Friday, October 30, 2009

[169] "MTSU On The Record" Says "Happy Birthday, Campus School"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 30, 2009EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081; WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

“MTSU ON THE RECORD” SAYS “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CAMPUS SCHOOL” Teaching Incubator Serves Educators, Students, Community for 80 Wonderful Years

(MURFREESBORO) - Celebrate the 80th anniversary of Homer Pittard Campus School on “MTSU on the Record” at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Nov. 1, on WMOT-FM (89.5 or wmot.org). Host Tom Tozer will interview Marrie Lasater, chair of the celebration committee; Campus School supporter John Green; and student Ryan Whitefield.
In 1909, the Tennessee General Assembly passed the General Education Bill, which provided for the establishment of three schools for the education of teachers. Each of these schools, one of which was at Middle Tennessee State Normal School, was to have a “practice school” where teaching students could observe and practice. That school was moved to its present location on East Lytle Street in Murfreesboro in 1929.
To hear last week’s program on the Almoravids with Dr. Ron Messier, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “October 25, 2009.” For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

[168] Campus School Celebrates 80th Birthday Nov. 6

Oct. 29, 2009
Editorial Content: Megan McSwain, Tom Tozer 615-898-2919

CAMPUS SCHOOL CELEBRATES 80TH BIRTHDAY NOV. 6

MURFREESBORO—Eightieth birthdays normally are quiet celebrations, but the Homer Pittard Campus School is opening its party to the public, which will take place at the school on Friday, Nov. 6, beginning with a light breakfast at 8 a.m.

The school is located at 923 E. Lytle St.

In honor of its birth in 1929, Marrie Lasater, who has been teaching at Campus School for 21 years, said the school will be decorated like that time period. Students will be dressed in costumes, classes will have themes and attendees can play games that people in the late 1920s might have played.

“Everyone’s invited,” Lasater said. “We would love to have everybody there. It’s going to be a great 80th celebration for you to come and enjoy.”

The event will also showcase the school’s new look, said Campus School sixth-grader Ryan Whitefield. The school’s renovations include an elevator and an ADA-compliant access ramp on the northwest side of the building.

Following the breakfast and gathering time, a formal program will begin at 9 a.m. featuring welcoming remarks and a musical performance by the children under the direction of Campus School music teacher Karen Blooding.

From 10 to 11 a.m. the school’s second-graders will offer attendees a ride on the new elevator, and teachers and students, including young Whitefield, will conduct tours of the building. Lunch, provided by Friends of Campus School, will be served at 11 a.m. for those who registered. Those having lunch may pay their $10 at the door if they haven’t already done so.

In its 80 years, the school has created memories and lasting relationships. John Green, a local attorney who first attended Campus School in 1960, said he thinks this birthday celebration will be a bit like a reunion for the school’s former students. He said most of the students from kindergarten attended school together throughout the 12th grade.

“It was, to me, the neighborhood school,” Green said. “But I recognize, particularly as the years go by, what an educational institution it is and really, for Murfreesboro, almost a cultural institution, because of the quality of academics, the quality of the curricula that’s available and the social networks that those relationships continue to spawn and continue to foster.”

The school’s given both teachers and children the opportunity to work with university students and professors, Lasater added.

“Campus School’s a really special place,” Lasater said. “We have the chance to mold young teachers as they come in to watch our lessons and teach lessons. It gives them a real safe place to practice their skills before they go out into student teaching.”

Green said the event will be a great way to show the public’s support of the school by bringing everyone together.

“I think that folks like myself—and I’m not alone in this—who will continue to come and support the school and support projects at the school and participate in and support the celebrations for the school, are a reflection of our loyalty to the school and the effect that the school’s had upon our lives,” he said.

Those interested in having lunch that day still have time to e-mail Charlotte Peay at peaybrain@juno.com.

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MEDIA WELCOME.

With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

[167] Two MTSU Students Claim Top Awards At Mock Trial Contests

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 28, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919

TWO MTSU STUDENTS CLAIM TOP AWARDS AT MOCK TRIAL CONTESTS
MTSU Seeks Local Attorneys to Aid in Judging Mid-South Invitational on Nov. 13-14

(MURFREESBORO)—Two MTSU students, Lee Whitwell and Andrew Dellinger, earned top individual awards at mock trial tournaments over the Oct. 24-25 weekend.
Whitwell, a junior from Mount Pleasant majoring in political science, received a Top Attorney at the first-ever Georgia State University Invitational tournament in Athens, while freshman Dellinger, a mass communication major from Franklin, won a the Best Witness award at another tournament held the same weekend at Eastern Kentucky University.
Because there were an uneven number of teams registered, Dellinger served as a member of a bye-team at the EKU tournament.
Dr. John R. Vile, dean of the University Honors College, accompanied the MTSU team to the University of Georgia. Brandi Snow, an attorney coach and MTSU alumna, and Dr. Amanda DiPaulo, political science professor, accompanied the second MTSU team to EKU.
MTSU’s mock trial teams are supported by student-activity fees and by the Department of Political Science.
Currently, MTSU teams are preparing for the university-sponsored Mid-South Invitational tournament, which will be held Nov. 13-14. MTSU currently is seeking local attorneys who can help judge for this event, which—with 70 teams—will be one of the largest in the nation.
Attorneys interested in judging are asked to contact Pam Davis in MTSU’s political science department at 615-898-2708.
For more information about mock trial at MTSU, please contact Vile via e-mail at jvile@mtsu.edu.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[166] President's Commission Funds New Curricula About Women

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 28, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

PRESIDENT’S COMMISSION FUNDS NEW CURRICULA ABOUT WOMEN
Courses Examine Women in Work, Family, Social Media and Correctional Facilities

(MURFREESBORO) – The President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) at MTSU is offering three grants of $1,800 each to faculty members who want to integrate the experiences and perspectives of women into the curriculum.
The grants are intended for use in the summer of 2010 for the revision of a course, the revision of a general education course for a study abroad program, the creation of a new course, the reconceptualization of a current minor, or the creation of a new minor.
Among the 2009 winners is Dr. Gretchen Webber, assistant professor of sociology, for her new upper division undergraduate course “Gender, Work and Family in the 21st Century.”
“Gender, race/ethnicity and class significantly shape women’s and men’s experiences in both the workplace and the family,” says Webber. “This course takes an integrative approach to two key institutions, work and family, that have enormous influence on nearly all people.”
Using the Sloan Work and Family Research Network to access current issues in work-family scholarship in conjunction with sociological texts, Webber says her goal will be “to motivate students to make connections between knowledge and its application to their lives, particularly as workers and family members.”
Webber’s course, which will be taught in spring 2010, will be open to all students who have completed Sociology 1010 or 2010.
Another 2009 grant winner, Dr. Meredith Huey Dye, assistant professor of sociology, developed a spring 2010 special topics course titled “Women in Prison.”
“Although the course will focus primarily on the experiences of women as inmates and as workers, it will also cover the collateral consequences of imprisonment for women in general (i.e., the effect of incarceration on women as daughters, mothers and spouses/significant others,” says Dye.
She says the bulk of the course will examine special issues of women in prison, including drug use and treatment, physical and mental health, mothering, aging and dying, as well as education, vocation and reentry. A tour of the Tennessee Prison for Women in Nashville is one important feature of the course.
The third 2009 grant recipient, Dr. Tricia Farwell, assistant professor of journalism, created a Journalism 4800 course titled “Advertising and Social Media.”

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Farwell says this undergraduate course, which is being taught this semester, began as a look at how advertisers incorporate social media into campaigns and began as a response to employers’ request that students know how to use social media strategically. She revised the course to explore how women and marginalized groups are using the internet to communicate with advertisers and how social media are used to build gendered communities.
Tenured or tenure-track faculty members are eligible to apply for the 2010 PCSW grants. Each proposal should include a completed grant application form; a brief description of the project; a statement of goals and objectives; a timeline for completion and implementation of the project; a tentative bibliography, including materials on the theories and methods of curriculum integration; and curriculum vitae.
Applicants who wish to revise courses or minors should also state how their course or minor would change as a result of the revisions. Priority will be given to courses that can be implemented within two years and those that are developed or revised for the undergraduate curriculum.
The deadline for submission of grant applications is Jan. 19, 2010. Applicants should send seven proposals (the original and six copies) to Dr. Samantha Cantrell, Office of Research Services, P.O. Box 124. Selected members of the PCSW’s Academic Issues Subcommittee will make the final decisions.
To submit an application, go to www.mtsu.edu/pcsw/grants.shtml. For more information, contact Cantrell at 615-494-8751 or scantrel@mtsu.edu.


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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

[165] November 6-7 MTSU Family Weekend Features Football, Fun

Release date: Oct. 27, 2009


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
New Student & Family Programs contacts: Gina Poff, 615-898-2454 or ghpoff@mtsu.edu
Rob Patterson, 615-898-2454 or rpatters@mtsu.edu

Nov. 6-7 MTSU Family Weekend Features Football, Fun


(MURFREESBORO) — Two opportunities to see “Ragtime,” the MTSU School of Music’s presentation of the Tony Award-winning musical, and the Blue Raiders’ home game against Florida International University are highlights of the Nov. 6-7 Family Weekend.
The Office of New Student and Family Programs coordinates all events.
“Ragtime,” starring Shawn Lewis and Scott Willis, will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, and Saturday, Nov. 7, in Tucker Theatre, New Student and Family Programs coordinator Rob Patterson said.
Saturday’s events kick off at 11:30 a.m. with registration and a silent auction in Walnut Grove. While the silent auction is under way, the “Blue Raider Lunch, Tailgating and Fun” is set from noon to 2:30 p.m. in Walnut Grove and other activities are planned, Patterson said.
The Raider Walk, a pregame tradition, will be at 1:15 p.m. This will add to the excitement as the Blue Raiders prepare to tackle Sun Belt Conference rival FIU at 3:30 p.m. in Floyd Stadium.
Family Weekend gives participants a “wonderful opportunity to learn more about the campus and where your student’s college life is happening,” planners said.
For more information about tickets, call 615-898-2454 or visit www.mtsu.edu/~nsfp.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

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

[164] October 31 EYH at MTSU Expanding in New Direction

Release date: Oct. 27, 2009


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Expanding Your Horizons contact: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross,
615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu


Oct. 31 EYH at MTSU Expanding in New Direction


(MURFREESBORO) — The combination of Dr. Leslie Wisner-Lynch as keynote speaker, the support of Smyrna-based Schneider Electric and the first-time presence of the Jennings A. Jones College of Business will make the 13th annual Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science even more special for girls and young women attending.
Wisner-Lynch will be the keynote speaker for EYH, which will be held from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, across the MTSU campus. EYH is for girls in grades five through eight with up to 300 participating, and GRITS EYH will see up to 60 high-school girls in grades nine to 12 participate.
Wisner-Lynch is a founding member and serves as executive director for BioTN Foundation Inc., a not-for-profit foundation whose mission is to advance science and technology in Tennessee through the collaboration of industry, PK12 education and higher ed.
Before dedicating herself full-time to the BioTN Foundation, Wisner-Lynch was director of applied research at BioMimetic Therapeutics Inc. in Franklin, which developed and commercialized combination device products for the repair/regeneration of orthopedic injuries including cartilage, tendon, ligament and bone.
“I believe Dr. Wisner-Lynch will make quite an impression on the girls,” EYH director and MTSU chemistry professor Judith Iriarte-Gross said. “Our (College of Basic and Applied Sciences) dean, Tom Cheatham, recommended her. I have heard her talk and she is a dynamic speaker, and very passionate about STEM education and careers.”
Iriarte-Gross said Schneider Electric will be sending three teams of engineers to EYH with workshops on “Windmill Energy,” “Lighting Up the Future” and “Let ’er Rip.”
Maria Edlin, assistant director for the Center for Economic Education, and junior economics major Jessy Richter will lead workshops on “My Dream Car and Me.”
“We’re excited to have the College of Business on board,” Iriarte-Gross said. “The girls will find the workshops very beneficial when it comes time to buy that first car.”
Numerous MTSU faculty members have volunteered to lead workshops, and a number of students also are lending a hand, Iriarte-Gross said.
For more information, call 615-904-8253 or visit the EYH Web site: http//www.mtsu.edu/eyh/.



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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.
For MTSU news and information, go to mtsunews.com.

Media welcomed.

Monday, October 26, 2009

[163] MTSU Theatre Presents Students' Award-Winning Short Plays

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 26, 2009
CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919

MTSU THEATRE PRESENTS STUDENTS’ AWARD-WINNING SHORT PLAYS
MTSU Playwriting Students’ Works Hit the Stage Nov. 19-21 at Tucker Theatre

(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU Theatre will present An Evening of Short Plays, consisting of two original works created by students, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 19-21 in the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building’s Tucker Theatre.
Both plays are products of MTSU playwriting classes and have been under revision since February 2009. The two works were chosen as winners of the Short Play Award at the Region IV Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, which was held at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in February.
Each year, about 30 plays are entered into the Short Play Competition and entrants span the 10-state Southeastern region. Six plays are chosen to receive staged readings at the festival, and from among these, two are chosen as award recipients to be presented at the regional festival the following year.
Josh Ginsburg, a Knoxville senior majoring in speech and theatre, is one of two students who will present during the evening performances. His play, Shards of Glass, is the story of two brothers dealing with the demons of their past.
“Returning to their childhood home as a result of the death of their father, Mac and Tyler come looking for some sense of closure, hoping to be able to be ‘done with this, once and for all,’” said MTSU student and playwright Ginsburg, referring to his work.
“At the heart of the play, Shards of Glass is about people, their search for love and how the ideal definition of love can lead to destruction,” he noted.
Murfreesboro senior David Bennett, a speech and theatre major, also will premier his new play, Portrait of a Mother and Son, which follows the relationship of June and Alex, mother and son.
Describing the play, he said, “With the re-introduction of Alex’s father, Gerard, into the family, we are shown the altering of the initial relationship between June and Alex, as well as Gerard’s attempt to once again gain status within the family.”
Deborah Anderson, professor speech and theatre and the students’ playwriting mentor, said, “Our two playwrights have been working me and have been presenting their revisions at a Sunday writer’s night composed of several playwriting students.
“They have revised, rewritten, and reworked both plays for several months now,” she continued, “and I think they have developed two very impressive works with all of the best elements of playwriting: conflict, climax and human interest.”
Jeff Gibson, director of MTSU Theatre, said, “The presentation of these shows and the success of these two young playwrights continue our record of accomplishment and recognition as one of the best undergraduate playwriting programs in the country.”
Further, he added, “We are committed to continuing the development of young playwrights through producing their work and fostering their growth.”
Both Ginsburg and Bennett are currently considering graduate schools to continuing their respective studies in playwriting.
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• TICKET INFO: Tickets are available in advance by calling 615-494-8810 or by visiting the Tucker Theater lobby box office between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are also available at the door prior to the performance.
Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for MTSU staff and K-12 students. MTSU students will receive free admission with valid ID.
For more information, please access www.mtsu.edu/theatre.



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ATTENTION, MEDIA: To request interviews with the student playwrights or MTSU Theatre faculty, or to secure review tickets, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-2919. Please not that no artwork related to this production is available at this time.









With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[162] MTSU Women's Chorale Presents Victorian Holiday Feast

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 26, 2009
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, School of Music, 615-898-2493

MTSU WOMEN’S CHORALE PRESENTS ANNUAL VICTORIAN HOLIDAY FEAST
Dec. 1 is Deadline to Order By-Mail-Only Tickets for Evening of Yuletide Entertainment

(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU Women’s Chorale, under the direction of Dr. Jamila L. McWhirter, will present the Second Annual Victorian Holiday Feast featuring a dinner and music at 6 p.m. Dec. 5 in the Tennessee Room of the James Union building on the MTSU campus.
McWhirter invites guests to “travel back in time and usher in the holidays with the beautiful singing and caroling of the MTSU Women’s Chorale and MTSU Bel Canto.”
The Victorian Feast begins with the assembly of guests in the lobby of the James Union Building starting at 6 o’clock, with entrance to the dining area of the Tennessee Room at 6:30 p.m. sharp.
"Last year’s event was a wonderful success, with all tables sold out in the event’s first year," McWhirter said of the dinner that will feature “beautiful piano, string and brass music throughout the evening … as well as singing.”
This year’s “feast” menu will include roast pork medallions with Marseilles sauce, tossed salad, green-bean casserole, red-skinned potatoes in herbed butter, with a choice of chocolate cake, chess pie or peach cobbler for dessert, along with a choice of water, iced tea or freshly brewed coffee.
"Come enjoy such holiday classics as White Christmas, Sleigh Ride, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, Carol of the Bells, Ding Dong Merrily On High and much, much more," McWhirter urged.
• TICKETS: Admission is $30 for the meal and full evening of entertainment. Admission for MTSU students is $17. High school groups wishing to attend may call 615-898-5922 for information on a discounted table rate. Tickets are available by mail order only.
Reservations must be received by Dec. 1, 2009. For more information, please visit the MTSU School of Music Web site at www.mtsumusic.com and click on the “Victorian Holiday” link at the bottom of the page. Reservation forms are available via this site. Would-be attendees are asked to print an order form, complete it and enclose payment (with checks payable to the MTSU School of Music) and mail it, along with a self-addressed stamped envelope, to: Victorian Holiday Feast, MTSU School of Music, MTSU Box 47, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132.
Those without computer access may pick up reservation forms in the School of Music office at the Wright Music Building. Seating priority will be based on date of ticket purchase. No refunds will be issued. Also, it is requested that no photographs or recordings occur during the dinner.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[160] Three Greene County Farms Join State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 26, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

THREE GREENE COUNTY FARMS JOIN STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Two of County’s Newest Century Farms Also Named Pioneer Farms

(MURFREESBORO)—Three farms in Greene County have been designated as Tennessee Century Farms, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms program at the Center for Historic Preservation, which is located on the MTSU.
Moreover, two of the three farms—Mattie Lou Broyles Snapp Farm and Graveyard Hill Farm—also have been designated as Pioneer Century Farms because they were founded prior to 1796 when Tennessee became a state, Hankins said.
• Established by Jacob Broyles, the current-day Mattie Lou Broyles Snapp Farm is derived from Horse Creek Farm. Broyles, a descendent of German and French immigrants who moved to the eastern part of Tennessee during the 18th century, founded the Horse Creek Farm in 1778. Family and community history indicates that this land was settled as early as 1765 and previously owned by Emanuel Sandusky.
Although Broyles may have lived in the area and farmed the land earlier than 1778, it was Nov. 2 of that year that the deed for more than 600 acres was officially recorded for the property in what was then the state of North Carolina.
Jacob and his wife, Elizabeth Yowell, had seven children: Lewis, Delilah, Jeremiah, James, Keziah, John and Ezekial. As with most farm families, the Broyles were as self-sufficient as possible, raising a variety of livestock and crops, including cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, oats, barley and corn.
In 1794, still two years before Tennessee became a state, Lewis Broyles became the second generation to own the farm. He and wife Mary McCain also had seven children. During their ownership, the farm produced tobacco, barley, oats, wheat, cattle, hogs, sheep and horses. In addition to farming, the family built a gristmill on the property. According to the family’s records, a two-room house was built above the mill for the traveling doctor who came to the community.
The farm passed through five more generations, and in 1964, the great-great- great-great granddaughter of the founder, Mattie L. Snapp, acquired 32 acres of the original farm owned by her ancestor, Jacob Broyles. Today, Wayne Brown works the land and he raises hay and tobacco.
• Located 12 miles from Greeneville is the Graveyard Hill Farm, which was named for the historic family burying ground that is still cared for by the current generation. Robert Clemons Gray Sr. established the farm in 1795. Robert married Catherine Alexander Gray and they had three children, Mary A. C. Gray Walker, Robert C. Gray Jr. and Elizabeth Gray Hayes. The family raised tobacco, corn, hay, wheat, and had apple orchards as well as sheep, cattle, chickens, pigs and Belgium horses.
Robert owned and operated a store in the Graysburg community, which was named for the family, in addition to operating the Graysburg Post Office from 1840 to 1883. Robert C. Gray Jr. acquired the farm next and raised many of the same crops and livestock.
The third generation to own the farm was Alexander Brabson Walker, the great-nephew of the founder, who was married to Rachel Elizabeth Morelock. The couple had five children. Prior to owning the property, Alexander was a Confederate soldier and part of the Company B, Tennessee 12th Cavalry Battalion. This company was raised from men in Hawkins, Greene, Knox, Hamblen and Grainger counties. The unit was assigned to Wharton’s, J. J. Morrison’s, H. B. Davidson’s, Grigsby’s and Vaughn’s Brigade.
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The farm passed through several generations, and in 1962, the current owner, Willis “Billy” Morelock, the great-great-great-great nephew of the founder, obtained the property. The current generation of the Morelock family has been active in many community and regional organizations.
Billy is married to Jeanette Luttrell and they have two daughters, Lisa M. Gosnell and Ginger M. Frembling, who were active in 4-H and other organizations growing up on the farm. Lisa, who owns the farm along with her parents, is currently employed by the Northeast Tourism Association and is also a genealogist. Among other activities, she and husband David are members of the Washington County Farm Bureau.
Ginger is a former 4-H Extension Agent in Edenton, N.C. Billy and Jeanette are members of the Greene County Farm Bureau, Tri-State Antique Power Association, Greene County Farm & Auto Club, J. I. Case Collectors Association and J. I. Case Heritage Foundation. In addition to belonging to these organizations, Billy is a collector of J. I. case tractors and equipment and has more than 25 antique tractors, garden tractors, tools, farm and tractor memorabilia, as well as a toy tractor.
His collections of antique tractors have been featured in Fastline Antique Farm Edition Trade Magazine, Old Abe News, Old Iron Calendar, and most recently in the 2009 book, Iron Memories (Heartland Publications).
• Also established more than 200 years ago is the Pin Oak Farm founded by Benjamin P. Pickering. On 140 acres, Benjamin and wife Rebekah Ellis and their 12 children raised livestock and row crops, with tobacco being their primary cash commodity.
“Pin Oak Farm is one of the few farms in Greene County that has annually raised a tobacco crop, a longstanding tradition that continues today,” Hankins noted.
The generations of ownership descend from the founding couple through more than two centuries to current owner Barbara W. Carter. She and her husband, Edwin Clay Carter, manage and work the farm of about 12 acres, where they continue to grow tobacco, along with hay. Kim and Billy Boswell and their children—Gibson, Graham, and Gretchen—have become the newest generations to live on the farm that their ancestors have worked since the early years of the 19th century.
“Greene County is has the second highest number of certified Century Farms with 57 recognized to date,” 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.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farms’ respective owners or request jpegs of the farms, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947. Please note there are no jpegs of the Pin Oak Farm at this time.





With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

[159] MTSU Professor Emeritus Discusses Dynasty Among The Dunes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 22, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081, or WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

MTSU PROFESSOR EMERITUS DISCUSSES DYNASTY AMONG THE DUNES
Dr. Ron Messier Probes the Almoravids’ Contributions on “MTSU on the Record”

(MURFREESBORO) -- Dr. Ron Messier, professor emeritus of history and former director of the MTSU Honors Program, will talk about his forthcoming book on the Almoravids at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Oct. 25, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
The Almoravids emerged from a nomadic life in the Sahara to establish a dynasty that encompassed almost all of the territory from the Senegal River in West Africa to the Ebro River in Spain. Their story is full of colorful characters, cultural development, military conquests, and historical import. Looming over it all is Abd Allah Ibn Yasin, the dynamic preacher who instilled in the Almoravids an appreciation for Islam on cultural, moral and political levels.
To hear last week’s program with Holocaust expert Dr. Gerhard L. Weinberg, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “October 18, 2009.” For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[158] MTSU's Geosciences Department Hosts 'GIS Day' Open House Nov. 18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 22, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, Office of News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919

MTSU’s GEOSCIENCES DEPARTMENT HOSTS ‘GIS DAY’ OPEN HOUSE NOV. 18
GIS Program Alumni, Exhibitors Bring GIS Technology to Life at Annual Campus Event

(MURFREESBORO)—“Celebrate Your World with GIS” is the theme of this year’s annual GIS Day, an open-house event that will get under way 1-4 p.m. Nov. 18 in the Tom H. Jackson Building’s Cantrell Hall on the MTSU campus.
Held each year on the Wednesday of National Geographic Society’s Geography Awareness Week (Nov. 16–20 in 2009), GIS Day is a global event initiated to help raise awareness about geographic information system technology and its many contributions to the fields of science, technology, information and the humanities.
Dr. Tom Nolan, director of MTSU’s Laboratory for Spatial Technology, said the university-sponsored GIS Day provides an opportunity for faculty, students and community members to discover how GIS contributes to solving problems at local and state levels, in addition to providing opportunities to talk with former students who have gained meaningful employment because of their GIS-related education at MTSU.
Although many are unfamiliar with GIS, Nolan said, it touches lives daily and is used throughout the world to solve problems related to the environment, healthcare, land use, business efficiency, education and public safety.
“The power supply directed to homes, the patrol cars and fire trucks that keep neighborhoods safe, and the delivery trucks on the road all function more efficiently because of GIS,” he explained. “This technology can also help businesses place ATMs and restaurants at more convenient locations, allow people to pull maps off the Internet and help farmers grow more crops with fewer chemicals.”
A member of MTSU’s geosciences faculty, Nolan said, “A GIS is a computer-based mapping tool that takes information from a database about a location, such as streets, buildings, water features and terrain, and turns it into visual layers.
“The ability to see geographic features on a map gives users a better understanding of a particular location, enabling planners, analysts and others to make informed decisions about their communities.”
Hosted by the Department of Geosciences, the campus-based event will showcase the use of GIS by public and private organizations in middle Tennessee. Additionally, Nolan said most of the participating exhibitors are graduates of MTSU’s geographic techniques program who have achieved successful careers in the GIS field.
For Nolan, however, “The greatest thing about GIS Day is seeing all our former students who have become leaders in the GIS community,” he said. “And it is just a fun time.”
For more information about GIS Day at MTSU, please contact Nolan by calling 615-898-5561 or via e-mail at tnolan@mtsu.edu.

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Attention, Media: A “GIS Day” logo (color and B&W) is available online for download at http://www.gisday.com/support/materials2.html

With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

[157] Historic Rutherford Cemeteries Focus Of Free Oct. 22 Heritage Lecture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 19, 2009
CONTACT: Jennifer Butt, 615-217-8013 or jbutt@mtsu.edu

HISTORIC RUTHERFORD CEMETERIES FOCUS OF FREE OCT. 22 HERITAGE LECTURE

(MURFREESBORO)—“Historic Cemeteries of Rutherford County” will be the focus of the Oct. 22 installment of the 2009 Fall Community Heritage Lecture Series that will get under way at 7 p.m.
Dr. Stacey Graham, research professor at MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, will discuss selected early cemeteries found in the county during the free talk, which will be held at The Heritage Center, 225 W. College St.
“Cemeteries tell the story of a region and its people, if you know how to ‘read’ them,” Graham said. “These essential resources contribute to the history and culture of Rutherford County—from the early settlement period to the Civil War and Reconstruction, and to the modern era.”
Located just off the square, The Heritage Center is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding major holidays, and features local history exhibits and guided walking tours of the town square on the hour. Group tours are available Monday through Saturday by advance reservations.
The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County 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 MTSU. Additional support comes from the Rutherford County government and State Farm Insurance.
For more information on the Community Heritage Lecture Series, please call The Heritage Center at 615-217-8013 or e-mail heritage_center@bellsouth.net.




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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey

[156] Blount County Farm Joins State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 21, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

BLOUNT COUNTY FARM JOINS STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
100-Year-Old Hillandale Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)—The Hillandale Farm in Blount 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. Just northeast of Maryville is a farm that was founded a 100 years ago this year by Albert Catlett Hitch and Emma Brakebill Hitch. The couple was the parents of Johnnie, George A., Jessie, Lester Caltett, Fred, James Ivan, Emma Marie, Grace and Walter.
On the 164 acres, the family raised horses, milk cows, and chickens and grew wheat, oats, corn and hay. The barn and the house that Albert and Emma built were constructed from lumber harvested from the property. During the construction of Tennessee Highway 33, the construction team stabled their horses in the Hitch’s barn.
In 1953, the Albert and Emma’s son, James Ivan Hitch, obtained the property. James married Irene Rule Hitch and they had one son, James Albert. James Ivan and his son raised heifers and grew corn and silage. In 1969, James Albert Hitch became the third owner of the land. He is married to Marion Haddox and their four children are Al, Jennie, Walt and Jane. The farm currently produces dairy cattle, wheat, silage and hay.
The Hitches began dairy farming with about 20 cattle and constructed a dairy barn that still stands. The Hitches were named farm family of the month in November 1979. They have been active members of the Farm Bureau. James served as Blount County Farm Bureau president from 1981 to 1987 and Marion is currently the president of Farm Bureau Women in Blount County.
Today, the dairy barn, silo, a smokehouse and a tenant house that existed on the property—and once served as to the Hitch family—still stand on the property.
“The Hillandale Farm is the 33rd Century Farm to be certified in Blount 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.”

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For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.


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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.





With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[155] Two Wilson County Farms Join State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 21, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

TWO WILSON COUNTY FARMS JOIN STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Groom-Saddler and Sundale Farms Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)—The Groom-Saddler and Sundale Farms located in Wilson County have 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 1870, as America was recovering from the Civil War, John C. Johnson founded a 281-acre farm in Wilson County, where he and his family raised corn, tobacco, hay, hogs, cattle, horses, mules and wheat. Married twice, John fathered 10 children. Additionally, according to the family’s records, during the Civil War one of John’s sons, Richard, served in the Union cavalry.
Siblings Ida Johnson Groom and Andy Johnson inherited the farm, now known as Groom-Sadler Farm, in 1897. Andy later sold his part of the farm to Ida’s husband, R. W. Groom. During their ownership, the old farmhouse was replaced with a “new one” in 1917 and a “new” barn was built the following year. Also, R. W. Groom installed a Delco lighting system. The family grew corn, tobacco, wheat and hay and raised hogs, cattle, mules and horses.
In 2001, Dwight G. Saddler, a direct descendent of John C. Johnson, became the owner of the property. Today, three generations live on the farm, including Dwight and his wife, Bulah Katherine Melton, their two sons, Eric and Jared, and grandchildren Evan and Ella. Dwight is the manager of the Groom-Saddler Farm and raises corn, tobacco, wheat, hay, hogs and cattle on the land that has been in his family for 140 years.
• Located two miles southeast of Cottage Home, and adjoining both DeKalb and Cannon Counties is the Sundale Farm, which was founded in 1847 by Francis Spirah Anderson. Married first to Margaret Robinson and then to Mary J. Knight, he had 12 children, and on 300 acres his family raised corn, wheat, apples, swine, beef cattle, milk cows, sheep, horses, chickens, turkeys, rye, geese, red clover and bees.
In about 1898, a Victorian farmhouse was built with lumber cut and sawn on the farm. Francis Spirah Anderson Jr. acquired the farm in 1924. His son, Spirah Turney Anderson, was on the board of the Liberty State Bank, which was one of the few banks that remained opened during the Great Depression. In the 1940s, U. S. Army maneuvers were conducted on the farm and the trainers had a lookout station located on its highest point—1,192 feet above sea level.
In 1971, the great-grandson of the founder and son of Spirah Turney Anderson, Ernest F. Anderson, and his wife, Jacqueline Hill Anderson, acquired 200 acres. Increasing their property to more than 800 contiguous acres, Ernest raises Fescue and orchard grass hay, alfalfa, hay, Chiangus and registered Hereford cattle, Tennessee Walking horses, wheat and tobacco.

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Ernest and his wife Jacqueline are both graduates of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and taught agriculture and home economics, respectively, at the high school level in Illinois and Indiana. Both also taught and retired from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with the “professor emeritus” rank in 1988.
Over the years, the Anderson family has been active in the community and agricultural-related organizations. Ernest’s mother, Winnie Anderson, was one of several people who helped organize and lead the local Home Demonstration Club in the early 1930s. She served as president and helped raise money to purchase and build the Cottage Home Club Building.
Currently, Ernest’s wife, Jacqueline, continues to provide leadership to maintain the Club House and make it available to the community for public and private occasions. Ernest was a member of the 4-H club, and during the 1940s and 1950s his father, Spirah Turney, was a director of the Wilson County Farm Bureau.
Since 2001, Ernest has served as director of the Farm Bureau, and today, the Andersons live in the 1898 house.
“Both of these farms were honored, along with other Century Farms, at the Wilson County Fair on Aug. 27,” noted Hankins, who adds that Wilson County has more Century Farms than any other county in Tennessee.

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, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.

With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[154] Jazz Artist Series Hosts Grammy-Winning Saxophonist Bob MIntzer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 20, 2009
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, MTSU School of Music, 615-898-2493

JAZZ ARTIST SERIES HOSTS GRAMMY-WINNING SAXOPHONIST BOB MINTZER

(MURFREESBORO)—The 2009-2010 MTSU Jazz Artist Series will kick off the new season with saxophonist, recording artist and composer Bob Mintzer, alongside the MTSU Jazz Ensemble I, at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 12 in the Wright Music Building’s Hinton Hall on the MTSU campus.
“We are thrilled to have Bob Mintzer at MTSU as an artist in residence, said Don Aliquo, coordinator of jazz studies at MTSU. "His compositions are as fun to play as they are to listen to and his artistry as a jazz saxophonist has been at the forefront of the music for over 20 years."
Mintzer has had a diverse career as a freelance musician in New York City. He is an 18-year member of the Grammy-winning band Yellowjackets and has recorded 12 CDs with the lineup.
The creator of more than 200 big-band arrangements spanning a 34-year career, many of which are performed all over the world by both student and pro bands, Mintzer’s own big band has been nominated for four Grammy trophies and was awarded a Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Recording in 2001 with “Homage to Count Basie” on the DMP label.
MTSU Jazz Ensemble I is the top-performing large ensemble in the jazz studies program. It features the most experienced student players and concentrates on the most challenging literature and master works from the big-band repertoire.
"This is a great way to begin our series," Aliquo noted.
•TICKETS: Jazz Artist Series tickets, $15 per person and free for MTSU students, faculty and staff with a valid ID, will be available at the door.
For more information on this and other events in the music school at MTSU, please call 615-898-2493 or visit www.mtsumusic.com.




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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[153] Professionalization of Youth Sports Topic of Free & Open Lecture on Oct. 27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 19, 2009
CONTACT: Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth at MTSU, 615-898-5549.

MTSU CENTER HOSTS INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN EXPERT ON YOUTH SPORTS
Professionalization of Youth Sports Topic of Free & Open Lecture on Oct. 27

(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU-based Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will sponsor a free and open lecture by an expert in the field of health and human performance on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Dr. Dan Gould, an internationally known coach and athlete educator, will visit MTSU to deliver a talk on "The Professionalization of Youth Sports: Implications for Involvement and Youth Development" at 7 p.m. Oct 27 in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) in the Business and Aerospace Building.
A professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Michigan State University, Gould serves as director of MSU’s Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, a multidisciplinary center that seeks to transform the face of youth sports in ways that maximize the beneficial physical, psychological and social effects of sports participation for children and youth.
Gould is a researcher and consultant in the area of applied-sport psychology and kinesiology. As a sport-psychologist specialist, Gould has served as a consultant with the U.S. Ski Team, NASCAR pit crews and drivers, professional tennis players and numerous Olympic athletes. He also has been extensively involved in national coaching education through his service on the U.S. Olympic Committee Coaching Development Committee for more than 10 years and co-chaired the USOC Sport Science and Technology Committee.
Currently, Gould serves as vice chairman of the United States Tennis Association Sport Science and Coaching Committee.
An active researcher, Gould has studied the stress-athletic performance relationship, sources of athletic stress, athlete motivation, youth sports issues and the use and effectiveness of sport psychological skills training. His current projects include the role of parents in tennis success, benefits of youth sports participation and the development of psychological talent in athletes.
For more information about this free lecture, please contact the Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth at MTSU by calling 615-898-5549.



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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[149] Internationally Acclaimed Holocaust Expert Visits MTSU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 15, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081, or WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED HOLOCAUST EXPERT VISITS MTSU
Weinberg Discusses Holocaust and Modern Ripple Effects on “MTSU on the Record”

(MURFREESBORO) – Dr. Gerhard L. Weinberg, professor emeritus of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and world-renowned Holocaust expert, will be the guest on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Oct. 18, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Weinberg is slated to speak on the topic “Roosevelt, Truman and the Holocaust” at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22, at the 2009 MTSU International Holocaust Studies Conference.
The author of 10 books, Weinberg’s A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II received three major awards for scholarship, was a Book-of-the-Month Club Main Selection, and is widely considered to be the best single-volume history of the war.
To hear last week’s program with gender equality expert Dr. Paula England, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “October 11, 2009.” For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[148] Stones River Chamber Players Open New Season Oct. 26 At MTSU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 16, 2009
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, School of Music, 615-898-2493

STONES RIVER CHAMBER PLAYERS OPEN NEW SEASON OCT. 26 AT MTSU
Free Concert Offers Composition Penned By Composer During Time In POW Camp

(MURFREESBORO)—The Stones River Chamber Players, an ensemble-in-residence at MTSU, will open its 2009-2010 season with Olivier Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 26 in the Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU Campus.
Faculty performers for the free and open concert will include Andrea Dawson (violin), Todd Waldecker (clarinet), Xiao-Fan Zhang (cello) and Leopoldo Erice (piano). Michael Linton, music theory and composition professor, will serve as commentator for the concert.
Referring to Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Linton said, "There are many great pieces written in the 20th century—Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, Britten's Peter Grimes, Copland's Appalachian Spring—but certainly none are as miraculous as (this work)."
"Linton said that the quartet was written by Messiaen when he was in a POW camp and first performed by the composer and fellow inmates before an audience of prisoners and guards.
“It is a piece that carries with it none of the smoke of war but in every measure is lighted by the joy of transcendence," he observed.
SRCP comprises a dozen plus players who divide into multiple configurations to present an exciting variety of chamber music. Subsequent concerts for the SRCP season will include programs titled “The Latin Flair” on Feb. 1, 2010; and “Piano Forbidden!” on March 29, 2010.
For more information, please call the MTSU School of Music at 615-898-2493 or visit its official Web site at www.mtsumusic.com.



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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

[147] Renaissance Ensemble Known As The City Musick Plays MTSU Oct. 21

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 14, 2009
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, School of Music, 615-898-2493

RENAISSANCE ENSEMBLE KNOWN AS THE CITY MUSICK PLAYS MTSU OCT. 21
Free Concert Offers Music Fans Chance to Hear Instrumentation of Yore in Action

(MURFREESBORO)—The five-member Renaissance ensemble known as The City Musick will perform an open concert at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21 in Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
The City Musick performs Renaissance wind band music featuring cornetts, sackbuts, dulcian, shawms, flutes, recorders, crumhorns, bagpipes and organ. The player’s music explores the diverse repertoire performed by professional musicians known as 'Waits' who were employed in towns and cities throughout Europe—and especially London—from 1500 to 1700.
"This is a great opportunity for all of us to hear Renaissance instrumental music performed on instruments from the time the music was written," said George Riordan, director of the MTSU School of Music. "This will be quite a sonic experience."
Titled "The Topping Tooters of The Town, Music of the London Waits 1550-1650," the performance will feature early music specialist and the group’s organizer, William Lyons (dulcian, recorder, bagpipes), as well as Paul Bevan (sackbut, recorder), Gawain Glenton (cornett, recorder), Tom Lees (sackbut, recorder) and Richard Thomas (cornett, recorder, bagpipes).
Sponsored by the MTSU College of Liberal Arts, the Departments of History and English, as well as the university’s music school, the Oct. 21 concert is free and the public is encouraged to attend.
For more information, please call the MTSU School of Music at 615-898-2493.



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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[145] Homecoming Will be Rockin' for MTSU Students, Alumni

Release date: Oct. 14, 2009


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Alumni Relations contact: Rhonda Wright, 615-898-2922 or rwright@mtsu.edu
Student Gov’t Assoc. contact: Mallory Phillips, 615-898-2537 or sgahome@mtsu.edu

Homecoming Will Be Rockin’ for MTSU Students, Alumni

(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU students and alumni are preparing for “A Rockin’ Raider Homecoming” week starting Monday, Oct. 19, and culminating with a full day of activities Saturday, Oct. 24.
Going with the “Rockin’ Raider’ theme, alumni and student groups plan to crank up the volume on events to build on traditions of the past and make future memories.
Among the activities you can participate in will be:
• T-shirt Swap, trading a shirt from another school for the official 2009 homecoming shirt;
• the African American Alumni Council’s Comedy Show and
National Pan-Hellenic Council Step Show;
• Chuck Taylor Blue Raider Golf Scramble;
• MTSU Centennial History Preview;
• Golden Raiders Society Class of 1959 reunion events;
• Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cook-Off;
• the Fourth Annual Mixer on Middle Homecoming Parade Watching Party at the Alumni House; and more.
All of this leads to the 2:30 p.m. MTSU vs. Western Kentucky SunBelt Conference football game in Floyd Stadium.
The Alumni House is a great vantage point for the parade, and people are invited to the Mixer on Middle Parade Watching Party. Alumni Chip Walters, the voice of the Blue Raiders, and Aaron Solomon, co-host of WSMV’s Channel 4 News Today, will serve as parade announcers. Complimentary breakfast will be served at 9 a.m. while the food lasts.
As part of Saturday’s parade, which starts at 10 a.m., Alumni Relations also is hosting a first-time Baby Raider Ride Contest. Children and grandchildren of alumni and others are invited to walk, if accompanied by an adult. Strollers, wagons and tricycles can be decorated with Blue Raider spirit. To participate, visit mtalumni.com, click on schedule and then click on the entry form.
The parade will start on Maney Avenue, proceed to East Main Street and to Middle Tennessee Boulevard. Baby Raider Ride entries will join the parade at the Alumni House to walk the duration of the route.
One of the newest homecoming events will be the Alumni Reunion Tailgate Tent from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in Walnut Grove. MTSU’s College of Basic and Applied Sciences, Jennings A. Jones College of Business, Liberal Arts, Mass Communication, Continuing Education and Distance Learning, Education and Behavioral Science, and the Honors College and James E. Walker Library will participate. Lunch will be available for $6 per adult and $4 per child under 12.
Discounted general admission tickets to the MTSU-WKU game can be purchased for $7 each by calling the alumni office at 1-800-533-6878. Reserved tickets can be purchased by calling 1-888-937-6878 or visiting goblueraiders.com.
For a detailed schedule of the week’s festivities, please refer to the accompanying 2009 Homecoming Schedule of Events, visit mtalumni.com or call 898-2922.
Student Government Association events include the annual Fight Song competition Thursday, Oct. 15; T-shirt swap Wednesday, Oct. 21; the fourth annual Horseshoe Competition Thursday, Oct. 22; and Chili Cook-Off Oct. 23. For more information, call Mallory Phillips at 615-898-2537 or e-mail sgahome@mtsu.edu.

MTSU Homecoming 2009 Events

Thursday, Oct. 15
SGA Fight Song Competition
7 p.m., Murphy Center
Information: mtsu.edu/~sga or call Mallory Phillips at 615-898-2537 or e-mail sgahome@mtsu.edu.

Oct. 19-23
Alumni Relations T-shirt Swap
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Alumni House, 2259 Middle Tennessee Blvd.

Wednesday, Oct. 21
SGA T-shirt Swap
10 a.m., Keathley University Center second-floor lobby. Event ends when homecoming T-shirts run out. Information: mtsu.edu/~sga or call Mallory Phillips at 615-898-2537 or e-mail sgahome@mtsu.edu.

Thursday, Oct. 22

SGA Horseshoe Competition
5:30 p.m., Campus Recreation Center horseshoe pit.
Information: mtsu.edu/~sga or contact Mallory Phillips, homecoming director, by calling 615-898-2537 or e-mail sgahome@mtsu.edu.

A Comedy Show
7 p.m., State Farm Room, Business and Aerospace Building
Sponsor: The African American Alumni Society. Tickets: $20 per person. Information: 800-533-6878 or e-mail pwydra@mtsu.

Friday, Oct. 23
Chuck Taylor Blue Raider Golf Scramble
11:30 a.m. lunch/12:30 p.m. shotgun start. Location: Indian Hills Golf Club. Host: Blue Raider Athletic Association. Fees: $165 per person or $700 per foursome. Information: BRAA link at goblueraiders.com, call 615-898-2210 or e-mail rmewbour@mtsu.edu.

MTSU Centennial History Museum Preview
Times: 1 to 4 p.m. Friday (also 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday). Location: Todd Hall Room 129.
Produced by the Albert Gore Research Center in commemoration of MTSU’s 100th birthday in 2011.

Golden Raiders Reunion and Induction Ceremony (Class of 1959)
2 p.m., Tom H. Jackson Building Cantrell Hall. Events include registration
campus tour, a social hour and dinner. Information: 800-533-6878.

Great Bowls of Fire Chili Cook-Off
5 p.m., Murphy Center Forest. All proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity
Information: e-mail sgahome@mtsu.edu.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon 40th Anniversary Welcome Back Alumni Reception
7 p.m. initiation and 8 p.m. reception, SAE House on Greek Row
Information: Tim Strobl, timothy.strobl@gmail.com.

NPHC Step Show
7:30 p.m., Murphy Center
Tickets: Greek Life office, 615-898-5812.

Saturday, Oct. 24
Mixer on Middle Parade-Watching Party
9 a.m., MTSU Alumni House
Party announcers: Chip Walters (’85) and Aaron Solomon (’94). Complimentary breakfast items while food lasts.

Annual SGA and Alumni Homecoming Parade
10 a.m.
Grand marshal: Alumnus and Grammy-nominated composer George S. Clinton (’69). Parade route: begins on Maney Avenue, following East Main Street and Middle Tennessee Boulevard to Greenland Drive.

Baby Raider Ride Contest
Children and grandchildren of MTSU alumni are invited to walk, if accompanied by an adult. Decorate your stroller, wagon or tricycle with Blue Raider spirit. You don’t have to compete in the contest to be part of the parade. Baby Raiders and their guardians will enter the parade at the Alumni House to walk the duration of the route. Information: mtalumni.com or e-mail rwright@mtsu.edu to enter.

MTSU Rugby Old Boys Game
11 a.m., MTSU Sport Club Complex, 2111 E. Main St.
Information: Jody Hensley, jodyhmoose@aol.com.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon 40th Anniversary Tailgate Party
11 a.m., Walnut Grove
Information: Tim Strobl, timothy.strobl@gmail.com.

Varsity Club Reception
12:30 p.m., Rose and Emmett Kennon Sports Hall of Fame
Information: Jim Simpson, jsimpson@mtsu.edu for details.

Raider Walk
12:30 p.m., Walnut Grove

MT vs. Western Kentucky
2:30 p.m., Floyd Stadium
General admission tickets: $7 (call Office of Alumni Relations, 800-533-6878). Reserved tickets: $20 (sideline) and $17 (end zone) per person (call 800-937-6878).

Alumni Homecoming Queens, Kings and Cheerleaders
Participation is complimentary with the purchase of a game ticket.

Al Wilkerson Scholarship Dance
8 p.m., The Walnut House, 116 N. Walnut St.
Hosted by the African American Alumni Society. Open to the public. Reservations requested. Tickets: $20 per person. Light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be provided. Information: 800-533-6878 or e-mail pwydra@mtsu.edu.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon 40th Anniversary Banquet
7 p.m., Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro
Events include cocktail hour and banquet and dance (8 p.m.). Cost: $150 per couple/$80 single ticket. Information: Tim Strobl, timothy.strobl@gmail.
###
With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

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

Media welcomed (credentials required for MTSU-WKU football game)
Media note: A high-resolution Rockin’ Raiders homecoming logo is available. To obtain, contact Randy Weiler in News and Public Affairs by calling 615-898-5616 or e-mail jweiler@mtsu.edu.

[144] Accounting, Auditing and Tax Among Seminar Topics for MTSU Accounting CPE Day Dec. 10

Oct. 14, 2009

CONTACT: MTSU Department of Accounting, 615-898-5306
Tom Tozer, News and Public Affairs, 615-898-2919

ACCOUNTING, AUDITING AND TAX AMONG SEMINAR TOPICS FOR MTSU ACCOUNTING CPE DAY DEC 10

MURFREESBORO-The first Department of Accounting CPE (Continuing Professional Education) Day at Middle Tennessee State University will be held Thursday, Dec. 10, from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building, State Farm Lecture Hall.
Seminars during the conference include presentations on accounting and financial reporting, auditing, taxation, and ethics presented by several nationally known speakers. Participants can earn up to 8 hours of CPE credit. The cost is $150, which includes all seminars, materials and lunch.
The sessions include:

● Ponzi Schemes and Fraud, Dr. Sandy Benson, MTSU assistant professor of business law. Benson recently published an article in The CPA Journal on this topic;
● Tennessee Ethics, Mark Crocker, executive director of the Tennessee Board of Accountancy;
● FASB Update, Dr. Paula Thomas, MTSU professor of accounting;
● Audit Update, Bill Mooningham, retired partner from Ernst & Young and MTSU accounting instructor;
● Tax Update, Dr. Tim Koski, MTSU professor of accounting;
● General Accounting Ethics, Dr. Kevin James, MTSU associate professor of accounting;
● International Financial Reporting Standards, Dr. Jeannie Harrington, MTSU associate professor of accounting;
● GASB Update, Dr. G. Robert Smith Jr. (Smitty), MTSU associate professor of accounting.

Due to limited seating, participants should register early. Visit http://www.mtsu.edu/accounting or for more information, call the MTSU Department of Accounting at 615-898-5306.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[143] Oct. 31 MTSU Fall Preview Day Reaches Capacity

Release date: Oct. 13, 2009


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Admissions contact: Dr. Michelle Arnold, 615-898-5280 or maarnold@mtsu.edu


Oct. 31 MTSU Fall Preview Day Reaches Capacity


(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU’s Office of Admissions officials said this week the Saturday, Oct. 31, Fall Preview Day is full and no additional online or phone registrations will be accepted.
The admissions office received an overwhelming response, with more than 1,000 prospective students, their parents and/or guardians and family members registered.
The preview day will start at 9:15 a.m. Oct. 31 from the lobby of the Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center. Continental breakfast-type food and beverages will be provided before the start of the tour while supplies last.
Daily tours are conducted at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through Dec. 9 except during fall break (Oct. 16-20) and the Thanksgiving holidays (Nov. 25-27), said Betty Pedigo, who coordinates admissions’ tours. People can go online (mtsu.edu/admissn) to register or call 615-898-5670.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

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

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

[142] Fall Break Will be Oct. 17-20 for MTSU Students, Faculty

Release date: Oct. 12, 2009

News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-2919 or jweiler@mtsu.edu


Fall Break Will Be Oct. 17-20 for MTSU Students, Faculty


(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU undergraduate and graduate students and faculty will observe fall break Oct. 17-20. No classes will be held Saturday, Oct. 17, through Tuesday, Oct. 20. Fall semester classes will resume Wednesday, Oct. 21.
All MTSU offices will be open their normal operating hours, 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Oct. 19-20.
Rick Chapman, director of Student Health Services, said this office in the Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center would be open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Oct. 19-20. Students who remain on campus or live in the area can receive treatment during those hours, he added.
The Campus Recreation Center will be closed Oct. 17-20, reopening at 6 a.m. Oct. 21.
The James E. Walker Library will be closed Oct. 17-18 for fall break, but will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19 and from 8 a.m. until midnight Oct. 20. It will be open from 7:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16.
James Union Building’s hours of operation will be 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Oct. 16, closed Oct. 17-18 and open from 7 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Oct. 19-20. Keathley University Center will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Oct. 17 (with Phillips Bookstore open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.), closed Oct. 18 and open from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Oct. 19-20. Their normal hours will resume Oct. 21.
Officials with MT Dining (ARAMARK Food Services) said McCallie Dining Hall will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17, open from 11:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 and open from 7 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19-20; and the KUC Grill will be open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Oct. 17. All other dining facilities will be closed.
No campus tours will be given Oct. 16 and Oct. 19-20. To schedule a tour, go online to mtsu.edu/admissn (click on SPECIAL EVENTS) or call 615-898-5670.

###

With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

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

[141] Mock Trial Event Yields Victories For Two MTSU Teams and Three Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 12, 2009
CONTACT: Dr. John R. Vile, 615-898-2152

MOCK TRIAL EVENT YIELDS VICTORIES FOR TWO MTSU TEAMS AND THREE STUDENTS
Coach Says Early Wins Denote ‘Strongest Start In Years ’for MTSU Mock Trial Teams

(MURFREESBORO)—Over the Oct. 9-11 weekend, two MTSU mock trial teams distinguished themselves in the year’s first competition at St. Louis University among a field of 34 teams from eight states.
One MTSU team, which was led by Austin Purvis, a senior political science major from Memphis, shared the winning record of seven wins and a tie with a team from Washington University in St. Louis, while a second MTSU team led by Daniel Vaughan, a senior pre-law major from Mount Juliet, came in third, with a record of six wins, one loss and one tie.
"This is MTSU's strongest start in recent years," said an enthusiastic Dr. John R. Vile, dean of the University Honors College at MTSU and the team’s co-coach. "We have a great mix of new and returning students in our mock trial program this year, and hope this is only the first of many future wins." The mock team led by Purvis consisted of David Haggard, a junior English major from Greenbriar; Kaitlin Beck, a sophomore political science major from Murfreesboro, who play the role of attorneys; Deborah Anderson, a sophomore mass communication major from Murfreesboro; Andrew Dellinger, a freshman political science major from Franklin; Nathan Brown, a freshman physics major from Murfreesboro, who played witness roles; and Kamal Saba, a sophomore international relations/accounting major, who served as a timekeeper. In round one, the MTSU team took both ballots against Case Western University, and in round two, MTSU took both ballots against Illinois State. In round three, the MTSU team split ballots with Washington University’s team, before taking took both ballots against Missouri at Kansas City in round four. The MTSU team led by Vaughan included Nicole Vandewalker, a senior criminal justice major from White House, along with Jacob Strait, a political science major from Nashville, and Lee Whitwell, a junior political science major from Pulaski, in attorney roles. Nathaniel Green, a senior political science/economics major from La Vergne; Jillian Watkins, a junior international relations major from Cleveland, Tenn.; and Micah McClure, a junior political science major from Chattanooga were witnesses. In their first round, the team won both ballots against Bradley University, and in the second round, the team members won one ballot and tied another with Central Missouri before splitting ballots with team from Washington University in the third round. In the fourth, the MTSU took both ballots against another Washington team. Regarding the early victories, Vile said such wins are particularly significant, because they are from the first tournament of the year.
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"This will give us great momentum in preparing for our own tournament in mid-November," he noted. In addition to team awards, MTSU students won the highest number of individual awards at the tournament, including Purvis, who notched a perfect score to achieve the top Outstanding Attorney Award, and McClure and Brown, who both took Outstanding Witness Awards. Sponsored by the Department of Political Science and by student activity funds, the mock trial teams at MTSU are coached by Vile and Brandi Snow, a local attorney and MTSU mock trial alumnus. In addition to the aforementioned teams, MTSU has three other mock trial teams that will participate in subsequent tournaments, including one of the nation’s largest tournaments, which will be held at MTSU on Nov. 13 and 14.



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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Monday, October 12, 2009

[140] Free Dyslexia Information Forum Set For Oct. 27 At Linebaugh Library

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 12, 2009
CONTACT: Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia, 615-494-8880

FREE DYSLEXIA INFORMATION FORUM SET FOR OCT. 27 AT LINEBAUGH LIBRARY
Dyslexia Affects 6,500-Plus in Local City and County School Systems, Experts Estimate

(MURFREESBORO)—Professors from MTSU and the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia will take part in an open Dyslexia Information Forum at 6:25-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, at the Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St., in Murfreesboro.
Designed for parents, teachers and others interested individuals learning about dyslexia, the free event also will feature local teachers from Murfreesboro City Schools and school psychologists on the forum’s panel to help answer questions from parents, caregivers and teachers who attend.
According to information from the International Dyslexia Association, a nonprofit, scientific and educational organization, dyslexia is a reading disability that affects as many as 15 percent of the population and it causes difficulty that lies primarily with decoding the print.
Per the association, a person with dyslexia has at least average intelligence and good language comprehension skills, but needs special instruction to learn how to read and spell words and to put thoughts into writing. Dyslexia is inheritable and can range from very mild to severe. Using an incidence rate of 15 percent, about 6,600 of the 44,000 students in the Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City Schools systems have some degree of dyslexia.
Janet Camp, supervisor of dyslexia services at MTSU and vice president of the North Middle Tennessee Region’s IDA, said the forum coincides with Dyslexia Awareness Month in the state, a proclamation that Gov. Phil Bredesen signed last year.
Panels such as the upcoming Murfreesboro event are helpful, Camp noted, because many parents are simply unaware of the appropriate interventions or remediation programs for their children or are confused about the specific type of professional help to seek.
“The Tennessee IDA board members are excited to hold events during October, Dyslexia Awareness Month, to help communities, parents and teachers recognize and understand dyslexia,” Camp said. “We are anxious to let others know about the exciting developments in teaching materials and techniques to help people with dyslexia to read and spell."
Co-sponsored by Linebaugh Library, Read to Succeed, the Tennessee Center for the Study and Treatment of Dyslexia at MTSU and the Tennessee-based IDA, the upcoming forum is free of charge, but organizers ask that those who wish to attend RSVP to Grace James at 615-494-8880 or e-mail dyslexia@mtsu.edu.
Free parking will be available under the library and may be accessed from Vine, Broad or Church Street entrances. Linebaugh Library staff also will provide a story hour for children ages 3 to 8 who might accompany parents to the event. Also, light refreshments and printed information will be available during the forum.
For more information about dyslexia and learning disabilities, visit the IDA Web site at www.interdys.org. Or, access the Tennessee ‘s IDA branch online at www.tn-interdys.org or the MTSU-based dyslexia center at http://dyslexia.mtsu.edu.



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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[139] 'The Takeaway' Premieres On Middle Tennessee State University's WMOT-FM

Oct. 12, 2009
Contact: Gary Brown, Randy O’Brien at 615-898-2800

'THE TAKEAWAY' PREMIERES ON MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY’S WMOT-FM

Live morning-drive news show provides fresh alternative

MURFREESBORO—Public radio station WMOT announced plans to air "The Takeaway," a fresh new morning drive-time news program, which will air live on weekdays from 6 to 9 a.m. beginning Oct. 19 on Middle Tennessee State University’s FM 89.5 radio.
Produced by WNYC/New York and Public Radio International in partnership with the BBC World Service, The New York Times and WGBH/Boston, "The Takeaway" provides world, national and regional news coverage that is unprecedented in public media. John Hockenberry and company convene critical conversations, take live reports from the field, provide a platform for commentary and analysis and invite listeners to join the discussion. Each edition also invites listener input and response in real time, generating lively exchanges on local, national and global issues.
Maximizing the digital expertise of each of the contributing partners, the program Web site, TheTakeaway.org, serves as a virtual public square, allowing listeners to respond immediately to news and participate in editorial decision-making, as well as build a significant online community around the content. The site features audio, video, opinion and frequent news updates, extending the American conversation throughout the day. Additional information on the new WMOT program lineup can be found at www.wmot.org.
“I am really pleased to offer 'The Takeaway' as part of our programming," says Manager Gary Brown. “Its unconventional, highly interactive style will bring in new listeners, who can then discover all that MTSU and WMOT have to offer."
Major support for "The Takeaway" is provided by Liberty Mutual, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, with additional support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation and the Skoll Foundation.
Locally, listener support makes it possible for WMOT to offer exciting new radio programming. Financial support is key to providing any service. Community support will allow WMOT to continue to provide the best jazz programming in the country.
WMOT is a 100,000 watt non-commercial FM radio station, a Public Radio International affiliate and a National Public Radio member station. The station is a service of the College of Mass Communication at Middle Tennessee State University.

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With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[138] Fraternities, Sororities Show Off Happy Feet In Step Show

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 12, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

FRATERNITIES, SORORITIES SHOW OFF HAPPY FEET IN STEP SHOW
MTSU Steppers Continue Tradition of Fancy Footwork, Dazzling Showmanship

(MURFREESBORO) – Pinpoint synchronization, dynamic themes and entertaining costumes will be in evidence when the Office of Greek Affairs, the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs and the National Pan-Hellenic Council present their Step Show at 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23, in Murphy Center.
Teams from MTSU fraternities and sororities will compete for prizes of $1,000 for first place and $500 for second place with an additional $500 awarded for the best overall performance.
“I like it because it represents our African-American heritage,” says organizing co-chair Ashlee Gray. “I take pride in telling our story through step dancing.”
The preparation that goes into designing and perfecting each act is grueling. Organizing Chairman Jeremy Simpson says some acts start preparing at least six months before the step show.
“A lot of the time you don’t sleep at night,” says Simpson, who won with his brothers in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
“Guys step harder and louder than girls,” says Gray. “They want to be Macho Man.”
However, the judging criteria include more than just hard stepping. Judges may award between one and 10 points in the categories of introduction step, crowd interaction, enthusiasm and vocal clarity. They may award between one and 15 points in the categories of complexity, creativity, synchronization and overall performance. The high and low scores are thrown out, and the final score is an average with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 100.
All the hard work has paid off beyond MTSU for several students. Southern Movement, a group of alums and students, competed in the MTV series “America’s Next Best Dance Crew” this year. Members of the Iota Tau chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., participated in the 2005 movie “Stomp the Yard.” And two brothers from Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., student Chris Pryor and alumnus Ryan McDade, are traveling across the country to help Sprite promote its national Step Off competition, which has a $1.5 million prize pool.


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Admission for this year’s MTSU Step Show is $10 in advance at the Murphy Center ticket office or $15 on the day of the show. Only cash will be accepted. For more information, contact Angela King, director of the MTSU Office of Greek Affairs, at 615-898-5812, or Valerie Avent, assistant director of the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs, at 615-898-2718.


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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For photos from prior years’ step shows, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.


With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[137] Gender, Society Changes Explored On "MTSU On The Record"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 9, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081, or WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

GENDER, SOCIETY CHANGES EXPLORED ON “MTSU ON THE RECORD”
Guest Lecturer Dr. Paula England Discusses Wage Differences, Dating Attitudes

(MURFREESBORO) - Dr. Paula England, professor of sociology at Stanford University and an affiliate of the Clayman Institute for Gender Research, will be the guest on “MTSU On the Record” with host Gina Logue at 7 a.m. this Sunday, Oct. 11, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
On the program, England will discuss possible reasons for the continuing wage gap between men and women and changes in the ways college-age men and women connect socially. She also will talk about the admission by television star David Letterman that he has had sex with women staffers.
England will be one of the speakers at the 2009 Tennessee Undergraduate Social Science Symposium, which is scheduled to take place at MTSU on Nov. 10-11. She will deliver the Senior Scholar Lecture titled “Gender Equality: What’s Changing? What’s Not?” at 11:30 a.m. on Wed., Nov. 11, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building.
To hear last week’s program with Lt. Col. Therrel Kast, go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2009.html and click on “October 4, 2009.” For more information, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800


With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

Friday, October 09, 2009

[136] Putnam County Farm Joins State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 9, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

PUTNAM COUNTY FARM JOINS STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
121-Year-Old Mansell Farm Becomes County’s 9th Century Farm

(MURFREESBORO)—The Mansell Farm located in Putnam 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 May 1888, George Washington “G. W.” Mansell founded a 95-acre farm about two miles east of Cookeville. Married to Lydia Brown, the couple had 10 children; however, two died as infants. On 95 acres, the family raised hay, corn, cattle and poultry. On the farm were a shoe cobbler and a blacksmith that served the community.
In 1937, the farm was divided between two of the founder’s sons. One part of the farm was acquired by Johnnie Lee Mansell, who was married to Ophie May Peek The couple were the parents of Amanda and Elmer Earl. During their ownership, the farm produced hay, livestock, corn and other row crops for the family’s food.
Harvey Napoleon Mansell owned the second parcel of the farm. Married twice, he fathered 10 children. Harvey and his family raised similar crops and livestock to that of his brother, but also raised sugarcane. The cane was used to make molasses and neighbors came for this seasonal activity. The family reports that after the molasses was made, the family and community would celebrate with a community festival. In addition to the making molasses, Harvey and Ruby began hosting family reunions on the farm in 1965. In 1974, as a result of the series of tornadoes, the farmhouse was destroyed and Ruby, who was in the house at the time, died of injuries 21 days later.
In 1975, the grandson of the founders, Kenneth E. Mansell, acquired 41 acres of the farm. Along with his wife Letha, Kenneth and daughter Susie live on the farm, where Kenneth raises hay, pasture, formerly tobacco, livestock, hogs, cattle, mules and llamas. He has been active in 4-H and FFA since he was in high school when he showed calves and pigs.
Currently, Kenneth continues the family tradition of mule handling that dates back to his grandfather. He uses mules in farming and to show. Mule-drawn wagon rides are popular with children on the farm and at the annual “Kids Day on a Farm” at the Tennessee Tech University.
Hankins said the Mansell Farm is the ninth century farm to be certified in Putnam 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.

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The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.










With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.

[135] Giles County Farm Joins State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 9, 2009
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, 615-898-2947

GILES COUNTY FARM JOINS STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
191-Year-Old Lazy D Farm Becomes County’s Latest Century Farm

(MURFREESBORO)—The Lazy D Farm in Giles 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 during the decade after Giles County was established in 1809 that James Abernathy purchased 487 acres of land “on the waters of Richland Creek.” The following year, 1819, he sold the property to his brother, Elisha Abernathy.
Elisha and wife Mary Ann Rebecca Evans reared five children on the farm. Their son, Richard, was wounded five times during the years he fought in the Civil War. Because of his lengthy recovery time when his immediate family did not know his whereabouts, Richard finally arrived home one Saturday to find that his mother, believing him to have died, “was planning his funeral on Sunday,” the family reports.
It was a daughter, Sarah “Sallie” Elizabeth, who became the third owner of the farm. Married to Larkin Merritt Birdsong in 1878, the couple reared three daughters, Cordelia, Rosanna and Mary Eliza. A single-pen log cabin with a loft was built in 1895 and was mentioned in the newspaper of that year. It remains on the farm.
Later, daughter Cordelia received the land from her mother. She married William Harry Birdsong of Ohio in 1905 and their four children were Lee Roy, Joe T., Helen and Dayton. After Cordelia’s death, the land went to Helen and Dayton. Helen and her husband, Osteen Polly, bought Dayton’s share in 1969.
In June 1973, the Polly family sold the property to Johnny and Betty Dickey, who—through her mother’s side of the family—is the great-great-great granddaughter of original farm founder James Abernathy. The Dickeys have two sons, Waylon and Stephen, and three grandchildren.
Today, the family reports, all three generations currently live on the farm they call The Lazy D, where they raise cattle, donkeys, chickens and hay, along with a garden, on 43 acres.

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.
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To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s owners or request jpegs of the farm for editorial use, please contact the CHP directly at 615-898-2947.

























With three Nobel Prize winners among its alumni and former faculty, Middle Tennessee State University confers master’s degrees in 10 areas, the Specialist in Education degree, the Doctor of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. MTSU is ranked among the top 100 public universities in the nation in the Forbes “America’s Best Colleges” 2009 survey.