Thursday, March 31, 2011

[388] MTSU Off-Campus Housing Fair Broadens Students' Choices

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Valerie Avent, 615-898-5989, vavent@mtsu.edu

MTSU OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING FAIR BROADENS STUDENTS’ CHOICES
Local Apartment Complexes, Rental Furniture Company Reps to Answer Questions

(MURFREESBORO) – MTSU students who are considering living off-campus will have access to a wealth of information at the 2011 Off-Campus Housing Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, on the Keathley University Center knoll.
“We encourage our students to attend because it will simplify and expedite plans for their off-campus housing arrangements,” said Valerie Avent, assistant director of the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students.
The housing properties slated to send representatives include Alder Terrace, Chelsea Place, College Grove, University Gables, The Woods at Greenland, Raiders Crossing, Victoria Place, Campus Crossings and University Ridge. In addition, CORT, a furniture renter that also offers relocation services, will provide information.
This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Avent at 615-898-5989 or vavent@mtsu.edu.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[387] VSA Tennessee Celebrates Ten Years Promoting Creativity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Lori Kissinger, 615-826-5252, userk7706@comcast.net

VSA TENNESSEE CELEBRATES TEN YEARS PROMOTING CREATIVITY
Song, Dance, Artwork Show Disabilities Need Not Inhibit Personal Expressiveness

(MURFREESBORO) – Former “American Idol” competitor Scott MacIntyre is scheduled to lead a lineup of talented entertainers helping VSA Tennessee celebrate its 10th anniversary at a 7 p.m. performance Tuesday, April 12, at the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall in Nashville.
The 7 p.m. event will be the culmination of a daylong appreciation of VSA Tennessee, the state organization on arts and disability.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance by calling The Arc of Tennessee at 615-248-4878 or at the door.
MacIntyre, a national VSA Young Soloist winner and a top 10 finalist in the 2009 “American Idol” competition, was “Idol’s” first blind finalist. His latest CD, “Heartstrings,” debuted at #15 on the iTunes Pop Album Chart.
A summa cum laude baccalaureate graduate of Arizona State University at age 19, MacIntrye earned his master’s degree at Royal Holloway, University of London and the Royal College of Music.
Other entertainers slated to perform in the 7 p.m. event include 2010 ICM New Artist of the Year and former national VSA Young Soloist winner Laura Dodd; 2011 Tennessee VSA Young Soloist winners Lake Rise Place; internationally known storyteller Estelle Condra; and country music singer J.P. Williams.
The day’s events will start at 9:30 a.m. with hands-on activities with musical instruments, as well as theater, art and dance activities for special education students, followed by an 11 a.m. performance for students.
In addition there will be four art exhibits created by children with disabilities representing various workshops recently offered by VSA Tennessee.
At 1 p.m., the Nashville Symphony will lead a workshop connecting the arts to core concepts of literacy.
The hands-on opportunities will open again for the general public with art activities at 5:30 p.m. and a multifaceted performance at 7 p.m.
“Over the past 10 years, VSA Tennessee has worked tirelessly to bring the arts to all people and to celebrate the abilities of all people,” said VSA Tennessee Executive Director Lori Kissinger. “The arts are an investment in the education of our children, the economy and the lasting imprint that our society leaves as a record for generations to come.”

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Coinciding with MTSU’s 100th anniversary year, the VSA Tennessee celebration is especially meaningful as the University served as a “fiscal agent” for the organization in its inaugural year, enabling it to survive until it could obtain 501(c)3 tax-exempt status.
Kissinger, who teaches organizational communication at MTSU, says students from her class are coordinating logistics, public relations and volunteers. Other MTSU contributors include Omega Phi Alpha, Golden Key Club, the Department of Human Sciences, and faculty members from organizational communication and communication disorders.
Sponsors for VSA Tennessee’s 10th anniversary celebration include the National Endowment for the Arts, VSA’s national offices, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the National Arts and Disability Center at the University of California-Los Angeles, the Memorial Foundation, Publix Supermarket Charities, First Tennessee Bank, Ozburn-Hessey Logistics, CVS/Caremark and Harman.
For more information, contact Kissinger at 615-826-5252 or userk7706@comcast.net.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[386] Stones River Chamber Players Celebrate MTSU Centennial April 4

STONES RIVER CHAMBER PLAYERS CELEBRATE MTSU CENTENNIAL APRIL 4
‘Happy Birthday, MTSU!’ to Feature Works by Faculty, Alumni

FOR RELEASE: March 30, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493, tmusselm@mtsu.edu

MURFREESBORO—The Stones River Chamber Players will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of MTSU in the final concert of its 2010-11 season, “Happy Birthday, MTSU!”, on Monday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.
The ensemble-in-residence at MTSU will feature musical works by MTSU faculty and graduates in the free public program, which will be held in the T. Earl Hinton Hall in the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
First on the program will be “The Sayings of Yogi Berra” by MTSU faculty guitarist Roger Hudson. Professor Dina Cancryn, soprano, will perform the piece with Dr. William Yelverton and Hudson on guitars.
“The whimsical texts of the flamboyant Yankees star are certain to catch the imagination both of sports and music fans,” said Dr. Lynn Rice-See, coordinator of keyboard studies at MTSU and co-director of the SRCP.
A composition by MTSU alumnus Christopher Hallum, “Meditation on a Hymn Tune by W. H. Sims,” is the second piece in the program and includes a melody composed by Hallum’s great-grandfather, Rice-See said.
“The work uses as its basis a fragment of a tune called ‘Charles,’ composed to honor [Sims’] two sons-in-law, both named Charles,” explained Hallum, now a graduate student in composition at the University of Texas.
“The piece, apparently simple, subtly uses a number of sophisticated contrapuntal devices,” added Rice-See, who will be the pianist on the work and will be joined by Professors Andrea Dawson on violin and Angela DeBoer on horn and Henry Haffner, an adjunct professor of music at New College Franklin and Lexington (Ky.) Philharmonic and Nashville Symphony Orchestras performer, on viola.
Ken Davies, another MTSU alumnus, will be represented by “Three Pieces for Bass Trombone and Piano” in the SRCP performance. Davies, who earned a graduate degree in composition at the University of Colorado after his study at MTSU, now lives on the Gulf Coast.
“This work won first prize in the 2009 Eastern Trombone Workshop Trombone Composition Competition,” said Dr. David Loucky, MTSU professor of trombone. “The third movement alternates ragtime and funk feels.”
Loucky and MTSU pianist and adjunct professor Sandra Arndt will perform Davies’ work.
Dawson, DeBoer and Rice-See will premiere a new work, “Smoky Mountain Autumn,” by Dr. Paul Osterfield, professor of music composition and theory at MTSU.
“This three-movement work creatively weaves aspects of Appalachian indigenous music into a very contemporary harmonic idiom,” Rice-See said.
MTSU wind faculty members Deanna Little (flute), Todd Waldecker (clarinet) and Maya Stone (bassoon) will perform another premiere work for the SRCP performance, this one by faculty composer Dr. Spencer Lambright.
"Lambright's ‘Trio’ is a work indicative of his style of writing, which focuses on texture, timbre and the use of silence,” Stone said. “As in his other pieces, Lambright once again is successful in creating a work that inspires imagination.”
The celebration’s finale will unite jazz-faculty trumpeter Jamey Simmons with his brass quintet—DeBoer, Loucky, trumpeter Dr. Michael Arndt, and music-performance graduate student and tubist Andrew Noble—for “Fantasy on a Theme” by John Coltrane.
“The theme permeates the work in a way that involves a synergy between the traditional jazz idiom and contemporary brass techniques,” DeBoer said.
The April 4 performance is free and open to the public. For more information on this and other concerts in the MTSU School of Music, call 615-898-2493 or click on the “Concert Calendar” link at www.mtsumusic.com.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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IN BRIEF: The Stones River Chamber Players will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of MTSU in the final concert of its 2010-11 season, “Happy Birthday, MTSU!”, on Monday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m. The ensemble-in-residence at MTSU will feature musical works by MTSU faculty and graduates in the free public program, which will be held in the T. Earl Hinton Hall in the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus. For more information on this and other concerts in the MTSU School of Music, call 615-898-2493 or click on the “Concert Calendar” link at www.mtsumusic.com.

For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

[385] National Nutrition Month Features Offerings for MTSU Students

Release date: March 29, 2011

News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Health Promotion contact: Lisa T. Schrader, 615-494-8704 or thomason@mtsu.edu

National Nutrition Month Features Offerings for MTSU Students

(MURFREESBORO) — March is National Nutrition Month, and members of the Raider Health Corps are pleased to offer the following programs to help students make positive changes to their diets. Attendance verification will be provided at all events.

Tuesday, March 29
Ask a Dietitian
Business and Aerospace S272, 4:45 to 5:30 p.m.

Do you have questions about your diet or about healthy eating? Confused by the mixed messages that come from the media? This is your chance to pose those questions to an expert. Ask Mary Belle Hunter, Student Health Services dietician, how you can make improvements to your diet during your time in school and beyond.

Wednesday, March 30
Mission Possible! Healthy Cooking for College Students
Ellington Human Sciences 107, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.

Come to this cooking demonstration and see firsthand how preparing healthy meals and snacks does not have to be difficult, time-consuming or tasteless. Members of the Raider Health Corps will prepare multiple items before your eyes and allow you to taste everything that is prepared. Recipes and nutritional information will be available for all items.

Thursday, March 31
Recipe for Success
Business and Aerospace S272, 5 to 6 p.m.

Eating well in college with no time and no money can be a challenge. Attend this presentation by members of the Raider Health Corps and learn some strategies that will improve your diet and overall health. Learn about the calorie contents of popular food items and how you can make healthy choices even when eating fast food. Presenters will even take you on a virtual tour of the grocery store to demonstrate how you can maximize the nutritional bang for your buck.

For more information, call 615-494-8704 or go online to mtsu.edu/healthpro or facebook.com/mthealthpromotion.
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Media welcomed.

In Brief

MTSU students can learn how to make better, more positive diet choices by attending MTSU Health Promotion-sponsored National Nutrition Month events today through Thursday on campus. Topics range from “Ask a Dietitian” today to “Mission Possible! Healthy Cooking for College Students” Wednesday to “Recipe for Success” on Thursday. For more information, call 615-494-8704.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[384] Tucker to Speak Wednesday at Oaklands for MTSU

Release date: March 28, 2011

News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Human Sciences contact: Deborah Belcher, 615-898-2302 or dbelcher@mtsu.edu

Tucker to Speak Wednesday at Oaklands for MTSU
Interior Design Student Chapter’s 2011 Lecture Series

(MURFREESBORO) — The MTSU Student Chapter of the American Society of Interior Design and International Interior Design Association’s 2011 Lecture Series will feature guest speaker Lisa Tucker for a reception and talk at Oaklands Historic House Museum.
Tucker, a member of ASID, the American Institute of Architects, other organizations and a Virginia Tech faculty member, will present the lecture at 6:30 p.m. following the reception starting at 5 p.m. at Oaklands, 900 N. Maney Ave.
The event is free and open to the public.
Tucker is a Virginia-certified interior designer and licensed architect with more than 20 years of design practice experience. She has been teaching interior design for a number of years and is full-time faculty for Virginia Tech’s program, which is accredited from the Council for Interior Design Accreditation.
The guest speaker earned her bachelor’s in architecture and master’s in architectural history from the University of Virginia, and doctorate from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Her work focuses on the relationship between historic preservation and sustainability, she said.

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Media welcomed.

Note: To obtain a color jpeg of Lisa Tucker, please call 615-898-5616.

In Brief

Noted interior design and architectural expert and Virginia Tech faculty member Lisa Tucker will speak at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at Oaklands Historic House Museum as part of the MTSU Student Chapter of the American Society of Interior Design and International Interior Design Association’s 2011 Lecture Series. The event is free and open to the public. Oaklands is located at 900 N. Maney Ave. A 5 p.m. reception kicks off the event.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[383] Mass-Communication Scholar Named as New MTSU Vice Provost

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 28, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385, gfann@mtsu.edu

MASS-COMMUNICATION SCHOLAR NAMED AS NEW MTSU VICE PROVOST
Omachonu Brings International Experience, Administrative Expertise to Post

(MURFREESBORO)–Dr. John Omachonu will become vice provost for academic affairs at Middle Tennessee State University with the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, officials announced.

University Provost Dr. Brad Bartel said he is “delighted” that Omachonu has been appointed to the permanent post.

“Dr. Omachonu has truly proven that he is an all-University leader during his time as interim vice provost,” Bartel said. “He has been very devoted to critical issues, including diversity. I look forward to his having a long relationship with the University community in his new position.”

Omachonu, who was chosen following a nationwide search, has served as interim vice provost since July 2010. His responsibilities have included diversity and international-education issues.

“This position is a unique opportunity for me to serve the University community by assisting the University Provost in accomplishing the academic mission of the institution,” Omachonu said.

A veteran of more than 20 years of international-broadcasting experience and 20 years of college teaching, Omachonu joined MTSU’s College of Mass Communication in July 2004 as associate dean and professor of electronic media communication. From October 2007 to September 2008, he served as the college’s interim dean while a search was under way for a new dean.

Omachonu was selected for the 2009-10 class of the American Council on Education Fellows Program, which identifies promising faculty and administrators and prepares them for leadership roles in higher education administration.

His career also includes stints as associate professor and chairman of the Department of Communication at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J., from 2000 to 2004 and associate professor and chairman of the Department of Mass Communications at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Ga.

Omachonu earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s and doctoral degrees in mass communications from Howard University. His postdoctoral administrative fellowships include the Freedom Forum’s Leadership Institute for Journalism & Mass Communication Administrators, the Journalism and Mass Communication Leadership Institute for Diversity and the Management Development Program at Harvard University.

His wife, Dr. Florence Omachonu, is a professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. They are the parents of four children.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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IN BRIEF: Dr. John Omachonu will become vice provost for academic affairs at Middle Tennessee State University with the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, officials announced. Omachonu, who was chosen following a nationwide search, has served as interim vice provost since July 2010. His responsibilities have included diversity and international-education issues. A veteran of more than 20 years of international broadcasting experience and 15 years of college teaching, Omachonu joined MTSU’s College of Mass Communication in July 2004 as associate dean and professor of electronic media communication.

For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color JPEG of Dr. Omachonu, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Media Relations via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!

[382] Local Screening Set For Documentary on Nobel Laureate

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 28, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

LOCAL SCREENING SET FOR DOCUMENTARY ON NOBEL LAUREATE
“To Catch a Dollar” Chronicles Former MTSU Economist Muhammad Yunus’ Work
(MURFREESBORO) – “To Catch a Dollar: Muhammad Yunus Banks on America,” a documentary about the work of a former MTSU professor, will be shown once only at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 31, at Carmike Wynnsong 16, 2626 Cason Square Blvd. in Murfreesboro.
The two-hour, 10-minute film from producer/director Gayle Ferraro will examine how microfinancing is working in the United States. Microfinancing as a means of lifting people out of poverty and helping to alleviate other social problems is the focus of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who taught economics at MTSU from 1969 to 1972.
Yunus and Grameen Bank, which he founded in Bangladesh’s capital city of Dhaka, were awarded the Nobel jointly in 2006 for the institutionalization of microcredit. The practice of awarding low-interest loans to millions of people with little or no collateral is hailed as a means of helping to lift people in developing nations out of poverty. In recent years, Yunus also has stressed the concept of a “social business,” a no-loss, no-dividend private enterprise dedicated to public welfare.
“It is a very powerful movie,” says Dr. Kiyoshi Kawahito, professor emeritus of economics and finance and founder of the Yunus Program at MTSU. “I know so because I saw the semi-finished version last November at the Global Social Business Summit in Germany.”
This movie will include a panel discussion featuring Yunus; financial guru Suze Orman, host of “The Suze Orman Show” on CNBC; and Kiva.org President Premal Shah. The panel moderator will be CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo.
In addition, various celebrities, including actors Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon and Robert DeNiro and record label executive Russell Simmons, will lend words of support for the creation of a Grameen America bank that will promote microcredit and social businesses in the U.S.
“To Catch a Dollar” was screened for the first time at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. Murfreesboro’s Carmike Cinema is one of more than 250 theaters in the United States screening it. Admission is $9.50 for adults, $7.00 for seniors and college students and $6.75 for children.
For more information, contact Kawahito at 615-898-5751 or kawahito@mtsu.edu, or call Carmike Wynnsong at 615-893-2253.
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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[381] MTSU Scholars Week - Media Invited

March 28, 2011

MTSU Scholars Week-Media Invited

Scholars Week at Middle Tennessee State University will be held from April 4 through 8 at various locations on campus. Each college will be featured on a specific day. We wanted to share with your writers the days and suggested best times that specific colleges and students will display their research.

You are certainly invited to come any and all days to the MTSU campus to speak to faculty and students in several disciplines.

Parking: There are two spaces reserved for media outside the News and Media Relations Office. If you plan to come, please call us so that we can help you find us—615-898-2919.

For a complete schedule of Scholars Week, visit http://bit.ly/MTScholarsWeek11.
Also visit www.mtsunews.com for the story in the latest issue of The Record.
Some suggested times to visit Scholars Week are below. Please call the college main office for more specific information.

COLLEGE OF BUSINESS: (615-898-2764)
Monday, April 4: 1:30-3:00 p.m. Business and Aerospace Building (posters and displays)

COLLEGE OF BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCES: (615-898-2613)
Tuesday, April 5: 11a.m. to 1 p.m.: KUC Knoll outside demos (experimental vehicles)

COLLEGE OF BEHAVIORAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: (615-898-2900)
Tuesday, April 5: 4:30-6 P.M.: Tom Jackson Building “Meet Your Research Partner”

COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS (615-898-2534)
Wednesday, April 6: 1:30-3:00: Tom Jackson Building (presentations and performances)

COLLEGE OF MASS COMMUNICATION (615-898-5171)
Thursday, April 7: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Posters in the atrium of Mass Comm Building
Friday, April 8: 12:45 to 2:45 p.m., Murphy Center (songwriters activities)

UNIVERSITYWIDE EXPOSITION
Friday, April 8, 12:40-2:45 p.m. Murphy Center track area (culmination of the week)

Friday, March 25, 2011

[379] 'Dr. G' Plans April 12 Forensic-Pathology Lecture In MTSU's Murphy Center

‘DR. G’ PLANS APRIL 12 FORENSIC-PATHOLOGY LECTURE IN MTSU’S MURPHY CENTER
Discovery Health Channel Star’s Appearance is Free, Open to Public

FOR RELEASE: March 25, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Forensic Institute for Research and Education at MTSU, 615-494-7713

(MURFREESBORO)—Dr. Jan Garavaglia, focus of The Discovery Health Channel’s “Dr. G: Medical Examiner” show and a renowned forensic pathologist, will visit MTSU on Tuesday, April 12, as the featured 2011 speaker of the William M. Bass Legends in Forensic Science Lectureship.

Sponsored by the university’s Forensic Institute for Research and Education, the lecture series brings respected lecturers in forensic science to MTSU each fall and spring, said Dr. Hugh Berryman, FIRE director.
Garavaglia, more commonly known as “Dr. G” thanks to her show’s popularity, will deliver her free public lecture, “Forensic Pathology: Fact and Fiction,” at 7 p.m. in Murphy Center.

She is the chief medical examiner for the District Nine (Orange-Osceola) Medical Examiner's Office in Florida.

A graduate of the St. Louis University School of Medicine, Garavaglia completed her fellowship in forensic pathology at the Dade County Medical Examiner's Office in Miami, Fla., and obtained certification by the American Board of Pathology in combined anatomic and clinical pathology and by the American Board of Pathology in forensic pathology.

Garavaglia is a member of the National Association of Medical Examiners and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and is the recipient of the Hidalgo Award, presented by the Bexar County Commissioners Court in Texas for "outstanding work assisting agencies and providing forensic science services during a multijurisdictional capital murder investigation."

Before joining the office in Florida, Garavaglia was a medical examiner at the Bexar County Forensic Science Center in San Antonio, Texas, for 10 years. While there, she also served as a clinical assistant professor for the department of pathology at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and as a member of their Graduate Faculty Council for the Graduate School of Biomedical Science. She has also worked as a medical examiner in Jacksonville, Florida and the metropolitan Atlanta area.

Garavaglia has made numerous appearances and presentations and has been published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences and The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. Her show, now in its seventh season, won an International Health and Medical Media award in 2008 for “Best Health Series.”

Among her prominent criminal investigations are the “Morning Glory Funeral Home” case in Jacksonville, Fla., where bodies were improperly handled and buried at a mortuary, and the Caylee Anthony child-homicide case. She’s also the author of How Not to Die, which educates readers to prevent premature—and avoidable—death.

In addition to FIRE, Garavaglia’s campus visit is sponsored by the MTSU Distinguished Lectures Committee; the College of Liberal Arts; the College of Basic and Applied Sciences; MTSU’s sociology and anthropology, biology and criminal-justice departments; and Phillips Bookstore.

For more information on the April 12 lecture, please contact the FIRE offices at 615-494-7713.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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IN BRIEF: Dr. Jan Garavaglia, focus of The Discovery Health Channel’s “Dr. G: Medical Examiner” show and a renowned forensic pathologist, will visit MTSU on Tuesday, April 12, as the featured 2011 speaker of the William M. Bass Legends in Forensic Science Lectureship. Garavaglia, author of How Not to Die and more commonly known as “Dr. G” thanks to her show’s popularity, will deliver her free public lecture, “Forensic Pathology: Fact and Fiction,” at 7 p.m. in Murphy Center. For more information on the April 12 lecture, please contact the FIRE offices at 615-494-7713.

For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color JPEG of Dr. Garavaglia or her book cover, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Media Relations via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!

[378] New MTSU Saudi Students Association Plans April 8 Informational Event

NEW MTSU SAUDI STUDENTS ASSOCIATION PLANS APRIL 8 INFORMATIONAL EVENT
Free Public Gathering in JUB Aims to ‘Build the Bridges,’ Organizer Says

FOR RELEASE: March 25, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Abdullah Alkobraish, Ssa.mtsu@gmail.com

(MURFREESBORO)—MTSU’s new Saudi Students Association will serve as host for a special campus event, “Building Bridges,” on Friday, April 8, to encourage cultural awareness.
The free public gathering, set from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building, features a keynote address from Patrick Ryan, president of the Tennessee World Affairs Council and past president of the Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club, on Saudi Arabia’s history and the Saudi-U.S. relationship.
Also included on the agenda are a photography gallery; discussions on Saudi women, the nation’s tourism, economy and foreign investments; entertainment and traditional dancing; and an exhibit and demonstration of the art of henna painting.
“The purpose of this club is to organize, promote and support activities that allow an exchange of cultural, social and sports activities between all its members, the campus and city communities,” said Abdullah Alkobraish, an MTSU graduate student currently working toward his master’s degree in business administration and a native of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who is co-founder and president of the new organization.
“The Saudi Students Association wants to help orient the new Saudi students at Middle Tennessee State University and at the English Language School to American culture. In addition, we will serve the Murfreesboro community. We also would like to open our doors for communication and dialogue in order to have a better understanding of each other. We hope our friends here in town will help us to build the bridges and find solid ground for a peaceful world.”
The group is encouraging MTSU faculty and staff members to attend the event and to bring their students to learn more about Saudi Arabia, Alkobraish said.
For more information about the event, contact Alkobraish at Ssa.mtsu@gmail.com.

Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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IN BRIEF: MTSU’s new Saudi Students Association will serve as host for a special campus event, “Building Bridges,” on Friday, April 8, to encourage cultural awareness. The free public gathering, set from 12:30 to 4 p.m. in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building, features a keynote address from Patrick Ryan, president of the Tennessee World Affairs Council and past president of the Cookeville Breakfast Rotary Club, on Saudi Arabia’s history and the Saudi-U.S. relationship. Also included on the agenda are a photography gallery; discussions on Saudi women, the nation’s tourism, economy and foreign investments; entertainment and traditional dancing; and an exhibit and demonstration of the art of henna painting. For more information about the event, contact Abdullah Alkobraish at Ssa.mtsu@gmail.com.

For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color JPEG of the SSA logo, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Media Relations via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!

[377] Struggles In Foster-Care System Are April 4 MTSU Lecture Topic

STRUGGLES IN FOSTER-CARE SYSTEM ARE APRIL 4 MTSU LECTURE TOPIC
Resilience is Key to Overcoming Challenges, Guest Professor Says

FOR RELEASE: March 25, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Dr. Jo Edwards, 615-898-2905

(MURFREESBORO)—Montreat College professor Dr. Paul Owen will discuss his book, The Long Winter: One Man’s Journey Through the Darkness of Foster Care, on Monday, April 4, as part of MTSU’s Distinguished Lecture Series.
Owen’s free public lecture is scheduled from 3 to 4 p.m. April 4 in Rooms 109/111 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building on campus. A reception is planned in the CKNB lobby after the presentation, and copies of Owen’s book will be available.
Owen is a professor of Greek and Bible studies at Montreat, which is located just outside Asheville, N.C., at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
His book details his journey as an orphan through seven foster homes across three states and reveals that despite many challenges, he was able to get an education, even completing his graduate work abroad in Scotland. His story encourages resilience as he explains how ordinary people can overcome difficult challenges.
The lecture is sponsored by MTSU’s Division of Student Affairs and the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Fund, the Adams Chair of Excellence in Health Care Services, the Center for Health and Human Services, the MTSU Department of Social Work and the Tennessee Center for Child Welfare.
Visitors planning to attend Owen’s free lecture should park in the large MTSU lot east of Rutherford Boulevard and ride the Raider Xpress shuttle to the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building to avoid traffic congestion caused by construction in the area.
For more information on the Owen lecture, contact Dr. Jo Edwards at the CHHS at 615-898-2905.

Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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IN BRIEF: Montreat College professor Dr. Paul Owen will discuss his book, The Long Winter: One Man’s Journey Through the Darkness of Foster Care, on Monday, April 4, as part of MTSU’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Owen’s free public lecture is scheduled from 3 to 4 p.m. April 4 in Rooms 109/111 of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building on campus. For more information, contact Dr. Jo Edwards at the Center for Health and Human Services at 615-898-2905.

For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color JPEG of Dr. Owen, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Media Relations via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!

[376] Sports Anchor Records National Program At MTSU Studio

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

SPORTS ANCHOR RECORDS NATIONAL PROGRAM AT MTSU STUDIO
Student Sarah Fryar, MTSU Crew Produce “Athlon Sports Weekly Update”

(MURFREESBORO) – Each time Sarah Fryar takes to the airwaves, she reaffirms the value of hands-on experience by students preparing for challenging, fast-paced careers. The senior from McMinnville is the anchor for “Athlon Sports Weekly Update,” which is recorded at Middle Tennessee State University.
The short recap of the week’s top sports stories was launched in October in conjunction with the debut of Athlon Sports inserts, which are now featured in nearly 500 newspapers across the country.
Nashville-based Athlon is best known for its seasonal preview magazines of professional and major college sports that are sold at newsstands nationwide. The company’s game plan for “Weekly Update” is to offer the video to the nearly 500 newspapers that carry Athlon Sports, enabling the local publications to have a stronger multimedia presence on their websites.
“One minute, I had no idea what my next thing was going to be, and the next minute, I had an internship and a very promising future with the company,” says Fryar of her unique part-time job.
Journalism is in Fryar’s DNA. Her father, Ron Fryar, is the publisher of the Murfreesboro Post and owner of Woodbury’s local newspaper, the Cannon Courier. But the younger Fryar’s nose for news always led her toward sports journalism, a field that is still trying to play catch-up in its acceptance of women.
An admirer of ESPN’s Erin Andrews, Fryar also respects the network’s Rachel Nichols, Pam Oliver of Fox and Tracy Wolfson of CBS. However, she is equally critical of stations and networks that hire female sports reporters more for their hotness quotient than their knowledge and professionalism.
“I am prepared each and every day to meet some guy that … tells me I’m just a girl and I don’t know what I’m doing,” Fryar says. “And I say, ‘Fine! Watch me!’”
Athlon Senior Vice President of Newspaper Relations Jerry Lyles says, “Our goal when Sarah graduates is to hire her as a full-time employee. “She’s very conscientious. She does not need a lot of guidance. She’s competent, creative and a good writer. It’s amazing because you don’t expect to get the complete package from a 21-year-old still in college.”
Fryar writes her own script, but she also has experience behind the scenes. She says that gives her a necessary insight that results in great respect for producer Kurt Mullen, a senior electronic media communication major from Jackson, and the other

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MTSU students who gather at 9:30 p.m. each Monday to record another program.
“My parents always told me, ‘When you get your license, you’re going to learn to drive a stickshift before you drive an automatic,’” Fryar says. “I have that exact same opinion about broadcasting. You need to know how to do everything behind the scenes before you go in front of the camera so you know how everything works.”
Lyles says the partnership between Athlon and MTSU enables his company to avoid cost-prohibitive production expenses while providing future broadcasters with a preview of the profession.
“I was surprised with the quality of the product the students put out, and the level of quality has increased,” says Lyles. “We would like to continue to work with the university to help them get some good career experience that will help them down the road. Hopefully, some of them will be with us when they graduate.”


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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For color jpeg stills of Sarah Fryar anchoring “Athlon Sports Weekly Update,” contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Media Relations at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu. To watch archived editions of the program, go to www.vimeo.com/16197175.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

[375] Sumner County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program

SUMNER COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM

Lauderdale Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)— Lauderdale Farm, located in Sumner County, has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU.
The Century Farms Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have owned and kept family land in continuous agricultural production for at least 100 years.
Samuel and Georgia Harper made a long journey by horse and wagon from Texas to Sumner County in the late 19th century. They first bought 100 acres in 1898 and acquired another 120 acres in 1902. The latter parcel, along the road from Castalian Springs to East Fork Creek, was purchased from T. W. and A. C. Harsh and remains in the family today as the Lauderdale Farm.
After Samuel’s death in 1935, the land was divided among his children. In 1945, daughter Hettie Lou and her husband, David Bates, purchased the farm from her siblings. The couple and their son, James D, raised wheat, corn, tobacco, and hay and maintained pasture land.
James D. Bates, the current owner, is the grandson of Samuel and Georgia Harper, and his sons, Dean and Gary, carry on the family’s farming tradition. They work 117 acres and raise tobacco and hay and maintain pastureland. The Lauderdale Farm is the 26th certified Century Farm in Sumner County.
Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farms Program.
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit www.tncenturyfarms.org. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132 or 615-898-2947.

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




Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[374] 'MTSU On The Record' Looks For Real Story in Middle East

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 24, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

‘MTSU ON THE RECORD’ LOOKS FOR REAL STORY IN MIDDLE EAST
Foreign Correspondents’ Lives Fraught with Danger, Subject to Corporate Cuts

(MURFREESBORO) – Dr. Larry Burriss, professor of journalism, will examine the news media’s performance in covering the ongoing unrest in several Middle East countries at 8 a.m. this Sunday, March 27, on “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Burriss is a former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. He has served on active duty in Somalia, Bosnia, Central America and Europe, as well as at the Pentagon. He will talk about the impact of Al-Jazeera, the relative lack of permanent American news bureaus in the region and the delicate art of reporting the truth while not divulging tactical military locations.
To listen to previous programs, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/news/podcast/podcast2010.shtml. 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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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[373] Warren County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program

WARREN COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM

River Valley Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)— River Valley Farm, located in Warren 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 at MTSU.
The Century Farms Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have owned and kept family land in continuous agricultural production for at least 100 years.
River Valley Farm is bordered by the Barren Fork River and takes its name from its fertile valleys and river bottoms. James Jasper Lance (1791-1879) was given a land grant of 100 acres in 1828--one on which he grew corn, vegetables and livestock. The farm had several fresh-water springs, which continue to be used today.
Clayton Nale Lance, James’s eldest son, was born in 1813. In 1836, Clayton took his wife, Matilda Luttrell Nance, his young son, James S., and Matilda’s mother and traveled to eastern Alabama, where they lived among the Creek Indians at Talladega. According to the family, “they also witnessed the march of the Indians from Alabama to their new home in Indian Territory (now Oklahoma).” On their way back to Tennessee, Clayton helped dig the canal around Muscle Shoals. Once back on the farm, he acquired a tract from his father in 1851 and raised corn, soybeans, cane, wheat, chickens, cattle, hogs, horses and mules.
At the end of the Civil War, Tilman Cantrell Lance, another son of Clayton and Matilda, inherited the 100-acre farm just after the Civil War. Tilman served in the Confederate Army in the 11th Calvary, Company L. He and his wife, Amie E. Davenport Lance, were the parents of Matilda, Collie and Eddie.
Using some of the farming techniques his father learned from the Creeks, he raised large vegetable gardens along with corn, cane, cotton, mules, horses and chickens. Tilman and Amie left the property to their daughters, Matilda and Collie.
Matilda Lance Barnes and her husband, R.C., became the fourth owners of the farm in 1909. Willie, Edna, Colonel Doyle and Amy were their children. During this time, the Barnes family owned approximately 200 acres and raised corn, soybeans, cattle, hogs and mules.
After R. C.’s death in 1918, the farm went to his and Matilda’s son, Colonel C. Doyle Barnes. He and his wife, Hilmer Martin Barnes, had five children, but only Doyle lived to adulthood. Along with the River Valley Farm, Doyle Barnes owned another farm where he operated the Clearmont Mill and ground flour and meal during the Great Depression. The family recalls that “he was a very generous person and would strive to barter for most anything to keep a family from going hungry.”
Colonel C. Doyle Barnes, Jr. acquired the farm in 1956. He married Lucille Vera Tenpenny Barnes, and the couple had five children and continued to raise vegetable gardens, a herd of 75 to 100 dairy cattle and hay. “C. D.” was a progressive farmer concerned with preserving the farm for future generations. He followed many conservation practices and dug ponds that were fed by the springs. All of his children showed registered Holsteins and Guernseys at fairs in Tennessee and Kentucky. This was a very important time for this next generation. They remember the 1910 barn, which is still in use, as the center of the farm’s dairy operations and the main source of income. Vickie Barnes Bouldin, who documented the family farm’s history in the Century Farms application, writes, “If that dairy barn could talk, it might tell of the cold mornings that were so difficult for that teenager to roll out of bed, get milking and feeding done and then go to school. It would tell of the tie that binds our family together throughout life and would help form each of our characters today. Although at that time in our life we thought we had it hard, I can truly say that it made us the individuals we are today.”
In April 1993, Jimmy and Paula Barnes and Michael and Vickie Barnes Bouldin purchased the 197-acre farm from Lucille Barnes. Jimmy and Vickie are the great-great-great-great grandchildren of the founder. They continue to grow hay and converted several acres to grow nursery stock of fruit and ornamental trees.
Today, Jimmy and Paula Barnes are the sole owners of the River Valley Farm. Jimmy and Vickie’s sister, Joyce, live in the 1953 home of C. Doyle Barnes and is the seventh generation to live on the land. Most of the 61 acres of the farm are used for the nursery. Jimmy and his son Jimmy Jr. work the farm as well as the Heritage Farms Nursery.
The River Valley Farm is the seventh Century Farm to be certified in Warren County.
Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farms Program.
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit www.tncenturyfarms.org. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132 or 615-898-2947.

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




Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

[371] Valdosta State Finance Expert Discusses Turkey's Economic Development On Friday

Release date: March 23, 2011

News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Honors College contacts: Dr. John Vile, 615-898-2152 or jvile@mtsu.edu
Dr. Scott Carnicom, 615-898-2152 or carcicom@mtsu.edu

Valdosta State Finance Expert Discusses
Turkey’s Economic Development on Friday

(MURFREESBORO) — “Turkey: More Than You Know,” economic development in the Eurasian country officially known as the Republic of Turkey, will be the subject of a talk by Dr. Elvan Aktas Friday March 25, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the University Honors College’s Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building amphitheatre (Room 106).
The talk is free and open to the public.
Aktas joined the faculty of the Valdosta State University’s Langdale College of Business Administration in fall 2007 as an assistant professor of finance. He earned a Ph.D. in finance in 2004 from the University of Florida. Aktas worked for the Center for Real Estate Research during his graduate studies.
Before joining Valdosta State, Aktas worked for Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business as an assistant professor of finance. He received tenure in 2010 and promoted to associate professor of finance in 2011.
Aktas’ research and teaching interests are investments, derivative securities, financial institutions and international finance.
Event sponsors are the Honors College and Society for Universal Dialogue.

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Media welcomed.

Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

[368] MTSU Student Documentary Chronicles Gender Transitions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tiffany Gibson, gibson.tiffany0@gmail.com

MTSU STUDENT DOCUMENTARY CHRONICLES GENDER TRANSITIONS
Journalism Major to Show Film on Personal Journeys of Identity, Social Struggle

(MURFREESBORO) – “Transmen,” a documentary by MTSU senior Tiffany Gibson, will be shown at 7 p.m. Friday, March 25, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This event is free and open to the public.
The film explores the lives of three Tennesseans who are attempting the process of gender reassignment, transitioning from females to males, and the social and financial obstacles they face.
According to the film’s website (http://transmen.tumblr.com/), Tennessee is the only state with a ‘law’ that bans gender changes on birth certificates, even after sex-change operations.
Gibson, the filmmaker, is a Cookeville native slated to graduate in May 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She served as editor of Sidelines, the MTSU student newspaper, in summer 2009. Gibson also interned at the Las Vegas Sun from September 2009 to July 2010 as a member of the online Greenspun Interactive Team, covering breaking news and court cases, as well as shooting photographs and video for the Sun and Las Vegas Weekly.


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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[366] April 7 Lecture At MTSU To Focus on Music's Global Influence

March 22, 2011
Contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919


APRIL 7 LECTURE AT MTSU TO FOCUS ON MUSIC’S GLOBAL INFLUENCE

MURFREESBORO—Dr. Leslie C. Gay Jr., associate professor of ethnomusicology at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, will present a lecture on “Karrierekanonen and Danish Rock: Cultural Politics, Global Markets, and Artistic Expressiveness” on Thursday, April 7.
The event will take place at 4:30 p.m. in the Center for Popular Music, located in the Bragg Mass Communication Building on the MTSU campus.
Gay’s presentation will focus on musical globalization, particularly the influence of English-language rock on Danish popular music. The professor contends that many contemporary Danish rock musicians compose and perform in English, inspiring a variety of responses, both positive and negative.
An attempt to return the music to Denmark’s native language brought music lovers and scholars together to launch a project known as “Karrrierekanonen,” a collaboration of the Danish Ministry of Culture’s Rock Council and Dansk Radio. The people behind the movement hope to bring about new artistic expressiveness as artists strive to reclaim their native tongue, Gay notes.
The event is part of MTSU Scholars Week and is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Dr. Dale Cockrell at the CPM at 615-898-2449.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.




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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color JPEG of Dr. Gay, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Media Relations via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385. Thanks!

[365] MTeach Recruits Future Teachers for Growing Program March 22

Release date: March 21, 2011

News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
MTeach contact: Leigh Gostowski, 615-898-5786 or gostowsk@mtsu.edu

MTeach Recruits Future Teachers for Growing Program March 22

(MURFREESBORO) — Growing from zero students to 76 appears to be outstanding progress for the first-year MTSU MTeach Program.
Freshmen Alex Herrera of Manchester and Shelby Bales of Murfreesboro are just two of the 76 students excited about the program.
“This is one of the most amazing programs to be in if you want to be a teacher,” said Bales, a chemistry major.
“They walked in (at CUSTOMS) and handed out a flyer,” Bales said. “It looked interesting. They have a really great staff. Everybody is amazing. They work with you. They have ideas. You can bounce ideas off them.”
Herrera, a biology major, adds that MTeach is a “really good program for anyone who wants to go into the science field. It makes us think out what we want to teach kids. It tests our knowledge. We learn something new every day. The instructors are very good at helping you, knowing what you need.”
MTeach Program Coordinator Leigh Gostowski and master teachers Sally Millsap and Mark LaPorte hope to witness more growth, especially after their open house Tuesday, March 22, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building Room 123.
MTSU received a five-year, $1.925 million grant to help launch MTeach in late 2009. The university was one of four across the state chosen to replicate the successful UTeach program at the University of Texas at Austin. It is designed to increase the quality of mathematics and science teachers in Tennessee and the nation.
For more information, call 615-898-5786 or go online to www.mtsu.edu/mteach/.

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Media welcomed.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[364] March 25 Open House Will Show Off MTSU Aerospace Department's Air Traffic Control Facility to Community

Release date: March 21, 2011

News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Aerospace contact: Dr. Wayne Dornan, 615-898-2788 or wdornan@mtsu.edu

March 25 Open House Will Show Off MTSU Aerospace
Department’s Air Traffic Control Facility to Community

(MURFREESBORO) — The public is invited to attend the Community Open House for the MTSU Air Traffic Control Training and Research Facility. It will be held Friday, March 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building State Farm Lecture Hall (BAS S102) and BAS S112.
Aerospace Chair Wayne Dornan invites the MTSU campus, Murfreesboro and surrounding Rutherford County community and people across the region to come and view the unique facility that will train MTSU students and, potentially, others.
The Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce will conduct a ribbon-cutting ceremony as part of the activities, said Kelli Beam, director of membership for the chamber.
“We have a one-of-a-kind air traffic control simulator facility that people are going to be so impressed with, ” Dornan said. “You will experience what it’s like to be in an air traffic control tower.
“The system features a seamless, 360-degree fiberglass control tower, the only one of its kind in the world. It rises to nine feet with a diameter of 29 feet. Ten radar suites can simulate both en route and radar approach control environments.”
A pseudopilot positions area rounds out the room.
“All of these components make training so realistic students will feel like they’re controlling live traffic,” Dornan said.
Attendees first will be directed to the State Farm Lecture Hall, where they will hear about the Aerospace Department and the ATC facility’s special features from Dornan. Then people will tour the facility in small groups, learning about the room’s three phases from students and faculty and staff including Gail Zlotky, associate professor of aerospace and coordinator of MTSU’s Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative; Ed Johnson and Bill Stewart; and Adam Gerald, AT-CTI assistant.
Since MTSU Boulevard is closed for construction between Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building and the roundabout at Blue Raider Drive, visitors should try to park between the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building and Ezell Hall on the southeast side of campus.

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Media welcomed.

In Brief

The public is invited to attend the Community Open House for the MTSU Air Traffic Control Training and Research Facility. It will be held Friday, March 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building State Farm Lecture Hall (BAS S102) and BAS S112. Following a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce, attendees can tour and see the most sophisticated air traffic control simulator in the world. Key features are a 360-degree control tower and a 10-suite simulator for both en route and radar approach control environments.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[363] More Diabetes Workshops Available in Rutherford County

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

MORE DIABETES WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY
Sessions Coming up at Smyrna Public Library and Belle Aire Church in M’boro

(MURFREESBORO) – The next “Yes I Can” Diabetes Self-Management Workshops are slated for Fridays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 25-April 29 at Smyrna Public Library, 400 Enon Springs Rd. W. in Smyrna, and from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. April 12-May 17 on Tuesdays at Belle Aire Church, 1307 North Rutherford Blvd. in Murfreesboro.
“Yes I Can!” is a free six-session workshop series to help diabetics and people with pre-diabetes symptoms in Rutherford County improve their quality of life with techniques and strategies to help them manage their disease. Focal points include healthy eating, exercise, medications, preventing complications, medications, communication skills and more.
The Center for Health and Human Services at MTSU is supervising the workshops, which are funded through a $75,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Health.
The sessions are limited to 20 people each. Participants must be 18 years of age or over. A doctor’s referral is not required to attend.
For more information or to register, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml or contact Cindy Rhea at 615-904-8342 or crhea@mtsu.edu.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[361] Fundraising Students Spell Earthquake Relief 'G-E-N-K-I'

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Dr. Priya Ananth, 615-898-5357

FUNDRAISING STUDENTS SPELL EARTHQUAKE RELIEF ‘G-E-N-K-I’
MTSU Students Call for Funds to Restore ‘Vigor and Energy’ to Japanese Society

(MURFREESBORO) – Students at Middle Tennessee State University will collect donations on campus Wednesday and Thursday, March 23-24, and Monday and Tuesday, March 28-29, to help the Japanese people as they struggle to recover from the March 11 earthquake and the resulting tsunami and to cope with the ongoing nuclear crisis.
“Genki for Japan” will be conducted on the Keathley University Center (KUC) knoll if the weather is good. In the event of inclement weather, donations will be accepted in the KUC second-floor lobby. Contributions also may be made at Starbucks in the James E. Walker Library.
“’Genki’ means vigor and energy, and that is what we are praying that Japan gets back in abundance to get through this very difficult time,” says Dr. Priya Ananth, assistant professor of foreign languages.
Chiaki Shima, a graduate teaching assistant, and Risa Nakamoto, an exchange student from Kansai Gaidai University, are the main organizers of the event.
“Your help can go a long way in encouraging and providing hope for the people in Japan,” says Rhonda Waller, director of Education Abroad and Student Exchange. “With the pocket change that you plan to spend on a simple soda, wouldn’t it be more satisfying knowing that you contributed to a great cause?”
On Tuesday, March 29, students will give away candy and snacks made in Japan in exchange for modest donations. All donations will be sent to the American Red Cross. For more information, contact Ananth at 615-898-5357 or pananth@mtsu.edu.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[360] Letter Urges MTSU Students to Leave Japan ASAP, Return Home

Release date: March 17, 2011

News and Media Relations contacts: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 or ttozer@mtsu.edu
Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Office of Provost contact: Dr. Brad Bartel, 615-898-2953 or bbartel@mtsu.edu
MTSU Education Abroad and Student Exchange Office contact: Rhonda Waller, 615-898-5179 or rwaller@mtsu.edu

Letter Urges MTSU Students to Leave Japan ASAP, Return Home

(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU officials are urging study-abroad students in Japan to leave that country immediately and return home.
Earlier today, the University Provost and Office of International Affairs drafted an “urgent message to depart Japan immediately” in a communication sent to both the students and their parents, requesting they leave now because of “how absolutely critical it is for them to come home,” Dr. Brad Bartel, MTSU provost, said following a meeting with the nine-member Study Abroad Crisis Response Team.
MTSU has had nine study-abroad students in Japan this semester. One student returned home to Nashville on Tuesday, said Rhonda Waller, director of the Education Abroad and Student Exchange Office at MTSU.
MTSU’s decision to send the communication is based on the events of the past week in Japan – particularly the deteriorating situation at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on the northeast coast caused by the March 11 tsunami – and the U.S. Department of State’s travel warning issued March 16.
“We are always going to be sensitive to the response and welfare of our students, and make sure they are safe wherever they are in the world,” Bartel said. “We have reached a point where we urge these students to come home for their own good.”
Suggested by Bartel and fully supported by University President Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU plans to provide funds for airfares of the students who agree to return home as soon as they can book a flight.
MTSU students have been attending Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Nagoya Gakuin University, Saitama University, Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka and Toyo University in Tokyo. Eight of nine students had a yearlong commitment.
Waller said eight study-abroad students from Japan at MTSU this semester have indicated their immediate family members are OK. She said her office has been communicating with the MTSU students and their families by phone, e-mail and Facebook.
Family members can contact Waller by calling 615-898-5179 or e-mail her at rwaller@mtsu.edu. Her office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[359] 'MTSU On The Record' Brings Baseball To Life Through Books

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 17, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

‘MTSU ON THE RECORD’ BRINGS BASEBALL TO LIFE THROUGH BOOKS
Readers, Writers View World as Horsehide Sphere Each Spring at Gathering

(MURFREESBORO) – The 16th annual Baseball in Literature and Culture Conference is the focus of this week’s “MTSU on the Record” with host Gina Logue at 8 a.m. this Sunday, March 20, on WMOT-FM (89.5 and wmot.org).
Dr. Warren Tormey, assistant professor of English and co-organizer of the conference, will talk about how academics gather each year to explore the national pastime through various disciplines, including history, journalism, drama, economics, and, of course, literature. This year’s event is slated for Friday, April 1, in MTSU’s James Union Building.
To listen to previous programs, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/news/podcast/podcast2010.shtml. 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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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

[358] Midgett Family Pledges First Centennial Scholarship to MTSU's Honors College

Release date: March 16, 2011
News and Media Relations contacts: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 ttozer@mtsu.edu

Midgett family pledges first Centennial Scholarship to MTSU’s Honors College


A family with an extensive and influential history with Middle Tennessee State University has made a commitment to establish the Ralph and Elizabeth Gwaltney Centennial Scholarship for the University Honors College.
Don and Carolyn Midgett made the commitment to MTSU for the first Centennial Scholarship earmarked for the University Honors College program. The scholarship is named for Carolyn Midgett’s late parents.
“MTSU is coming up on its 100-year celebration, and our families have been part of MTSU for 80 of those years,” Don Midgett said.
Ralph Gwaltney (B.S. ’39, M.S. ’54) and Elizabeth Travis Gwaltney (B.S. ’36) both graduated from Middle Tennessee State Teachers College, which was renamed Middle Tennessee State College in 1943. Their daughter Carolyn, Don’s wife, graduated from MTSC in 1964, just before it attained “university” status in 1965.
“Mr. Gwaltney stayed back and worked on the farm, which is why he started college a few years later,” Don Midgett said, explaining the couple’s time difference in receiving their bachelor’s degrees.
Ralph Gwaltney, originally from Hickman County, was an officer in his senior class and a member of the “T” Club, known today as the Varsity Club. He played basketball, baseball and tennis and later coached girls’ basketball at Walter Hill High School and worked for many years for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in Murfreesboro.
Elizabeth Travis Gwaltney was born and raised in Murfreesboro. As a college student she played in the band and was a member and officer of the Glee Club. She taught in the Rutherford County and Murfreesboro City school systems for 36 years and was a charter member of the Golden Raiders.
“We are extremely grateful to Don and Carolyn Midgett for their generosity,” said Joe Bales, vice president for MTSU development and university relations. “For many years, they have been quietly making an impact on our campus with investments that make MTSU better. This latest gift of a Centennial Scholars Endowment continues their family legacy of supporting their alma mater and assuring that the university, as well as our students and faculty, have the resources they need to be successful.”
Don Midgett said his strong connection to the Honors College goes back to the close friendship between his father, E.W. “Wink” Midgett, and Paul Martin Sr., for whom the Honors Building is named. The MTSU Honors Program officially became a college in 1998, and the Honors Building opened in 2003. Since then, their friendship has been sealed in brick and mortar: Inside the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building is the E.W. “Wink” Midgett Classroom.
“The Honors College seemed to be an appropriate area (for the scholarship),” Don said, who also sits on the Board of Visitors for the college as well as on the MTSU Foundation Board.
Wink Midgett served the university for 40 years, founding the Department of Business and coaching football, basketball and golf.
“We figure there are probably 200 or more people today doing what my dad did by himself back then,” Don quipped.
Dr. John Vile, Honors College dean, said the college is “especially pleased to be associated with a family that has already played such an important part in the history of MTSU.”
“We’re hoping that this gift will inspire other donors to think about making donations for the support of honors students,” Vile continued. “Traditionally, these are the students most likely to stay in school and to graduate in a timely fashion.
“Don and Carolyn have stepped forward to set an example of university support that is a tribute not only to them but to the university that has been inspiring students and alumni for 100 years.”
Over the years, the Midgett family has established the E.W. “Wink” Midgett Accounting Scholarship and the Dan E. Midgett Memorial Golf Scholarship, the latter for Don’s late twin brother. The Midgett Business Building, which adjoins Kirksey Old Main, and a conference room in the Kennon Sports Hall of Fame both are named in Wink Midgett’s honor.
“We’ve given Dean Vile free reign in how he would like to use the (Gwaltney) scholarship,” Midgett noted. “It’s not designated for a specific purpose; it’s for him to use at his discretion.”
The Centennial Scholarship Program aims to establish 100 such endowments, which, when fully funded, will provide perpetual funds for scholarships for 20 to 25 students each year. When added to the existing Buchanan Fellows and Presidential Scholars programs, the new Gwaltney Scholarship will give MTSU even greater clout to attract the best students to Tennessee’s fastest-growing university.
Each Centennial endowment, when fully funded, will be renewable for a maximum of five years while a student pursues his or her degree and remains academically eligible. Recipients also may use funds to pursue an international-study experience related to their degree programs.
“We are seeing more and more people who really understand the importance of education and want to help the next generation of students,” Bales said. “The award will truly make a difference. Our current economy really brings into focus the importance of a college degree. Don and Carolyn understand the importance of helping our young people achieve their potential. It is an investment in the future for all of us.”
Gale and Jonelle Prince kicked off the Centennial Scholarship Program in spring 2010 when they established the Gale and Jonelle Prince Centennial Scholarship to celebrate MTSU’s upcoming 100th anniversary.
Students who are selected as Centennial Scholars will represent the upper 10 to 15 percent of their high-school graduating class and earned a minimum ACT score of 29 (SAT 1300). Criteria will include academic performance, leadership, athletic or extracurricular involvement and recommendations from teachers, faculty and community leaders. A Centennial Scholar at MTSU will have to maintain a 3.5 GPA to continue receiving his or her annual award, officials said.




Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[357] Blogger/Author Meghan McCain To Speak At MTSU SpringOut

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

BLOGGER/AUTHOR MEGHAN MCCAIN TO SPEAK AT MTSU SPRINGOUT
U.S. Sen. John McCain’s Daughter to Address LGBT Student Organization

(MURFREESBORO) – Meghan McCain, author of Dirty Sexy Politics, will speak at the kickoff for MTLambda’s SpringOut Week at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, in Room 221 of the MTSU Learning Resources Center. This event is free and open to the public.

McCain, the daughter of U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), is slated to discuss the incivility of political discourse in America, including the discourse surrounding gay rights issues. After a brief address, McCain will open the floor for questions.

A 2007 graduate of Columbia University, McCain worked on her father’s 2008 bid for the American presidency. From that experience, she created mccainblogette.com, which offered readers an insider’s view of life on the campaign trail.

Dirty Sexy Politics, a 2010 memoir of the campaign, was highly critical of the Republican Party, the conservative movement and her father’s running mate, Sarah Palin. Today, McCain writes a column for thedailybeast.com.

McCain’s appearance at MTSU is sponsored by Scholars Week and by MTLambda, a student organization which strives to support and raise awareness about the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community.

For more information, contact MTLambda President Brandon Farrar at president@mtlambda.org.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color jpeg of Meghan McCain, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Media Relations at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[356] Literary Left-Hander Highlight of Baseball Conference

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 16, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

LITERARY LEFT-HANDER HIGHLIGHT OF BASEBALL CONFERENCE
Jim Rooker, Pitcher-Turned-Kid Lit Author, Combines Baseball and Books

(MURFREESBORO) – Former major league pitcher Jim Rooker, a member of the 1979 World Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates, will be the luncheon speaker for the 16th Baseball in Literature and Culture Conference Friday, April 1, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building at MTSU.

The lunch is slated to begin at 12:15 p.m. with Rooker’s address scheduled for 12:45 p.m. followed by a book-signing.

Rooker, who also pitched for the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals in a career that spanned 12 years from 1968-1980, was a member of the Pirates’ broadcast team from 1981-1993. He also worked as a baseball analyst for ESPN for four years.

Always outspoken, Rooker was compelled to put his money where his mouth was following a game between the Pirates and the Phillies in Philadelphia on June 8, 1989. After the Bucs jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first inning, Rooker said on the air, “If we lose this game, I’ll walk home.”

Propelled by homers from Von Hayes and Steve Jeltz and Darren Daulton’s two-run single, the Phillies came back for a 15-11 victory. True to his word, Rooker conducted a 300-mile walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh at season’s end, raising more than $100,000 for charity.

Beginning in 2008, Rooker turned his talents to writing children’s books. His three published volumes are Matt the Bat, Kitt the Mitt and Paul the Baseball.

“Baseball has been my passion since the time I started playing the game as a child, and it remains that way today, sixty-some years later,” writes Booker on his website, jimrookerbooks.com. “I hope that the words contained in these books will encourage youngsters everywhere to love the game as I did.”

The breakfast speaker for the conference will be Dr. Steven Andrews, associate professor of English at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. Andrews, who is scheduled to speak at 8:30 a.m., is a distinguished scholar of American Studies. His interest in baseball fiction is a singular focus within his larger specialization in Modern American literature. The topic of Andrews’ talk will be “Suicide Squeeze: Immigration and the Art of Stealing Home.”

The Baseball in Literature and Culture Conference was held at Indiana State University from 1995-2006. MTSU has hosted the gathering since 2006. In its five years on the Murfreesboro campus, the conference has attracted name speakers such as Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Denny McLain, Orestes Destrade, Jim “Mudcat” Grant, and Ferguson Jenkins.

Embracing scholarly efforts in all fields except statistical analysis, the conference attracts academics who want to express perspectives on baseball’s significant cultural impact in numerous areas, including history, journalism, creative writing, popular media, drama, economics, and, of course, literature.

Some of the topics to be discussed in concurrent sessions include “Press Box Populations and Paradigm Shifts: Practicing Media Relations in a Culture of Media Change;” “Black Baseball and the Respectability Project;” “Smokey Joe Wood: The Legend That Wouldn’t Die;” and “Baseball, Ballet and Botox: An Inquiry into the Ethics of Doping.”
Members of the MTSU community who are slated to present papers include Dr. Warren Tormey, assistant professor of English; Dr. Crosby Hunt, professor of speech and theatre; Dr. Phil Oliver, professor of philosophy; Professor Steven Walker, instructor of English; Dr. Ron Bombardi, chair of the Department of Philosophy; and doctoral student Michael Pagel of Johnson City.

Anyone wishing to attend Rooker’s talk or any conference sessions may do so without charge. The luncheon is $10 for MTSU students, faculty, staff, alumni and any interested community members. Please make reservations in advance. For information on registration and fees, contact Dr. Warren Tormey, conference coordinator, at 615-904-8585 or tormey@mtsu.edu.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color jpeg photo of Jim Rooker, contact Gina Logue in the MTSU Office of News and Media Relations at 615-898-5081 or gklogue@mtsu.edu.


Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[354] MTSU Aerospace Unveils New Air Traffic Control Simulator

Release date: March 14, 2011

News and Media Relations contacts: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Tom Tozer, 615-898-5616 or ttozer@mtsu.edu
Aerospace contact: Dr. Wayne Dornan, 615-898-2788 or wdornan@mtsu.edu

MTSU Aerospace Unveils New Air Traffic Control Simulator

(MURFREESBORO) — Media and dignitaries attended the unveiling of the MTSU Department of Aerospace's unique Air Traffic Control Training and Research Facility.
Media and VIPs were introduced to the simulator facility today (March 14) in Business and Aerospace Building Room S112 following brief remarks by MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee, aerospace chair Dr. Wayne Dornan and Kevin C. Kelley, vice president for the Solutions Development Division of CSC.
Aerospace students demonstrated the equipment and faculty and administrators answered questions about how the technology works.
CSC was awarded the project contract and delivered the equipment to MTSU in 2010. Renovation and construction took place in late fall and early winter.
The Air Traffic Control Training and Research Facility includes a seamless, 360-degree fiberglass control tower, the only one like it in the world, rising to 9 feet and a diameter of 29 feet, and has 10 high-definition digital projectors that will create the most realistic tower simulation available today (the tower simulator will contain seven operational positions: two local, two ground, flight-data, clearance-delivery and cab-coordinator); 10 radar suites that can simulate both en route and radar approach control environments; and a pseudopilot positions area.
Work also has begun on an interface with the CSC NexSim simulator in the ATC lab and the dispatch lab with its NexSim ramp tower and aircraft simulators at Murfreesboro Airport.
Presently, the technology can simulate the FAA Training Academy in Oklahoma City (fictional), Nashville International Airport, Memphis International Airport (under construction), Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Daytona Beach International Airport, Elizabeth City, N.C., Coast Guard Air Station/Regional Airport and the Akron-Canton, Ohio, Regional Airport.

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About MTSU’s Department of Aerospace
MTSU aerospace began as a flight-training program in 1942. At the time, the airport was located on the University’s 500-acre campus and the program was under the direction of one full-time instructor. In 1969, it was proposed that a full four-year aviation curriculum be developed and than an independent department be established. On July 1, 1971, the aerospace department became fully autonomous with an enrollment of 58 students. The department has grown into one of the largest and most respected programs in the nation. It employs 17 full-time faculty members with more than 50 full- and part-time staff. It now has more than 700 majors, with concentrations in aerospace administration, technology, flight dispatch, maintenance management and professional pilot. The program has been nationally accredited since 1992. It is one of nine departments in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences and one of MTSU’s signature programs.
In regard to the flight-training program, the department has the largest and most technically advanced Diamond DA40 single-engine training aircraft fleet in the United States, and was the first collegiate aviation program to teach students in glass cockpits. The department also has a CRJ-200 flight simulator and a decommissioned Boeing 727 airliner donated by FedEx.
Visit www.mtsu.edu/aerospace online to learn more about the department.




Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree — the only one in Tennessee — as a model program. MTSU recently unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[353] MTSU Aerospace Unveils New Air Traffic Control Simulator Today

Today’s date: March 14, 2011

News and Media Relations contacts: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 or ttozer@mtsu.edu
Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or jweiler@mtsu.edu
Aerospace contact: Dr. Wayne Dornan, 615-898-2788 or wdornan@mtsu.edu



MTSU Aerospace Unveils New
Air Traffic Control Simulator Today


Who: MTSU Department of Aerospace
What: MTSU Air Traffic Control Training and Research Facility
When: Today (March 14), 10 a.m.
Where: MTSU Business and Aerospace Building east lobby near State Farm Lecture Hall and BAS S112 (Air Traffic Control Training and Research Facility)

You will experience what it’s like to be in an air traffic control tower. The system features a seamless, 360-degree fiberglass control tower, the only one like it in the world, rising to nine feet with a diameter of 29 feet; 10 radar suites that can simulate both en route and radar approach control environments; and pseudopilot positions. All of these components make training so realistic students will feel like they’re controlling live traffic.

There will be a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony. Everyone then will be invited to tour and see a demonstration of the most sophisticated air traffic control simulator in the world.

In additional to the ATC facility’s impressive visual features, hear what MTSU aerospace students, faculty and staff, and MTSU administrators have to share about the ATC. Executives from across the United States whose expertise is in ATC, Federal Aviation Administration officials, as well as officials from the Computer Science Corporation, which was awarded the $3.2 million contract and delivered the equipment, will be in attendance for this impressive demonstration.


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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

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

[352] Donate Books for AAUW Book Sale To Fund Scholarships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 15, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081

DONATE BOOKS FOR AAUW BOOK SALE TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS
Times, Dates Established for Quick, Easy Contributions of Books, DVDs, CDs

(MURFREESBORO) – The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is seeking donations for its annual Murfreesboro Book Sale slated for 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Monday, April 4, and Tuesday, April 5, in the Phillips Bookstore lobby in MTSU’s Keathley University Center.
If you have books, DVDs, CDs, tapes or records to contribute, please drop them off at MTSU’s Lyon Hall between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturday, March 19; Saturday, March 26; or Sunday, April 3.
To get to Lyon Hall, turn onto Faulkenberry Drive from Middle Tennessee Boulevard. Turn right onto Normal Way, then right onto Old Main Circle. Lyon Hall is the first building after the James Union Building on the right. The book sale crew will take your books from your car and deliver them to Lyon Hall.
All proceeds from the AAUW/Murfreesboro Book Sale will benefit the Ruth Houston Memorial Scholarship for MTSU students. For more information, call the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989.

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Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.

[351] Overton County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program

For Release: Mar. 14, 2011
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation 615-898-2947



OVERTON COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Richardson-Holman Place Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions

(MURFREESBORO)— The Richardson-Holman Place Farm, located in Overton 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 at MTSU.
The Century Farms Program recognizes the contributions of Tennessee residents who have owned and kept family land in continuous agricultural production for at least 100 years.
In 1859, David Richardson purchased 157 acres in the Ozone Community of Overton County, paying around $1.81 per acre. David and his wife, Sarah Sells Richardson, were the parents of 10 children. One of their sons, Peter, later acquired the 157 acres from his parents. Peter and his wife, Melvina Sells, were the parents of nine children. Their son, James Logan Richardson, purchased the farm from his parents in 1902, and for nearly 50 years “Uncle Jim” worked the farm.
In 1956, Jim Logan Richardson’s brother, David, purchased the property. He married Nannie Hensley, and the couple had seven children. David, Nannie and their family lived across the creek from her sister and brother-in-law, Lucy and Floyd Holman, and their eight children. The families were very close, and the first cousins attended Ozone School together.
In 1972, Lester C. Holman, a son of Lucy and Floyd Holman and a descendant of David Leander Sells, the brother of farm matriarch Sarah Sells Richardson, purchased the farm from the Richardson heirs, who were also his cousins. Lester and his wife, Willodean, and their sons, Ronnie and Donnie, worked hard to improve the farm, fence the land and raise cattle.
Donnie Holman purchased the farm in 2007 and added another 47 acres of land that originally belonged to founders David and Sarah Richardson in 2009. Donnie says he is particularly pleased to own this property because his great-grandmother, Rebecca Jane Sells Holman, and her three daughters moved to this parcel, called “The Ridge,” in 1915. Donnie’s father, Lester C. Holman, was born in the farmhouse where his grandmother and three aunts were living. Donnie recounts that his aunts were greatly admired by family and neighbors and were “humble and hardworking ladies” who “continually stressed the importance of family and clean living.” The last aunt, Estie, died in 2003 at age 102.
Donnie Holman, who is married to Paula Byerley, raises cattle and hay on this land that has been farmed by generations of the men and women of his family since before the Civil War. With the listing of the Richardson-Holman Place, Overton County has 19 certified Century Farms.
Since 1984, the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU has been a leader in the important work of documenting Tennessee’s agricultural heritage and history through the Tennessee Century Farms Program.
For more information about the Century Farms Program, please visit www.tncenturyfarms.org. The Center for Historic Preservation also may be contacted at Box 80, MTSU, Murfreesboro, Tenn., 37132, or 615-898-2947.

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




Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution located in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU now boasts one of the nation’s first master’s degree programs in horse science, and the Council of Graduate Schools in Washington, D.C., acclaims MTSU’s Master of Science in Professional Science degree—the only one in Tennessee—as a model program. Recently, MTSU unveiled three new doctoral degrees in the sciences.