairwoman of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Elementary and Middle School Committee.
Lauded as “the ultimate champion for students” who “has given selflessly of her time and considerable energy to improve educational opportunities for Tennessee youth,” Seivers is credited with consistently maintaining her focus on the classroom. In his support of Seivers’ nomination for including in the hall of fame, Timothy K. Webb, deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education noted, “A good teacher has the best interests of students in mind and works around the clock to ensure all students realize their potential. Though several years removed from the classroom setting, Lana Seivers will always epitomize a good teacher because that’s who she is at heart.”
Donna Wright, assistant superintendent of schools for Knox County Schools, said that in each of her many roles in education, Seivers has always been recognized as a leader. Says Wright: “She has the natural ability to encourage students, teachers and even parents to always ‘look again’—to look through a different lens and not always be so accepting of standard practice. … Dr. Seivers is an educator who will be long remembered for her many contributions to the field … and exemplifies a responsible, caring human being: a worthy role model for all educators.”
About the Hall of Fame …
The Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame was created with the support of the late Dr. James E. Walker, former MTSU president and a one-time public school teacher; Dr. Robert Eaker, former dean of MTSU's College of Education and Behavioral and a current education professor; former Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter; Dr. Charles Smith, the state's former commissioner of education; the late Dr. Otis L. Floyd Jr., one-time chancellor for the Tennessee Board of Regents; and Dr. Cavit Cheshier of the Tennessee Education Association.
Since its 1994 inception, the hall of fame's spring ceremony has annually welcomed about 500 educators, legislators and other dignitaries from across the state, all of whom gather to honor inductees for their remarkable public service and role modeling through teaching.
"This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to honor a group of very special Tennesseans, while at the same time enhancing the status of the teaching profession," observed Bonner, regarding the April 26 event.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919
TENNESSEE TEACHERS HALL OF FAME WILL INDUCT SEVEN IN 2008
Tickets for April 26 Induction Ceremony & Banquet Now Available
(MURFREESBORO)—The Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame will induct seven new members during its annual induction ceremony and banquet beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, 2008, in the Tennessee Ballroom of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville.
The black-tie affair will mark the 14th year that the Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame has honored those educators who have exemplified excellence in teaching in Tennessee.
To date, 71 educators have been inducted into the hall of fame, which is co-sponsored each year by Middle Tennessee State University and overseen by a Board of Governors, whose members are made up of representatives from all major educational organizations within the state.
"Although MTSU is the sponsor of the activities associated with the Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame, the effort truly is a statewide endeavor," said Dr. Gloria Bonner, dean of MTSU's College of Education and Behavioral Science and coordinator of the April 26 ceremony.
"The hall of fame is a wonderful way for Tennesseans to honor those who have made exemplary contributions to the education profession and the lives of young people," she added.
This year's inductees are as follows:
• Selmer resident Martha McCullar Glover, who served 17 of her 35 years as a professional educator in the classroom and 18 in professional assignment. Cited as “an education visionary” who “impacted a school, a school system and thousands of students in countless … positive ways,” she joined the McNairy County School System as a classroom teacher in 1963 and served in that capacity until becoming an assistant principal for McNairy Central High School in 1980. She served as principal of the school from 1992-1998. Then, from 1999-2005, she was employed by Lambuth University as a planning coordinator for its freshman seminar program before serving as an adjunct professor in teacher preparation for UT Martin’s McNairy Center.
Glover earned a bachelor’s degree in history, with an English minor, from Lambuth University in 1963 before receiving an M.Ed. in education administration and supervision in ’75 and an Ed.D. in 1993 from the University of Memphis.
• Loudon resident John Sizemore Napier, who has thus far spent 34 years of his 35-year career in the classroom as a history and social studies teacher, school historian and part-time coach. Napier began his teaching career in 1971 at North Middle School in Lenoir City, where he coached boys and girls basketball and taught social studies. He joined the faculty of Loudon High School in 1974, where he still teaches today, At LHS, he has taught classes in American history, world history, sociology, contemporary issues, and history of the 20th century, in addition to having served as a girls softball coach and school historian.
In nominating Napier for the hall of fame, one supporter and school board member wrote that whenever the highly respected educator does finally decide to retire from the classroom “he will leave a void that will be difficult, if not impossible, to fill.” Another supporter, a 2008 LHS graduate, championed the teacher for “his ability … to get the entire class involved and interested in what he was teaching us.”
A longtime Sunday School teacher and a long-distance bicyclist, Napier’s other interests include local historical research and historic preservation and world travel, having visited more than 70 countries to date. He earned his B.S. in sociology in 1970 and his M.Ed. in 1974 from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and his Education Specialist Degree (Ed.S) from Tennessee Tech University in 1989.
• Hilda Hale of Manchester, who devoted all of her 29 years to teaching primarily Spanish and sometimes English for Coffee County Central High School. Hale joined the school’s faculty after receiving a M.A. in English from MTSU. According to her nomination materials, Hale’s teaching effectiveness was evident from the start, report her supporters, who noted that Hale’s first teaching assignment/classroom was “in an old overcrowded high school in an auditorium balcony … (with) none of the modern technology present in today’s classrooms.”
Retired from teaching since late May 2004, Hale continued to serve as coordinator for the school’s then-new teacher-mentoring program for two more years. “Her dedication extended far past her classroom and into the community,” wrote one Hale supporter, who was both her student, and years later, a teaching colleague at the high school. Moreover, another advocate of Hale’s hall of fame induction observed that her “love of teaching has been contagious, and her life and professional lessons invaluable. … She not only epitomizes what a true teacher is but also serves as an inspiration for others who want to be teachers. …”
• Chattanooga resident Bertha Collins, a 39-year teaching veteran who devoted 33 of her 39-year career to classroom teaching and another six to professional assignment, has been applauded for a commitment and dedication to students that found them leaving her classroom “with (a) feeling of self-worth and academic accomplishment that is so important in life.” Collins taught English at Lookout Valley Middle/High School for 33 years, first joining its faculty in 1967, and served as the English department’s chairwoman for 17 years.
Since her formal retirement in summer 2000, Collins—who is called “an icon” at her long-time teaching assignment—has returned to serve as a part-time educator for her school and also served as a literacy coach, a role in which she helps students become better readers and assists teachers in planning outstanding literacy activities to use in their classrooms.
One teacher and supporter of Collins’ hall of fame induction wrote as follows: “Honestly, there is no way to put into words what a positive effect Ms. Collins has had on me as well as the entire community of Lookout Valley. Bertha Collins strives to better the lives our students, no matter what the cost. Her strength of character and unrelenting passion make her a role model for all educations.”
Another fan and education colleague of Collins noted that, in the words of Julius Caesar, she is “as constant as the northern star” and “exhibits every trait of an exemplary teacher, scholar and mentor.”
• Kathleen Phillips Pennington of Huntsville, Tenn., devoted all of her 45 years in education to students in the classroom before her final retirement in 2007. A native of Smith Creek, she graduated from Normal High School in 1951, already married to the late Dan Pennington Sr. and the mother of their first child at that time. She was president of her senior class and named Miss Norma High upon her graduation. She continued her academic career in 1955 when she enrolled in Cumberland College and earned both her two-year teaching certificate, and then later, her bachelor’s degree. She went on to receive a master’s degree in administration and supervision from Tennessee Tech University in 1974.
Pennington’s long education career began in ‘57 when she was hired by the Scott County Board of Education to teach language arts for grades 4-12 and serve as librarian for Norma High School. In 1975, the county schools were consolidated; thus, she began serving Fairview Elementary School as its librarian—a job she undertook until her husband’s failing health prompted her to retire so that she could care for him during what would be the final year of his life. In 2004, Pennington was approached by the school system’s director to fill a job for a qualified librarian. She, in turn, opted to return to Fairview Elementary, where she remained until her ’07 retirement.
In spite off “overcoming many personal tragedies of her own,” Pennington “has never failed to accommodate those individuals who require both financial and personal support and assistance,” wrote one supporter of Pennington, who was heralded for always lending a hand to others in their time of need. Also, noted Fairview Principal Linda Sharp, “Mrs. Pennington’s vivacious spirit has filled the hall of our school for many years. While serving as our school librarian, she has touched the lives of many students, parents and fellow educators in a way that cannot be imitated.”
• Teddy Brown Haley of Clarksville served all 39 years of his education career in the classroom in service to students as both a coach and teacher in the Clarksville-Montgomery County School District. He began his career in as an elementary P.E. educator at Moore County Elementary before taking an assignment in 1969 at Northwest High School as an assistant football coach. In 1970, he added history-teaching duties to his responsibilities at Northwest and served in that capacity until 1974. From 1975-1979, he taught history at Montgomery Central High School and served as head basketball coach and assistant football coach. He joined the faculty of Northeast High School in 1980 and continued to teach history and coach at the school until accepting a job as principal of Northwest High school for two years, from 1990 to ’92. He returned to coaching and teaching history at Northeast High School in ’92, where he remained until his retirement in 2006.
Heralded as one who is “genuinely interested in helping students, a Christian role model and a well-prepared teacher,” Pennington maintained “a special ability to relate to a diverse range of students,” noted David E. Baker, former director of schools for Clarksville-Montgomery County Schools.
Among his numerous nominations for inclusion in the hall of fame is the support of Lt. Col. Kenneth Wiggins, a 1982 Northeast High School graduate, who wrote, “Ted Haley has mastered the delicate balance of teacher, coach and friend; my successes through life can be traced back to my first days at Northeast. I experienced the benefit of (Haley’s) teachings and mentoring daily—knowledge and life skills I will be forever grateful for. Well done, Coach, well done.”
• Lana Seivers, a resident of Nashville and the current commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education, who has thus far dedicated 31 years to education, including 13 years in the classroom. A native of Clinton, Tenn., Seivers earned a bachelor’s degree in education from MTSU as well as a master’s degree in educational administration and a doctorate in education from the University of Tennessee.
Prior to her 2003 appointment by Gov. Phil Bredesen to serve on his cabinet as education commissioner, Seivers was director of Clinton City Schools and served as charwoman of the East Tennessee Superintendents’ Study Council, treasurer of the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents and chairwoman of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Elementary and Middle School Committee.
Lauded as “the ultimate champion for students” who “has given selflessly of her time and considerable energy to improve educational opportunities for Tennessee youth,” Seivers is credited with consistently maintaining her focus on the classroom. In his support of Seivers’ nomination for including in the hall of fame, Timothy K. Webb, deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Education noted, “A good teacher has the best interests of students in mind and works around the clock to ensure all students realize their potential. Though several years removed from the classroom setting, Lana Seivers will always epitomize a good teacher because that’s who she is at heart.”
Donna Wright, assistant superintendent of schools for Knox County Schools, said that in each of her many roles in education, Seivers has always been recognized as a leader. Says Wright: “She has the natural ability to encourage students, teachers and even parents to always ‘look again’—to look through a different lens and not always be so accepting of standard practice. … Dr. Seivers is an educator who will be long remembered for her many contributions to the field … and exemplifies a responsible, caring human being: a worthy role model for all educators.”
About the Hall of Fame …
The Tennessee Teachers Hall of Fame was created with the support of the late Dr. James E. Walker, former MTSU president and a one-time public school teacher; Dr. Robert Eaker, former dean of MTSU's College of Education and Behavioral and a current education professor; former Tennessee Gov. Ned McWherter; Dr. Charles Smith, the state's former commissioner of education; the late Dr. Otis L. Floyd Jr., one-time chancellor for the Tennessee Board of Regents; and Dr. Cavit Cheshier of the Tennessee Education Association.
Since its 1994 inception, the hall of fame's spring ceremony has annually welcomed about 500 educators, legislators and other dignitaries from across the state, all of whom gather to honor inductees for their remarkable public service and role modeling through teaching.
"This is an exciting opportunity for all of us to honor a group of very special Tennesseans, while at the same time enhancing the status of the teaching profession," observed Bonner, regarding the April 26 event.
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