[166] Education gets spotlight at Atlanta, Chattanooga MTSU tour events

         Soddy-Daisy student earns Presidential Scholarship; plans to study forensics

ATLANTA, Ga., and CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — One announced Middle Tennessee State University Presidential Scholarshiprecipient emerged at the True Blue Tour event Oct. 16 in Chattanoogaand a second qualified, future special education teacher just needs to determine if her path will take her to Murfreesboro or elsewhere. 

Down Interstate 75 at the Oct. 17 tour event in Atlanta, many promising student prospects emerged from a variety of high schools, including another education-bound young woman who received a $3,500 scholarship from President Sidney A. McPheeto conclude the tour student reception … and make her ponder her future.

MTSU hit the highway to travel to stops Nos. 7 and 8 on the student recruitment tour, which journeys to 14 cities across four states — Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. McPhee is joined by academic deans, top administrators and admissions and support staff on the stops, which are a combination of luncheons with high school guidance counselors and evening receptions for prospective students and their families.

Links to video from the respective Atlanta (https://youtu.be/dPg9jtAgNjY) and Chattanooga (https://youtu.be/gKsUOaHZhw8) events are available.

McPhee introduced Paige Dunny, 17, a senior at Soddy-Daisy High School, as a Presidential Scholarship beneficiary in Chattanooga. It means $4,500 per year and $18,000 for four years for the young woman who plans to study forensic science.

Was the young woman called to the stage surprised by the recognition, which involved two separate oversized checks (one for $8,000 and one for $18,000) and a full explanation by McPhee?

“Uh, yeah,” said Dunny, who scored a 26 ACT and carries a 3.5 GPA. “I don’t know what to think. It’s very exciting and I’m very grateful.”

Also, in Chattanooga, education adviser Alicia Abneyquickly recognized Laurelie Holmberg, 17, of Central High School as a can’t-miss and can’t-lose-her-to-another-school prospect from virtually the moment they began talking and discussing her future.

Abney told Dean Lana Seivers, who totally was won over by the teenager’s heart and passion.

“I’m always excited to meet someone who really wants to teach and who has a passion for special education,” Seivers said. “MTSU is the place for Laurelie, and we can’t lose her to another school.”

Around age 14, Holmberg “started volunteering in classrooms and people would say, ‘We can’t imagine you doing anything else,’” she said. Her 4.0 GPA and 27ACT qualify her for a Presidential Scholarship.

Holmberg is a member of the Ruritan Club. She will receive the Hope Lottery Scholarship and has the lineage to receive an award from the Daughters of the American Revolution.

“She’s going to teach special education,” her mother, Paula Holmberg, said. “She’s completely passionate about children with special needs.”

A surprising end in Atlanta

Across the board, at both the student reception and counselors’ luncheon, MTSU’s various deans, department chairs and administrators found the Atlanta area to be plentiful in academic talent and interest for MTSU.

A number of prospects want to pursue aerospace’s professional pilot program, some music and still others pursuing recording industry, animation and more.

To conclude the Atlanta student reception, Martina Irvin, 17, a senior at Westlake High School, received a $3,500 scholarship from McPhee. She wants to pursue secondary education and teach middle school.

“I like making a difference in peoples’ lives,” Irvin said, “and learning is a part of everyday life.” She plans to visit MTSU for the Nov. 3 Fall Preview Day.

For more information about MTSU admissions, email admissions@mtsu.eduor call 615-898-2233. For information about tours and events, email tours@mtsu.eduor call 615-898-5670.

Up next:MTSU’s True Blue Tour travels to Johnson City, Tennessee, Tuesday, Oct. 23, for a 6 p.m. student reception at the Carnegie Hotel and to Knoxville, Tennessee, Wednesday, Oct. 24, for a 12:30 p.m. luncheon for counselors and community college staff and 6 p.m. student reception at The Foundry on the Fair Site. All events are free. To register, visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvp.

[165] ‘MTSU On the Record’ examines impacts of long-term drought on biodiversity

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —The effects of years of dry weather on the ecosystem will be the topic of the next “MTSU On the Record” radio program.

Host Gina Logue’s interview with Joshua Grinath, a postdoctoral assistant in the Department of Biology, will air from 9:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, and from 6 to 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 28 on WMOT-FM Roots Radio 89.5 and www.wmot.org.

Grinath was one of seven researchers who participated in a study called “Ecological winners and losers of extreme drought in California,” which was published in the Aug. 20 edition of Nature Climate Change, an academic journal. 

The scientists studied how 423 species of plants, birds, reptiles, mammals and arthropods in California’s Carrizo Plain reacted to the 2012-2015 California drought. This drought was the driest period in the area in the past 1,200 years. 

Surprisingly, they found that locally rare species were more likely to increase in numbers, and abundant species were more likely to decline. They concluded that droughts indirectly promote the long-term persistence of rare species by putting additional stress on dominant species.

“A big question that I have is, ‘When drought is not only more intense, but more frequent through time, how is that going to impact biodiversity in the long run here, and how is that important for the ability of these ecosystems to respond to drought and then to recover from drought afterwards?’” Grinath said.

To hear previous “MTSU On the Record” programs, go to http://bit.ly/mtsu-otr.

For more information about the radio program, contact Logue at 615-898-5081 or WMOT-FM at 615-898-2800. 

[164] MTSU to pitch trio of incentives to Atlanta-area prospects during Oct. 17 True Blue Tour visit

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —An enhanced Presidential Scholarship, an expanded Regional Scholars Programand the Academic Common Marketwill be what Middle Tennessee State Universityofficials will be pitching to prospective Georgia students next week.

MTSU’s True Blue Tour heads to AtlantaWednesday, Oct. 17, for two events at the Hyatt Regency, 4000 Summit Blvd., Atlanta. The events include:

• 6 p.m. reception for students and their families.

• 12:30 p.m. luncheon for counselors and regional community college staff.

MTSU travels across Tennessee and to Atlanta, Georgia; Huntsville and Birmingham, Alabama; and Bowling Green and Louisville, Kentucky, to hold recruiting events.

The True Blue Tour events are free. To register for the reception or counselor luncheon, visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvp. Public, private, homeschool and potential transfer students are welcome to attend.

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, university recently announced a consolidation of scholarships into the new Presidential award, which can mean $18,000 ($4,500 per year) for four years for qualifying students with a 25 to 29 on their ACT and a 3.5 or higher GPA, and applying by Dec. 1.

MTSU still offers a Trustee Scholarshipfor qualified students with a 30 to 36 ACT score and 3.5-plus GPA.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPheewill share the news with students, their parents and also with counselors at the separate events.

McPhee and administrator Peter Cunninghamwill share about the Regional Scholars Program and Academic Common Market.

The university’s Regional Scholars Program allows select non-Tennessee resident students who live in Georgia and other states bordering Tennessee and meet specific academic requirements to attend MTSU at a greatly reduced rate and qualify for the Freshman Academic Merit Scholarships.

Qualifying students receive a tuition rate roughly half of the standard out-of-state rate. Students participating in the Academic CommonMarket programmay receive even lower rates.

For Georgia, there are numerous Academic Common Market options. They include:

• Aerospace (aviation management, flight dispatch, maintenance management, professional pilot, technology and unmanned aircraft systems.

• Animal science bachelor’s degree in horse science concentration only.

• Concrete Industry Management bachelor’s degree.

• Electromechanical engineering technology.

• Forensic science.

• Mechatronics engineering.

• Music (music industry concentration only).

• Psychology (industrial and organizational only).

• Recording industry (audio production, commercial songwriting and music business.

• Speech/language pathology and audiology.

• Video and film production

The next MTSU Fall Preview Daywill be Saturday, Nov. 3. Visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvpto register. There’s also a special Saturday visit day on Oct. 20. Guided campus tours are available daily. Schedule a tour at www.mtsu.edu/tours.

Prospective students need to submit their application for admission and accompanying documents by Dec. 1 to meet the guaranteed scholarship deadline. To apply, visit www.mtsu.edu/applynow.

To learn more about the Regional Scholars Program, visit

http://www.mtsu.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/regional-scholars.php. To learn about the Academic Common Market, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/acm/.

[163] New scholarship opportunity looms as MTSU recruiting tour visits Chattanooga Oct. 16

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — For Chattanooga-area high school students, there’s a new incentive — an enhanced Presidential Scholarship— for prospective students attending Middle Tennessee State Universityand next week’s True Blue Tour.

Chattanoogawill be the seventh city on MTSU’s four-state, 14-city tour to recruit prospective students for 2019 and beyond. MTSU visits Tuesday, Oct. 16, for two events — a 12:30 p.m. luncheon for counselors and community college staff and a 6 p.m. student reception — at the Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St.

MTSU travels across Tennessee and to Atlanta, Georgia; Huntsville and Birmingham, Alabama; and Bowling Green and Louisville, Kentucky, to hold recruiting events.

The True Blue Tour events are free. To register for the reception or counselor luncheon, visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvp.

The Murfreesboro university recently announced a consolidation of scholarships into the new Presidential award, which can mean $18,000 ($4,500 per year) for four years for qualifying students with a 25 to 29 on their ACT and a 3.5 or higher GPA, and applying by Dec. 1.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPheewill share the news with students, their parents and also with counselors at the separate events.

“Our key annual recruiting event, the True Blue Tour, gets bigger and better each year, and we’re looking forward to meeting prospective students,”McPhee said.

To take a closer look at campus life, MTSU offers one more Saturday fall preview day— Nov. 3 starting at 8 a.m. in the Student Union — plus daily campus toursat 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. that begin in the Student Services and Admissions Center. Also, there’s a Saturday campus tour at 10 a.m. Oct. 20. Schedule a tour at www.mtsu.edu/tours.

For more information about admissions, email admissions@mtsu.eduor call 615-898-2233. For information about tours and events, email tours@mtsu.eduor call 615-898-5670.

Prospective students need to submit their application for admission and accompanying documents by Dec. 1 to meet the guaranteed scholarship deadline for 2019. To apply, visit www.mtsu.edu/applynow.

To learn about MTSU’s more than 300 programs, visit www.mtsu.edu/closerlook.

[162] MTSU, Cleveland State partnership extends ‘Promise,’ promotes mechatronics alliance

CLEVELAND, Tenn.— Middle Tennessee State Universitysigned an agreement Tuesday (Oct. 16) to extend the MTSU Promise to Cleveland State Community College, a pathway for students with associate degrees from the college to move seamlessly to the four-year university.

MTSU President Sidney A. McPheeand Cleveland State President Bill Seymouralso signed a transfer agreement to make it easier for Cleveland State students who earn an associate degree in mechatronics technology to transfer to MTSU’s mechatronics engineering program and earn a bachelor’s degree.

The presidents signed the documents on the Cleveland campus, as MTSU’s True Blue Tour, a 14-city, four-state caravan to recruit prospective students, stopped in nearby Chattanooga, en route to Atlanta, Georgia, Oct. 17.

To view video from the signing, visit https://youtu.be/Qy4K1r_zCCE.

McPhee noted that 91 former Cleveland State students are currently enrolled at MTSU, making the college one of the most valuable sources of transfer students for the Murfreesboro campus.

“MTSU is the No. 1 transfer destination in Tennessee,” McPhee said. “Extending the MTSU Promise to Cleveland State steps up our partnership even further and will allow our advisers to help these great students transition to our campus.”

Seymour agreed, saying the cooperation between the two mechatronics programs underscored the unique partnership between the two institutions.

"Perhaps no other program at Cleveland State has developed so quickly and strongly as our Advanced Technologies programs,” Seymour said.

“This agreement is also timely due to the establishment of our new Mechatronics Honors Institute – and these students will be strong candidates for completing their bachelor’s degree at MTSU," he added. 

MTSU launched its MTSU Promise program in May with an agreement signed between the Murfreesboro campus and Motlow State Community College.

The MTSU Promise pledges support to help students at partner schools to help them complete their associate degree, then move forward in seeking a four-year degree.

The agreement calls for Cleveland State to share with MTSU directory information of the college’s students so they are included in tailored communications of emails and hard-copy mailings that support the process of planning for the bachelor’s degree after successful completion of the associate degree.

Also, the agreement says Cleveland State students who agree to participate in the MTSU Promise will sign a “reverse transfer” agreement, meaning if they fail to complete their associate degrees prior to transfer, they would automatically receive their associate degree from Cleveland once sufficient credits have been completed at MTSU.

MTSU is No. 1 in the state in using the reverse transfer process.

MTSU, through its existing Guaranteed Transfer Scholarship Program, will provide aid for Cleveland State students who transfer to MTSU in the amount of $3,000 per year for two years, or a maximum of four semesters, based on achievement of a 3.0 GPA.

Students transferring to MTSU will not be eligible to apply to receive the Guaranteed Transfer Scholarship until after completing 45 credit hours at Cleveland State.

Deb Sells, MTSU’s vice president for student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services, said the application deadline annually is Feb. 15, which means the majority of participating Cleveland State students will have completed 60 credits before transfer.

Sells also said MTSU will revise letters of rejection for students in the Cleveland State service area who apply to MTSU for freshman admission, but who are not admitted.

The letters will also say the student is being placed in a "deferred admission" category, and that MTSU recommends that they enroll at Cleveland State for two years of study under the Tennessee Promise, the state-funded scholarship that pays tuition and fees for two-year colleges.

MTSU will also guarantee to such students that if they complete 60 credits with a 3.0 GPA at Cleveland State, they will be guaranteed admission and a scholarship to attend MTSU for their last two years of study, Sells said.

Meanwhile, the agreement between the institutions on mechatronics education was hailed as “an exciting day, three years in the making” by Tim Wilson, chair of Cleveland State’s Advanced Technologies Department.

“This agreement is also timely due to the establishment of our new Mechatronics Honors Institute. Students in this program will be strong candidates for completing their bachelor’s at MTSU,” Seymour added. 

Wilson said Cleveland State started this process “to give our students an opportunity to complete their undergraduate degree in mechatronics engineering. MTSU now is an excellent avenue by which those students may complete their studies in an engineering program of study."

McPhee concurred, underscoring the partnership both institutions enjoy with Siemens Mechatronic Systems as part of the global company’s certification program. Siemens recently donated advanced software, with a commercial value of $278 million, to the mechatronics program at MTSU.

“We welcome this opportunity to invite these excellent students from Cleveland State to continue their education at MTSU in a facility that is clearly one of the best in the nation,” McPhee said.

[161] MTSU student ministry hosts Oct. 23 guest lecture on faith and science

A faith-based student ministry at MTSU is co-hosting an Oct. 23 public lecture featuring an astronomer who will outline his views on how science and faith can be reconciled.

Hugh Ross, an astronomer and founder and president of Reasons to Believe, will present "The Harmony Between Science and Faith: Cosmic Reasons to Believe in Christ" from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the Tennessee Room of the James Union Building. A Q&A session will follow his talk.

The presentation is being co-hosted by MT316, a Christian-based campus ministry overseen by the North Boulevard Church of Christ, and the School of Christian Thought, an auxiliary of the church.

Ross earned a Bachelor of Science in physics from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Science and Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Toronto. For several years, he continued his research on quasars and galaxies as a postdoctoral fellow at the California Institute of Technology. Today, Ross is the author of multiple books and speaks on science-faith issues to audiences around the world. 

The event is free and open to the public. A searchable campus parking map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

For more information, email Russell Rigsby at rrigsby@nblvd.org.

[160] Louisville golf star earns MTSU Presidential Scholarship; Bowling Green students follow path to Murfreesboro

LOUISVILLE and BOWLING GREEN, Ky. —Sacred Heart Academy senior Taylor Edlinalready planned to attend Middle Tennessee State Universityafter being offered and accepting a scholarship to be a member of the women’s golf team by coach Chris Adams.

Edlin’s role as a future Blue Raider, biology student and member of the Class of 2023 became solidified Thursday (Oct. 11) when MTSU President Sidney A. McPheeawarded her a Presidential Scholarshipduring the annual True Blue Tourvisit to the Louisville Marriott East.

To view video from the Louisville event, go online to https://youtu.be/uH2fTYpQ65k​.

On the tour, MTSU travels across Tennessee, then to Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama, recruiting prospective students for 2019 and beyond. It visits 14 cities altogether, finishing the tour in early November.

McPhee and the university combined three scholarships into one, creating the new Presidential award for qualifying students with a 25 to 29 ACT score and 3.5 or higher GPA, and completing the application process by Dec. 1. To apply, visit www.mtsu.edu/applynow.

MTSU still offers a Trustee Scholarshipfor qualified students with a 30 to 36 ACT score and 3.5-plus GPA.

“We want to recruit students like Taylor,” McPhee said of the randomly selected student athlete, who placed fifth recently in the Kentucky high school state tournament while leading Sacred Heart to a second-place team finish.

“I never thought this would happen,” said Edlin, who was joined by her father, Marc Edlin, at the event. “I was really honored to be picked.” 

Molly Bebelaar, 17, a South Oldham High senior from Crestwood, outside of Louisville, received a $1,000 scholarship from MTSU in a drawing. She and Taylor Edlin are best friends and she, too, is a future MTSU golfer. 

JackMedley, 17, a Christian Academy of Louisville junior, received a $2,000 scholarship from McPhee, who twice added $500 bonuses when Medley continued to praise MTSU and its campus while talking to the crowd attending the event.

Going the distance at Bowling Green

Garett Toddand his grandmother, Linda Nordine, drove more than two hours from near Benton, Kentucky, to Bowling Greenbecause he’s hooked on MTSU’s recording industry program.

About 12 people, all from Danville, Kentucky, and students from Boyle County High School also attended MTSU’s True Blue Tour recruiting event at the Sloan Conference Center. 

Boyle County football teammates Clay Karsner, Cameron Guinnand Nathaniel Stephensare committed to attending MTSU because of its Concrete Industry Management program. Karsner’s sister, Madi, is an MTSU junior education major.

Chloe Raffertyand her mother, Shannon Rafferty, drove from Owensboro and she walked out with a $2,500 scholarship from her No. 1 college choice.

At least one currently university student, Maliyah Beckwith, took in the MTSU visit and now wants to visit MTSU. She is considering transferring “because they have a pretty good aerospace program and I’m also into biology.”

To watch video from the Bowling Green visit, go online to https://youtu.be/YaX-Xkox5rU​.

At both Louisville and Bowling Green, McPhee and administrator Peter Cunninghamshared about the Regional Scholars Programand Academic Common Market.

The university’s Regional Scholars Program allows select non-Tennessee resident students who live in states bordering Tennessee and meet specific academic requirements to attend MTSU at a greatly reduced rate and qualify for the Freshman Academic Merit Scholarships.

Qualifying students receive a reduced tuition rate roughly half of the standard out-of-state rate. Students participating in the Academic CommonMarket programmay receive even lower rates.

For Kentucky residents, MTSU programs in the Academic Common Market include aerospace’s unmanned aircraft systems, concrete industry management, animationand three recording industryconcentrations: audio production, commercial songwritingand music business.

To learn more about the Regional Scholars Program, visit

http://www.mtsu.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/regional-scholars.php. To learn about the Academic Common Market, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/acm/.

The next MTSU Fall Preview Day will be Saturday, Nov. 3. Visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvp

 to register. There’s also a special Saturday visit day on Oct. 20. Guided campus tours are available daily. Schedule a tour at www.mtsu.edu/tours. 

[159] Kentucky students give MTSU strong consideration

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Garett Toddand his grandmother drove more than two hours from near Benton, Kentucky, to Bowling Green because he’s hooked on Middle Tennessee State University’srecording industry program.

About 10 people, all from Danville, Kentucky, and students from Boyle County High School also attended MTSU’s True Blue Tour recruiting event at the Sloan Conference Center. Chloe Raffertyand her mother, Shannon Rafferty, drove from Owensboro and she walked out with a $2,500 scholarship from her No. 1 college choice

At least one currently university student, Maliyah Beckwith, took in the MTSU visit and now she wants to visit the Murfreesboro university and is considering transferring “because they have a pretty good aerospace program and I’m into biology.”

To watch video from the visit, go online to https://youtu.be/YaX-Xkox5rU​.

MTSU goes on the road to recruit prospective undergraduate, graduate and transfer students. MTSU officials were in Bowling Green Wednesday (Oct. 10). They will be in Louisville Thursday (Oct. 11).

The Murfreesboro, Tennessee, university travels across the Volunteer State and to Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky, seeking prospective students for 2019 and beyond.

“It’s great to be back in Bowling Green,” MTSU President Sidney A. McPheesaid. “We take it (recruiting) so seriously we come to you.”

McPhee shared about the Regional Scholars Program, Academic Common Marketand a new, enhanced Presidential Scholarship.

“Those actions show our commitment (to you),” McPhee added.

The True Blue Tour events are free. To register, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/special-events.php.

The next MTSU Fall Preview Day will be Saturday, Nov. 3. Visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvpto register. There’s also a special Saturday visit day on Oct. 20. Guided campus tours are available daily. Schedule a tour at www.mtsu.edu/tours. 

Prospective students need to submit their application for admission and accompanying documents by Dec. 1 to meet the guaranteed scholarship deadline. To apply, visit www.mtsu.edu/applynow.

The university’s Regional Scholars Programallows select non-Tennessee resident students who live within approximately 250 miles of MTSU and meet specific academic requirements to attend MTSU at a greatly reduced rate and qualify for the Freshman Academic Merit Scholarships.

Qualifying students receive a reduced tuition rate roughly half of the standard out-of-state rate. Students participating in the Academic Common Marketprogram may receive even lower rates.

For Kentucky residents, MTSU programs in the Academic Common Market include aerospace’s unmanned aircraft systems, concrete industry management, animationand three recording industryconcentrations: audio production, commercial songwritingand music business.

To learn more about the Regional Scholars Program, visit

http://www.mtsu.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/regional-scholars.php. To learn about the Academic Common Market, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/acm/.

[158] Louisville, Bowling Green await MTSU True Blue Tour recruiting visit Oct. 10-11

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —Middle Tennessee State University’s admissionsteam, administrators and staff from multiple departments will continue the 2018 True Blue Tourwith stops next week in Bowling Greenand Louisville, Kentucky.

MTSU goes on the road to recruit prospective undergraduate, graduate and transfer students Wednesday, Oct. 10, in Bowling Greenand Thursday, Oct. 11, in Louisville. It is part of a 14-city tour across four states.

In Bowling Green, the 6 p.m. Oct. 10 student reception will be held at The Sloan Convention Centerat the Holiday Inn University Plaza, 1021 Wilkinson Trace.

On Oct. 11, MTSU will host counselors and community college staff at a 12:30 p.m. luncheon and a 6 p.m. reception for students and families, with both events at the Louisville Marriott East, 1903 Embassy Square Blvd.

The True Blue Tour events are free. To register, visit http://www.mtsu.edu/schedule-a-visit/special-events.php.

The next MTSU Fall Preview Day will be Saturday, Nov. 3. Visit www.mtsu.edu/rsvpto register. There’s also a special Saturday visit day on Oct. 20. Guided campus tours are available daily. Schedule a tour at www.mtsu.edu/tours. 

Prospective students need to submit their application for admission and accompanying documents by Dec. 1 to meet the guaranteed scholarship deadline. To apply, visit www.mtsu.edu/applynow.

The university’s Regional Scholars Programallows select non-Tennessee resident students who live within approximately 250 miles of MTSU and meet specific academic requirements to attend MTSU at a greatly reduced rate and qualify for the Freshman Academic Merit Scholarships.

Qualifying students receive a reduced tuition rate roughly half of the standard out-of-state rate. Students participating in the Academic Common Marketprogram may receive even lower rates.

For Kentucky residents, MTSU programs in the Academic Common Market include aerospace’s unmanned aircraft systems, concrete industry management, animationand three recording industryconcentrations: audio production, commercial songwritingand music business.

[157] MTSU raises awareness, hope for suicide prevention with Oct. 24 community walk

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —MTSU students invite you to join them in raising awareness about the 10^thleading cause of death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Onsite registration for “Out of the Darkness,” a walk to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the Student Union courtyard. The walk, which will be hosted by the Department of Social Work, is slated to last from noon to 2 p.m. There is no charge to participate.

Off-campus visitors attending the event should obtain a special one-day permit from MTSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation at 1403 E. Main St. or online at http://www.mtsu.edu/parking/visit.php. A searchable campus parking map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

The MTSU event is one of more than 550 “Out of the Darkness” overnight, community and campus walks being held nationwide this year. Last year, these events raised more than $21 million for suicide prevention.  

AFSP’s goal is to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20 percent by the year 2025. Kat Cloud, Tennessee Area Director for AFSP, said suicide touches 1 in 5 American families. The CDC reported that nearly 45,000 people killed themselves in the U.S. in 2016, the last year for which full statistics are available.

“We hope that by walking we will draw attention to this issue and keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss,” Cloud said. 

To register online or to make a donation, go to https://afsp.org/mtsu. For more information, contact Dr. Justin Bucchio, an assistant professor of social work, at 615-898-2477 or justin.bucchio@mtsu.edu   

[156] MTSU professor lectures on technology use by LGBTQ couples Oct. 18

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —An MTSU professor will explore how LGBTQ couples use technology to make decisions about having children.

Robert B. Layne II, an assistant professor of communication studies, will present the latest lecture in the Women’s and Gender Studies Research Series at 3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in Room 100 of the James Union Building. 

Off-campus visitors attending the event should obtain a special one-day permit from MTSU’s Office of Parking and Transportation at 1403 E. Main St. or online at http://www.mtsu.edu/parking/visit.php. A searchable campus parking map is available at http://tinyurl.com/MTSUParkingMap.

“Reproductive genetic testing … (is) becoming more commonplace in helping individuals and couples make decisions about whether to become parents or to even continue a pregnancy,” Layne said.

The professor maintains that little research has examined how LGBTQ patients deal with using genetic testing resources such as amniocentesis and screening to determine whether parents carry genes of certain genetic disorders. 

“This becomes incredibly important when we know that LGBTQ couples and individuals typically have to go through extraordinary means to have a biological child, such as in vitro fertilization or surrogacy,” Layne said.

The lecture is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@mtsu.edu.

[155] ‘Movement68’ recalls 50 years of MTSU student activism with Oct. 23 events

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —While recent events remain uppermost in the mind, civil rights activities at MTSU actually span the decades.

“Movement68,” a symposium of 50 years of black student activism, is slated for 6:15 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, in Room 160 of the College of Education building. 

This year marks the 50^thanniversary of a guest column in the student newspaper, Sidelines, by a student objecting to the use of Confederate symbols on campus. That student was Sylvester Brooks.

“To be honest, upon arrival, I did sense an atmosphere of numbness in this place,” Brooks, a 1970 alumnus, said in a recent interview. “It was as though, in large measure, the campus was in a cocoon, stuck in some antebellum notion of causes lost and seemingly oblivious to the blowing winds of change that would not be denied.”

However, Brooks said contemporary movements such as “Black Lives Matter” and “Me Too,” as well as digital communication technology, give him hope for today’s college students.

“We are seeing more and more activism on college campuses, reminiscent of the 1960s, but with enhanced methodology and ability to organize,” Brooks said. 

Lae’l Hughes Watkins, university archivist at Kent State University, will deliver the keynote address. She will speak about the role that archivists, curators and others play in documenting marginalized voices.

Watkins is a co-founder of Project STAND, an acronym for Student Activism Now Documented. The online clearinghouse provides access to resources and information on student dissent at colleges and universities, both ongoing and historic. She will discuss her work with graduate students in MTSU’s Public History Program earlier in the day.

Following Watkins’ address, there will be a panel discussion featuring, in addition to Brooks:

• Phyllis Hickerson-Washington, 1974 alumna and former secondary schools coordinator for Rutherford County Schools;
• Michael McDonald, first African-American student government president (1978-1979) and former Davidson County elections administrator;
• Vincent Windrow, 1989 alumnus and associate vice provost for student success;
• Andre Canty, Knoxville resident and former MTSU student;
• Arionna White, Nashville resident and 2018 alumna. 

The discussion will be moderated by Barbara Scales, director of the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students, and Sarah Calise, political and regional collections archivist for the Albert Gore Research Center.

Calise, lead coordinator on the Movement68 project, was a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree during the 2015 protests calling for Forrest Hall to be renamed. Earlier this year, the Tennessee Historical Commission rejected the university’s request to rename Forrest Hall, which houses military science courses, to the Army ROTC building.

“This discussion around Confederate imagery has been happening, at least on this campus specifically, for decades,” Calise said. “There’s a deeper history here.”

She said a 600-pound medallion featuring Forrest’s image was posted on the exterior of the Keathley University Center in the 1960s. The student chapter of the NAACP asked MTSU President Sam Ingram to take it down in 1989, which Ingram did over the winter break.

“A lot of white people were upset about that for years,” Calise said.

Other issues included Confederate flags being waved at football games and the use of “Dixie” as the official fight song.

Calise is building the Forrest Hall Protest Collection, a digital assemblage of photos, writings and other items, on the James E. Walker Library website. A few artifacts are visible at http://digital.mtsu.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15838coll11. Physical panels depicting text and images will be placed around campus in conjunction with the project.

“Movement68” is sponsored by the Center for Historic Preservation, Distinguished Lecture Committee, Office of Equity & Compliance, Office of Intercultural & Diversity Affairs, the Africana Studies Program, Department of History, Scholars Academy and the Albert Gore Research Center. For more information, contact Calise at 615-898-2632 or sarah.calise@mtsu.edu.

[154] MTSU embarks on three-year project to help detect students’ mental health issues

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. —A federal grant will help MTSU personnel recognize possible mental health issues in students and provide information that could help them.

MTSU’s Center for Health and Human Services will implement the Mental Health First Aid program over the next three years in partnership with the Department of Social Work, Student Health Services, the Center for Counseling and Psychological Resources, the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center and other on- and off-campus partners.

Funding for the project, a grant worth more than $365,000, is provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The MTSU Center for Health and Human Services will train faculty, advisers, campus health services, veterans’ services and residence hall directors, among others. Information on training sessions on campus will be posted on the center’s website at www.mtsu.edu/chhs.

“Recognizing the need is the first step,” said Cynthia Chafin, associate director of community programs and center director. “This training will ensure our MTSU community is equipped to identify those students at risk or already struggling with mental health issues and direct them to the appropriate resources for getting the help they need and deserve.”

The age of presentation for mental illness in young adults, ages 18-25, converges with the ages of traditional college students. However, sometimes students are reluctant to seek treatment.

“Stigma towards mental illness and limited knowledge of accessing mental health services are barriers to accessing needed care for our students,” said Vickie Harden, an assistant professor of social work.

Student veterans, in particular, describe high rates of hopelessness, difficulty functioning due to depression symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Unfortunately, sometimes these students resort to self-medication.

“Research suggest that binge drinking behaviors are often used as coping mechanisms for depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress,” said Hilary Miller, director of the Charlie and Hazel Daniels Veterans and Military Family Center. “The Daniels Center is focused on strong transitions; thus, health and wellness are important to us.”

Miller said that MTSU personnel will receive specialized instructions and guidance regarding military members, veterans and their families so that they may better understand unique aspects of military life.

The Center for Health and Human Services facilitates projects, programs and research activities in public health issues of importance to Tennessee and the nation through collaborative affiliations and partnerships.

For more information, contact Chafin at 615-898-5493 or cynthia.chafin@mtsu.edu. To learn more about the Mental Health First Aid program, go to https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org.

[153] MTSU EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT ON VOTE TO DENY LAW SCHOOL TRANSFER

THEC rejects proposal to bring Valparaiso law school to Murfreesboro campus

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee State University’s president said he was very disappointed by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s decision Monday to deny the proposed transfer of Valparaiso University’s School of Law to the Murfreesboro campus.

“We regret that the Tennessee Higher Education Commission did not approve our proposal to establish a college of law to provide the citizens of Middle Tennessee and surrounding areas an accredited, public law school,” said MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee. 

Commissioners voted 8 to 5 to deny MTSU’s proposal. The governing boards of both MTSU and Valparaiso earlier this month had endorsed the transfer.

“THEC’s decision denies a legal education to Nashville-area students financially unable to attend an expensive, nearby accredited private institution or unable to relocate to a public institution hundreds of miles away in Knoxville or Memphis,” McPhee said.

“We thank our friends at Valparaiso for their generous offer to transfer its School of Law, which would have represented a significant multi-million dollar gift to the state of Tennessee,” he said. “And we are sorry that our citizens will be deprived of the opportunities that this college of law would have provided because of concerns about competition by the state’s two existing public law schools.”

Middle Tennessee residents are farther from an accredited, public law school than residents of any other of the 50 largest metro areas in the United States. MTSU’s proposal would have created the only public accredited law school in serving the Nashville metro area, the seventh-fastest growing region in the nation.