Monday, March 29, 2010

[392] MTSU News Release: Join in Adams Chair World Health Day Presentation April 7

Release date: March 29, 2010

News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
World Health Day contact: Cindy Rhea, 615-904-8342 or crhea@mtsu.edu

Join in Adams Chair World Health Day Presentation April 7


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – The staff and affiliates of MTSU’s Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services/Center for Health and Human Services are inviting the university and surrounding community to participate in World Health Day on Wednesday, April 7.
Sponsored by the Distinguished Lecture Series and the Division of Student Affairs, Dr. Scott Corlew, chief medical officer of Interplast, will have an open presentation on global health issues from 12:40 to 1:30 p.m. in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) in the Business and Aerospace Building.
Organizers say the presentation will be of special interest to students majoring in nursing, health and human performance, communication disorders, global studies and pre-health professions. Corlew also will be able to meet with students and other small groups during the day.
Before he became chief medical officer, Corlew was an active volunteer and Interplast team member since 1990. Interplast volunteers visit developing countries to provide free reconstructive plastic surgery for adults and children with cleft palates, disabling burns and hand injuries.
Student exhibits on world health topics will be on display, said Cindy Rhea, grants coordinator for the Adams Chair of Excellence and Center for Health and Human Services. The deadline to submit exhibits is Friday, April 2. The exhibits will be on display from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. April 7 in the Keathley University Center lobby.
Dr. Jo Edwards serves as Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services chairholder.
For more information or to arrange a meeting with Corlew, call the Center for Health and Human Services at 615-904-8342.

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Media welcomed.

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.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

[390] MTSU Conducts Tornado Drill on Friday

Release date: March 25, 2010


News & Public Affairs contacts: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
or Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 or ttozer@mtsu.edu


MTSU Conducts Tornado Drill on Friday


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – MTSU will conduct a scheduled tornado drill starting at 9 a.m. Friday, university officials said. Nearby residents, drivers and pedestrians should not be alarmed when the sirens repeatedly run for a 10-minute period of time. Students, faculty and staff are asked to follow their building runner’s instructions when the sirens begin. The drill will end at 9:10, and all classes and daily activities will resume shortly after that.

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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.

[389] Spring Into Proactive Approach To Safety At MTSU In April

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

SPRING INTO PROACTIVE APPROACH TO SAFETY AT MTSU IN APRIL
Safety Awareness Day, Clothesline Project, Take Back the Night Help Fight Fear

(MURFREESBORO) – Three events aimed at raising awareness of violence against women are slated for April as extensions of the National Women’s History Month celebration at MTSU.
Volunteers will distribute literature about self-protection from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Safety Awareness Day, which is Wednesday, April 7, on the first floor of the Keathley University Center (KUC). This event is co-sponsored by the June Anderson Women’s Center, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and the Department of Public Safety. The Women’s Center will sponsor its annual Clothesline Project from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, April 19, and Tuesday, April 20, on the KUC knoll. This visually powerful display of T-shirts emblazoned with messages and stories of sexual assault and other violence against women symbolizes the airing of society’s “dirty laundry.” Another annual event, Take Back the Night, is a rally slated for 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 20, on the KUC knoll. An open microphone will be available for anyone to express views on sexual assault. Take Back the Night also includes a candlelight vigil and a march. “This year, we are looking for a more diverse crowd,” says Terri Johnson, director of the June Anderson Women’s Center. “Therefore, we’re reaching out to the greater community as well as the MTSU community to make a dynamic stand for safety awareness.” All males are invited to take part in “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” during Take Back the Night. A feature initiated last year, “Walk a Mile” encourages men to take part in the march wearing high-heeled shoes to give them an idea of how women make themselves uncomfortable in order to present an attractive image.
These events are free and open to the public. Media welcomed. For more information, contact the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2193.


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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.

[388] Research Shows Taxes Fall Through Cracks In Construction

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 25, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081, or WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

RESEARCH SHOWS TAXES FALL THROUGH CRACKS IN CONSTRUCTION
“MTSU on the Record” Explores Building Industry Issues, Economic Impact

(MURFREESBORO) – More than one in five construction workers in Tennessee in 2006 were misclassified as independent contractors or paid under the table, according to a study by Dr. William Canak of MTSU and Dr. Randall Adams of Tennessee Tech. Canak and Adams will discuss their findings at 8 a.m. this Sunday, March 28, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Canak and Adams’ research was based on data from state and federal agencies. It concluded that the misclassification of 38,680 workers cost the state nearly $15 million in unemployment taxes and $92 million in workers’ compensation premiums. They testified about their study to the House Consumer and Employee Affairs Committee of the Tennessee General Assembly on Feb. 17. To hear last week’s program with Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ferguson Jenkins, go to go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2010.html and click on “March 21, 2010.” For more information about “MTSU on the Record,” 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.

[387] WISTEM Speaker Bilimoria Tackles Careers for Women in Sciences

Release date: March 25, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
WISTEM contact: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu

WISTEM Speaker Bilimoria Tackles Careers for Women in Sciences


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Dr. Diana Bilimoria, professor of organizational behavior in the Department of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, will bring her expertise to MTSU March 29-30.
Bilimoria will present a Women in Science workshop for students on “Purposeful Planning of Your Scholarly Career and Contributions” starting at 6 p.m. Monday, March 29, in the Monahan Hall classroom.
At 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, in Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building Room 109, Bilimoria will present “Breaking Barriers and Creating Inclusiveness: Institutional Transformation to ADVANCE Women Faculty in Academic Science and Engineering” as part of a National Women’s History Month Women in Science lecture.
Jointly sponsoring Bilimoria’s campus visit are the WISTEM (Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Center and MTSU’s NWHM committee.
In the student lecture, Bilimoria said she will “engage with students regarding their career aspirations and skill development” and “discuss aspects of purposeful career planning such as leadership development, mentoring, CV (curriculum vitae) enhancement, scholarly skill development, scholarly visibility and the early experiences of women faculty.”
In the faculty talk, Bilimoria said she will “describe the initiatives, experience and outcomes of 19 U.S. universities, funded by the National Science Foundation’s ADVANCE Institutional Transformation program, which have embraced comprehensive transformation for improved gender representation and inclusion in science and engineering disciplines.”
For more information on Bilimoria’s visit, call 615-904-8253.
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Media welcomed.

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.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

[386] MTSU Theatre Presents 'Appalachian Roots' Locally In April

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU THEATRE PRESENTS ‘APPALACHIAN ROOTS’ LOCALLY IN APRIL
Original Production Set to Travel to Northern Ireland in May, Says Director Halladay

(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU Theatre will celebrate the rich music and stories of Appalachia with its production of "Appalachian Roots" on April 2 and April 16.
Combining the mischief and fun of Appalachian tales and music with the hardship of life in a coal-mining community, the production highlights the strength of a people who didn’t just “make do” with what they had, but found joy in it as well.
Directed by Dr. Jette Halladay, professor of speech and theatre, "Appalachian Roots" found its inception in September 2009 when 11 MTSU students and Carol Ponder, Appalachian folk artist, met with MTSU faculty members Halladay, Nancy Boone Allsbrook (music) and Kim Neal Nofsinger (speech and theatre) to create a show about Appalachia.
The creative process lasted through February 2010, and now the show has begun performances for elementary schools throughout the area.
Set in the 1920s, the show takes place in a one-room schoolhouse in a small coal-mining community in East Tennessee, where the children are practicing their spring program for the parents when they hear the siren alarm from the coal mine.
“The students know the siren means there has been an accident at the mine—the mine where their daddies, brothers and uncles work. But they’ve been asked not to go to the mine until the siren sounds again,” Halladay explained.
Subsequently, to distract them the schoolteacher, Aunt Julie, insists they keep practicing their program. From this point, the stories and songs take on a greater meaning to the children, as they find strength and courage to face what lies ahead.
“No other show I’ve directed has been so relevant to this area,” observed Halladay, who specializes in children’s theater. “Many of the cast are of Appalachian heritage. Our music director, Nancy Boone Allsbrook, grew up in an Appalachian coal-mining town in next to the West Virginia border.
“Our guest artist, Carol Ponder, grew up in the Appalachians of North Carolina. Several of the students have relatives from the Cumberland Gap and smaller communities in the Appalachians of East Tennessee, so gathering information has been a marvelous exploration of our own heritage and traditions.“
Throughout March and April, "Appalachian Roots" was and will be presented at area elementary schools. In May, the cast and crew will travel to Ireland to perform at the Ulster American Folkpark in Omagh, as well as at various schools throughout Northern Ireland.
• SHOW INFO: Locally, theatergoers may take in the production at 7 p.m. Friday, April 2, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building and at 7 p.m. Friday, April 16, in the theater at Patterson Park Community Center, 521 Mercury Blvd., in Murfreesboro.

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There is a suggested donation of $5 for admission; however, all donations are welcomed. All proceeds will be used to help fund the tour of "Appalachian Roots" to schools in Ireland during May.
“The people of Appalachia drew strength from their stories, their music and their religious beliefs,” Halladay noted. “Life was hard, but there was a sense of pride and fortitude that was passed from generation to generation.
“In the play, the school teacher, Aunt Julie, compares the people of Appalachia to the trees of Appalachia. Appalachian trees are some of the strongest hardwoods in the world. Why? Because their roots go deep in the Appalachian soil, and it is the same with the people. They can weather any storm so long as they keep their roots deep in their rich heritage.”
For more information regarding school or public performances, please contact Halladay at 615-898-5824 or via e-mail at jhallada@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.

[385] MTSU's Fire Hosts 'Dr. Bones' Kathy Reichs For Free April 14 Talk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU’s FIRE HOSTS ‘DR. BONES’ KATHY REICHS FOR FREE APRIL 14 TALK
Forensic Anthropologist & Bestselling Author Goes ‘From Crime Lab to Crime Fiction’

(MURFREESBORO)—Dr. Kathy Reichs, producer of the Fox-TV series known as “Bones,” which is based on her work and related novels, will visit MTSU as the featured speaker of the Legends in Forensic Science Lectureship.
Sponsored by for the university’s Forensic Institute for Research and Education, the lecture series was designed to bring internationally known lecturers in the world of forensic science to MTSU each fall and spring semester, said Dr. Hugh Berryman, FIRE director.
Known as “Dr. Bones,” Reichs will deliver a 7 p.m. April 14 talk titled “From Crime Lab to Crime Fiction” in Murphy Center. The event is free and open to the public.
One of only 87 forensic anthropologists currently certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology, Reichs has long served as a consultant to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in North Carolina and continues to do so for the Laboratoire de Sciences Judiciaires et de Médecine Légale for the province of Québec.
Now dividing her time between Charlotte, N.C., and Montreal, Quebec, Reichs’ career experience is diverse. From teaching FBI agents how to detect and recover human remains, to separating and identifying commingled body parts in her Montreal lab, as a forensic anthropologist she has brought her own dramatic work experience to her mesmerizing forensic thrillers.
Reichs’ first novel, Déjà Dead, catapulted her to fame when it became a New York Times bestseller and won the 1997 Ellis Award for Best First Novel. Her other Temperance Brennan novels include Death du Jour, Deadly Décisions, Fatal Voyage, Grave Secrets, Bare Bones, Monday Mourning, Cross Bones, Break No Bones, Bones to Ashes, Devil Bones and 206 Bones, the later of which was published in August 2009.
A native of Chicago, where she received her Ph.D. at Northwestern University, Reichs currently serves as a professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina in Charlotte. Previously, she served on the board of directors and as vice president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and currently is a member of the National Police Services Advisory Council in Canada.
From the field to the printed page and TV screen, Reichs boasts an impressive résumé that includes traveling to Rwanda to testify at the U.N. Tribunal on Genocide, helping exhume a mass grave in Guatemala and aiding in the identification of war dead from World War II, Korea and Southeast Asia.
Event organizers said Reichs will sign books following her lecture. Copies of her titles will be available for sale in the campus-based Phillips Bookstore, located in Keathley University Center, prior to her April 14 talk.
In addition to FIRE, Reichs’ campus visit was made possible by sponsorship from the MTSU Distinguished Lecturer Committee, the College of Liberal Arts, the Seigenthaler Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies and Phillips Bookstore. For more information on the April 14 lecture, please contact FIRE by calling 615-494-7713.
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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.

[384] "Ru-dy, Ru-dy" Brings Uplifting Message Of Hope To MTSU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Jacqueline Victory, 615-898-5081

“RU-DY, RU-DY” BRINGS UPLIFTING MESSAGE OF HOPE TO MTSU
Undersized Football Player with Enormous Heart to Speak on Leadership Qualities

(MURFREESBORO) – Former Notre Dame football player Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, the inspiration for the 1993 motion picture “Rudy,” will present a “Leadership Speaks” address at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building. The third of 14 children in a Joliet, Ill., family, Ruettiger struggled with dyslexia throughout childhood, but the condition was not diagnosed until he entered Holy Cross Junior College in South Bend, Ind. The school was across the street from the University of Notre Dame, which fueled Ruettiger’s desire to transfer and to make the Fighting Irish football team. Since Notre Dame Head Coach Ara Parseghian welcomed walk-ons, Ruettiger tried out and made the practice squad, despite being only 5’6” and 165 pounds. His unflagging hustle and determination earned him the respect of his teammates. Finally, on Nov. 8, 1975, new Head Coach Dan Devine allowed Ruettiger to line up at defensive end in a game against Georgia Tech. He sacked the Yellow Jackets’ quarterback on the final play of his senior season and was carried off the field by his teammates at the end of the game as the crowd chanted “RU-DY, RU-DY.” Following the success of the movie “Rudy,” Ruettiger embarked on a career as a motivational speaker. He also established the Rudy Foundation, which supports programs to help children “cognitively, emotionally, physically and spiritually,” according to www.rudyinternational.com.
Reuttiger is the author of several books, including Rudy’s Insights for Winning in Life, Rudy’s Lessons for Young Champions and Rudy & Friends. An inductee into the Speakers Hall of Fame, he is the recipient of the Distinguished American Award and an honorary doctorate from Our Lady of Holy Cross College. “Rudy’s message is ‘Yes, I can,’” says Jacqueline Victory, director of the MTSU Office of Leadership and Service. “It’s about the passion to achieve one’s goals and dreams.”
“Well, I always wanted to inspire people from my heart,” writes Reuttiger on his Web site. “To some people, I didn’t do that much. My Dream was big for me but may have been small for someone else. That’s why I talk about the passion of the Dream no matter what the Dream is. I can inspire people to be their personal best and get it done! It’s about a person’s attitude that makes it all happen … and you must have the courage to persevere.”

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Reuttiger’s appearance is sponsored by the Office of Leadership and Service, the Distinguished Lecture Fund, the Student Government Association, the Office of Residence Life, the Office of Intercultural and Diversity Affairs, the College of Liberal Arts, the Leadership Studies Minor, and the Office of Student Programming.
This event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required for admission. Tickets are available from the Office of Leadership and Service in Room 326S of the Keathley University Center from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Friday. Call 615-898-5812 for more information.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For color jpegs of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, 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.

[383] MTSU Students, Potential Employers Will 'Speed Network' Employment Opportunities Exchange Set March 29 in JUB Tennessee Room

Release date: March 24, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Employment Opportunities Exchange contact: Dr. Katie Kemp, 615-898-2346
or kkemp@mtsu.edu

MTSU Students, Potential Employers Will ‘Speed Network’
Employment Opportunities Exchange Set March 29 in JUB Tennessee Room

(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Organizers say it’s like speed dating, but the Employment Opportunities Exchange is more like MTSU students “speed networking” with prospective employers.
The annual Employment Opportunities Exchange will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 29, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building, said Dr. Katie Kemp, assistant professor in the MTSU Department of Management and Marketing.
The “exchange” aims to help 2010 and 2011 graduates meet recruiters seeking employees in sales, marketing and management.
“Using the ‘exchange’ format, employers will have the opportunity to share their information with many more students than time would allow at a typical career fair,” said Kemp, who added that employers should bring multiple representatives to share in presentation duties.
At 11:30 a.m. and following employer registration and an employer/faculty brunch and recruitment discussion, the first exchange begins. Recruiters will rotate from table to table in timed sessions of approximately 10 to 15 minutes each, briefly sharing career opportunities with small groups of students seated at tables. When the bell rings, the recruiters move to another table.
Kemp said the recruiters would be trying “to sell his or her company to the students and entice them to choose their recruiting table during Exchange Part II.”
At 2 p.m., the Exchange Part II begins.
“Students choose the companies in which they’re interested, present resumes and have one-on-one time with recruiters, ‘selling’ themselves to recruiters,” Kemp said.
For more information, call Kemp at 615-898-2346 or e-mail her at kkemp@mtsu.edu.

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Media welcomed.


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.

[382] MTSU Design Students Host April 1 'Big Hair, Big Chair' Lecture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU DESIGN STUDENTS HOST APRIL 1 ‘BIG HAIR, BIG CHAIR’ LECTURE
Designers Nancy Hills & Darrin Brooks to Compare Clothing, Furniture Styles of 1700s

(MURFREESBORO)—“Big Hair, Big Chair: How Women’s Fashion Influenced the Evolution of Furniture” will be the fashion-forward focus of this year’s lecture sponsored by MTSU students who are members of the American Society of Interior Designers/International Interior Design Association student chapter at MTSU.
Set to begin at 6:30 p.m. April 1 in Room 121 of MTSU’s Cason Kennedy Nursing Building, the ASID/IIDA 2010 Lecture Series presentation will feature interior designer Darrin Brooks and costume designer Nancy Hills, both members of the Utah State University faculty. The pair will compare hairstyle sizes and clothing styles from the 1700s with period furniture pieces.
Regarding the free talk, Deborah Belcher, a member of MTSU’s human sciences faculty and a registered interior designer, said the April 1 event “is a fabulous opportunity to see history as a living entity in which fashion and taste influenced our built environment.”
Additionally, The "Big Hair, Big Chair" presentation “is remarkable in its revelations concerning anthropomorphic data, sizes of people,” she noted. “Have you ever tried to sit in a chair from the 1700s or 1800s? It is a different experience, especially when you begin to realize that the average height of a woman was less than 5 feet. Then, imagine being corseted.”
Just prior to the lecture, an open reception for Brooks and Hills will be hosted by MTSU’s ASID/IIDA student organization from 4 to 6 p.m. at Maney Hall in Oaklands Historic House Museum, with co-sponsorship provided by MTSU’s interior design program and the historic Murfreesboro-based house museum.
“This presentation will be enlightening and great fun,” Belcher added. “Darrin and Nancy are knowledgeable as well as entertaining. … We are excited about the entire evening and look forward to seeing many students, faculty and guests share our excitement!
For more information about the free and open lecture and reception, please contact Belcher, MTSU associate professor, by calling 615-898-5604 or via e-mail at dbelcher@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, March 23, 2010

[381] Vanderbilt's Edelman Brings Distinguished Lecture to MTSU March 24

Release date: March 23, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Math department contact: Dr. Xiaoya Zha, 615-898-2494 or xzha@mtsu.edu

Vanderbilt’s Edelman Brings Distinguished Lecture to MTSU March 24


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Dr. Paul H. Edelman, professor of mathematics and law at Vanderbilt University, will appear for an MTSU Distinguished Lecture on Wednesday, March 24.
Edelman will discuss “From Census to Seats: How to Apportion the House of Representatives in the New Decade.” His presentation will be from 3 to 4 p.m. in Keathley University Center Room 322. The event is free and open to the public and MTSU community.
“Professor Edelman is a leading scholar in this area,” said Dr. Xiaoya Zha, professor in the MTSU Department of Mathematical Sciences and event coordinator. “His research has been reported by two articles in the Wall Street Journal.”
In a flier about the lecture, Edelman asks, “How many seats should each U.S. state get?” Then he adds, “It isn’t simple.”
Edelman said that since the founding of the United States, "the decennial ritual of apportioning representatives among the states to the House has generated controversy. Four distinct methods have been tried, and more have been suggested. It has been the subject of political feuds, mathematical feuds, legal challenge and perorations to God. It is also an excellent example of how mathematics can illuminate the law and how law can motivate mathematics.”
“In this talk,” Edelman writes of his presentation, “I will give a crash course in the theory or apportionment. I will discuss the different approaches to apportionment and how they relate to each other. After some discussion of the history of the apportionment of the House, I will show how developments in the law point to new methods of apportionment that have never been employed and the surprising implications they have for the make-up of the House."

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Media welcomed.
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.

[380] EYH Set for Sept. 25 on MTSU Campus

Release date: March 23, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
EYH contact: Dr. Judith Iriarte-Gross, 615-904-8253 or jiriarte@mtsu.edu


EYH Set for Sept. 25 on MTSU Campus


(MURFREESBORO) – Organizers have chosen Saturday, Sept. 25, as the date for this fall’s 14th annual Expanding Your Horizons in Math and Science.
Often held in late October, EYH’s 2010 date was moved earlier so it would not conflict with any MTSU home football games, said Director Judith Iriarte-Gross, a professor in the chemistry department.
EYH conferences nurture girls’ interests in science and math courses, encouraging them to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and math.
Same-day conferences are held at MTSU for girls in grades five through eight and girls in ninth through 12th grades. Girls from across the region are welcome to attend EYH, which now can be found on Facebook at www. facebook.com/mtsu.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.

[378] Sunday Night Chinese Cinema Offered By Confucius Institute

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

SUNDAY NIGHT CHINESE CINEMA OFFERED BY CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE
Movies at MTSU Offered to Promote Greater Understanding of Chinese Culture

(MURFREESBORO) – The Confucius Institute and the Office of the Dean of the College of Mass Communication at MTSU will present a Chinese Film Festival on Sunday nights from March 28 to April 18 in Room 103 of the John Bragg Mass Communication Building.
Each movie will begin promptly at 6 p.m. Following each movie, Liu Xiao, a master’s degree candidate in the College of Mass Communication, will facilitate a question-and-answer session. All movies in the series have English subtitles and are free and open to the public.
The first film, slated for viewing on March 28, is “Rickshaw Boy” (1982), the first film from the People’s Republic of China to open in an American theater. It’s the tale of the ugliness of a city run by dueling warlords where many of the poor turn against each other for survival. Other films scheduled to be presented include “Eat Drink Man Woman” (1994) on April 4; “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” (2002) on April 11; and “Getting Home” (2007) on April 18. Founded in 2004, the Confucius Institute is a nonprofit organization established to strengthen educational cooperation between China and other countries. MTSU administrators and officials of the university’s partner school, Hangzhou Normal University, held a ceremonial signing ceremony Dec. 1 in observance of their joint management of the institute.
For more information, call the Confucius Institute at 615-494-8696 or Dr. Bob Spires at 615-898-2217.

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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, March 22, 2010

[376] MTSU News Release: 2010 MTSU Scholars Week Focus: Research

Release date: March 22, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Scholars Week contacts: Dr. Andrienne Friedli, 615-898-2071/afriedli@mtsu.edu
Dr. Kris McCusker, 615-898-2544 or mccusker@mtsu.edu

2010 MTSU Scholars Week Focus: Research

(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Scholars Week 2010 is here!
To be held March 22-26 across the MTSU campus, the fifth annual event has become an anticipated event each spring.
“Scholars Week continues to be our annual forum to recognize the excellent research that our faculty and students do,” said Dr. Diane Miller, interim executive vice president and provost. 
“The number and variety of research projects presented is always quite impressive. Many of the students who participate locally also report on their scholarship at regional and national meetings within their area of study.”
MTSU scholars are eager to share their research findings as well as their enthusiasm for their research. That’s why Scholars Week organizers are making a special effort to solicit participation from MTSU and the surrounding community to attend and learn firsthand about university research.
“Our students are a great example of the educational and career benefits of research and creative activity,” said Dr. Kristine M. McCusker, associate professor of history and the organizing committee member in charge of publicity. “We have invited community members to visit the universitywide poster and multimedia event on Friday, March 26, through the local media. When they come, they will see firsthand what the university can produce.”
A Scholars Week schedule is posted online at www.mtsu.edu/research/scholars_week.shtml.
An appreciation luncheon for faculty mentors and presenters is set for today. This will be followed by the College of Business poster session at 12:30 p.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building’s south lobby.
Other college showcases will follow throughout the week.
The peak of Scholars Week is the Universitywide Poster and Multimedia Exposition starting at 12:40 p.m. Friday, March 26, on the Murphy Center track area.
A link to poster abstracts also is at the Scholars Week Web site; the online abstracts list will serve as a searchable written record of participation. Additional information, including ideas about how faculty can incorporate Scholars Week events into course activities and set poster preparation guidelines, also are posted online.
Examples of the wide range of presentation titles for Scholars Week 2010 include:
• “Psych Pharm”;
• “The Evolution of the Industrial Food Complex: McDonaldization and Population Health”;
• “’I’ll Keep On Singing’: The Southern Gospel Convention Tradition”;
• “The Effects of Caffeine Supplementation on Multiple Bouts of Sprint Running”;
• “The New True Charlie Wu”;
• “I Asked for Water and She Gave Me Gasoline: Difficult Issues in Heritage Tourism”; and
• “Just Joking, Seriously: Exploring Humor’s Role in Willingness to Speak Out.”

Scholars Week Schedule of Events

All Week – Display of Books, CDs and DVDs*, Walker Library. Contact: Dr. Jason Vance, 615-494-7871;
Today – Mentor Appreciation Lunch, Tom H. Jackson Building, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. College of Business Scholars Day: poster session*, Business and Aerospace Building south lobby, 1-2:30 p.m. Contact: Dr. Troy Festervand, 615-898-2368;
Tuesday, March 23 – College of Basic and Applied Sciences Scholars Day: hands-on demonstrations*, Keathley University Center first-floor lobby, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Contact: Megan Hall, 615-898-8673. College of Education and Behavioral Science Scholars Day: guest speaker Dr. Andrew Myers, University of Memphis, presenting “A Career in Research: From Undergraduate to Vice Provost for Research” *, 4 p.m. BAS State Farm Lecture Hall. Contact: Dr. Will Langston, 615-898-5489;
Wednesday, March 24 – College of Liberal Arts Scholars Day: Talks, Panels and Performances*, Todd Building, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and Todd Building Room 348 from noon-5 p.m. Contact: Dr. Hilary Stallings, 615-898-5039;
Thursday, March 25 – College of Mass Communication Scholars Day: Open Microphone, Media and Posters*, Mass Comm Building main atrium, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Contact: Dan Pfeifer, 615-898-5944;
Friday, March 26 – Universitywide Scholars Day: Poster and Multimedia Exposition*, Murphy Center Track Area, 12:40-2:45 p.m. Awards at 3 p.m. Contact: Dr. Wasimuddin Qureshi, 615-898-5090.
* – Events open to public.
###
Media welcomed.

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.

Friday, March 19, 2010

[375] MTSU Hosts Free Lecture On 'Embodiment In Education' March 29

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU HOSTS FREE LECTURE ON ‘EMBODIMENT IN EDUCATION’ MARCH 29
Upcoming Talk by Scholar Glenberg ‘Accessible to a Wide Audience,’ Report Organizers

(MURFREESBORO)—“Embodiment in Education,“ a free public lecture by Art Glenberg, will be presented at 12:40 p.m. Monday, March 29, in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102) of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building.
"Dr. Glenberg is a leading researcher into the role that the body plays in cognition and perception (and) … a pioneer in this type of research and its application to education," noted Dr. William Langston, MTSU psychology professor.
In addition to the upcoming lecture’s appeal for those interested in education, “There is also a significant psychology component,” said Langston, who added that Glenberg’s talk will be “very accessible to a wide audience.”
Regarding his lecture topic, Glenberg has said, “It is clear that one of the 20th century¹s great educational thinkers (Maria Montessori) believed that there is a close connection between the body and education. But why should we believe it?”
To answer this question, Glenberg, after a brief discussion of embodiment theory, will review data showing an intimate connection between the body and simple mathematics. Then, he will devote considerably more time to a review of data culled from a research project investigating a reading intervention based on an embodied theory of language comprehension.
“This intervention has been successfully applied across a variety of populations of young readers,” Glenberg has observed, “and we are beginning to explore its application in science and mathematics.”
Sponsored by the Department of Psychology and those involved with MTSU’s math and science education Ph.D., the lecture will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
“This event is mostly an overview of how research into embodiment could be applied to education, and (this public lecture will be) introductory in nature,” Langston added. “Dr. Glenberg has not been (to MTSU) before, and we were lucky to be able to get on his schedule.
For more information on the March 29 lecture, please contact Langston by calling 615-898-5489 or via e-mail at wlangsto@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.

[374] MTSU Senior Trio Savors National Competition Experience Morrow Reaches Quarterfinals in Event that Draws 350 Participants

Release date: March 19, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Management and Marketing contact: Dr. Katie Kemp, 615-898-2346
or kkemp@mtsu.edu

MTSU Senior Trio Savors National Competition Experience
Morrow Reaches Quarterfinals in Event that Draws 350 Participants

(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Senior Andrea Morrow advanced to the quarterfinals and senior Mitch Washer also competed in the 12th annual National Collegiate Sales Competition March 5-8 in Kennesaw, Ga.
“I had an amazing educational experience at the National Collegiate Sales Competition,” said Morrow, who is from Florence, Ala.
“As a competitor, I was able to role play sales calls that were judged by professors from other schools and professional salespeople,” added Morrow, who plans to graduate in December. “Receiving critiques from real salespeople was a great learning opportunity that you cannot get in most classrooms. I learned how to properly present myself and interact with business professionals in both a casual and professional setting. I will use what I learned from this opportunity for the rest of my life.”
Washer, who is from Leonard, Mich., and also plans to graduate in December, said, “The NCSC and the training from Dr. (Katie) Kemp taught me not just how to sell a product, but how to sell myself. I gained more confidence and learned how to network more effectively by speaking with over 30 different professional
companies in one weekend. It was a great experience.”
Senior Jennifer Threlkeld of Carrollton, Texas, also attended as the third team member, but did not compete since only two competitors per university are allowed to participate. Threlkeld will graduate in May with an advertising degree and minors in psychology and marketing.
“It was a priceless weekend and changed my future undeniably,” she said. “Speaking as someone who had not prepared properly for the job search, being on the sales team not only got me ready, but it provided opportunities to find jobs. … This is an experience that people should be fighting over.”
“She worked very hard role playing with the competitors and served as a student coach for them,” Kemp said of Threlkeld’s role. Kemp, assistant professor in the Department of Management and Marketing, accompanied the students on the trip.
“They attended the Career Fair and met most of the employers,” Kemp said.
The NCSC is the world’s largest collegiate sales competition, organizers said. Hosted by the Coles College of Business at Kennesaw State University, about 350 students from 61 universities participated this year.
Nearly 30 companies, including Liberty Mutual, ADP, Tom James, Owens Corning, AT&T, Hewlett Packard, Dow Jones, NCR and Reynolds and Reynolds, participated.
NCSC sponsor resources provide funding to defray expenses of the competing students and participating faculty, organizers said.


###

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.

[373] MTSU's Distinguished Lecture Series On Youth Fitness Offers Free March 30 Talk By Health-Fitness Scholar Robert Pangrazi

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 19, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lisa L. Rollins, 615-898-2919, or lrollins@mtsu.edu

MTSU’s DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES ON YOUTH FITNESS OFFERS
FREE MARCH 30 TALK BY HEALTH-FITNESS SCHOLAR ROBERT PANGRAZI
Public Encouraged to Attend Free Talk by Internationally Recognized Expert

(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU’s Center for Physical Activity and Health in Youth will sponsor a Distinguished Lecture Series in Youth Fitness and Sports this semester, with free lectures from scholars in the field.
Dr. Robert Pangrazi, professor emeritus in the Department of Kinesiology at Arizona State University, where he taught for 31 years, will deliver the first lecture in the series at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 30, in the Business and Aerospace Building’s State Farm Lecture Hall (Room S102).
An internationally recognized expert in the area of curriculum development in elementary physical education and activity promotion in youth, Pangrazi’s lecture topic will be "The Identity Crisis: What is Physical Education?"
Pangrazi has written more than 100 research and journal articles, presented more than 500 workshops and training sessions to physical education teachers and delivered an estimated 400 presentations at local, state and national meetings, among other accomplishments.
“His approach to teaching elementary physical education has been used worldwide by the Department of Defense Dependents Schools and nationally by hundreds of public, private, and charter schools,” said Dr. Don W. Morgan, professor of health and human performance and director of the CPAHY.
A member of the Science Board of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and a Fellow of the American Academy of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Pangrazi has been the recipient of Honor Awards from the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education.
For more information on the March 30 lecture, please contact Morgan by calling 615-898-5549 or via e-mail at dmorgan@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.

[372] Fergie Jenkins Talks Baseball On "MTSU On The Record"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081, or WMOT-FM, 615-898-2800

FERGIE JENKINS TALKS BASEBALL ON “MTSU ON THE RECORD”
Hall-of-Fame Pitcher Slated to Speak at MTSU Baseball Lit Conference

(MURFREESBORO) –Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ferguson Jenkins will be the guest on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 8 a.m. this Sunday, March 21, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org). Jenkins is scheduled to be the luncheon speaker at the 15th annual Baseball Literature and Culture Conference in MTSU’s James Union Building on Friday, March 26. The right-handed pitcher compiled a 284-226 career record between 1965 and 1983 with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers. He won at least 20 games in each of six consecutive seasons he pitched with the Cubs from 1966 to 1972, chalking up 24 victories and the coveted National League Cy Young Award in 1971. To hear last week’s program on the search for World War II homefront memorabilia from Rutherford County residents, go to go to http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/podcast2010.html and click on “March 14, 2010.” For more information about “MTSU on the Record,” 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.

[360] MTSU Hosts 'Positive Behavior' Conference For Educators, Parents

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2010
CONTACT: Dr. Zaf Khan, 615-904-8429, or zkhan@mtsu.edu

MTSU HOSTS ‘POSITIVE BEHAVIOR’ CONFERENCE FOR EDUCATORS, PARENTS
Free Event Focuses on Working with the ‘Misunderstood Child’ for Positive Outcomes

(MURFREESBORO)—Eighty percent of behavioral problems come from 20 percent of students, says Dr. Zaf Khan, assistant professor of elementary and special education at MTSU, who will oversee the university’s annual Positive Behavior Support and Inclusion Conference.
Now in its fourth year, the event will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, April 29, in MTSU’s James Union Building. The conference is free and open to teachers, parents and MTSU students, as well as anyone involved in teaching children.
Khan, who is the project director for MTSU’s Positive Behavior Support and Inclusion grant project, said that positive behavior support, or PBS, uses a positive approach to addressing “negative” behaviors and encourages social competence and academic achievement through strategies, practices and interventions that have been demonstrated to be effective.
Dr. Harry K. Wong, a former classroom teacher-turned-author and speaker on classroom management, will be the featured speaker for the conference, which also will include breakout sessions about “Inclusive Teaching Practices,” “PBS and Inclusion Success Stories” and “Reading Strategies for Inclusive Teaching,” among other topics.
The author of 30-plus publications including The First Days of School, a leading education title, as well as his latest book, New Teacher Induction: How to Train, Support and Retain New Teachers, Wong is the recipient of numerous educator honors, including being voted one of the most-admired people in the world of education in 2006 by readers of Instructor magazine.
Dubbed “Mr. Practicality” for his common-sense, research-based, no-cost approach to managing a classroom for high-level student success, Wong has been credited with transforming schools through his teaching techniques that reduce dropout rates and alleviate discipline problems.
Registration for the April 29 conference is currently open, but seating is limited.
Registration forms, as well as an agenda for the conference, may be accessed at www.mtsu.edu/pbsi. For more information about PBSI and the conference not found online, please contact Khan at zkhan@mtsu.edu.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To secure a jpeg of Khan or Wong, or to request an interview with conference organizer Khan, please contact Lisa L. Rollins in the Office of News and Public Affairs at lrollins@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.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

[371] MTSU Honors Clarinet Choir For High-Schoolers Set For March 27

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2010
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493, or tmusselm@mtsu.edu

MTSU HONORS CLARINET CHOIR FOR HIGH-SCHOOLERS SET FOR MARCH 27
7th Annual Event Will Conclude with Free and Open Concert at 4 p.m. on Campus

(MURFREESBORO)—The MTSU School of Music will host the 7th annual MTSU High School Clarinet Choir on Saturday, March 27, in the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
The daylong event will conclude with a free public concert at 4 p.m. in Hinton Hall of the WMB.
Todd Waldecker, professor of clarinet at MTSU, said the event will include more than 40 talented high school clarinetists who were selected for their outstanding musical achievements and who will participate by special invitation.
The participants will spend the day rehearsing and will have access to vendors such as Shuff’s Music displaying Buffet Clarinets and accessories and Onks Woodwind Specialist, who will do minor repairs and give maintenance tips.
The closing concert will feature guest soloist James Zimmermann, principal clarinetist with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra, performing Weber’s Concertino, Op. 26. The public is encouraged to attend this free concert.
For more information on this or other events at the MTSU School of Music, please visit www.mtsumusic.com or call 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.

[370] March 29 Concert Closes Stones River Chamber Players' Season

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 18, 2010
CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493, or tmusselm@mtsu.edu

MARCH 29 CONCERT CLOSES STONES RIVER CHAMBER PLAYERS’ SEASON
Free & Open Performance Touted as a ‘No-Piano Zone,’ Report Organizers

(MURFREESBORO)—The Stones River Chamber Players, the resident chamber music ensemble at MTSU, will present “Piano Forbidden,” the final concert of its 2009-10 season at 7:30 p.m. March 29 in the T. Earl Hinton Music Hall in the Wright Music Building.
“The program explores the world of chamber music without piano, including works by Mozart, Handel, Vaughan Williams, Richard Strauss and Varèse,” said Lynn Rice-See, piano professor at MTSU and co-director of the group.
The SRCP will perform Flute Quartet in D Major by W. A. Mozart; Trio Sonata No. 4 in F Major by G. F. Handel; Three Vocalises by Ralph Vaughan Williams; Octandre, or Octet, by Edgard Varèse; and Till Eulenspiegel-einmal anders!, an arrangement by Franz Hasenohrl of Richard Strauss’ tone poem.
Regarding the Mozart quartet, Rice-See said Mozart, early in his adult career, composed four flute quartets for flute, violin, viola and cello. This quartet dating from 1777 will be performed by Deanna Little, flute; Andrea Dawson, violin; Clare Yang, viola; and Xiao-Fan Zhang, cello.
“The Baroque ‘trio sonata’ (by Handel) features two soprano instruments with continuo; in this case, a harpsichord and a bassoon,” Rice-See said.
George T. Riordan, director of the school of music and one of the oboist for this work, said, “Late in life, George Frideric Handel—arguably the most famous composer of his day—told an admirer that the six trio sonatas for two oboes and continuo were written by him at a very early age … when he ‘wrote like the devil, and chiefly for oboe, which was my favorite instrument.’
“Perhaps he took some artistic license in declaring that these were such youthful pieces,” continued Riordan, who added “while all six sonatas display a joyous buoyancy, they also bear evidence of mature craftsmanship. However, the music makes it clear that the oboe indeed was a favorite instrument of the composer.”
Other performers on this work include Laura Ann Ross, oboe; Sandra Arndt, harpsichord; and Maya Stone, bassoon.
“The Vaughan Williams Three Vocalises are from a small category of text-less vocal music, in this case with clarinet,” Rice-See said.
Tenor Stephen Smith, referring to this work, said, “The piano continues to be my favorite instrument with which to sing, but I often find it very interesting to explore other possibilities. That is why (this work) for clarinet and voice intrigued me. I have actually never performed a duet with a clarinet, and I have discovered during rehearsals with (Waldecker) that the timbres of the voice and the clarinet often make for fascinating colors. Somehow, and I'm not at all sure just why, the piece simply makes sense.”
Another work, the Varèse octet, is scored for a mixed ensemble. Conducted by Reed Thomas, the piece will be performed by Little (flute), Ross (oboe); Waldecker (clarinet) and Stone (bassoon), with Michael Arndt (trumpet), Angela DeBoer (horn), David Loucky (trombone) and Tim Pearson (bass).
The finale of the concert, described by Rice-See as the rollicking Till Eulenspiegel-einmal anders!, will be performed by Dawson, Waldecker, Stone, DeBoer and Pearson.
The March 29 performance is free and open to the public. For more information or other MTSU School of Music concerts, please visit mtsumusic.com or call 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.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

[369] MTSU To Host Tennessee Guitar Festival March 21-25

March 17, 2010

MTSU TO HOST TENNESSEE GUITAR FESTIVAL MARCH 21-25

MURFREESBORO—Does watching world-renowned musicians, free, appeal to you? How about supporting Middle Tennessee State University student and faculty members in their growth and education through the performing arts?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, then the eighth annual Tennessee Guitar Festival, which will be held at MTSU March 21-25, is your event.
William Yelverton, an MTSU guitar professor who also is overseeing the festival, said the event is the largest of its kind in Tennessee.
Those who attend will see award-winning musicians who will showcase classical guitar music ranging from the Renaissance all the way up to contemporary, along with the Spanish style of music and dance called flamenco.
Attendees will have the opportunity to sit in on master classes hosted by performers at the festival. MTSU students perform in the master classes for the guest instructors, who then critique their pieces. Master classes also are free and open to the public.
On Sunday, the first night of the festival, performances will begin at 8 p.m. in the Hinton Music Hall of the Wright Music Building. Yelverton will perform alongside Andrea Dawson, MTSU assistant professor of violin; then Roger Hudson, adjunct guitar professor, will finish out the night with Bela Musiqua.
On Monday, March 22, the festival will begin with a master class given by Enric Madriguera, guitar studies director from the University of Texas in Dallas. The class will be held in Room 117 of the Saunders Fine Arts Building from 1:40 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Madriguera also will perform for the first half of the evening concert, which again begins at 8 in Hinton Hall. The Duo Guitano, composed of Bethel University guitar professor Carlos Castilla and Amanda Virelles, a piano professor from Lane College, will perform for the second half of that evening’s concert.
John Knowles, award-winning composer and arranger, and Nicholas Ciraldo, guitar studies director from the University of Southern Mississippi and a winner of the Guitar Foundation of America International Competition, will perform on the festival’s third night on Tuesday, March 23, at 8 p.m. in Hinton Hall.
The fourth day of the festival, Wednesday, March 24, will begin with a master class in Hinton Hall from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. with Ciraldo leading the lesson.
Yelverton said that headliner Jason Vieaux will be the solo performer for Wednesday night’s 8 p.m. concert. After taking first prize in 1992 as the youngest winner of the GFA competition, the virtuoso, with 10 albums to his credit, has played hundreds of concerts across the United States and abroad.
“He’s just played at Lincoln Center, and he has a new CD out with great reviews,” Yelverton said, “He’s become a top American concert guitarist.”
The festival’s last day, March 25, will begin with a master class with Vieaux in SFA Room 207 from 2 to 4 p.m.
MTSU alumnus Silviu Ciulei will kick off the final night’s performances at 8 in Hinton Hall.
The final performance on Thursday, which will also close this year’s festival, will be from the Nashville-based Tequila Flamenco Group, composed of former and current MTSU students Benjamin James Golden, Taylor Lonardo, Tony Hartman, Andrew Haselden and Ciulei.
The group’s technique is inspired by the flamenco musical and dance style that is heavily practiced in Spain. Yelverton said Golden and Ciulei play lively, fervid guitar solos and accompaniments, Hartman brings the Latin percussion to the forefront, Lonardo uses his bass to underlie the harmony, and Haselden adds extra flavor with his piano melodies.
“You get to see all of these concerts for free; it’s a unique opportunity,” Yelverton said. “It’s five nights right in a row. We’re hoping that those who are interested in guitar, even [with] a casual interest, will stop in and see something, quite possibly, they’ve never seen before.”
Yelverton said that the School of Music wants to expand the festival next year to include an international guitar competition where participants could stay in MTSU dorms while participating in the master classes, concerts and competitions.
Funding for the Tennessee Guitar Festival is made possible by grants from the D’Addario Music Foundation, the Arts Builds Communities program, the MTSU Instructional Development Committee, the MTSU Office of Sponsored Programs and the MTSU School of Music.
For more information on the festival or any of the artists, visit www.mtsu.edu/~yelverto/guitfest.html or e-mail Yelverton at yelverto@mtsu.edu.

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[368] Organizers Seek MTSU Student Exhibits for April 7 World Health Day Activities

Release date: March 17, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
World Health Day contact: Cindy Rhea, 615-904-8342 or crhea@mtsu.edu

Organizers Seek MTSU Student Exhibits
for April 7 World Health Day Activities


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Organizers of the April 7 World Health Day event on the MTSU campus are seeking student participation in the form of exhibits.
Cindy Rhea, grants coordinator for the Adams Chair of Excellence/Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU, said the organizers are “targeting all the health-related departments and international programs,” but that exhibits are open to all MTSU students.
“We are looking for student exhibits showcasing world health issues to increase awareness,” Rhea said.
Rhea said the deadline for students to submit their exhibits is Friday, April 2.
Student exhibits on world health topics will be on display from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, in the Keathley University Center lobby.
Dr. Scott Corlew, chief medical officer of Interplast, will deliver a lecture on global health issues from 12:40 until 1:30 p.m. in the State Farm Lecture Hall (Business Aerospace building room S102).

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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.

[367] Lincoln County Farm Joins State's Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2010
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947

LINCOLN COUNTY FARM JOINS STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
109-Year-Old Scott’s Orchard Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)—Scott’s Orchard in Lincoln 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.
Thomas M. Scott Jr. and his wife, Viola A. Scott, founded this farm in 1901, and with their seven children, they raised pecans, fetch, cotton, corn, lespedeza and cattle on their 233 acres. Scott’s Orchard is well known portions of Tennessee, northern Alabama and beyond for its varieties of apples and apple products. The farm’s first crops of apples, sold both wholesale and retail, were produced in 1927 and the original apple barn was constructed about 1930.
The second-generation owners of the farm were Thomas and Viola’s seven children and their spouses. Within two months of their inheritance, Roy L. Scott bought his sibling’s shares to own the entire 233 acres of the family farm. He and wife Martha, along with their two sons, James Larry and Thomas Auburn Scott, raised apples, peaches, cotton, corn, soybeans and cows.
Today, James Larry, Joan Scott, Thomas Auburn and Kay Scott own the farm and established business. On 192 acres of the original farm, as well as another 800-plus acres, they raise not only apples, but also peaches, corn, soybeans, watermelons, pumpkins, tomatoes and peppers.
Additionally, three generations currently live on the farm, including Roy and Martha; Larry and Joan, along with their son, Kevin; and Tommy and Kay.
Will Scott, a student at Lincoln County High School, prepared the Century Farm application for his family.
Scott’s Orchard is the 23rd Century Farm to be certified in Lincoln 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.

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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, 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.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

[366] Suicide Awareness Event Honors Fallen Fraternity Brother

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Edgard Izaguirre, 786-863-3334 or eizag001@gmail.com

SUICIDE AWARENESS EVENT HONORS FALLEN FRATERNITY BROTHER
“Alpha Jam” Features Music, Food, Festivities as Greek Organization Celebrates Life

(MURFREESBORO) – The Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity at MTSU will host its first ever Alpha Jam from 1-6 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, on the lawn in front of the Tom H. Jackson Building to promote mental health awareness and combat suicide rates in the area.
“On Sept. 9, 2009, the Eta Nu chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity lost a beloved brother due to suicide,” says Edgard Izaguirre, the chapter’s public relations officer. Since that moment, the active brothers have worked to honor him.”
Among the musical acts scheduled to perform are James Ryan, Sebastian Garcia, The Compromise, The Falling Trance and The Slow Down. Tickets are $5 each, which includes the concert, food, inflatables, a rock wall and more.
Izaguirre says all proceeds will go directly to “To Write Love on Her Arms,” which is described on its Web site (www.twloha.com) as “a nonprofit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.”
This event is open to the public as well as the campus community, and media are welcomed. For more information, contact Izaguirre at 786-863-3334 or eizag001@gmail.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.

[365] Gibson County Farm Joins Tennessee Century Farms Program

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2010
CONTACT: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947

GIBSON COUNTY FARM JOINS TENNESSEE CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
The Homeplace Recognized for Agricultural Contributions During Its 129-Year History

(MURFREESBORO)—The Homeplace in Gibson 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 1881, Lizza Waddell Moore, along with her sisters, received acreage west of Trenton, Tenn. She and her husband, Charles Henry Claybrook, with their four children, farmed their 178 acres.
In 1925, about 111 acres passed to their son, Clarence Moore Claybrook, and his wife, Allie Dee Harris. With their six children, they raised cows, hogs, cotton and corn.
Since 1986, the great-granddaughter of the founder, Tina Claybrook Smith, has owned 111 acres of her ancestor’s farm. She and husband, Douglas Samuel Smith and their daughters, Carol Anne and Jan Marie, live on the farm and raise cotton, soybeans, wheat and corn.
“With The Homeplace, Gibson County now has 28 certified Century Farms,” Hankins said.

About the Century Farms Program

The Century Farm Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have continuously owned, and kept in production, family land for at least 100 years. Since 1984, the CHP at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s
agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farm Program, and continues to administer this program.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture began the Tennessee Century Farm Program in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Today, the TDA provides a metal outdoor sign, noting either 100, 150 or 200 years of “continuous agricultural production” to Century Farm families.
To be considered for eligibility, a farm must be owned by the same family for at least 100 years; must produce $1,000 revenue annually; must have at least 10 acres of the original farm; and one owner must be a resident of Tennessee.
“The Century Farmers represent all the farm families of Tennessee,” Hankins said, “and their contributions to the economy, and to the social, cultural and agrarian vitality of the state, both past and present, is immeasurable. Each farm is a Tennessee treasure.”
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit its Web site at http://histpres.mtsu.edu/histpres. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted via mail at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or by telephone at 615-898-2947.

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• ATTENTION, MEDIA: To interview the farm’s current 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.

[360] NASA Aims March 27 Workshop for MTSU Students Preparing to Teach Elementary, Middle School

Release date: March 15, 2010

News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
NASA workshop contact: Susan A. Currie, 256-544-3629 or
susan.a.currie@nasa.gov


NASA Aims March 27 Workshop for MTSU Students
Preparing to Teach Elementary, Middle School

(MURFREESBORO, TN) – MTSU students who are preparing to teach elementary or middle school are invited to attend the NASA Pre-Service Teacher Workshop. It will be held from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday, March 27, in Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building Room 109.
The free NASA Education Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Workshop will provide the following:
• NASA-developed curriculum support resources that meet national standards;
• ideas for integration of NASA Education resources and activities into lesson planning and curriculum;
• hands-on, inquiry-based methods for teaching math, science and technology; and
• a stipend for student participants;
To register by Friday, March 19, students should e-mail Dr. Susan A. Currie, a NASA education specialist, with their name, mailing address, phone number, major and indicate they are an MTSU student. Her e-mail is t susan.a.currie@nasa.gov.
For more information, contact Currie at 256-544-3629

###
Media welcomed.

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.

Monday, March 15, 2010

[359] Foote Repeats Outstanding Business Professor Award

Release date: March 15, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Martin Chair of Insurance contact: Dr. Ken Hollman, 615-898-2673
or khollman@mtsu.edu

Foote Repeats Outstanding Business Professor Award
Earns Insurance Fraternity Honor for Second Straight Year

(MURFREESBORO, TN) – Rebecca Foote, an instructor in the MTSU Department of Accounting, has been elected Outstanding Professor in the College of Business in an election sponsored by the insurance fraternity Gamma Iota Sigma.
The award was announced after a vote by students in the Jennings A. Jones College of Business earlier this year.
Every professor in the College of Business was a candidate for the honor, said Dr. Ken Hollman, Martin Chair of Insurance chairholder. All students with a major or minor in the College of Business were eligible to vote, he added.
“A total of 405 votes were cast,” Hollman said, “and Ms. Foote received 30 of them, about 40 percent more than her nearest competitor.”
Foote received the honor for the second straight year.
“Every day in the classroom, I try to convey my belief that it is a privilege for us to be there — teacher and students,” Foote said. “I strive to challenge my students and help them realize that dedication to their educational endeavors will be rewarded. I am truly humbled by this wonderful honor from the students.”
Gamma Iota Sigma gives the award as part of its competition with 45 other chapters across the country, Hollman said, adding that the award is given only at MTSU.
Hollman, adviser to Gamma Iota Sigma, praised Foote.
“Ms. Foote is devoted to the students and her profession,” he said. “She is well-prepared, current in her field and can relate extremely well to today’s student. The students in our fraternity and I feel that naming an outstanding professor each year is a way to provide psychological encouragement to the faculty for doing a good job.”
In a letter of commendation to Foote, Gamma Iota Sigma President Megan Richardson noted that her selection was indicative of a “sincere interest in students and of efforts to provide them with a relevant and contemporary educational experience leading to a career in business. It is an expression of appreciation for service to our college and its student body.”
Foote has been an instructor in the Department of Accounting at MTSU since 2006. She received a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State University and a master’s degree from MTSU. Her husband, David, is an associate professor in the Department of Management and Marketing.

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Notes: To place a request to interview Dr. Rebecca Foote or obtain a high-resolution jpeg photo of her by e-mail, please contact News and Public Affairs’ Randy Weiler at 615-898-5616 or e-mail jweiler@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.


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

[358] Women Celebrate Academic Success During Scholars Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

WOMEN CELEBRATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS DURING SCHOLARS WEEK
Spotlight on Intellectual Acumen, Quest for Knowledge by Women in Higher Ed

(MURFREESBORO) – The Women’s Studies Program will observe MTSU Scholars Week, March 22-26, with presentations around the theme of “Celebrating Women as Scholars.”
“Women often have a higher visibility for their service in the Academy than they do for their scholarship,” says Dr. Newtona “Tina” Johnson, director of the Women’s Studies Program and English professor. “This is the first time women scholars will be highlighted during Scholars Week.”
The Women’s Studies Program and the President’s Commission on the Status of Women will sponsor a roundtable discussion titled “Integrating Women into the Curriculum” from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Monday, March 22, in Room 100 of the James Union Building (JUB).
“The roundtable discussion is a way to encourage faculty members who are interested in developing Women’s Studies courses and other courses that give serious attention to women’s and gender issues to learn about curriculum integration methods and about curriculum integration grants offered by the President’s Commission,” says Johnson.
Members of the Women’s Studies faculty, including Drs. Gloria Hamilton (psychology), Felicia Miyakawa (music), and Jane Marcellus (journalism) will hold a panel discussion on “Women as Scholars” from 4-5 p.m. Tuesday, March 23, in JUB 100.
“We want to show what we do beyond the classroom, especially research, because students need a deeper understanding of that contribution to higher education,” says Miyakawa.
On Wednesday, March 24, it will be the students’ turn to hold their own panel discussion on women and scholarship from 1:15-2:45 p.m. in Room 348 of the Todd Building.
Dr. Jennifer Marchant, assistant professor of English, will speak about “Daring Girls, Sensitive Boys and Everything in Between: Teaching Gender Construction in Children’s Literature,” from 3-4 p.m. Thursday, March 25, in JUB 100. This lecture is the second in the spring 2010 Women’s Studies Research Series.
All “Celebrating Women as Scholars” events are free and open to the public. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@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.

[357] MTSU Baseball Lit Conference Features Ferguson Jenkins

MTSU BASEBALL LIT CONFERENCE FEATURES FERGUSON JENKINS
Hall-of-Fame Hurler Joins Scholars in Celebrating Sport with Written Word

(MURFREESBORO) – Major League Baseball Hall-of-Famer Ferguson Jenkins will deliver the luncheon address at the 15th annual Baseball in Literature and Culture Conference at 12:45 p.m. on Friday, March 26, in the Tennessee Room of MTSU’s James Union Building.
Jenkins, who was enshrined at Cooperstown in 1991, compiled a 284-226 career record between 1965 and 1983 with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.
He won at least 20 games in each of six consecutive seasons he pitched with the Cubs from 1966 to 1972, chalking up 24 victories and the coveted National League Cy Young Award in 1971.
With the Rangers in 1975, Jenkins led the American League in victories with 25, hurled six shutouts and put 29 complete games in the books. In seven of the next eight seasons, he amassed double-digit win totals.
Jenkins is also the author of three books, the latest of which is Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown. He will sign books following his speech and a brief question-and-answer session in the Tennessee Room.
James Carothers, professor of English at the University of Kansas, will deliver the keynote address titled “Baseball Facts and Baseball Fictions” at 8:30 a.m. also in the Tennessee Room.
A St. Louis native who grew up admiring the Cardinals and their slugger, Stan “the Man” Musial, Carothers has taught a class titled “The Literature of Baseball” at Kansas since 1974. He has lectured widely on baseball, and his comments on baseball books have been included in both editions of the Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract.
The day-long conference, which is sponsored by the MTSU Department of English, will include presentations by baseball scholars on numerous topics, including “Baseball and Dating;” “Envisioning the Baseball Intellectual;” “Umpiring as Principled Negotiation?;” “The Marriage of Radio and Baseball, 1930-1960;” “Logic and Mysticism in the Philosophy of American Baseball;” and “Jackie Robinson, Richard Nixon and the Politics of Race.”

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“The game lends itself to a lot of literary themes like coming of age, tragedy, redemption, the journey homeward, the passage of the seasons and the corresponding of the baseball game with the cycles of life,” says Dr. Warren Tormey, English professor and conference organizer. “The game does that. We can’t take credit for that. It’s in the game, and we just try to create this forum for people to present various versions of that story.”
Dr. Pete Carino originated the conference at Indiana State University in Terre Haute in 1995. Tormey and two other MTSU professors, Dr. Ron Kates and Dr. Crosby Hunt, were regular attendees starting in 2000.
“After 10 years of service as conference organizer, Pete Carino was looking for some help,” says Tormey. “With our regular participation, it made sense to move the conference to Murfreesboro.” The first Murfreesboro conference was in 2006.
“We attract fiction writers, essayists, bloggers, historians, people who study media and the business of sports, literary scholars—we’ve got a nice field,” says Tormey.
Baseball players who have addressed the conference in the past include Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Denny McLain, Orestes Destrade and last year’s luncheon speaker, Jim “Mud Cat” Grant.
Breakfast, lunch and the conference program are included in the registration fee of $70, which is payable by check or money order in advance or on the day of the conference. Advance payments must be mailed to Connie Huddleston, Baseball Conference, MTSU Box 97, 1301 E. Main St., Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132.
For more logistical information, contact Huddleston at 615-494-7628 or chudd@mtsu.edu. For scheduling or agenda questions, contact Tormey at tormey@mtsu.edu or Dr. Ron Kates at rkates@mtsu.edu.


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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color jpeg of Ferguson Jenkins, 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.

[356] Classroom Project Spotlights Multicultural MTSU Campus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 11, 2010
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

CLASSROOM PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS MULTICULTURAL MTSU CAMPUS
Women Students, Faculty, Staff Express Themselves in Videotaped Interviews

(MURFREESBORO) – Students in an MTSU Women’s Studies class are putting what they learn into action with “Multicultural Women’s Voices,” a video of women in the campus community voicing their views about gender, race, ethnicity and other cultural issues, which will be shown from 11:20 a.m.--12:45 p.m. Thursday, March 18, in Room 307 of Peck Hall.
The thematic frames for the discussion include gender socialization, ethnic/racial minority experiences, diverse family structures and empowerment strategies for women, says Dr. Newtona “Tina” Johnson, director of the Women’s Studies Program and instructor of the Multicultural Women’s Voices class.
“Often we shed light on the external community, but we forget that MTSU is a community in itself,” says Johnson. “So we thought it was important to provide a platform for women on campus to offer their perspectives on issues that are important to them.”
The students taped interviews with several MTSU women students, faculty and staffers from a variety of racial, ethnic, national, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Johnson says each of the 11 members of the class contributed to the project.
“Collaborative learning is an important part of feminist pedagogy, so it was important for everyone to be involved,” says Johnson.
The viewing of the video, which is a National Women’s History Month event, is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Johnson at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@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.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

[354] 2nd Ag Career Day Set March 17 at MTSU in Stark Building

Release date: March 11, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Career center contact: Nicole Green, 615-494-8797 or kngreen@mtsu.edu
Agribusiness/agriscience contact: Dr. Warren Gill, 615-898-2523 or wgill@mtsu.edu

2nd Ag Career Day Set March 17 at MTSU in Stark Building


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – The second Ag Career Day for MTSU agribusiness and agriscience students and alumni will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 17, in the Stark Agricultural Building on campus.
Farm Credit Services, Kroger Manufacturing, the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative and U.S. Department of Agriculture are among the corporate vendors participating.
The graduate programs at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Tennessee State University in Nashville also will have recruiters at the career fair.
Prospective employers will be recruiting from all three majors and concentrations (agricultural business, plant and soil science and animal science) as well as for internships and grad school opportunities, said Nicole Green, career coordinator for the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.
Professional attire is encouraged and students and alumni should bring updated copies of their resume and “be ready to impress our visitors,” said Dr. Warren Gill, who is department chair.
Gill said that in addition to ag students and alumni, other MTSU students are welcome to attend.
“We want every student to learn more about the world of modern agriculture,” Gill said before adding one of his life’s truths: “As long as people eat or wear clothes, agriculture will offer rewarding careers.”
The Student Agriculture Council, the School of Agribusiness and Agriscience staff and faculty, and the MTSU Career Development Center are sponsoring the MTSU Ag Career Day.
For more information, contact Green by calling 615-494-8797, e-mail her at kngreen@mtsu.edu, or contact Gill by calling 615-898-2523 or e-mail him at wgill@mtsu.edu.



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Media welcomed.

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.

[355] MTSU To Host Forum For State Gubernatorial Candidates April 29

March 11, 2010
CONTACT: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919

MTSU TO HOST FORUM FOR STATE GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES APRIL 29

MURFREESBORO—Middle Tennessee State University, in cooperation with the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, will play host to a gubernatorial forum Thursday, April 29. The program will begin promptly at 7 p.m. in the university’s Murphy Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
The free public event is being underwritten, in part, by Farmers Insurance Group. John Seigenthaler, chairman emeritus of The Tennessean and holder of MTSU’s Chair of Excellence in First Amendment Studies, will be the forum moderator. Participants will respond to prepared questions on a broad range of timely issues.
Tennessee’s gubernatorial primary will be held on Thursday, Aug. 5; the general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 2.
“MTSU is pleased to host a forum initiated by Farmers Insurance Group that will help inform the public on the issues in Tennessee that affect all of us,” stated Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president. “It is important that we hear from those candidates who aspire to become the chief executive of our state. We welcome and encourage our students, faculty, staff and entire community to participate.”
Farmers Insurance Group offered to partner with the university to provide an opportunity for Tennesseans to hear from the candidates for the 2010 governor’s race. Farmers officials noted that this is the company’s first such partnership with a university.
"Farmers is proud to help support this governors’ forum with Middle Tennessee State University,” noted Betsy Nealon, state executive director for Farmers Insurance Tennessee. “Tennessee's future is bright, and one of the candidates in the forum will be the next leader of our state. We are happy that the students and public will get to hear their views on the needs of Tennessee.”
As a plus for MTSU, the College of Mass Communication will provide a satellite feed to any TV station that would like to broadcast the complete forum program for their viewers.
Each forum guest will need a ticket to be admitted. Free tickets will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, starting with MTSU students, followed by faculty, staff and the general public. MTSU students with valid IDs can pick up tickets beginning March 22. All other university personnel and the general public may pick up tickets beginning April 5.
Tickets should be picked up in advance at the MTSU Ticket Office, located at Gate 1A at Floyd Stadium on Faulkinberry Drive. For all ticket and general information, call the MTSU Ticket Office at 1-888-YES-MTSU (1-888-937-6878).
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TO MEDIA: You will be receiving separate information next week regarding the satellite feed, credentialing, access to Murphy Center, and other information. TT

[353] MTSU Closed March 12 for University Holiday

mtsunews.com


Release date: March 11, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu


MTSU Closed March 12 for University Holiday


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – MTSU will be closed Friday, March 12, for a university holiday, school officials said recently.
All offices and academic departments will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday, March 15.
After students and faculty return from spring break, classes will resume Monday.
The James E. Walker Library, Phillips Bookstore, Keathley University Center, James Union Building and MT ARAMARK Food Services) will return to their regular hours of operation on Monday, as will the Health, Wellness and Recreation Center.


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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.

[352] MTSU News Release: MTSU Campus Rec to Showcase Clean, Green Workout Machines on St. Patrick's Day

Release date: March 11, 2010


News & Public Affairs contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Campus Rec contact: Jenny Crouch, 615-904-8472 or jcrouch@mtsu.edu

MTSU Campus Rec to Showcase Clean, Green
Workout Machines on St. Patrick’s Day


(MURFREESBORO, TN) – MTSU is definitely going green, and clean, on St. Patrick’s Day and beyond.
Funds generated by the $8-per-student Clean Energy fee each semester are helping MTSU become the first university and recreation facility in Tennessee to use a system that converts human energy into a usable form of renewable energy.
Since Feb. 19, students, faculty and staff have been using five Precor USA elliptical workout machines to generate clean energy and electricity in MTSU’s Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center.
On Wednesday, March 17, at 3 p.m., Campus Recreation officials will showcase the going-green concept in a special presentation to the eight-member Clean Energy Committee and other campus officials, including Drs. Deb Sells and Gene Fitch, the respective leaders of Student Affairs and Student Life.
With regular use, an elliptical machine using ReRev technology will generate one kilowatt hour of electricity every two days, according to documents provided by the company. That’s the same energy it takes to power a laptop for 24 hours or a vacuum cleaner for 45 minutes.
Using $30,000 from the Clean Energy grant and $6,650 from the Campus Rec budget, MTSU purchased the ReRev system for $36,650, Campus Rec officials said.
Jenny Crouch, Campus Rec marketing and accessibility coordinator, said she is hopeful that a representative from Florida-based ReRev, would attend the event and explain the technology.
MTSU and the universities of Florida, Oregon, Nebraska, Kentucky and Kansas, along with at least five other U.S. universities, are part of a higher-education trend to go green in recreation facilities. Texas State University at San Marcos is taking the greenest route with the purchase of 30 machines in December.

###
Media welcomed.

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.