FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 27, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
POLITICS CLASS: GLOBAL CITIZEN OR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR? “MTSU on the Record” Explains “Citizenship and Community in a Globalized World”
(MURFREESBORO) - What does it mean to be a citizen and a member of your community in an age when a global outlook is becoming increasingly important? That is the focus of Dr. John Maynor’s summer Senior Seminar class, which is slated to run from June 1 to July 2. Maynor will explain the class at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 31, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Designed as a capstone for the political science major, the course will allow students to utilize nontraditional classroom methods such as team-building exercises at the Campus Recreation Center and group projects.
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the impact of slavery on colleges and universities, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 24, 2009.”
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Thursday, May 28, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
[479] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES BRADLEY COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 22, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES BRADLEY COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Levi Trewhitt Farm Becomes County’s Sixth Tennessee Century Farms
(MURFREESBORO)— The Levi Trewhitt Farm in Bradley County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
The Trewhitt family traces its roots to England. Their migration, ending in Bradley County in the 1830s, was through Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Judge Levi Trewhitt is believed to have bought his first tract of land around 1836, the same year Bradley County was established.
Levin Sr. was married to Harriet Lavendar Trewhitt, and the couple had 14 children. During the Civil War, Trewhitt and his son, Levi Jr., were captured by Union forces and taken to a prisoner of war camp in Anniston, Ala. The younger Trewhitt eventually escaped and returned to the farm, where, according to the family, he hid in a dugout on the farm. His father, however, died in Alabama. His body was returned and buried at Fort Hill Cemetery in Cleveland.
The family has a deed for the farm that dates to 1865 when Levi Trewhitt Jr. became the owner. He and his wife, Sarah Wattenbarger Trewhitt, had eight children. Following the Civil War, the family continued subsistence farming and added a gristmill. Family history records that Levi, who lived until 1916, gave the county some acreage to build the original Waterville Elementary School sometime around the turn of the century.
William Trewhitt and wife Annabelle Dodson Trewhitt were the third generation to live on the farm, along with their two children. While managing the farm, William served as president of the Farm Bureau in Bradley County for several years. Annabelle was a member of the Waterville/Red Hill Home Demonstration Club and also served as president.
In 1919, the farm passed to their daughter, Ganelle Trewhitt McClure. Married to Morris McClure, they are the parents of William M. McClure and Ganelle McClure Samples. Morris and William were longtime members of the Waterville Ruritan Club. Morris was a charter member and William had perfect attendance with the club for 27 years. Ganelle McClure Samples was a state-level 4-H winner.
Today, the farm is owned by William M. McClure, the great-great grandson of the founder, and his brother-in-law, James Samples. William serves as the farm’s manager and has some acreage in pasture and woodland. He also raises hay and dairy replacement heifers.
The Levi Trewhitt Farm, in the same family for five generations that span the history of Bradley County, is the sixth Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in the county, Hankins said.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
—more—
FARM
Add 1
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the property, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES BRADLEY COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Levi Trewhitt Farm Becomes County’s Sixth Tennessee Century Farms
(MURFREESBORO)— The Levi Trewhitt Farm in Bradley County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
The Trewhitt family traces its roots to England. Their migration, ending in Bradley County in the 1830s, was through Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Judge Levi Trewhitt is believed to have bought his first tract of land around 1836, the same year Bradley County was established.
Levin Sr. was married to Harriet Lavendar Trewhitt, and the couple had 14 children. During the Civil War, Trewhitt and his son, Levi Jr., were captured by Union forces and taken to a prisoner of war camp in Anniston, Ala. The younger Trewhitt eventually escaped and returned to the farm, where, according to the family, he hid in a dugout on the farm. His father, however, died in Alabama. His body was returned and buried at Fort Hill Cemetery in Cleveland.
The family has a deed for the farm that dates to 1865 when Levi Trewhitt Jr. became the owner. He and his wife, Sarah Wattenbarger Trewhitt, had eight children. Following the Civil War, the family continued subsistence farming and added a gristmill. Family history records that Levi, who lived until 1916, gave the county some acreage to build the original Waterville Elementary School sometime around the turn of the century.
William Trewhitt and wife Annabelle Dodson Trewhitt were the third generation to live on the farm, along with their two children. While managing the farm, William served as president of the Farm Bureau in Bradley County for several years. Annabelle was a member of the Waterville/Red Hill Home Demonstration Club and also served as president.
In 1919, the farm passed to their daughter, Ganelle Trewhitt McClure. Married to Morris McClure, they are the parents of William M. McClure and Ganelle McClure Samples. Morris and William were longtime members of the Waterville Ruritan Club. Morris was a charter member and William had perfect attendance with the club for 27 years. Ganelle McClure Samples was a state-level 4-H winner.
Today, the farm is owned by William M. McClure, the great-great grandson of the founder, and his brother-in-law, James Samples. William serves as the farm’s manager and has some acreage in pasture and woodland. He also raises hay and dairy replacement heifers.
The Levi Trewhitt Farm, in the same family for five generations that span the history of Bradley County, is the sixth Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in the county, Hankins said.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
—more—
FARM
Add 1
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the property, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[478] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GRAINGER COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 22, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GRAINGER COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Kidwell Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 10
(MURFREESBORO)—The Kidwell Farm in Grainger County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
On Christmas Eve of the first year of the 20th century, W. O. Kidwell became the owner of 56 acres south of Rutledge. He and his wife, Tennie, were the parents of Robert, Grace K. Creech, Letha K. James and Bessie K. Murray. The family raised primary crops of tobacco, corn, hay, pasture and cattle.
In 1928, Robert acquired the farm. He and his wife, Effie Baer Kidwell, had six children; namely, Eugene, Lena Mae, Jesse W., Mary, Charles E. and James Leon. The family grew many of the same crops as the founders, but also raised dairy cattle. Through the years of the Great Depression, the farm provided food and the family’s only income.
The third generation to own the property was the grandson of the founders, Eugene Kidwell, and his wife, Allene. Their children are Dale, Donna and Anna K. Cabbage.
In 1976, the current owner and great-grandson of the founders, Dale Kidwell, obtained the farm. Today, Dale and wife Carolyn work the land. Currently, the farm produces hay, pasture and beef cattle.
The Kidwell Farm, now owned by the Kidwell Family for 109 years, is the 10th Century Farm to be certified in Grainger County, Hankins confirmed.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the property, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES GRAINGER COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Kidwell Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 10
(MURFREESBORO)—The Kidwell Farm in Grainger County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
On Christmas Eve of the first year of the 20th century, W. O. Kidwell became the owner of 56 acres south of Rutledge. He and his wife, Tennie, were the parents of Robert, Grace K. Creech, Letha K. James and Bessie K. Murray. The family raised primary crops of tobacco, corn, hay, pasture and cattle.
In 1928, Robert acquired the farm. He and his wife, Effie Baer Kidwell, had six children; namely, Eugene, Lena Mae, Jesse W., Mary, Charles E. and James Leon. The family grew many of the same crops as the founders, but also raised dairy cattle. Through the years of the Great Depression, the farm provided food and the family’s only income.
The third generation to own the property was the grandson of the founders, Eugene Kidwell, and his wife, Allene. Their children are Dale, Donna and Anna K. Cabbage.
In 1976, the current owner and great-grandson of the founders, Dale Kidwell, obtained the farm. Today, Dale and wife Carolyn work the land. Currently, the farm produces hay, pasture and beef cattle.
The Kidwell Farm, now owned by the Kidwell Family for 109 years, is the 10th Century Farm to be certified in Grainger County, Hankins confirmed.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the property, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[476] CSI: MTSU DAYCAMP FOR AREA HIGH-SCHOOLERS RETURNS JUNE 16-19
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 21, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-494-8857 or lrollins@mtsu.edu
CSI: MTSU DAYCAMP FOR AREA HIGH-SCHOOLERS RETURNS JUNE 16-19
(MURFREESBORO)—For the third consecutive year, CSI: MTSU, a popular four-day program for students entering the 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Rutherford and surrounding counties, will return to the Murfreesboro campus June 16-19.
Co-sponsored by the MTSU College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning and the Forensic Institute for Research and Education, or FIRE, the camp’s goals are to allow students to explore many unique career possibilities in forensic science; to provide a “real-life” reasons to tackle higher-level math and science courses; and to develop skills in teamwork, seeing and understanding details, critical thinking and presentation skills.
Referring to the camp experience, Dr. Hugh Berryman, director of FIRE and the camp’s founder, said, “The student investigators will be presented with a re-creation of an actual crime scene. Each student is trained in the fundamental processes of collecting evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, hair and fibers, simulated blood spatter and shoe prints.”
During the last afternoon of the camp, each team will make a presentation detailing team members’ theories of the crime and the conclusions that are reached. A panel of forensic scientists will critique team conclusions. Parents are welcomed to come to the last camp session.
“There is a growing need for trained personnel to investigate and process crime scene evidence,” Berryman remarked.
• REGISTRATION: The cost to attend this unique camp, which will be conducted 8:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m. each day, is $225 per student and includes snacks at breaks, lunch and a camp T-shirt. For more information or to register, call 615-898-2462 or send an e-mail to eshockle@mtsu.edu.
Also, to learn more about the local CSI camp from Berryman, MTSU anthropology professor, please listen to "MTSU on the Record," a 30-minute, public affairs radio program hosted by Gina Logue, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org) at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 7.
About FIRE
The Forensic Institute for Research and Education provides a central focus for interdisciplinary efforts at Middle Tennessee State University where educators and researchers form cooperatives dedicated to quality research, education and training in many diverse areas of forensic science. FIRE provides continuing education for the forensic and law enforcement community and brings a forensic focus to campus education. Partnering with industry, forensic laboratories and local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies is promoted with the aim of identifying and addressing meaningful research and educational needs.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with Dr. Hugh Berryman regarding the camp, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU at 615-494-8857 or via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-494-8857 or lrollins@mtsu.edu
CSI: MTSU DAYCAMP FOR AREA HIGH-SCHOOLERS RETURNS JUNE 16-19
(MURFREESBORO)—For the third consecutive year, CSI: MTSU, a popular four-day program for students entering the 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Rutherford and surrounding counties, will return to the Murfreesboro campus June 16-19.
Co-sponsored by the MTSU College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning and the Forensic Institute for Research and Education, or FIRE, the camp’s goals are to allow students to explore many unique career possibilities in forensic science; to provide a “real-life” reasons to tackle higher-level math and science courses; and to develop skills in teamwork, seeing and understanding details, critical thinking and presentation skills.
Referring to the camp experience, Dr. Hugh Berryman, director of FIRE and the camp’s founder, said, “The student investigators will be presented with a re-creation of an actual crime scene. Each student is trained in the fundamental processes of collecting evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, hair and fibers, simulated blood spatter and shoe prints.”
During the last afternoon of the camp, each team will make a presentation detailing team members’ theories of the crime and the conclusions that are reached. A panel of forensic scientists will critique team conclusions. Parents are welcomed to come to the last camp session.
“There is a growing need for trained personnel to investigate and process crime scene evidence,” Berryman remarked.
• REGISTRATION: The cost to attend this unique camp, which will be conducted 8:30 a.m. to about 4 p.m. each day, is $225 per student and includes snacks at breaks, lunch and a camp T-shirt. For more information or to register, call 615-898-2462 or send an e-mail to eshockle@mtsu.edu.
Also, to learn more about the local CSI camp from Berryman, MTSU anthropology professor, please listen to "MTSU on the Record," a 30-minute, public affairs radio program hosted by Gina Logue, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org) at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 7.
About FIRE
The Forensic Institute for Research and Education provides a central focus for interdisciplinary efforts at Middle Tennessee State University where educators and researchers form cooperatives dedicated to quality research, education and training in many diverse areas of forensic science. FIRE provides continuing education for the forensic and law enforcement community and brings a forensic focus to campus education. Partnering with industry, forensic laboratories and local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies is promoted with the aim of identifying and addressing meaningful research and educational needs.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with Dr. Hugh Berryman regarding the camp, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at MTSU at 615-494-8857 or via e-mail at lrollins@mtsu.edu.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
[475] MTSU Will Be Closed May 25 for Memorial Day Holiday
Release date: May 21, 2009
News and Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU Will Be Closed May 25 for Memorial Day Holiday
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU will be closed and no classes will be held Monday, May 25, for the Memorial Day holiday, university officials announced.
Summer Session I classes will resume at their regularly scheduled times on Tuesday, May 26. All business offices will be open their regular hours (8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.) Tuesday.
Quiznos in Keathley University Center will be open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. from Saturday through Memorial Day, but other campus food venues will be closed during the holiday weekend, said Jennifer Kirk, assistant director of Student Unions and Programming and interim KUC event coordinator.
The James E. Walker Library will be open Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and from 2 until 10 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed Memorial Day, but reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The Campus Recreation Center will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, then be closed Saturday through Monday. It will reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday, with the outdoor pool opening at 6:15.
The MTSU Campus Pharmacy in the campus rec center will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (drive through open until 5 p.m.) Friday. It will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
The KUC hours of operation will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday through Monday.
The James Union Building will be open from 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Friday, then closed Saturday through Monday.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Media note: In case of emergency, please contact the Office of Public Safety (MTSU Police) at 615-898-2424. Public Safety will contact News & Public Affairs personnel, who then will respond to your media-related requests.
News and Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU Will Be Closed May 25 for Memorial Day Holiday
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU will be closed and no classes will be held Monday, May 25, for the Memorial Day holiday, university officials announced.
Summer Session I classes will resume at their regularly scheduled times on Tuesday, May 26. All business offices will be open their regular hours (8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.) Tuesday.
Quiznos in Keathley University Center will be open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. from Saturday through Memorial Day, but other campus food venues will be closed during the holiday weekend, said Jennifer Kirk, assistant director of Student Unions and Programming and interim KUC event coordinator.
The James E. Walker Library will be open Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. and from 2 until 10 p.m. Sunday. It will be closed Memorial Day, but reopen at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The Campus Recreation Center will be open from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, then be closed Saturday through Monday. It will reopen at 6 a.m. Tuesday, with the outdoor pool opening at 6:15.
The MTSU Campus Pharmacy in the campus rec center will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. (drive through open until 5 p.m.) Friday. It will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
The KUC hours of operation will be 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday through Monday.
The James Union Building will be open from 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Friday, then closed Saturday through Monday.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Media note: In case of emergency, please contact the Office of Public Safety (MTSU Police) at 615-898-2424. Public Safety will contact News & Public Affairs personnel, who then will respond to your media-related requests.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
[474] SLAVERY’S IMPACT ON HIGHER ED TOPIC OF “MTSU ON THE RECORD”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 20, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
SLAVERY’S IMPACT ON HIGHER ED TOPIC OF “MTSU ON THE RECORD”
Visiting Historian Dr. Spencer Crew Brings Smithsonian Expertise to MTSU
(MURFREESBORO) - This year’s Distinguished Public Historian at MTSU, Dr. Spencer Crew, will be the guest on the next edition of “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 24, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Crew is slated to participate in a panel discussion on “American Slavery and Its Impact on Universities, Past and Present” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, in the main courtroom on the second floor of the Rutherford County Courthouse.
Widely recognized as one of the top public historians in the nation, Crew graduated with a Ph.D. in history from Rutgers University then began a long career working with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.
From 1981 to 2001, he worked his way up from historian to executive director of the Smithsonian NMAH, developing several celebrated exhibits, including "From Field to Factory." During his time at the NMAM, he also launched major initiatives that revolutionized the Smithsonian's outreach and fundraising programs.
In 2001, Crew departed the Smithsonian to undertake the role of executive director/CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. In January 2008, he resigned from NURFC to assume a public history faculty position at George Mason University, where he continues his work with museums and historic sites throughout the nation.
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the issue of access to higher education for the immigrant population, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 17, 2009.”
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
SLAVERY’S IMPACT ON HIGHER ED TOPIC OF “MTSU ON THE RECORD”
Visiting Historian Dr. Spencer Crew Brings Smithsonian Expertise to MTSU
(MURFREESBORO) - This year’s Distinguished Public Historian at MTSU, Dr. Spencer Crew, will be the guest on the next edition of “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 24, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Crew is slated to participate in a panel discussion on “American Slavery and Its Impact on Universities, Past and Present” at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 29, in the main courtroom on the second floor of the Rutherford County Courthouse.
Widely recognized as one of the top public historians in the nation, Crew graduated with a Ph.D. in history from Rutgers University then began a long career working with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History.
From 1981 to 2001, he worked his way up from historian to executive director of the Smithsonian NMAH, developing several celebrated exhibits, including "From Field to Factory." During his time at the NMAM, he also launched major initiatives that revolutionized the Smithsonian's outreach and fundraising programs.
In 2001, Crew departed the Smithsonian to undertake the role of executive director/CEO of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. In January 2008, he resigned from NURFC to assume a public history faculty position at George Mason University, where he continues his work with museums and historic sites throughout the nation.
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the issue of access to higher education for the immigrant population, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 17, 2009.”
[473] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 19, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Moore Family Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 27
(MURFREESBORO)—The Moore Family Farm in Montgomery County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1908, Thomas and Sarah Castleberry founded a 250-acre farm in the 22nd District of Montgomery County, near the county line with Dickson County. The couple had eight children. Tobacco, corn, wheat, beef cattle, sheep and sweet potatoes were the primary crops.
The children of Thomas and Sarah—Frank, Mary, Irvin, Russell, Ben, James and Nora—inherited the land in 1943. Eventually, the siblings sold their property to their sister, Nora, and her husband, George H. Moore Sr. Under their ownership, the farm produced generally the same crops and livestock as that of her parents.
In 1988, the grandson of the founder, George H. Moore Jr., acquired the farm. George, a veteran of the Vietnam War, manages the farm and works the land where he raises tobacco, corn, and soybeans. Over the years, George has been quite involved in agricultural related activities. He was in 4-H, is a Farm Bureau member and works closely with the UT Extension Service.
The Moore Family Farm is the 27th Century Farm to be certified in Montgomery County, Hankins said.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES MONTGOMERY COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Moore Family Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 27
(MURFREESBORO)—The Moore Family Farm in Montgomery County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1908, Thomas and Sarah Castleberry founded a 250-acre farm in the 22nd District of Montgomery County, near the county line with Dickson County. The couple had eight children. Tobacco, corn, wheat, beef cattle, sheep and sweet potatoes were the primary crops.
The children of Thomas and Sarah—Frank, Mary, Irvin, Russell, Ben, James and Nora—inherited the land in 1943. Eventually, the siblings sold their property to their sister, Nora, and her husband, George H. Moore Sr. Under their ownership, the farm produced generally the same crops and livestock as that of her parents.
In 1988, the grandson of the founder, George H. Moore Jr., acquired the farm. George, a veteran of the Vietnam War, manages the farm and works the land where he raises tobacco, corn, and soybeans. Over the years, George has been quite involved in agricultural related activities. He was in 4-H, is a Farm Bureau member and works closely with the UT Extension Service.
The Moore Family Farm is the 27th Century Farm to be certified in Montgomery County, Hankins said.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[472] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CARROLL COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CARROLL COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Bennett Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 11
(MURFREESBORO)—The Bennett Farm in Carroll County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1822, just one year after the county was formed, Etheldred Bennett acquired 110 acres near Huntingdon. Married to Mary Polly Clemons, the Bennetts were the parents of Richard, Elisha, Henry, William, Nancy, Alexander and Mary. In this period of early settlement in West Tennessee, the Bennett family was among the first to claim lands. Etheldred’s father, Solomon, was a Revolutionary War veteran who served on the first Carroll County jury in 1822. . He appeared in court, along with Davy Crockett, on Sept. 9, 1822, to claim a bounty for two wolves. The family believes it is likely that Solomon also lived on a part of this farmstead.
The second owner of the farm was Elisha Bennett, who obtained the property in 1848. Elisha wed Margaret Jane Horton and they had 10 children. One of their sons, Hiram, acquired 400 acres in 1880. He and his wife, Alice Vickers, had five children and the next generation owner was their son, Horace, who acquired the property in 1910. Cotton, corn, cattle, and hogs were primary crops throughout the 19th century.
Gailford, the son of Horace and Euvie Oatsvall, became the owner of 40 acres of the original farmstead in the 1940s, and during that time a barn, crib and smokehouse were built. Gailford and wife Broxie Lee Rich were the parents of six children, including Robert Burton Bennett who, with his wife Sharon, owns the farm today. Burton is the great-great-great-grandson of the founders.
Currently, Townsend Farms work the land and corn, soybeans and wheat are the primary products. A barn that was originally used for hay storage as well as mules and milk cows continues to be used for hay and an equipment shed. In addition, the corncrib remains.
The Bennett Farm is the 11th Century Farm to be certified in Carroll County, Hankins confirmed.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
—more—
BENNETT
Add 1
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
Bennett Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 11
(MURFREESBORO)—The Bennett Farm in Carroll County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
In 1822, just one year after the county was formed, Etheldred Bennett acquired 110 acres near Huntingdon. Married to Mary Polly Clemons, the Bennetts were the parents of Richard, Elisha, Henry, William, Nancy, Alexander and Mary. In this period of early settlement in West Tennessee, the Bennett family was among the first to claim lands. Etheldred’s father, Solomon, was a Revolutionary War veteran who served on the first Carroll County jury in 1822. . He appeared in court, along with Davy Crockett, on Sept. 9, 1822, to claim a bounty for two wolves. The family believes it is likely that Solomon also lived on a part of this farmstead.
The second owner of the farm was Elisha Bennett, who obtained the property in 1848. Elisha wed Margaret Jane Horton and they had 10 children. One of their sons, Hiram, acquired 400 acres in 1880. He and his wife, Alice Vickers, had five children and the next generation owner was their son, Horace, who acquired the property in 1910. Cotton, corn, cattle, and hogs were primary crops throughout the 19th century.
Gailford, the son of Horace and Euvie Oatsvall, became the owner of 40 acres of the original farmstead in the 1940s, and during that time a barn, crib and smokehouse were built. Gailford and wife Broxie Lee Rich were the parents of six children, including Robert Burton Bennett who, with his wife Sharon, owns the farm today. Burton is the great-great-great-grandson of the founders.
Currently, Townsend Farms work the land and corn, soybeans and wheat are the primary products. A barn that was originally used for hay storage as well as mules and milk cows continues to be used for hay and an equipment shed. In addition, the corncrib remains.
The Bennett Farm is the 11th Century Farm to be certified in Carroll County, Hankins confirmed.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
—more—
BENNETT
Add 1
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
Monday, May 18, 2009
[471] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES DICKSON COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES DICKSON COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Dull Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 21
(MURFREESBORO)—The Dull Farm in Dickson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located about four-and-a-half miles east of Charlotte, the Dull Farm was founded in 1885 by Jobe Pritchett Doty II and Mary Elizabeth Morris Doty. Although the couple had 11 children, four of them died at birth. The children who survived were William C., Allen R., William O., John C., Sallie A., Mary F. and Margaret A. Jobe died in 1898, and in 1910, Mary Elizabeth Doty married Benjamin Franklin Sensing. They were the parents of William Thomas, Drury W., Marion J., Hilda and Joseph B. The farm was divided among these several children.
Over the years, the many descendents of the founders have contributed to Dickson County in various capacities. Among the family is the late Walter “Buck” Work, former Dickson County Schools superintendent and state representative, who was the son of William Burr and Mary Florence Doty Work.
In 1977, the great-grandson of the founder, Bobby “Wynn” Corlew, became the owner of the farm. He is the son of James Weatherston Corlew and Vera Pearl Work Corlew. He recalls the Dull General Store that adjoined the farm on Highway 49 and remembers the house he calls home being built. Corlew learned to both ride mules and horses and use them to work the land.
He and his wife, Dorothy Owen Corlew, attended Charlotte Elementary and Charolette High School and were married in 1961. Wynn worked at the E. I. Dupont plant in Old Hickory and retired from there after 35 of service. After retiring, Wynn and Dorothy moved back to Charlotte from Hermitage and purchased the farm.
Wynn and Dorothy have one son, Burton Scott Corlew. Burton, his wife Veronica Bradley Corlew, and their daughter, Gracee May, also have a home located on the farm. Currently, the family raises hay and produce.
The Dull Farm is the 21st Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Dickson County, Hankins noted.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
—more—
DULLFARM
Add 1
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES DICKSON COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Dull Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 21
(MURFREESBORO)—The Dull Farm in Dickson County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
Located about four-and-a-half miles east of Charlotte, the Dull Farm was founded in 1885 by Jobe Pritchett Doty II and Mary Elizabeth Morris Doty. Although the couple had 11 children, four of them died at birth. The children who survived were William C., Allen R., William O., John C., Sallie A., Mary F. and Margaret A. Jobe died in 1898, and in 1910, Mary Elizabeth Doty married Benjamin Franklin Sensing. They were the parents of William Thomas, Drury W., Marion J., Hilda and Joseph B. The farm was divided among these several children.
Over the years, the many descendents of the founders have contributed to Dickson County in various capacities. Among the family is the late Walter “Buck” Work, former Dickson County Schools superintendent and state representative, who was the son of William Burr and Mary Florence Doty Work.
In 1977, the great-grandson of the founder, Bobby “Wynn” Corlew, became the owner of the farm. He is the son of James Weatherston Corlew and Vera Pearl Work Corlew. He recalls the Dull General Store that adjoined the farm on Highway 49 and remembers the house he calls home being built. Corlew learned to both ride mules and horses and use them to work the land.
He and his wife, Dorothy Owen Corlew, attended Charlotte Elementary and Charolette High School and were married in 1961. Wynn worked at the E. I. Dupont plant in Old Hickory and retired from there after 35 of service. After retiring, Wynn and Dorothy moved back to Charlotte from Hermitage and purchased the farm.
Wynn and Dorothy have one son, Burton Scott Corlew. Burton, his wife Veronica Bradley Corlew, and their daughter, Gracee May, also have a home located on the farm. Currently, the family raises hay and produce.
The Dull Farm is the 21st Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Dickson County, Hankins noted.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
—more—
DULLFARM
Add 1
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[470] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CROCKETT COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CROCKETT COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Griggs Farms LLC Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 20
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Griggs Farms LLC in Crockett County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
The Griggs Farms LLC dates to 1884 when Robert Buchanan Griggs Jr. acquired 750 acres in the Mason Grove community, which was established in the 1820s by the Mason family. Prior to the railroad being built in Gadsden in the 1880s, Mason Grove was a thriving community with a boarding school known as Mason’s Grove Masonic Academy, a hotel, a post office, several churches and other businesses.
Robert married Mary Susan Cox, and they had nine children. Their names were Jim, Sophia, Winnie, Susie, Willis Wayne, Nannie, Edna, Emmet and Ernest. The family raised cattle, horses, cotton and hay. According to the family, the first cotton gin in the community was owned by Lemuel E. Humphreys and located between Gadsden and Humboldt off what is currently Highway 79. It was later sold to Robert Buchanan Griggs in 1882 and was converted from horsepower to windmill power and continuously updated through the years until it ceased operation in 1995.
After Robert passed away, the original 750 acres was split among his children into 14 different tracts. Over the years, several tracts were bought and sold between the family members. The family remembers that a generator was located behind the Robert Buchanan Griggs house that supplied power to the Mason Grove community. During this time, the farms mainly produced cotton, hay, cattle and horses.
In 1953, Willis Wayne Griggs died and his widow, Addie May Griggs, inherited the property. Willis and Addie had two children, James Wayne and Mary Jane. After his father’s death, James, who served in World War II, operated and managed the farmland, the store and cotton gin. In the early 1960s, James started a liquid fertilizer and chemical business on the farm. James and his wife, Margaret Collinsworth, had two children, Robert Wayne and James Terrance. Both James and Robert served as members of the National Cotton Board and regularly attended their meetings.
During the 1970s and 1980s, James acquired more of the tracts of the original farmland. In the 1980s, the fertilizer and chemical business ceased operations, and in 1995, the cotton gin closed.
Today, the farm is owned by Robert Matthew Griggs, the great-great-grandson of the founder, and his mother, Joanna Vanderpool Griggs, and his sister, Jocelyn Leah Griggs Bundy. In 2002, the farm diversified its products with corn, hybrid Bermuda grass hay, grain sorghum, soybeans and cotton.
Currently, the land is worked by Robert, who lives on the farm in a 1900 dwelling with wife Kelley Marie Lavin Griggs and their children, Paige Marie, Nathaniel Marshall and Carter Wayne. Robert also rents an additional 1,200 acres in Crockett and Madison counties. The family reports that the historic farmhouses, cotton gin, office and shop are intact on the property.
Hankins said the Griggs Farms LLC is the 20th Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Crockett County.
—more—
GRIGGS
Add 1
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES CROCKETT COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Griggs Farms LLC Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 20
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Griggs Farms LLC in Crockett County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
The Griggs Farms LLC dates to 1884 when Robert Buchanan Griggs Jr. acquired 750 acres in the Mason Grove community, which was established in the 1820s by the Mason family. Prior to the railroad being built in Gadsden in the 1880s, Mason Grove was a thriving community with a boarding school known as Mason’s Grove Masonic Academy, a hotel, a post office, several churches and other businesses.
Robert married Mary Susan Cox, and they had nine children. Their names were Jim, Sophia, Winnie, Susie, Willis Wayne, Nannie, Edna, Emmet and Ernest. The family raised cattle, horses, cotton and hay. According to the family, the first cotton gin in the community was owned by Lemuel E. Humphreys and located between Gadsden and Humboldt off what is currently Highway 79. It was later sold to Robert Buchanan Griggs in 1882 and was converted from horsepower to windmill power and continuously updated through the years until it ceased operation in 1995.
After Robert passed away, the original 750 acres was split among his children into 14 different tracts. Over the years, several tracts were bought and sold between the family members. The family remembers that a generator was located behind the Robert Buchanan Griggs house that supplied power to the Mason Grove community. During this time, the farms mainly produced cotton, hay, cattle and horses.
In 1953, Willis Wayne Griggs died and his widow, Addie May Griggs, inherited the property. Willis and Addie had two children, James Wayne and Mary Jane. After his father’s death, James, who served in World War II, operated and managed the farmland, the store and cotton gin. In the early 1960s, James started a liquid fertilizer and chemical business on the farm. James and his wife, Margaret Collinsworth, had two children, Robert Wayne and James Terrance. Both James and Robert served as members of the National Cotton Board and regularly attended their meetings.
During the 1970s and 1980s, James acquired more of the tracts of the original farmland. In the 1980s, the fertilizer and chemical business ceased operations, and in 1995, the cotton gin closed.
Today, the farm is owned by Robert Matthew Griggs, the great-great-grandson of the founder, and his mother, Joanna Vanderpool Griggs, and his sister, Jocelyn Leah Griggs Bundy. In 2002, the farm diversified its products with corn, hybrid Bermuda grass hay, grain sorghum, soybeans and cotton.
Currently, the land is worked by Robert, who lives on the farm in a 1900 dwelling with wife Kelley Marie Lavin Griggs and their children, Paige Marie, Nathaniel Marshall and Carter Wayne. Robert also rents an additional 1,200 acres in Crockett and Madison counties. The family reports that the historic farmhouses, cotton gin, office and shop are intact on the property.
Hankins said the Griggs Farms LLC is the 20th Tennessee Century Farm to be certified in Crockett County.
—more—
GRIGGS
Add 1
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[469] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES SUMNER COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES SUMNER COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Martin Homestead Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 25
(MURFREESBORO)—The Martin Homestead in Sumner County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
On Oct. 6, 1876, John W. Martin and Martha E. Mayes Martin founded a farm of 106 acres northeast of Portland in the Sengtown community. The couple had three children, Rennie Martin Hobdy, Evalena Martin Perdue and Homer O. Martin. The family raised corn, wheat, tobacco, cattle, horses, chickens and hogs and “held wheat thrashings and hog killings on the farm.”
John and Martha were active in the organization of Antioch Baptist Church, founded in 1876 just a mile from the farm and which is still in existence today.
The second generation to own the farm was Evalena Martin Perdue, who obtained the property in September 1904. Evalena and her husband, William Brodie Perdue, were the parents of Evelyn Martin Perdue Brown. Brodie continued farmed the land and the family raised corn, wheat, tobacco, horses, milk cows and chickens. Brodie and Evalena also made some improvements and changes to the farm, including “a regulation-size croquet yard at the edge of a wooded area where men came from far and near to play.”
They also made improvements to the farmhouse, which was an enclosed dogtrot, by installing carbide lighting and adding telephone service when it became available. Additionally, they erected a water tank on a platform at the back of the house to catch rainwater and provide running water for the kitchen sink. A cistern was built on the north side of the house to keep food cool.
In 1955, Evelyn Martin Perdue Brown acquired the property. Like her mother, she was born in the farmhouse. She married Carey Wilson Brown and they had three children; namely, Loretta Carolyn, also born in the family home, Tessa Marilyn and Deborah Kay. On the 126 acres, the family raised soybeans, tobacco, strawberries, grain, corn, milo, milk cows and chickens.
A three-room house, built for Evelyn and Carey, was purchased by the U. S. Army in 1942 and used as a barracks for during World War II. Electricity was run to the house in 1948 and a telephone was installed in 1950. Evelyn and Carey were also very active in the community. Following family tradition, they were both members of Antioch Baptist Church, where Carey served as music director and Evelyn was church treasurer. In addition, Evelyn was a member of the Oak Grove Neighbor Home Demonstration Club from 1983 until her death in 2006. She also was a member of the Sumner County Farm Bureau.
In 1992, Shawn A. Utley, the son of Tessa Marilyn Utley acquired a parcel of land from his grandmother, Evelyn and built a house where he and his wife, Leanne, and their sons, Caelum and Caeson live. Caelum, the great-great-great grandson of the founders is a member of the 4-H club at Watt Hardison Elementary School. In 2008, Shawn was elected to serve District 2 on the Board of County Commissioners of Sumner County.
In 2007, Carolyn Dye and Tessa Marilyn Utley each obtained acreage of the original homestead, becoming co-owners of the farm. Over the years, they have been active in the community and agricultural-related organizations. Loretta Carolyn Dye has been a member of the Oak Grove Neighbor FCE Club since 1984 and sang with the FCE Chorus. She is also on the Portland Senior Citizens Board of Directors, where she serves as secretary.
—more—
MARTIN
Add 1
Tessa Marilyn was a member of the 4-H Club in her elementary schools years as was her daughter, Sharilyn. Marilyn also served on the City of Portland Board of Alderman in 2002-2003 to fill her late husband’s chair. In addition, Marilyn served as a clerk and pianist for the Antioch Baptist Church.
Mike Stratton currently manages the farm for the family and raises corn and soybeans. The original Martin farmhouse, the barracks house, a tobacco barn and a stock barn remain standing.
Hankins said the Martin Homestead is the 25th Century Farm to be certified in Sumner County.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES SUMNER COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Martin Homestead Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 25
(MURFREESBORO)—The Martin Homestead in Sumner County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
On Oct. 6, 1876, John W. Martin and Martha E. Mayes Martin founded a farm of 106 acres northeast of Portland in the Sengtown community. The couple had three children, Rennie Martin Hobdy, Evalena Martin Perdue and Homer O. Martin. The family raised corn, wheat, tobacco, cattle, horses, chickens and hogs and “held wheat thrashings and hog killings on the farm.”
John and Martha were active in the organization of Antioch Baptist Church, founded in 1876 just a mile from the farm and which is still in existence today.
The second generation to own the farm was Evalena Martin Perdue, who obtained the property in September 1904. Evalena and her husband, William Brodie Perdue, were the parents of Evelyn Martin Perdue Brown. Brodie continued farmed the land and the family raised corn, wheat, tobacco, horses, milk cows and chickens. Brodie and Evalena also made some improvements and changes to the farm, including “a regulation-size croquet yard at the edge of a wooded area where men came from far and near to play.”
They also made improvements to the farmhouse, which was an enclosed dogtrot, by installing carbide lighting and adding telephone service when it became available. Additionally, they erected a water tank on a platform at the back of the house to catch rainwater and provide running water for the kitchen sink. A cistern was built on the north side of the house to keep food cool.
In 1955, Evelyn Martin Perdue Brown acquired the property. Like her mother, she was born in the farmhouse. She married Carey Wilson Brown and they had three children; namely, Loretta Carolyn, also born in the family home, Tessa Marilyn and Deborah Kay. On the 126 acres, the family raised soybeans, tobacco, strawberries, grain, corn, milo, milk cows and chickens.
A three-room house, built for Evelyn and Carey, was purchased by the U. S. Army in 1942 and used as a barracks for during World War II. Electricity was run to the house in 1948 and a telephone was installed in 1950. Evelyn and Carey were also very active in the community. Following family tradition, they were both members of Antioch Baptist Church, where Carey served as music director and Evelyn was church treasurer. In addition, Evelyn was a member of the Oak Grove Neighbor Home Demonstration Club from 1983 until her death in 2006. She also was a member of the Sumner County Farm Bureau.
In 1992, Shawn A. Utley, the son of Tessa Marilyn Utley acquired a parcel of land from his grandmother, Evelyn and built a house where he and his wife, Leanne, and their sons, Caelum and Caeson live. Caelum, the great-great-great grandson of the founders is a member of the 4-H club at Watt Hardison Elementary School. In 2008, Shawn was elected to serve District 2 on the Board of County Commissioners of Sumner County.
In 2007, Carolyn Dye and Tessa Marilyn Utley each obtained acreage of the original homestead, becoming co-owners of the farm. Over the years, they have been active in the community and agricultural-related organizations. Loretta Carolyn Dye has been a member of the Oak Grove Neighbor FCE Club since 1984 and sang with the FCE Chorus. She is also on the Portland Senior Citizens Board of Directors, where she serves as secretary.
—more—
MARTIN
Add 1
Tessa Marilyn was a member of the 4-H Club in her elementary schools years as was her daughter, Sharilyn. Marilyn also served on the City of Portland Board of Alderman in 2002-2003 to fill her late husband’s chair. In addition, Marilyn served as a clerk and pianist for the Antioch Baptist Church.
Mike Stratton currently manages the farm for the family and raises corn and soybeans. The original Martin farmhouse, the barracks house, a tobacco barn and a stock barn remain standing.
Hankins said the Martin Homestead is the 25th Century Farm to be certified in Sumner County.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
[468] CUSTOMS Begins 2-month Orientation Run at MTSU
Release date: May 18, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
New Student & Family Programs contact: Gina Poff, 615-898-2454 or gpoff@mtsu.edu
CUSTOMS Begins 2-month Orientation Run at MTSU
(MURFREESBORO) — Just when you think there will be a break in the MTSU action—after a busy spring culminating in a commencement with the largest graduating class in MTSU’s history—here comes the first of four summer sessions and CUSTOMS.
Starting Wednesday, May 20, and running through late July, the process begins again as new faces, along with their families, arrive on campus for two days of familiarizing themselves with their new academic home for the next four years.
Admissions, financial aid, housing, advising and other departments only have a small window of time to catch their breath before the new undergraduates arrive.
Gina Poff, who is director of New Student and Family Programs, which oversees the running of CUSTOMS, said all of MTSU eagerly awaits the orientation to help the new students make the transition into the university.
“The MTSU campus gets very excited when CUSTOMS begins,” Poff said. “The energy is high and seems to be contagious. There is something so refreshing about seeing the new faces and the excitement that they have about their next step in life. The campus community really embraces the new students and their family members from the beginning.
“So many parents and students comment on how friendly folks are and how comfortable they feel about their choice of coming to MTSU. Although CUSTOMS is a lot of work for staff and the new students, it really pays off in the end. It is a great way to start off the new journey into MTSU, and the freshmen really get a sense of what it is like to be part of the MTSU community.”
In recent years, scholarship recipients attended the first CUSTOMS sessions. Scholarship students will receive first priority, Poff said, but she added that the first session would be open to all students admitted.
“With the enrollment numbers looking to be increasing, we want to utilize the staff, faculty and facilities to their fullest,” she said.
Poff added that officials expect 50 to 75 more students at each session this summer than in previous years.
CUSTOMS prepares new students for MTSU’s educational opportunities, and initiates the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of the institution.
For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/nsfp—click on “CUSTOMS” or “CUSTOMS: New Student Orientation”—or call 615-898-2454.
CUSTOMS Summer ’09 dates
• May 20-21: Scholarship session/all students;
• June 2-3: Majors from Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences and Mass Communication, undeclared;
• June 5-6: Majors from Colleges of Business, Education and Behavioral Science, and Liberal Arts, undeclared;
• June 16-17: Business, education, liberal arts and undeclared majors;
• June 23-24: CBAS, mass comm, undeclared;
• July 8-9: CBAS, mass comm, undeclared;
• July 14-15: Business, education, liberal arts, undeclared;
• July 17-18: CBAS, mass comm, undeclared;
• July 23-24: Business, education, liberal arts, undeclared; and
• July 28-29: All colleges.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
New Student & Family Programs contact: Gina Poff, 615-898-2454 or gpoff@mtsu.edu
CUSTOMS Begins 2-month Orientation Run at MTSU
(MURFREESBORO) — Just when you think there will be a break in the MTSU action—after a busy spring culminating in a commencement with the largest graduating class in MTSU’s history—here comes the first of four summer sessions and CUSTOMS.
Starting Wednesday, May 20, and running through late July, the process begins again as new faces, along with their families, arrive on campus for two days of familiarizing themselves with their new academic home for the next four years.
Admissions, financial aid, housing, advising and other departments only have a small window of time to catch their breath before the new undergraduates arrive.
Gina Poff, who is director of New Student and Family Programs, which oversees the running of CUSTOMS, said all of MTSU eagerly awaits the orientation to help the new students make the transition into the university.
“The MTSU campus gets very excited when CUSTOMS begins,” Poff said. “The energy is high and seems to be contagious. There is something so refreshing about seeing the new faces and the excitement that they have about their next step in life. The campus community really embraces the new students and their family members from the beginning.
“So many parents and students comment on how friendly folks are and how comfortable they feel about their choice of coming to MTSU. Although CUSTOMS is a lot of work for staff and the new students, it really pays off in the end. It is a great way to start off the new journey into MTSU, and the freshmen really get a sense of what it is like to be part of the MTSU community.”
In recent years, scholarship recipients attended the first CUSTOMS sessions. Scholarship students will receive first priority, Poff said, but she added that the first session would be open to all students admitted.
“With the enrollment numbers looking to be increasing, we want to utilize the staff, faculty and facilities to their fullest,” she said.
Poff added that officials expect 50 to 75 more students at each session this summer than in previous years.
CUSTOMS prepares new students for MTSU’s educational opportunities, and initiates the integration of new students into the intellectual, cultural and social climate of the institution.
For more information, visit www.mtsu.edu/nsfp—click on “CUSTOMS” or “CUSTOMS: New Student Orientation”—or call 615-898-2454.
CUSTOMS Summer ’09 dates
• May 20-21: Scholarship session/all students;
• June 2-3: Majors from Colleges of Basic and Applied Sciences and Mass Communication, undeclared;
• June 5-6: Majors from Colleges of Business, Education and Behavioral Science, and Liberal Arts, undeclared;
• June 16-17: Business, education, liberal arts and undeclared majors;
• June 23-24: CBAS, mass comm, undeclared;
• July 8-9: CBAS, mass comm, undeclared;
• July 14-15: Business, education, liberal arts, undeclared;
• July 17-18: CBAS, mass comm, undeclared;
• July 23-24: Business, education, liberal arts, undeclared; and
• July 28-29: All colleges.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
Friday, May 15, 2009
[467] GREAT BOOKS’ PRISON COURSES OFFER DIFFERENT VIEWS
‘GREAT BOOKS’ PRISON COURSES OFFER DIFFERENT VIEWS
MTSU Professor in 2nd Year of Expanding Educational Opportunities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Dr. Philip E. Phillips, pphillip@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2699;
Gina E. Fann, gfann@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—An MTSU professor has returned to prison for a second time.
Dr. Philip Phillips, director of “Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” and an associate professor of English at MTSU, recently finished teaching his second literature course at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.
The 10-week program, which is a partnership with the Great Books Foundation, the Tennessee Department of Correction and MTSU, also is conducted at the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility and the Tennessee Prison for Women by other MTSU volunteers.
Prior to the class, Phillips conducted a workshop to prepare other MTSU English faculty volunteers for the experience. Each class is taught by the Shared Inquiry method, in which teachers ask an open-ended question at the beginning of class to get the discussion started.
“The idea in these classes is that the role of the instructor isn’t to lead so much as pose questions to the class and generate the discussion,” Phillips said.
This year, Phillips chose to use The Seven Deadly Sins Sampler, an anthology of short stories published by the Great Books Foundation. He said the book explores real human situations with which students can identify.
“It’s made me look at things deeper, just from the story lines and the way that they end. There’s always something around the corner you’re not sure of,” class participant Jasper Lewis said. “I’m just trying not to judge people so harshly and give them a chance.”
Of the 15 participants at Riverbend, about half, including William Murphy, are returning students. Murphy was one of the first to register for this year’s course after last year’s experience.
“I like the different views people bring to the discussions. We have so many people from different cultures that you can read the same story and have 20 different ways to interpret it,” Murphy said.
Phillips said the RMSI students don’t hesitate to contribute to the discussions, and they’ve developed as critical thinkers. Inmates learn not only to express their ideas but to also listen respectfully to others in the class.
“I’m pretty quiet myself, so reading something and being able to discuss it with others, especially in here, where a difference in opinion sometimes can cause conflict, is nice,” Lewis said. “This is a chance to do it in an open forum where everyone is pretty open about what they are saying and it’s OK.”
Lewis and Murphy both expressed their gratitude to those who volunteered their time to the program and gave them the opportunity to broaden their horizons.
—MORE—
GREAT BOOKS
ADD 1
“This is a group of people who are hungry for this kind of opportunity, an opportunity to read books and talk about books at a higher level,” Phillips said.
“Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” is an opportunity to do something good, to help people help themselves and, ultimately, to help the community, Phillips said, adding that he hopes to continue the current programs and expand to more facilities.
“Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” has seen positive response not only from the participants, but also from MTSU faculty, including Dr. John McDaniel, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
To learn more about the “Great Books” program, become a volunteer or donate to the program, contact Phillips at pphillip@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2699.
-------
IN BRIEF: An MTSU professor has returned to prison for a second time. Dr. Philip Phillips, director of “Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” and an associate professor of English at MTSU, recently finished teaching his second literature course at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. The 10-week program, which is a partnership with the Great Books Foundation, the Tennessee Department of Correction and MTSU, also is conducted at the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility and the Tennessee Prison for Women by other MTSU volunteers. “It’s made me look at things deeper, just from the story lines and the way that they end. There’s always something around the corner you’re not sure of,” class participant Jasper Lewis said. “I’m just trying not to judge people so harshly and give them a chance.”
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Bonnie Bailey and Erin Bridges, seniors majoring in journalism at MTSU. We request your use of their bylines if you use the release in its entirety.
For color JPEGs of the “Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” class in progress or a group photo of the second-year participants, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
MTSU Professor in 2nd Year of Expanding Educational Opportunities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Dr. Philip E. Phillips, pphillip@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2699;
Gina E. Fann, gfann@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—An MTSU professor has returned to prison for a second time.
Dr. Philip Phillips, director of “Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” and an associate professor of English at MTSU, recently finished teaching his second literature course at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville.
The 10-week program, which is a partnership with the Great Books Foundation, the Tennessee Department of Correction and MTSU, also is conducted at the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility and the Tennessee Prison for Women by other MTSU volunteers.
Prior to the class, Phillips conducted a workshop to prepare other MTSU English faculty volunteers for the experience. Each class is taught by the Shared Inquiry method, in which teachers ask an open-ended question at the beginning of class to get the discussion started.
“The idea in these classes is that the role of the instructor isn’t to lead so much as pose questions to the class and generate the discussion,” Phillips said.
This year, Phillips chose to use The Seven Deadly Sins Sampler, an anthology of short stories published by the Great Books Foundation. He said the book explores real human situations with which students can identify.
“It’s made me look at things deeper, just from the story lines and the way that they end. There’s always something around the corner you’re not sure of,” class participant Jasper Lewis said. “I’m just trying not to judge people so harshly and give them a chance.”
Of the 15 participants at Riverbend, about half, including William Murphy, are returning students. Murphy was one of the first to register for this year’s course after last year’s experience.
“I like the different views people bring to the discussions. We have so many people from different cultures that you can read the same story and have 20 different ways to interpret it,” Murphy said.
Phillips said the RMSI students don’t hesitate to contribute to the discussions, and they’ve developed as critical thinkers. Inmates learn not only to express their ideas but to also listen respectfully to others in the class.
“I’m pretty quiet myself, so reading something and being able to discuss it with others, especially in here, where a difference in opinion sometimes can cause conflict, is nice,” Lewis said. “This is a chance to do it in an open forum where everyone is pretty open about what they are saying and it’s OK.”
Lewis and Murphy both expressed their gratitude to those who volunteered their time to the program and gave them the opportunity to broaden their horizons.
—MORE—
GREAT BOOKS
ADD 1
“This is a group of people who are hungry for this kind of opportunity, an opportunity to read books and talk about books at a higher level,” Phillips said.
“Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” is an opportunity to do something good, to help people help themselves and, ultimately, to help the community, Phillips said, adding that he hopes to continue the current programs and expand to more facilities.
“Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” has seen positive response not only from the participants, but also from MTSU faculty, including Dr. John McDaniel, dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
To learn more about the “Great Books” program, become a volunteer or donate to the program, contact Phillips at pphillip@mtsu.edu or 615-898-2699.
-------
IN BRIEF: An MTSU professor has returned to prison for a second time. Dr. Philip Phillips, director of “Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” and an associate professor of English at MTSU, recently finished teaching his second literature course at Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. The 10-week program, which is a partnership with the Great Books Foundation, the Tennessee Department of Correction and MTSU, also is conducted at the Lois M. DeBerry Special Needs Facility and the Tennessee Prison for Women by other MTSU volunteers. “It’s made me look at things deeper, just from the story lines and the way that they end. There’s always something around the corner you’re not sure of,” class participant Jasper Lewis said. “I’m just trying not to judge people so harshly and give them a chance.”
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Bonnie Bailey and Erin Bridges, seniors majoring in journalism at MTSU. We request your use of their bylines if you use the release in its entirety.
For color JPEGs of the “Great Books in Middle Tennessee Prisons” class in progress or a group photo of the second-year participants, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
[466] MTSU FARMERS’ MARKET TO OPEN FOR SEASON FRIDAY, MAY 22
MTSU FARMERS’ MARKET TO OPEN FOR SEASON FRIDAY, MAY 22
Plant and Soil Science Students Preparing for Weekly Sales
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU is inviting the community to enjoy the flavors of locally grown produce while supporting agricultural education at the Plant and Soil Science farmers’ market each Friday this summer.
The market will open Friday, May 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Horticulture Center off Blue Raider Drive on the MTSU campus and will remain open each Friday into the fall. Now in its second year, it will offer fresh produce as well as perennials, annuals and houseplants for sale to the community.
The market will begin with cool-season crops like cabbages, broccoli, onions, peas and lettuces; other crops will be added once they are ready for sale. Later crops include peppers, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, melons and seven varieties of tomatoes.
Proceeds from the market are used to purchase supplies for MTSU’s on-campus greenhouse and to cover expenses of agriculture students’ travel to professional conferences and competitions. MTSU students enrolled in a vegetable gardening class and members of the Plant and Soil Science Club grow all plants and produce from seed to maturation.
“Starting the farmers’ market was kind of a no-brainer,” said Amy Dyer, a senior plant and soil science/ Spanish major. Dyer was enrolled in the vegetable gardening course in 2008, when the idea for the market arose. She is also a founding member of the revived Plant and Soil Science Club, which was inactive for several years until 2008.
“We had all this produce grown over the semester, and the market allows us to offer something to the community everyone can enjoy,” Dyer said. “You know where the food came from, and where your money is going.”
Students in the program learn about drip irrigation, soil properties, fertilization techniques and the importance of plant spacing, all through hands-on involvement.
“We grow our own transplants in the greenhouse on campus and then transfer them to a quarter-acre plot on the Guy James Farm,” said Dr. Nate Phillips, professor of horticulture, who began the market last year. The Guy James Farm also provides a location for some produce, like melons and sweet corn, to be grown near the river bottom.
One benefit of being a “locavore,” or eating locally grown produce, is increased confidence in the products you buy. While the risk of salmonella and E. coli outbreaks made headlines last year, MTSU’s market was able to offer locally grown products that were guaranteed safe.
—MORE—
FARMERS’ MARKET
ADD 1
The 435-acre farm on Guy James Road, located off Halls Hill Pike in Murfreesboro, was purchased by MTSU from Rutherford County two years ago. Long-term plans for the farm include moving MTSU’s dairy facility there and consolidating other agricultural facilities into one central location. The farm recently added a large-scale composting system, which will be used to fertilize crops grown there.
This spring, the MTSU Oversight Steering Committee examined the effect closing the Agribusiness and Agriscience farm labs—like the Guy James Farm—would have on the university’s budget. MTSU President Sidney McPhee has said the farm labs will not be closed as part of budget cuts.
“The Guy James Farm is important because it gives you hands-on experience, which is really the best you can get in the program. It lets us try out the techniques we learn about in class and see what works best in the real world,” Dyer said.
This year, students also will harvest a plot of organic produce for the market after many consumers expressed an interest last year. Students rely heavily on sustainability while growing all plants for the market, and use of chemicals on the rest of the produce is very minimal.
“Our desire is to make the Guy James Farm a model for sustainable agriculture,” Phillips said. “We are using the property to grow crops for biofuel research, study organic farming and provide a hands-on learning facility for our agribusiness and agriscience students.”
The professor added that the MTSU farmers’ market hopes to expand in the future to include other local vendors, music and entertainment to create a complete market experience for the community.
-------
IN BRIEF: MTSU’s Plant and Soil Science farmers’ market will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. each Friday beginning May 22 and continuing through the fall in the Horticulture Center off Blue Raider Drive on the MTSU campus. The market will begin with cool season crops like cabbages, broccoli, onions, peas and lettuces. Later crops include peppers, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, melons and seven varieties of tomatoes. Now in its second year, the market will offer perennials, annuals and houseplants for sale to the community as well as fresh produce. Proceeds are used to purchase supplies for MTSU’s on-campus greenhouse and to cover expenses of agriculture students traveling to professional conferences and competitions. MTSU students enrolled in a vegetable gardening class and members of the Plant and Soil Science Club grow all plants and produce from seed to maturation.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Claire Rogers, a senior majoring in advertising/public relations at MTSU. We request your use of her byline if you use the release in its entirety.
For color JPEGs of MTSU students caring for plants for market, the farm site and produce from the 2008 market, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
Plant and Soil Science Students Preparing for Weekly Sales
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 15, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385
(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU is inviting the community to enjoy the flavors of locally grown produce while supporting agricultural education at the Plant and Soil Science farmers’ market each Friday this summer.
The market will open Friday, May 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Horticulture Center off Blue Raider Drive on the MTSU campus and will remain open each Friday into the fall. Now in its second year, it will offer fresh produce as well as perennials, annuals and houseplants for sale to the community.
The market will begin with cool-season crops like cabbages, broccoli, onions, peas and lettuces; other crops will be added once they are ready for sale. Later crops include peppers, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, melons and seven varieties of tomatoes.
Proceeds from the market are used to purchase supplies for MTSU’s on-campus greenhouse and to cover expenses of agriculture students’ travel to professional conferences and competitions. MTSU students enrolled in a vegetable gardening class and members of the Plant and Soil Science Club grow all plants and produce from seed to maturation.
“Starting the farmers’ market was kind of a no-brainer,” said Amy Dyer, a senior plant and soil science/ Spanish major. Dyer was enrolled in the vegetable gardening course in 2008, when the idea for the market arose. She is also a founding member of the revived Plant and Soil Science Club, which was inactive for several years until 2008.
“We had all this produce grown over the semester, and the market allows us to offer something to the community everyone can enjoy,” Dyer said. “You know where the food came from, and where your money is going.”
Students in the program learn about drip irrigation, soil properties, fertilization techniques and the importance of plant spacing, all through hands-on involvement.
“We grow our own transplants in the greenhouse on campus and then transfer them to a quarter-acre plot on the Guy James Farm,” said Dr. Nate Phillips, professor of horticulture, who began the market last year. The Guy James Farm also provides a location for some produce, like melons and sweet corn, to be grown near the river bottom.
One benefit of being a “locavore,” or eating locally grown produce, is increased confidence in the products you buy. While the risk of salmonella and E. coli outbreaks made headlines last year, MTSU’s market was able to offer locally grown products that were guaranteed safe.
—MORE—
FARMERS’ MARKET
ADD 1
The 435-acre farm on Guy James Road, located off Halls Hill Pike in Murfreesboro, was purchased by MTSU from Rutherford County two years ago. Long-term plans for the farm include moving MTSU’s dairy facility there and consolidating other agricultural facilities into one central location. The farm recently added a large-scale composting system, which will be used to fertilize crops grown there.
This spring, the MTSU Oversight Steering Committee examined the effect closing the Agribusiness and Agriscience farm labs—like the Guy James Farm—would have on the university’s budget. MTSU President Sidney McPhee has said the farm labs will not be closed as part of budget cuts.
“The Guy James Farm is important because it gives you hands-on experience, which is really the best you can get in the program. It lets us try out the techniques we learn about in class and see what works best in the real world,” Dyer said.
This year, students also will harvest a plot of organic produce for the market after many consumers expressed an interest last year. Students rely heavily on sustainability while growing all plants for the market, and use of chemicals on the rest of the produce is very minimal.
“Our desire is to make the Guy James Farm a model for sustainable agriculture,” Phillips said. “We are using the property to grow crops for biofuel research, study organic farming and provide a hands-on learning facility for our agribusiness and agriscience students.”
The professor added that the MTSU farmers’ market hopes to expand in the future to include other local vendors, music and entertainment to create a complete market experience for the community.
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IN BRIEF: MTSU’s Plant and Soil Science farmers’ market will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. each Friday beginning May 22 and continuing through the fall in the Horticulture Center off Blue Raider Drive on the MTSU campus. The market will begin with cool season crops like cabbages, broccoli, onions, peas and lettuces. Later crops include peppers, squash, pumpkins, sweet corn, melons and seven varieties of tomatoes. Now in its second year, the market will offer perennials, annuals and houseplants for sale to the community as well as fresh produce. Proceeds are used to purchase supplies for MTSU’s on-campus greenhouse and to cover expenses of agriculture students traveling to professional conferences and competitions. MTSU students enrolled in a vegetable gardening class and members of the Plant and Soil Science Club grow all plants and produce from seed to maturation.
For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.
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ATTENTION, MEDIA: This release was written by Claire Rogers, a senior majoring in advertising/public relations at MTSU. We request your use of her byline if you use the release in its entirety.
For color JPEGs of MTSU students caring for plants for market, the farm site and produce from the 2008 market, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
[465] Admissions Offers Campus Tours Through July 31
mtsunews.com
Release date: May 13, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Office of Admissions contact: Michelle Arnold, 615-898-5280 or maarnold@mtsu.edu
MTSU Office of Admissions Campus Tours Will Run Through July 31
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU’s Office of Admissions will offer student-led campus tours at 10 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (excluding holidays) through July 31, an admissions official said recently. The tours are by reservation only.
The tours for May 18, May 22 and May 27 are full. Plenty of openings remain for all of June and July. No tours will be given May 25 (Memorial Day) and July 3 because the university will be closed for those holidays.
To make a reservation, call 615-898-5670 or visit mtsu.edu/admissn/tour_admissn.shtml (click on “Schedule Campus Tours”).
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Release date: May 13, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Office of Admissions contact: Michelle Arnold, 615-898-5280 or maarnold@mtsu.edu
MTSU Office of Admissions Campus Tours Will Run Through July 31
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU’s Office of Admissions will offer student-led campus tours at 10 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (excluding holidays) through July 31, an admissions official said recently. The tours are by reservation only.
The tours for May 18, May 22 and May 27 are full. Plenty of openings remain for all of June and July. No tours will be given May 25 (Memorial Day) and July 3 because the university will be closed for those holidays.
To make a reservation, call 615-898-5670 or visit mtsu.edu/admissn/tour_admissn.shtml (click on “Schedule Campus Tours”).
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
[464] PROFESSOR TALKS ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ALL RESIDENTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 13, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
PROFESSOR TALKS ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ALL RESIDENTS
“MTSU on the Record” Explores Criteria for Admissions in Post K-12 Learning
(MURFREESBORO) - A Tennessee General Assembly measure that would have prohibited students from being admitted to public higher education institutions unless they can establish U.S. citizenship or lawful residence has been tabled until 2010. Dr. Laura Blackwell Clark, associate professor of educational leadership, says such proposals are counterproductive for education, the economy and the society as a whole. She’ll discuss her views at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 17, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Clark appeared before a House subcommittee last month to testify against the proposal. She said, “My belief is when we block educational access to any of the residents, any citizens, any non-citizens, any people who are part of our American community, we do our community a disservice in the long term.”
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the impact of the Islamic world on Western ideas, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 10, 2009.”
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
PROFESSOR TALKS ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION FOR ALL RESIDENTS
“MTSU on the Record” Explores Criteria for Admissions in Post K-12 Learning
(MURFREESBORO) - A Tennessee General Assembly measure that would have prohibited students from being admitted to public higher education institutions unless they can establish U.S. citizenship or lawful residence has been tabled until 2010. Dr. Laura Blackwell Clark, associate professor of educational leadership, says such proposals are counterproductive for education, the economy and the society as a whole. She’ll discuss her views at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 17, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Clark appeared before a House subcommittee last month to testify against the proposal. She said, “My belief is when we block educational access to any of the residents, any citizens, any non-citizens, any people who are part of our American community, we do our community a disservice in the long term.”
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the impact of the Islamic world on Western ideas, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 10, 2009.”
Monday, May 11, 2009
[458] NATIONAL PRESERVATION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO TENNESSEANS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2009
CONTACT: Anne-Leslie Owens, MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, 615-94-8938
NATIONAL PRESERVATION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO TENNESSEANS
June 1, 2009, Deadline for Applying for Tennessee Scholarships to Attend Fall Conference
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—Tennesseans seeking to enhance their communities through historic preservation have a rare opportunity to do just that this fall, reports Anne-Leslie Owens of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, who urges those interested to plan early and apply for a related scholarship before the June 1, 2009, deadline.
On Oct. 13-17 in Nashville, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will conduct “National Preservation Conference: Sustaining the Future in Harmony with Our Pasts,” an event that offers participants successful tactics and lessons related to historic preservation that they can return to their own communities with.
“This annual conference is the premier educational and networking event for community leaders, volunteers and staff working toward preservation goals,” Owens said. “With approximately 100 educational and field sessions, special lectures and networking opportunities, it is an excellent source for information, ideas and inspiration. Participants will return to their communities with successful tactics and lessons from colleagues across the country.”
Additionally, Owens said that 100 Tennessee Scholarships, which are funded in part by the Tennessee Historical Commission, are available to applicants whose attendance at the annual conference will benefit their community and whose commitment to historic preservation will be strengthened by their participation in the event.
The Tennessee Scholarship, Owens said, “is designed to ensure that Tennessee’s cultural, economic and geographical diversity is well represented at the National Preservation Conference.”
Each scholarship covers registration for educational sessions and one field session; it does not cover transportation or lodging. These registration fees would normally cost between $300-$500, noted Owens, who added that the CHP administers the Tennessee Scholarship Program.
Scholarship applications and complete information about the conference may be accessed online at http://www.preservationnation.org/conference. Completed applications are due June 1, 2009.
For questions regarding the scholarship program, please contact Owens at 615-494-8938 or via e-mail at alowens@mtsu.edu
CONTACT: Anne-Leslie Owens, MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, 615-94-8938
NATIONAL PRESERVATION SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE TO TENNESSEANS
June 1, 2009, Deadline for Applying for Tennessee Scholarships to Attend Fall Conference
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—Tennesseans seeking to enhance their communities through historic preservation have a rare opportunity to do just that this fall, reports Anne-Leslie Owens of MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, who urges those interested to plan early and apply for a related scholarship before the June 1, 2009, deadline.
On Oct. 13-17 in Nashville, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will conduct “National Preservation Conference: Sustaining the Future in Harmony with Our Pasts,” an event that offers participants successful tactics and lessons related to historic preservation that they can return to their own communities with.
“This annual conference is the premier educational and networking event for community leaders, volunteers and staff working toward preservation goals,” Owens said. “With approximately 100 educational and field sessions, special lectures and networking opportunities, it is an excellent source for information, ideas and inspiration. Participants will return to their communities with successful tactics and lessons from colleagues across the country.”
Additionally, Owens said that 100 Tennessee Scholarships, which are funded in part by the Tennessee Historical Commission, are available to applicants whose attendance at the annual conference will benefit their community and whose commitment to historic preservation will be strengthened by their participation in the event.
The Tennessee Scholarship, Owens said, “is designed to ensure that Tennessee’s cultural, economic and geographical diversity is well represented at the National Preservation Conference.”
Each scholarship covers registration for educational sessions and one field session; it does not cover transportation or lodging. These registration fees would normally cost between $300-$500, noted Owens, who added that the CHP administers the Tennessee Scholarship Program.
Scholarship applications and complete information about the conference may be accessed online at http://www.preservationnation.org/conference. Completed applications are due June 1, 2009.
For questions regarding the scholarship program, please contact Owens at 615-494-8938 or via e-mail at alowens@mtsu.edu
[463] ‘KILLER ANGELS’ FOCUS OF CIVIL WAR BOOK GROUP’S JUNE DISCUSSION
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2009
CONTACT: Antoinette van Zelm, 615-217-8013 or avanzelm@mtsu.edu
‘KILLER ANGELS’ FOCUS OF CIVIL WAR BOOK GROUP’S JUNE DISCUSSION
Group Invites Community to Participate In Free Book Discussion at Heritage Center
(MURFREESBORO)—Members of the “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War” book group invite locals to kick off their summer reading with Killer Angels, one of the most-celebrated and popular Civil War novels of the 20th century. Published by Michael Shaara in 1974 and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Killer Angels recreates the drama of the Battle of Gettysburg and is a must-read for Civil War buffs, said Antoinette van Zelm of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
The novel will be discussed beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4, during the “Between the Lines” group’s monthly meeting. All book-reading sessions, which are free and open to the public, are held at the Heritage Center, 225 West College St., in Murfreesboro.
Killer Angels is a compelling novel that takes readers through the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg early in July 1863. Shaara tells his story through the perspectives of the key Confederate and Union military officers involved in the battle.
The novel has been compared to other classic war novels, including The Red Badge of Courage and All Quiet on the Western Front, said van Zelm, who noted that Shaara’s “surefire storytelling” has thrilled readers for the past 35 years.
The book discussion group is sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Linebaugh Library and the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. The group, which focuses on Civil War-related literature and biography, meets in January and June of each year.
Each week in June, the group will focus on a different theme related to the book. The group’s June discussion is as follows:
June 4: History as Literature: The Novel Killer Angels
June 11: Gettysburg’s Confederate Generals in Killer Angels
June 18: Gettysburg’s Union Generals in Killer Angels
June 25: Gettysburg in American History and Memory
The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area receives funding from the National Park Service and is administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. Linebaugh Library, which sponsors several book groups, serves the citizens of Rutherford County through four branches. The Heritage Center is a joint venture between the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Main Street: Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, the City of Murfreesboro, and the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University. Additional support comes from the Rutherford County Government and State Farm Insurance.
For more information on “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War,” please call 615-217-8013 or e-mail van Zelm at avanzelm@mtsu.edu.
CONTACT: Antoinette van Zelm, 615-217-8013 or avanzelm@mtsu.edu
‘KILLER ANGELS’ FOCUS OF CIVIL WAR BOOK GROUP’S JUNE DISCUSSION
Group Invites Community to Participate In Free Book Discussion at Heritage Center
(MURFREESBORO)—Members of the “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War” book group invite locals to kick off their summer reading with Killer Angels, one of the most-celebrated and popular Civil War novels of the 20th century. Published by Michael Shaara in 1974 and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Killer Angels recreates the drama of the Battle of Gettysburg and is a must-read for Civil War buffs, said Antoinette van Zelm of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
The novel will be discussed beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 4, during the “Between the Lines” group’s monthly meeting. All book-reading sessions, which are free and open to the public, are held at the Heritage Center, 225 West College St., in Murfreesboro.
Killer Angels is a compelling novel that takes readers through the three days of the Battle of Gettysburg early in July 1863. Shaara tells his story through the perspectives of the key Confederate and Union military officers involved in the battle.
The novel has been compared to other classic war novels, including The Red Badge of Courage and All Quiet on the Western Front, said van Zelm, who noted that Shaara’s “surefire storytelling” has thrilled readers for the past 35 years.
The book discussion group is sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Linebaugh Library and the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. The group, which focuses on Civil War-related literature and biography, meets in January and June of each year.
Each week in June, the group will focus on a different theme related to the book. The group’s June discussion is as follows:
June 4: History as Literature: The Novel Killer Angels
June 11: Gettysburg’s Confederate Generals in Killer Angels
June 18: Gettysburg’s Union Generals in Killer Angels
June 25: Gettysburg in American History and Memory
The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area receives funding from the National Park Service and is administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. Linebaugh Library, which sponsors several book groups, serves the citizens of Rutherford County through four branches. The Heritage Center is a joint venture between the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Main Street: Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, the City of Murfreesboro, and the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University. Additional support comes from the Rutherford County Government and State Farm Insurance.
For more information on “Between the Lines: Reading About the Civil War,” please call 615-217-8013 or e-mail van Zelm at avanzelm@mtsu.edu.
[462] STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LOUDON COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LOUDON COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Robert Thompson Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 16
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Robert Thompson Farm in Loudon County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
It was 100 years ago in May of 1909 that Robert Lee Thompson, a descendent of one of the earliest settlers in Loudon County and among the First Families of Tennessee, founded a 78-acre farm about 13 miles south of Maryville.
Married to Dora Poole Thompson, the couple had five children. Their names were Earnest Clyde, Clifford Lee, Warren Webb, Robert H. and Ruby Augusta. During their ownership, the farm produced tobacco, corn, wheat and cattle.
In 1956, Robert H. Thompson became the owner of the property. He raised a wide variety of crops and livestock, including tobacco, wheat, corn, watermelon, vegetables and cattle. In addition, Robert built a tool shed, a tobacco barn and remodeled the old house.
In 1967, Glenda L. Dotson, the granddaughter of the founder, and her husband, Joe H. Dotson, bought 52 acres from Robert H. Thompson, who never married. In 1993, Glenda purchased the rest of the property, and today, Joe and their son, Robert L. Dotson, work the land.
According to the family’s report, Joe raised tobacco for a number of years and then Robert took over the crop. The farm also produces cattle, vegetables and hay. A farmhouse and barn that are more than 100 years old still stand on the property.
The Robert Thompson Farm is the sixteenth Century Farm to be certified in Loudon County, Hankins said.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
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ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947
STATEWIDE PROGRAM RECOGNIZES LOUDON COUNTY FARM’S CONTRIBUTIONS
Robert Thompson Farm Brings County’s Tennessee Century Farms Total to 16
(MURFREESBORO, Tenn.)—The Robert Thompson Farm in Loudon County has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU campus.
It was 100 years ago in May of 1909 that Robert Lee Thompson, a descendent of one of the earliest settlers in Loudon County and among the First Families of Tennessee, founded a 78-acre farm about 13 miles south of Maryville.
Married to Dora Poole Thompson, the couple had five children. Their names were Earnest Clyde, Clifford Lee, Warren Webb, Robert H. and Ruby Augusta. During their ownership, the farm produced tobacco, corn, wheat and cattle.
In 1956, Robert H. Thompson became the owner of the property. He raised a wide variety of crops and livestock, including tobacco, wheat, corn, watermelon, vegetables and cattle. In addition, Robert built a tool shed, a tobacco barn and remodeled the old house.
In 1967, Glenda L. Dotson, the granddaughter of the founder, and her husband, Joe H. Dotson, bought 52 acres from Robert H. Thompson, who never married. In 1993, Glenda purchased the rest of the property, and today, Joe and their son, Robert L. Dotson, work the land.
According to the family’s report, Joe raised tobacco for a number of years and then Robert took over the crop. The farm also produces cattle, vegetables and hay. A farmhouse and barn that are more than 100 years old still stand on the property.
The Robert Thompson Farm is the sixteenth Century Farm to be certified in Loudon County, Hankins said.
About the Century Farms Program
The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a
metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.
—30—
ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request a jpeg of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.
Friday, May 08, 2009
[461] Ceremony Commissions 6 MTSU Graduating Seniors into U.S. Army
Release date: May 8, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Ceremony Commissions 6 MTSU Graduating Seniors into U.S. Army
(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Department of Military Science commissioned six graduating seniors into various aspects of the U.S. Army during ceremonies earlier today in the Keathley University Center Theater.
Lt. Col. Mike Walsh, who is being promoted to colonel and accepting a job that will take him to Iraq later this year, presided in his final official duty at MTSU.
Alumnus and Col. Jeffrey Davidson, chief of staff for the U.S. Army Armor Center at Fort Knox, Ky., was the guest speaker.
The spring commissionees include:
2LT Alex Campbell of Franklin, Tenn., is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Armor Branch.
2LT Jason Carter of Murfreesboro is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Engineer Corps.
2LT Shelby Clark of Decherd, Tenn., is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. She was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp.
2LT Holly Cunefare of Murfreesboro graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and is currently working on a M.B.A. She was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp.
2LT Dustin Hoffman of Murfreesboro is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp.
2LT Josh Weisman of Murfreesboro is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Active Duty, Adjutant General Corps. He will be camp cadre at the Leader Development and Assessment Course, Fort Lewis, Washington from June 1 – Sept. 7 before starting his BOLC II course on Sept. 8 at Fort Sill, OK. Upon completion of BOLC II and BOLC III, he will be assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Ceremony Commissions 6 MTSU Graduating Seniors into U.S. Army
(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Department of Military Science commissioned six graduating seniors into various aspects of the U.S. Army during ceremonies earlier today in the Keathley University Center Theater.
Lt. Col. Mike Walsh, who is being promoted to colonel and accepting a job that will take him to Iraq later this year, presided in his final official duty at MTSU.
Alumnus and Col. Jeffrey Davidson, chief of staff for the U.S. Army Armor Center at Fort Knox, Ky., was the guest speaker.
The spring commissionees include:
2LT Alex Campbell of Franklin, Tenn., is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Armor Branch.
2LT Jason Carter of Murfreesboro is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Engineer Corps.
2LT Shelby Clark of Decherd, Tenn., is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. She was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp.
2LT Holly Cunefare of Murfreesboro graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree and is currently working on a M.B.A. She was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp.
2LT Dustin Hoffman of Murfreesboro is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Reserve Forces Duty with the Tennessee Army National Guard, Medical Services Corp.
2LT Josh Weisman of Murfreesboro is graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was accessed Active Duty, Adjutant General Corps. He will be camp cadre at the Leader Development and Assessment Course, Fort Lewis, Washington from June 1 – Sept. 7 before starting his BOLC II course on Sept. 8 at Fort Sill, OK. Upon completion of BOLC II and BOLC III, he will be assigned to Fort Carson, Colorado.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
[460] MTSU Career Development Center Spring 2009 Snapshot
Release date: May 7, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Contact: Bill Fletcher, Director
MTSU Career Development Center
615-898-2501 * bfletch@mtsu.edu
May 2009 Career and Employment Snapshot
Information, Trends and Tips from the MTSU Career Development Center
As the MTSU spring graduation approaches and with the continuing economic slump, there is much attention on employment opportunities for college graduates. The following includes information from the MTSU Career Development Center as students prepare for spring graduation.
MTSU Statistics and Implications
On Campus Interviewing is the recruiting process where employers come to campus to interview students they have selected through specific job postings on the Career Center’s web site (Lightning JobSource).
• The number of student interviews conducted in Fall 2008 was up 41.8% over Fall 2007
• The number of student interviews conducted in Spring 2009 was down 34.7% over Spring 2008
Employer Job Postings through the Career Development Center include: experienced hire (alumni), entry-level hire (graduating student), student employment off campus (part-time job), student employment on campus (part-time job), and internships. Compared to Spring 2008:
• The number of entry-level positions posted for Spring 2009 was down 52%
• The number of student employment off campus positions posted for Spring 2009 was down 52.7%
• The number of experienced-hire positions posted for Spring 2009 was down 15.6%
Career Fairs hosted by the Center experienced a steady decline in employer participation as the year progressed. The Center hosted or co-sponsored 11 fairs throughout the 2008-2009 year.
Implications
• The data indicates that the region’s economic situation significantly affected hiring of college graduates between the end of November and mid-March. There was a greater decrease in entry-level and student employment postings during this period than at the end of the term in May. This could mean the decline is starting to bottom out or it is just a reflection of a last minute rush by employers to hire students before summer begins.
• The decline in student employment positions could affect students’ ability to pay for school. Many MTSU students rely on part-time jobs to help with educational/living expenses. A recent story on National Public Radio stated that this could be the worst summer for employment of teens (ages 14-19) since 1954.
• Given the tenuous nature of the economy, one would expect graduating students to take a proactive job search approach. Although student activity in the Career Development Center has been steady, it hasn’t been at the level expected given the current job market. In early April, the Center hosted a concentrated week of job search programming on a variety of topics. Student and alumni participation was sparse. (Handouts from “Career Countdown: Prepared or Scared” may be found at www.mtsu.edu/~career.)
Employment Trends
What Majors Are Hot?
More important than the field of study is the student’s motivation level. As long as the student is self-directed; has a specific, realistic career target; is networking; and is taking an active role in the job search process, then he/she can anticipate finding employment in 3-6 months. Too many students have the false belief that choosing a major equals choosing a career field. Students should use their education, combined with internships, cooperative education or part-time jobs to develop their job target.
In a good economy when jobs are plentiful, students are not as challenged to define what they want to do and consequently, can go out and “find a job.” In difficult economic times, students have to make greater effort to target their job search by having a clear goal/objective.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that healthcare, IT, and education are strong fields according to their 2006-2016 projections.
• In a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (JobOutlook 2009), the following were cited by employers as “top” bachelor’s degree level majors in the manufacturing, service and government sectors. The same is true for middle Tennessee:
1. Accounting
2. Mechanical Engineering
3. Electrical Engineering
4. Computer Science
5. Business Administration/Mgmt.
6. Economics/Finance (incl. Banking)
7. Information Sciences & Systems
8. Computer Engineering
9. Management Information Systems
10. Marketing/Marketing Mgmt.
What Do Employers Look for in Candidates?
In a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (JobOutlook 2009), the following skill/qualities were most often listed:
(5-point scale, where 1=not important, 2=not very important, 3=somewhat important)
Communication Skills 4.6
Strong Work Ethic 4.5
Teamwork Skills 4.5
Initiative 4.4
Analytical Skills 4.3
Computer Skills 4.3
Flexibility/Adaptability 4.3
Interpersonal Skills 4.3
Problem-Solving Skills 4.3
Technical Skills 4.2
Detail-Oriented 4.1
Organizational Skills 4.0
Self-Confidence 4.0
Leadership Skills 3.9
Tactfulness 3.8
Friendly/Outgoing Personality 3.7
Creativity 3.6
Strategic Planning Skills 3.4
Entrepreneurial Skills/Risk-Taker 3.2
Sense of Humor 3.0
Call to Action
Opportunity for Employers
For employers who may have positions to fill and do not want to be inundated with applications, the Center maintains resume books of active job seekers for alumni and the class of 2008-2009. This is an excellent way for employers to find active job searching candidates. How employers can take advantage:
1. Log into the Career Development Center’s recruiting system Lighting JobSource to search resume books or post positions
2. Contact the Center directly to request resume referrals.
3. Go to: www.mtsu.edu/~career and click on “Employers.”
How Can Students and Alumni Take Advantage of Services?
1. Register by completing the online registration form on the Center’s website.
2. Check the Center’s job postings several times a week, as employers are posting on a continuous basis. As the end of the term nears, the application deadlines are typically shorter.
3. Make sure to publish resume in the right resume book. This is where employers access them.
4. Review online resources: web pages, PowerPoints, and videos.
5. Develop a list of questions and arrange to meet with a Career Coordinator.
Advice to Job Seekers
• Do your homework! Review job search web sites including the Career Development Center’s site.
• In a good economy, a successful job search can take about 6 months.
• Develop a specific job target.
• Networking is critical to a successful job search campaign. Talk to people and let them know what type of position/field you are looking to enter.
• Understand the difference between the overt job market and the hidden job market.
• Spend no more than 30% of their time on job boards and 70% networking and researching potential employers.
• Learn how to research employers.
• Join groups and organizations both online and in person.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Contact: Bill Fletcher, Director
MTSU Career Development Center
615-898-2501 * bfletch@mtsu.edu
May 2009 Career and Employment Snapshot
Information, Trends and Tips from the MTSU Career Development Center
As the MTSU spring graduation approaches and with the continuing economic slump, there is much attention on employment opportunities for college graduates. The following includes information from the MTSU Career Development Center as students prepare for spring graduation.
MTSU Statistics and Implications
On Campus Interviewing is the recruiting process where employers come to campus to interview students they have selected through specific job postings on the Career Center’s web site (Lightning JobSource).
• The number of student interviews conducted in Fall 2008 was up 41.8% over Fall 2007
• The number of student interviews conducted in Spring 2009 was down 34.7% over Spring 2008
Employer Job Postings through the Career Development Center include: experienced hire (alumni), entry-level hire (graduating student), student employment off campus (part-time job), student employment on campus (part-time job), and internships. Compared to Spring 2008:
• The number of entry-level positions posted for Spring 2009 was down 52%
• The number of student employment off campus positions posted for Spring 2009 was down 52.7%
• The number of experienced-hire positions posted for Spring 2009 was down 15.6%
Career Fairs hosted by the Center experienced a steady decline in employer participation as the year progressed. The Center hosted or co-sponsored 11 fairs throughout the 2008-2009 year.
Implications
• The data indicates that the region’s economic situation significantly affected hiring of college graduates between the end of November and mid-March. There was a greater decrease in entry-level and student employment postings during this period than at the end of the term in May. This could mean the decline is starting to bottom out or it is just a reflection of a last minute rush by employers to hire students before summer begins.
• The decline in student employment positions could affect students’ ability to pay for school. Many MTSU students rely on part-time jobs to help with educational/living expenses. A recent story on National Public Radio stated that this could be the worst summer for employment of teens (ages 14-19) since 1954.
• Given the tenuous nature of the economy, one would expect graduating students to take a proactive job search approach. Although student activity in the Career Development Center has been steady, it hasn’t been at the level expected given the current job market. In early April, the Center hosted a concentrated week of job search programming on a variety of topics. Student and alumni participation was sparse. (Handouts from “Career Countdown: Prepared or Scared” may be found at www.mtsu.edu/~career.)
Employment Trends
What Majors Are Hot?
More important than the field of study is the student’s motivation level. As long as the student is self-directed; has a specific, realistic career target; is networking; and is taking an active role in the job search process, then he/she can anticipate finding employment in 3-6 months. Too many students have the false belief that choosing a major equals choosing a career field. Students should use their education, combined with internships, cooperative education or part-time jobs to develop their job target.
In a good economy when jobs are plentiful, students are not as challenged to define what they want to do and consequently, can go out and “find a job.” In difficult economic times, students have to make greater effort to target their job search by having a clear goal/objective.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that healthcare, IT, and education are strong fields according to their 2006-2016 projections.
• In a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (JobOutlook 2009), the following were cited by employers as “top” bachelor’s degree level majors in the manufacturing, service and government sectors. The same is true for middle Tennessee:
1. Accounting
2. Mechanical Engineering
3. Electrical Engineering
4. Computer Science
5. Business Administration/Mgmt.
6. Economics/Finance (incl. Banking)
7. Information Sciences & Systems
8. Computer Engineering
9. Management Information Systems
10. Marketing/Marketing Mgmt.
What Do Employers Look for in Candidates?
In a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (JobOutlook 2009), the following skill/qualities were most often listed:
(5-point scale, where 1=not important, 2=not very important, 3=somewhat important)
Communication Skills 4.6
Strong Work Ethic 4.5
Teamwork Skills 4.5
Initiative 4.4
Analytical Skills 4.3
Computer Skills 4.3
Flexibility/Adaptability 4.3
Interpersonal Skills 4.3
Problem-Solving Skills 4.3
Technical Skills 4.2
Detail-Oriented 4.1
Organizational Skills 4.0
Self-Confidence 4.0
Leadership Skills 3.9
Tactfulness 3.8
Friendly/Outgoing Personality 3.7
Creativity 3.6
Strategic Planning Skills 3.4
Entrepreneurial Skills/Risk-Taker 3.2
Sense of Humor 3.0
Call to Action
Opportunity for Employers
For employers who may have positions to fill and do not want to be inundated with applications, the Center maintains resume books of active job seekers for alumni and the class of 2008-2009. This is an excellent way for employers to find active job searching candidates. How employers can take advantage:
1. Log into the Career Development Center’s recruiting system Lighting JobSource to search resume books or post positions
2. Contact the Center directly to request resume referrals.
3. Go to: www.mtsu.edu/~career and click on “Employers.”
How Can Students and Alumni Take Advantage of Services?
1. Register by completing the online registration form on the Center’s website.
2. Check the Center’s job postings several times a week, as employers are posting on a continuous basis. As the end of the term nears, the application deadlines are typically shorter.
3. Make sure to publish resume in the right resume book. This is where employers access them.
4. Review online resources: web pages, PowerPoints, and videos.
5. Develop a list of questions and arrange to meet with a Career Coordinator.
Advice to Job Seekers
• Do your homework! Review job search web sites including the Career Development Center’s site.
• In a good economy, a successful job search can take about 6 months.
• Develop a specific job target.
• Networking is critical to a successful job search campaign. Talk to people and let them know what type of position/field you are looking to enter.
• Understand the difference between the overt job market and the hidden job market.
• Spend no more than 30% of their time on job boards and 70% networking and researching potential employers.
• Learn how to research employers.
• Join groups and organizations both online and in person.
###
[459] Nursing, Military Science plan May 8 ceremonies
Release date: May 7, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Military Science contact: Maj. Chuck Giles/ Lt. Col. Mike Walsh, 615-898-2470
School of Nursing contact: Dr. Lynn Parsons, 615-898-2437
MTSU Pre-graduation Activities Friday Will Include
ROTC Commissioning, Nursing Pinning Ceremonies
(MURFREESBORO) — Before Saturday’s largest-ever MTSU commencement ceremonies, two College of Basic and Applied Sciences’ departments will have special events to recognize their graduating seniors.
The Department of Military Science will have a commissioning ceremony for six cadets, a department official said Thursday. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Keathley University Center Theater.
Departing professor of military science Lt. Col. Mike Walsh will oversee his final act as program director. Alumnus and Col. Jeffrey Davidson will address the cadets, their families and friends, faculty, staff, administrators and other guests.
At 4 p.m. in Tucker Theatre, as many as 90 graduates in the School of Nursing will attend a pinning ceremony. These will include B.S.N., M.S.N. and R.N. to B.S.N. honorees. Dr. Maria Revell, professor of nursing, is the event organizer. Dr. Lynn Parsons serves as director for the school.
Both events are open to the public.
More than 2,260 students will graduate Saturday in separate 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ceremonies in Murphy Center.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Media welcomed.
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Military Science contact: Maj. Chuck Giles/ Lt. Col. Mike Walsh, 615-898-2470
School of Nursing contact: Dr. Lynn Parsons, 615-898-2437
MTSU Pre-graduation Activities Friday Will Include
ROTC Commissioning, Nursing Pinning Ceremonies
(MURFREESBORO) — Before Saturday’s largest-ever MTSU commencement ceremonies, two College of Basic and Applied Sciences’ departments will have special events to recognize their graduating seniors.
The Department of Military Science will have a commissioning ceremony for six cadets, a department official said Thursday. It will be held at 10 a.m. in the Keathley University Center Theater.
Departing professor of military science Lt. Col. Mike Walsh will oversee his final act as program director. Alumnus and Col. Jeffrey Davidson will address the cadets, their families and friends, faculty, staff, administrators and other guests.
At 4 p.m. in Tucker Theatre, as many as 90 graduates in the School of Nursing will attend a pinning ceremony. These will include B.S.N., M.S.N. and R.N. to B.S.N. honorees. Dr. Maria Revell, professor of nursing, is the event organizer. Dr. Lynn Parsons serves as director for the school.
Both events are open to the public.
More than 2,260 students will graduate Saturday in separate 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. ceremonies in Murphy Center.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Media welcomed.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
[457] MTSU Alumni Can Consider Army Officer Candidate School
Release date: May 6, 2009
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU Military Science contact: Maj. Trey Brannom, 615-898-5702
MTSU Alumni Can Consider Great Opportunity: Army Officer Candidate School
(MURFREESBORO) — The U.S. Army has an opportunity MTSU alumni, May 9 graduating seniors, underclassmen and others might want to consider.
The Army’s Officer Candidate School might be for you.
“It’s an opportunity alumni and graduating seniors may not know about,” said Lt. Col. Mike Walsh said.
“The opportunities available to alumni are wide open at this time,” added Maj. Trey Brannom, MTSU Army ROTC enrollment adviser. “As for those graduates who may have civilian aspirations, the additional opportunities within the National Guard or Army Reserve also are available.”
“These specifically provide a great supplemental income to any career as well as networking opportunities with many influential people throughout the country,” Brannom said. “We have many students who have made or enhanced their civilian career by the contacts made through being a member of the Army.”
Brannom said MTSU has had 15 general officers graduate from the university, and “that is the equivalent of a CEO of a Fortune 500 company and literally hundreds of colonels and lieutenant colonels, which is on par to senior vice president.”
Walsh said candidates may be eligible to be an officer in the U.S. Army officer, reserves or active duty, and the Army will repay up to $65,000 in student loans.
Candidates will be required to complete a 23-week training program, including Initial Entry Training (basic training) and OCS, Walsh said.
For more information, contact Brannom at 615-898-5702 or SFC Alex Lopez at 615-898-2564. Interested cadets also may visit www.goarmy.com/ocs.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU Military Science contact: Maj. Trey Brannom, 615-898-5702
MTSU Alumni Can Consider Great Opportunity: Army Officer Candidate School
(MURFREESBORO) — The U.S. Army has an opportunity MTSU alumni, May 9 graduating seniors, underclassmen and others might want to consider.
The Army’s Officer Candidate School might be for you.
“It’s an opportunity alumni and graduating seniors may not know about,” said Lt. Col. Mike Walsh said.
“The opportunities available to alumni are wide open at this time,” added Maj. Trey Brannom, MTSU Army ROTC enrollment adviser. “As for those graduates who may have civilian aspirations, the additional opportunities within the National Guard or Army Reserve also are available.”
“These specifically provide a great supplemental income to any career as well as networking opportunities with many influential people throughout the country,” Brannom said. “We have many students who have made or enhanced their civilian career by the contacts made through being a member of the Army.”
Brannom said MTSU has had 15 general officers graduate from the university, and “that is the equivalent of a CEO of a Fortune 500 company and literally hundreds of colonels and lieutenant colonels, which is on par to senior vice president.”
Walsh said candidates may be eligible to be an officer in the U.S. Army officer, reserves or active duty, and the Army will repay up to $65,000 in student loans.
Candidates will be required to complete a 23-week training program, including Initial Entry Training (basic training) and OCS, Walsh said.
For more information, contact Brannom at 615-898-5702 or SFC Alex Lopez at 615-898-2564. Interested cadets also may visit www.goarmy.com/ocs.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.
###
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
[455] “MTSU ON THE RECORD” EXAMINES ISLAM’S INFLUENCE ON WEST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 5, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
“MTSU ON THE RECORD” EXAMINES ISLAM’S INFLUENCE ON WEST
How Europeans, Americans See Themselves in Relation to Muslim World
(MURFREESBORO) – Dr. Sean Foley, assistant professor of history, discusses how Islamic ideas sparked major social reform at three critical turning points in history at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 10, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
In January, Foley lectured at American University in Beirut about how Reformation leaders saw Islam as an omen of God’s displeasure with the Catholic Church; how the rise of European nationalism in the 16th and 17th centuries was linked to how nations defined themselves vis-Ã -vis the Muslim world; and how Thomas Jefferson and John Locke found evidence of the universality of human rights by reading the Koran.
Foley’s fields of teaching include the Middle East and Islamic history, the Arab-Israeli dispute and world history. He is the author of the forthcoming book The Arab Gulf States: When Oil is Not Enough.
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the study of youth health and wellness in Ghana, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 3, 2009.”
--30--
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800
“MTSU ON THE RECORD” EXAMINES ISLAM’S INFLUENCE ON WEST
How Europeans, Americans See Themselves in Relation to Muslim World
(MURFREESBORO) – Dr. Sean Foley, assistant professor of history, discusses how Islamic ideas sparked major social reform at three critical turning points in history at 7 a.m. this Sunday, May 10, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
In January, Foley lectured at American University in Beirut about how Reformation leaders saw Islam as an omen of God’s displeasure with the Catholic Church; how the rise of European nationalism in the 16th and 17th centuries was linked to how nations defined themselves vis-Ã -vis the Muslim world; and how Thomas Jefferson and John Locke found evidence of the universality of human rights by reading the Koran.
Foley’s fields of teaching include the Middle East and Islamic history, the Arab-Israeli dispute and world history. He is the author of the forthcoming book The Arab Gulf States: When Oil is Not Enough.
For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. To listen to last week’s program on the study of youth health and wellness in Ghana, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “May 3, 2009.”
--30--
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