Wednesday, July 30, 2008

[028]FRIENDS OF MTSU’s REED THOMAS ESTABLISH FUND TO AID FAMILY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 30, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919

FRIENDS OF MTSU’s REED THOMAS ESTABLISH FUND TO AID FAMILY
Local Music Professor, Band Director Suffers Stroke While Conducting in Brazil

(MURFREESBORO)—A fund to help provide assistance for Dr. Reed Thomas, director of bands at MTSU, and his family has been established at SunTrust Bank in an effort to defray the substantial medical bills and travel expenses incurred after the local professor became ill while conducting overseas.
Thomas, 46, suffered a stroke July 12 during a visit to Brazil, where was invited to conduct at the Tatui Conservatory. He is scheduled to return to the U.S. on July 31 via a 12-hour flight, if his health continues to improve.
Dr. George Riordan, director of the MTSU School of Music, said Reed was invited to the conservatory in Brazil by Dario Sotelo, who guest conducted the MTSU Wind Ensemble at MTSU last year.
“Unfortunately, while he was in Brazil, Reed suffered severe headache, and later suffered a stroke in the posterior inferior cerebellum artery,” Riordan explained. “ He is expected to make a full recovery, can talk and use all of his limbs, but he is still suffering from double vision and a loss of equilibrium.
Jill Thomas, Reed’s wife, said she is especially grateful for “the exceptional care that Reed received at the Hospital Nossa Senhora de Lourdes in São Paulo” and “very impressed and deeply moved by everyone” she and her husband came in contact with following her husband’s stroke.
“While in Brazil, we have met some of the most wonderful people imaginable,” she said. “They are welcoming, sympathetic, understanding and very generous. There are so many examples and stories to tell, too many to write. We are in awe. Brazilians continue to amaze us with their generosity.”
Although the Thomas family feels blessed by the exceptional care and kindness extended to them during this difficult time, the medical emergency has incurred significant financial challenges for the family, including excessive expenses that are not covered by insurance, Riordan shared.
“One of Dr. Thomas’ colleagues and friends, Dr. Michael Arndt, has set up a dedicated bank account whereby friends, family and students may donate to help defray the considerable costs of emergency flights and other related expenses,” Riordan explained. “Those who would like more information about this fund may contact Dr. Arndt at marndt@mtsu.edu.”
During the unexpected and extended stay in Brazil, the Thomas children—daughters Nicole, Aspen and Autumn—have stayed with family in Minnesota so that mom Jill could be with her husband.
“We are so thankful for all the prayers,” Jill wrote in a July 29 e-mail. “And we look forward to seeing many of (our friends) very soon. … Once we arrive back to the States, we will meet with (Reed’s) doctor and therapists to continue his recovery.”
In addition to serving as director of bands, Reed is a professor in the MTSU music school, where he has taught since 2003. He conducts the MTSU Wind Ensemble and the Chamber Winds, teaches conducting and administers the entire band program, which includes four concert ensembles, the 300-member Band of Blue and the Pep Band.
Under his direction, the university’s band program annually runs significant public service and outreach programs, noted Riordan, who added that Thomas took the MTSU Wind Ensemble on a concert tour of Korea in 2005 and on a summer of 2007 tour of China that “was a life-changing event” for students.
• HOW TO HELP: Check donations for the Thomas family may be mailed to: The Reed Thomas Family, c/o Michael Arndt, 406 Kingwood Drive, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. Please make checks payable to Michael Arndt, and indicate "Donations for Dr. Thomas" on the “For” or “Memo” line.



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ATTENTION, MEDIA—To request a jpeg of Dr. Thomas Reed, please e-mail Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@mtsu.edu

[027]MTSU STUDENT TO STUDY WITH NOBEL PRIZE RECIPIENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 29, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

MTSU STUDENT TO STUDY WITH NOBEL PRIZE RECIPIENT First Kawahito Scholarship to Fund Education in Impoverished Lands

(MURFREESBORO) – MTSU student Steve Sibley will realize the educational experience of a lifetime this fall when he interns for 10 weeks in Bangladesh with the Grameen Bank, the financial institution founded by Nobel Peace Prize-winner and former MTSU professor Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
Sibley, a senior from Signal Mountain slated to graduate in December 2008, is the first recipient of a new financial stipend at MTSU—the Kawahito Scholarship for Experiential World Poverty Studies. The scholarship was created by and is named for Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, professor emeritus of economics and finance and former director of the university’s Japan-U.S. Program.
Kawahito says he created the scholarship to give students a chance to live in some of the most debilitating conditions on the planet, examine why these areas are impoverished and witness conscientious efforts to fight the poverty.
“You have to jump into the midst of poverty and really observe and feel how poor people live and struggle,” he says.
However, this experience is not for those who are faint of heart or shallow of soul. Kawahito says poverty in many parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America is utterly unlike the quality of life of Americans who are considered poor.
“They [would be] mostly middle-income class or higher [in the] poorer regions of the world,” he says. “They (Americans) have a place to stay which is not leaking or rat-infested. There’s even running water and a toilet, you know.”
Dr. Richard Hannah, Kawahito’s fellow economics professor, says Kawahito’s approach to educating students about the world outside their native country is the correct one.
“Whether primary research, applying economic learning out of one’s context of western comforts of the mind, or searching for alternatives of conventional thought, Dr. Kawahito is straight on in his thoughts that students should be applying themselves in the emerging world,” Hannah wrote in a fundraising letter.
Yunus was an assistant professor of economics at MTSU from 1969 to 1972. Since 1976, he has devoted his life to helping his country overcome its underdeveloped economy through microcredit, the practice of lending money to people without any collateral or credit history in order to help them invest in their own futures. He started with a loan of $27 to a group of 42 people who wanted to buy weaving stools. They repaid both principal and interest in a short period of time. Grameen’s overall default rate is only about 2 percent.
Upon granting the Nobel Prize to Yunus and Grameen Bank in 2006, the Nobel committee stated, “for their efforts to create social and economic development from below. Lasting peace cannot be achieved unless large population groups find ways in which to break out of poverty. Microcredit is one such means. Development from below also serves to advance democracy and human rights.” In particular, empowerment of women in a traditional society is a remarkable feature of microlending.
Sibley, whose experience as a world traveler is limited to two nights in Mexico as part of a cruise, says he is thrilled and grateful to be going to Bangladesh.
“I’m actually excited to be able to use finance to help people rather than make money for myself,” Sibley says. “I think that will be a great opportunity.”
The business finance major, who will turn 27 years old on Aug. 10, has taken a circuitous route to his heart’s desire. He left McCallie School, a well-known Chattanooga prep school, after his junior year to major in film at Hampshire College in Amherst, Mass. He left Hampshire after only a semester to pursue a career in music and recording engineering. At age 23, he decided neither film nor music was the right profession, but he enrolled in MTSU so he could stay close to the Nashville music scene.
Sibley says he thinks he will spend some time in the main bank in Dhaka, but he also anticipates living for awhile with Bangladeshis in Dhaka and Chittagong.
“Dr. Kawahito doesn’t want me to live like royalty,” Sibley says. “He wants me to experience poverty. That’s the idea of the Kawahito Scholarship. He wants me to look at water coming out of the tap and think ‘I can’t drink this.’”
The scholarship fund will provide Sibley with $2,000 for his round-trip air fare. The Department of Economics and Finance and the Jennings A. Jones College of Business will give him $1,000 and $750, respectively, to cover his living expenses.
To find out more about the Kawahito Scholarship for World Poverty Studies or to make a donation, contact Hannah at 615-898-2228 or rlhannah@mtsu.edu.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For jpeg photos of Steve Sibley and Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

[026]MTSU MCNAIR SCHOLARS WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY

mtsunews.com



*** MEDIA ADVISORY ***

News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
MTSU McNair Scholars contact: Steve Saunders, 615-904-8462


MTSU MCNAIR SCHOLARS WILL MAKE PRESENTATIONS WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY


WHO: 25 MTSU McNair Scholars
WHAT: 9th annual MTSU McNair Symposium (oral presentations and posters)
WHEN: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday (July 30-31)
WHERE: Tom H. Jackson Building
ETC.: The McNair Scholars Program, named in honor of NASA Challenger space shuttle astronaut Ronald E. McNair, is designed to give low-income/first-generation and under-represented undergraduate students the support they need to prepare for and successfully complete a doctorate degree in their chosen fields.

Day 1 fields of study include animal science, biology, pre-physical therapy/mathematics, chemistry, journalism, computer information systems, economics, finance and psychology

Day 2 fields of study include psychology, music performance, political science, history, music, English and social work

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

Monday, July 28, 2008

[025]CLIMBING THE FAMILY TREE FOR FUN AND EDUCATIONAL CREDIT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 25, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

CLIMBING THE FAMILY TREE FOR FUN AND EDUCATIONAL CREDIT
Professor Turns Heredity into History and Explains on “MTSU on the Record”

(MURFREESBORO) – Students will videotape and interview their own relatives to learn how historians delve into the past in a class to be taught this fall. The professor, Dr. Lorne McWatters, will discuss the class, “Genealogy and Documentary Film: Doing Your Own Family History in Film, at 7 a.m. this Sunday, July 27, on “MTSU on the Record” on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
This year will mark the first time McWatters has taught the class to undergraduates. “The fall class will have 15 students, and each student will make a film about 10 minutes long on either some aspect of his/her family (genealogy) or some aspect of the history of MTSU,” McWatters says. “In speaking to students about the class, I found the undergraduates to be very enthusiastic, much more so than the graduate students, in general.”
For more information on “MTSU on the Record,” contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.
Contact McWatters at 615-898-5805 or dmcwatte@mtsu.edu.

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[024]PEPSI WINS CONTRACT, REPLACES COKE ON THE MTSU CAMPUS

PEPSI WINS CONTRACT, REPLACES COKE ON THE MTSU CAMPUS

July 25, 2008

MURFREESBORO–Middle Tennessee State University has agreed in principle with Pepsi Bottling Group on a five-year contract for pouring rights on the Murfreesboro campus. Fans will see ads and vending machines for Pepsi products, including Mountain Dew, 7 Up, Squirt, Aquafina, Propel, Tropicana, Life Water, Lipton and Gatorade.
The five-year agreement, which is still being finalized and is expected to be signed in early August, is renewable for an additional five years. Coca-Cola Bottling just ended a 10-year tenure on campus.
“We hope to have 95 percent of the Pepsi machines on campus changed out by the end of July,” said Joe Hugh, assistant vice president for procurement services at Middle Tennessee. “Part of the requirement was to replace all of the equipment on campus and guarantee that the commissions would be as great as they were last year with Coke. So far Pepsi has been on top of everything we’ve asked them to do.”
Beth Stone, key account manager for Pepsi Bottling, said the contract gives her company a unique opportunity to provide service to Middle Tennessee students and fans on campus.
“We’re very excited about this new partnership with the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders,” Stone said. “It’s a huge deal for Pepsi and the community of Murfreesboro. This contract allows Pepsi Bottling Group to serve a healthier-for-you portfolio of beverages to students and fans both on and off campus.”
George Zimmerman, director of concessions in the athletic department, is working with Pepsi to replace all of the fountain machines and menu boards in the athletic facilities. All of the stadium signage as well as other signage around the facilities must also be replaced.
“It’s a significantly better sponsorship in terms of cash and partnership possibilities,” Chris Massaro, director of athletics, said. “They really wanted the property and showed that with their aggressiveness in the bidding process. It creates more revenue through corporate sponsorships and integrated business deals in today’s difficult economy.”

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[023]MTSU BRINGS DISNEY INSTITUTE’s CELEBRATED PROGRAM TO NASHVILLE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SEPT. 9

MTSU BRINGS DISNEY INSTITUTE’s CELEBRATED PROGRAM TO NASHVILLE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SEPT. 9

July 25, 2008
CONTACT: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919
Dr. Jim Burton, 615-898-2764

MURFREESBORO—Celebrating more than 97 years of preparing students to become successful business leaders, Middle Tennessee State University and the Jennings A. Jones College of Business, are pleased to present Disney Institute’s professional development program, the “Disney Keys to Excellence,” to the greater Nashville community.
The event will be held Tuesday, Sept. 9, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the Sheraton Downtown Nashville, 623 Union Street. (Visit the Web site below for fees and registration details.)
This interactive workshop will enable area professionals to experience the “business behind the magic.” Walt Disney World® instructors will provide proven Disney success strategies in Leadership, Management, Customer Service and Customer Loyalty, which participants can adapt to their own organizations.
“From our perspective,” says Tom Tozer, director of MTSU News and Public Affairs, “the Disney Keys are entirely relevant to both the university community and the local Nashville business community. One of the biggest issues facing higher education today is the attraction and retention of students. The Disney Keys to Excellence program addresses critical concepts in customer loyalty and customer service, issues that are relevant in both business and higher education.”
This full-day program, of which MTSU is a silver sponsor, will showcase the Disney formula for successful leadership, management, customer service and loyalty practices over the past 75 years.
“Participants will discover Disney success stories and learn about management philosophies and behind-the-scenes operations that have made the Disney Parks and Resorts a benchmark for businesses around the world,” said George Aguel, senior vice president for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “What makes this learning experience so meaningful is that we don’t simply teach theory. We showcase philosophies and strategies that have made us a success and that can be adapted to other organizations.”
“We are delighted to serve as the Nashville area host for a program that is core to our mission,” said Dr. James Burton, dean of the Jones College of Business at MTSU. “MTSU is preparing young men and women to become ethical, entrepreneurial successes in the business world, and the Disney Keys program is clearly in sync with our educational philosophy.”
The “Disney Keys” program in Nashville will showcase four 90-minute sessions:

• Leadership, Disney Style – Discover how effective leadership has been the catalyst at Disney to drive employee/customer satisfaction and bottom-line results, from the company’s inception to today.

• Management, Disney Style – Examine the importance of integrating an organization’s corporate culture into selection, training, and care of employees.

• Service, Disney Style – Explore world-renowned Disney principles for service excellence.

• Loyalty, Disney Style – Learn key practices and principles in building and sustaining loyalty that have made Disney a trusted and revered brand around the world for more than 75 years.

For more information and to register for the program, visit http://www.keysnashville.com.
Receive a $50 discount by using the following promotional code: MTSUNWSE.

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MEDIA: Members of the media are welcomed to attend by presenting press credentials. Photography of any slides or presentation-specific material will be prohibited; otherwise, photography will be permitted. Organizers will help arrange on-site interviews with session presenters/facilitators. Contact Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 (ttozer@mtsu.edu) well in advance to make arrangements.

[022]MTSU’S DIANE MILLER NAMED VICE PROVOST FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

MTSU’S DIANE MILLER NAMED VICE PROVOST FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

July 25, 2008
CONTACT: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919


MURFREESBORO—Dr. Diane Miller’s new role as vice provost became effective July 14, and she’s already hard at work keeping the approval process moving for three proposed Ph.D. degrees: computational science, mathematics and science education and molecular biosciences. If the TBR and THEC respond in a timely fashion and give their nod to the degrees, the programs could be in place by fall of 2009.
Miller is a professor of mathematical sciences and has served as interim vice provost since January of this year after Dr. Jack Thomas left MTSU to become provost and academic vice president at Western (Macomb) Illinois University. Previously, Miller served as interim associate dean for the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and was president of the Faculty Senate in 1999-2000.
“This office helps to facilitate the flow of paperwork related to curricula issues,” Miller said, regarding the role of vice provost, “which might include starting a new degree program or revising an existing program or course curriculum.”
Miller also will work with reviewers who examine degree proposals, field student questions or problems and handle grade appeals. In addition to continuing as director of MTSU’s Undergraduate Research Center and the McNair’s Scholars Program, Miller noted that the provost also asked her to take on a new task of providing an organizational structure for all programs dealing with international affairs, including devising new ways to attract more students from other cultures.
“I welcome Dr. Diane Miller to this senior level academic administrative position,” said President Sidney A. McPhee. “Dr. Miller brings with her a wealth of experience as both a faculty member and an administrator and as a former president of the Faculty Senate. Her dedication and commitment to the university are certainly assets as she provides leadership in many areas within Academic Affairs and across the campus.”
“I’ve been humbled and appreciative of all the e-mails and cards from people wishing me well,” Miller said.
Miller earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Tennessee, a master of science degree from the University of Memphis, an education specialist degree from Arkansas State University, and a doctorate in mathematics education from the University of Missouri.


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Editor: For a jpeg of Miller, please contact Gina Fann at 898-5385 or gfann@mtsu.edu.

[021]U.S.-SINO MTSU WORKSHOP FIRST STEP IN FUTURE COLLABORATION

U.S.-SINO MTSU WORKSHOP FIRST STEP IN FUTURE COLLABORATION

July 23, 2008

MURFREESBORO—Dr. Diane Miller means what she says. When Middle Tennessee State University’s newly appointed vice provost at issued directives to all who participated in the recent U.S.-Sino workshop on mathematics and science education, she told them this was not going to be a “meet-and-greet-and-then-let’s-go home session.” It certainly wasn’t.
American and Chinese scholars traded e-mail addresses as well as phone and fax numbers, and they made a commitment, as members of 12 Research Working Groups, to continue their collaboration for the next several months or years that would produce meaningful and lasting outcomes—outcomes that would ultimately have an impact on classroom teaching and learning.
“We’d been planning this for the last 18 months,” Miller said. “Dr. McPhee proposed the idea to President Wang Li Min of Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Peoples Republic of China, in 2006. He asked me to take charge, and I wrote a proposal to the National Science Foundation in the spring of 2007 and submitted it in the fall of that year.”
The weeklong event last month was co-hosted by MTSU and NWNU. U.S. Congressman Bart Gordon delivered the opening address, and plenary speakers included scholars from the National Science Foundation, The Carnegie Foundation, NWNU and the P.R. China Embassy in Washington, D.C.
At the beginning of the week, nearly 125 scholars gathered together and presented topic-session papers. From those sessions, participants joined with others of similar interests and formed Research Working Groups, which spent the week discussing math and science curriculum, teacher preparation, assessment, integrating technology into the classroom, professional development and reaching the underserved population.
“On Friday, we asked the RWGs to summarize their discussions and what they hoped to accomplish as a working group in the future, including a timeline if they were that far into the process,” Miller explained, adding that these reports turned out to be one of Miller’s most memorable experiences during the week. “I really didn’t know what to expect—they far exceeded my expectations.”
It wasn’t all work and no play. “We built in social time because I firmly believe the friendships that were developed will sustain the professional relationships that are needed to complete these research projects,” Miller said.
“A lot of people commented that they thought this was a very successful part of the workshop.,” she continued. “You had groups that spoke different languages and came from different cultures. Even their research paradigms are different. The research language is different in the United States from the language of Chinese researchers.”
Several MTSU faculty and students served as translators in both formal and informal gathering whenever they were needed.
Miller said while the research methodology was not that different between the two cultures, the methods of getting the research is different.
“When our scholars started talking about IRB approval (Institutional Review Board), their Chinese counterparts wanted to know what that meant. Our scholars explained the process they went through to get permission to work with students. In China, a researcher can go into a school and say ‘I want to do this on these days,’ and the school accommodates them.”
The curriculum in China is a national curriculum,” Miller noted. “Up until five years ago, the subject material taught in every classroom on any given day was the same. However, the Chinese government became interested in the revised math and science curriculum in the United States, so they permitted schools in five provinces to teach what they call an experimental curriculum.
“It is a significant step for them.” Miller said, adding that in the past three years, the Chinese also have implemented some revised science curricula.
The Chinese educational system is assessment-driven. Miller said students are driven from the point of entry through high school graduation, and it all boils down to one test score on a university entrance test.
“Teachers in China are still revered,” she emphasized. “They are honored and respected. Somewhere along the way I think we’ve lost that in the U.S.”
Educating the underserved population is just as urgent and important in China as in the United States, especially in the areas of math and science. The Gansu Province in northwest China is composed of at least 45 different minority groups. “Their struggle in reaching these people is similar to our struggle,” Miller observed.
The National Science Foundation has expressed an interest—not a commitment—in providing funding for U.S. scholars to go to China for a follow-up workshop, if the research groups maintain their momentum, Miller said. She plans to keep in touch with the RWG facilitators and will post updates on a Web site.
“One group has already set up a discussion group online, and everyone is copying me on their correspondence,” she said. “So, yes, the work has just begun, and the real success of the workshop won’t be determined for several months. It will depend on these RWGs truly working together. … We hope people will implement their research plans, present at professional conferences and publish from that. And we hope to get the group back together again. … There were absolutely no difficult times. Everything went so smoothly and everyone seemed to be so happy … it was a little scary.”

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[020]NEWEST CIVIL WAR FINDS SPUR ON RESEARCHERS, VOLUNTEERS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919 or lrollin@mtsu.edu

NEWEST CIVIL WAR FINDS SPUR ON RESEARCHERS, VOLUNTEERS
MTSU-Led Volunteers Brave the Heat & Use GPS Technology to Uncover
Long-Buried Civil War Artifacts Near Harding House, Brick Kiln Site

(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—Sweltering temperatures, pesky bugs and blisters brought on by combating the hard battlefield soil weren’t enough to discourage volunteers who, for the second weekend in a row, braved the 94-degree heat to participate in the Harding House Civil War History Survey on July 19-20.
The project, which is a geospatial/archaeological project conducted this month on land slated for development in August, was initiated by Dr. Tom Nolan and archaeologist Zada Law, both members of MTSU’s geosciences faculty, with assistance from Dr. Hugh Berryman, director of the MTSU Forensic Institute for Research and Education, as well as members of Middle Tennessee Metal Detectors, MTSU anthropology and public history students, Gib Backlund and Jim Lewis from the National Park Service, and developer Stonegate Commercial.
“We're having to do this work in a really short time frame in one of the hottest and most humid parts of the year,” remarked Law of the all-volunteer effort. “The heat, actually the humidity, was brutal out there.”
In spite of the heat-related conditions, “We completed a systematic metal detecting survey of the surface of almost the entire development tract,” she noted. “And we also conducted a pedestrian archaeological reconnaissance of the field where the Harding's brick kiln is reported to have been located.”
As a result, the final weekend of the July survey yielded historically valuable finds, said Nolan, director of MTSU’s Laboratory for Spatial Technology, who credits and praises project volunteers for the recovery of not just farm implements, bullets, shell fuse and shell fragments, but also for the weekend’s most celebrated Civil War artifact—and one which brought cheers from the exhausted survey teams.
“Right by where we had parked our vehicles, we found a Civil War-period spur, with a silver rowel, which is the small wheel of a spur that has sharp edges,” Nolan related, with excitement. “It even had the chain and buckle that had held it on (its owner’s boot) … and you could see how it had been lost, because one of the attachments on it broke.”
The volunteer-motivating discovery, which was located on Saturday, July 19, was one that once belonged to “a cavalry soldier or an officer,” he noted.
Regarding the horseshoe, Backlund, chief of operations for Stones River National Battlefield, said, “It’s cavalry, but it’s United States as opposed to Confederate States. It also has a mark on it that may indicate the maker. We’re not sure of the dates exactly, but it’s Civil War era … and we have museum technicians looking at the marks on it now.”
As for the weekend’s artifact tally, “The team of volunteers from the metal-detecting club made it possible for us to do a metal detecting survey over almost all the tract,” Law said. “I think between Saturday and Sunday, we may have had perhaps 30-40 individual fragments including things like shell fragments that are possibly Civil War era.
“It's so hard to tell with the clay dirt still clinging to them, and because the clock is ticking down to development, we focused on collecting the artifacts and getting their locations and moving on,” she continued. “We may have collected some non-Civil War pieces (such as farming equipment and fence wire), but experts in this era of material cultural can sort that out later.”
Backlund confirmed that the July 19-20 survey effort yielded more “minie balls, round shot … and pieces of horseshoes.” Moreover, he said he’s hopeful the teams will be able to “go out again” to further continue the survey, even though the past weekend marked the volunteers’ final survey activity for July.
“None of this would have been possible without the great volunteer response, and that’s the truth,” Nolan observed. “We couldn’t have done it without them, and I am so pleased that the anthropology students were willing help. They conducted all the GPS data collection and bagging in the field. … (And) Middle Tennessee Metal Detectors was a pleasure to work with. They systematically covered the ground, worked well with the GPS and photography teams, and were very knowledgeable about the artifacts they recovered.”
“We had six new volunteers this past weekend,” Law added. “One man and his grade-school son came from Wisconsin to help. Our crew on Saturday numbered about 25 and about 12 on Sunday. Plus, students from MTSU's public history program and anthropology program were out photographing, GPSing location coordinates and creating a field inventory of the artifacts we found.”
Heralding the Harding House Civil War Survey as a true partnership for historic preservation, Law said this project differed from other such efforts she’s participated in, because of the cooperative aspect of the developer and other participants.
“Much of my archaeological survey work has been connected with projects that
have some type of regulatory requirement that historic sites, including archaeological sites, be taken into account before development,” she explained. “What is different about the Harding House survey is that there is no regulation or legislation that requires the developer to allow scientific community to collect historic data before development.
“Of course, once the construction equipment starts pushing dirt around, the location of the artifacts and other archaeological signatures of the conflict will be destroyed and data that may allow us to better understand this day of the battle and where troops were positioned will be gone forever,” she noted. “So we're really grateful that the developer has allowed us to go on his land prior to construction to conduct this survey.”
Overall, Nolan said the volunteer partnership gleaned small amounts of ammunition and other artifacts that will aid in helping historians better pinpoint the location of the troops on the first day of the Stones River conflict. Additionally, he said he remains hopeful that volunteers will be allowed to return to the site after construction crews begin grading the area for development.

[019]U.S.-SINO MTSU WORKSHOP FIRST STEP IN FUTURE COLLABORATION

U.S.-SINO MTSU WORKSHOP FIRST STEP IN FUTURE COLLABORATION


MURFREESBORO—Dr. Diane Miller means what she says. When the newly appointed vice provost issued directives to all who participated in the recent U.S.-Sino workshop on mathematics and science education, she told them this was not going to be a “meet-and-greet-and-then-let’s-go home session.” It certainly wasn’t.
American and Chinese scholars traded e-mail addresses as well as phone and fax numbers, and they made a commitment, as members of 12 Research Working Groups, to continue their collaboration for the next several months or years that would produce meaningful and lasting outcomes—outcomes that would ultimately have an impact on classroom teaching and learning.
“We’d been planning this for the last 18 months,” Miller said. “Dr. McPhee proposed the idea to President Wang Li Min of Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Peoples Republic of China, in 2006. He asked me to take charge, and I wrote a proposal to the National Science Foundation in the spring of 2007 and submitted it in the fall of that year.”
The weeklong event, June 22-27, was co-hosted by MTSU and NWNU. U.S. Congressman Bart Gordon delivered the opening address, and plenary speakers included scholars from the National Science Foundation, The Carnegie Foundation, NWNU and the P.R. China Embassy in Washington, D.C.
At the beginning of the week, nearly 125 scholars gathered together and presented topic-session papers. From those sessions, participants joined with others of similar interests and formed Research Working Groups, which spent the week discussing math and science curriculum, teacher preparation, assessment, integrating technology into the classroom, professional development and reaching the underserved population.
“On Friday, we asked the RWGs to summarize their discussions and what they hoped to accomplish as a working group in the future, including a timeline if they were that far into the process,” Miller explained, adding that these reports turned out to be one of Miller’s most memorable experiences during the week. “I really didn’t know what to expect—they far exceeded my expectations.”
It wasn’t all work and no play. “We built in social time because I firmly believe the friendships that were developed will sustain the professional relationships that are needed to complete these research projects,” Miller said.
“A lot of people commented that they thought this was a very successful part of the workshop.,” she continued. “You had groups that spoke different languages and came from different cultures. Even their research paradigms are different. The research language is different in the United States from the language of Chinese researchers.”
Several MTSU faculty and students served as translators in both formal and informal gathering whenever they were needed.
Miller said while the research methodology was not that different between the two cultures, the methods of getting the research is different.
“When our scholars started talking about IRB approval (Institutional Review Board), their Chinese counterparts wanted to know what that meant. Our scholars explained the process they went through to get permission to work with students. In China, a researcher can go into a school and say ‘I want to do this on these days,’ and the school accommodates them.”
The curriculum in China is a national curriculum,” Miller noted. “Up until five years ago, the subject material taught in every classroom on any given day was the same. However, the Chinese government became interested in the revised math and science curriculum in the United States, so they permitted schools in five provinces to teach what they call an experimental curriculum.
“It is a significant step for them.” Miller said, adding that in the past three years, the Chinese also have implemented some revised science curricula.
The Chinese educational system is assessment-driven. Miller said students are driven from the point of entry through high school graduation, and it all boils down to one test score on a university entrance test.
“Teachers in China are still revered,” she emphasized. “They are honored and respected. Somewhere along the way I think we’ve lost that in the U.S.”
Educating the underserved population is just as urgent and important in China as in the United States, especially in the areas of math and science. The Gansu Province in northwest China is composed of at least 45 different minority groups. “Their struggle in reaching these people is similar to our struggle,” Miller observed.
The National Science Foundation has expressed an interest—not a commitment—in providing funding for U.S. scholars to go to China for a follow-up workshop, if the research groups maintain their momentum, Miller said. She plans to keep in touch with the RWG facilitators and will post updates on a Web site.
“One group has already set up a discussion group online, and everyone is copying me on their correspondence,” she said. “So, yes, the work has just begun, and the real success of the workshop won’t be determined for several months. It will depend on these RWGs truly working together. … We hope people will implement their research plans, present at professional conferences and publish from that. And we hope to get the group back together again. … There were absolutely no difficult times. Everything went so smoothly and everyone seemed to be so happy … it was a little scary.”

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Pruned version




MURFREESBORO—Dr. Diane Miller means what she says. When the newly appointed vice provost issued directives to all who participated in the recent U.S.-Sino workshop on mathematics and science education, she told them this was not going to be a “meet-and-greet-and-then-let’s-go home session.” It certainly wasn’t.
American and Chinese scholars traded e-mail addresses as well as phone and fax numbers, and they made a commitment, as members of 12 Research Working Groups, to continue their collaboration for the next several months or years that would produce meaningful and lasting outcomes—outcomes that would ultimately have an impact on classroom teaching and learning.
“We’d been planning this for the last 18 months,” Miller said. “Dr. McPhee proposed the idea to President Wang Limin of Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Peoples Republic of China, in 2006. He asked me to take charge, and I wrote a proposal to the National Science Foundation in the spring of 2007 and submitted it in the fall of that year.”
The weeklong event, June 22-27, was co-hosted by MTSU and NWNU. U.S. Congressman Bart Gordon delivered the opening address, and plenary speakers included scholars from the National Science Foundation, The Carnegie Foundation, NWNU and the Ministry of Education, P.R. China.
At the beginning of the week, nearly 125 scholars gathered together and presented topic-session papers. From those sessions, participants joined with others of similar interests and formed Research Working Groups, which spent the week discussing math and science curriculum, teacher preparation, assessment, integrating technology into the classroom, professional development and reaching the underserved population.
“On Friday, we asked the RWGs to summarize their discussions and what they hoped to accomplish as a working group in the future, including a timeline if they were that far into the process,” Miller explained, adding that these reports turned out to be one of Miller’s most memorable experiences during the week. “I really didn’t know what to expect—they far exceeded my expectations.”
It wasn’t all work and no play. “We built in social time because I firmly believe the friendships that were developed will sustain the professional relationships that are needed to complete these research projects,” Miller said.
“A lot of people commented that they thought this was a very successful part of the workshop.,” she continued. “You had groups that spoke different languages and came from different cultures. Even their research paradigms are different. The research language is different in the United States from the language of Chinese researchers.”
Several MTSU faculty and students served as translators in both formal and informal gathering whenever they were needed.
The National Science Foundation has expressed an interest—not a commitment—in providing funding for U.S. scholars to go to China for a follow-up workshop, if the research groups maintain their momentum, Miller said. She plans to keep in touch with the RWG facilitators and will post updates on a Web site.
“One group has already set up a discussion group online, and everyone is copying me on their correspondence,” she said. “So, yes, the work has just begun, and the real success of the workshop won’t be determined for several months. It will depend on these RWGs truly working together. … We hope people will implement their research plans, present at professional conferences and publish from that. And we hope to get the group back together again. … There were absolutely no difficult times. Everything went so smoothly and everyone seemed to be so happy … it was a little scary.”

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[018]MTSU’s SELLS TO BECOME INTERIM VP FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

MTSU’s SELLS TO BECOME INTERIM VP FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

July 18, 2008

CONTACT: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919

MURFREESBORO—Dr. Debra Sells, associate vice provost, Academic Support Services, has been appointed interim vice president for the Division of Student Affairs, effective Aug. 1. She replaces Dr. Bob Glenn, who has accepted the position of president at Athens (Ala.) State University.
Sells, who has been at MTSU for 12 years, said when she asked President Sidney A. McPhee what the word “interim” meant to him, he told her he didn’t want to worry about the appellation of interim but rather wanted her to focus on moving forward with projects already in motion.
“I am pleased that Dr. Sells has agreed to assume the position of interim vice president during this transition period,” McPhee commented. “She is an excellent administrator who has demonstrated her concern for students and their welfare on our campus. She has an outstanding record of effective leadership, and I have no doubt she will continue her good work in carrying out her new responsibilities.”
Sells referred to the proposed Student Union as one of those important projects already in progress. She also said it was vital to continue such activities as the Distinguished Lecture Series and the Fall Convocation because such programs “straddle that bridge between faculty and students. We want to bring speakers to campus who connect with faculty. We ask faculty, ‘Who do you want to bring to campus that will enhance your class? We’ll find ways to support those co-curricular programs that enhance teaching and learning.’
“Clearly we’re working in a difficult budget environment,” Sells noted. “When there is a budget crunch, that’s a good time to look very strategically at what you’re doing. Is everything we do addressing university priorities of recruitment and retention? If not, maybe it’s time to take a step back and look again.”
Regarding the issue of student-centeredness, Sells said she wants university staff to get into the business of finding ways to say yes to students instead of no. “Our job requires flexibility and the ability to exercise good judgment about how we can best support an individual student’s needs.
“I hope we’re getting better and better,” she added. She related a story about a student who told Sells that her adviser not only helped her with her paperwork but volunteered to deliver the material to where it needed to go. “The student was totally stunned,” Sells said. “That makes me very happy. It’s not everywhere yet, but it’s better. We need to keep talking about it.”
Sells sees her greatest challenge as being able to prioritize and figure out which areas need the most attention. She said her management style is simply to hire the very best people and give them the support and direction they need to do what they do well. “Hiring the very best people for each job is one of our most important responsibilities. I want to hire the smartest, most highly qualified people we can attract to MTSU.”
She speaks highly of her predecessor who “leaves a rich legacy and who’s been a big part of campus life. … Dr. Glenn came here really determined that we would shift the culture so that a student knew what it meant to be an MTSU student,” she said. “We demonstrate what we value by what we support with our presence. Bob certainly did a great job of that.”
“I have worked with top student affairs professionals from all across the country, and I have never come across anyone better qualified or more able than Deb. She will do a terrific job,” Glenn said of his successor.
Prior to her position in Academic Support Services, Sells was director of Housing and Residential Life at MTSU from 1996 to 2002, and before that, she held several residential-life positions at Arizona State University. Sells earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology and communications at Hope College, Holland, Mich.; a master’s in social work at The University of Michigan; and her doctorate of education from ASU.

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NOTE: For a jpeg of Sells, please contact Gina Fann at 615-898-5385 or gfann@mtsu.edu.

[017]MTSU ADMINISTRATOR REFLECTS ON YEARS OF LEADERSHIP

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 16, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu;
WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

MTSU ADMINISTRATOR REFLECTS ON YEARS OF LEADERSHIP
Dr. Bob Glenn Guests on WMOT-FM’s “MTSU On the Record” This Sunday

(MURFREESBORO) - Dr. Bob Glenn, vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment management, will be the guest on this week’s edition of “MTSU On the Record.” The 30-minute public affairs program will air at 7 a.m. this Sunday, July 20, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and at www.wmot.org).
Glenn is leaving MTSU after nine years to assume the presidency of Athens State University in northern Alabama. “As an administrator, Dr. Glenn led MTSU through a period of tremendous growth,” MTSU President Dr. Sidney A. McPhee notes. “Through his able leadership and management of that growth, the needs of the students remained priority number one, and the quality of our programs and integrity of the university’s mission were never compromised.”
The move will be something of a homecoming for Glenn. His great-grandfather, Edgar Massilon Glenn, served two years, 1902 –1904, as Athens’ president when the institution was known as Athens Female College. He later served on the Board of Trustees at Athens State, as well as the Board of Trustees for Birmingham-Southern College and Huntingdon College.
For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact Gina Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To contact Glenn, call 615-898-2440 or send an e-mail to rglenn@mtsu.edu.

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[016]FIRST DAY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL, GIS STUDY YIELDS ARTIFACTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 16, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919 or lrollin@mtsu.edu

FIRST DAY OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL, GIS STUDY YIELDS ARTIFACTS
MTSU Teams with Stones River Battlefield, National Park Service & Developer
to Survey, Map and Recover Artifacts Near Harding House, Brick Kiln Site

(MURFREESBORO)—Some 40-50 artifacts were recovered July 12 near the Stones River Battlefield on the first day of the Harding House Civil War History Survey, a geospatial/archaeological project that is being conducted this month on land slated for development this summer.
Dr. Tom Nolan, director of MTSU’s Laboratory for Spatial Technology, along with archaeologist Zada Law, led the all-volunteer team on its first day of the survey, which yielded Civil War-era artifact finds such as lead shot, a minie ball and a canister shot, among other battle-related discoveries.
Some 25 selected volunteers, including MTSU anthropology and history students, as well as members of Middle Tennessee Metal Detectors, used metal detectors and GPS equipment to survey and map the area around the Harding House site, where Brig. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s Union division held up the Confederate advance during the first day of the Battle of Stones River on Dec. 31, 1862.
“I think what we found the first day was gratifying,” remarked Law. “I had no expectations, but I had hopes, so I was so gratified that we found some Civil War artifacts.
“I think what we did locate demonstrates our (research) methods worked well,” she added, “and that our approach to this project is one that will yield results … and help identify where the troop locations were.”
Although the team’s second planned survey day was rained out, Nolan said the “good volunteer turnout” on its first day set the project on a successful course. “We are so appreciative of everyone who came out to help and support this survey,” he said. “Dr. Hugh Berryman of MTSU anthropology department and his daughter, along with Gib Backlund and Jim Lewis from the National Park Service showed up on their day off. Everyone was very enthusiastic and seemed to have fun in spite of the intense heat.”
Because the Civil War artifacts were “buried pretty deep and the ground was so dry and hard, the volunteers definitely had to work hard,” Nolan said. “But their efforts were time and energy well spent.”
Heat, hard work and rain aside, “Anytime you find anything that takes you back to the past, it's just a real thrill,” added Law, who said she was inspired during the search when a lead shot was recovered.
“To pick up that lead shot that came out of the guns so long ago just really took me back in time,” she remarked. “And I am just so glad so many people gave up their time to come help us with this work on behalf of historic preservation.”
An adjunct professor for MTSU’s geosciences department, Law said the volunteers—like the survey’s leaders—also seemed gratified by the initial finds.
“Just like all of us, I think the volunteers were grateful to the developer, Stonegate Commercial and its president, Tommy Smith, to let us be out there and excited to be part of a systematic study of the property ... (where what they find) will be synthesized and added to our understanding of this long-ago battle.”
Nolan and Law plan to continue the project, known as the Harding House Civil War History Survey, this month and hope their volunteer turnout stays high.
“We are going to continue our same methods and hope we will have as many, if not more volunteers, as before,” Law said. “ The park service has been so helpful and cooperative to us, as has the developer, and we are so, so grateful for this chance to recover pieces of the past (before the land is commercially developed).”
According to findings from a 1999 study prepared for the National Park Service, the Harding House was determined to be among the most significant sites and actions of the Battle of Stones River, coming in at No. 6 of 23 locales on or near the national park’s 570-acre boundary. In fact, the Harding House/Brick Kiln Site is cited as being the locale of heavy fighting during the initial Confederate attack as Confederate Col. Arthur M. Manigault and Brig. Gen. J. Patton Anderson attacked the forces of both Union commanders Brig. Gen. Joshua Sill and Col. George Roberts “Once the area is developed, this historic record will be gone for good so it’s vital that we work to recover historically significant artifacts and identify the location of the Harding house and any outbuildings to further an existing GIS study on regimental positions and movements during the Battle of Stones River,” Nolan observed.
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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with project participants, including MTSU’s Nolan, Law and Berryman or others, or related jpegs, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-494-8857 or via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
***MEDIA ARE WELCOMED to photograph/videotape study participants at work on the battlefield July 19-20. Dates are not for reprint, media only.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

[015]WHAT’S IN A NAME? NEW EXHIBIT EXPLORES STORIES BEHIND COUNTY’S NAMES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 15, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919

WHAT’S IN A NAME? NEW EXHIBIT EXPLORES STORIES BEHIND COUNTY’S NAMES
Student-Created Display Reveals History, Folklore Behind Locale Monikers

(MURFREESBORO)—Place Names of Rutherford County, the newest exhibit at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County, explores the history and folklore of how communities and geographic landmarks earned their names.
Officially open July 16, the exhibit provides information on topics such as who Walter Hill was and why Murfreesboro’s major river is called the Stones River—and not because of its many stones, as some may surmise.
Regarding the new display, Melissa Zimmerman, heritage programming specialist for the center, said, “Rutherford County has a rich and diverse history, and its place names serve as markers for the people who passed through or settled in the area.”
MTSU students Heather Bailey and Kevin Cason, both Ph.D. candidates in the university’s public history program, created the just-unveiled exhibit.
“Place names of any area can be investigative clues to major events in history and shed light on the heritage of the people who left behind those names,” said Bailey, who works part time at the Heritage Center and at MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, which sponsored the new exhibit.
Calling Place Names of Rutherford County “definitely a team effort,” both Bailey and Cason conducted research, fieldwork and designed the historical exhibit.
“Kevin brought a wealth of archival experience to the project and did an excellent job of tracking down the stories and finding great period photographs for the exhibit,” Zimmerman observed. “(And it’s) because we exist as a public-private partnership with the community, the university and the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area (that) we can provide practical, hands-on opportunities for MTSU students.”
For his part, “I began with a large list of locations and sites in Rutherford County,” Cason said, “and it was difficult to narrow it down to the 18 that we finally all agreed upon. But the upside is that there is room to expand the exhibit in the future, and this is a solid start.”
Located at 225 W. College St., on the corner of Walnut and College, the Heritage Center is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, excluding major holidays, and features exhibits about local history as well as walking tours of Murfreesboro’s historic public square. Admission is always free.
Place Names of Rutherford County will be on display now through December, alongside the center’s Murfreesboro Civil War Era and Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age exhibits.
“It is important to us that the Heritage Center serves as a learning lab for our students where they have the opportunity to experiment with creating quality exhibits,” said Dr. Carroll Van West, CHP director. “And this exhibit has been really interesting; I’ve always wondered where Lascassas got its name!”
For more information, please call the center directly at (615) 217-8013.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with the exhibits creators, or to receive a related jpeg for editorial use, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@mtsu.edu.

[014]STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES ROBERTSON COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 14, 2008
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

STATE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES ROBERTSON COUNTY FARM FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
100-Year-Old Ayres Farm Becomes County’s Newest Century Farm

(MURFREESBORO)—The Ayres 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.
“It was 100 years ago this past April that Daniel Pinkney and Mary Ayres acquired just over 80 acres in Cedar Hill,” observed Hankins, regarding the couple, who were parents to three sons, Joseph, Jack and William, and raised tobacco and corn.
The second owner of the land was Daniel’s brother, James Madison Ayres. He acquired the property in 1910. He and wife Mary Elizabeth reared five children: Bessie Ellen, James Louis, Willie Stephen, Samuel Lee and Wallace. During this generation, the farm produced corn, tobacco and wheat.
In 1931, James Louis Ayres became the third generation to own the farm. James Louis married Virginia Ewing, and their three children were Clarence Edward, James Daniel and Betty Ann.
“Growing up during the Great Depression, James Daniel remembers that the family was reasonably self-sufficient,” Hankins said. “Everyone worked hard to produce corn, tobacco, dairy cattle, hogs and chickens for the family’s table and to sell.”
James Daniel also recalled that although their house was small, “we always had room for family or friends who had no other place to live.”
According to family records, in 1945 the farm received electricity and in the early 1950s, the family’s first telephone was on an eight-party line.
In 1981, James Daniel, who married to Billie Ann, became the fourth generation of the Ayres family to own the farm. Today, the couple’s son, Jeff, produces corn, tobacco, hay and beef cattle on the property, which is currently celebrating a century of family ownership and agricultural production.
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 denoting 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 outdoor Century Farm sign that is presented to farm owners, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.

[013]MTSU ALUMNI TO HOST EVENT JULY 19 AT NASHVILLE SHORES

Release date: July 11, 2008


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919
Office of Alumni Relations contact: Paul Wydra, 615-898-2922


MTSU ALUMNI TO HOST EVENT JULY 19 AT NASHVILLE SHORES


(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Office of Alumni Relations will be hosting an alumni event at Nashville Shores, 4001 Bell Rd., in Nashville on Saturday, July 19. This event will be open to all alumni, family, guests, faculty and staff of MTSU.
Nashville Shores (nashvilleshores.com) opens at 10 a.m., and the registration table will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The park closes at 6 p.m.
The cost will be $20 per person, which will cover admission into the park and lunch. Children 2 and under are free. Lunch will be served from noon until 2 p.m. and will be all-you-can-eat jumbo hamburgers, juicy hot dogs, potato chips, baked beans and soft drinks.
“When putting together alumni events, we know how important it is to have an event that is family-oriented, and what’s a better summer activity then a water park?” said Paul Wydra, assistant director of alumni relations.
This event is pre-register, pre-pay only as we will have a very limited number of walk-ups available. Please reserve your spot today.
“Nashville Shores is in a great location to our nearly 36,000 alumni in the Nashville area and middle Tennessee area,” Wydra added. “Our guests also will get other discounts throughout the park, so it will be a very affordable day.”
To make reservations, please call 615-898-2922, e-mail alumni@mstu.edu or visit mtalumni.com. We look forward to seeing you there.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.

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[012]GORE RESEARCH CENTER LEADERSHIP CHANGING HANDS AUG. 1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 11, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919

GORE RESEARCH CENTER LEADERSHIP CHANGING HANDS AUG. 1
Pruitt Set to Focus on Teaching, Scholarship; Williams Taking Center Reins

(MURFREESBORO)—Dr. James H. “Jim” Williams, a 12-year member of the history faculty, will become the third director of the Albert Gore Research Center at MTSU on Aug. 1.
Williams will take over the directorship of the center, which is a manuscripts repository dedicated to preserving research materials related to Tennessee history, from Dr. Lisa Pruitt, who has overseen the archive since July 1, 1999. “As I look back over my nine years as Gore Center director, I'm amazed at how much we accomplished with extremely limited resources,” Pruitt said. “Our operating budget seldom exceeded $10,000 a year (and) staff consisted of 60 percent of my position,” including Betty Rowland, executive aid, who retired on June 30, along with two graduate assistants each year and student workers. Recalling some of her most memorable center projects, Pruitt said, “We managed the never-ending process of making our collections accessible to students and other researchers, mounted many photographic exhibits and published a photographic history of the university, implemented a highly successful oral history project that still continues and secured a new facility.”
During the first seven years of her directorship, Pruitt also oversaw the Rutherford County Archives, in addition to collaborating with a group of concerned citizens to successfully lobby the county commission to build an archives facility, worked closely with the architects on the design of the building and assisted former Rutherford County Mayor Nancy Allen in creating and filling the position of county archivist.
“What I enjoyed most was the interaction with people—students, members of the County Archives Committee, members of local organizations such as the Rutherford County Historical Society and, of course, MTSU's
faculty, staff and alumni,” remarked Pruitt, who now will place her focus on scholarship and full-time teaching.
“As much as I've enjoyed being the Gore Center's director, the administrative load has prevented me from being as actively engaged in teaching and scholarship as I would like,” she explained. “I am already an associate professor of history, but now I will be teaching full time.
“I have also begun to delve into my new research project on the history of childhood disability in the United States,” she added. “I'm looking forward to continuing to be a part of the MTSU and Rutherford County communities—just in a different role.
As the center’s incoming director, Williams said, "I have big shoes to fill following Dr. Jim Neal, who got the center off the ground and established an ambitious mission for it, and Dr. Lisa Pruitt, who oversaw the move to the
center's current location and also spun off the Rutherford County Archives into an independent body."
Regarding his goals for the center, "I hope to build quickly on the solid foundation my predecessors laid," he noted, including hiring of full-time archivist and a new staff member for the Gore Center. Then, Williams continued, he hopes to turn his attention to developing new collections, recruiting new users at MTSU and in the surrounding communities, and initiating several fundraising and outreach efforts.
“By bringing along (my) coordination of the American Democracy Project at MTSU, a campuswide program in the Office of the Provost, I expect new
synergies to emerge between the Gore Center's collections and its focus on political and civic engagement and the mission of the ADP to increase the levels of civic engagement among MTSU students,” he said.
"Fall 2008 will be exciting for me in a new position in the college and for the many events we'll be planning,” he continued, “beginning with Constitution Week in September and running through the presidential election in November.
There won't be a dull moment."
Opened in 1993, the Albert Gore Research Center—in addition to serving as a manuscripts repository devoted to preserving primary source materials related to Tennessee history—offers public programming, educational activities, oral history program and exhibits. The center also goes beyond preservation by promoting the active study of region's history by its citizens.
According to its Web site (http://janus.mtsu.edu/), the center's collections focus on the history of politics and public policy and on MTSU and the region it serves. The papers of Albert Gore Sr., who served in the United States House of Representatives from 1938 to 1952 and in the Senate from 1953 to 1970, form the cornerstone of the center's collections.
Located in MTSU’s Todd Hall, the center serves a variety of researchers, from undergraduates, graduate students, MTSU administrators, faculty and other scholars, to media and citizens of the local community. In addition to serving the public, the staff prepares exhibits, record oral histories, conduct research and supervise interns and graduate assistants from MTSU's public history program, among other activities.


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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: For editorial needs, including interview requests with center staff, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2919.

[011]Leadership Academy for Government Employees Subject of “MTSU On the Record”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 9, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919
WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800


Leadership Academy for Government Employees Subject of “MTSU On the Record”

(MURFREESBORO) – What are the qualities of good leadership, and how can local, state and federal governments, as well as private sector concerns, recruit and train better leaders? ). In five sessions from January through May of this year, selected Rutherford County government employees worked at improving their skills with guidance from MTSU personnel.
Carefully selected workers participated in a leadership academy sponsored by MTSU’s Center for Organizational and Human Resource Effectiveness (COHRE). They focused on such goals as self-assessment and self-development, communication, delegating, motivating people and situational leadership.
To find out how this unique model saves tax dollars and helps career public servants improve their skills, join host Gina Logue for “MTSU On the Record,” a 30-minute public affairs radio program on WMOT-FM (89.5 or www.wmot.org), this Sunday, July 13, at 7 a.m. Her guests will be Alanna Sullivan, Rutherford County human resources generalist, and Dr. Michael Hein, psychology professor.
For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To contact COHRE, call 615-217-2084.

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[010]RESIDENTS CAUTIONED TO BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS POSING AS STUDENTS

RESIDENTS CAUTIONED TO BE AWARE OF SCAMMERS POSING AS STUDENTS

July 2, 2008

Contact: Tom Tozer, News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919

MURFREESBORO—Residents in middle and east Tennessee have reported incidents in which young people posing as Middle Tennessee State University students have tried to solicit funds for an overseas trip. In both cases, the solicitors stated they were students in MTSU’s College of Mass Communication.
Neither MTSU nor the university’s College of Mass Communication is sponsoring any such trip or is connected in any way to a fund-raising venture of this type. Please contact your local police department if you learn of other such solicitors in your neighborhood.
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[009]MTSU TAX SEMINAR PROVIDES GUIDELINES, POSSIBLE SAVINGS

MTSU TAX SEMINAR PROVIDES GUIDELINES, POSSIBLE SAVINGS
July 3, 2008
CONTACT: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919

MURFREESBORO—The Middle Tennessee State University, in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Revenue, will offer a business-tax seminar for local small- business owners and corporate employees.
The seminar will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel in Murfreesboro on Wednesday, July 16, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
"This seminar is extremely valuable and pertinent to anyone who prepares or pays taxes,” stated David Foster, director of MTSU’s College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning.
Seminar topics will include legislative updates, business tax, sales and use tax, labor and workforce development, unclaimed property, and gift and inheritance taxes. It also will cover individual income tax, tangible personal tax and sales-tax exemptions.
“In this economic environment, when we all have to tighten our belts, we want to make sure we're paying our legal obligations but no more,” Foster said. “One idea from here could save thousands of dollars."
Online registration is available at http://www.mtsu.edu/learn. Seminar tuition online is $155.00. Registering online offers a discount of $10 per registrant. Payment includes all materials, breakfast, lunch, and refreshments. A $50 cancellation fee will be assessed with substitutions allowed. Participants may receive CEU, CPE, and CLE credit.

[008]MTSU PROFESSOR TURNS PACIFIC ISLANDS INTO CLASSROOMS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Dr. Derek Frisby, 615-494-8620 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu

MTSU PROFESSOR TURNS PACIFIC ISLANDS INTO CLASSROOMS
Three Critical World War II Battles to be Scrutinized in Unique Study Experience

(MURFREESBORO) – An MTSU history professor will accompany students and members of the community on an exploration of the Central Pacific World War II battlefields of Guam, Iwo Jima and Peleliu in the Spring 2009 semester.
Dr. Derek Frisby, who is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, says the trip is part of MTSU’s Study Abroad program (MT Abroad) and will offer students college credit for studying in international settings. Frisby’s course, “Special Topics in Global History,” will examine public memory and World War II in the Pacific.
Scholarships and additional financial aid may be possible for students enrolled in the course. Participants who choose not to enroll in the course may still join the expedition.
Those who sign up for this fascinating adventure will study the World War II Pacific campaigns in the presence of surviving American and Japanese veterans. They will tour the War in the Pacific National Historical Park, hike through the jungles of Peleliu and meet on Guam with American and Japanese historians and Iwo Jima veterans during a Battle of Iwo Jima seminar prior to visiting the infamous volcanic island.
“Guam, Peleliu and Iwo Jima were some of World War II’s bloodiest battles and the evidence of the conflict still can be observed today around the islands,” says Frisby. “The Japanese government will end civilian excursions to the Iwo Jima in the next few years. Currently, Iwo Jima is open only one day per year to civilians.”
While in the Pacific region, students will film portions of a documentary honoring MTSU veterans. Additionally, Frisby and his group will honor those Tennesseans who fought in the three engagements under study, including the three known MTSU fatalities.
Former student body president and football star Roger Smith died on Guam and received a posthumous Navy Cross, the second highest award for valor given by the Navy and Marine Corps, for his attempts to rescue wounded Marines under fire. William “Ug” McCrory, another MTSU star athlete, landed with the Marines on Iwo Jima and was mortally wounded establishing defensive positions for his unit. MTSU alum Carl Yates was a member of the Underwater Demolition Teams, which were forerunners of today’s Navy SEALs. Yates perished during reconnaissance of Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi just prior to the main assault.
To find out more about this opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the “Greatest Generation,” contact Frisby at 615-494-8620 or dfrisby@mtsu.edu. Additional information can be found on Frisby’s Web site at http://www.mtsu.edu/~dfrisby.
Veterans of Iwo Jima, Peleliu, and Guam or those who have information on veterans of these battles also are encouraged to contact Frisby. If you would like more information about MTSU veterans and the ongoing project to build a memorial to them on campus, please visit http://www.mtsu.edu/veterans.

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[007]MTSU ‘SNAPSHOTS’

MTSU ‘SNAPSHOTS’

July 2, 2008

CONTACT: John Lynch, producer, 615-898-5591
Tom Tozer, 615-898-5131

MURFREESBORO—The July installment of “On the Record,” a monthly TV magazine produced by MTSU’s Office of News and Public Affairs, will feature Dr. Bob Pondillo, professor of electronic media communication, who discusses his latest movie “Wait,” a powerful examination of a father’s reaction to the news that his son has died in Iraq. Student entrepreneur Chris Purifoy unveils a new social networking Website designed especially for the music industry. With the Beijing Olympics on the horizon, Dr. Andrew Owusu, assistant professor of health and human performance, reflects on his experience as an Olympic athlete and introduces us to MTSU track star Sarah Nambawa.
MTSU CSI! High school students come to campus to experience what it’s really like to investigate a crime scene. In “Centennial Countdown,” we learn that summer was once the busiest time of year on the MTSU campus. Dr. Kim Sadler, director of the Center for Cedar Glades Studies, takes us on a tour of a globally unique ecological habitat. And two MTSU professors continue their research into the deadly 1927 shootout in South Pittsburg, Tenn.
Middle Tennessee Record airs on local cable Channel 9 daily at 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The program also air on NewsChannel 5 Plus (Comcast 50) Sundays at 1:30 p.m. Several other regional cable outlets also carry the program. Go to mtsunews.com for a complete schedule.

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Monday, July 07, 2008

[006]TSU’s VANOSDALL JOINS MTSU AS MATH & SCIENCE CENTER DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 7, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

TSU’s VANOSDALL JOINS MTSU AS MATH & SCIENCE CENTER DIRECTOR
New Hire Brings Leadership in Math, Science & Technology Ed, Provost Says

(MURFREESBORO)—Dr. Frederick “Rick” Vanosdall will join MTSU’s College of Basic and Applied Sciences faculty July 11 as director of the Tennessee Mathematics, Science and Technology Education Center, reported Dr. Kaylene Gebert, MTSU provost.
The Lansing, Mich., native replaces Dr. Ray E. Phillips, former TMSTEC director, who retired in December. Under Vanosdall’s leadership, the role of the TMSTEC director will be expanded.
A member of Tennessee State University’s faculty since 2005, Vanosdall most recently served as director of TSU’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences. In that role, he developed and lead the implementation of an array of research and service efforts within the center and among academic and research divisions at TSU in areas such as early childhood education, P-16 teacher development and student achievement, undergraduate pedagogical and curriculum reform efforts, and education research and policy efforts at the local, state and national levels, among other areas.
“We are delighted to have Rick Vanosdall join MTSU,” Gebert remarked. “As a leader in math, science and technology education, Rick's experience will blend beautifully with many of our ongoing projects in these areas.”
Regarding his decision to accept the TMSTEC directorship, Vanosdall said, “The first reason I sought a position with MTSU was because of the wonderful people that are MTSU. Over the past few months, I have enjoyed developing collegial relationships with various faculty and staff. As we’ve worked on activities, I’ve had the opportunity to meet staff and faculty in many departments within MTSU. I immediately noticed the positive and helpful culture across the campus. Everyone smiles and demonstrates a genuine commitment to serving others. “The second reason,” he continued, “is the encouragement and high value placed on progressive and innovative initiatives. MTSU is a community of diverse individuals coming together to build on the strengths of one another for the common good within the university community, across Tennessee, nationally and internationally. I want to be a part of a community that demonstrates their commitment and accountability to one another through constructive, progressive, and innovative relationships.” Upon joining the College of Basic and Applied Sciences at MTSU, Vanosdall said one of the key challenges he looks forward to most is working with faculty, staff and administrators to assess the center’s strengths to refine its vision, mission and plan for P-16 education in science and mathematics. “I want to meet with faculty and administrators to help me develop a coherent understanding of where we’ve been, where we are and where we’d like to go as a community of learners across the science and mathematic disciplines,” he shared. “Then, with a clearly explicated foundation, we’ll be positioned to continue and strengthen the successful projects we already have in place, and move forward to capitalize on past successes and extend ourselves beyond our current level of knowledge and experience.” “As MTSU broadens its leadership role, Rick will strengthen our ability to secure important grants and develop research data and models,” Gebert noted. Dr. Tom Cheatham, dean of MTSU’s College of Basic and Applied Sciences, said “We are excited to have his energy, enthusiasm and creativity at MTSU” Prior to serving as director and interim director of TSU’s Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences, Vanosdall worked as a research director and principal investigator for the center. Before his move to Tennessee, was an assessment, curriculum and instruction specialist with the Mesa Public Schools in Mesa, Ariz., and as associate director for research at Northern Arizona University’s Arizona K-12 Center, which is a statewide school and academic improvement organization. Vanosdall also worked as a lead science teacher for the Mesa Public Schools system at Red Mountain High School for 11 years and at Mountain View High School for four years, as well as an outdoor education instructor in Michigan for two years in Michigan. In addition to numerous professional activities and affiliations, he was one of 40 North American recipients of the David L. Clark Research Award in Educational Leadership from the University Council for Educational Administration in ’03 and one of 22 chosen from eight countries to receive an Intel Science Teacher Award. Vanosdall received a Bachelor of Science degree in natural resource and environmental education from Michigan State University and a master’s degree in educational administration and supervision from Arizona State University. He earned his Doctor of Education degree in ’04 from ASU. Vanosdall and wife Kim, a high-school teacher in Williamson County, will continue to make their home near Spring Hill with son Grant, who will be a freshman at MTSU in the fall, and daughter Wesley, who will be a high-school junior.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To secure a jpeg of Vanosdall for editorial use, please e-mail your request to Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@mtsu.edu.

[005] ARCHAEOLOGICAL, GIS STUDY SEEKS TO PINPOINT BATTLEFIELD’S HARDING HOUSE SITE, CIVIL WAR REMNANTS BEFORE DEVELOPMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919 or lrollin@mtsu.edu

ARCHAEOLOGICAL, GIS STUDY SEEKS TO PINPOINT BATTLEFIELD’S HARDING HOUSE SITE, CIVIL WAR REMNANTS BEFORE DEVELOPMENT
MTSU Partners with Stones River Battlefield, National Park Service & Developer
to Enact Historic Preservation Effort; Site Surveying Set for Mid-July

(MURFREESBORO)—Dr. Tom Nolan, director of MTSU’s Laboratory for Spatial Technology, will lead the way in conducting a geospatial archaeological survey this month to recover and map artifacts from the Battle of Stones River and create a permanent spatial record of their locations for future study.
Dubbed the Harding House Civil War History Survey, the project will be conducted this month on the area around the Harding House site, where Brig. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s Union division held up the Confederate advance during the first day of the Battle of Stones River on Dec. 31, 1862.
According to the findings from a 1999 study prepared for the National Park Service, the Harding House was determined to be among the most significant sites and actions of the Battle of Stones River, coming in at No. 6 of 23 locales on or near the national park’s 570-acre boundary. Specifically, the Harding House/Brick Kiln Site is cited as being the locale of heavy fighting during the initial Confederate attack as Confederate Col. Arthur M. Manigault and Brig. Gen. J. Patton Anderson attacked the forces of both Union commanders Brig. Gen. Joshua Sill and Col. George Roberts. A member of MTSU’s geosciences faculty, Nolan will team with Zada Law, archaeologist and geosciences adjunct professor; Gib Backlund and Jim Lewis of the National Park Service; staff from Stones River National Battlefield; Dr. Bren Martin, history professor; graduate students in MTSU’s public history program; Dr. Hugh Berryman, director, MTSU Forensic Institute for Research and Education; and members of the Middle Tennessee Metal Detectors to enact the survey prior to the land’s development by Stonegate Commercial and its president, Tommy Smith.
“Basically, what I’ve proposed is to conduct a surface archaeology survey using metal detectors on the Harding House tract,” Nolan said. “Any artifacts recovered would be mapped using GPS with 50-centimeter accuracy, photographed, catalogued, identified and incorporated into a GIS database.” As the principal investigator in charge of mapping, Nolan explained, “I have already done a good bit of work on this with historic maps of the battle and incorporating past work by NPS historians, including Edwin Bearss. Also, I think this project provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate cooperation between MTSU, the NPS and economic developers for the preservation of historically significant information without conflict and for the common good.”
Both Nolan and colleague Law, who will supervise the archaeology side of the study, reported that the survey, which include metal-detector searches and artifact identification by local relic hunters recruited by the NPS, will not interfere with planned construction activities. “Once the area is developed, this historic record will be gone for good so it’s vital that we work to recover historically significant artifacts and identify the location of the Harding House and any outbuildings to further an existing GIS study on regimental positions and movements during the Battle of Stones River,” Nolan observed. From an archaeological standpoint, Law said, “If it hasn’t yet been torn up by the plow, I think we can find remnants of the brick kiln and I am hoping to find the house’s foundation or some archaeological representation of that. “I hope the metal detector will help us pinpoint on the ground where troop locations were and help validate the veracity of the Ed Bearss map,” she continued. “This (study) will help us anchor down locations on the modern locations and tie them to historic events, actual places. We want to be able to show not that we think this is where something was, but rather, we want to know this is the place—right here.” Nolan said all of the survey’s participants, including the developer, have pledged to work together and volunteer their time and expertise to achieve a common goal. “I think the Harding House Civil War History Survey will not only demonstrate the utility of MTSU, the National Park Service and the developer working together for historic preservation,” he said, “but will also show the role of MTSU as catalyst for cooperation on behalf of historic preservation as well as the value of geography as a tool for this process.” Referring to the upcoming Harding House study, Law said, “Once you destroy things, they are gone, and this is important. We can’t save every place, but we can save information digitally. “The best history is in our own backyards, and even if this land is developed, I hope that when people drive down the (site’s) road they will think about what activities happened. What I really want to do out of my work,” she confirmed, “is get people to think about what happened in the past. Through our efforts, I want what may now seem like a vacant lot to come alive, because we know its history.”

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with project participants, including MTSU’s Nolan, Law and Martin or others, or related jpegs, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-494-8857 or via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
***MEDIA ARE WELCOMED to photograph/videotape study participants at work on the battlefield July 12-13 and July 19-20. Dates are not for reprint, media only.

[004]POLITICS AND HONORS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE FOR VILE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 2, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919
WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

POLITICS AND HONORS ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE FOR VILE
Longtime Political Science Chair, now Honors Dean on “MTSU On the Record”

(MURFREESBORO) - Dr. John Vile spent 19 years of his distinguished academic career as chair of the MTSU Department of Political Science. The mock trial teams he has coached have placed in the top 10 nationally for 11 years, and MTSU plays host to one of the largest invitational mock trial tournaments in the nation as a result of his hard work. Now he embarks on a new adventure as the dean of the University Honors College.
Dr. Kaylene Gebert, executive vice president and provost, says Vile is “an exemplary academic, an involved university and community citizen, and a man with a wonderful laugh.” You can hear that laugh as well as Vile’s insights into the future of higher education when he guests on “MTSU On the Record,” a 30-minute public affairs program, hosted by Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 on the radio or wmot.org) at 7 a.m. this Sunday, July 6.
For more information about “MTSU On the Record,” contact the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-2919 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To contact Vile, call 615-898-2596 or send an e-mail to jvile@mtsu.edu.


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[003]MTSU closed for July 4th holiday

July 2, 2008

Notice to media:


MTSU closed for July 4th holiday

All MTSU administrative offices will be closed Friday, July 4, and classes will not be held. Walker Library also will be closed Friday but will be open Saturday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday, 2 to 10 p.m. The Campus Recreation Center will be closed Friday through Sunday. For any inquiries on July 4, please call MTSU Police at 898-2424.

Everyone is invited to “Celebration Under the Stars” on the MTSU campus Friday, July 4, with children’s activities beginning at 5 p.m. Formal remarks will begin at 7:50, followed by the Murfreesboro Symphony Orchestra at 8:00, and fireworks at 9:00.

[002]JAMPACKED, READY TO JAM, ROCK & ROLL CAMP RETURNS TO MTSU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; Southern Girls Rock & Roll
Camp, 615-849-8140

JAMPACKED, READY TO JAM, ROCK & ROLL CAMP RETURNS TO MTSU
Annual Day Camp for Girls Ages 10-17 Will Rattle the Rafters at MTSU July 14-19

(MURFREESBORO) – Bolstered by an all-time record enrollment of 90 participants, the sixth annual Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp will shake up the MTSU campus July 14-19. As usual, the camp will culminate in a powerful showcase concert when the girls will form nearly 20 bands and show off their talents at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 19, in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building.
The week-long day camp began in Murfreesboro in 2003 and remains a positive place for girls ages 10-17 to grow in self-esteem and collaboration skills while expressing themselves musically. The girls will receive instruction in guitar, keyboards, drums, bass, vocals, hip-hop and electronic music. In addition, they will learn about songwriting, recording, music “herstory,” DIY arts and crafts and zine making in workshops.
This year’s campers will benefit from a wealth of valuable guidance about music and the recording industry from four popular independent female performers. The dynamic lineup of guest artists features Michelle Malone on Tuesday, Anne McCue on Wednesday, Kelly Shay Hicks on Thursday and Caitlin Rose on Friday.
Touted at RollingStone.com as “Raucous and jubilant … somewhere between Lucinda Williams and Shelby Lynne …,” Michelle Malone belts out powerful bluesy numbers accompanied by bottleneck slide, mandolin and harmonica. Legendary blues guitarist Albert King nicknamed the Atlanta native “Moanin’ Malone” for her rough, gutsy vocals. She has jammed not only with King, but with ZZ Top, Johnny Winter, Indigo Girls, Little Feat, Jackson Browne, Shawn Colvin and John Mayer, among others. Her latest and ninth CD is titled “Sugarfoot.”
Anne McCue’s musical career began when she answered a newspaper ad which read “Wanted: Wild Women for Rock and Roll Band” in her native Australia. From 1988-1993, she played lead guitar in the all-female band Girl Monstar, which was nominated for an ARIA (the Australian equivalent of the Grammy) for best independent act. With the trio Eden AKA, McCue performed at Lilith Fair in 1998 and 1999. Now living in Nashville, McCue’s latest CD, her fourth, is titled “Koala Motel.”
Kelly Shay Hicks combines American roots music with haunting tones as she performs on guitar, autoharp, violin and singing saw. A native Midwesterner who makes her home in Nashville, the iconoclastic singer-songwriter released her first EP, “Bucked,” on Carbon Records in 2006. The songs were recorded in abandoned urban spaces on simple equipment. Hicks also composed the music for the 2008 documentary “Los Trivinos del Huasco.”
Caitlin Rose declined to call her music “alt-country” in an interview with the blog settingthewoodsonfire.com. When the singer-songwriter joined BMI earlier this year, the performing rights organization characterized her sound as “a bold young voice capable of sweet pop opulence, post-punk wit or folkie protest.” The former lead singer of Nashville indie band Save Macauley, Rose also happens to be the daughter of award-winning composer Liz Rose and Johnny Rose, vice president/sales with Show Dog Nashville Records.
The Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp is a flagship program of Youth Empowerment through Arts & Humanities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality arts programs and serving as an arts resource for the Middle Tennessee community. Last year, the camp expanded to provide Memphis with its own five-day musicfest for girls. This year’s Memphis camp is slated for August 4-9 at Henderson School.
Tickets are $8 each for the Saturday night showcase, which is open to the public. Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the show will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, go to http://www.sgrrc.org, or contact the camp office at 615-849-8140 or at sgrrc05@gmail.com.


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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For full-color jpegs of the 2008 Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp showcase poster and visiting musician Michelle Malone, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.

[001]MTSU ENGLISH FACULTY TAKE GREAT BOOKS, LEARNING TO 3 PRISONS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 1, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU ENGLISH FACULTY TAKE GREAT BOOKS, LEARNING TO 3 PRISONS
Volunteers Teach 9-Week Course, Lead Book Discussions for Area Inmates

(MURFREESBORO)—American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow long ago heralded, “The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, And all the sweet serenity of books.”
Thanks to a recent partnership between MTSU, the Tennessee Department of Correction and the Great Books Foundation, a nonprofit educational organization, prisoners at three area prisons recently had a chance to explore “the sweet serenity of books” by participating in a nine-week program titled Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons.
The program’s weekly book discussion, which began in the selected prisons in late March, were conducted at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution, the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility and the Tennessee Prison for Women, with the teaching and literary guidance of volunteers from MTSU’s English faculty, including Dr. Philip E. Phillips, associate professor of English. Phillips applied for and received an MTSU Public Service Grant for $2,701and $250 from the College of Liberal Arts for the pilot initiative.
The initial groundwork to enact the program in the prisons began in January when Dr. Daniel Born of the Chicago-based Great Books Foundation visited the Riverbend and DeBerry facilities, where Sharmila Patel, head of the education department for the Tennessee Department of Correction, took him on a tour of the prisons and described the need for programs such as Great Books in Tennessee prisons.
"The reading and discussion of great books expands our educational opportunities for incarcerated men and women. It enlarges minds, and it also creates a sense of community," Patel said.
Prior to beginning the weekly prison-based book discussions, Phillips, who was named coordinator for the Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons, said Born, vice president for post-secondary programs, provided training for English faculty in the Shared Inquiry method. Developed by the Great Books Foundation, Shared Inquiry is a discussion method in which the leader starts with an open-ended question about the meaning of the book selection, and then follows up with questions to help participants develop their ideas. Shared Inquiry is distinguished from the Socratic method by the fact the basic discussion question is one the leader doesn’t know the answer to.
Regarding his desire to help oversee the Great Books program in area prisons, MTSU’s Phillips said, “Educational opportunities that include critical examination of texts and thoughtful discussion of great ideas abound at Middle Tennessee State University, and such opportunities enrich our students’ minds and lives, preparing them to reflect critically upon the choices that they make and the values that they embrace. There are many in our society, however, who have had few, if any, meaningful educational opportunities to cultivate their minds in this way or even to see the value of the ‘examined’ life.
“Some of those citizens have made bad choices in life, sometimes resulting in incarceration for their actions,” he continued. “(And) while it may be the desire of many simply to ‘lock prisoners up and throw away the key,’ the reality is that 97 percent of all inmates in state and federal prisons will eventually leave prison and rejoin the larger community as our neighbors.”
In addition to Phillips, MTSU English faculty—working in two-person teaching teams in the three prisons—included volunteers Warren Tormey and Drs. Becky King, Laura Dubek, Rhonda McDaniel and Tricia Gaitely.
Although King can’t pinpoint precisely why she opted to volunteer for the program, “I like to try new things and teaching in a prison sounded like a real challenge, especially since I did not know much about what it would entail, so part of the reasons were selfish,” she said. “I also think that we should all do things to foster the well-being of others, and I this project appealed to me as possibly contributing to that end.”
Also, Phillips added, “It seems to me that we have a moral obligation to our community and to our fellow human beings to do all that we can to rehabilitate those who are incarcerated, and one of those ways is through education: specifically, teaching critical thinking through reading and discussing Great Books.”
Working with the prison-based discussions groups, Phillips said he and his colleagues used a textbook from the Great Books Foundation, “Great Conversations 1,” that included readings from authors such as Michel de Montaigne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Walt Whitman, Alexis de Tocqueville, Frederick Douglass, Henrik Ibsen, Tillie Olson, Alice Munro and Joseph Conrad, among others.
Referring to the preparation needed to co-teach the course with Phillips at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institute, King said they “presented one class per week, for an hour, (which) involved preparing for the discussions of the readings and then guiding the questions and discussions.”
“In general, our class sizes ranged from 10 to 15 students,” Phillips observed, “and those who remained in the classes were active and enthusiastic participants: they asked questions, raised interesting points and listened respectfully to others with whom they may or may not have agreed.
“A precondition to participation was having read all of the assigned reading for that day’s class. My colleagues and I were very much impressed with the dedication and interest demonstrated by our students,” he continued. “Indeed, Dr. King and I, as well as all of the others involved in the project, came to look forward to returning each and every week. For us, it was one of the real joys of our week.”
King, an associate professor, said the Great Books experience was rewarding for both teachers and discussion members, the latter of whom participated on a voluntary basis and earned no college credit for doing so.
“The feedback we got was so very positive, including comments that the participants want to continue the program. Each night after class, students would shake our hands and thank us fervently for conducting the classes,” she said. “The students were so eager to discuss the texts in each class, and all of them contributed with their insights. … I was impressed with how much these men supported each other, how polite they were in making sure all were able to express their ideas and opinions and with how easily they shared their experiences and observations.
“(The) men who came to class each week having read and engaged with the texts were there because they wanted to learn. These men read and thought avidly, and I was especially impressed with what they read.
Born said the recent prison book discussions that Phillips oversaw set “an important precedent for the Tennessee initiative.” Further, this program “provides motivated prisoners with the kind of intellectual stimulation that is sorely lacking in many of the nation's prisons,” he noted.
As for future involvement with the program, King, for one, expressed a desire to continue such an outreach.
“I would like to see this project extended, and I think MTSU can benefit from continuing support of it, particularly in terms of connecting very disparate communities who can learn from each other, extending the university into the community in practical ways. I am certainly eager to continue participating,” she said.
Because of the success of the local pilot program, Phillips, too, hopes to continue on, he said, and plans to maintain the partnerships he’s established and seek external funding to ensure its continuation—something Dr. John McDaniel, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, also favors.
“I certainly will be supportive of a reprise of the program,” McDaniel said. “As I have said publicly and often, this is a wonderfully innovative outreach —or ‘inreach’—program that combines the best of service with the best of liberal arts ideals.”
For more information about the Great Books discussions at Tennessee prisons, contact Born at 1-800-222-5870, ext. 282, or via e-mail at Daniel.born@greatbooks.org.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request an interview with MTSU faculty who participated in the recent Great Books program in Tennessee prisons, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
Please note that group jpegs of Born, McDaniel and Phillips also are available upon request.