[090]MTSU HOSTS GRITS COLLABORATIVE KICKOFF CONFERENCE SEPT. 26

Release date: Sept. 12, 2008


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
GRITS contact: Lacey Fleming, 615-494-7763


MTSU HOSTS GRITS COLLABORATIVE KICKOFF CONFERENCE SEPT. 26


(MURFREESBORO) — Mark your calendar for the GRITS Collaborative Kickoff Conference, which will be held Friday, Sept. 26, at MTSU. The event is open to anyone interested in helping girls become involved in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) educational aspects, said Lacey Fleming, assistant director for GRITS, or Girls Raised in Tennessee Science. Attendees may be from education (K-12 and postsecondary), business, government and community-based and professional organizations across Tennessee and surrounding states. Fleming said “people who are involved with companies or heading up programs with girls” are especially encouraged to attend the kickoff, which will go from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. and be held in the Keathley University Center lobby, theater and KUC Room 322. “We want to appeal to them to come to this meeting,” she added. Dr. Leslie Wisner-Lynch, a co-founder of BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc., will be the keynote speaker, Fleming added. Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost, will introduce Wisner-Lynch. Fleming said Gov. Phil Bredesen has asked Margaret Horn of the Governor’s Office of Policy and Planning to attend on his behalf. Among others who have indicated they will attend are state Sen. Bill Ketron and John Hood from the MTSU Office of Community Engagement and Support. “I am very excited these VIPs will be showing their support at the kickoff,” Fleming said. The kickoff is a National Girls Collaborative Project “to bring girls and institutions together for mutually beneficial relationships,” Fleming said. She added that $1,000 mini-grants would be available to start programs that serve girls' collaborations of two or more companies or organizations. The National Science Foundation and National Girls Collaborative Project will sponsor the event. Fleming and Cacy DeSheles, the GRITS program student coordinator, attended a Kentucky kickoff event May 23 in Lexington. About 80 people attended, she said. “They engaged us all,” Fleming said. “They had interesting speakers. A lot of women talked about their experiences. People were networking at lunch. There was a lot of energy. Those are the things I'll remember. We hope to duplicate that energy.” In addition to it being a free event, there will be free parking and free lunch. For more information, visit mtsu.edu/~grits or call Fleming at 615-494-7763. Her e-mail address is lfleming@mtsu.edu.

For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.

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Media welcomed.