For release: Jan. 26, 2012
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU Scholarship Office contact: Bonnie McCarty, 615-904-8414 or
Bonnie.McCarty@mtsu.edu
Two key February deadline dates await prospective MTSU students
MURFREESBORO — Prospective MTSU students have two important upcoming dates to remember:
• Wednesday, Feb. 1, is the deadline for all MTSU transfer scholarships except for the Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, which has a March 1 closing date; and
• Wednesday, Feb. 15, is the deadline to apply for most types of competitive MTSU scholarships and also the secondary deadline for freshman academic scholarships for the 2012-13 academic year.
That’s the word from Bonnie McCarty, assistant director of scholarships in the Scholarships Office, which is located in room 206 of the James Union Building.
Prospective students who applied to MTSU by Dec. 1, 2011, receive first priority for the major scholarships awarded by MTSU. Major awards include National Merit/Achievement, Chancellor, Presidential, Academic Service, Valedictorian/Salutatorian, Provost and International Baccalaureate scholarships.
“Students who applied for admission after the December 1 priority deadline but by February 15 may be considered for freshman academic scholarships if funding is available,” McCarty said.
Diverse Representation and Educational Access (or DREAM) and MTSU Foundation scholarships have a Feb. 15 deadline. Some departmental scholarships have a Feb. 15 deadline.
Information about available scholarships and academic procedures is available at www.mtsu.edu/scholarships, McCarty added.
###
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
[240] 'Prison Writing' Spring Honors Lecture Series Continues Jan. 30
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or
Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
Honors College contact: Dr. Philip Phillips, 615-898-2699 or
Philip.Phillips@mtsu.edu
‘Prison Writing’ spring Honors Lecture Series continues Jan. 30
MURFREESBORO — After a class orientation and an initial lecture by Dr. Philip Phillips on Jan. 23, the spring MTSU Honors Lecture Series continues Monday, Jan. 30.
In the series titled “Prison Writing: From Boethius to Mehdi Zana,” Phillips will bring “Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy and Philosophy’s Consolation to the Prisoner” in the second lecture.
Lectures are held in Honors Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. The 55-minute lectures begin promptly at 3 p.m. and are open to the public. The 12-week series will be held every Monday except March 5 when students are on spring break.
Dr. Mark Jackson of the MTSU English department will lead one special lecture, “Lead Belly” It will begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3. For the series lineup, visit bit.ly/MTHonorsLecturesS12.
“This semester’s Honors Lecture Series on ‘Prison Writing’ examines selected works of writers from the sixth century to the 21st century, who were imprisoned for their beliefs and who drew strength from their prison experiences to advance their respective causes and inspire others in the process,” says Phillips, interim associate dean for the Honors College and English professor.
Phillips adds that the series will progress chronologically and include such diverse writers as Boethius, Sir Thomas Malory, John Lilburne, John Bunyan, Henry David Thoreau, Louise Michel, Sue Shelton White, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Mehdi Zana.
“Each author epitomizes the tradition of speaking truth to power and being willing to sacrifice physical freedom, or even life itself, in the service of that truth,” Phillips says. “Several of the authors included in the series allude to the examples of their predecessors, a practice that illustrates that many those freedoms we enjoy today are the result of the struggles of those who fought to attain them.
“It should also remind us that those freedoms that are still denied to us might yet be attained if we commit ourselves wholly to achieving them. All of the lectures in the series will provide an overview of the authors’ lives, offer a close analysis of their works, and discuss the context and significance of their representative prison writings.”
###
Media welcomed.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
Honors College contact: Dr. Philip Phillips, 615-898-2699 or
Philip.Phillips@mtsu.edu
‘Prison Writing’ spring Honors Lecture Series continues Jan. 30
MURFREESBORO — After a class orientation and an initial lecture by Dr. Philip Phillips on Jan. 23, the spring MTSU Honors Lecture Series continues Monday, Jan. 30.
In the series titled “Prison Writing: From Boethius to Mehdi Zana,” Phillips will bring “Boethius’s Consolation of Philosophy and Philosophy’s Consolation to the Prisoner” in the second lecture.
Lectures are held in Honors Room 106 of the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building. The 55-minute lectures begin promptly at 3 p.m. and are open to the public. The 12-week series will be held every Monday except March 5 when students are on spring break.
Dr. Mark Jackson of the MTSU English department will lead one special lecture, “Lead Belly” It will begin at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3. For the series lineup, visit bit.ly/MTHonorsLecturesS12.
“This semester’s Honors Lecture Series on ‘Prison Writing’ examines selected works of writers from the sixth century to the 21st century, who were imprisoned for their beliefs and who drew strength from their prison experiences to advance their respective causes and inspire others in the process,” says Phillips, interim associate dean for the Honors College and English professor.
Phillips adds that the series will progress chronologically and include such diverse writers as Boethius, Sir Thomas Malory, John Lilburne, John Bunyan, Henry David Thoreau, Louise Michel, Sue Shelton White, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and Mehdi Zana.
“Each author epitomizes the tradition of speaking truth to power and being willing to sacrifice physical freedom, or even life itself, in the service of that truth,” Phillips says. “Several of the authors included in the series allude to the examples of their predecessors, a practice that illustrates that many those freedoms we enjoy today are the result of the struggles of those who fought to attain them.
“It should also remind us that those freedoms that are still denied to us might yet be attained if we commit ourselves wholly to achieving them. All of the lectures in the series will provide an overview of the authors’ lives, offer a close analysis of their works, and discuss the context and significance of their representative prison writings.”
###
Media welcomed.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
[239] MTSU Receives Generous Donation from Country Artist/Former Student Chris Young
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 26, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Tom Tozer, MTSU, 615-898-2919; Cindy Heath, Monarch Publicity, 615-429-2203
MTSU receives generous donation from country artist/former student Chris Young
MURFREESBORO—RCA recording artist and Murfreesboro native Chris Young recently donated a selection of his touring audio equipment and accessories to the Department of Production Services at Middle Tennessee State University.
Production Services, a department within the Division of Business and Finance, provides comprehensive event-production services, including technical expertise, personnel, audio, lighting, video and staging for numerous campus events as well as University-related off-campus functions.
“We are pleased that Chris chose to donate some of his touring equipment to the University,” said Joe Bales, vice president for development and university relations. “This donation represents his latest efforts to give back.”
Craig Doman, director of production services, added “a great big thanks to Chris Young for thinking of us.
“We accept his donation with gratitude and look forward to incorporating his gift into our many services,” Doman continued. “Our staff, which includes more than 100 students, will greatly benefit.”
The former MTSU student has performed several times in Murphy Center as his music career has ascended, and he remains generous with his time and talent. In 2008, Young was the special guest of MTSU’s Invention Convention—the same event he attended as a child—where he sang several songs to an excited crowd of 300 middle-school children.
“MTSU has been a great supporter over the years, and I’m glad for the chance to share this equipment with the University’s music and production students,” the singer/songwriter said.
Young just experienced an amazing year that included a Grammy nomination; an American Country Award win; five national TV appearances; the release of his third album, “Neon”; his third and fourth consecutive No.1 singles; and tours with Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts.
The new year looks even brighter. Young appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” only two weeks after entertaining a sold-out New Year’s Eve crowd in Fort Worth, Texas. Miranda Lambert also has selected Young as her special guest for her 2012 “On Fire” tour.
Young’s current single, “You,” from the “Neon” CD has already hit No. 2 on the Billboard country chart.
“Chris Young has remained a true Blue Raider at heart and has always been extremely generous with his time and talents,” MTSU’s Bales added.
—30—
Photo by Randee St. Nicholas
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Visit www.mtsunews.com anytime.
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Tom Tozer, MTSU, 615-898-2919; Cindy Heath, Monarch Publicity, 615-429-2203
MTSU receives generous donation from country artist/former student Chris Young
MURFREESBORO—RCA recording artist and Murfreesboro native Chris Young recently donated a selection of his touring audio equipment and accessories to the Department of Production Services at Middle Tennessee State University.
Production Services, a department within the Division of Business and Finance, provides comprehensive event-production services, including technical expertise, personnel, audio, lighting, video and staging for numerous campus events as well as University-related off-campus functions.
“We are pleased that Chris chose to donate some of his touring equipment to the University,” said Joe Bales, vice president for development and university relations. “This donation represents his latest efforts to give back.”
Craig Doman, director of production services, added “a great big thanks to Chris Young for thinking of us.
“We accept his donation with gratitude and look forward to incorporating his gift into our many services,” Doman continued. “Our staff, which includes more than 100 students, will greatly benefit.”
The former MTSU student has performed several times in Murphy Center as his music career has ascended, and he remains generous with his time and talent. In 2008, Young was the special guest of MTSU’s Invention Convention—the same event he attended as a child—where he sang several songs to an excited crowd of 300 middle-school children.
“MTSU has been a great supporter over the years, and I’m glad for the chance to share this equipment with the University’s music and production students,” the singer/songwriter said.
Young just experienced an amazing year that included a Grammy nomination; an American Country Award win; five national TV appearances; the release of his third album, “Neon”; his third and fourth consecutive No.1 singles; and tours with Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts.
The new year looks even brighter. Young appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” only two weeks after entertaining a sold-out New Year’s Eve crowd in Fort Worth, Texas. Miranda Lambert also has selected Young as her special guest for her 2012 “On Fire” tour.
Young’s current single, “You,” from the “Neon” CD has already hit No. 2 on the Billboard country chart.
“Chris Young has remained a true Blue Raider at heart and has always been extremely generous with his time and talents,” MTSU’s Bales added.
—30—
Photo by Randee St. Nicholas
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Visit www.mtsunews.com anytime.
[238] Adult Learners Conference Provides Info for Advancement
EDITORIAL CONTACT: June Anderson Center, 615-898-5989
ADULT LEARNERS CONFERENCE PROVIDES INFO FOR ADVANCEMENT
Obtaining Financial Aid, Managing Stress among Issues on Agenda
MURFREESBORO—“Navigating the Terrain of the Adult Learner: Signposts to Development, Achievement and Success” will be the theme of MTSU’s 19th Annual Adult Learning Conference scheduled for Feb. 16-17 in the James Union Building.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Nan Travers, director of the Office of Collegewide Academic Review at Empire State College, State University of New York.
Travers is responsible for “the policies and practices of self-designed student degree programs and the assessment of prior college-level learning,” according to her SUNY biography.
“Her specialty is tweaking programs to be strong in several areas to support adult learners,” says Anne Fraley, interim director of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students.
The center will sponsor the conference in partnership with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and support from the Lumina Foundation.
“People have found themselves unemployed and, therefore, it’s a time to either improve their skills or shift focus and direction in whatever field they’re in,” says Fraley.
Participants will discuss the importance of adult learners in helping Tennessee attain its college completion goals and the resources needed to improve adult learners’ success rates.
Student workshops include “Pathways to Making Good Career Choices,” “Student Networking,” “Finessing the World of Financial Aid,” and “Managing Life: Mindfulness as a Means to Reduce Stress at Home and at School.”
A reduced “early bird” registration fee of $75 per person is available through Jan. 20. After that, the registration cost is $100 per person.
Checks must be made payable to MTSU Adult Learning Conference and mailed to Adult Learning Conference, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 S. Main St., Box 295, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.
Registration applications and payments must be received no later than Feb. 2. For more information, visit the conference website at www.mtsu.edu/jac/alc_home.shtml, or call the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
ADULT LEARNERS CONFERENCE PROVIDES INFO FOR ADVANCEMENT
Obtaining Financial Aid, Managing Stress among Issues on Agenda
MURFREESBORO—“Navigating the Terrain of the Adult Learner: Signposts to Development, Achievement and Success” will be the theme of MTSU’s 19th Annual Adult Learning Conference scheduled for Feb. 16-17 in the James Union Building.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Nan Travers, director of the Office of Collegewide Academic Review at Empire State College, State University of New York.
Travers is responsible for “the policies and practices of self-designed student degree programs and the assessment of prior college-level learning,” according to her SUNY biography.
“Her specialty is tweaking programs to be strong in several areas to support adult learners,” says Anne Fraley, interim director of MTSU’s June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students.
The center will sponsor the conference in partnership with the Tennessee Higher Education Commission and support from the Lumina Foundation.
“People have found themselves unemployed and, therefore, it’s a time to either improve their skills or shift focus and direction in whatever field they’re in,” says Fraley.
Participants will discuss the importance of adult learners in helping Tennessee attain its college completion goals and the resources needed to improve adult learners’ success rates.
Student workshops include “Pathways to Making Good Career Choices,” “Student Networking,” “Finessing the World of Financial Aid,” and “Managing Life: Mindfulness as a Means to Reduce Stress at Home and at School.”
A reduced “early bird” registration fee of $75 per person is available through Jan. 20. After that, the registration cost is $100 per person.
Checks must be made payable to MTSU Adult Learning Conference and mailed to Adult Learning Conference, Middle Tennessee State University, 1301 S. Main St., Box 295, Murfreesboro, TN 37132.
Registration applications and payments must be received no later than Feb. 2. For more information, visit the conference website at www.mtsu.edu/jac/alc_home.shtml, or call the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students at 615-898-5989.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[237] MTSU Senior Joins Volunteer Project in LA-Area Forest
MTSU senior joins volunteer project in LA-area forest
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 24, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or Gina.Fann@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—MTSU senior Kurt Gadke spent part of his recent winter break in the woods, but he wasn't skiing.
The management and marketing major, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was one of 10 college students selected to join the Liberty Mutual Responsible Scholars Community Project team in Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 2-8. The group helped the Angeles National Forest Rangers with ongoing recovery efforts stemming from recent natural disasters.
During previous community-project events at the Angeles National Forest, students cleaned up a historic ranger station, which now serves as a meeting site and home base for the hundreds of local volunteers who help the U.S. Forest Service. The students also removed more than 27 bags of trash left in the forest from the 2010 record rainstorms, cleaned exhibits at the Mt. Baldy visitor center and worked with volunteers from Liberty Mutual’s Southern California offices to plant 250 trees in four hours.
This year, Gadke and his fellow volunteers continued reforesting the area by planting new saplings and erecting protective tents around them as well as putting in place ground protection that aids growth. They also helped the rangers clean up from the recent Santa Ana windstorms, which caused nearly $4 million in damage to Department of Public Works properties.
The Angeles National Forest is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County in southern California.
Gadke has interned at Liberty Mutual's Brentwood, Tenn., office since May 2011 and plans to work full-time with the insurance company when he graduates from MTSU this May.
He submitted a video explaining why he should be chosen for the trip, and his story helped send him to L.A. The video is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylvz15FSSm8.
“This was truly an amazing experience,” Gadke said. “I had never been to Los Angeles before, and I couldn’t have thought of a better way to spend my winter break than helping out a community in need. We were able to accomplish so much work in only a week!”
Gadke's fellow Community Project recipients hailed from Bentley University, Bryant University, Flagler College, Howard University, Northeastern University, San Francisco State University, the University of Michigan and the University of New Hampshire.
“Making a difference, whether through volunteering on-campus or in the local community, is a key concern for college students,” said Lane Garnett, university relations program manager for the Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group.
“The Community Project gives students an opportunity to reach beyond their usual sphere of involvement to help people in a section of the country that unfortunately has experienced several natural disasters.”
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 24, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or Gina.Fann@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—MTSU senior Kurt Gadke spent part of his recent winter break in the woods, but he wasn't skiing.
The management and marketing major, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was one of 10 college students selected to join the Liberty Mutual Responsible Scholars Community Project team in Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 2-8. The group helped the Angeles National Forest Rangers with ongoing recovery efforts stemming from recent natural disasters.
During previous community-project events at the Angeles National Forest, students cleaned up a historic ranger station, which now serves as a meeting site and home base for the hundreds of local volunteers who help the U.S. Forest Service. The students also removed more than 27 bags of trash left in the forest from the 2010 record rainstorms, cleaned exhibits at the Mt. Baldy visitor center and worked with volunteers from Liberty Mutual’s Southern California offices to plant 250 trees in four hours.
This year, Gadke and his fellow volunteers continued reforesting the area by planting new saplings and erecting protective tents around them as well as putting in place ground protection that aids growth. They also helped the rangers clean up from the recent Santa Ana windstorms, which caused nearly $4 million in damage to Department of Public Works properties.
The Angeles National Forest is located in the San Gabriel Mountains of Los Angeles County in southern California.
Gadke has interned at Liberty Mutual's Brentwood, Tenn., office since May 2011 and plans to work full-time with the insurance company when he graduates from MTSU this May.
He submitted a video explaining why he should be chosen for the trip, and his story helped send him to L.A. The video is available at www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylvz15FSSm8.
“This was truly an amazing experience,” Gadke said. “I had never been to Los Angeles before, and I couldn’t have thought of a better way to spend my winter break than helping out a community in need. We were able to accomplish so much work in only a week!”
Gadke's fellow Community Project recipients hailed from Bentley University, Bryant University, Flagler College, Howard University, Northeastern University, San Francisco State University, the University of Michigan and the University of New Hampshire.
“Making a difference, whether through volunteering on-campus or in the local community, is a key concern for college students,” said Lane Garnett, university relations program manager for the Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group.
“The Community Project gives students an opportunity to reach beyond their usual sphere of involvement to help people in a section of the country that unfortunately has experienced several natural disasters.”
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[236] 12th Annual Flute Festival at MTSU to Feature Guest-Artist Recital
12th annual Flute Festival at MTSU to feature guest-artist recital
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 24, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493 or tim.musselman@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—The 12th annual MTSU Flute Festival, featuring guest artist Alexa Still of the Oberlin (Ohio) Conservatory of Music, will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. in the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
A public recital by flutist Still and MTSU faculty pianist Lillian Pearson will begin at 1 p.m. in Hinton Hall on Jan. 28.
"Alexa Still is one of my favorite flutists of all time," said Dr. Deanna Little, professor of flute at MTSU and organizer of the event. "She is a beautiful player with amazing tone colors, control—just a true musician. I am very excited to have her at MTSU and believe this will be one of our most inspiring festivals ever."
Participating flutists may register at the door with a $15 fee. Members of the public may register as guests for one or all of the public concerts and competitions for a $5-per-person charge.
The day’s events include an 8:30 a.m. opening session in Hinton Hall, “Get Your Flute Groove On!”, where all festival participants will play. A simultaneous session for parents, "How to Help and Motivate Your Students!", will be offered in Saunders Fine Arts 101.
Flute exhibits featuring manufacturers, flute products and flute repair will open at 9 a.m., and 9:30 a.m. brings a morning session with Still followed by High School Solo Competition, Junior Solo Competition, and Orchestral Excerpts Competition all commencing at 10:30 a.m. Before breaking for lunch, the Festival Flute Choir, featuring event participants, will perform in Hinton Hall.
Still and Pearson’s public recital will be followed by Still’s 2:15 p.m. master class for festival participants. The day’s events will conclude with a final concert featuring the winners of the high-school and junior competitions, members of the Festival Flute choir and others.
Still is known internationally for her many recordings on the Koch International Classics label, including 13 solo CDs. A New Zealander, Still’s graduate study was at the State University of New York-Stony Brook, where she also won the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition and East and West Artists Competition.
By age 23, she was the principal flutist of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Before accepting her current position at the Oberlin Conservatory, she taught at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Sydney (Australia) Conservatorium of Music, where she was professor of flute and director of performance research. Still maintains a busy concert schedule of recitals, concertos and master classes around the world.
For more information, please visit the MTSU Flute Festival website at www.mtsuflute.weebly.com or call Little at 615-898-2473.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
(EDITORS: High resolution photos of Alexa Still can be found at the "Press Kit" link at www.alexastill.com.)
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 24, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493 or tim.musselman@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—The 12th annual MTSU Flute Festival, featuring guest artist Alexa Still of the Oberlin (Ohio) Conservatory of Music, will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, with registration beginning at 8 a.m. in the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
A public recital by flutist Still and MTSU faculty pianist Lillian Pearson will begin at 1 p.m. in Hinton Hall on Jan. 28.
"Alexa Still is one of my favorite flutists of all time," said Dr. Deanna Little, professor of flute at MTSU and organizer of the event. "She is a beautiful player with amazing tone colors, control—just a true musician. I am very excited to have her at MTSU and believe this will be one of our most inspiring festivals ever."
Participating flutists may register at the door with a $15 fee. Members of the public may register as guests for one or all of the public concerts and competitions for a $5-per-person charge.
The day’s events include an 8:30 a.m. opening session in Hinton Hall, “Get Your Flute Groove On!”, where all festival participants will play. A simultaneous session for parents, "How to Help and Motivate Your Students!", will be offered in Saunders Fine Arts 101.
Flute exhibits featuring manufacturers, flute products and flute repair will open at 9 a.m., and 9:30 a.m. brings a morning session with Still followed by High School Solo Competition, Junior Solo Competition, and Orchestral Excerpts Competition all commencing at 10:30 a.m. Before breaking for lunch, the Festival Flute Choir, featuring event participants, will perform in Hinton Hall.
Still and Pearson’s public recital will be followed by Still’s 2:15 p.m. master class for festival participants. The day’s events will conclude with a final concert featuring the winners of the high-school and junior competitions, members of the Festival Flute choir and others.
Still is known internationally for her many recordings on the Koch International Classics label, including 13 solo CDs. A New Zealander, Still’s graduate study was at the State University of New York-Stony Brook, where she also won the New York Flute Club Young Artist Competition and East and West Artists Competition.
By age 23, she was the principal flutist of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra. Before accepting her current position at the Oberlin Conservatory, she taught at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the Sydney (Australia) Conservatorium of Music, where she was professor of flute and director of performance research. Still maintains a busy concert schedule of recitals, concertos and master classes around the world.
For more information, please visit the MTSU Flute Festival website at www.mtsuflute.weebly.com or call Little at 615-898-2473.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
(EDITORS: High resolution photos of Alexa Still can be found at the "Press Kit" link at www.alexastill.com.)
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
[235] Farm Credit Services 15K Grant, MTSU Funds Fuel Ricketts' Trips
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU Agriscience contact: Dr. Cliff Ricketts, 615-308-7605 or
Cliff.Ricketts@mtsu.edu
Farm Credit Services $15K grant, MTSU funds fuel Ricketts’ trips
MURFREESBORO — Dr. Cliff Ricketts of MTSU plans two coast-to-coast expeditions the next two years using different alternative fuel sources in two different vehicles.
His funding for the trips recently hit a positive note with the announcement of a $15,000 grant from Farm Credit Services of Mid-America and additional financial support from the MTSU Offices of the Provost and Research.
“I appreciate Farm Credit Services’ confidence in one of their own. We (Ricketts family) have borrowed from them for 50 years,” Ricketts, the 2008-09 MTSU Career Achievement Award recipient, said of the grant. “I’m appreciative of the ag industry supporting a professor doing a very creative thing that emphasizes the importance of agriscience.”
Ricketts, joined by a team of eight to 10 students traveling in a van, plans to drive a 1998 Toyota Prius converted hybrid from Savannah, Ga., to Long Beach, Calif., during spring break. The car will be powered by hydrogen, solar energy, ethanol and less than 10 gallons of gasoline, Ricketts said.
Ricketts’ 2013 plans include a cross-country trip using sun and hydrogen from water, he said.
MTSU alumnus Jack Swanson (’96), one of Ricketts’ former students, presented the Farm Credit Services check. Swanson eventually became the lending officer for Ricketts, who raises beef cattle, and whose family has received a Heritage Farm Award as 50-year, third-generation Farm Credit customers.
“I couldn’t think of anything that would be a better use of our stewardship funds,” Swanson said in a Farm Credit Services news release. “… The crux of Dr. Ricketts’ program is to help make the U.S. energy independent. It’s part of our mission to give back some of our earnings to those programs that fuel the future of agriculture.”
A School of Agribusiness and Agriscience professor, researcher and faculty member since 1976, Ricketts always has been in the forefront of alternative fuels exploration. In November 2010, he drove a 1994 Toyota Tercel from Bristol to West Memphis, Ark., with the sun and hydrogen from water as the fuel source.
In addition to the provost and research offices and Farm Credit Services, Ricketts said Brentwood, Tenn.-headquartered Tractor Supply Co. has provided 20 years of financial support and the MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences has been a longtime contributor to his research endeavors.
###
Note to media: As Dr. Cliff Ricketts’ planned spring break coast-to-coast trip approaches, the Office of News and Media Relations will provide you with more details, including the planned route.
CAPTION FOR PHOTO
MTSU alumnus and Farm Credit Services assistant vice president Jack Swanson (’96) presents MTSU professor alternative fuel expert Dr. Cliff Ricketts with a $15,000 check to further his research.
Submitted photo
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
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For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
MTSU Agriscience contact: Dr. Cliff Ricketts, 615-308-7605 or
Cliff.Ricketts@mtsu.edu
Farm Credit Services $15K grant, MTSU funds fuel Ricketts’ trips
MURFREESBORO — Dr. Cliff Ricketts of MTSU plans two coast-to-coast expeditions the next two years using different alternative fuel sources in two different vehicles.
His funding for the trips recently hit a positive note with the announcement of a $15,000 grant from Farm Credit Services of Mid-America and additional financial support from the MTSU Offices of the Provost and Research.
“I appreciate Farm Credit Services’ confidence in one of their own. We (Ricketts family) have borrowed from them for 50 years,” Ricketts, the 2008-09 MTSU Career Achievement Award recipient, said of the grant. “I’m appreciative of the ag industry supporting a professor doing a very creative thing that emphasizes the importance of agriscience.”
Ricketts, joined by a team of eight to 10 students traveling in a van, plans to drive a 1998 Toyota Prius converted hybrid from Savannah, Ga., to Long Beach, Calif., during spring break. The car will be powered by hydrogen, solar energy, ethanol and less than 10 gallons of gasoline, Ricketts said.
Ricketts’ 2013 plans include a cross-country trip using sun and hydrogen from water, he said.
MTSU alumnus Jack Swanson (’96), one of Ricketts’ former students, presented the Farm Credit Services check. Swanson eventually became the lending officer for Ricketts, who raises beef cattle, and whose family has received a Heritage Farm Award as 50-year, third-generation Farm Credit customers.
“I couldn’t think of anything that would be a better use of our stewardship funds,” Swanson said in a Farm Credit Services news release. “… The crux of Dr. Ricketts’ program is to help make the U.S. energy independent. It’s part of our mission to give back some of our earnings to those programs that fuel the future of agriculture.”
A School of Agribusiness and Agriscience professor, researcher and faculty member since 1976, Ricketts always has been in the forefront of alternative fuels exploration. In November 2010, he drove a 1994 Toyota Tercel from Bristol to West Memphis, Ark., with the sun and hydrogen from water as the fuel source.
In addition to the provost and research offices and Farm Credit Services, Ricketts said Brentwood, Tenn.-headquartered Tractor Supply Co. has provided 20 years of financial support and the MTSU College of Basic and Applied Sciences has been a longtime contributor to his research endeavors.
###
Note to media: As Dr. Cliff Ricketts’ planned spring break coast-to-coast trip approaches, the Office of News and Media Relations will provide you with more details, including the planned route.
CAPTION FOR PHOTO
MTSU alumnus and Farm Credit Services assistant vice president Jack Swanson (’96) presents MTSU professor alternative fuel expert Dr. Cliff Ricketts with a $15,000 check to further his research.
Submitted photo
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
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For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Friday, January 20, 2012
[234] MTSU Daily Campus Tours Resume Jan. 23
For release: Jan. 20, 2012
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU admissions contacts: David Cicotello, 615-898-2239 or
David.Cicotello@mtsu.edu
and Betty Pedigo (tours coordinator), 615-898-5670 or Betty.Pedigo@mtsu.edu
MTSU daily campus tours resume Jan. 23
MURFREESBORO — Daily campus tours will resume Monday, Jan. 23, at Middle Tennessee State University. Tours will be available at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. No Thursday afternoon tours will be available all semester.
Campus tours program coordinator Betty Pedigo also said no daily tours will be available Feb. 20, March 2 and March 5-9 because of spring break, March 20 and April 6 because of Good Friday. The last tour of the semester will be Wednesday, April 25.
MTSU student tour guides will be assisting with the University Honors College’s Presidents’ Day Open House on Monday, Feb. 20, and an all-day visit by the Nashville School of the Arts on Tuesday, March 20, she said.
Pedigo added that no daily tours will be conducted in May.
For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/admissn/ (click on “Campus Tours”) or email tours@mtsu.edu.
###
Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU is celebrating its 100th anniversary with special events and activities throughout the 2011-12 academic year.
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU admissions contacts: David Cicotello, 615-898-2239 or
David.Cicotello@mtsu.edu
and Betty Pedigo (tours coordinator), 615-898-5670 or Betty.Pedigo@mtsu.edu
MTSU daily campus tours resume Jan. 23
MURFREESBORO — Daily campus tours will resume Monday, Jan. 23, at Middle Tennessee State University. Tours will be available at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. No Thursday afternoon tours will be available all semester.
Campus tours program coordinator Betty Pedigo also said no daily tours will be available Feb. 20, March 2 and March 5-9 because of spring break, March 20 and April 6 because of Good Friday. The last tour of the semester will be Wednesday, April 25.
MTSU student tour guides will be assisting with the University Honors College’s Presidents’ Day Open House on Monday, Feb. 20, and an all-day visit by the Nashville School of the Arts on Tuesday, March 20, she said.
Pedigo added that no daily tours will be conducted in May.
For more information, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/admissn/ (click on “Campus Tours”) or email tours@mtsu.edu.
###
Founded in 1911, Middle Tennessee State University is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution in Murfreesboro and is the state’s largest public undergraduate institution. MTSU is celebrating its 100th anniversary with special events and activities throughout the 2011-12 academic year.
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[233] Prospective Students Invited to Honors College Presidents' Day Open House Feb. 20 at MTSU
For release: Jan. 20, 2012
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
Honors College contact: Laura Clippard, 615-898-5464 or
Laura.Clippard@mtsu.edu
Prospective students invited to Honors College
Presidents’ Day Open House Feb. 20 at MTSU
MURFREESBORO — High-school students and/or transfer students and their families are invited to Presidents’ Day Open House at the MTSU Honors College on Monday, Feb. 20.
The University Honors College provides an Ivy League experience for high-ability scholars, said Laura Clippard, Honors College adviser. The Honors College provides small classes, dedicated faculty, unique curricular and extracurricular experiences and “Collage,” an award-winning arts and literary magazine, she added.
“Intensive academic and social interaction between faculty members and students also helps to create a neighborhood of exuberant vitality,” Clippard said.
High-school students must have a 25 ACT or higher and 3.5 GPA or higher to be qualified to participate in the Honors College. Transfer students must have a college GPA of a 3.25 or higher.
The Honors College is planning a combination of educational and fun activities for prospective students and their families including free lunch, use of the Campus Recreation Center climbing wall, optional tours (Todd Art Gallery, campus/housing, School of Nursing, aerospace air traffic control lab, Business Bloomberg Trading Room and two mass communication tours) and the chance to speak directly with financial-aid representatives and the academic advisers from the different colleges.
For more information and registration, including a printable flyer, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/honors/OpenHouse.shtml.
###
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
Honors College contact: Laura Clippard, 615-898-5464 or
Laura.Clippard@mtsu.edu
Prospective students invited to Honors College
Presidents’ Day Open House Feb. 20 at MTSU
MURFREESBORO — High-school students and/or transfer students and their families are invited to Presidents’ Day Open House at the MTSU Honors College on Monday, Feb. 20.
The University Honors College provides an Ivy League experience for high-ability scholars, said Laura Clippard, Honors College adviser. The Honors College provides small classes, dedicated faculty, unique curricular and extracurricular experiences and “Collage,” an award-winning arts and literary magazine, she added.
“Intensive academic and social interaction between faculty members and students also helps to create a neighborhood of exuberant vitality,” Clippard said.
High-school students must have a 25 ACT or higher and 3.5 GPA or higher to be qualified to participate in the Honors College. Transfer students must have a college GPA of a 3.25 or higher.
The Honors College is planning a combination of educational and fun activities for prospective students and their families including free lunch, use of the Campus Recreation Center climbing wall, optional tours (Todd Art Gallery, campus/housing, School of Nursing, aerospace air traffic control lab, Business Bloomberg Trading Room and two mass communication tours) and the chance to speak directly with financial-aid representatives and the academic advisers from the different colleges.
For more information and registration, including a printable flyer, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/honors/OpenHouse.shtml.
###
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[232] Retired Supreme Court Justice O'Connor Visits MTSU Feb. 8 for Special Public Lecture
Retired Supreme Court Justice O’Connor visits MTSU Feb. 8 for special public lecture
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 20, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Connie Huddleston, 615-494-7628, chudd@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will help MTSU celebrate its Centennial year during a special visit on Wednesday, Feb. 8, as part of the University’s renowned Windham Lecture Series.
Justice O’Connor will present her free public lecture at 6:30 p.m. in the Hinton Music Hall inside MTSU’s Wright Music Building.
“We are thrilled to host Justice O’Connor on campus,” said Dr. Mark Byrnes, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a professor of political science at MTSU. “It’s quite an honor to have her come to MTSU. Since her retirement from the bench, she’s been particularly interested in civics education, and that meshes well with MTSU’s commitment to the American Democracy Project.”
Justice O’Connor, a native of El Paso, Texas, earned her bachelor’s and law degrees from Stanford University and served as San Mateo County (Calif.) deputy county attorney and a civilian attorney for the Quartermaster Market Center in Frankfurt, Germany, before practicing law in Maryvale, Ariz. She served as Arizona assistant attorney general from 1965 to 1969 and was appointed to the Arizona State Senate in 1969, earning re-election to two two-year terms in that body. In 1975, she was elected judge of the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Superior Court, where she served until her 1979 appointment to the Arizona Court of Appeals.
She became the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court when President Ronald Reagan named her as an associate justice in 1981. During her almost 25 years on the high court, Justice O’Connor cast tie-breaking votes in more than three-fourths of the panel’s 5-4 decisions.
She retired from the court in January 2006, and Arizona State University renamed its law school in her honor that same year. In 2009, President Barack Obama presented the retired jurist with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
Justice O’Connor has also written three best-sellers: “The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice,” the family memoir “Lazy B” and a children’s book, “Finding Susie.” She was married to the late John Jay O’Connor III, and the couple had three sons.
MTSU’s Windham Lecture Series in Liberal Arts was established by William and Westy Windham through the MTSU Foundation. Dr. William Windham was a member of the MTSU faculty from 1955 to 1989 and served as chairman of the Department of History the last 11 years. His wife, the late Westy Windham, earned a master's degree in sociology at MTSU and was the founder of the Great American Singalong.
The inaugural Windham Lecture in 1990 featured Drs. Dan T. Carter of Emory University and Dewey W. Grantham of Vanderbilt University, who spoke on “The South and the Second Reconstruction.” Since then, the Windham Lectures have addressed topics spanning from American music to presidential rhetoric to gambling to U.S. foreign policy.
The Feb. 8 lecture is sponsored by the MTSU Centennial Committee, the College of Liberal Arts, the University Honors College, the American Democracy Project and the MTSU Department of Sociology and Anthropology. For more information, please contact the College of Liberal Arts at 615-494-7628.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 20, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Connie Huddleston, 615-494-7628, chudd@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—Retired U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor will help MTSU celebrate its Centennial year during a special visit on Wednesday, Feb. 8, as part of the University’s renowned Windham Lecture Series.
Justice O’Connor will present her free public lecture at 6:30 p.m. in the Hinton Music Hall inside MTSU’s Wright Music Building.
“We are thrilled to host Justice O’Connor on campus,” said Dr. Mark Byrnes, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and a professor of political science at MTSU. “It’s quite an honor to have her come to MTSU. Since her retirement from the bench, she’s been particularly interested in civics education, and that meshes well with MTSU’s commitment to the American Democracy Project.”
Justice O’Connor, a native of El Paso, Texas, earned her bachelor’s and law degrees from Stanford University and served as San Mateo County (Calif.) deputy county attorney and a civilian attorney for the Quartermaster Market Center in Frankfurt, Germany, before practicing law in Maryvale, Ariz. She served as Arizona assistant attorney general from 1965 to 1969 and was appointed to the Arizona State Senate in 1969, earning re-election to two two-year terms in that body. In 1975, she was elected judge of the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Superior Court, where she served until her 1979 appointment to the Arizona Court of Appeals.
She became the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court when President Ronald Reagan named her as an associate justice in 1981. During her almost 25 years on the high court, Justice O’Connor cast tie-breaking votes in more than three-fourths of the panel’s 5-4 decisions.
She retired from the court in January 2006, and Arizona State University renamed its law school in her honor that same year. In 2009, President Barack Obama presented the retired jurist with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
Justice O’Connor has also written three best-sellers: “The Majesty of the Law: Reflections of a Supreme Court Justice,” the family memoir “Lazy B” and a children’s book, “Finding Susie.” She was married to the late John Jay O’Connor III, and the couple had three sons.
MTSU’s Windham Lecture Series in Liberal Arts was established by William and Westy Windham through the MTSU Foundation. Dr. William Windham was a member of the MTSU faculty from 1955 to 1989 and served as chairman of the Department of History the last 11 years. His wife, the late Westy Windham, earned a master's degree in sociology at MTSU and was the founder of the Great American Singalong.
The inaugural Windham Lecture in 1990 featured Drs. Dan T. Carter of Emory University and Dewey W. Grantham of Vanderbilt University, who spoke on “The South and the Second Reconstruction.” Since then, the Windham Lectures have addressed topics spanning from American music to presidential rhetoric to gambling to U.S. foreign policy.
The Feb. 8 lecture is sponsored by the MTSU Centennial Committee, the College of Liberal Arts, the University Honors College, the American Democracy Project and the MTSU Department of Sociology and Anthropology. For more information, please contact the College of Liberal Arts at 615-494-7628.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[231] Tennessee Arts Commission to Host Create 2012 Teacher Training at MTSU
Tennessee Arts Commission to host Create 2012 teacher training at MTSU
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 20, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Dennis Adkins, 615-532-2779 or dennis.adkins@tn.gov
MURFREESBORO—The Tennessee Arts Commission will host its second “Create2012: Creativity in Education Institute” on July 15-18 at MTSU in partnership with the University's College of Education.
Create2012 will focus on increasing creativity and collaboration in Tennessee schools. Sessions will be offered for K-12 classroom teachers, arts specialists, teaching artists, special-education and resource teachers as well as principals and superintendents.
“Our first institute (at MTSU in July 2011) was highly successful, and we welcomed 400 participants from Tennessee and seven other states,” said Rich Boyd, executive director of the Tennessee Arts Commission. “Before the first event concluded, participants were asking for a repeat in 2012.”
The Creativity in Education Institute emerged from the commission’s highly successful Value Plus Schools initiative, an arts-integration model with multi-year funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
The Value Plus initiative demonstrated how the arts affect students' success by helping to close the achievement gap. Value Plus model schools made greater academic gains than the control schools, despite having larger number of economically disadvantaged students.
“Middle Tennessee State University is pleased to partner with the Tennessee Arts Commission and play host to the second annual Creativity in Education Institute this summer,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “MTSU is committed to developing well-rounded individuals who will become productive citizens in their communities. MTSU’s rich history in teacher training is only made better with this collaboration.”
Dr. Lana Seivers, dean of MTSU's College of Education and a former state commissioner of education, added, “The College of Education welcomes the opportunity to work with our partners to provide professional development for educators from across the state. We are extremely pleased to be a part of this effort.”
For more information on Create2012, visit www.tn.gov/arts/create2012.html, or contact Ann Talbott Brown at ann.brown@tn.gov.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 20, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Dennis Adkins, 615-532-2779 or dennis.adkins@tn.gov
MURFREESBORO—The Tennessee Arts Commission will host its second “Create2012: Creativity in Education Institute” on July 15-18 at MTSU in partnership with the University's College of Education.
Create2012 will focus on increasing creativity and collaboration in Tennessee schools. Sessions will be offered for K-12 classroom teachers, arts specialists, teaching artists, special-education and resource teachers as well as principals and superintendents.
“Our first institute (at MTSU in July 2011) was highly successful, and we welcomed 400 participants from Tennessee and seven other states,” said Rich Boyd, executive director of the Tennessee Arts Commission. “Before the first event concluded, participants were asking for a repeat in 2012.”
The Creativity in Education Institute emerged from the commission’s highly successful Value Plus Schools initiative, an arts-integration model with multi-year funding from the U.S. Department of Education.
The Value Plus initiative demonstrated how the arts affect students' success by helping to close the achievement gap. Value Plus model schools made greater academic gains than the control schools, despite having larger number of economically disadvantaged students.
“Middle Tennessee State University is pleased to partner with the Tennessee Arts Commission and play host to the second annual Creativity in Education Institute this summer,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “MTSU is committed to developing well-rounded individuals who will become productive citizens in their communities. MTSU’s rich history in teacher training is only made better with this collaboration.”
Dr. Lana Seivers, dean of MTSU's College of Education and a former state commissioner of education, added, “The College of Education welcomes the opportunity to work with our partners to provide professional development for educators from across the state. We are extremely pleased to be a part of this effort.”
For more information on Create2012, visit www.tn.gov/arts/create2012.html, or contact Ann Talbott Brown at ann.brown@tn.gov.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[230] Longtime MTSU Spokesman Eyeing 'Next Chapter' in Retirement
Longtime MTSU spokesman eyeing ‘next chapter’ in retirement
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 19, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: News and Media Relations, 615-898-2919 or news@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO— Tom Tozer, Middle Tennessee State University’s director of news and media relations, will retire at the end of January after nearly 20 years of service to the University.
Hired initially as a staff writer, Tozer later became director of media relations and then director of what was long known as MTSU’s Office of News and Public Affairs. In 2011, he helped revamp MTSUNews.com as the University’s primary information platform, replacing two longtime print publications, “The Record” and “The Alumni Record.”
Tozer also helped launch “Out of the Blue,” a monthly video magazine about MTSU produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications that airs on local cable stations across the Midstate.
“Through his excellent work with all forms of media, Tom Tozer has done tremendous work in helping spread the news about the good works of our University,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. “We thank him for his devoted service, and we wish him well in his retirement.”
Tozer also organized MTSU’s “Building Runners,” who help alert and guide students, faculty and staff to safety during campus emergencies like tornadoes. He and his staff have worked closely with MTSU’s Department of Public Safety to develop and implement emergency notifications with text-messaging technology.
“I have been blessed to work at MTSU, and I hope to continue to contribute in more limited ways,” Tozer said. “I would be remiss in not singling out my staff of news professionals, for whom I have the greatest respect—Gina Fann, Gina Logue, Randy Weiler and Paula Morton. They are first-rate, and the University is fortunate to have them.
“I will miss many good friends at MTSU, but most of all, I’ll miss being among college students,” he continued. “The greatest joy in this job has been to showcase their accomplishments. We have incredible scholars here, and I can only hope that they have kept me young and that their intellect has rubbed off a little.”
One of those scholars is his younger daughter, Alyssa McDonald, who will finish her master’s degree in administration and supervision at MTSU this summer. His eldest daughter, Megan Farmer, graduated from MTSU in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance. Tozer and his wife, Linda, will celebrate their 30th anniversary this year.
Through the years, Tozer has served on many MTSU committees, lectured public-relations classes, worked on promotional campaigns for conferences and other major events and represented the University in many community organizations.
Tozer was hired in 1983 by then-MTSU Public Relations Director Dot Harrison, “back when we still pasted ‘The Record’ on boards and delivered it to the ‘Daily News Journal’ for printing, back when we still put campus memos in envelopes instead of sending emails, and back when the doors of the Cason-Kennedy Nursing Building first opened,” he recalled.
“This job runs the gamut,” he said of his longtime MTSU post. “You get to shake a lot of hands, write, speak and create. You also get to serve meals to kids, haul equipment around and pick up a hammer and drive signs in the ground. And that’s while wearing a shirt and tie.”
In 2000, he received the Parthenon Award from the Tennessee Press Association for his media-tip resource “Today’s Response.”
Tozer received the MTSU Foundation Public Service Award in 2007 and was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society in 2008. He has received numerous writing awards from the Tennessee College Public Relations Association and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
Tozer served as 2000-01 board president of the American Heart Association of Rutherford County and was a board member of the local Salvation Army for 10 years, including seven years as board president. He currently is a member of the board of Elders First of Rutherford County.
“It’s all good, and the next chapter will be even better,” Tozer said, adding that he looks forward to pursuing other interests, “punctuated with a lot of pauses.”
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
[229] Former MTSU Student Takes Social-Work Knowledge to Haiti
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 12, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
Former MTSU Student Takes Social-Work Knowledge to Haiti;
Katie Erie to Launch Orphanage for Special-Needs Children Two Years after Quake
MURFREESBORO—Former MTSU student Katie Erie, who was working at an orphanage in Haiti when a devastating earthquake rocked the Caribbean nation two years ago on Jan. 12, 2010, will return to Haiti to manage an orphanage there.
The 23-year-old former social work major from Franklin, Tenn., will launch a facility to house parents and special-needs children in Neply, Haiti. The new orphanage will be operated under the auspices of myLIFEspeaks, a 501c3 organization created in 2006 by Mike and Missy Wilson of Franklin.
Erie explained in a telephone interview from Neply how special needs children are treated as pariahs in Haiti.
“There is not very much respect for them,” Erie said. “They are shunned, locked away, not really loved, because they are considered cursed. My dream is that one day they will be respected like everyone else.”
Although her humanitarian work interrupted her college career, Erie said her work in Haiti is informed by her classroom experiences with Dr. Chuck Frost, a social-work professor at MTSU.
“His outlook on life is inspiring and very encouraging and made me feel like there’s no reason why I can’t do things,” Erie said. “I definitely know more now about how to communicate effectively with different people.”
MyLIFEspeaks currently is renting the facility Erie will manage. The group is raising money to build its own campus, which includes plans for housing, a community center, recreational facilities and a cemetery.
Haiti has a population of more than nine million people. Nearly 500,000 Haitian children are orphans, and one in five of those children have special needs.
The magnitude-seven 2010 earthquake, which destroyed the orphanage where Erie had worked, killed nearly 223,000 people and left nearly 1.5 million homeless.
To listen to “Katie in Haiti,” Gina Logue’s “MTSU on the Record” interview with Erie about her experiences during the earthquake, go to www.mtsu.edu/news/podcast/podcast2010.shtml and click on “January 31, 2010.”
For more information about myLIFEspeaks and its humanitarian outreach efforts in Haiti, go to www.myLIFEspeaks.com.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
Former MTSU Student Takes Social-Work Knowledge to Haiti;
Katie Erie to Launch Orphanage for Special-Needs Children Two Years after Quake
MURFREESBORO—Former MTSU student Katie Erie, who was working at an orphanage in Haiti when a devastating earthquake rocked the Caribbean nation two years ago on Jan. 12, 2010, will return to Haiti to manage an orphanage there.
The 23-year-old former social work major from Franklin, Tenn., will launch a facility to house parents and special-needs children in Neply, Haiti. The new orphanage will be operated under the auspices of myLIFEspeaks, a 501c3 organization created in 2006 by Mike and Missy Wilson of Franklin.
Erie explained in a telephone interview from Neply how special needs children are treated as pariahs in Haiti.
“There is not very much respect for them,” Erie said. “They are shunned, locked away, not really loved, because they are considered cursed. My dream is that one day they will be respected like everyone else.”
Although her humanitarian work interrupted her college career, Erie said her work in Haiti is informed by her classroom experiences with Dr. Chuck Frost, a social-work professor at MTSU.
“His outlook on life is inspiring and very encouraging and made me feel like there’s no reason why I can’t do things,” Erie said. “I definitely know more now about how to communicate effectively with different people.”
MyLIFEspeaks currently is renting the facility Erie will manage. The group is raising money to build its own campus, which includes plans for housing, a community center, recreational facilities and a cemetery.
Haiti has a population of more than nine million people. Nearly 500,000 Haitian children are orphans, and one in five of those children have special needs.
The magnitude-seven 2010 earthquake, which destroyed the orphanage where Erie had worked, killed nearly 223,000 people and left nearly 1.5 million homeless.
To listen to “Katie in Haiti,” Gina Logue’s “MTSU on the Record” interview with Erie about her experiences during the earthquake, go to www.mtsu.edu/news/podcast/podcast2010.shtml and click on “January 31, 2010.”
For more information about myLIFEspeaks and its humanitarian outreach efforts in Haiti, go to www.myLIFEspeaks.com.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[228] MTSU music-faculty group makes debut Jan. 20 with baroque tunes, instruments
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 12, 2011
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493 or tmusselm@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—“Ensemble 1720,” a newly formed MTSU School of Music faculty period-instrument group, will make its debut Friday, Jan. 20, in the University’s Hinton Music Hall inside the Wright Music Building.
The special 7:30 p.m. performance will be free and is open to the public.
The Ensemble 1720 musicians make their performance distinctive by playing string and wind instruments in use during the Baroque era, the 17th- and early 18th-century period when Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and their colleagues created their masterpieces.
“The orchestral instruments that we know today were altered significantly in the 19th century,” said Dr. George Riordan, director of the MTSU School of Music and oboist for Ensemble 1720.
“We’ll be recreating the style that the composers would have expected, so that the music may be heard in all its original color and passion. The concert will include a variety of music by Baroque masters: George Frideric Handel, Arcangelo Corelli, Georg Phillipp Telemann, Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel and Johann Gottlieb Janitsch.”
The group will perform Corelli’s “Trio Sonata in G,” Handel’s “Trio Sonata in F,” Telemann’s “Trio Sonata in A Minor” and Stölzel ‘s “Sonata à Quattro No. 4 in F Major.”
Joining Riordan in Ensemble 1720 are MTSU School of Music faculty Andrea Dawson, violin; Christine Kim, cello; Lillian Pearson, harpsichord; Jessica Dunnavant, flute; and Angela DeBoer, horn. They’ll be joined by violinist/violist Karen Clarke from the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and Belmont University School of Music professor Francis Perry, who will perform on a theorbo, a large lute with an extra set of bass strings.
For more MTSU School of Music concert information, call 615-898-2493 or visit www.mtsumusic.com and click on the "Concert Calendar" link.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493 or tmusselm@mtsu.edu
MURFREESBORO—“Ensemble 1720,” a newly formed MTSU School of Music faculty period-instrument group, will make its debut Friday, Jan. 20, in the University’s Hinton Music Hall inside the Wright Music Building.
The special 7:30 p.m. performance will be free and is open to the public.
The Ensemble 1720 musicians make their performance distinctive by playing string and wind instruments in use during the Baroque era, the 17th- and early 18th-century period when Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and their colleagues created their masterpieces.
“The orchestral instruments that we know today were altered significantly in the 19th century,” said Dr. George Riordan, director of the MTSU School of Music and oboist for Ensemble 1720.
“We’ll be recreating the style that the composers would have expected, so that the music may be heard in all its original color and passion. The concert will include a variety of music by Baroque masters: George Frideric Handel, Arcangelo Corelli, Georg Phillipp Telemann, Gottfried Heinrich Stölzel and Johann Gottlieb Janitsch.”
The group will perform Corelli’s “Trio Sonata in G,” Handel’s “Trio Sonata in F,” Telemann’s “Trio Sonata in A Minor” and Stölzel ‘s “Sonata à Quattro No. 4 in F Major.”
Joining Riordan in Ensemble 1720 are MTSU School of Music faculty Andrea Dawson, violin; Christine Kim, cello; Lillian Pearson, harpsichord; Jessica Dunnavant, flute; and Angela DeBoer, horn. They’ll be joined by violinist/violist Karen Clarke from the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University and Belmont University School of Music professor Francis Perry, who will perform on a theorbo, a large lute with an extra set of bass strings.
For more MTSU School of Music concert information, call 615-898-2493 or visit www.mtsumusic.com and click on the "Concert Calendar" link.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
[227] More Diabetes Workshops Available in Rutherford County
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 11, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
MORE DIABETES WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY New Sessions at Murfreesboro FUMC, Smyrna Public Library
MURFREESBORO--The next series of free “Yes I Can” Diabetes Self-Management Workshops are slated to begin this month and next in Rutherford County.
Sessions are planned on Wednesdays beginning Jan. 18 through Feb. 22 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, located at 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Friday sessions begin Feb. 3 and run through March 9 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Smyrna Public Library at 400 Enon Springs Road.
“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 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, though pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, go to www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml or contact Cindy Chafin at Cynthia.chafin@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5493 or 615-847-3081.
--30--
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
MORE DIABETES WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE IN RUTHERFORD COUNTY New Sessions at Murfreesboro FUMC, Smyrna Public Library
MURFREESBORO--The next series of free “Yes I Can” Diabetes Self-Management Workshops are slated to begin this month and next in Rutherford County.
Sessions are planned on Wednesdays beginning Jan. 18 through Feb. 22 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, located at 265 W. Thompson Lane in Murfreesboro. Friday sessions begin Feb. 3 and run through March 9 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Smyrna Public Library at 400 Enon Springs Road.
“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 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, though pre-registration is required. For more information or to register, go to www.mtsu.edu/achcs/YesICan.shtml or contact Cindy Chafin at Cynthia.chafin@mtsu.edu or 615-898-5493 or 615-847-3081.
--30--
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[226] Professor's Work Deemed One of '100 Best' Business Books
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 11, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
PROFESSOR’S WORK DEEMED ONE OF ‘100 BEST’ BUSINESS BOOKS
‘No Man’s Land’ by MTSU’s Doug Tatum Hailed as ‘Essential Reading’
MURFREESBORO—Doug Tatum, holder of the Wright Chair of Entrepreneurship at MTSU, is included in the recently updated edition of “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.”
Written by Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten, the new November 2011 paperback edition is revised to include books written since its original 2006 publication. One of the additions is Tatum’s 2007 book “No Man’s Land: What to Do When Your Company is Too Big to Be Small but Too Small to Be Big.”
Covert’s review of “No Man’s Land” calls it “essential reading for any entrepreneur looking to grow their business or wondering if they even should. Tatum does believe that some businesses have to remain small to remain profitable, but for those that are suited for growth, he delineates four Ms needed to make it a successful venture: Market, Management, Model and Money.”
“100 Best” also highlights a quote from Tatum’s book and provides links to another review and one of Tatum’s speeches on YouTube.
Tatum, who is an associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, was chairman and CEO of Tatum LLC for more than 30 years.
He grew the company to the largest executive-services consulting firm in the United States with more than 1,000 employees and professionals in 30 offices. He later served on the firm’s board and as chairman emeritus until the company merged with Spherion Corporation in early 2010.
In 2011, Tatum was tapped to head concentrated research for the Institute for Exceptional Growth Companies to investigate the performance of EGCs through economic cycles and how they contribute to job creation and economic prosperity.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
PROFESSOR’S WORK DEEMED ONE OF ‘100 BEST’ BUSINESS BOOKS
‘No Man’s Land’ by MTSU’s Doug Tatum Hailed as ‘Essential Reading’
MURFREESBORO—Doug Tatum, holder of the Wright Chair of Entrepreneurship at MTSU, is included in the recently updated edition of “The 100 Best Business Books of All Time.”
Written by Jack Covert and Todd Sattersten, the new November 2011 paperback edition is revised to include books written since its original 2006 publication. One of the additions is Tatum’s 2007 book “No Man’s Land: What to Do When Your Company is Too Big to Be Small but Too Small to Be Big.”
Covert’s review of “No Man’s Land” calls it “essential reading for any entrepreneur looking to grow their business or wondering if they even should. Tatum does believe that some businesses have to remain small to remain profitable, but for those that are suited for growth, he delineates four Ms needed to make it a successful venture: Market, Management, Model and Money.”
“100 Best” also highlights a quote from Tatum’s book and provides links to another review and one of Tatum’s speeches on YouTube.
Tatum, who is an associate professor in the MTSU Department of Business Communication and Entrepreneurship, was chairman and CEO of Tatum LLC for more than 30 years.
He grew the company to the largest executive-services consulting firm in the United States with more than 1,000 employees and professionals in 30 offices. He later served on the firm’s board and as chairman emeritus until the company merged with Spherion Corporation in early 2010.
In 2011, Tatum was tapped to head concentrated research for the Institute for Exceptional Growth Companies to investigate the performance of EGCs through economic cycles and how they contribute to job creation and economic prosperity.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[225] MTSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestras Plan Two Spring Concerts
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Tim Musselman, 615-898-2493 or tmusselm@mtsu.edu
MTSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestras Plan Two Spring Concerts
MURFREESBORO—The MTSU Symphony Orchestra and the MTSU Chamber Orchestra will present the first of two free spring concerts at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, in the Hinton Music Hall inside the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
The second concert is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, April 22.
The Feb. 26 performance will feature Mozart’s “Flute Concerto No. 2” with soloist Kallie Rogers, a Master of Arts student in flute performance at MTSU.
The MTSU Symphony Orchestra also will perform the first and third movements of Mahler’s “Symphony No. 5.”
“This is a powerful and moving work,” said Dr. Carol Nies, associate professor of music at MTSU and director of the groups, who added that the “light and sparkling” first movement of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1” also will be a highlight of the Feb. 26 concert.
Both concerts are free and open to the public.
For more information on MTSU School of Music concerts, click on the “Concert Calendar” link at www.MTSUmusic.com or call 615-898-2493.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
MTSU Symphony and Chamber Orchestras Plan Two Spring Concerts
MURFREESBORO—The MTSU Symphony Orchestra and the MTSU Chamber Orchestra will present the first of two free spring concerts at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, in the Hinton Music Hall inside the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.
The second concert is scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, April 22.
The Feb. 26 performance will feature Mozart’s “Flute Concerto No. 2” with soloist Kallie Rogers, a Master of Arts student in flute performance at MTSU.
The MTSU Symphony Orchestra also will perform the first and third movements of Mahler’s “Symphony No. 5.”
“This is a powerful and moving work,” said Dr. Carol Nies, associate professor of music at MTSU and director of the groups, who added that the “light and sparkling” first movement of Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1” also will be a highlight of the Feb. 26 concert.
Both concerts are free and open to the public.
For more information on MTSU School of Music concerts, click on the “Concert Calendar” link at www.MTSUmusic.com or call 615-898-2493.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[224] MTSU Will Be Closed Jan 16. for Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
For release: Jan. 11, 2012
News and Media Relations contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-5616 or Thomas.Tozer@mtsu.edu
MTSU Will Be Closed Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
MURFREESBORO — MTSU will be closed Monday, Jan. 16, for the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, University officials said. No classes will be held and no offices will be open. University classes will resume and all offices and departments will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Saturday, Jan. 14, classes will be held, a campus official said.
The James E. Walker Library will be closed Sunday and Monday, reopening at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. It will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 13 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 14.
The Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center will be closed Saturday through Monday, reopening at 6 a.m. Tuesday. It will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Friday. The Campus Pharmacy, which will be closed all weekend, will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Friday’s hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the drive-through open until 4:30.
For students, faculty and visitors who will be on campus during the weekend, McCallie Dining Hall and Cyber Café will be the only food venues open. McCallie will be open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and open from 10 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Monday. Cyber Café will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Monday, it will be open from 4:30 p.m. until 2 a.m. Jan. 17.
The James Union Building will be closed Saturday through Monday. Keathley University Center will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday and be open from 4 until 11 p.m. Monday.
###
Media note: In case of emergency, contact MTSU Campus Police at 615-898-2424. They can contact MTSU News and Media Relations personnel.
###
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
News and Media Relations contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-5616 or Thomas.Tozer@mtsu.edu
MTSU Will Be Closed Jan. 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
MURFREESBORO — MTSU will be closed Monday, Jan. 16, for the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, University officials said. No classes will be held and no offices will be open. University classes will resume and all offices and departments will be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17.
Saturday, Jan. 14, classes will be held, a campus official said.
The James E. Walker Library will be closed Sunday and Monday, reopening at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. It will be open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 13 and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 14.
The Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center will be closed Saturday through Monday, reopening at 6 a.m. Tuesday. It will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. this Friday. The Campus Pharmacy, which will be closed all weekend, will reopen at 8 a.m. Tuesday. Friday’s hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the drive-through open until 4:30.
For students, faculty and visitors who will be on campus during the weekend, McCallie Dining Hall and Cyber Café will be the only food venues open. McCallie will be open from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and open from 10 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Monday. Cyber Café will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Monday, it will be open from 4:30 p.m. until 2 a.m. Jan. 17.
The James Union Building will be closed Saturday through Monday. Keathley University Center will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday and be open from 4 until 11 p.m. Monday.
###
Media note: In case of emergency, contact MTSU Campus Police at 615-898-2424. They can contact MTSU News and Media Relations personnel.
###
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
[223] MTSU Spring 2012 Semester Begins Jan. 12
News and Media Relations contacts: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
or Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 or Thomas.Tozer@mtsu.edu
Student Affairs/Enrollment contact: Dr. Deb Sells, 615-898-2440 or Debra.Sells@mtsu.edu
MTSU Spring 2012 semester begins Jan. 12
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU administrators, faculty and staff are ready to launch the spring 2012 semester for the projected 23,700 students expected to attend. Classes will begin Thursday, Jan. 12.
The University already is a healthier campus; on Jan. 1, it went tobacco-free.
Officials said spring 2012 enrollment should be slightly below that of spring 2011, when 24,660 students were registered for classes. As of Jan. 5, MTSU’s spring enrollment stood at 22,659. The numbers will change daily as students register even after classes start.
Enrollment-management officials will submit student census totals to the Tennessee Board of Regents sometime after Jan. 26.
MTSU’s fall 2011 enrollment was an all-time record 26,442 students.
As the University builds toward two Saturday, May 5, commencement ceremonies in Murphy Center, a busy spring is planned, including:
• the 12-week Spring 2012 Honors Lecture Series, “Prison Writing: From Boethius to Medhi Zana,” which begins Monday, Jan. 23, with Dr. Philip Phillips’ presentation, “Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Tradition of Prison Writing”; for more details on the free public series, visit bit.ly/MTHonorsLecturesS12;
• the 39th annual Groundhog Day Luncheon to benefit Blue Raider baseball on Wednesday, Feb. 2, starting at 11:30 a.m. in Murphy Center (call 615-898-2210 or 1-800-937-6878 for tickets);
• the launch of MTSU’s Black History Month activities with the annual Unity Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 11 a.m. in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room (call 615-898-2591 or email Brenda.Wunder@mtsu.edu for tickets);
• free Friday Star Parties Feb. 3, Feb. 24, April 13, April 27 and June 5 in Room 102 of Wiser-Patten Science Hall (call 615-898-2130 for more information);
• a College to Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Fair Career Fair at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center Tuesday, Feb. 14, and an Internships and Summer Jobs Fair at Murphy Center Tuesday, March 20, both sponsored by MTSU’s Career Development Center (visit www.mtsu.edu/career for details);
• the Wednesday, Feb. 8, Posters at the Capitol in Nashville and March 26-30 Scholars Week (www.mtsu.edu/research/scholars_week.shtml) activities across campus;
• the University Honors College’s third annual President’s Day Open House and campus tours, set for Monday, Feb. 20, in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building (visit www.mtsu.edu/honors/OpenHouse.shtml for details);
• the third annual Health and Fitness Day Wednesday, Feb. 22, in MTSU’s Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center (call 615-898-2104 for details);
• the annual Science Olympiad on Saturday, Feb. 25, across campus for area middle- and high-school students and an Elementary Science Olympiad Saturday, May 12, at John Pittard Elementary School;
• the annual School of Agribusiness and Agriscience Career Fair Wednesday, March 16 (visit www.mtsu.edu/abas/ABAS_Career_Fair.shtml); and
• Admissions’ Spring Preview Days on Saturday, March 24, and Saturday, April 21, and a special Blue and White spring football game tour on Saturday, April 14 (615-898-2111 or www.mtsu.edu/admissn).
For MTSU’s spring 2012 academic calendar, visit www.mtsu.edu/calendar_academic.shtml.
###
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
or Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919 or Thomas.Tozer@mtsu.edu
Student Affairs/Enrollment contact: Dr. Deb Sells, 615-898-2440 or Debra.Sells@mtsu.edu
MTSU Spring 2012 semester begins Jan. 12
(MURFREESBORO) — MTSU administrators, faculty and staff are ready to launch the spring 2012 semester for the projected 23,700 students expected to attend. Classes will begin Thursday, Jan. 12.
The University already is a healthier campus; on Jan. 1, it went tobacco-free.
Officials said spring 2012 enrollment should be slightly below that of spring 2011, when 24,660 students were registered for classes. As of Jan. 5, MTSU’s spring enrollment stood at 22,659. The numbers will change daily as students register even after classes start.
Enrollment-management officials will submit student census totals to the Tennessee Board of Regents sometime after Jan. 26.
MTSU’s fall 2011 enrollment was an all-time record 26,442 students.
As the University builds toward two Saturday, May 5, commencement ceremonies in Murphy Center, a busy spring is planned, including:
• the 12-week Spring 2012 Honors Lecture Series, “Prison Writing: From Boethius to Medhi Zana,” which begins Monday, Jan. 23, with Dr. Philip Phillips’ presentation, “Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail and the Tradition of Prison Writing”; for more details on the free public series, visit bit.ly/MTHonorsLecturesS12;
• the 39th annual Groundhog Day Luncheon to benefit Blue Raider baseball on Wednesday, Feb. 2, starting at 11:30 a.m. in Murphy Center (call 615-898-2210 or 1-800-937-6878 for tickets);
• the launch of MTSU’s Black History Month activities with the annual Unity Luncheon on Tuesday, Feb. 7, at 11 a.m. in the James Union Building’s Tennessee Room (call 615-898-2591 or email Brenda.Wunder@mtsu.edu for tickets);
• free Friday Star Parties Feb. 3, Feb. 24, April 13, April 27 and June 5 in Room 102 of Wiser-Patten Science Hall (call 615-898-2130 for more information);
• a College to Career Fair and Teacher Recruitment Fair Career Fair at the Williamson County Ag Expo Center Tuesday, Feb. 14, and an Internships and Summer Jobs Fair at Murphy Center Tuesday, March 20, both sponsored by MTSU’s Career Development Center (visit www.mtsu.edu/career for details);
• the Wednesday, Feb. 8, Posters at the Capitol in Nashville and March 26-30 Scholars Week (www.mtsu.edu/research/scholars_week.shtml) activities across campus;
• the University Honors College’s third annual President’s Day Open House and campus tours, set for Monday, Feb. 20, in the Paul W. Martin Sr. Honors Building (visit www.mtsu.edu/honors/OpenHouse.shtml for details);
• the third annual Health and Fitness Day Wednesday, Feb. 22, in MTSU’s Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center (call 615-898-2104 for details);
• the annual Science Olympiad on Saturday, Feb. 25, across campus for area middle- and high-school students and an Elementary Science Olympiad Saturday, May 12, at John Pittard Elementary School;
• the annual School of Agribusiness and Agriscience Career Fair Wednesday, March 16 (visit www.mtsu.edu/abas/ABAS_Career_Fair.shtml); and
• Admissions’ Spring Preview Days on Saturday, March 24, and Saturday, April 21, and a special Blue and White spring football game tour on Saturday, April 14 (615-898-2111 or www.mtsu.edu/admissn).
For MTSU’s spring 2012 academic calendar, visit www.mtsu.edu/calendar_academic.shtml.
###
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Monday, January 09, 2012
[222] Cheatham County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program
For Release: Jan. 9, 2012
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
CHEATHAM COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Rolling Hills Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO) — The Rolling Hills Farm, located in Cheatham 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 1910, James Washington Fielder and his wife, Annetta Frazier Fielder, transferred almost 17 acres to James Houston Fielder and his wife, Hettie Adkins Fielder. The farm, located in Cheatham County, is approximately two miles from the Henrietta community. As was the case on many other farms in this area, tobacco was the primary cash crop, but the family also raised vegetables, hay, hogs, chickens, corn, wheat, cattle, sheep and fruit. James and Hettie were the parents of Everett, Clyde, Lance (called “Snooks”) and Dalton.
Lance “Snooks” Fielder acquired his father’s farm in 1945. Lance expanded the farm to 279 acres and continued to raise tobacco, hogs, hay, corn and cattle. Lance married Effie Mae Barfield and, as they had no heirs, Everett Fielder Jr., a grandson of farm founder James Houston Fielder, acquired the 279 acre farm in 1973. Everett married Anita Grigg and they were the parents of six children.
Today, the Rolling Hills Farm is owned by Anita Grigg Fielder, the widow of Everett Fielder Jr., and their daughter, Brenda Fielder. Brenda is married to Jimbeau Hinson. The family owns the original acreage that the founder acquired in 1910and raises cattle and hay on the property. The original farmhouse, home of the founding couple, is still in use by the family and has been restored. The family also maintains an original smokehouse, which serves as a family museum and two log corncribs that the owners use for storage.
In 2006, Brenda Fielder, who serves as farm manager, received the Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year for Cheatham County. In November 2011, the family gathered at the historic farm to celebrate their Century Farm certification as well as the birthday of Mrs. Dalton Fielder (“Mama D”) Gupton, who was born on the farm 90 years ago and has lived her life on Houston Fielder Road. Rolling Hills Farm is the 14th Century Farm certified in Cheatham 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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
CHEATHAM COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Rolling Hills Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO) — The Rolling Hills Farm, located in Cheatham 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 1910, James Washington Fielder and his wife, Annetta Frazier Fielder, transferred almost 17 acres to James Houston Fielder and his wife, Hettie Adkins Fielder. The farm, located in Cheatham County, is approximately two miles from the Henrietta community. As was the case on many other farms in this area, tobacco was the primary cash crop, but the family also raised vegetables, hay, hogs, chickens, corn, wheat, cattle, sheep and fruit. James and Hettie were the parents of Everett, Clyde, Lance (called “Snooks”) and Dalton.
Lance “Snooks” Fielder acquired his father’s farm in 1945. Lance expanded the farm to 279 acres and continued to raise tobacco, hogs, hay, corn and cattle. Lance married Effie Mae Barfield and, as they had no heirs, Everett Fielder Jr., a grandson of farm founder James Houston Fielder, acquired the 279 acre farm in 1973. Everett married Anita Grigg and they were the parents of six children.
Today, the Rolling Hills Farm is owned by Anita Grigg Fielder, the widow of Everett Fielder Jr., and their daughter, Brenda Fielder. Brenda is married to Jimbeau Hinson. The family owns the original acreage that the founder acquired in 1910and raises cattle and hay on the property. The original farmhouse, home of the founding couple, is still in use by the family and has been restored. The family also maintains an original smokehouse, which serves as a family museum and two log corncribs that the owners use for storage.
In 2006, Brenda Fielder, who serves as farm manager, received the Outstanding Conservation Farmer of the Year for Cheatham County. In November 2011, the family gathered at the historic farm to celebrate their Century Farm certification as well as the birthday of Mrs. Dalton Fielder (“Mama D”) Gupton, who was born on the farm 90 years ago and has lived her life on Houston Fielder Road. Rolling Hills Farm is the 14th Century Farm certified in Cheatham 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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
[221] Gibson County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 9, 2012
CONTACT Info: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
GIBSON COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Thompson Homeplace Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)— The Thompson Homeplace, located in Gibson County, has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation 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.
Thomas Thompson purchased 244 acres of farmland in the Mt. Olive community of Gibson County, northwest of Dyer, in 1841. Thomas, born in Orange County, NC, came to Gibson County from Maury County in middle Tennessee. Thomas married Elizabeth Koons, and they were the parents of four children, Mary, Elizabeth, John and Henry. The Thompsons cultivated cotton and corn and raised cattle and hogs.
John Thompson acquired the family farm in 1853. Under his ownership, the farm expanded to 319 acres. One of the first elders of the Mt. Olive Cumberland Presbyterian Church, John was married to Nancy Minerva Wright Thompson. Their children were James, Gideon and Luther A’Macy. James and Gideon died in childhood leaving Luther to inherit the farm in 1887. He married Martha Eulala Phillips Thompson and they were the parents of nine children. Luther died in 1913; Martha died in 1937.
Martha Evelyn Thompson, one of Luther and Martha Eulala’s children, acquired the family farm in 1937. She married Esbert McVay, and they were the parents of Benny Joe and Nancy Eulala.
In 1983, Nancy Eulala McVay Thompson inherited the family farm. She is married to James Wayne Thompson and their children are Stephen Dwayne and Cindy Rena Prater. The Thompson’s live in a house built in the 1850s. Cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat and hogs are raised on the 91-acre farm, which is worked by Gary Fesmire. Nancy’s family is still active in the Mt. Olive Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and after a tornado destroyed the building in 2006, her brother, Benny McVay, and his son, Micah McVay, were the contractors to rebuild the structure. Nancy’s granddaughters, Shelby Lynn Thompson and Haley Elizabeth Thompson, are the sixth generation to be raised on the Thompson Homeplace.
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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
CONTACT Info: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
GIBSON COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Thompson Homeplace Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)— The Thompson Homeplace, located in Gibson County, has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation 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.
Thomas Thompson purchased 244 acres of farmland in the Mt. Olive community of Gibson County, northwest of Dyer, in 1841. Thomas, born in Orange County, NC, came to Gibson County from Maury County in middle Tennessee. Thomas married Elizabeth Koons, and they were the parents of four children, Mary, Elizabeth, John and Henry. The Thompsons cultivated cotton and corn and raised cattle and hogs.
John Thompson acquired the family farm in 1853. Under his ownership, the farm expanded to 319 acres. One of the first elders of the Mt. Olive Cumberland Presbyterian Church, John was married to Nancy Minerva Wright Thompson. Their children were James, Gideon and Luther A’Macy. James and Gideon died in childhood leaving Luther to inherit the farm in 1887. He married Martha Eulala Phillips Thompson and they were the parents of nine children. Luther died in 1913; Martha died in 1937.
Martha Evelyn Thompson, one of Luther and Martha Eulala’s children, acquired the family farm in 1937. She married Esbert McVay, and they were the parents of Benny Joe and Nancy Eulala.
In 1983, Nancy Eulala McVay Thompson inherited the family farm. She is married to James Wayne Thompson and their children are Stephen Dwayne and Cindy Rena Prater. The Thompson’s live in a house built in the 1850s. Cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat and hogs are raised on the 91-acre farm, which is worked by Gary Fesmire. Nancy’s family is still active in the Mt. Olive Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and after a tornado destroyed the building in 2006, her brother, Benny McVay, and his son, Micah McVay, were the contractors to rebuild the structure. Nancy’s granddaughters, Shelby Lynn Thompson and Haley Elizabeth Thompson, are the sixth generation to be raised on the Thompson Homeplace.
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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
[220] Macon County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program
For Release: Jan 9, 2012
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
MACON COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)—The Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm, located in Macon 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 Tennessee State University.
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.
The Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm illustrates the difficulty some families face in proving that their farms are eligible for inclusion in the Century Farm program. Due to courthouse fires that occurred in several counties at different times, it can be a challenge for families to trace the deeds to their family farms.
While the Jenkins family has been in Tennessee since at least 1804, the first legal record of the family owning their Macon County farm is an 1874 tax receipt. In that year, James Daniel Kirby was taxed for his 62 acres in the 10th District. James raised soybeans, corn, hay, cattle and timber on his farm, which was located eight miles from Red Boiling Springs. James never married, so two nieces and a great-nephew acquired the farm after his death.
Amanda Fitzgerald, Texas Tennessee Jenkins, and Daniel Esley “D.E.” Jenkins acquired the farm between 1900 and 1910 and owned a total of 133 acres. During their ownership, the farm produced corn, soybeans, wheat, hogs, sheep, poultry, dairy cows, cattle, horses, hay and timber.
The children of D.E. and Susie Adeline Dyer Jenkins inherited the farm after the deaths of Susie, Texas Tennessee and Dixon Jenkins. The heirs, Hattie Irene Jenkins, Daniel Esley Doyle Jenkins and Thelma Flo Jenkins, raised corn, tobacco, wheat, soybeans, hogs, poultry, milk cows, cattle, horses, hay and timber on the farm. Hattie Irene Jenkins married Edward Kimball Johnson. They had no children. Thelma Flo Jenkins never married. Daniel Esley Doyle Jenkins married Verda Alline Moss, and their two children, Ann Jenkins Hall and Fran Jenkins Belt inherited the farm from their father and aunts between 1978 and 2005.
Ann and Fran own 133 acres and raise cattle, horses, hay, corn, tobacco and soybeans. Ann married Fay Hall, and they are the parents of Lisa Hall Holland, Randall Fay Hall, Kimball Fitzgerald Hall and Alan Jenkins Hall. Fran married Fred Belt and Ann and Fran, along with their spouses and Ann’s sons are actively involved in the management of the farm, which includes a cattle operation. Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm is the 24th Century Farm to be certified in Macon 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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
MACON COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)—The Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm, located in Macon 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 Tennessee State University.
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.
The Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm illustrates the difficulty some families face in proving that their farms are eligible for inclusion in the Century Farm program. Due to courthouse fires that occurred in several counties at different times, it can be a challenge for families to trace the deeds to their family farms.
While the Jenkins family has been in Tennessee since at least 1804, the first legal record of the family owning their Macon County farm is an 1874 tax receipt. In that year, James Daniel Kirby was taxed for his 62 acres in the 10th District. James raised soybeans, corn, hay, cattle and timber on his farm, which was located eight miles from Red Boiling Springs. James never married, so two nieces and a great-nephew acquired the farm after his death.
Amanda Fitzgerald, Texas Tennessee Jenkins, and Daniel Esley “D.E.” Jenkins acquired the farm between 1900 and 1910 and owned a total of 133 acres. During their ownership, the farm produced corn, soybeans, wheat, hogs, sheep, poultry, dairy cows, cattle, horses, hay and timber.
The children of D.E. and Susie Adeline Dyer Jenkins inherited the farm after the deaths of Susie, Texas Tennessee and Dixon Jenkins. The heirs, Hattie Irene Jenkins, Daniel Esley Doyle Jenkins and Thelma Flo Jenkins, raised corn, tobacco, wheat, soybeans, hogs, poultry, milk cows, cattle, horses, hay and timber on the farm. Hattie Irene Jenkins married Edward Kimball Johnson. They had no children. Thelma Flo Jenkins never married. Daniel Esley Doyle Jenkins married Verda Alline Moss, and their two children, Ann Jenkins Hall and Fran Jenkins Belt inherited the farm from their father and aunts between 1978 and 2005.
Ann and Fran own 133 acres and raise cattle, horses, hay, corn, tobacco and soybeans. Ann married Fay Hall, and they are the parents of Lisa Hall Holland, Randall Fay Hall, Kimball Fitzgerald Hall and Alan Jenkins Hall. Fran married Fred Belt and Ann and Fran, along with their spouses and Ann’s sons are actively involved in the management of the farm, which includes a cattle operation. Jenkins Sunny Slope Farm is the 24th Century Farm to be certified in Macon 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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
[219] Putnam County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program
For Release: Jan. 9, 2012
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
PUTNAM COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Young Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)— The Young Farm, located in Putnam County, has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation 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 1902, Edith “Eado” Young purchased her 62-acre farm in Putman County for $27.80. A widow for 14 years, Eado is among the very few women who established a Tennessee Century Farm. On her acreage, she and her three children—Melonee, Fred and John—raised corn, hay, hogs, chickens, turkeys and cattle. When Eado received news that her husband, Dr. John H. Young, had fallen ill while treating patients in Wilson County in 1888, she immediately rode nonstop to be with her spouse. The family recalls that “Dr. Young was dead upon her arrival, and the horse died shortly after.”
Eado gave the farm to her daughter-in-law and grandson, Dora and Phillip Young, in June of 1913 for “the love and affection” she held for them. Dora and her husband, Eado’s son John H. Young, continued to produce many of the same crops, livestock and poultry.
In 1922, the land transferred to Hance Reeder, Melonnee Young Reeder’s husband. In addition to raising corn, hay, hogs, chickens, turkey and cattle, the owners began to cultivate tobacco.
Phillip Toral Young and his wife, Estelle C. Young, acquired all 62 acres of the original farm in 1950 and grew tobacco, corn and cattle. They sold the land to their son, Paul A. Young in December 1976. Paul is the great-grandson of the founder. Though much of the property is in dense timber, Paul currently grows tobacco, corn and hay on 25 of the original 62 acres. A springhouse, smokehouse, tobacco barn and the farmhouse, built in the early 20th century, are part of the farm’s history.
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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
PUTNAM COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Young Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)— The Young Farm, located in Putnam County, has been designated as a Tennessee Century Farm, reports Caneta S. Hankins, director of the Century Farms Program at the Center for Historic Preservation 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 1902, Edith “Eado” Young purchased her 62-acre farm in Putman County for $27.80. A widow for 14 years, Eado is among the very few women who established a Tennessee Century Farm. On her acreage, she and her three children—Melonee, Fred and John—raised corn, hay, hogs, chickens, turkeys and cattle. When Eado received news that her husband, Dr. John H. Young, had fallen ill while treating patients in Wilson County in 1888, she immediately rode nonstop to be with her spouse. The family recalls that “Dr. Young was dead upon her arrival, and the horse died shortly after.”
Eado gave the farm to her daughter-in-law and grandson, Dora and Phillip Young, in June of 1913 for “the love and affection” she held for them. Dora and her husband, Eado’s son John H. Young, continued to produce many of the same crops, livestock and poultry.
In 1922, the land transferred to Hance Reeder, Melonnee Young Reeder’s husband. In addition to raising corn, hay, hogs, chickens, turkey and cattle, the owners began to cultivate tobacco.
Phillip Toral Young and his wife, Estelle C. Young, acquired all 62 acres of the original farm in 1950 and grew tobacco, corn and cattle. They sold the land to their son, Paul A. Young in December 1976. Paul is the great-grandson of the founder. Though much of the property is in dense timber, Paul currently grows tobacco, corn and hay on 25 of the original 62 acres. A springhouse, smokehouse, tobacco barn and the farmhouse, built in the early 20th century, are part of the farm’s history.
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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
[218] Greene County Farm Joins Ranks of State's Century Farms Program
For Release: Jan. 9, 2012
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
GREENE COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Bolton Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)— The Bolton Farm, located in Greene 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.
When preparing their Century Farm applications some families take the opportunity to compile their family histories and produce publications for their relatives and close friends. These compilations also are valuable to local and state history collections. James Chandley produced “The Boltons of East Tennessee” as he was preparing the Bolton Farm application.
Thomas Jefferson Bolton, a Civil War Union veteran, inherited 110 acres in 1888 after his mother passed away the previous year. The deed was signed by 15 members of his family. The farm is on the Greene and Washington County line, about one mile northeast of Limestone.
Thomas met his wife, Sallie Ann Bolton, while on a horse-buying trip to Virginia. Family tradition relates that when Thomas returned with his bride, his brother, David Franklin, asked him, “if there were any more like that in his wife’s family?” David soon traveled to Virginia and married Sally Ann’s sister, Jenny. The brothers’ families maintained a close relationship as the Bolton Farm and their dairy production grew and prospered.
Thomas Jefferson and Sally Ann were the parents of three children: Uel Garfield, Minnie Deborah (called “Donnie”) and Annie Lee. A six-room, two-story home was built in 1893. The family managed an extensive jersey cattle operation and grew corn, wheat and tobacco and raised chickens.
In 1917, 91 of the 110 acres were transferred to Uel Bolton. He and his wife, Bonnie Cox Bolton, continued to farm, but he added hogs to his livestock. Following the progressive farming methods of the early 20th century, the Bolton family installed automated gas-powered milking systems. The concrete floor laid in the dairy barn was one of the first in the area.
Uel sold eggs, milk and butter as far away as Knoxville, distributing them via the local train network, and also to the Sugar Creek Creamery and local customers. His mother, Sally Ann, churned enough of the Boltons’ butter to warrant a stamp that read “Fresh Dairy Butter made by Mrs. T. J. Bolton.”
While serving as Washington County judge, today’s equivalent to county mayor, Uel died in 1938. Mary Ruth, the couple’s daughter, her husband, Rex William Brockwell, and Bonnie continued to work the farm with the help of tenant farmers.
In 1958, Rex and Mary Ruth Bolton Brockwell acquired Bolton Farm. No longer operating the dairy, they began to concentrate on growing corn, wheat, tobacco, hogs and chickens with much of the work done by tenant farmers and sharecroppers. Mary Ruth was born in 1912 in the house her grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Bolton, built, and lived there her entire life. With her passing in
2007, her daughter, Mary Lynn, and Mary Lyons husband, James D. Chandley, came to own 85 of the original acres. With the help of their son, Charles Randall, the Chandleys raised tobacco until 2004 and now concentrate on corn, tobacco and 80 to 100 head of beef cattle. Mr. Chandley’s history of the family and the farm contains a superb collection of family and farm photographs and information that will be appreciated by the family and the community of Limestone for generations.
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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
Contact: Caneta Hankins, Center for Historic Preservation, 615-898-2947
GREENE COUNTY FARM JOINS RANKS OF STATE’S CENTURY FARMS PROGRAM
Bolton Farm Recognized for Agricultural Contributions
(MURFREESBORO)— The Bolton Farm, located in Greene 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.
When preparing their Century Farm applications some families take the opportunity to compile their family histories and produce publications for their relatives and close friends. These compilations also are valuable to local and state history collections. James Chandley produced “The Boltons of East Tennessee” as he was preparing the Bolton Farm application.
Thomas Jefferson Bolton, a Civil War Union veteran, inherited 110 acres in 1888 after his mother passed away the previous year. The deed was signed by 15 members of his family. The farm is on the Greene and Washington County line, about one mile northeast of Limestone.
Thomas met his wife, Sallie Ann Bolton, while on a horse-buying trip to Virginia. Family tradition relates that when Thomas returned with his bride, his brother, David Franklin, asked him, “if there were any more like that in his wife’s family?” David soon traveled to Virginia and married Sally Ann’s sister, Jenny. The brothers’ families maintained a close relationship as the Bolton Farm and their dairy production grew and prospered.
Thomas Jefferson and Sally Ann were the parents of three children: Uel Garfield, Minnie Deborah (called “Donnie”) and Annie Lee. A six-room, two-story home was built in 1893. The family managed an extensive jersey cattle operation and grew corn, wheat and tobacco and raised chickens.
In 1917, 91 of the 110 acres were transferred to Uel Bolton. He and his wife, Bonnie Cox Bolton, continued to farm, but he added hogs to his livestock. Following the progressive farming methods of the early 20th century, the Bolton family installed automated gas-powered milking systems. The concrete floor laid in the dairy barn was one of the first in the area.
Uel sold eggs, milk and butter as far away as Knoxville, distributing them via the local train network, and also to the Sugar Creek Creamery and local customers. His mother, Sally Ann, churned enough of the Boltons’ butter to warrant a stamp that read “Fresh Dairy Butter made by Mrs. T. J. Bolton.”
While serving as Washington County judge, today’s equivalent to county mayor, Uel died in 1938. Mary Ruth, the couple’s daughter, her husband, Rex William Brockwell, and Bonnie continued to work the farm with the help of tenant farmers.
In 1958, Rex and Mary Ruth Bolton Brockwell acquired Bolton Farm. No longer operating the dairy, they began to concentrate on growing corn, wheat, tobacco, hogs and chickens with much of the work done by tenant farmers and sharecroppers. Mary Ruth was born in 1912 in the house her grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Bolton, built, and lived there her entire life. With her passing in
2007, her daughter, Mary Lynn, and Mary Lyons husband, James D. Chandley, came to own 85 of the original acres. With the help of their son, Charles Randall, the Chandleys raised tobacco until 2004 and now concentrate on corn, tobacco and 80 to 100 head of beef cattle. Mr. Chandley’s history of the family and the farm contains a superb collection of family and farm photographs and information that will be appreciated by the family and the community of Limestone for generations.
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.
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
Friday, January 06, 2012
[217] Longtime MTSU Administrator Robert LaLance Dies at age 72
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 6, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
LONGTIME MTSU ADMINISTRATOR ROBERT LALANCE DIES AT AGE 72
Hailed for ‘Calm, Stable and Positive Leadership’ as Vice President of Student Affairs
MURFREESBORO—Dr. Robert C. LaLance Jr., the longest-serving vice president in Middle Tennessee State University’s history, died this morning at his Murfreesboro home. He was 72 years old.
LaLance had been ill with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, since 2010.
He was vice president for student affairs in service to four different MTSU presidents from 1975-1998.
LaLance’s prior posts with the University include dean of students (1970-1975), dean of men (1969-1970), residence hall director (1965-1970), and instructor and assistant professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and director of men’s intramural sports (1963-1969).
MTSU annually presents the Robert C. LaLance Jr. Achievement Award to “a student who has shown remarkable determination, has had to make sacrifices and is contributing to the community during work toward a degree,” according to University literature.
The University’s list of LaLance’s career accomplishments states that he “displayed a unique ability to relate to students, empathize with their concerns and act as an advocate for the quality of student life. From the student unrest of the 1960s and ‘70s to the high-tech savvy of the 1990s, he provided calm, stable and positive leadership in the student affairs area,”
In 1994, LaLance was presented the John Jones Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean by Region III of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
A native of Huntington, W. Va., he was inducted into the West Virginia University School of Physical Education Hall of Fame in 2005.
LaLance earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from West Virginia University in 1962, a master’s degree in health and physical education from the University of Tennessee in 1963 and a doctorate in physical education from MTSU in 1974.
LaLance is survived by his wife, Martha Lou, his three children, Wendy White (Marty), Chuck (Amy) and Amy Walker (Rusty), eight grandchildren and his brother, Richard (Jan), a retired professor in MTSU’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (now the Department of Health and Human Performance).
Visitation is slated for 2-7 pm. Sunday, Jan. 8, at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, 1488 Lascassas Pike, Murfreesboro. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at First Presbyterian Church, 210 N. Spring St., Murfreesboro. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church’s Columbarium Fund, the MTSU Foundation or the hospice at Caris Healthcare of Murfreesboro.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina Logue, 615-898-5081
LONGTIME MTSU ADMINISTRATOR ROBERT LALANCE DIES AT AGE 72
Hailed for ‘Calm, Stable and Positive Leadership’ as Vice President of Student Affairs
MURFREESBORO—Dr. Robert C. LaLance Jr., the longest-serving vice president in Middle Tennessee State University’s history, died this morning at his Murfreesboro home. He was 72 years old.
LaLance had been ill with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, since 2010.
He was vice president for student affairs in service to four different MTSU presidents from 1975-1998.
LaLance’s prior posts with the University include dean of students (1970-1975), dean of men (1969-1970), residence hall director (1965-1970), and instructor and assistant professor in the Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation and director of men’s intramural sports (1963-1969).
MTSU annually presents the Robert C. LaLance Jr. Achievement Award to “a student who has shown remarkable determination, has had to make sacrifices and is contributing to the community during work toward a degree,” according to University literature.
The University’s list of LaLance’s career accomplishments states that he “displayed a unique ability to relate to students, empathize with their concerns and act as an advocate for the quality of student life. From the student unrest of the 1960s and ‘70s to the high-tech savvy of the 1990s, he provided calm, stable and positive leadership in the student affairs area,”
In 1994, LaLance was presented the John Jones Award for Outstanding Performance as a Dean by Region III of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
A native of Huntington, W. Va., he was inducted into the West Virginia University School of Physical Education Hall of Fame in 2005.
LaLance earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from West Virginia University in 1962, a master’s degree in health and physical education from the University of Tennessee in 1963 and a doctorate in physical education from MTSU in 1974.
LaLance is survived by his wife, Martha Lou, his three children, Wendy White (Marty), Chuck (Amy) and Amy Walker (Rusty), eight grandchildren and his brother, Richard (Jan), a retired professor in MTSU’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (now the Department of Health and Human Performance).
Visitation is slated for 2-7 pm. Sunday, Jan. 8, at Woodfin Funeral Chapel, 1488 Lascassas Pike, Murfreesboro. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 9, at First Presbyterian Church, 210 N. Spring St., Murfreesboro. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First Presbyterian Church’s Columbarium Fund, the MTSU Foundation or the hospice at Caris Healthcare of Murfreesboro.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[216] Longtime MTSU Professor Nominated for Athena Award
LONGTIME MTSU PROFESSOR NOMINATED FOR ATHENA AWARD
Former Social Work Professor Sharon Shaw-McEwen One of 28 Honorees
MURFREESBORO—Dr. Sharon Shaw-McEwen, a former professor in the Department of Social Work at MTSU, is one of the 28 nominees for the 2012 Nashville ATHENA Award.
Shaw-McEwen, who retired from MTSU at the end of the fall 2011 semester, is president and chief executive officer of the Centers for Family Life, a nonprofit organization that provides in-kind professional social services such as family counseling, education and prevention. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Pi Nu Omega chapter, sponsored her nomination.
A native of Humboldt, Tenn., Shaw-McEwen has served as an expert consultant for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention in Washington, D.C., and provides technical assistance to substance abuse, mental health and educational programs that serve African-American families and children.
Shaw-McEwen holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Bradley University, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Tennessee-Nashville and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University with a focus in administrative leadership and human resource development.
In 2001, MTSU presented her with both the John Pleas Distinguished Faculty Award and the Ebony Achievement Faculty Award.
The ATHENA Award and Scholarship Program has honored outstanding Nashville women “for their skills in business, leadership and service to their community” since 1991, since 1991, according to the group’s webpage at www.nashvillecable.org.
The statuette will be presented at a gala event scheduled for March 26 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Former Social Work Professor Sharon Shaw-McEwen One of 28 Honorees
MURFREESBORO—Dr. Sharon Shaw-McEwen, a former professor in the Department of Social Work at MTSU, is one of the 28 nominees for the 2012 Nashville ATHENA Award.
Shaw-McEwen, who retired from MTSU at the end of the fall 2011 semester, is president and chief executive officer of the Centers for Family Life, a nonprofit organization that provides in-kind professional social services such as family counseling, education and prevention. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Pi Nu Omega chapter, sponsored her nomination.
A native of Humboldt, Tenn., Shaw-McEwen has served as an expert consultant for the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention in Washington, D.C., and provides technical assistance to substance abuse, mental health and educational programs that serve African-American families and children.
Shaw-McEwen holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Bradley University, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Tennessee-Nashville and a doctorate in education from Vanderbilt University with a focus in administrative leadership and human resource development.
In 2001, MTSU presented her with both the John Pleas Distinguished Faculty Award and the Ebony Achievement Faculty Award.
The ATHENA Award and Scholarship Program has honored outstanding Nashville women “for their skills in business, leadership and service to their community” since 1991, since 1991, according to the group’s webpage at www.nashvillecable.org.
The statuette will be presented at a gala event scheduled for March 26 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center in Nashville.
--30--
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[215] MTSU is Key Player in 'Pa's Fiddle' PBS Special
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 6, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or gina.fann@mtsu.edu
MTSU is key player in ‘Pa’s Fiddle’ PBS special
MURFREESBORO—Music City all-stars are bringing Charles “Pa” Ingalls’ old-time fiddle music and songs alive for a PBS special, and MTSU will be right by the fireside.
“Pa's Fiddle: America's Music” will feature award-winning musician and musical director Randy Scruggs and an all-star string band—Matt Combs, Dennis Crouch, Chad Cromwell, Hoot Hester and Shad Cobb—along with artists Randy Travis, Rodney Atkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ashton Shepherd, The Roys, Natalie Grant and NBC’s “The Sing-Off” champions Committed.
Dr. Dale Cockrell, director of MTSU’s renowned Center for Popular Music and a scholar of the early American tunes immortalized in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” book series, is coordinating aspects of the music special. It will be taped Jan. 6 in Nashville.
MTSU students will be behind the scenes to film “Inside Pa’s Fiddle,” a documentary on the inspiration, creation and execution of the special. The students’ documentary will accompany the PBS special in a planned DVD package.
“Pa's Fiddle: America's Music” will be broadcast during the 2012 June pledge-drive season on PBS stations throughout the nation. A new CD, “Pa's Fiddle: American Fiddler,” featuring a portion of the 127 songs mentioned in the “Little House” books, will be released at the same time. The CD will be in stores June 5 but is available now as a pre-release special at www.laura-ingalls-wilder.com.
“It’s terribly exciting to see this all finally happening,” said Cockrell, who also is a professor emeritus of musicology at Vanderbilt University. “But as exciting as it’s been for me, it’s even more exciting to see these excellent musicians get so excited about playing this music. They don’t get the opportunity to do that very much, and to see them almost melting in the studio in the presence of this great music is a wonderful opportunity.”
Cockrell, who is the founder, owner and president of Pa’s Fiddle Recordings LLC, a record label dedicated to recording the music referenced in Wilder’s books, teamed with actor Dean Butler, who played Wilder’s husband, Almanzo, in the “Little House” TV series, to create the “Pa’s Fiddle” project.
“I’ve been working on the ‘Pa’s Fiddle’ project for about 12 years now,” Cockrell explained, “and sometimes it’s felt like we’ve been pushing that boulder up that hill every day. Now we’re finally at the top and get to share this music with everyone.”
The student crew from the Department of Electronic Media Communication in MTSU’s College of Mass Communication will be led by Professor Tom Neff, founder and former CEO of The Documentary Channel and an award-winning producer and director. Six to 18 students will be on-site for the special, and another six to 18 students will work in post-production on editing, graphics and sound with Professors Clare Bratten and Matt Foglia.
EMC major Sam Willey, a junior at MTSU, will direct the behind-the-scenes documentary in Nashville. Haley Ellis, who graduated in December from MTSU, and Megan Brantley, another junior EMC major, are line producers.
“This is a wonderful learning experience for us all,” Neff said. “I’m thrilled to be involved and help students any way I can. It’s a unique and wonderful way MTSU is tying the professional world to the student world. We’re always looking for real-world projects, so this is a great mix.”
The documentary has a quick turnaround time to meet the PBS airing and sales deadline, so MTSU students will be working through the early spring to create an archival-quality product.
“Sometimes it’s a blessing for a media project to have a fast deadline,” joked new EMC department chairman Billy Pittard, a multi-Emmy-winning media entrepreneur and MTSU alumnus. “It’s great to see our students shine on a project like this.”
For more information about the “Pa’s Fiddle” project, visit www.laura-ingalls-wilder.com. For information about MTSU’s Center for Popular Music, visit http://popmusic.mtsu.edu.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
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EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or gina.fann@mtsu.edu
MTSU is key player in ‘Pa’s Fiddle’ PBS special
MURFREESBORO—Music City all-stars are bringing Charles “Pa” Ingalls’ old-time fiddle music and songs alive for a PBS special, and MTSU will be right by the fireside.
“Pa's Fiddle: America's Music” will feature award-winning musician and musical director Randy Scruggs and an all-star string band—Matt Combs, Dennis Crouch, Chad Cromwell, Hoot Hester and Shad Cobb—along with artists Randy Travis, Rodney Atkins, Ronnie Milsap, Ashton Shepherd, The Roys, Natalie Grant and NBC’s “The Sing-Off” champions Committed.
Dr. Dale Cockrell, director of MTSU’s renowned Center for Popular Music and a scholar of the early American tunes immortalized in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” book series, is coordinating aspects of the music special. It will be taped Jan. 6 in Nashville.
MTSU students will be behind the scenes to film “Inside Pa’s Fiddle,” a documentary on the inspiration, creation and execution of the special. The students’ documentary will accompany the PBS special in a planned DVD package.
“Pa's Fiddle: America's Music” will be broadcast during the 2012 June pledge-drive season on PBS stations throughout the nation. A new CD, “Pa's Fiddle: American Fiddler,” featuring a portion of the 127 songs mentioned in the “Little House” books, will be released at the same time. The CD will be in stores June 5 but is available now as a pre-release special at www.laura-ingalls-wilder.com.
“It’s terribly exciting to see this all finally happening,” said Cockrell, who also is a professor emeritus of musicology at Vanderbilt University. “But as exciting as it’s been for me, it’s even more exciting to see these excellent musicians get so excited about playing this music. They don’t get the opportunity to do that very much, and to see them almost melting in the studio in the presence of this great music is a wonderful opportunity.”
Cockrell, who is the founder, owner and president of Pa’s Fiddle Recordings LLC, a record label dedicated to recording the music referenced in Wilder’s books, teamed with actor Dean Butler, who played Wilder’s husband, Almanzo, in the “Little House” TV series, to create the “Pa’s Fiddle” project.
“I’ve been working on the ‘Pa’s Fiddle’ project for about 12 years now,” Cockrell explained, “and sometimes it’s felt like we’ve been pushing that boulder up that hill every day. Now we’re finally at the top and get to share this music with everyone.”
The student crew from the Department of Electronic Media Communication in MTSU’s College of Mass Communication will be led by Professor Tom Neff, founder and former CEO of The Documentary Channel and an award-winning producer and director. Six to 18 students will be on-site for the special, and another six to 18 students will work in post-production on editing, graphics and sound with Professors Clare Bratten and Matt Foglia.
EMC major Sam Willey, a junior at MTSU, will direct the behind-the-scenes documentary in Nashville. Haley Ellis, who graduated in December from MTSU, and Megan Brantley, another junior EMC major, are line producers.
“This is a wonderful learning experience for us all,” Neff said. “I’m thrilled to be involved and help students any way I can. It’s a unique and wonderful way MTSU is tying the professional world to the student world. We’re always looking for real-world projects, so this is a great mix.”
The documentary has a quick turnaround time to meet the PBS airing and sales deadline, so MTSU students will be working through the early spring to create an archival-quality product.
“Sometimes it’s a blessing for a media project to have a fast deadline,” joked new EMC department chairman Billy Pittard, a multi-Emmy-winning media entrepreneur and MTSU alumnus. “It’s great to see our students shine on a project like this.”
For more information about the “Pa’s Fiddle” project, visit www.laura-ingalls-wilder.com. For information about MTSU’s Center for Popular Music, visit http://popmusic.mtsu.edu.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
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[214] Make a Journey with 'Exodus Project' at MTSU Jan. 12-13
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 6, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or gina.fann@mtsu.edu
Make a journey with 'Exodus Project' at MTSU Jan. 12-13
MURFREESBORO—The MTSU Dance Theatre will take audiences on a journey of historic and contemporary migrations with "The Exodus Project," a special dance concert in the University’s Tucker Theatre Jan. 12 and 13.
The production, which precedes the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday on Jan. 16, features commissioned works by nationally recognized guest artists with unique perspectives on issues of diversity and multiculturalism. They include:
• Travis Gatling, who choreographed “A Lantern for the Hitching Post” as an exploration of the Underground Railroad;
• Holly Handman Lopez, who created “Yours, Faithfully” to embody her own heritage and the legacy of the Holocaust; and
• Cynthia Guttierez Garner, who developed “Parched” to examine the Mexican border crossings.
The concerts begin at 7:30 each night. They also will include four dances choreographed by Professor Kim Neal Nofsinger, artistic director of the MTSU Dance Theatre. The world premiere of “The Clearing” features MTSU dance faculty, and 20 members of the company will perform the other dances. Those works will be complemented by performances from the T.Lang Dance Company of Atlanta and Company d, a Memphis troupe of dancers with disabilities.
“The Exodus Project” was made possible with support from the MTSU Office of the University Provost, Black History Month and the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Fund.
General-admission tickets for "The Exodus Project" are $10 for adults and $5 for children up to 12th grade, as well as $5 for MTSU staff. MTSU students will be admitted free with a valid student ID. The Tucker Theatre box office will open at 6:30 p.m. before each performance.
For more information, please visit www.mtsu.edu/dance/specialevents.shtml.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
(EDITORS: “T.Lang Dance Company” and “Company d” in fourth graf are cq.)
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Gina E. Fann, 615-898-5385 or gina.fann@mtsu.edu
Make a journey with 'Exodus Project' at MTSU Jan. 12-13
MURFREESBORO—The MTSU Dance Theatre will take audiences on a journey of historic and contemporary migrations with "The Exodus Project," a special dance concert in the University’s Tucker Theatre Jan. 12 and 13.
The production, which precedes the Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday on Jan. 16, features commissioned works by nationally recognized guest artists with unique perspectives on issues of diversity and multiculturalism. They include:
• Travis Gatling, who choreographed “A Lantern for the Hitching Post” as an exploration of the Underground Railroad;
• Holly Handman Lopez, who created “Yours, Faithfully” to embody her own heritage and the legacy of the Holocaust; and
• Cynthia Guttierez Garner, who developed “Parched” to examine the Mexican border crossings.
The concerts begin at 7:30 each night. They also will include four dances choreographed by Professor Kim Neal Nofsinger, artistic director of the MTSU Dance Theatre. The world premiere of “The Clearing” features MTSU dance faculty, and 20 members of the company will perform the other dances. Those works will be complemented by performances from the T.Lang Dance Company of Atlanta and Company d, a Memphis troupe of dancers with disabilities.
“The Exodus Project” was made possible with support from the MTSU Office of the University Provost, Black History Month and the MTSU Distinguished Lecture Fund.
General-admission tickets for "The Exodus Project" are $10 for adults and $5 for children up to 12th grade, as well as $5 for MTSU staff. MTSU students will be admitted free with a valid student ID. The Tucker Theatre box office will open at 6:30 p.m. before each performance.
For more information, please visit www.mtsu.edu/dance/specialevents.shtml.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"! For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
(EDITORS: “T.Lang Dance Company” and “Company d” in fourth graf are cq.)
[213] Arrowmont School Artists Exhibit Work at MTSU Jan. 12-Feb. 2
FOR RELEASE: Jan. 4, 2012
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Eric Snyder, 615-898-5653
Arrowmont School artists exhibit work at MTSU Jan. 12-Feb. 2
MURFREESBORO—MTSU’s first art exhibition of 2012 focuses on the work of four artists-in-residence from Gatlinburg’s renowned Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Opening on Thursday, Jan. 12, in the University’s Todd Gallery, the "Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Exhibition" will showcase the work of artists Chandra DeBuse, Dustin Farnsworth, Phil Haralam and Lisa Johnson.
“As artists-in-residence at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, they combine today’s contemporary artistic vision with a commitment to continue the rich heritage of traditional craftsmanship found in the east Tennessee region,” says Todd Gallery Secretary Eric Snyder.
DeBuse describes her work as functional pottery that incorporates narrative imagery, pattern and form to reflect human attitudes towards play, “beckon[ing] users to ponder the playful message illustrated on each.” Farnsworth, known for his skill in woodworking and printmaking, says his hand-carved and sewn figurative sculptures “blur the line between realism and vintage plaything.”
Haralam combines sculpted forms and graphic imagery into nonrepresentative psychological portraits, creating “layered compositions that emulate the seemingly random associations embedded within the human psyche.” And Johnson, whose work involves metalsmithing and jewelry, aims to convey “the juxtaposition of puns, translations, irony and duality.”
The Arrowmont exhibit at MTSU will continue through Thursday, Feb. 2. An artists’ reception is planned for Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Student lectures also are scheduled throughout Todd Hall that day.
All exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public.
Todd Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; it’s closed on state holidays. For parking and other information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653. For information on MTSU’s Todd Gallery, visit www.mtsu.edu/art/barngallery.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
EDITORIAL CONTACT: Eric Snyder, 615-898-5653
Arrowmont School artists exhibit work at MTSU Jan. 12-Feb. 2
MURFREESBORO—MTSU’s first art exhibition of 2012 focuses on the work of four artists-in-residence from Gatlinburg’s renowned Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
Opening on Thursday, Jan. 12, in the University’s Todd Gallery, the "Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts Exhibition" will showcase the work of artists Chandra DeBuse, Dustin Farnsworth, Phil Haralam and Lisa Johnson.
“As artists-in-residence at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg, they combine today’s contemporary artistic vision with a commitment to continue the rich heritage of traditional craftsmanship found in the east Tennessee region,” says Todd Gallery Secretary Eric Snyder.
DeBuse describes her work as functional pottery that incorporates narrative imagery, pattern and form to reflect human attitudes towards play, “beckon[ing] users to ponder the playful message illustrated on each.” Farnsworth, known for his skill in woodworking and printmaking, says his hand-carved and sewn figurative sculptures “blur the line between realism and vintage plaything.”
Haralam combines sculpted forms and graphic imagery into nonrepresentative psychological portraits, creating “layered compositions that emulate the seemingly random associations embedded within the human psyche.” And Johnson, whose work involves metalsmithing and jewelry, aims to convey “the juxtaposition of puns, translations, irony and duality.”
The Arrowmont exhibit at MTSU will continue through Thursday, Feb. 2. An artists’ reception is planned for Tuesday, Jan. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. Student lectures also are scheduled throughout Todd Hall that day.
All exhibitions and receptions are free and open to the public.
Todd Gallery hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; it’s closed on state holidays. For parking and other information, contact Snyder at 615-898-5653. For information on MTSU’s Todd Gallery, visit www.mtsu.edu/art/barngallery.
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[212] MTSU Closes until Jan. 3 for Holidays
For release: Dec. 23, 2011
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU closes until Jan. 3 for holidays
MURFREESBORO — Middle Tennessee State University will be closed until Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, University officials said.
All campus offices and departments will be closed during this time. The closures will include the Cope Administration Building; James E. Walker Library; Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center; Keathley University Center; MT Dining food service facilities; and James Union Building.
MTSU offices will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3. Spring 2012 classes will begin on Thursday, Jan. 13.
Murphy Center will be open for MT Lady Raiders’ basketball games against Kentucky on Wednesday, Dec. 28 (7 p.m. tipoff) and South Alabama on Saturday, Dec. 31 (noon tipoff) and Blue Raiders’ home games against Florida International on Thursday, Dec. 29 (7 p.m. tipoff) and South Alabama on Dec. 31 (2:30 p.m. tipoff).
Blue Raider baseball will host winter camps Dec. 27-28 for ages 7 through high-school seniors in the renovated Stephen B. Smith Training Facility and Murphy Center auxiliary gym. Call 615-898-2961 or email Jim.McGuire@mtsu.edu for details.
###
Media note: In case of emergencies, media should contact the MTSU Police (Office of Public Safety) by calling 615-898-2424. MTSU Police can relay messages to MTSU News and Media Relations personnel if necessary.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
News and Media Relations contact: Randy Weiler, 615-898-5616 or Randy.Weiler@mtsu.edu
MTSU closes until Jan. 3 for holidays
MURFREESBORO — Middle Tennessee State University will be closed until Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012, for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, University officials said.
All campus offices and departments will be closed during this time. The closures will include the Cope Administration Building; James E. Walker Library; Student Health, Wellness and Recreation Center; Keathley University Center; MT Dining food service facilities; and James Union Building.
MTSU offices will be open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Jan. 3. Spring 2012 classes will begin on Thursday, Jan. 13.
Murphy Center will be open for MT Lady Raiders’ basketball games against Kentucky on Wednesday, Dec. 28 (7 p.m. tipoff) and South Alabama on Saturday, Dec. 31 (noon tipoff) and Blue Raiders’ home games against Florida International on Thursday, Dec. 29 (7 p.m. tipoff) and South Alabama on Dec. 31 (2:30 p.m. tipoff).
Blue Raider baseball will host winter camps Dec. 27-28 for ages 7 through high-school seniors in the renovated Stephen B. Smith Training Facility and Murphy Center auxiliary gym. Call 615-898-2961 or email Jim.McGuire@mtsu.edu for details.
###
Media note: In case of emergencies, media should contact the MTSU Police (Office of Public Safety) by calling 615-898-2424. MTSU Police can relay messages to MTSU News and Media Relations personnel if necessary.
Celebrating its 100th anniversary and faithful to its roots as a teachers' college, MTSU continues as a top producer of teachers in Tennessee. Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
[211] Stephen B. Smith Adds College Degree to His Long List of Achievements
Stephen B. Smith adds college degree to his long list of achievements
MURFREESBORO—Stephen B. Smith, chairman of the board of Haury & Smith Contractors, Inc., one of Nashville’s oldest development and home building companies, received his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies Saturday from Middle Tennessee State University.
A highly successful businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Smith attended MTSU to study finance in the 1970s and earned three letters on the varsity baseball team. He left college before completing his degree.
“It’s never too late to go back to school,” Smith said amid the noisy celebration following the afternoon ceremony in Murphy Center. “And it’s important to the people who love you. I’m proud of the time and effort of all 1700-plus students who went through the line today in order to advance in life.”
Even without a college degree, Smith’s advances in life have been prodigious. He served as the national finance co-chair for Lamar Alexander’s presidential campaign and was the finance chairman for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s leadership political action committee.
He has served on numerous business and civic boards, as well as on the Metropolitan Nashville Planning Commission and the Regional Transit Authority. He was chairman of the board of Nashville Parks and Recreation.
Smith’s passion for horses earned him administrative positions in the walking-horse industry, and as a rider, he won 10 world championships. In 1992, he was named Amateur World Grand Champion. In 2001, he was inducted into the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame.
In 2007, he was awarded the MS Hope Award by the National MS Society Mid-South Chapter. In 2008, the Tennessee Board of Regents honored him with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. In 2010, he received the Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award from MTSU’s College of Business.
Smith led the effort to raise $5 million to build a new baseball facility at Middle Tennessee State University, the Reese L. Smith Jr. baseball complex, named after his father. In addition, the Stephen B. Smith Baseball Clubhouse and Indoor Training Facility is a first-class addition to MTSU’s athletic program. In 2004, he was inducted into the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame and has served on both the BRAA board and the President’s Council.
“What all the Smiths have been good at is keeping up with something until it’s finished,” Smith said, regarding his academic accomplishment. “When I realized I could do it, I did it. If you can, you should.”
####
Editor: Photo #0320 in the photo group is Stephen B. Smith and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. This photo was taken by Classic Photography.
The other photo of Smith shaking hands with Dr. Brad Bartel, University Provost, was taken by MTSU’s Andy Heidt, MTSU Photo Services.
MURFREESBORO—Stephen B. Smith, chairman of the board of Haury & Smith Contractors, Inc., one of Nashville’s oldest development and home building companies, received his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies Saturday from Middle Tennessee State University.
A highly successful businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Smith attended MTSU to study finance in the 1970s and earned three letters on the varsity baseball team. He left college before completing his degree.
“It’s never too late to go back to school,” Smith said amid the noisy celebration following the afternoon ceremony in Murphy Center. “And it’s important to the people who love you. I’m proud of the time and effort of all 1700-plus students who went through the line today in order to advance in life.”
Even without a college degree, Smith’s advances in life have been prodigious. He served as the national finance co-chair for Lamar Alexander’s presidential campaign and was the finance chairman for former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist’s leadership political action committee.
He has served on numerous business and civic boards, as well as on the Metropolitan Nashville Planning Commission and the Regional Transit Authority. He was chairman of the board of Nashville Parks and Recreation.
Smith’s passion for horses earned him administrative positions in the walking-horse industry, and as a rider, he won 10 world championships. In 1992, he was named Amateur World Grand Champion. In 2001, he was inducted into the Tennessee Walking Horse Hall of Fame.
In 2007, he was awarded the MS Hope Award by the National MS Society Mid-South Chapter. In 2008, the Tennessee Board of Regents honored him with the Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Philanthropy. In 2010, he received the Jennings A. Jones Champion of Free Enterprise Award from MTSU’s College of Business.
Smith led the effort to raise $5 million to build a new baseball facility at Middle Tennessee State University, the Reese L. Smith Jr. baseball complex, named after his father. In addition, the Stephen B. Smith Baseball Clubhouse and Indoor Training Facility is a first-class addition to MTSU’s athletic program. In 2004, he was inducted into the Blue Raider Sports Hall of Fame and has served on both the BRAA board and the President’s Council.
“What all the Smiths have been good at is keeping up with something until it’s finished,” Smith said, regarding his academic accomplishment. “When I realized I could do it, I did it. If you can, you should.”
####
Editor: Photo #0320 in the photo group is Stephen B. Smith and MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. This photo was taken by Classic Photography.
The other photo of Smith shaking hands with Dr. Brad Bartel, University Provost, was taken by MTSU’s Andy Heidt, MTSU Photo Services.
[210] MTSU Graduates Challenged to Assume 'Mantle of Leadership'
Dec. 17, 2011
Contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919
MTSU graduates challenged to assume ‘mantle of leadership’
MURFREESBORO—More than 1,780 Middle Tennessee State University students received their degrees Saturday during the morning and afternoon ceremonies in Murphy Center. Of those, 293 were graduate degrees at the master’s and doctorate levels.
After welcoming remarks, McPhee introduced the platform party and asked the faculty, whom he called “the heart and soul of this University,” to stand and be recognized. The president introduced the morning commencement speaker, State Sen. Delores R. Gresham, R-Somerville.
With a touch of humor, Gresham greeted “proud parents, doting grandparents, dozing siblings and proud members of this graduating class.”
The senator’s brief address focused on the theme of leadership, and several times throughout her remarks, her mantra was composed of four words: “It matters who leads.”
“Effective leadership focuses on how things should be and how they can be improved,” Gresham noted. She expressed her frustration with the inertia that exists in government and the misdirected focus on precedents rather than creative and bold solutions. She referred to her “personal heroes,” St. Francis of Assisi, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. as models of the true leader who “has the capacity to define oneself to others in a way that clarifies a vision for the future.”
“I cannot see Abraham Lincoln being concerned about interest groups,” she said. “He was guided by a moral compass, the same compass that guided a young Southern preacher years later. They all followed their conscience. They ignored the metrics that others used to define success. They changed the world. It matters who leads,” she reiterated.
Gresham, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, paid tribute to “my band of brothers” when she stated with particular emphasis, “You manage things—but you lead people.” The audience applauded.
“My prayer for you is that you seize the mantle of leadership and make it matter. It matters who leads. And now it’s your turn,” Gresham concluded.
Emmy Award-winning journalist Karla L. Winfrey, an MTSU alumna (‘B.S. ’82), recipient of the MTSU Young Alumni Award and a member of the College of Mass Communication Wall of Fame, was the speaker for the afternoon commencement ceremony.
Winfrey followed up on the theme of leadership by telling the graduates that real leaders empower others to reach their full potential.
“When you look in the rearview mirror, hopefully you’ll see more than your own reflection,” she said. “There was a teacher, a coach, a pastor, and aunt and uncle—take note of the shadows that outline your life. They are your supporting cast, your cheerleaders.
“Not everyone can be a leader perhaps,” she continued, “but you can be a great soldier, a good team player.
“Fear of failure can be frightening,” she said. “But the first quarter doesn’t determine who’d going to win the game. You will fail at some things. But if you have passion, you’ll have to pursue your dream. Keep moving because the world will not stop for you.”
Winfrey’s expressed her primary message in three words: “Get a life. Get a life and live it. Start making choices that are led by your own heart, mind and soul. … Your real education is about to start.”
The speaker cautioned graduates not to be “intoxicated” by power and pride and not to take themselves too seriously. She advised them to surround themselves with trusted friends and family who “keep you anchored in your values,” she noted.
“Look to your left and right. This is your network. As you succeed, pull someone else up with you. Use your degree to serve your family, community and university.”
-30-
Contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919
MTSU graduates challenged to assume ‘mantle of leadership’
MURFREESBORO—More than 1,780 Middle Tennessee State University students received their degrees Saturday during the morning and afternoon ceremonies in Murphy Center. Of those, 293 were graduate degrees at the master’s and doctorate levels.
After welcoming remarks, McPhee introduced the platform party and asked the faculty, whom he called “the heart and soul of this University,” to stand and be recognized. The president introduced the morning commencement speaker, State Sen. Delores R. Gresham, R-Somerville.
With a touch of humor, Gresham greeted “proud parents, doting grandparents, dozing siblings and proud members of this graduating class.”
The senator’s brief address focused on the theme of leadership, and several times throughout her remarks, her mantra was composed of four words: “It matters who leads.”
“Effective leadership focuses on how things should be and how they can be improved,” Gresham noted. She expressed her frustration with the inertia that exists in government and the misdirected focus on precedents rather than creative and bold solutions. She referred to her “personal heroes,” St. Francis of Assisi, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr. as models of the true leader who “has the capacity to define oneself to others in a way that clarifies a vision for the future.”
“I cannot see Abraham Lincoln being concerned about interest groups,” she said. “He was guided by a moral compass, the same compass that guided a young Southern preacher years later. They all followed their conscience. They ignored the metrics that others used to define success. They changed the world. It matters who leads,” she reiterated.
Gresham, a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps, paid tribute to “my band of brothers” when she stated with particular emphasis, “You manage things—but you lead people.” The audience applauded.
“My prayer for you is that you seize the mantle of leadership and make it matter. It matters who leads. And now it’s your turn,” Gresham concluded.
Emmy Award-winning journalist Karla L. Winfrey, an MTSU alumna (‘B.S. ’82), recipient of the MTSU Young Alumni Award and a member of the College of Mass Communication Wall of Fame, was the speaker for the afternoon commencement ceremony.
Winfrey followed up on the theme of leadership by telling the graduates that real leaders empower others to reach their full potential.
“When you look in the rearview mirror, hopefully you’ll see more than your own reflection,” she said. “There was a teacher, a coach, a pastor, and aunt and uncle—take note of the shadows that outline your life. They are your supporting cast, your cheerleaders.
“Not everyone can be a leader perhaps,” she continued, “but you can be a great soldier, a good team player.
“Fear of failure can be frightening,” she said. “But the first quarter doesn’t determine who’d going to win the game. You will fail at some things. But if you have passion, you’ll have to pursue your dream. Keep moving because the world will not stop for you.”
Winfrey’s expressed her primary message in three words: “Get a life. Get a life and live it. Start making choices that are led by your own heart, mind and soul. … Your real education is about to start.”
The speaker cautioned graduates not to be “intoxicated” by power and pride and not to take themselves too seriously. She advised them to surround themselves with trusted friends and family who “keep you anchored in your values,” she noted.
“Look to your left and right. This is your network. As you succeed, pull someone else up with you. Use your degree to serve your family, community and university.”
-30-
[209] Local Reporter Phil Williams, MTSU Alumnus, Wins Coveted DuPont Award
Dec. 21, 2011
Contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919
Local reporter Phil Williams, MTSU alumnus, wins coveted duPont award
MURFREESBORO—Phil Williams, an Honors graduate from Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Mass Communication (B.S. ’85), leads the investigative news team at Nashville’s WTVF-NewsChannel 5 that just received a 2012 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for excellence in local reporting.
The local CBS affiliate was one of 14 duPont winners nationwide announced Wednesday.
The award was for the news team’s investigation of drug interdiction units operating along Tennessee's interstates. The story exposed police agencies using questionable tactics to confiscate money along the interstate from out-of-state drivers who were thought to possess drug money.
This marks Williams’ and the station’s third duPont Award in nine years.
“It hit me that very few people can say that they are a three-time duPont winner,” Williams, who joined WTVF in 1998, noted. “So I’ve got a real sense that this is special, and I don’t want to take it for granted.”
“The College of Mass Communication at MTSU is very proud of our alumnus Phil Williams and NewsChannel 5 in winning this highly prestigious national award,” commented Dr. Roy Moore, dean of the college. “Phil illustrates the high quality of our electronic media communication program and its graduates, and this award is the latest in the many accolades our alumni and faculty have received over the years. The duPont prize is, without doubt, one of the top awards in broadcast journalism. Congratulations to Phil and to NewsChannel 5.”
In addition to the duPont Awards, Williams has earned two George Foster Peabody Awards, the George Polk Award for TV Reporting, a National Headliner Award and three IRE Awards (including the IRE Medal) from the Investigative Reporters and Editors organization, which works to improve investigative and watchdog reporting around the world. He is in his fourth year serving on the IRE board. In his days as a print reporter, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Williams’ alma mater has taken note of his successful career. In 2003, he was inducted into the MTSU College of Mass Communication Wall of Fame. Williams, originally from Columbia, Tenn., returns to MTSU on occasion to speak to students and conduct master classes.
Nashville’s “NewsChannel5 Investigates” team includes Williams, Bryan Staples and Iain Montgomery, photojournalists, Kevin Wisniewski, producer, and Sandy Boonstra, news director.
In addition to WTVF-TV, other local stations receiving duPont Awards for reporting were Detroit Public TV, WFAA-TV in Dallas and WSB-TV in Atlanta. Several awards for international reporting went to Al Jazeera English, CBS News and NBC News; HBO received two awards; and The New York Times and MediaStorm received awards for digital reporting.
The DuPont Awards ceremony will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, at Columbia University’s Low Memorial Library. Scott Pelley, CBS News anchor and managing editor, and Michelle Norris from National Public Radio will serve as hosts.
“For me, the secret has been dedication, dedication, dedication.” Williams said when asked what he would say to aspiring journalists. “It can’t be just a job. It’s got to be your passion, something you live after your shift is over.”
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
Contact: Tom Tozer, 615-898-2919
Local reporter Phil Williams, MTSU alumnus, wins coveted duPont award
MURFREESBORO—Phil Williams, an Honors graduate from Middle Tennessee State University’s College of Mass Communication (B.S. ’85), leads the investigative news team at Nashville’s WTVF-NewsChannel 5 that just received a 2012 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for excellence in local reporting.
The local CBS affiliate was one of 14 duPont winners nationwide announced Wednesday.
The award was for the news team’s investigation of drug interdiction units operating along Tennessee's interstates. The story exposed police agencies using questionable tactics to confiscate money along the interstate from out-of-state drivers who were thought to possess drug money.
This marks Williams’ and the station’s third duPont Award in nine years.
“It hit me that very few people can say that they are a three-time duPont winner,” Williams, who joined WTVF in 1998, noted. “So I’ve got a real sense that this is special, and I don’t want to take it for granted.”
“The College of Mass Communication at MTSU is very proud of our alumnus Phil Williams and NewsChannel 5 in winning this highly prestigious national award,” commented Dr. Roy Moore, dean of the college. “Phil illustrates the high quality of our electronic media communication program and its graduates, and this award is the latest in the many accolades our alumni and faculty have received over the years. The duPont prize is, without doubt, one of the top awards in broadcast journalism. Congratulations to Phil and to NewsChannel 5.”
In addition to the duPont Awards, Williams has earned two George Foster Peabody Awards, the George Polk Award for TV Reporting, a National Headliner Award and three IRE Awards (including the IRE Medal) from the Investigative Reporters and Editors organization, which works to improve investigative and watchdog reporting around the world. He is in his fourth year serving on the IRE board. In his days as a print reporter, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
Williams’ alma mater has taken note of his successful career. In 2003, he was inducted into the MTSU College of Mass Communication Wall of Fame. Williams, originally from Columbia, Tenn., returns to MTSU on occasion to speak to students and conduct master classes.
Nashville’s “NewsChannel5 Investigates” team includes Williams, Bryan Staples and Iain Montgomery, photojournalists, Kevin Wisniewski, producer, and Sandy Boonstra, news director.
In addition to WTVF-TV, other local stations receiving duPont Awards for reporting were Detroit Public TV, WFAA-TV in Dallas and WSB-TV in Atlanta. Several awards for international reporting went to Al Jazeera English, CBS News and NBC News; HBO received two awards; and The New York Times and MediaStorm received awards for digital reporting.
The DuPont Awards ceremony will be held Thursday, Jan. 19, at Columbia University’s Low Memorial Library. Scott Pelley, CBS News anchor and managing editor, and Michelle Norris from National Public Radio will serve as hosts.
“For me, the secret has been dedication, dedication, dedication.” Williams said when asked what he would say to aspiring journalists. “It can’t be just a job. It’s got to be your passion, something you live after your shift is over.”
—30—
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has recognized MTSU for its outstanding curricular engagement, community outreach and partnerships. As MTSU celebrates its 100th anniversary, Pride, Tradition and Excellence are the cornerstones of "Tennessee’s Best"!
-------
For MTSU news and information anytime, visit www.mtsunews.com.
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